▼ THIS WEEK
MONDAY: Opinion
TUESDAY: Poltcs
WEDNESDAY: Option
THURSDAY: Polite
FRIDAY: Opm »n
Jj J
editorials, letters, commentary and perspective
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Eugene, OR 97403
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TORREY
for mayor *
66
[Jim] Torrey knows
the city and its
citizens. He knot’s
what people want
and care about. And
he appears
committed to
students’ needs.
55
CHRIS HUTCHiNSONtemeratt
■ OUR
OPINION:
Eugene needs
practical
solutions, not
tiresome
criticism of the
past
■he innumerable debates, advertise
JL. community still doesn’t care who
becomes Eugene’s next mayor — and maybe
never will. But it should.
While city relations with the University
and its 20,000 total occupants have not been
a defining issue in the mayoral campaign
between Jim Weaver and Jim Torrey, they
should be.
Most citizens feel the mayor can’t directly
affect anything the city or University does in
the future anyway. And this may be true.
But by using the position's ample influence
in the City Council as well as its obvious
sway as a figurehead, the next mayor’s ideas
and vision for the future could make all the
difference.
One candidate has the ideas and vision
we’re looking for and that is Jim Torrey. A
local business owner and City Council
man since 1994, Torrey knows the city
and its citizens. He knows what people
want and care about. And he appears
Besides vowing to fight tuition in
creases in Salem whenever possi
ble, Torrey hopes to join together
ments, slogans and signs haven’t
made a difference. The University
committed to students’ needs.
wiui ouier college mayors
in the state to form a
collective voice on be
half of higher educa
tion. He wants the
University to be a
part of the commu
nity, and encour
ages students to at
tend City Council
meetings and voice
their concerns.
Weaver, on the other
hand, doesn t have any
tangible plans on behalf of the University.
He recognizes its importance, but has no
ideas on how to help students or the institu
tion’s future. Serving in the U.S. House of
Representatives for 12 years hasn’t helped
Weaver’s knowledge of local politics, it’s ir
reversibly broadened his own beliefs.
Weaver, who’s enjoyed a lifetime in the
political arena, lists his career motivations
as a strong opposition to war and a belief in
protecting the environment, civil liberties
and human rights. He said he came out of
retirement to run for mayor only to stop the
"growth run amok” he observed in the city.
But while Weaver's lifelong stands on the
environment and other causes are indeed
gallant, none of these beliefs transfer to real
life solutions in Eugene’s local government.
His accomplished congressional career
shows he can get things done but without
any practical ideas to act on, Weaver will do
nothing.
Toney, instead, has realistic solutions to
the complicated problems plaguing this
city. While some police tactics have been
questionable, Torrey’s leadership during
the recent dog and skateboard ban in the
West University district demonstrates his
ability to take action on the local level — no
easy task. He knows business owners and
citizens from all areas of the community
and has an unparalleled beat on the pulse of
the city.
He believes in increased spending for
public safety, including the police depart
ment’s Rapid Deployment Unit and a new
training facility for firefighters. He knows
the small problems law enforcement has to
deal with, such as vehicle maintenance, and
helps provide answers.
Weaver’s stands on public safety and
spending issues are once again gallant, but
conspicuously impractical. He wrants police
to use bikes or walk, but ignores the conse
quences of such a far-reaching tactic. He
wants police to respect all citizens, but is
vague on just whom to leave alone — cham
pioning “civility and decorum” without
providing concrete definitions for such
causes.
Economically, Torrey is prepared and un
afraid to make cuts, especially if Measure 47
passes. Weaver said “he’d rather not think
about [the measure]” and appeared more ea
ger to criticize current spending patterns.
Torrey is willing to stop all hiring in city
government and cut all “discretionary”
spending after the measure, two unattrac
tive but necessary solutions.
Weaver and Torrey both know the city of
Eugene isn’t perfect. In fact, it’s in dire need
of help in many areas. And they both know
the next mayor will have a profound impact
on how the city deals with these problems.
But only Torrey knows how to solve these
problems with ideas that will work, not just
broad aspirations and criticism.
The future cannot be made better simply
by tearing apart the past. The present must
be analyzed while slowly stepping into the
future. Jim Torrey will lead us down this
road.
This editorial represents the opinion of the
Emerald editorial board.
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LETTERS
Policy is a start
In response to your editorial
about the proposed student sex
policy, I think the policy is a
start in the right direction [ODE,
Oct. 28). Sexual assault occurs
ever}' day on university cam
puses across the nation. It is ex
tremely emotionally and spiritu
ally damaging to the victim and
to society. It can cause a person
to isolate themselves, drop out
of college and struggle with self
esteem and negative feelings.
The purpose of the new poli
cy is to empower victims of
sexual assault so perpetrators
should not be free to assault
again. We have to start some
where, and stressing communi
cation between partners is a
start. Just because you think
“no one will follow it” is no ex
cuse for not improving the Stu
dent Conduct Code. Do you
think just because no one
would stop at a traffic light,
that we shouldn’t implement
traffic signals?
While the proposed policy
might not be perfect, clarifying
consent and responsibility is
"displaying some levelhead
ness” and common sense.
Jill Warner
Psychology
Broad consent
While I think it is great that
the Emerald editorial hoard ac
knowledged the importance of
a new conduct code for sexual
assault and rape, 1 had prob
lems with the reasons offered
for why the proposed change
will not work.
When defining “explicit con
sent,” the editorial stated that
this must be “communicated
verbally, perhaps even on pa
per." I am very' curious as to
where in the proposed changes
this is inferred. What the
changes do include is “explicit
consent, verbal or otherwise.”
This could mean but is not lim
ited to anything verbal, non
verbal, a gesture or I suppose, a
written note. What explicit
consent does provide for, how
ever, is that instead of asking a
survivor what he or she did to
say no, the alleged perpetrator
would need to explain what he
or she did to obtain consent.
Hopefully, this will result in
more survivors feeling safe and
comfortable reporting an inci
dent because it will no longer
be their responsibility to prove
they resisted.
Yes, I agree that sexual as
sault and rape include a lot of
grey areas, but until the Univer
sity as a public institution is
willing to take a strong and dis
ciplinary stance against assault
and rape, we as a community
will not see a decrease in these
"extremely terrible and confus
ing" crimes.
Rebecca Peatow
Political Science
Problem solvable
In response to your editorial
on the proposed sexual mis
conduct language, I feel com
pelled to ask, “What’s wrong
with consent?” Your idea that
"asking for permission just
doesn't happen” disturbs me.
Seeking consent is simply an
extension of the mutual respect
on which adult relationships
are based. It is not unrealistic to
expect students to practice pru
dence and simply ask when in
doubt. If it is unrealistic, then
that attitude is exactly what
this language is targeting.
Furthermore, the policy will
only come into play in a situa
tion where someone feels vio
lated. In the vast majority of
sexual encounters, where those
involved have reached a certain
comfort level, the nature of the
consent — explicit or implicit
— will not be an issue. The lan
guage is intended to serve as a
guideline for determining if
misconduct has taken place in
situations where complaints
are raised, not as a means for
policing the sexual activities of
students.
Finally, I am disappointed in
your conclusion that “the
world of sexual assault is an ex
tremely terrible and confusing
one...[and] some aspects of it,
like prosecution, may never be
solved.” This defeatist conclu
sion is not only disheartening,
but a slap in the face to the nu
merous students who organize
around campus safety issues,
not to mention those who put a
year and a half of their time and
energy into drafting this policy.
Yes, sexual assault is a daunt
ing problem, but to dismiss ef
forts to curtail it as ineffective
and "extreme" does a disser
vice to the survivors and their
plight.
I urge any and all of you who
have an opinion on this issue to
voice it at the public hearing to
day in the EMU Walnut Room
at 2 p.m.
Matthew Scotten
ASUO President