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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 30, 2002)
Newsroom: (541) 346-5511 Suite 300, Erb Memorial Union P.O. Box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403 Email: editor@dailyemerald.com Online Edition: www.dailyemerald.com Wednesday, October 30,2002 Oregon Daily Emerald Commentary Editor in Chief: Michael J. Kleckner Managing Editor Jessica Richelderfer Editorial Editors: Salena De La Cruz, Pat Payne Editorial Bradbury best supports what students need Voters can send back the garbage U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith has been shoveling and elect a senator who genuinely supports what students want and need — Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury. Although both these candidates are similar in their stances on some issues, they differ greatly on issues often embraced by the campus community. Smith’s campaign portrays him as a moderate, but voting records tell a different story. According to Vote-right.com, Bradbury has voted in support of a woman’s right to choose, while Smith thinks abortions should only be legal if pregnancy is a result of rape or incest. Bradbury has taken an active role in supporting equal rights for minorities and ho mosexuals while Smith seems to have signed his name and little else. Bradbury was a proven environmental advocate in the state Senate; Smith received a lowly 24 percent score from the League of Conservation Voters for his environmental record in the 107th Congress. Bradbury also has taken action to engage students; former President Bill Clinton will be on campus Thursday to get out the vote. Smith, on the other hand, said in an Emerald interview that students aren’t political because they can’t understand the long-term impact of taxes. Bradbury and Smith agree that more federal grants are needed for college students, but Bradbury added that higher education funding should remain strong to keep tuition down and low-income access up. Bradbury is the best choice for students — his un derstanding and support of issues extends beyond a TV commercial. Yes on Measure 26 protects signatures We urge you to vote yes on Measure 26, which will prohibit paying petition gatherers by the signature. Oregonians need to protect the integrity of their bal lot measure system. There have been widespread allegations that paid by-signature petitioners have forged signatures on pe titions and that signature lists have been traded for money, drugs and sex, which can deter voters from signing petitions in the future. This has led to a num ber of measures being disqualified for the ballot this year, eroding public trust in the system. Earlier this year in an interview with a Portland tel evision station, anti-tax initiative maven Bill Size more threw up his hands and said that he doesn’t have any control over what his petition gatherers do. This has to stop. It has been enshrined in federal, state and local law that votes cannot be bought — it’s called bribery. It’s high time to extend that definition to petitions. People have an expectation that when they sign a petition it is for that particular measure and not for others. Measure 26 will not affect the richness of Oregon ballot measures or the ability of groups to put initia tives on the ballot. Unpaid volunteers and even those paid by the hour will still be able to solicit signatures for measures and candidates. Instead, this measure prevents a layer of fraud that has been laid on our excellent system in recent years. .. , y , ' '' ' * »* The Halloween special edition article ‘Traditions date back to Celtic festivals” (ODE, Oct. 28) should have spelled the ancient Celtic festival as “Samhain.” The .Emerald regrets the error, 'WTVtoWPP x\u TN^ CASJE A«iLLEN " BATTLE over THE- SHlfER. Steve Baggs Emerald Letters to the editor Mannix wants to take away retirement When looking into the future, many parents see a bitter existence for their children. My fear is not for the future of my children, but for the future of my mother. All my mother wanted was a fu ture for me and my brother. She works long hours at two jobs so that my brother and I can succeed. She has already dipped into her 401(k) to support us. What if it’s not enough? With health care rising every year, her retirement won’t keep her safe. Kevin Man nix wants to “freeze the expansion of the Oregon Health Plan” (The Oregonian, May 28). This brings a chill to my spine. The Federal Government has promised 81.4 million to expand the Oregon Health Plan. What will Mannix do with the money? Kevin Mannix also wants to “partner with the pharmaceutical companies” ( Washington County Public Affairs Forum, Sept. 25) and provide them with legal im munity in exchange for lower prices. Why is Mannix partnering with the pharmaceu tical industry when he should be partnering with our communities? And does the phar maceutical industry deserve immunity? My mother has given so much to me, and I refuse to see her still working in 20 years because her retirement couldn’t take care of her. Freezing the Oregon Health Plan would hinder my mother from retiring. When you look at your ballot think of your mother like I do every night, then think about how much Mannix wants to take away from her. Nick Maggi Eugene Talking about feelings can ease pain Just as talk of outright war with Iraq has increasingly dominated the news over the last several weeks, so has this distressing possibility also occupied our hearts and minds. An underlying sense of uneasiness pervades our souls. The sniper attacks in the Washington, D.C., area have only added to our appre hension and feeling that the world seems like a particularly unsafe place right now. We know that we are not alone. We sus pect that many in the University commu nity share our apprehension and uneasi ness. At the same time, for some, these feelings may remain unrecognized. While we are committed to peaceful means of resolving disputes, we write not to further our own religious or political views. Rather, we are writing to encourage members of the University to notice within themselves any uneasiness or fear they may be experiencing and talk about it. As human beings, we are gifted with a range of emotions. Acknowledging those emotions and feelings encourages our own growth. More than anything, the sim ple act of acknowledging our feelings to others reveals our humanity in all of its fragility and beauty. As we move ahead in this often times frightening and random world, we do so, certain that the sun will rise tomorrow (yes, even in Oregon). We are also cer tain that there is a goodness in this world that is greater than any of the temporary and transitory experiences of evil we may encounter. Rev. Ann Bowersox Koinonia Presbyterian campus ministry Jeremy Hajdu-Paulen Wesley Foundation campus ministry Bradbury reaches out to students I am a student enrolled at the Honors College at the University. One strong focus of the college is centered on the necessity for critical thinking in everyday life. During Oregon’s campaign season, such a mode of thinking has helped me to devel op an objectionable opinion of each candi date running for office. However, you do not need to be an astrophysicist to notice that Bill Bradbury is the best candidate for U.S. Senate. Bill believes that students matter. He has coordinated a Halloween event on campus, simply to encourage students to vote. Unlike the Smith-Bush campaign event, which sold at #1,000 a plate, the most expensive ticket at the Bradbury event is #25 for an adult. Bradbury even went further with his mis sion to educate college students by donating 2,500free tickets to University members. Kevin Mannix, on the other hand, is more concerned about campaign finances than his younger constituents. In fact, he arrived 90 minutes late to a student X-Pac debate because of a possible donation he was to re ceive from a timber industry union. Sarah A. Koski freshman law Peace through war? Gordon Smith did not make it onto a recent list by a syndicated columnist of officials in Washington who say one thing and mean another. The Emerald (“Politi cal leaders stand against war push,” Oct. 14), however, quotes Smith’s defense of a green light for war against Iraq: “We must take the heavy mantle of leadership to seek peaceful regime change.” Shades of Orwellian war is peace! Has the senator been asleep in his office, with the shades drawn during the (President) Bush push for a regime change in Bagh dad by war or the threat of war? Orval Etter associate professor emeritus planning, public policy and management Mannix supports higher education There is little doubt that Kevin Mannix is the higher education candidate for gov ernor. Mannix does not support the pro posed tuition increase for students, and if he wins the Nov. 5 election, Mannix will immediately go to work with the Legisla ture to avert harmful tuition increases. Mannix promises to pump $350 million more into Oregon universities during the next two years to bring state higher educa tion funding to a level where it should al ready be. Higher education funding has continuously been put on the chopping block by Gov. Kitzhaber and his friends like Ted Kulongoski, who always put a higher priority on big government social programs than Oregon’s universities. We need a governor who will put stu dents over government bureaucracies. We need a governor who has a solid record of commitment to higher education. For lower tuition, a better economy and a stronger University, students should vote for Kevin Mannix for governor. Matt Pfeiffer * . ... junior * ■* political'science
