Women should not
be told sexual safety
is only their concern
Guest commentary
It was a bittersweet moment to
read the editorial in Wednesday’s
Emerald (“Women cannot assume
they are safe on campus,” ODE,
Feb. 13). While I appreciate the in
formation about sendees available
to women and the acknowledg
ment that our campus climate
does pose a significant risk to the
safety of women, all of the infor
mation that was provided was in
reference to women changing or
altering their own behavior to pre
vent attack.
Why was there no acknowledg
ment of ways that our campus can,
in fact, become safer? And why
was there no information about
appropriate behavior for men?
Methods for improving safety for
women on campus are continu
ously addressed. Walking in packs,
getting a ride, not going out after
dark, carrying a cell phone or a
whistle, knowing your neighbors
and a barrage of other suggestions
have been made indicating ways
that women on this campus can
protect themselves from attacks.
The argument was made in the
editorial yesterday that women
might have a false sense of securi
ty on this campus. If that is the
case, which for some women
and men it very well may be, then
the advice was well received
and given.
However, by limiting advice and
conversation to simply the preven
tative behavior of women, only the
symptoms and not the actual
cause of this campuswide,
statewide, national and interna
tional epidemic of inequality and
gender discrimination are being
addressed. To make actual, con
crete steps forward, we need to ad
vocate for the self-corrective be
havior of all, particularly men, in
creating a safer campus communi
ty for all.
Sexual harassment and assault
need to be the primary focus for
both men and women. It’s not sim
ply enough to know that it exists
and that steps can be taken to
avoid women’s exposure to it. We
need to find ways to form an army
to make an assault on the mentali
ty that it is acceptable at all.
Men should be just as disgusted
by the behavior of their peers and
should spend the majority of their
time creating a peer-induced stig
ma that will at least begin to look
at an issue that is currently being
masked by continuously focusing
on ways that women can protect
themselves, and not on ways that
men can stop it from happening to
begin with. Responsibility lies with
all members of this community,
and the issue should be handled
accordingly.
Rachel Pilliod is the ASUO president.
Letters to the editor
University Housing
needs regime change
The recent neighborhood forum
in the West University Neighborhood
was closed for public input. As a
renters’ rights and historic preserva
tion activist, I have compiled many
facts on East Eugene housing injus
tice and deficiencies in the last few
years. The chairperson of the meet
ing forcefully excluded me from the
discussion.
The chairperson also happens to
work as a spokesperson for the Uni
versity on its housing department
demolition issues. A real meeting
meant to solve problems can’t be
managed by parties interested in ob
structing reform and taking neigh
borhoods apart.
If our state school can’t run its 100
homes decently, what can it expect
from out-of-town property owners?
Keeping East Campus Family Hous
ing empty and shabby lowers the bar
for all landlords. University planners
are now incorporating in their East
Campus plans language that protects
the University’s practice of letting
the homes fall apart — or an “un
housing code.”
Find a copy of City Councilor
David Kelly’s re-election brochure
and you’ll notice he supports a hous
ing code for “privately-held” proper
ties. I guess if you live in University
housing, laws don’t apply to you, at
least in Kelly’s world.
Zachary Vishanoff
Eugene
Mandrake cheapens
University’s image
It is time for students and the ad
ministration to realize that things
have gone far enough with Man
drake, “Mighty Morphin Power
Duck.” Now, there is nothing better
than seeing the Ducks smash Stan
ford by 15 in McArthur Court.
However, when I viewed ESPN’s
“Top 10 Plays of the Day,” I lost all
thoughts about our win, and was
furious with our new mascot. To
those who didn’t attend the Feb. 6
game or see it on TV, Mandrake,
our new “athletic” Duck, decided
to do a trampoline flip dunk.
However, I guess Mandrake is just
too athletic for Eugene, as he over
accentuated the flip, hit his beak on
the rim, and totally bricked the
dunk. In a day where Shaq broke a
backboard, Kobe scored 46, and
even our beloved Ridnour scored 23
off the bench, Mandrake stole the
show, and the No. 8 play of the day,
with an absolute comedic flop.
Now accidents happen, but when
is the last time you saw Donald make
a complete fool of himself? Man
drake wasn’t designed to be a
comedic reference, unlike Stanford’s
representation of a tree on drugs.
Mandrake is out to prove athletic su
periority, which he botched when he
ate one of our metal rims.
The fact is, the time has come for
the University to realize the harsh
reality of Mandrake: no self-respect
ing Duck fan likes him, he doesn’t
stack up to Donald in any way, and
he makes a fool out of the University
from a national perspective.
Charlie Wheary
junior
political science
Online poll
Each week, the Emerald publishes the previ
ous week’s poll results and the coming
week’s poll question. Visit www.dailyemer
ald.com to vote.
Last week: What is the best way to get laid
on Valentine’s Day?
Results; 112 total votes
Bring your date home for a movie — 7.1 per
cent, or 8 votes
Hang out in the lobby after The Vagina Mono
logues" — 8.0 percent, or 9 votes
Show off your new dreadlocks at a peace rally
— 4.S percent, or 5 votes
Romantic dinner, gifts and candy — 1 3.4 per
cent, or 15 votes
Backrubs! (They work every time) — 38.4 per
cent, or 43 votes
Beg — \ 7 percent, or 19 votes
Leave me alone! — 1 ] .6 percent, or 13 votes
This week: Which of these anti-war slogans
from Saturday’s rally is the most clever?
Choices: One nation under surveillance; How
did our oil get under their sand?; I pee on
Bushes (seen on a dog); Stop mad cowboy dis
ease!; War does not increase penis size; None
of these are clever; What anti-war rally?
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