Newsroom: (541) 346-5511 Room 300, Erb Memorial Union PO. Box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403 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 TH£ IAY PK0FtU6~"| “Who 5ay$ cPs^mst DJe&tfr pay? Wvinr cou-AR, tyo'D BC too |p- you MAPtf M*LUOM