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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 27, 2000)
Leadership, activism not mutually exclusive (From left to right) Randy Newnham of the Survival Center, former ASUO Vice President Mitra Anoushiravani, and ASUO President Jay Breslow lock arms and show their soli darity in support of WRC membership last spring. Birkenstock Mephisto Dansko Simple Clarks Teva Ecco Naot Haflinger Blundstone Josef Seibel... FOOTWISE THE BIRKENSTOCK STORE 181 E. Broadway • Dowtown • 342-6107 Mon-Fri 10-6 and Sun 11-5 To earn a 4.00 in Brewology all you need to know is STEELHEAD. 002965 □ 9 Award-Winning Micro-Brews □ Soups, Salads n Ribs □ Fresh Pizza □ Sandwiches □ Pastas n Bnrgers □ Spirits □ Home-Made Rootbeer TAKE A BREW HOME IN STEELHEAD'S BOX O' BEER Steelhead Brewing Company 199 East 5th Avenue Eugene, OR Phone 081-2739 Eugene, OR - Burlingame, CA - Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, CA - Irvine, CA ■ Mudent leaders adamantly encourage participation and hope for a large voter turnout at upcoming November election By Jeremy Lang Oregon Daily Emerald ASUO President Jay Breslow doesn’t see a difference between his roles as a student leader and as a student activist. “Student leaders are student ac tivists, and those who don’t be lieve it shouldn’t be student lead ers,” he said. Despite Breslow’s personal con victions, this year’s Executive staff is being forced to decide where the distinction must be made, with both its ideology and monetary funds. Only days after classes have begun, staff members are defining exactly what the ASUO is and how it will fit on campus this year. A handful of this year’s student leaders spent last year fighting for causes through the Survival Cen ter, an umbrella group based out of the EMU that includes the Human Rights Alliance and the OSPIRG offices. Others, including Breslow and ASUO Vice President Holly Magn er, were involved in last spring’s student protest for University membership in the Worker Rights Consortium. Now elected, some activists say they won’t need to draw a line be tween the two. Others plan, in the meantime, to quell how much their opinions enter the office du ties. But all agree their new posi tions this year will not dampen their spirit of activism as a whole. University Affairs Coordinator Chad Sullivan was heavily in volved with the WRC issue last year. He said he was constantly frustrated by the number of people who didn’t have all the informa tion about the organizations work ing to improve labor conditions. He believes that, for now, the best thing he can do with his ASUO position is to be an educa tor on the issue. “When people become aware of the issue, the choice is obvious,” he said. The Executive has already en countered one major distinction during its voter registration cam paign. Despite directly affecting higher education and funding, it can’t take a specific stance on any political issues, including the Ore gon ballot measures. But Breslow said it isn’t hard to figure out what he and his staff think about, the issues, even when they speak simply to encourage { C Student leaders are student activists, and those who don’t believe it shouldn’t be student leaders. Jay Breslow ASUO President students to vote. “People elected us to these posi tions because we have opinions,” he said. As the Executive continues to stress how the ballot measures can affect students, the underlying message, including staff members’ opinions on the negative affects of the measures, is hard to avoid. “We’ll do it within the rules of the administration and the ASUO,” Breslow said of the voter education and registration cam paign. “But we won’t shy away from confrontation.” As she stood on the corner urg ing passing students to register for the November election, Legislative Coordinator Melissa Unger said she, like Breslow, sees a direct connection between student gov ernment and student activism. Unger, who worked for OSPIRG last year, said she thinks her ASUO position is the perfect vehi cle for student activism because of the clout that comes with her title, especially with the administration. “We have to be listened to,” she said. “We can get a lot done.” Breslow said he thinks the pri mary job of the ASUO is to edu cate students and to advocate for them. But, eventually, advocating has to involve taking a position on what will benefit students the most and deciding the best way to take action. “While I deal with politics, I don’t consider myself a politician. It’s a really sticky situation,” he said. Unger agreed and said she even considers the ASUO an activist group advocating for students based on their voice in the ASUO elections. She acknowledged that turnout for ballot measures con cerning the WRC, Designated Dri ver Shuttle and other groups is low, but thinks the Executive is doing what the campus popula tion wants it to do. “The elections are all we have to gauge the student voice,” Unger said. Breslow agreed that those who remained silent last year need to vote in their campus, local and na tional elections if they want their voice to be heard. Or better yet, Breslow suggested, run for office. “I didn’t get elected because I’m middle of the road,” Breslow said. Joe Sperm swims through Eugene ■ Planned Parenthood began a daring new campaign at the Eugene Celebration parade in an attempt to raise eyebrows and awareness about its free testing program By Lindsay Buchele For the Emerald Joe Sperm made his public de but alongside a giant egg and con doms during the Eugene Celebra tion parade held on Saturday, Sept. 16. His purpose is not only to make Eugene residents laugh, but also to launch the new “Joe Sperm” campaign, said Diane Duke, Planned Parenthood’s asso ciate executive director. Planned Parenthood hopes to use Joe Sperm in order to increase awareness about its Family Plan ning Expansion Project (FPEP), which will enable Eugene resi dents to receive free contraceptives and Sexually Transmitted Infec tion (STI) testing as long as they meet certain criteria. “Joe is there for two things,” Duke said. “The first is to get atten tion for Planned Parenthood and the second is because of a five-year grant we received because of a Medicaid waiver.” The waiver has enabled Planned Parenthood to start FPEP, which provides free contraceptives and STI testing for those who make less then $1,288 a month, Duke said. The Eugene branch derived the idea to use Joe from another Planned Parenthood in Spokane, Washington. Spokane was using the sunglasses-clad mascot on bill board^, and found it successfully drew community members to the organization. “They [Spokane Planned Parent hood] won an award for the ad campaign using Joe and were will ing to share it with us,” Duke said. “The parade was just the begin ning.” Renee DeLaurentis decided Joe Sperm needed to be the focus of the Planned Parenthood float in this year’s Celebration parade. Duke’s son, Jason Thelen, played the giant sperm and was accompa nied by a giant egg, condoms, pills, diaphragms and little sperm “swimming” behind the float. “I felt Joe was ‘uniquely Eugene,’ and a good idea for the float. [Ja son] was a perfect candidate to play Joe. He was enthusiastic, dra matic, even theatrical,” DeLauren tis said. As for fear of the crowd’s re sponse to such a sexually-oriented float, DeLaurentis wasn’t worried. In fact, the float received a great re sponse. “We received applause and a standing ovation,” DeLaurentis said. In fact, the overall response to the Joe Sperm campaign has been positive, Duke said. Since the pa rade, Joe has appeared in adver tisements featured in the Oregon Daily Emerald, The Register-Guard and on the sides of Lane Transit District buses. The few who object to the cam paign argue that Joe is inappropri ate for children to see, but Duke disagrees. “We believe Joe opens up the line of communication between children and parents about sex,” she said. Although this is not the point of the campaign, Duke sees it as an added bonus. Planned Par enthood also provides books and newsletters geared toward helping parents talk to their children about sex. Response to FPEP, thanks to Joe, has also been encouraging. Ac cording to Dr. Daralyn DeHaven Murdoch, a doctor at the Student Health Center, as of July 3 there have been over 575 applications filed by students wanting to use FPEP. In order for a student to be eligible for FPEP, he or she must meet criteria that includes being a legal Oregon resident, being able to use the health center and having a gross monthly income of less than $1,288. Those who do qualify can receive a free pelvic exam, STI testing and contraceptives but can not receive treatment or medica tions related to STIs found. Joe has gotten the word out to Eugene residents that reproductive health care is available, Duke said. “This campaign is geared to ward anyone who is sexually ac tive, including students,”. Duke said. “We just want to help with the reduction of unwanted preg nancy and STIs.” For more infor mation, contact Duke at 342-6042 or visit Planned Parenthood at 1670 High St. “Joe Sperm” T-shirts are also available.
