http://www.dailyemerald.com
Tuesday, January 28,2003
Since 1900 University of Oregon_Eugene, Oregon
ime To4, Issue 86
Mark McCambridge Emerald
Singing "We Shall Overcome," a group of students participate in the candlelight vigil portion of the Unity Celebration. "It's Not Just a
Black Thing" showcased performances from a variety of student groups including the University Gospel Choir.
Bringing
history
forward
University students discussed Martin Luther Kingjr.’s
vision as part of a two-week-long MLK Celebration
Monday, ending with a candlelight vigil
Roman Gokhman
Campus/City Culture Reporter
University student groups want to get out the message that
the civil rights movement belongs to everyone, not just blacks.
Representatives from the Asian/Pacific American Stu
dent Union, Movimiento Estudianti Ghicanos de Aztlan,
the Black Student Union, the African Student Association
and others came together Monday to discuss the impor
tance of working together to accomplish Martin Luther
King Jr.’s vision at the “Unity Celebration: It’s Not Just a
Black Thing,” part of the two-week-long MLK Celebration
at the University.
“People have to sit down and just talk,” University student
and speaker Khanh Le said. “Through our diversity, we have
power. We must take that power.”
More than ten people spoke in the EMU Fir Room about
the importance of honoring King’s ideology. About fifty stu
dents attended the two-and-a-half hour event, and a num
ber of topics were discussed — from the necessity of avoid
University Professor Martin Summers addresses an audience of
students, faculty, and community members.
ing war in Iraq to the need for unity within minority groups.
“Coalition-building is necessary between all marginal
ized groups,” University Professor and keynote speaker
Martin Summers said. “It’s important to mobilize in effec
tive ways.”
Summers said minorities of color, gender, religion and fi
nancial status all face the same problems, and he added that
minorities are not represented in government because of the
majority’s financial stronghold.
“(King) believed in full social democracy — democracy
for everybody,” Multicultural Center Program advisor Steve
Morozumi said. “That doesn’t exist right now.”
Students for Peace member and University student Alex
Turn to Unity, page 4
PFC to field
new budget
for OSPIRG
OSPIRG will seek the PFC’s approval for its
proposed S150,000 budget tonight, despite
the group’s recent fiscal challenges at PSU
Jennifer Bear
Campus/Federal Politics Reporter
OSPIRG members at the University will press for a 25 per
cent increase at tonight’s ASUO Programs Finance Committee
meeting, despite the difficulties the group has faced at Portland
State University.
The Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group, a
statewide environmental and consumer protection organiza
tion, was zero-funded at PSU because it asked for a contentious
budget increase. Also, the group has failed in its efforts so far to
establish a foothold at Oregon State University. Even if its Uni
versity of Oregon budget passes PFG’s scrutiny, the Oregon
Commentator could appeal any action.
PSlFs Student Fee Committee, the equivalent of the Univer
sity’s PFC, raised concerns regarding the OSPIRG chapter’s use
of funding at an allocation hearing Jan. 8. Representatives for
the group requested a $30,000 increase in their budget for
2003-04 to help finance a new campus organizer to establish
an OSPIRG chapter at Oregon State University.
SFC Chairwoman Tracy Earll said the committee did not
think funding a group that works off-campus on public interest
Turn to OSPIRG, page 12
City councilors
vote to tax gas
for road funding
City councilors passed an ordinance Monday that
may raise prices on gasoline for both businesses
and consumers by three cents per gallon
Jan Montry
City/State Politics Reporter
The Eugene City Council voted unanimously Monday to
move forward in instituting a business license tax of three
cents per gallon on fuel dealers, a move that will likely affect
both businesses and consumers.
The tax was the second aspect of a two-pronged, $9-million
strategy developed in 2001 to increase revenue for operation,
maintenance and preservation of Eugene’s roads.
The move will impose a three-cent tax per gallon on all
gas distributors within city limits. For a gas station charging
#1.50 per gallon, the city would receive three cents for each
gallon sold. The same station would likely have to raise
Turn to Council, page 4
Weather
Today: High 50, Low 40,
Mostly cloudy, morning fog
Wednesday: High 50, Low 43
Rain likely, slight wind
Looking ahead
Wednesday
University community reacts to
the State of the Union address
Thursday
Pulse offers a collection of neat
things to do after midnight
Students help increase voter turnout
ASUO officials say students have been
more involved with this election than
with previous elections
Oregon votes 2003
Brook Reinhard
News Editor
Students have until 8 p.m. tonight to cast their
vote on Ballot Measure 28, an initiative that will
cause income taxes to increase if it passes or tu
ition to increase if it fails.
ASUO Legislative Affairs Director Stefan Myers
said he’s pleased with student involvement so far.
“Everyone’s been really responsive to this,”
Myers said. “Students have gotten involved
and really understand the impact of this.”
ASUO officials like Myers have been working
since mid-November to increase student
turnout. They’ve circulated a pledge that 950
students have signed, promising to cast their bal
lot by Jan. 28.
Campus vote efforts are especially important
for University lobbyists, who depend on the
20,000-plus undergraduates to give the University
clout when political issues come up in Salem. The
ASUO registered more than 3,171 students for the
general election in November and has continued
to register more since that time.
Lane County Elections official Annette Newing
ham said as of Sunday, more than 52 percent of the
county’s 182,000 registered voters had returned
their ballot. That number is already higher than the
last special election, which was held in September
INSIDE
Students rally
in support of
measure 28.
PACE 8
and drew only 44.3 percent
of registered voters.
Voters can return their
ballot to one of six drop box
locations in Eugene, or take
it to the elections office at
135 E. Sixth Ave. A full list of
drop sites can be found at
http ://www.co. lane. or. us/ Elections/DropOff. h tm
or by calling 682-4234. Newingham said the office
has picked up 1,300 ballots from the ASUO drop
box so far, and she added that students seem to be
taking a greater interest in this election.
ASUO is planning an election day celebration
in the EMU Amphitheater to cap off their efforts.
Also, College Democrats are running a non-par
tisan shuttle from campus to the elections office
Turn to Vote, page 8