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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 10, 1996)
VIEWPOINTS f OlTOftlAlS OPINIONS If HfRS TO T HI f QtTQR University events help educate community ■ OUR OPINION Pride Week and Holocaust conference were needed In the midst of midterms and flush springtime air, the University held two very progressive and much-need ed events this week: Pride Week and the Holocaust ethic* conference And though you probably could not help hut notice these occurrences with functions such as Queerfest taking place in the EMU Courtyard, it is still important to recog nise and appreciate that the University is taking action to increase students' levels of acceptance and aware ness. Despite what tom* Orego nian* would argue, this state is riot one of the most diverse and accepting plains to inhabit Only last month, flyer* were ported around mmpui by a white supreme dM organization The lX‘.A's heathpiarter s are In* tied in Salem and despite our wish es, they continue to express their disgustingly dosed uiitide*! opinions On a national level, the FBI Just received a letter threatening to kill 1.200 Jewish executives and doc tors in the United States unless Israel withdraws its military forces from iehanon and pays SI2 bil lion in compensation by this Sunday A letter like this proves that this nation it not yet properly dealing with issues of diversity. This news article was buried inside the beck tuigtrs of the Oregonian, which is also quite disturbing A threat of this volume should be printed on the front page to warn these doctor* and executives of possible harm Though the validity of the letter ten not be proven, the issue should not be given less attention than a corrupt politician. One of the main reasons that racism, anti semitism and homophobia blossom ant because people appar ently prefer to ignore mat they exist This preferred ignorance only leeda to more long-term negative results and less tolerant atti tudes No on« expressed this view more eloquently than Kite Wiesel. whose parents and younger sister died at Auschwitz.. When Wiesel returned to Buchenwaid years ago to look for the remains of the ramp he found trees had been plant ed and that there was no plaque commemorating the dead lews A plaque was planned, however, for Nazi criminals who had died. One* we start to forget our progress and the terrible event* that have taken place as a result of previous gener ations' ignorance, we stop learning from history and start repeating it. The events supported by the JXdtA {lesbian. Gay, Bisexual Alliance), the Jew ish Student Union and other parties were of vital impor tance because their goal was not to allow people to forget two important things: that the Holocaust did occur, and that there are many nonheterosexual students on this campus. It is great that them minority factions are grow ing in numbers and strength and letting the entire Uni versity and surrounding i (immunity know it. This week's events, hosted by the University, are a major accomplishment for ail. 2 Oweon am erntmo Fnd*v KUy 10 19H :^S^pjUM>rW C4INA. QU/Z: FimO tv* CO n* UNrtiO JWm »$ MOfr CONO»NIO A*out^ a Compact CH9C Bean parking takes wrong detour The University K*« a wrm parking prob fern The One* of Public Safety rou tinaly itiuM fat mote parking permit* that it ha* cpam to fill OPS cam'I always guarantee aaaann ticket-hoi dart apace* during game* because of the* abort ago Commuter* have grown resigned to tin ling tb* campus •evaral tuna* liefore aecuring apace on a tide ttrwx At the urn* uma. the Uni varsity it accepting morn ouiof-ttaie vehicle dependent ttudanta than ever before And a» if living in Roan Cum plan weren't bad anougb aheadv tba University ha* lately dacid •d that adequate parking space might be too much of a luxury for it* dormitory raaidanU, too A lut wn wu < mated by «h* Untvenuty to rwpond to tho parking crunch Its aolu tt«n make mom lot commuter* by booting the rasidants of Boon Conphu from their park - ing lot on the nut tide of cun. pu» The problem with it* •olufkm bund old* never hauled anybody The “lot of c,hoi<*" feu tWt s clUpo««*s**<i Ulntb hinterland* of the University e*t*t*. in proverbial "Been K— Enypi/* Trio University U proposing that stu dent* leave thou ear* «Mi the rtvat and through the tree*. in an overnight tot a tnii« away at Autxen Apart from exposing their cars to theft anti damage*. student* will also be expected to walk their vulnerable selves pact brtiijpw anti bogey* to reach their vehicle* Dur tog football game* they'll be forced to relocate again or get lowed What the University o NOT proposing it to deal with it* eacalating and enduring parking problem by building a parking garage The Uni versity'* budget la even tighter than it* parking At 114.000 per parking space. the estimated coat of a parking garage would run up to $5 million Not even the University-* revenue* from all those surplus. irredeemable OPS permit* can cushion the coat of «uch a venture. Five million doesn't even seam like an inflated figure when one considers that tha tiny checkpoint Mofk outside of Oregon Hail cost STBOOO But Own. the checkpoint is worth it. (All visi tors ever do is take up parking, anyway). Which lead* to the most sensible solution of ail instead of inconveniencing Bean residents or building a parking garage, maybe tha Univer sitv should construct sn army of Uttle green and yellow checkpoint*, one for each lot. road «nd sidewalk on aunpus. At S3B.OOO per check point, the University could afford mors than 100 tiny checkpoints foe the price of one parking garage! instead of permits, (evidently meaningless anyway) all vehicle* will be required to pass a little uniformed attendant who will allow only 66 The University should admit that their plan is merely a stop-gap and begin brainstorming ways to build a much-needed parking garage -99 w many cars on campus as he or she deems proper Once the little attendant decides that enough cars are parked on campus for the day, the less-lucky drivers will have to turn around and take a gamble in the petty theft district of Autxen Stadium — a sort of "game of lots." This would be a fun and egalitarian way to cope with inadequate parking! Tiny checkpoint* also soften the smack of discrimination present in the University's plan. Unlike coddled commuters, dormitory resi dents will be hard-hit by the proposal Many residents feel they are already being "taxed" by the University as part of their residence fees The University demands $400,000 a year in fee* from l iniversity Housing because of housing's classification as an "auxiliary." This money is culled from students' dormitory costs. When students are expected to purchase park ing permits in addition to those costs, it's rea sonable to expect they might resent having to park o' ride to their homes (Commuters on the other hand, already have the advantage of not living in Kean, they should recognise that shut Uing to and from Annum is a small price lo pay for big mercies). Meanwhile, the University should admit that their plan is merely a stop gap and begin Identi fying spots to put those vital checkpoints Or lartter yet. begin brainstorming ways to ember rle money from the Casanova Center (or where* • *r) to build a much-needed parking garage Enrollment ia not going to decrease, and until Oregon Public Safety reduces the number of parking permits it issues, (it has found “no per ceived need" to do so) the University's problem will continue to grow. Most of the finer details of the University’s tentative arrangement — such as security at Autaen and shuttle service — have yet to be worked out, but residents era already pissed Those who know about it. anyway. There is cur rently only one student on the task force com mittee to represent the 300-400 students who regularly park In the Bean lot- Resident Asais tants have been working overtime to spread the word and prevent the parking ben The University wants the problem resolved by fall of 'iift. This term is almost over. Students will find that some unpleasant changes have quietly gone Into effect while they were on vacs tion unless they arrive at a compromise now. Sonja Sherwood, majoring in foumalism and bnghsh. is a columnist for the Emerald E mail: cheer»9gtadstone uoregon edu