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E-mail: editor@dailyemerald.com
Online: www.dailyemerald.com
Monday, October 13,2003
Oregon Daily Emerald
COMMENTARY
Editor in Chief:
Brad Schmidt
Managing Editor:
Jan ToDias Montry
Editorial Editor:
Travis Willse
EDITORIAL
Conference
mocks goals,
loses purpose
in hypocrisy
Beginning last Thursday, activists converged at the Uni
versity and Lane Community College for a long weekend
of workshops, films, visual arts exhibits, speakers, a "peace
forum" and the like.
The four-day-long "Peace, Justice & Media Conference"
featured speakers including — among others — anti-war ac
tivist Andrea Buffa of the Global Exchange Peace Campaign,
radio's Jim Hightower, "Labor Radio" host Don McIntosh
and representatives of the Eugene Weekly and the Justice Not
War Coalition. Organizers managed to import speakers
from around the nation to give lectures and lead discussions
on a wide range of topics, from media images of women to
"media literacy" and from "war taxes" to public broadcast
ing. Indeed, organizers billed the conference — sponsored
by the Justice Not War Coalition — as "Empowering the
Movement for Fair, Accurate and Diverse Media."
Despite the conference's clearly extensive planning,
which included arranging more than 40 events, something
was conspicuously missing: politically conservative and
even moderate elements.
Many sessions were clearly planned from a leftist — if
not counterculture — slant: "We Interrupt This Empire," a
video presentation credited to "Bay Area's independent
video activists," recalled March's anti-war protests that
snarled San Francisco's financial district.
According to the conference schedule, "Military
Recruiting vs. Reality" exposed "myths perpetuated by
military recruiters."
The video "Fear and Favor in the Newsroom" suggested
that "ownership of the press by a small corporate elite con
stricts the free flow of ideas and information upon which
our democracy depends. *
Finally, Sunday's agenda included the self-explanatory
session "How to Fight the Bush Agenda."
Now, there's nothing wrong when a conference that bills
itself as fair and balanced includes politically oriented con
tent. In fact, when tackling issues such as politics in the me
dia, it's practically unavoidable. By not including a variety
of political opinions, however, the meeting is unbalanced
and undiverse, and therefore it was unfairly misrepresent
ed to potential participants.
Surprisingly, organizers acknowledged the lack of diversity.
"We did not try to get a balance," event organizer
Michael Canrigan said in an Emerald interview. "We tried
to get a conference that reflects what Eugene is like."
In fact, the lone apparent deviation from the otherwise ho
mogeneously leftist speakers came in Saturday afternoon's sec
tion "Discussing Talk Radio: Is It Just Too Damn Liberal?,"
wherein "Ed Monks and Alan Siporin will discuss the ques
tion whether or not special guests Lars Larson from Portland
and Don Carlin of KUGN accept the invitation to participate"
But even this limited approach to political diversity was
apparently unethically aborted: Carrigan said that organ
izers had invited Larson, but Larson denied in an e-mail to
the Emerald that he had ever received an invitation ("Event
to analyze media bias," ODE, Oct. 9). The day after that ar
ticle ran, Larson told the Emerald in a phone interview that
he had received a phone invitation earlier in the day from
another of the conference's planners, who told him organ
izers had intended to ask him to join the conference earlier,
but that they had "overlooked* sending the invitation.
Whatever the details are, it's clear the conference was
nowhere near as "fair accurate and diverse" as the kind of me
dia it supposedly sought to empower. Moreover, oiganizers
seem to be guilty of limiting the free exchange of ideas, while
hiding under the guise of fairness and balance — the very in
justice that they accuse the mainstream media of committing
While this hypocrisy is certainly unfortunate for those
participating speakers whose ideas were valid and impor
tant in their own right the real victims are the participants
who weren't getting what they'd bargained for.
EDITORIAL POLICY
This editorial represents the opinion of the Emerald
editorial board. Responses can be sent to letters
@dailyemera ld.com.
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Steve Baggs Illustrator
Misguided memorial
I hate to say it, but I told you so.
Over the summer, the city of Eugene
made the decision to change the name of
Centennial Boulevard to Martin Luther
King Jr. Boulevard. At the time, I thought
that was one of the dumbest things I'd ever
heard of. I haven't changed my opinion.
There are several problems here. First if
you're going to name a street in honor of
something, 1 think it's bad form to pick a
street that is already named in honor of
something else. Centennial Boulevard
was a tribute to Oregon's centennial an
niversary. Perhaps I've spent too much
time at the End of the Oregon Trail Inter
pretative Center, but I rather like having a
reminder of those hard-working folks
who converted the Oregon Territory into
the state of Oregon. That was no small ac
complishment.
I will, however, put that objection aside.
For all I know, there may be a shortage of
streets in these two towns available for re
naming — that shortage would explain
the inordinate amount of time I spend
trying to merge onto the Ferry Street
Bridge every afternoon.
No, my more fundamental objection is
this: If you want to honor someone, is re
naming a street the best you can do?
Martin Luther King Jr. was a charismat
ic, dynamic man who stirred the passions
and consciences of a generation in a way
few men ever have. "I Have a Dream" is ar
guably one of the most inspiring and
Jessica Cole-Hodgkinson
Huh? What? Really.
moving speeches ever delivered and, had
his life not been cut short, there is simply
no end to the things he might have ac
complished for the people of this nation
and, indeed, the world.
So, the perspicacious politicians in
these parts named a street after him.
Oooooh. Neat. Bully for them.
With the alteration of a street sign or
two, they can now pat themselves on the
back and say to one and all that they are
forward-thinkers who recognize the mer
its of the ongoing snuggle for civil rights
and those who have committed their lives
— figuratively and literally — to the cause
I'm sure we all sleep better at night with
folks like this on the job. Yes, that's sar
casm you're hearing.
You see, I knew from the first that this
was a cheesy thing to do. I've lived in other
towns that have gone the same route and
honored King with a sneet. The problem
is that that Martin Luther King Jr. doesn't
quite roll lightly off the tongue. Inevitably,
the street that is supposed to remind us of
this magnificent man and the message he
tried to pass along assumes the abbreviat
ed form "MLK" (Boulevard, Street, Avenue,
etc.). Indeed, it has already begun. Just last
week a radio announcer opted for the
shortened version.
Somehow, I can't believe that "MLK"
strikes the same chord in the soul as "Mar
tin Luther King Jr." After all, it could stand
for anything — Martian Landing Kraft (as
suming Martians can't spell), More Liber
al Kooks or the ever-popular Meaty Lute
fisk Kabobs. Acronyms are always open to
individual interpretation.
Now, I want to be very clear: I do think
that it is right and proper to honor King's
innumerable contributions and his mem
ory. I just object generally to doing the
right thing in the wrong way. Why didn't
they sponsor public readings of the "I
Have a Dream' speech on the anniversary
of his birth or his death? I'd have happily
seen a few tax dollars spent subsidizing a
traveling Martin Luther King Jr. Interpre
tative Center. I'd even contribute to a fund
that would put his face up on murals
around town.
But a street? I told you that was a dumb
thing to do.
Contact the columnist at
jessicacolehodgkinson@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.
Visitwww.dailyemerald.com to vote.
Last question: Do you approve of the
new sports arena location at East 18th
Avenue and University Street?
Results: 91 votes.
Yes - It’s the perfect location: 36.2
percent or 33 votes.
No—The Williams' Bakery location
would have been best: 13.2 percent
or 12 votes.
No - Next to Autzen Stadium would have
been best: 12.1 percent or 11 votes.
No—The new Eugene courthouse
location would have been best 2.2
percent or 2 votes.
No - Glenwood or Springfield would
have been best 1.1 percent or 1 vote.
None of the above. Things are fine
without a new arena: 35.2 percent
or 32 votes.
This week: Do you value instruction
from GTFs as much as that from
professors?
Choices: Yes — GTFs can better relate to
students; Yes—GTFs have more current
knowledge; No -1 pay for instruction
from professors, not students; No -
GTFs don't have the knowledge
or experience required to teach classes;
it makes no difference to me.