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October 31,2000
Volume 102, Issue 45
Weather
TODAY
A severe loss •
The Huskies are dealt a tragic blow as Curtis
Williams sustains a spinal-cord injury. PAGE 7
Halloween history lw»\
From carving pumpkins to trick-or-treating, the holi- rain^
day’s traditions have interesting beginnings. PAGE 6 high 55, low 45
Tuesday
Jackson to students: Take your souls to the noils
me great
unifier’tries
bringing
together
student voters
in support
of Vice
President
Al Gore
p
By Beata Mostafavi
Oregon Daily Emerald
He’s been called the “con
science of the nation” and “the
great unifier,” and for about an
hour Monday night, students had
the chance to listen to the Rev.
Jesse Jackson speak about the con
trasting philosophies on the envi
ronment, education, women’s
rights and health issues between
Texas Gov. George W. Bush and
Vice President A1 Gore.
More than 500 people stood and
applauded in a packed EMU Ball
room for several minutes Monday
to welcome him to the University.
Many cheered, a few chanted and
some even cried.
Although his earlier scheduled
visit to the University was can
celed so he could fulfill his prom
ise to stand on the picket lines
with striking transit workers in
Los Angeles, Jackson made it up to
the local community. The former
Democratic presidential candidate
spoke to the overflow crowd in the
ballroom and then spoke again in
the lobby to a group of at least 200.
From exercising his student ac
tivism in the civil rights move
ment and officially assisting Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr., to being
the first American to bring
hostages out of Kuwait and Iraq in
1990, Rev. Jackson has been
known as one of the most promi
nent political figures in recent his
tory. His presentation created a
loud and supportive audience re
action .
Following the lead of other
high-profile Democrats who visit
ed the University recently, includ
ing feminist Gloria Steinem and
former presidential candidate Bill
Bradley, Jackson emphasized the
high stakes of this year’s election.
He also stressed his belief that the
election isn’t just about the candi
dates, but about the teams that
stand behind them.
“We can’t just look at the candi
dates through a keyhole,” he said.
“We have to look at them through
a door and see who else is behind
that door.”
Jackson said that Bush’s team
Turn to Jackson, page 3
JACKSON
Patch Work
’ ....
.._. u . ... . ... Catharine Kendall Emerald
Monday afternoon s.x-year-old jalese Walky from Delight Valley School gathers gourds at Lone Pine Farms on River Road in Eugene. She and
other students took a field trip to the farm in celebration of the fall season.
ROTC cadets get
down and dirty
■As part of the rigorous ROTC program, cadets
participate in tactical training exercises
ey Keoecca Newell
Oregon Daily Emerald
With the deafening roar of a Black
Hawk helicopter overhead, camou
flaged figures charged over a ditch,
weapons in hand.
This sounds like a scene from Desert
Storm, but in fact, it was a Reserve Of
ficers Training Corps field training ex
ercise, held once a term to demonstrate
the responsibilities and obligations
cadets can expect to fulfill upon grad
uation.
Last Saturday’s event consisted of
tactical training exercises, such as a
grenade assault course, camouflage ap
plication instruction and paintball
drills. Planned and led by ROTC sen
iors, the field training exercise began at
6:30 a.m. and went at full speed
throughout the evening. Cadets used
simulation grenades for safety and
“rubber ducks” — fake M-16 rifles —
to replicate activities such as charging
and flanking while using a weapon.
“Rolling around in the grass during
on the grenade assault course and hik
ing through the forest really put it all in
perspective,” ROTC sophomore Jackie
Reed said.
At lunch, cadets could opt for
Turn to ROTC, page 5
The ex
ercises gave
mean idea
of what is
expected
and what
it's like from
a soldier's
position
Jackie Reed
sophomore
_n
Students get better understanding of principles
rdLuuy Trom
the School of
Journalism
impress the
importance
of professional
objectivity
upon students
uy Brooke Ross
Oregon Daily Emerald
Journalism students and facul
ty shared their thoughts on the
benefits and challenges of being
journalists during “Making a Dif
ference,” an interactive discus
sion sponsored by the Graduate
Student Association.
The event was held Monday af
ternoon in Allen Hall before an
audience of approximately 35.
Debra Merskin, an associate
journalism professor and one of
the key speakers, said the event
was a success, and she hopes
there will be a second meeting to
continue discussing journalism
issues.
“We were able to learn more
about what our colleagues are do
ing and how they feel about is
sues,” she said.
During her presentation, Mer
skin said one advantage of being a
journalist is the way she can in
troduce people to new ideas
through her work.
To illustrate her point, Merskin
spoke of writing her book, “What
Does One Look Like?,” in which
she attempts to illustrate the dif
ferences among ethnicities. When
members of a German museum e
mailed her, asking permission to
use her work in an upcoming ex
hibit, she knew her writing had
made a difference to someone.
“I felt satisfied because people
were obviously reading about
what’s going on out there,” she
said.
Carol Ann Bassett, an assistant
professor in magazine writing,
also shared how her work has
made a difference in society. Bas
sett wrote a magazine article in
1986 about looters of sacred ar
chaeology sites. Because of her
work, one grave digger was put in
prison. Bassett said she is pleased
because the article is also used to
day as required reading for ar
chaeology students at the Univer
sity of Arizona.
“As journalists we can make a
difference sometimes,” she said.
The group also discussed how
a journalist should handle objec
tivity, both when reporting the
news and when teaching stu
dents. Bassett said she thinks it’s
important to remain true to one’s
beliefs, but she said as a journal
ist, she often has to step back
from the issue she is reporting
Turn to Journalism, page 5
(i It is nec
essary to try
and main
tain neu
trality in
journalism.
Carol Ann
Bassett
Asst. Profes
sor, Magazine