Friday
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
EDITORIAL EDITOR: MICHAEL J. KLECKNER opededitor@journalist.com
The Times, they are a-chanein’
W ell, the “Old Gray Lady” gave way to color photographs on its front page and has finally
caved to the demands of money. Of course, The New York Times doesn’t quite put it that
way, but the stately “paper of record” has, as of April 22, begun
printing personal ads for its Sunday editions.
This is no joke. And it seems both inevitable and prob- . ^ v ** "" ^
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Letters to the editor
Gun control column
doesn’t earn respect
The May 8 issue of the Emer
ald had a column (“Gun control
is a matter of respect”) that
should be an embarrassment to
the paper, and it ironically uses
the word “respect” — in big let
ters — in the title. It’s the kind of
writing that keeps the Emerald
from garnering much respect.
Written by Rebecca Newell, the
piece, which was in some twist
ed way about “gun control,” is
simply an ineffective piece of
writing — the kind we writing
teachers are always asking stu
dents to keep working on as we
offer them the help they need.
Why didn’t someone at the Emer
ald do the same for this one?
At the core, there are three
major problems. First, the writer
contradicts herself, saying on
the one hand she is against gun
control and on the other that she
wants to limit gun sales to mi
nors and to have background
checks on weapon sales, includ
ing, supposedly, sales at gun
shows. Both of these limits in
volve legislated control and re
striction, a.k.a. “gun control.”
Second, her entire argument
is based on one extended anec
dote and three cliches.
Finally, she doesn’tseem to
understand the Second Amend
ment to the Constitution.
In a world ever more dominat
ed by the superficial and pro
foundly affected by uncritical
thinking, we like to think that a
university might offer an anti
dote. Remember that the Emer
ald is the face of the University
to many people; with full-page
essays like this, it’s not looking
good.
Jeff Harrison
Ph.D. Class of ’95
instructor
Lane Community College
Newspaper union thanks
it supporters
I would like to thank the com
munity for its solid support of
the Eugene Newspaper Guild
and other newspaper workers as
we work to reach fair contracts
with The Register-Guard. I
would especially like to thank
the local Jobs for Justice Chapter
(the Eugene Springfield Solidar
ity Network) and also the Team
sters for their help in creating a
successful rally attended by
nearly 300 people.
The May 1 rally included peo
ple representing unions from all
over the region, from the OPEU
to AFSCME, from carpenters to
postal carriers to teachers, as
well as ministers and members
._.jofsocial|usticegroups.Newspa-_
per workers received a powerful
message that the community
cares about what happens at
their daily newspaper and that
our community cares about
workers being treated with fair
ness and respect.
We are glad The Register
Guard has started writing stories
about its labor issues. This indi
cates that the company heard
community concerns expressed
at the rally. We hope the compa
ny also will consider another
message the community sent at
the rally: Get rid of that union
busting attorney from Nashville,
L. Michael Zinser, and sit down
to bargain so we can reach a fair
contract.
The Guild remains hopeful
that bargaining can move for
ward in a more positive manner.
Our next bargaining date is May
22-23.
The community support has
been crucial, and we thank
everyone who came to the rally
or sent e-mails and letters of sup
port to the publisher.
Kim Gilbert
vice president
Eugene Newspaper Guild
CORRECTION
The front page photograph in
Thursday’s flag was not Oregon
track athlete Billy Pappas.
The Emerald regrets the error.
Frank Silva
Leftfield
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