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E-mail: editor@dailyemeiald.com
Online Edition:
www.dailyemerald.com
Friday, February 1,2002
Editor in Chief:
Jessica Blanchard
Managing Editor:
Jeremy Lang
Editorial Editor:
Julie Lauderbaugh
Assistant Editorial Editor:
Jacquelyn Lewis
Yesteryear's Editorial
Athletic
Department
could try
harder
We don’t have anything
against intercollegiate
athletics. In its proper
place — as a form of University
entertainment like many other
forms of entertainment involv
ing students — it belongs in the
University. But it seems some
times hard for those who run
the athletic program to remem
ber that their primary purpose
should be to serve students.
Such is the case with the
UCLA basketball game. It
seems possible that more stu
dents will want to watch the
game in McArthur Court than
there will be seats for. About
5,000 seats have been allotted
for students
and it may
not be
enough.
True, the
Athletic De
partment
has made a
special ef
fort to get a
closed cir
cuit show
ing of the
game in dormitories. But we
think all students who want to
should be able to see the game
in Mac Court. That tickets had
been sold to others is not suffi
cient answer. The primary pur
pose of an athletic program
supported in part from student
fees should be to serve students
as well as possible.
Why didn’t the Athletic De
partment do what it does for
football games where a sellout
is expected? At such games stu
dents are given reserved seats
and the seats are given out far
enough ahead of time so that
any student who wants can see
the game. That would have
made sense in this case too.
Since Lew Alcindor has two
more years left at UCLA, we
suggest the Athletic Depart
ment consider that policy for
the next couple of
UCLA games.
Editor’s note:
This editorial was taken from
the Feb. 1, 1966 edition of the
Oregon Daily Emerald.
University
of Oregon
125th
ANNIVERSARY
Originally
published on
February 1,1966
Letters to the Editor
and Guest
Commentaries Policy
Letters to the editor and guest
commentaries are encouraged. Letters
are limited to 250 words and guest
commentaries to 550words* Please
include contact information. The Emerald
reserves the fight to edit for space, •'
grammar and style.
Question irony in government decisions
ecently, one of my students
JL %^poke about his ability to
question, stating it is as integral to
learning, as sunlight is to plant
growth. Teaching design founda
tions, I believe, is not only about
new jargon and a set of visual tools
but about a way of seeing and in
vestigating the narratives being
told, through media, in society.
His concept got me thinking
about the current political cli
mate, which I have concerns
about. With unparalleled support
behind the administration of
George W. Bush (a recent Gallup
poll showed an approval rating
of about 80%), I wonder who
holds our nation’s leadership ac
countable. Who questions
their decisions?
Don't get me wrong, I support
unity. I'll stand with a person of
any color, race, ethnicity, sexual
orientation, faith-based commu
created an artwork that
Guest Commentary
Daniel
Peabody
nity or, for that matter, an atheist.
However, I find it difficult hearing
“God Bless America,” not because
I don't want the United States to
be prosperous, but because it im
plies a lack of blessing on all oth
ers. Isn’t the extremist notion of a
divine being favoring one group
over another what got us into
this mess?
So, why are our leaders pander
ing to similar extremists in the
U.S.? I find it ironic that at the
same time our government is sus
pending the constitutional right to
due process of law r— by keeping
hundreds of uncharged people be
hind bars — Bush wants to ex
pand existing laws guaranteeing
life, liberty andthe pursuit of hap
piness to include unborn chil
dren. Now he’s going so far as de
claring Jan. 20 “National Sanctity
of Human Life Day.”
I doubt Thomas Jefferson in
tended a victory for the anti
choice lobby when authoring
the Declaration
of Independence.
I find it shameful and disturb
ing that the Bush Administration
is using Sept. 11 and the anti-ter
rorism campaign to advarice the
agenda of a small but vocal group
of domestic terrorists. “Pro-lifers”
who terrorize health care workers
are seeing their agenda advanced
under the cloak of unity against
terror. I am outraged that my sup
port of unity, in the pursuit of jus
tice, is being subverted to advance
the domestic cause of extremists.
I think it’s time that supporters
of choice and civil liberties tell
our political leaders that there is a
difference between unity against
terror and domestic policy. I’ll
support the administration of
Bush in the fight against terror, but
how dare unity be exploited to
advance divisive
domestic politics?
The cultural climate today in
correctly equates questioning our
leaders with being unpatriotic. It
is a democratic duty to question
them. Our government has rightly
been demanding other world gov
ernments take a stand against ter
rorism. This is a bad time for Bush
to get confused about it at home.
Unlawful intimidation and vio
lence committed against health
care providers should not be re
warded. Our leaders need some
intense questioning, perhaps
through it, true unity and justice
will grow.
Daniel Peabody is a graduate teaching fellow
in the art department.
Letters to the editor
Legislators need to protect education
In the near future, Oregon’s legislature will go into
special session and make decisions with dangerous
repercussions to post-secondary education .
The Student Childcare Block Grant (SCBG) and the
Oregon Opportunity Grant (OOG) are in danger. Along
with the SCBG and the OOG, the Community College
System and the Oregon University System budgets are
in peril as well.
Beginning in April, 433 student families will lose
coverage until the fall of 2003 with the proposed $2
million funding cut. Along with the numerous student
families, 1,500 to 3,000 students will lose their Ore
gon Opportunity Grants. These grants are the differ
ence between attending college or not attending for
many students.
During an economic recession, it is vitally impor- O
tant to fund education. Oregonians look towards com
munity colleges and universities to gain the skills and
education required for today’s job market. It is impera
tive that state legislators prioritize these programs.
Mike Martell
freshman
pre-business administration
Eugene needs housing code
Housing in the city of Eugene is a prevailing issue
that effects all University students, staff and faculty —
not to mention other residents of Eugene. Currently,
there is no housing code to protect renters or landlords
in Eugene.
Eugene is also the largest city on the west coast with
out the protection and guidance of a housing code. Eu
gene only operates off the Oregon State Landlord and
Tenant Act. This state code was written with the intent
that each city would draft its own code that would ade
quately apply to the individual city.
Between 1966 and 1983, Eugene had a code that
gave specifics about heating, ventilation, general
plumbing, weather protection, dilapidation and main
tenance. After 1983, the code was repealed due to cost
savings, high vacancy rates, inconsistent reinforce
ment and the state’s Landlord and Tenant Act, which
provided regulations to protect tenants.
The lack of a current, fair and reliable housing code
affects students who rent their residence in the city of
Eugene. There is no concrete set of standards keeping
houses and neighborhoods safe, sanitary and livable.
A housing code needs to be in place, and the Eugene
City Council must listen to the complaints of renters
as well as landlords.
A housing code in Eugene would provide both pro
tection and a legal outlet for renters and landlords.
This resource would allow renters to voice their com
plaints on any housing and neighborhood issues —
concerns that are often said, but not heard.
Amy Samuel
sophomore
biology
Peter Utsey Emerald
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