Commentary
Nike should not be given rights,
speech that human beings have
Guest commentary
With the Nike free speech case
before the Supreme Court now,
there is a lot of discussion about
how much protection corporations
should enjoy under our Constitu
tion. Well here is one plebeian’s take
on it: They shouldn’t get any consti
tutional protection at all.
Constitutionally protected hu
man rights should be reserved for
human beings — and not the legal
phantoms we call corporations. Un
der our current system, a small
group of “investors” and their hired
guns can build an empire of wealth
(e.g. Enron, Bechtel, WorldCom,
Nike, etc.) and then, for the most
part, never have to face any real
consequences if their reckless profi
teering ruins the company.
The worst most may suffer is a
few ugly headlines and a bankrupt
cy, which will kill the corporation
and the 401 (k)s of its employees,
while leaving its executives’ wealth
intact. And these same corporate
entities enjoy enormous tax
breaks and even subsidies, while
working schleps are being hound
ed by the IRS for every penny they
owe, as our civil infrastructure
teeters on collapse.
Your kitchen appliances were
probably warehoused in better fa
cilities than many of the school
buildings which house America’s
children five days a week. What
does it mean for us as a society
when an elite few are allowed to
profit from wrongs committed be
hind the veil of “corporate law”
and then dissolve their ventures
with almost no personal liability?
What happens when regular
schleps have to declare bankrupt
cy? We get shafted, that’s what.
If we have much in the way of as
sets, they are usually forfeited to
pay our meager debts. Rut if a few
rich guys hiding behind a corporate
identity declare bankruptcy (often
to the tune of billions) for the cor
poration which they’ve made their
millions from, everyone under them
will get shafted while they keep
their personal fortunes.
Isn’t a market system supposed to
be driven by incentive? What in
centives do our biggest financial
players have to act responsibly?
The corporate system is pushing
most of us closer to the edge every
day, and now we are supposed to be
worried that corporations are not
being given enough freedom to lie?
Nike supporters act as if holding
corporations accountable for the
idea they are selling is somehow go
ing to make life more difficult or re
strictive for all of us average citi
zens. Gan the kind of “speech”
promoted in multimillion dollar
public relations campaigns really be
called free?
How many of you reading this
could post billboards and full-page
ads all over California, if you want
ed to offer evidence that a company
like Nike is lying about the things
that they say in their PR cam
paigns? Not many, if any, because
that kind of speech isn’t free. The
cost of those advertising dollars may
be a pittance to a few guys hiding
behind a corporate identity, but it’s
more money than many of us will
see in our entire working lives.
More rights for corporations?
How about more rfghts for human
beings instead?
Paul C. Griffes is a senior geography
major.
Students must see results of abortion
Guest commentary
While I did not see the recent
anti-abortion demonstration take
place, I was glad to hear that many
students were repulsed and offend
ed by large photos of aborted fetus
es. Abortion is a repulsive and of
fensive practice, and
pro-abortionists need to face the re
sults of the position they support.
I find the response to the demon
stration is rather telling: Pro-abor
tion students who are supposedly
for free speech and the free ex
change of ideas reportedly tried
shouting down the anti-abortion
group with abortion ‘facts,’ and
Rachel Pilliod apparently urged oth
ers to avoid the area altogether.
Well, reading ‘facts’ about abor
tion from Planned Parenthood is
similar to reading old tobacco com
pany propaganda about how smok
ing is harmless. G’mon all you anti
capitalist types: Money equals lies,
and the abortion industry is big
money. And urging students to
avoid the displays is an attempt at
censorship; Pilliod must have a low
opinion about the student body, or
she would encourage people to
come to their own conclusions after
seeing the photos themselves.
But probably the most telling
statement I found in the Emerald
article was a quote from Sarah Kos
ki who said, “We’re worried about
women who’ve already had abor
tions seeing these posters and hav
ing a negative mental reaction.”
Now why would that happen?
Aren’t we constantly being told by
feminists that for women to be
treated as equals they must be able
to exercise ‘choice’? Those photos
should be beautiful! Every one of
those mutilated fetuses apparently
stands for equality!
It is interesting that the pro-abor
tion browdAs also largely the anti
war crowd. These people will move
heaven and earth, to the point of
aligning themselves with a murder
ous dictator like Saddam Hussein,
to “protect the Iraqi children” from
American bombs. But if a child hap
pens to be in a uterus back here in
the United States, they’ll applaud as
40 million of them are hacked to
death in the womb.
Brian Stubbs is a graduate physics major.
Same-sex marriages stretch back 1,000years
Guest commentary
Thank you so much for your
wonderful editorial on Sen. Rick
Santorum (“Santorum goes beyond
gay slurs; he’s lost hold of reality,”
ODE, April 29). As a 73-year-old gay
male “widower,” having lost my
“spouse” of 34 years, David, four
years ago, I appreciate your words
of wisdom.
May I bring to your attention and
that of your readers to two books
that I hope will enlighten all who
read them. The first is “Biological
Exuberance” by Bruce Bagemihl,
which details the results of 10 years
research into sexual orientation in
the wild.
Bagemihl found more than 450
species with homosexual, bisexual
and transgender members. In his
review of the book, printed in the
Ottawa Citizen, Ian MacLeod
writes, “The list of homosexual
creatures, according to author and
biologist Bruce Bagemihl, would fill
Noah’s Ark: apes and monkeys, dol
phins and whales, giraffes, zebras,
warthogs and woodpeckers. Lesbian
gulls mated for life raising chicks to
gether. Male manatees splashing
around in group orgies.”
Homosexual animals, Bagemihl’s
research found, don’t experience
the harassment or violence of hu
man homosexuals. Bagemihl writes,
’’Where individuals engaging in ho
mosexual activity do attract atten
tion, it is usually out of simple cu
riosity or else because other
animals want to participate.”
The other book is “Same Sex
Unions In Premodern Europe” by
John Boswell. Boswell, the A.
Whitney Griswold professor of his
tory at Yale University, researched
the archives of the Vatican, Paris,
St. Petersburg (Russia), Istanbul
and the Sinai for 12 years and
found records of same-sex unions
performed by the early Orthodox
and Western Christian churches
for more than 1,000 years. His
book has, for its dust cover, a pic
ture of a seventh century icon
showing the marriage of Saints
Bacchus and Serge with Christ as
the “best man.” This icon is in the
Kiev, Ukraine, Museum of Eastern
and Western Art.
The saints are Roman soldiers
and lovers, who were martyred for
their belief in Christianity. Their
love became the standard which all
marrying couples were admonished
to simulate. Nor was Boswell the
only one to find these same-sex
marriage rites. In his review of the
book in the Irish Times of August
11,1998, the writer and historian
Jim Duffy writes “Nor is (Boswell)
the first to make such a discovery.
The Dominican Jacques Goar
(1601-1653) includes such cere
monies in a printed collection of
Greek prayer books.” He also states,
“At St. John Lateran in Rome (tra
ditionally the Pope’s parish church)
in 1578 as many as 13 couples were
‘married’ at Mass with the apparent
cooperation of the local clergy, ‘tak
ing Communion together, using the
same nuptial Scripture, after which
they slept and ate together,’ accord
ing to a contemporary report.”
There is a group of scientists who
believe that homosexuality has a
large role to play in evolution. So
you see, homosexuality is natural
and normal, and same-sex marriage
was a done deal for more than 1,000
years.
Gilbert S. Williams lives in Florida.
HASACONUERSffllONReiUyHAPPDraP
Race Isn't biological.
Bit that deesal moaa It isal real.
RACE
the power of an illusion
A nationwide release of a three-pan documentary series by California Newsreel
View each
provocative
episode
and then
engage in
facilitated
dialogue
within a
safe and
supportive
space.
AU. levels
of interest
are welcome.
Tues. May 6th 6:30-8:30pm Ben Linder Rm (EMU)
EPISODE I - The Difference Between Us
Everyone ban tell a Norwegian from a Nubian, so why doesn't it make sense to
sort people, into biological' races ^ Examine the contemporary sctenoo-incitKling
genelics-that challenges our assumptions about human groups.
Thurs. May 8th 6:30-8:30pm Gumwood Rm (EMU)
EPISODE II - The Story We Tell
Hasn't race always been with'Os'? Explore the roots of the race concept, the
19th century science that legitimized it and how it gained Such a hold over
Tues. May 13th 6:30-8:30pm Ben Linder Rm(EMU)
EPISODE III - The House We Live In
Race may tie a biological myth, tint racism stilt gives different groups vastly
different life chances. Forty years after the Civil Rights movement', the playing
field is still not level, and 'cotoibiind' polices only perpetuate inequality.
LET’S ENGAGE IT.
VISIT THE COMPANHM WEB SITE @ wwwjrts.org/racB
O
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
For more information contact
the BRT at 346-1139 or
expressive arts
for leadership and
social change
considering leadership:
how personal styles
influence leadership
approaches to
conflict resolution
This hands-on workshop will incorporate the arts to
help you develop communication skills for creating
change. We will use drawing, movement, journal
writing and improvisational theatre to develop skills
in creative, interactive and playful expression. No
prior experience necessary.
3-5PM • BEN LINDER ROOM ■ EMU
During the first part of this workshop you will have
the opportunity to take a self-score version of the
Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory. Then you'll learn
how the way you operate in the world influences
your definition of leadership, your expectations from
a leader and how you think you should act when in
a leadership position. We will discuss how differing
views of leadership can lead to differing conclusions
in each of these areas.
3-6:30PM ■ ROGUE ROOM ■ EMU
This interactive workshop will explore concepts and
skills related to effective communication and conflict
resolution. We will cover topics such as distinguishing
positions from interests, looking at the impact of
assumptions and inferences, shifting your “conflict
lens" and the art of asking questions.
3-5PM ■ UMPQUA ROOM ■ EMU
WORKSHOPS ARE FREE. LIMITED SEATING. PRE-REGISTRATION SUGGESTED.
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE.
TO REGISTER OR FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 346-61 1 9 OR EMAIL
LLATOUR@OREGON.UOREGON.EDU
sponsored by the erb memorial union and pepsi cola of eugene
Advertise. Get Results.
Oregon Daily Emerald 346-3712
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