Editor in chief: Laura Cadiz
Editorial Editors: Bret Jacobson, Laura Lucas
Newsroom: (541)346-5511
Room 300, Erb Memorial Union
P.O. Box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403
E-mail: ode@oregon.uoregon.edu
Wednesday
May 24,2000
Volume 101, Issue 159
Effierald
One out of every 500
college students in the
United States is infected
with HIV, so get tested and
live your life being part of
the solution, not the
problem
Spre
t;nn JL.
If the numbers are right, approximately 35 stu
dents on the University campus are HIV posi
tive. If common sense is right, condoms can
stop that number from increasing.
And if you want peace of mind, stop by the Uni
versity Health Center and get tested.
The fact is that all sexually active college stu
dents — and those sharing needles — are at risk
for HIV and other diseases. Statistics give us an ap
proximation of how many potential partners may
be HIV positive, but only testing every student
would let us know for sure. If you can’t be sure
that you aren’t at risk — if you can’t be abstinent
— then think, when in a sexual situation, about
the probability of contracting HIV from a one
night stand or even a long-time partner.
The HIV/AIDS crisis has not slowed in the Unit
ed States or in the world, even though you might
think the wonder drugs of the mid-1990s have
“cured” HIV. Magic Johnson might still be alive,
but that doesn’t mean that contracting HIV is no
big deal anymore. College campuses and teenagers
were big targets of HIV prevention campaigns only
a few years ago, but we rarely hear about HIV on
this campus today. We might get the idea from all
the silence that we needn’t worry about the virus,
but the fastest growing segment of HIV infections
are among young females.
HIV testing at the health center can confirm
your status. This term the tests are free, but they
will be $12 afterward. They can always be done
anonymously. So far in spring term, 275 students
have had themselves tested. While this figure is
up from about 120 students tested all last year, that
number should be even higher. With one out of
every 500 university students in the United States
being HIV positive and 16,000 people in the world
contracting HIV every day, you might want to
know where you fit in.
Efforts are being stepped up all over the world
to combat AIDS and even to prevent it through
awareness programs. On June 27, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention and the National
Association of People with AIDS are hosting an
Giovanni Salimena Emerald
annual National HIV Testing Day. The campaign
wants to make people aware that HIV is still a
leading killer among youths in the United States
and among all people across the world.
Joining the fight to attack AIDS and HIV are
pharmaceutical companies, which just this month
announced plans to cut the cost of A TPS drugs to
developing countries. Americans should see this
move as a positive step forward but also as a sign
that HIV is an international concern. We are part
of the bigger picture.
Getting tested — and being aware — are also
steps in seeing the bigger picture. One person
CAN stop the spread of HIV, if he or she gets tested
and uses the information appropriately. Knowl
edge is power. Working together is powerful.
If you are sexually active, you are at risk. We all
are.
This editorial represents the view of the Emerald editorial
board. Responses may be sent to ode@oregon.uoregon.edu
Letters to the editor
Non-pets are abused, too
I am really getting tired of the way
the media and the public deal with
animal abuse cases such as the sev
ered dog’s paws found on the Fid
dler’s Green Golf Course a few days
ago (ODE, May 23.) Yes, it might be
“gross” and even “horrifying” to find
dog’s paws lying around, but the fact
that a story like this is deemed impor
tant shows the absolute silliness and
narrow-minded morals of the way
people think about animals. Let’s put
it all in perspective: Millions of ani
mals, living breathing beings which
we have chosen to call “livestock”
and “meat,” are killed each year for
,food. Animals are experimented on,
abused for entertainment and kept in
cages in zoos; yet because they are not
the animals that we choose to care
about and keep as pets or find cute
enough for our liking, their well-being
is not at all important. In the animal
rights movement, this is called
“speciesism,” or a kind of discrimina
tion of our morals and compassion
only toward those beings that we
choose to care about.
My point is, severed dog’s paws are
indeed gross, but if anyone cares
about one dog, then I think they must
also care about the millions of other
animals that really need everyone’s
compassion.
Just use a little common sense — if
you are going to care about a paw,
then put down that hamburger and
care about all animals.
Boris Dolin
senior, linguistics
Anti-racism race not covered
The YWCA has had a long history
of not only empowering women and
girls but fostering racial justice and
preventing violence.
Here on our campus, the YWCA
has done some extraordinary things
in the last several years because of
some remarkable staff and dedicated
members.
On May 14 the YWCA held a won
derful event, 'The YWCA Race
Against Racism.” The event will ben
efit programs, events and education
committed to enhancing diversity and
the elimination of racism.
There were more than 50 entries in
cluding one representative from the
Human Rights Commission. We were
fortunate that two local television sta
tions were present to cover it. In fact,
our ASUO President-elect Jay Bres
low was even the keynote speaker.
Why did it not merit media coverage
from the Emerald, especially after the
YWCA executive director submitted
press releases? The fact is, that racism
exists at this University. I believe just
as much in protesting as any other ac
tivist to stand up against racism. How
ever, a worthy event such as this
should have been covered and sup
ported by the Emerald.
If two television stations thought
this event was worthwhile coverage, I
am curious as to what does it take to
be worthy of an article for the Emer
ald? You will be given another oppor
tunity next year at our Second Annual
YWCA Race Against Racism.
Mercedez Cruz
YWCA board president
PPPM
Quoted
“We really want to
seize the momen*
turn here."
— Michael J. Fox,
the Spin City actor
who has Parkin
son’s disease, on
leaving his show to
promote his new
cause. CNN.com,
May 23.
“All of Ray Lewis’
actions were ac
tions to attempt to
stop the fight, to
attempt to break
up the fight.”
— NFL linebacker
Ray Lewis’attor
ney Ed Garland, in
his opening argu
ments in the NFL
star’s murder trial.
Lewis was arrested
after the Super
Bowl in February
for his alleged role
in stabbing two
men outside a
nightclub.
CNNSf.com, May
23.
“We need to recon
sider our ideas
about the begin
nings of civiliza
tion, pushing the
time further
back.”
—McGuire
Gibson, a professor
at the Oriental In
stitute and co-di
rector of an expe
dition last year
that discovered a
6,000 year old city
in Syria. Scientists
had previously be
lieved civilization
began in
Mesopotamia in
3,000-3,500 BX.
The Associated
Press, May 23.
“Life expectancy in
more than a dozen
African countries
‘will soon be 17
years shorter be
cause of AIDS—
47 years instead of
64. [AIDS] is quite
literally robbing
Africa of a quarter
of our lives.’”
—Callisto
Madavo, the World
Bank’s vice presi
dent for Africa, on
the AIDS crisis. The
Village Voice, Nov.
3,1999.
CORRECTION
The story “Confer
ence discusses pro
choice” (ODE, May
22) should have
read: Sunday’s
wrap-up included
a movie about a
woman who died
while havingan il
legal abortion.
The Emerald re
grets this error.