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Email: editor@dailyemerald.com
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www.dailyemerald.com
Thursday, February 13,2003
-Oregon Daily Emerald
Commentary
Editor in Chief:
Michael J. Kleckner
Managing Editor
Jessica Richelderfer
Editorial Editor
Pat Payne
Editorial
Women cannot
assume they are
safe on campus
On Monday, ASUO President Rachel Pilliod was the
victim of an eerily familiar incident just off-campus: As
she was leaving for the University, a man jumped out
from behind a car, dropped his pants and began mastur
bating in front of her.
It goes without saying that this abhorrent behavior is
sexual harassment. It has also happened too frequently
in recent memory on campus, with men masturbating in
front of women’s residence hall windows.
We’re very thankful that there haven’t been sexual as
saults recendy like those of two years ago, but because of
the relative peace, we worry that women may develop a
false sense of security. Just because no new assaults have
happened doesn’t mean that there are no sexual predators.
And there are things women can do to lessen the risk
of being a victim. For instance, try to stay in groups when
traveling from place to place. Most sexual predators look
for lone victims. To avoid traveling alone at night, women
can also avail themselves of shuttle services, such as
Nightride and Saferide (call 346-7433), that are set up
specifically for nighttime travel.
When confronted by a flasher or masturbator: Leave
the area and call the police. Remember every detail that
you can, no matter how insignificant, about the perpe
trator. Every detail you can supply will help the police
catch the suspect. Also, unless there is a imminent risk of
violent assault or your path is blocked, don’t confront the
person. Get as far away as possible.
Finally, seek counseling if you feel threatened or
ashamed or are having other emotional trauma stemming
from the incident. There are programs specifically designed
to help victims of sexual abuse, assault and harassment,
such as Sexual Assault Support Services (call 484-9791).
Sex, drugs, booze
at college parties?
Why, we never!
We are shocked — shocked! — to learn that there are
drugs and sex and alcohol (not particularly in that order)
at college parties that members of the football team
might attend. OK, so we’re not shocked. But 17-year-old
high school football star Lynell Hamilton apparently was
during his recruiting visit.
We are surprised to see what looks like awkward grow
ing pains as the Athletic Department moves toward be
ing a top-tier program. Hamilton, now signed at San
Diego State, was paired up with former Duck Onterrio
Smith as his host for the visit, according to The Record, a
Stockton, Calif., newspaper. Apparently, Smith took this
to mean show Hamilton a good time. A very good time.
Certainly, the Athletic Department can’t control
everything that happens during a recruit’s “free time”
off-campus. But if the point was to make the best im
pression possible on Hamilton, wouldn’t the smart move
been to take Smith aside and say, “This kid is a devout
Christian, and we would like him as a tailback. Have fun,
but keep it clean”?
Of course, we also have to ask: What did Hamilton ex
pect, that Smith was going to take him to see the new li
brary? Many athletes seem to live at least part of the
“rock star” lifestyle; shouldn’t Hamilton have expected a
college party while he was visiting a, er, college? Perhaps
he could have told his host what he was and was not in
terested in and saved everyone a lot of grief.
Editorial policy
This editorial represents the opinion of the
Emerald editorial board. Responses can be sent
to letters @dailyemerald.com. Utters to the
editor and guest commentaries are
encouraged. Letters are limited to 250 words
■ and guest commentaries to 550 words.
There is no denying it. At some point
in time, after getting into the driver’s seat
of a car, a force has taken nearly every
one over. I’ve seen enough University
parking decals and pom-poms in the
back of cars, showing that Ducks are
guilty of this crime as well — the speed
demon has a grip on all of us.
For the past three weekends, I have
made what seems like an endless number
of trips up and down
Interstate-5 to go to
my hometown of
Gresham and
back. In all, I’ve driv
en at least 720 miles
on the freeway these
past few weeks. And
let me tell you, that
is a scary thought.
Although I am no
expert on 1-5 traffic
patterns, I do get out
there enough to say
that there are definitely some trends.
Whether it’s talking on cell phones or tail
gating other drivers, one of my pet peeves
about the road is one of the most deadly of
all — speeding. In one trip down 1-5,1 am
sure that more than half of the drivers
were speeding, and all of these were driv
ing at least 10 miles above the designated
speed limit.
Now, I can understand this need for
Sarah
Spellman
Spin cycle
speed that many drivers crave. Heck, I
am guilty of it, too. The wind in your hair,
the stereo blaring — it is only natural to
let loose and watch that needle break 65.
But, unfortunately, consequences still
hold true, and this obsession with speed
needs to fade.
The first weekend that I made the pil
grimage from my quaint residence hall
back to my hometown, something hap
pened that opened my eyes. Nearly a full
day after I complained about the horrible
traffic and die woman in the Buick who
felt the need to ride my you-know-what,
a sobering incident brought the conse
quences of high speed into clear focus.
As reported by The Oregonian, Joyel
Daniels was killed Jan. 25 when another
car lost control, flipped over, catapulted
into the air and landed on top of Daniels’
SUV. The resulting crash injured her sis
ter Kailyn, and Joyel died in an ambu
lance on the way to Oregon Health & Sci
ence University.
The accident is attributed to one fac
tor and one factor alone: The driver
whose car went into the air was speeding.
Though it may be fun, speeding rarely
pays. Simple math can tell you that driv
ing well over the speed limit may not
necessarily make your trip any faster. Be
tween Eugene and Gresham, there are
nearly 120 miles of freeway
driving. Maintain a speed of 65 mph on
the freeway, and it takes nearly two hours
to complete the Eugene-Portland run. But
increase that by 10 miles per hour, and it
only shaves 15 minutes off. At a speed of
85 mph, a full 20 mph faster, it only makes
the trip 26 minutes shorter.
If you ask me, speeding seems rather
silly. In this case, the consequences far
outweigh what you gain. If caught speed
ing along the interstate — and this seems
to happen frequently right when you get
into Salem — the penalty is a ticket, with
an almost-certain court appearance and
fine. This doesn’t do wonders for the
driving record.
Also, as with the driver whose out-of
control Suzuki Samurai killed Joyel
Daniels, speeders are putting their own
lives and the lives of others at risk. And
for what? To save a few extra minutes?
For the thrill of just going fast? In the
grand scheme of things, these just don’t
seem important.
So, next time you drive down 1-5, take
a minute and think about the conse
quences of your actions. And if you’re
really in that much of a hurry, look
around, and if you see a gold Toyota
Corolla driving around, watch out — I’ve
got plenty of time.
Contact the columnist
atsarahspellman@dailyemerald.com.
Her views do not necessarily represent
those of the Emerald.
CODAC facilitates research, offers resources
Guest commentary
I would like to commend this year’s
Oregon Daily Emerald editors and writ
ing staff for their attention to diversity,
campus climate and social equity issues
at the University. As a founding member
of GODAC, the Center on Diversity and
Community, I am especially heartened
by your efforts to elevate the level of
campuswide information and discussion
on these important issues.
To that shared end, let me follow up on
Brad Schmidt’s recent story on student
diversity recruitment efforts, “Given a
sporting chance” (ODE, Feb. 2), with a
couple of clarifications about what CO
DAC is. Because we are so new on cam
pus, many of your readers may not know
what CODAC does.
GODAG was administratively created in
October 2001 (not May, as was reported),
after more than a year of research and plan
ning by faculty, students, staff and commu
nity members. It is not GODAG’s role “to
evaluate the University on its diversity and
on issues that threaten diversity.” GODAG’s
mission—as an interdisciplinary research
center — is to promote inquiry, dialogue
and understanding on issues of racial, eth
nic and cultural diversity.
GODAG accomplishes this mission
through advancing diversity scholarship,
innovative programs and events, informa
tion exchange and partnerships with indi
viduals and communities throughout high
er education, the region and our society.
GODAG offers many opportunities and
resources that are meant to assist stu
dent and faculty recruitment concerns,
as well as to enhance the University’s
campus climate for diversity. These in
clude events such as the December panel
and forum “Voices of the Ducks: Campus
Climate, Community and Broadcast Me
dia,” our DUCKS facilitator training
course and student dialogue groups, our
sponsored Campus Climate Research In
terest Team, postdoctoral fellowships,
graduate research stipends and under
graduate community internships. How
ever, CODAC’s role is that of a diversity
research center, not of an administrative
watchdog.
For more information about CODAC or
for a listing of upcoming events, I encour
age readers to contact the center or visit
the CODAC Web site at
http ://www. uoregon. edu/~codac.
John Shuford is a postdoctoral research
fellow with CODAC.
Letter to the editor
Evil euthanasia ideas
are nothing new
It is true that our government may not
always have the best leaders running it, but
after reading Peter Stir’s idea in “Selective
euthanasia can save the world” (ODE, Feb.
7) about killing everybody who doesn’t
have an important role in society, I am cer
tainly glad that we don’t have people like
him in our government.
At first glance I thought his letter was a
joke, and I am still unsure whether or not
it was. His ideas are so incredibly evil and
sinister that I see no way that a sane indi
vidual could conjure them up. Everyone
has the right to life, bom or unborn — that
is what America means. That is what patri
ots have been willing to die for in the past.
Just because someone may appear useless
to society doesn’t mean they deserve to die.
And one more thing. Your ideas aren’t all
that revolutionary. Not too long ago, a man
with similar ideas came to power and start
ed “cleaning” his nation of useless people
in order to get rid of population and eco
nomic problems. His name was Hitler.
Zachary White
sophomore
history