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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.