Letters
continued from page 2
“Preparing for war: The Ducks
prepare to take up arms against
the Beavers.”
For some reason, I thought that
preparation for war involved train
ing to kill, and preparing for the
possibility of being killed, and that
the term “taking up arms” refers to
tools that can kill, namely guns.
Our brothers and sisters are dy
ing today, in a real (though unde
clared) war. It’s one of many wars
happening in our world. The Ducks
are going to be tossing a piece of
rubber around and running back
and forth on a field, while a lot
more people jump up and down
and pretend that those activities are
important and have meaning.
Go ahead and have fun, but
please do not demean or diminish
suffering by confusing this game
and those who play it with the hor
ror experienced by those involved
in real warfare.
Steve Shapiro
Officer of Administration
Columnist should
do her research
I am writing in response to the ir
responsible column “The Anti-Lib
erator” (ODE, 11/26). The author
clearly stated she didn’t attend the
performance because she “didn’t
want to support it,” and yet she still
felt she could comment on Sprin
kle’s activities. Debenham ignored
her duty as a journalist to fully re
search an event she was covering.
As a journalism student myself,
I know opinion columns require
the same amount of research as
other journalistic styles — if not
more. Whether she agreed with the
Content of the show or was inhib
ited by her puritanical hypocrisy,
she and the ODE did the Universi
ty a disservice by printing an un
founded opinion.
This program was designed in or
der to educate and enlighten the
campus community about the
pornography industry, and there was
time built into the format for ques
tions and answers. If she did not
wish to “support” the event, Deben
ham could have requested a compli
mentary ticket from the Cultural Fo
rum, as did other anti-pornography
activists, which the Cultural Forum
gladly provided. Debenham had am
ple opportunity to fulfill the princi
ples responsible journalism is found
ed on, but instead she chose
ignorance out of laziness.
I agree that most pornography
does not portray women in a posi
tive manner, but sexual prudish
ness is not the same as feminism,
and it shouldn’t be misconstrued as
concern for women. In the future, I
hope Debenham learns to uphold
her duties as a reporter and that the
editor requires the staff to better re
search their opinions.
Windy Borman
Cultural Forum
performing arts coordinator
Column was sprinkled
with inaccuracies
As a self-identified feminist in
terested in sexuality and expres
sion issues, including pornography,
I was excited “feminist porn ac
tivist” Annie Sprinkle visited to the
University. I’m aware not everyone
was enthusiastic. When I saw
Debenham’s column (’’The Anti
Liberator,” ODE, 10/26), I was inter
ested in the views of a woman who
sees Sprinkle’s work as “anti-liber
ating.” I was disappointed.
I respect Debenham’s opinion
that “pornography is no feminist
movement,” but found nothing to
back up her complaints. Debenham
vaguely refers to “numerous arti
cles and interviews” she’s read
about Sprinkle; however, she never
mentions, names or quotes Sprin
kle. Debenham’s generalizations
and unsubstantiated allusions sug
gest Debenham isn’t familiar with
Sprinkle’s ideas at all.
I understand Debenham’s not
wanting to attend Sprinkle’s show,
but to write intelligently, one
should know what they’re talking
about. Debenham writes, “The way
Sprinkle treats sex, one would
think people are like stray dogs in
heat and sex is nothing more than
a self-indulging, biological phe
nomenon.” I’m curious what
prompted this. In her show and the
materials I’ve seen, Sprinkle em
phasized the spiritual side of sex
and hasn’t likened sex to mere ani
mal copulation.
Sprinkle tries to show women
(and men) that anyone can be beau
tiful; she doesn’t adhere to a male
defined idea of beauty. In fact, one of
the reasons Sprinkle has become so
famous is that she’s one of the first
women to direct and produce (as
well as star in) erotic, female-orient
ed films — clearly not just sticking
her breasts out to be squeezed.
Leslie Wells
graduate
English
University must
acknowledge Deaf culture
Recent pressure for the Universi
ty to accept American Sign Lan
guage for the second language re
quirement is exciting. My hope is
that the ODE editorial, “Needing a
decision on ASL now!” (11/05) and
letters to the editor will help people
realize this language isn’t being
treated with the respect it deserves,
and the deaf culture is not fully rec
ognized by our school.
Deaf culture is held to a different
standard, having to prove the cul
ture. This seems like a form of dis
crimination. Deaf culture exists
within a larger culture, but it has vi
tality and depth of its own.
It’s disappointing that my school
doesn’t realize or recOognize that
Deaf culture is “valid.” Every day,
Johanna Larson-Muhr proves the
richness and the validity of the lan
guage and culture as she teaches
Deaf poetry, stories, history, view
points and grammar to her packed
language classes. One of the main
arguments against accepting ASL
for the language requirement is the
lack of written literature. It’s impor
tant to realize the literature of this
culture is primarily oral.
Lack of funding is easily solved.
Grant money could support the pro
gram until it’s self-supporting. Find
ing staff for the program wouldn’t be
difficult. Larson-Muhr pointed out
there are many teachers who would
quickly transfer here if we were to
adopt an ASL program.
I beg the University to take a sec
ond look at their awareness (or lack
thereof) of Deaf culture. ASL is
worth teaching. It’s worth learning
and accepting for the second lan
guage requirement.
Courtney Misslin
post-baccalaureate student
French, linguistics
FREE
PHONES!
A few doors from the UO Bookstore
013059
500 + unlimited 3999
whenever \ weekend per month
• minutes ' minutes
1 year contract
* FREE roaming and long distance within United States
* Some restrictions apply. Subject to phone availlability.
fl+ Wireless
841 E.13thAve.
COME IN AND CALL YOUR FRIENDS
013024|
Holiday even
Kickoff weekend 7th & 8th
Fri 7th Jubel Ale presents She-Bang
10 p.m. • $3 cover • Prizes & fun for all
Sat 8th (Winternacht) 9 p.m.-close
Prizes • $3 cover
She-Bang Christmas extravaganza show
Fri 21st 10 p.m. • $3 cover
New Years
Mon 31st $8 cover • Countdown to midnight
* with #1 hits, prizes & fun for all
Open 11a.m.-2:30 a.m. Everyday
Christmas/ New Years day open @ 4 p.m.
1417 Villard (east campus) • 338-0334
Voted “Best Pizza”
in over 70 markets!
Better Ingredients. s
Better Pizza. ra
South Eugene and u of 0
4-PAPA (7272)
Springfield, Duck's Village, Chase Village
and University Commons Santa Clara/River Road
746-PAPA (7272) 461-PAPA (7272)
x WE BAKE. WE DELIVER (FREE!).
mm
Papa’s Holiday Special
I ONE LARGE 1-TOPPING
I PIZZA plus 2 liter Coke
| Say “Papa Size” it! 30% more pizza
. only $2 more.
I Additional toppings extra
1 available with Thin or Original crust
■ Not valid with any other otter or special. Limited Delivery Area
$
only
2 GOOD TO BE TRUE
I TWO LARGE 2-TOPPING
I PIZZAS
J "Papa Size" it for only $2 per pizza.
Additional toppings extra
avaliable with Thin or Original crust
only
■ avanauic wtiti t urn ui uiiyilidi WUSl ™ g mmtm '^^gggggp*' CXpifCS 12/30/01
|Njjjvalid with any other otter or special Limited Delivery Area
4^
This paper can he
Recycled!