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Email: editor@dailyemerald.com
Online Edition:
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Monday, April 7,2003
-Oregon Daily Emerald
Commentary
Editor in Chief;
Michael J. Kleckner
* Managing Editor
Jessica Richelderfer
Editorial Page Assistant:
Salena De La Cruz
Fry-ing international relations
Chuck
Slothower
Clock tower hush
What is the shortest book in the world?
“French War Heroes,” or so goes the joke. Kid
ding aside, anti-French sentiment in the United
States has seen a steady rise in the days since
French President Jacques Chirac took a hard
line against the war in Iraq.
Anti-French sentiment
has a long and inglorious
history in the United
States, but in the year
2003, one would hope we
could rise above it. House
Reps. Walter Jones and
Bob Ney, both Republi
cans, provided perhaps
the silliest example of
contemporary anti
French sentiment when
Ney ordered his under
lings to rename French
toast and French fries
“Freedom toast” and “Freedom fries” on
restaurant menus in House office buildings.
“This action is a small but symbolic effort to
show the strong displeasure of many on Capi
tol Hill with the actions of our so-called ally,
France,” Ney told the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Jones came up with the idea after the owner of
a North Carolina diner pioneered the practice.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., even
went so far as to urge boycotts of French prod
ucts such as champagne and Evian bottled wa
ter. This is a bad idea. Americans should allow
France and other nations their prerogative to
disagree with United States foreign policy with
out fear of economic reprisal. They deserve to
voice their opinions without risking retaliation.
The French may have their eccentricities,
but to label them as ungrateful or cowardly is
both unfair and inaccurate. France could eas
ily have played America’s puppet and
marched dutifully into war. Instead, they
chose the tougher route. By standing up to
the world’s only superpower, France has tak
en an enormous risk.
“Old Europe,” as Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld referred to France and Germany, in
advertently proved its relevance by providing a
counterbalance to potential American imperi
alism. The quagmire at the United Nations,
created by the veto threats of France and oth
ers, forced President Bush to at least slow
down and consider alternatives to war.
To be fair, France may have ulterior motives
for opposing the war in Iraq beyond peace, love
and understanding. France has always feared
American cultural, political and economic impe
rialism. The French resent America’s promi
nence in the world, given France’s past glories,
and they certainly want a piece of the post-war
pie. Reconstructing Iraq will cost a lot of money,
and France wants to make sure that its indus
tries receive some of it.
Besides, it can’t all go to the Halliburton
Corporation, though Vice President Dick Ch
eney might try (his former employer has al
ready received at least one contract for post
war rebuilding). Yet whatever France’s
motives, Americans should thank their lucky
stars that France does not necessarily do
everything President George W. Bush wants it
to. Diversity in the world is a good thing.
Interestingly, Americans have focused a great
deal of attention on French opposition to the war
while largely ignoring opposition from Germany,
China, Russia and others. I don’t hear anybody
urging boycotts of the Mercedes dealership.
Perhaps the most bothersome aspect of anti
French sentiment is that it reeks of American
arrogance. It suggests that American foreign
Peter Utsey Emerald
policy is nearly always wise and that what is
good for the United States must be good for
every other nation on Earth. Other countries,
understandably, see it differently. Need we piss
off as many nations as possible?
Though we may sometimes wish other
wise, the United States does not exist in a co
coon. Having friends abroad may prove more
beneficial than the present administration
can foresee. Let’s just hope that the Bush ad
ministration doesn’t damage foreign rela
tions beyond repair.
Contact the columnist
at chuckslothower@dailyemerald.com.
His opinions do not necessarily represent those
of the Emerald.
Online poll
Each week, the Emerald
publishes the previous
week’s poll results and the
coming week’s poll
question. Visit
www.dailyemerald.com
to vote.
Last week: How long do
you think the war in Iraq
will last?
Results: 68 total votes
Three months —23.5
percent, or 16 votes
Six months — 23.5
percent, or 16 votes
Nine months —8.8
percent, or 6 votes
One year—7.4 percent, or
5 votes
Longer than a year — 26.5
percent, or T 8 votes
Leave me alone! — 10.3
percent, or 7 votes
This week: Do you plan to
vote in the ASUO elections?
Chokes: Yes; No; What
elections?
Letters to the editor
and guest
commentaries policy
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.
Letters to the editor
Emerald should treat
‘wanted’ articles
with care
When I read of the tragedy of Eric
Jones (“Wanted student found dead;
possible suicide,” ODE, March 31),
I immediately thought back to the
shocking “wanted” article regarding
a student that the Emerald pub
lished before break. I remember
thinking to myself, hey, no matter
what the situation was, if I was on
the cover of the Emerald with my
student file photo and it was telling
anybody that saw me to call the au
thorities, I would want to crawl un
der a rock and die, and surely not be
seen on campus.
Well, as Ariana Schwartz re
marked in the paper, “It seems to
me that’s exactly how he felt.” It’s
especially unnerving that after all
of the hype, when the details
emerged, it sounded more like a
provoked attack than a random,
drunken beating.
I seriously urge the Emerald to
more carefully consider publishing
such “wanted” articles when it in
volves students or staff, especially
with such sketchy details. Instead,
why don’t we see a picture on the
front cover of a captured “campus
wanker.”
Aaron Reddick
fourth-year undergraduate
landscape architecture
Nookie deprivation
may end war
All right, here’s a plan to end the
war. It’s simple, and if we band to
gether, we could inadvertently am
plify the revenue of adult shops
from Portland to Maine.
I’m thinking Lysistrata had it
right. If she were here right now, she
would advise Laura to cut off “ac
cess,” and make Georgy think twice
about sending 19-year-old kids to
hunt some psycho who only alleged
ly has weapons of mass destruction.
What if women everywhere crossed
their legs and said, “No way honey!
Not until you do something about
impeaching the scary white guy
who bought his way into office!”
I’m thinking our fake-it-till-ya
make-it-president is holding us
hostage with a frightening amount
of power, and drastic times call for
drastic measures.
What do you say, ladies? This
might be the only thing to save us
from an insane egomaniac more wor
ried about shaving seconds from his
5k time than about sending our loved
ones into war. White male power has
been uncontrolled for centuries.
Their Achilles heel? A push-up bra
and a lap dance. It sounds crude, but
not as crude as the oil we’re killing for.
Just imagine 150 million men call
ing George, “urging” him to end the
war. What if men everywhere flew to
D.G. and demanded G.W. quit playing
“Gl-Joe-goes-to-nuclear-war” with
our loved ones? He sleeps well at
Gamp David. But how well would he
sleep in a cold bed with no nookie?
Adrienne Stuart
junior
educational studies
Curtin brings
experience, leadership
skills to Senate Seat 15
One of the most qualified candi
dates running for ASUO Student
Senate is Kevin Curtin, who is run
ning for Social Science Seat 15. As
a freshman, he was an ASUO in
tern on the legislative team and
worked on projects that benefited
all students. Recently, he was
elected as the Oregon Federation
of College Democrats co-ehair
man, a position that represents his
excellent leadership skills and ded
ication to public service.
Leadership skills are not his only
noteworthy attributes. His brilliant
public speaking skills will amplify
the voice of the social science ma
jors in senate sessions. But perhaps
Kevin’s best contribution to the rep
resentation of social science majors
is his empathy for the underdog and
determination for social justice.
I cannot think of a better person
to best represent one of the most di
verse constituency of majors on
campus. So please vote for Kevin
Curtin on April 9-11.
Steven Lockfield
senior
history and art history
Melton, Morales will
work to empower
students
This letter is in support of the “It’s
all about ME working 4 you!” ticket
for ASUO Executive. I believe Mad
dy Melton and Eddy Morales are the
most experienced candidates for
this position because of their past
involvement in the ASUO office and
other student organizations.
If elected, Maddy and Eddy will
work on student empowerment.
Maddy and Eddy believe it is impor
tant to place students in decision
making boards and committees.
They feel that more students need
to be involved when the administra
tion is making key decisions that
will direcdy affect students.
Having witnessed Maddy and
Eddy’s performance in the ASUO of
fice, I know that when they make a
commitment, they always follow
through. I have the utmost confi
dence in Maddy and Eddy’s leader
ship skills and ability to carry out
platform agendas.
Taraneh Foster
junior
journalism
Write in Lockfield
for Senate Seat 12
Before you AAA majors find your
self sitting at your computer wonder
ing whom on the ballot to vote for, I
want you to consider another option.
I am writing this because I be
lieve that a candidate who is not
on the ballot is the best choice for
ASUO Student Senate. His name is
Steven Lockfield, and he is run
ning for AAA Senate Seat 12. By
working with Lockfield closely, I
have noticed many qualities that
would make him perfect for the
position of senator.
I have seen Lockfield consistent
ly go out of his way to communi
cate with people in order to find
solutions for difficult
problems. Lockfield has progres
sive ideas, yet understands the
need for fairness in the senate. He
will seek out the input of students,
giving them a greater voice in our
school’s political decisions. More
specifically, Lockfield plans to cre
ate a senate committee to study
and fix the serious problem of vot
er apathy on campus.
I have no doubts that Lockfield is
the person for this position. Please
write in the name Steven Lockfield
for AAA Senate Seat 12 on April 9-11!
Kevin Curtin
sophomore
political science