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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 2002)
> •' i < • / I r .i /-tm _U V Newsroom: (541) 346-5511 Room 300, Erb Memorial Union P.O. Box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403 Email: editor@dailyemerald.com Online Edition: www.dailyemerald.com Monday, October 7, 2002 i i •. $ t » —-i-Oregon Daily Emerald Commentary Editor in Chief: Michael J. Kleckner Managing Editor Jessica Richelderfer Editorial Editors: Salena De La Cruz, Pat Payne Editorial The community should not be screwed anymore Does the University have a set of community standards? This question is important to explore, as the city of Eugene recently accused the University of complicity in the recent rioting and asked it to pay some of the costs incurred as a result. As we see it, the University is negli gent in expressing its community standards, and it should, indeed, pony up some money to the larger com munity of which it is a part. The University does have standards, and these are ex pressed in myriad ways on campus, from class syllabi to the ASUO Constitution. Perhaps the most important of these is the Student Conduct Code. The code mentions inappropriate behaviors, such as academic fraud, destruction of University property and disorderly conduct, and provides consequences, but only if these activities hurt members of the University community or University property. Jt seems odd to us that our community standards ex tend only so far as the edge of campus property. If it oc curred off-campus, then, could we fail to turn in our homework and still get credit? Of course not — our community’s standards do not end when a student leaves the property. This extension exists for a reason. One is not a hap penstance member of this community. To join costs money and time, and expectations must be met in or der to receive the prize of membership: a higher edu cation. In turn, then, the standards of the communi ty are higher, and students carry those standards no matter where they go. To say otherwise would be foolishness; is it accept able for a murderer or rapist to continue to be a stu dent here? No — that would cheapen the membership and the prize for the rest of us who are not murderers or rapists. The problem, then, in the current situation, is that University standards either are not stated explicitly ! enough or that consequences are not provided for. We | think both are true. Here is a quote from Boston College’s conduct code: “Violation of the laws in the communities surrounding the campus injures the University, just as it does the other citizens who reside there, and the University of fers no tolerance of any such conduct. ... Therefore, the University reserves the right to refer any student(s) identified as being involved in this type of behavior to the Boston College Student Judicial System for discipli nary action ... including loss of University Housing priv ileges or suspension or dismissal from the University.” How difficult is it to say that? By not doing so, the University has shown a disregard for the surrounding community. “Education” and “outreach” only go so far. Riots have occurred near campus five times in the past six years, and nothing has been done to further specify community standards and provide consequences. We’re tempted to update an old saying: Riot once, screw you. Riot twice, screw the University. Riot three times, deny the screw. But riot five times, and some thing is screwy at the University. In the absence of clear standards and consequences, the University’s refusal to help pay for the damage feels like the actions of bad party guests — as long as their house doesn’t get trashed, who cares? Editorial policy This editorial represents the opinion of the FT: erald editorial board. Responses can be sent to letters <®dailyemerald.com. Letters to the editor and guest commentaries are encouraged. Letters are limited to 250 words and guest commentaries to 550 words. Authors are limited to one submission per calendar month. Submission must include phone number and address for verification. The Emerald reserves the right to edit for space, grammar and style. ' STOP FILMING, ED. IT ’5 TUSr SOME POOR. BLACk Girl. Peter Utsey Emerald ¥ ■ "1 f i j %’l j; jfl f C f/Sit&T fe f ( 4L Mr j 1 \ %mk y T/? jH*L*ta* The black, wktte and green of media coverage Americans need a good scandal to keep them preoccupied in the sum mer. So with a slew of rapes, abduc tions and brutal murders for America’s little girls in the summer of 2002, we weren’t disappointed. The inebriated Bush twins sobered up, the Chandra Levy case was solved and “American Idol” seemed to be the only game in town for a while. Yawn. Instead of something juicy, we have been inundated with coverage on the crummy old war on terror for more than a year. No wonder America became so romanced with stories of violent child abductions — of little, rich white girls. For months, the media jumped all over any story fitting this rigid racial profile faster than you could say “JonBenet.” Abduction stories of Elizabeth Smart, Danielle van Dam and Samantha Run nion were at the forefront of media con cern for months. The drama in Oregon City involving Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis gained national attention and be came water-cooler gossip nationwide. But Gaddis and Pond didn’t fit the mold for what is front page-worthy be cause they were relatively poor. But their real-life murder mystery was unique inasmuch as they were class mates, lived in the same apartment complex and were eventually buried in a shed and under a concrete slab in their neighbor’s yard. But what about the stories of children like 13-year-old Laura Ayala, who disap peared in March when she left her Hous ton home to buy a newspaper at a gas station? Or 2-year-old Jahi Turner, who disappeared in April while playing at a park in San Diego — the same city where Danielle van Dam was abducted and killed? How about Alexis Patterson, 7, who vanished in May on her way to school in Milwaukee? These children never made national headlines. Ayala is Hispanic and Turner and Patterson are both black. Is race the only reason why these children were ig nored? Well, Erica Pratt, 7, a black girl from Philadelphia, made CNN. But then again, her story was unique because she fought off and escaped her attackers. We splash images of white victims all over the 5 o’clock news but never ex tend the courtesy to minorities. Not only are the abducted boys and girls of America victims of horrible crimes, but also they have to contend from the get go with an inherently racist media to get out their story. To solve the problem, why don’t we just stop featuring abduction stories altogeth er? The phenomenon is nothing new. According to CNN, FBI statistics show child abduction rates have actually de creased in recent years. In 1998, when such statistics were first kept, 115 ab duction cases by someone outside the family were investigated. In 2001, the number of investigations dwindled to 93. So much media coverage has desensi tized at least me (and maybe potential criminals) to the severity and horror of the crimes. With all the attention, it seems kidnapping, raping and murder ing little girls is actually kind of popular. And it’s nothing I haven’t watched on prime time television for years. Even though blatantly biased victim based media sensationalism is perpetu ating the problem, it wouldn’t have any dog to wag if there weren’t predators act ing out in the first place. But their sto ries — and punishments — don’t make headlines either. An exception may be made for sick old Ward Weaver III. He has been charged with the deaths of Pond and Gaddis. But will his near-inevitable death penalty serve as a deterrent to other criminals? Chances are, other predators won’t bother following Weaver’s fate. They’ll be too busy stalking their next victim, and the cycle will continue. You say an 8-year-old white girl was raped and murdered in her own bedroom and there are no suspects? After this summer, I wouldn’t even blink an eye. Contact the columnist atjulielauderbaugh@dailyemerald.com. Her opinions do not necessarily represent those of the Emerald. Letters to the editor Vote for better health care Are you registered to vote? Your future health and dental care will be voted on this month. You have until Oct. 15 to reg ister to vote. Health Care For All Oregon at the EMU and the Street Faire will have tables set up to register. Health Care For All Oregon has Ballot Measure 23, which will provide afford able health care for every Oregon resi dent. You will have your choice of dentist or practitioner and be able to pay accord ing to your ability to do so. Schools will save millions because of an 11.5 percent cap on payroll, which would take the place of today’s more expensive employer premiums. It will stabilize the spiraling health care costs. Too many people in Oregon are without health care insurance. A publicly accountable nonprofit, in dependent, health care finance board will administer the system. This will provide you a future with secure and affordable health care. Register to vote and support Health Care For All Oregon. Ruth Duemler Eugene
