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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1997)
LETTERS Not black and white I note that the Emerald contin ues to publish the biased vitriol of M. Reza Behnam, a man who, until he was exposed several years ago, used to write op-ed pieces to the Register-Guard claiming to be director of the ut terly fictitious Institute for Ad vanced Middle Eastern Studies (he still carries on that masquer ade from time to time in the pages of The Oregonian). Your readers should be aware of this history as they consider comments like those published in his letter in the April 22 Emerald. According to him, the issues of war, peace and justice in Israel are all black and white: the Israelis are completely at fault, the Pales tinians are completely innocent. I submit that any reasonable person will conclude that there is right and wrong on both sides — that both sides have been and continue to be guilty of injustice and atrocities. The Emerald does not need another one-sided view of the Middle East such as the one Behnam tirelessly offers. Jeffrey Hurwit Art History Respect Israel In his April 22 letter to the edi tor, Reza Behnam came up with yet another masterpiece of anti-Is raeli fanaticism. It took me a while to realize that Mr. Behnam actual ly considers human bombing a heroic act. I always considered that unnecessary human sacrifice, especially while Yassir Arafat claims that he’s firmly set on find ing a peaceful solution to the “Palestinian Question. ” Let’s consider the facts that ac tually have something to do with Reza Behnam’s laments. He calls the Palestinians the “natives” of the land. Obviously he never heard about the historically fa mous Muslim conquests of the middle ages when the natives of the Arabian Peninsula took over vast areas of the Middle East, Eu rope, India and even China within less than a century. Most of that area is still populated by the de scendants of those people and is known as the Arab World. On the other hand, an area roughly the size of Lane County was legally purchased by the Rothchild family .early in the twentieth century and is now known as Israel. The reason for that was to bring the only surviv ing natives of that area—the Jews (the Scythians, the Persians, and other such peoples having long since moved on or gone extinct)— back to their homeland, which was denied to them for centuries. Grasp the difference? Now, we may disagree with the Israeli methods of gaining recog nition from the Arab countries, but let’s call things by their own names. Israel is surrounded by na tions which are really unfriendly toward it. It is pretty much a won der how it has lasted so long, hav ing such unstable supporters as the United States (remember Iran Contra?) Yassir Arafat and his friends will not sleep, eat or drink until the last Jew is kicked out of the Middle East. Israel is not “expand ing and prospering,” it’s fighting for survival. So let’s have some re spect for Israel, Mr. Behnam. If anything, Israel deserves respect. Artem Y. Lyubimov Biology Rape awareness I am a proud member of the greek system and also a concerned student at the University. In con junction with our social policies, all greeks are required to attend “social issues seminars.” Last evening, my chapter host ed a presentation by the Sexual Assault Support Services of Lane County. In light of recent events, such a seminar has special value. This letter is not a defense of the greek system, nor a damnation, but rather an admission of igno rance. Our ignorance of the Amer ican rape culture is shared though, and most students are subject to it. The representative who spoke to my chapter was insightful, per suasive and disturbing. Disturbing in that her persuasive insight re vealed how deeply rooted accep tance of rape has been construct ed. So deep that when we are con scious of sexual assault and rape incidents, we are still blind to the millions of women {and men) who suffer because sexual assault and rape are so easily questioned and dismissed. The deconstruction of our con structed ignorance can only come through education. Rape is a prob lem at this University that is not limited to any specific group. I hope that such seminars like that which I attended can have an equal impact on other greek members, but I do not think that they should be limited to greek members. As of now, the University only requires the greek system to offer informative seminars. I contend that the safety of all students at this University relies on all stu dents actively participating in such education. Many students have been un willing to attend “open” seminars at student residencies, the EMU, etc. I challenge these students, and moreover the University, to make rape, alcohol abuse and other pre ventative seminars mandatory. Joseph Perko Comparative Literature Where’s the money I read an article in the April 21 Emerald that outlined all of the new buildings and additions that the University is planning to build. These include a new indoor workout facility at Autzen stadi um, a new law complex, a new recreation center near the Esslinger building and four other projects. In other articles in the Emerald there has been speculation about building a new basketball stadium because the one we have now is ugly. In the mail this week I re ceived the proposed student bud get for an out-of-state student. Next year will cost $20,025 to go to school. Two years ago when I enrolled here it was $17,713. Since that time a big deal has been made about the fact that Oregon voters do not believe in funding higher education and that the en tire school must make cut backs. I would like to know exactly what this school is cutting back on. Every year tuition gets more expensive and the administration does nothing to help us, the stu dents. The majority of these new buildings come from us. I can’t see how the University can think of taking on so many ex pensive projects in the next few years when the students can’t af ford school now. I don’t want to continue paying out more money every year for athletic buildings. I don’t want to pay more money for any reason. In three years, I have accumulated over $22,000 in debt and I know there are may stu dents who have it worse off than me. So if any administrators care about us, the students, they should consider acting in our in terests and try to bring the tuition down to a reasonable sum. Adam Moule Chemistry 50c Wash All Day Every Day! ★ FULLY ATTENDED ★(LEAN RESTROOM ★ TVS WAITING AREA ★ DROP OFF LAUNDRY SERVICE ★ ESPRESSO, JUICE, SNACKS, l MORE 165 E. 17th Behind Safeway & Hirons Hours 7am to lipm We hope to see you there! 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Call today to resene a top-quality RyderTRS truck and take advantage of these special sa\ings. a iHMnl »> a nuiimm at Ml aIT Omr enupnr prr rrm ■a* Ciaipw mli|fti In mai imUMii and Rydrr TRS m I7 NOTFTOntAIJJl IVa< mat* mrf Eugene Rexius Forest By-Products 750 Chambers (541)342-4640 Eugene Valley River Storage 1210 Willagillespie Road (541)344-9938 Springfield Springfield Glass 237 South A Street (541)741-1561 Springfield Rexius Forest By-Products 4490 Main Street (541)726-3930 The Oregon Daily Emerald is published daily Monday through Friday during the school year and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co. Inc., at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. The EmeraWoperates independently of the University with offices at Suite 300 of the Erb Memorial Union. The Emerald is private property. The unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable by law. 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