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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 2, 2001)
www.dailyemerald.com Friday Upset shocker! A religious experience The Oregon men dominate No. 7 Arizona, 79-67, A University class helps dispel the negative in front of a raucous crowd. PAGE 7 stereotypes of nontraditional religions. PAGE 5 Since 1 900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon February 2,2001 Volume 102, Issue 86 Weather today high 37, low 35 ■City park planners are working toward building a skate park that will be open to BMX riders By Darren Freeman Oregon Daily Emerald Nick Bratton says he’s been chased by the police on at least 100 different occasions and by security guards at least 300 times. He’s not a mugger, a drug dealer or a purse snatcher. He is one of dozens of area BMX stunt bike riders who are tired of being chased off private property while practicing their sport. Bratton and his fellow bikers want the city of Eugene to build a park where BMX rid ers can ride legally and unhin dered. On Jan. 24, about a dozen BMX riders asked the City Council for the park and re ceived favorable responses. Also, city park planners said they are looking into the project. “There are a lot of BMX rid ers here who are really good and ready to turn pro, and they want a place to ride in their hometown,” Bratton said. “I would like to see this resolved in a way that makes BMXers feel welcomed in this city. ” Now, most BMX riders cruise through Eugene looking for handrails and ledges to jump on and slide along with their bikes, but such trips are often ended by encounters Turn to BMX, page 6 Just debate it: forum addresses labor issues ■The University Senate held a forum for professors to air their views on corporate investments overseas and the University’s involvement in labor monitoring groups By Andrew Adams Oregon Daily Emerald During a forum Thursday evening, professors on both sides of the international labor issue debated the merits and evils of corporate investment in Third World nations, as well as the Uni versity’s role with monitoring groups. Two economics professors supported the idea of multination al companies moving to foreign markets for labor and produc tion, while two other professors with backgrounds in anthropol ogy and foreign policy criticized what they said was the corporate role in human rights abuse and enduring Third World poverty. While the professors disagreed on the issues of a global econo my, all agreed the University should become a member of both the Worker Rights Consortium and the Fair Labor Association. The University Senate’s ad hoc committee, which is research ing the University’s role in labor issues, held the forum to provide more background information for its members. The group will deliver a recommendation to the University Senate in March as to whether the University should join the WRC, the FLA or both. Bruce Blonigen, an associate professor of economics with a background in international trade issues, began the forum with a defense of multinational businesses. “Multinational firms are more often than not a cause of posi tive change in their host countries, ” he said. The public perception of a multinational corporation, Bloni gen said, often involves a ruthless economic colonist that both destroys local societies and is responsible for extensive environ mental damage. He said this image is both false and misleading because multi nationals often provide a better way of living for local people in Third World countries and maintain environmentally friendly business practices. By providing higher wages and better benefits than local firms, foreign companies ensure their employees are more productive, Blonigen said. He added it is often more cost-effective for corporations to re tain environmentally friendly business operations mandated in domestic operations, than to change their business practices to take advantage of lax environmental codes in a Third World country. Blonigen concluded that it was then feasible for a corporation to be “consistent with profit maximization,” but not degrade the quality of life in a nation. Following Blonigen was Professor Ibrahim Gassama, a native of Sierra Leone, who has spent much of his career involved in various international causes pertaining to human rights and in ternational economic development. Turn to WRC, page 6 Third World workers are alienated from the fruits of their labor even more. Ibrahim Gassama professor Students to raise relief funds for quake-shocked India [he Jan. 25 earthquake has caused more than $1 billion in damages, and several countries are helping out By Mason West Oregon Daily Emerald As rescue workers contin ue to search through the rub ble for survivors of a Jan. 25 earthquake in India, a group of University students will be raising money to help the recovery and rebuilding ef fort. The Students of Indian Subcontinent are working with the International Stu dent Association today to raise money for earthquake relief in India. SIS will be using the weekly interna tional coffee hour from 4 to 6 p.m. to raise funds and awareness. The coffee hour will be in the International Lounge above the post office in the EMU. A week ago, a quake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale hit Bhuj, India. The Associated Press said Thurs day that the death toll has reached 14,241 and is ex pected to reach 35,000. Haseena Vaswani, SIS treasurer, said the city of Gu jarat, one of India’s major metropolitan centers, needs to be almost completely re built. Damage estimates have already passed the $1 billion mark. “Obviously, this is a major thing that happened, and we have to try and help,” Vaswani said. All the money raised will be given to either the Ameri can Red Cross, which is helping with relief efforts, or directly to the Chief Minis ter’s Relief Fund. Vasw-ani stressed that any amount will help, and she hopes to raise a few hundred dollars. The U.S. Agency for Inter national Development has pledged $9 million to help the recovery process in In dia. Other countries, includ ing Pakistan, Japan, Spain, England and Russia, have al ready sent relief crews to help with recovering and caring for victims. Vaswani has been check ing with all her friends who have family in India to see if there have been any losses. Luckily, she has not heard of any yet, but communica tions with India have been difficult since the quake, and many people at the Uni versity have not been able to get through. UO student groups unite to help India recover What: Fundraising for India earthquake relief at the international coffee hour Who: Sponsored by the International Student Association and the Students of the Indian Subcontinent Where: International Lounge in the EMU, above the post office. When: 4-6 p.m. today Cost: Free Source: International Student Association
