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Editor in chief: Jack Clifford
Managing Editor: Jessica Blanchard
Newsroom: (541) 346-5511
Room 300, Erb Memorial Union
P.O. box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403
E-mail: ode@oregon.uoregon.edu
EDITOR: MICHAEL J. KLECKNER opededitor@journalist.com
Giovanni Salimena Emerald %
From pitas to presidential politics, 2001 promises to be a winner
Welcome back to the
college world, every
one. We hope your
holiday break was a
success. Ours was, and we tried our
hardest to not pay attention to so
cial and political issues fora
month. Unfortunately, there were a
few things that we couldn't help
but notice. Fortunately, they were
mostly good, and we ended up
with the feeling that 2001 might be
an enjoyable year. Here then, are
the top 10 reasons we're excited for
the new millennium.
10. It's actually the new millen
nium.
Despite last year's incorrect as
sessment that the 20th century was
over (even a 3rd-grader knows that
counting goes from one to 10), media
outlets corrected the mistake and
pointed out that 2001 is the first year
of the 21 st century. Otherwise, we
would all have lived through the
only 99-year century in history.
9. The Pita Pit has opened for
business in downtown Eugene.
This fast-food sandwich shop, a
chain from Canada, offers big, tasty
pitas for a reasonable price. That
wouldn't be news alone, but they’re
open until 4 a.m. on the weekends
— and they deliver. Thanks to
Canada, Eugene couches are now
safe for late-night dining.
8. Control of the federal govern
ment is more evenly split between
Democrats and Republicans than
ever before.
We hope this doesn't lead to
complete policy gridlock, but it's
certainly an editorial dream. Legis
lators will be trying to capture the
safe middle so their respective par
ties don't lose political points with
voters. There should be plenty to
watch — and write about — for the
next two years.
7. Oregon State Police troopers
have started new measures to show
they don't racially profile.
After every traffic stop, an OSP of
ficer will now call in the age, sex and
race of the person stopped, the rea
son for the stop and what happened
during the stop. The act of having to
call it in should go a long way, not
only to show that OSP doesn't pro
file, but to prevent officers from pro
filing in the first place. The whole
world is watching.
6. The ASUO ended the year
2000 with a drive to get college stu
dents to volunteer with high
school-age kids.
It's one thing to talk about kids
needing a good example in life; it's
another to provide that example.
Volunteering is an opportunity to
learn how diverse our community
is, to learn from the kids and to do a
little bit of good, all in one. Every
one should sign up and help a
youngster.
5. President Clinton has protect
ed nearly a third of all federal forest
land.
Clinton’s plan will be challenged
in the courts (and President-elect
Bush has said he'll review all of Clin
ton’s last-minute policy changes),
but it's a bold and courageous move
for conservation nonetheless. How
much land should we destroy before
we say, "OK, that's enough, we'll pro
tect the rest"?
4. John Henry's, the Eugene club,
has an ‘80s Night every Thursday.
They offer great music spun by
Chris and Jen, fashion you remem
ber from grade school, and alcohol.
The crowd is growing larger every
week, but for now, John Henry's is
still the hippest place for the retro
over-21 set to be on Thursday.
3. Gov. Kitzhaber came out strong
for education with his budget.
True, the governor's plan doesn't
include as much for higher educa
tion as college supporters wanted,
but he still stepped up to the plate
with some political hardball by
striking first with an education
plan. He struck even harder by cut
ting social programs and scrapping
a state police funding increase to
make money available for educa
tion. Kitzhaber has shifted the
funding debate in favor of schools,
and now Republicans in the legis
lature are going to have to make dif
ficult decisions to decide Oregon's
spending priorities.
2. This year, Northwest football
shone like the sun we don't have.
The Huskies won, the Beavers
won (and holy jeez did they win),
and the Ducks quacked up the Long
horns. Thanks to the Ducks' impres
sive season (OK, and the Beavers,
too), Oregon football won prestige
and national attention. Well done.
. And the number one reason we’re
excited for the new year here on
campus: University president Dave
Frohnmayer has not yet withdrawn
from the Worker Rights Consortium.
More than one group on campus
suspected such a move over winter
break, but Frohnmayer is actually
waiting for the Senate Ad Hoc
Committee on Trademark Licens
ing's recommendation. The com
mittee's early reports showed that
there is value to being a member of
both organizations. Despite our ed
itorial sense last term, maybe the
decision will end up being a demo
cratic process. Any decision
should wait for the committee's
recommendation, alumni input, a
University Senate vote and another
vote of the students.
All in all, 2001 should be a lot of
fun. It seems that there will be plenty
to write about. Please continue to tell
us when our reasoning is wrong and
when we've made mistakes. Don't
tell us how stupid we are any more,
though. Leave that to our grades.
Thiseditorial represents the opinion of the
Emerald editorial board. Responses can be
sent to ode@oregon.uoregon.edu.