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-Oregon Daily Emerald
Commentary
Editor in Chief:
Michael J. Kleckner
Managing Editor
Jessica Richelderfer
Editorial Page Assistant:
Salena De La Cruz
Monday, May 12,2003
Editorial
Sexual abuse
isn’t about sex;
we must take
back control
It’s not about sex, really. Real sex is mutual. Real sex
involves communication, and partners are respectful
about the limits and boundaries of the other. Real sex is
responsible. It means shared pleasure for partners and is
often an expression of love.
Sexual assault or sexual abuse is about having control
over another person. It happens when someone chooses
to take away another person’s right to decide what hap
pens to his or her own body. It is an act of violence.
Sexual violence happens in this community, and it af
fects us all. Through participating in events offered this
week, many community members are paying closer at
tention to the realities of sexual assault and are making
commitments toward ending sexual violence.
We are taking the opportunity to learn about how al
cohol is used to facilitate rape — that a drunk person of
ten isn’t able to consent to sex, and that sex without con
sent is rape.
We are seeking to better understand the connections
between sexual violence and other forms of oppression
that exist in our society — including, but not limited to:
sexism, racism, heterosexism, exploitation of children,
youth and elders, those with disabilities, those with fewer
socioeconomic resources, those who identify as trans
gender, and those who do not practice the dominant reli
gion or communicate in the dominant language.
All of us know at least one person who is a survivor of
sexual assault or abuse — even if they have never told us
about it. One way to show our support and help break
the silence that surrounds sexual violence and violence
against women in our community is through participat
ing in Take Back the Night and other events happening
this week.
This editorial was written for the Emerald by Michelie Edwards,
community education program coordinator for Sexual Assault
Support Services, a non-profit agency dedicated to ending
oppression and sexual violence through education, support
services, outreach and empowerment in Lane County, Oregon.
Bush’s carrot
may be riskier
than his stick
As former Secretary of State James Baker so patiently
explained to Ali G, international diplomacy is a game of
sticks and carrots. Now that President George W. Bush
has proven to the world the proficiency with which he
wields his stick, he is turning to the less arousing but still
satisfying task of doling out the post-engagement carrots.
Thus, New Europe is reaping the rewards of its amenabil
ity toward the Iraq war, while Old Europe is being ad
monished for its recalcitrance.
The United States on Thursday endorsed seven East
ern European countries for inclusion in NATO, while pro
posing a backseat advisory role for the United Nations in
the reconstruction of Iraq. Both of these moves are cal
culated to reduce French and German influence, which
could very well deepen the rift that has ruptured the
Western alliance. Bush, in demanding what amounts to a
doting fealty from allies, risks the demise of a balance of
power that America itself worked so hard to create.
That’s a hard carrot to swallow.
Editorial policy
This editorial represents the opinion of the
Emerald editorial board, Responses can be
sent to letters ^dailyemeraldxam*. .
t I
Peter Utsey Emerald
Turning back the clnck nn civil rights
I wonder what part or the world Al
bany, Ga., is in. More importantly, what
part of the world does Taylor County
High School belong to? Apparently, it’s
the 1800s, when slavery and segregation
were all right.
Last year, the high school took leaps
and bounds by hosting ‘the first integrat
ed prom’ in 31
years (“Some stu
dents choose not to
integrate prom,”
The Register
Guard, May 2).
The first, the
first... I’m speech
less, and that’s a
first.
Has society, this
nation, advanced so
little that the com
munity is willing to
spend the money for two separate proms
because they fear interracial dating?
According to Savannah Now Newspa
pers, in 2002 students voted unanimous
ly to have an integrated prom. But ac
cording to those same reports, Taylor
County isn’t the only school to opt to for
go the school-sponsored dances or
events. Most students find themselves at
country clubs or dance halls.
According to CNN, up until last year, the
school officials stopped sponsoring dances
because they feared interracial dating.
Salena
DeLaCruz
Say it loud
Every year, parents and students would or
ganize the events.
Apparently, the school thinks that
problems only arise when people date
people of different colors. Oh, right,
white couples have absolutely no rela
tionship woes. So, I guess that means
that I’m not allowed to date Mexicans or
Irish because that’s what I am. Please! No
one in this nation is pure white.
You see, in good ol’ Taylor County it’s
OK to not like the “colored folk,” as people
in this country’s more ignorant days would
call black people. Thank you, Taylor Coun
ty High School, for slamming the civil
rights movement back several decades. I
thought we were in the 21st century.
There were just a few students that
wanted an all-white prom. Why do they
get their way when they are not even the
majority? Obviously, the school admin
istrators need a lesson of their own —
one of reaching out to the majority and
still including the minority. Students can
go to both if they want. Well, that’s inter
esting. It’s not enough that white stu
dents get an all-white prom; they get to
go to one where the students actually
have advanced into the 21st century.
Gerica McCrary, a senior this year,
helped to organize the integrated prom
last year and was reportedly very upset
by the separate proms. She told the As
sociated Press, “I cried. The black juniors
said, ‘Our prom is open to everyone.’”
Maybe it’s a sign of the environment
this school allows. I believe, for every one
person that submits, it makes it that
much harder to advance.
The school has 439 students, and 232
of them are black. The school board
should be reaching out to all students by
having one prom, one school, for one
cause. Why did this have to turn into a
black-and-white issue?
Why bring color into a time of fun, a
time of memories? Why not just let it be
a bunch of classmates getting together to
have some fun?
If I was a student at Taylor County, I
would remember my prom for the segre
gation — because no matter how much
fun was had, I would remember the tears
behind the disco ball. If I was a student, I
would shout out to the school adminis
trators that I would not accept segrega
tion of a time-honored event: a time of
happiness, friends and fun. I would shout
this is not a time to divide colors, to re
mind people of hatred.
There is no place for hatred or dis
crimination. This is a time to dance and
to forget about everything else. This is
the students’ time.
Contact the columnist
at salenadelacruz@dailyemerald.com. Her
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; Do you agree with the Bush administration’s Healthy Forest
Initiative?
Results: 90 total votes
Yes, increased logging wiii help to prevent forest fires — 18.9 percent, or
17 votes
Yes, the forests are there to be logged — i 8.9 percent, or 17 votes
No, there are other more effective alternatives — 20 percent, or 18 votes
No, leave the forests alone!—28.9 percent, or 26 votes
What Healthy Forest initiative?—6.7 percent, or 6 votes
Leave me alone!—6.7 percent, or 6 votes
This week: What do you think of homosexuality on campus?
Choices: It’s disgusting and should be hidden; It should be out and proud;
Everyone should be able to feel comfortable on campus; No sexuality should
be publicly displayed on campus; I don’t care; Leave me alonel
CORRECTIONS
The person pictured in the photo
accompanying Tuesday's article
about the Prefontaine Classic (“’El C
won’t run Pre Classic mile, but
Webb might," ODE, May 6) was ac
tually William Chircher. William
Chircher will not run at the Pre this
year, while Cornelius Chircher will,
Friday’s article about the Race
Against Racism (“Race combats
local prejudice,” ODE, May 9)
should have listed this Thursday
as the deadline to register. Regis
trations will also be taken the day
of the rate.