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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 13, 1999)
NEWSROOM: (541)346-5511 E-MAIL ode@oregon. uoregon.edu ON-LINE EDITION: www.dailyemerald.com EDITOR IN CHIEF Ryan Frank EDITORIAL EDITORS Kameron Cole Stefanie Know! ton I he new Star Wars adventure brings reminiscences of childhood fascination and the realities ofgrowing up the whole world, it seemed, cheered. It was a time when pop was your favorite food and the phrase “too much of a good thing” didn’t hold any meaning. Plan ning for the future flocked to a Dylan concert trying to relive some thing that had already passed them by. Teens may see the first three “Star Wars” movies at home with parents and think the special effects are hokey, Princess Leia is ugly and Han Solo is too old for the part. They have already forgotten what it is like to be 6 years old. But something like “Star Wars,” when it is time, will remind them. Not all is lost. There is a new hope. The next generation of wide-eyed 7- and 8-year olds will hold their parents’ hands as they excited ly await the new “Stars Wars” movie. They under stand after seeing the first three in the theater that this is the one that started it all. They can share their parents’ excitement. At movie w . theaters across the * country, a strange phenomenon is devel oping that those too young to remember don’t understand. Small tents erected straight as a formation of X wing fighters are pointing in the direction of the mecca of twenty-somethings’ forgotten childhood — the entryway to a new “Star Wars” adventure. Some people smile as they pass the young rebels in their newly built villages in front of the ticket counter at Cinema World, which started selling tickets for “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” at noon Wednesday. The campers understand the hope of seeing something great and reliving an early childhood memory when Luke Skywalker swings Princess Leia across the chasm, narrowly escaping the storm troopers. Or when Luke hits the target dead on and blasts the dreaded Death Star to pieces and meant hgurmg out Bryan IXxon/Emerald what yOU Wanted for yOUT birthday. That’s what these hopeful campers are trying to relive. There are others, mostly teen-agers, who laugh and jeer. They shout “Loser!” and “Get a life!” at the band of campers. They didn’t grow up fearing a dark-cloaked half-man, half-machine called Darth who could choke a person by just looking at them, or rooting for an alliance that never seemed to have a chance until the very end, when they, of course, won. They don’t understand the mystique of the pre quel, the power it has to give meaning and life to a collective American childhood experience. This may make us old. Not being understood by the younger genera tion, believing that somehow we know better and maybe they, too, will understand someday it’s a right of passage and a sign of growing up. We may even begin to relate to our parents and how they They will fall in love with Anakin Skywalker in a way we never got to know him. Hopefully the “Star Wars” movies will follow them through growing up: seeing the first with parents, the next with a group of friends and the last with someone special. Hopefully they will love the new charac ters like we did the old and want to be like the hero. They will tell their children about the time their parents took them to see it just like they are show ing it to their children now. A new “Star Wars” experience will be retold and reborn for the next generation and the force will live on in them. And as we get old, children will ask about the dark side and the old movies with Luke Skywalk er. We will smile at the name and remember when we first saw “Star Wars.” This editorial represents the opinion of the Emerald ed itorial board. Responses may be sent to ode®oreeon. uoreeon.edu. Letters to the fccutor Don t judge Dixon As a student leader, one has the op portunity and responsibility to work with a diverse group of students. One also has the responsibility to work hard representing the students who elected them. Student Senator Michael Dixon is one of the strongest examples of this type of leader that I have seen at the University. Having worked with Michael in several orga nizations, I have seen the dynamism that he brings to whatever project or campaign he is working on. He not only works hard but seeks student in put and involvement every step of the way. He has admitted to making a mistake and presented his mistake to the senate before the charges were publicized. He is committed to right ing the wrongs that he has done and working toward a positive future. At this point, it is the role of the law to judge Michael and not that of the Emerald or the student body. I strong ly support Michael Dixon and urge students to show their support for one our University’s strongest leaders. C J. Gabbe Planning,Public Policy and Management Corporate questions Aaron Artman’s May 5 commen tary “Corporate Universities,” criti cizes OSPIRG and Ralph Nader for their critical views regarding corpo rate sponsorship at the University while failing to address the funda mental reasons behind their argu ments. Artman’s column assumes that groups like OSPIRG are on a mindless mission to rid the University of cor porate sponsorship and send the school into financial crisis. However, these groups are really concerned with how specific corporations earn the money that they donate to the University. Sure, corporations may fund the construction of a new library or a lec ture hall, but where is this money coming from? When it comes from businesses that rely on sweatshop la bor and the exploitation of young girls in foreign countries to earn their prof its, then the University makes a state ment that it supports these practices. This is why OSPIRG and many stu dents who believe that workers should receive a living wage question corporate sponsorship. Artman’s column makes other as sumptions that do not address the larger issues. One of these issues is that professors, despite the arguments in Artman’s column, do stop teaching about illegal labor practices. Univer sities often run like corporations, hir ing contingent workers who can be let go at anytime. Most contingent pro fessors will probably think twice be fore criticizing those corporations that fund their employers. By supporting corporations with out asking how they earn their mon ey, students give up their power to demand responsible corporate prac tices, and no amount of “new com puters and better facilities” will make up for this loss. Nathan Moore Sociology NATO violence The “hope” expressed by the Emer ald that “Americans are not so easily fooled,” inspired me to respond to the editorial “Looks can be deceiving” (ODE, May 3). With a show of simple ignorance, the ever-engaging Emerald “antago nists” endorsed the brutal violence of NATO and President Clinton’s poli cy. Milosevic did not release Ameri cans to make NATO look bad or per petuate his propaganda. Further, how can such a bold judgment be made when the letter had yet to be opened? Are you claiming that a white flag is a dirty flag? A blue, white and red flag is a display of freedom, equality and humanity, not exploitation, trickery or inhumanity? Presumptuous bomb supporters (Emerald editorial board), Milosevic may want to save the lives of his supporters, innocent Serbs. Three American lives are not more important than 47 civilians killed by NATO bombs on the day of the sol diers’ release. To further criticize Clinton’s poli cy, a position that turns any Emerald editorial board member’s stomach, let’s examine a deceptive quote from our great leader. “We need to teach students to solve their problems with words, not weapons,” was Clinton’s hypocritical response to the Columbine High School shootings. Now, can one of you peace en dorsers see some kind of reason why our country is shattered with violent ideology that spans the world and tears every sensitive heart? Diploma cy ends where bombs begin. Ameri can’s children can see the glaring hypocrisy of our nation’s leaders. Open your hearts and minds, ques tion the authority we live under and write for the people. On a last cry for peace and justice, may I pitch a column idea? I’m inter ested in seeing one that examines the now-popular phrase “peacekeeping troops.” This new concept is doted on by the media, military leaders and politicians. I implore you to tell us the significance of this ideology. A great title for that column would appropri ately be “Looks can be deceiving.” Sara Bartley Communications Thumbs To tire contract of the year Women’s college basketball star Chamique Hold sdaw signed a six figure endorse ment deal with Nike. The deal is the largest ever paid to a woman athlete. To greater accessibility A new ramp at the Hutt Center will make the Jacobs Gallery, on the lower level, acces sible to disabled patrons. Previous ly, a staircase was the only way to reach the gallery. Advocates hope all of Eugene will fol low in an attempt to make the city more accessible to the disabled. THUMBS DOWN To losing a great storyteller Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout and dearlckleme, Pickle me, Tickle me, too, were just a few of the char acters $hel Silver Citing discrepan cies between the law and the cur rent situation with Senator Michael Dixon, Senate President Michael Olson declares that Dixon, al though he was found guilty of stealing from the University, should retain his senate seat.