Newsroom: (541) 346-5511
Suite 300, Erb Memorial Union
P.O. Box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403
E-mail: editor@dailyemerald.com
Online: www.dailyemerald.com
Monday, October 20,2003
Oregon Daily Emerald
COMMENTARY
Editor in Chief:
Brad Schmidt
Managing Editor:
Ian Tobias Montry
Editorial Editor:
Travis Willse
EDITORIAL
Recent incidents
prove cautious
behavior is best
Last Wednesday provided a scene-setter for the start of
this year's campus weirdness: The masturbator struck
again. Police officials say the newest installment of mas
turbation-mania waxes of the 2002 exposure spree, but we
are aren't jumping to any conclusions. After all, you can
never be too sure about people these days.
Amid the giggles that the headline — and the issue itself
— probably invoked around the community, we urge
those who don't take it seriously to remember that it is, in
fact, a very serious issue for a couple of important reasons.
First, simply because this man has selected indecent ex
posure and sexual harassment as his weapon of choice
doesn't mean he isn't potentially dangerous. One can as
sume given the circumstances of his crime that he has
some issues, and we would guess that in his mind, mov
ing from exposure to attack may not be a far leap. Consid
ering that "the masturbator" seems to primarily invade the
privacy and homes of females, we fear the day that he
walks in to see a woman alone and vulnerable for attack.
What if the woman was getting out of a shower and was
only partially dressed? Would the man decide then was a
good time to escalate his crime? Would this be a situation
where the woman could successfully defend herself?
The masturbator, despite his snide nickname, should be
taken seriously, and intensive steps should be taken to en
sure his timely arrest. University senior Kristi Kraus, one of
the victims of the latest exposure, made an excellent point
when she said this man, who gains enjoyment from scaring
females, could easily morph into someone more dangerous.
Second, we're assuming that the four girls who found
the strange man in a Halloween mask standing in their
kitchen masturbating didn't find it very humorous. If the
perpetrator is in fact the same man who struck in 2002, he
has graduated from masturbating in front of windows to
trespassing into private homes. This in itself should send
warning signs to the community: This man is not only sick,
but willing to take risks such as walking through unlocked
doors into private residences.
These recent events should remind all students that cau
tion is the best policy, even in a town like Eugene where vio
lent crime is relatively uncommon. Women are the primary
target for sex crimes, and thus female students should always
be aware of their surroundings. The University offers a new
shuttle service that can safety transport students home at
night (contact Assault Prevention Shuttle at 346-RIDE). The
Department of Public Safety can also be an excellent escort
to other on-campus locations at the wee hours of the night
but DPS escorts depend on availability of on-duty personnel
(call 346-5444 for information). Traveling in groups is also a
safe way to get around, and well-lit areas are better than dark
surroundings, such as alleys.
Women or men who have a run-in with the campus
masturbator or any other perpetrator should try to memo
rize any specific details about the person so police can get
an accurate description.
Victims of sexual harassment and other sex crimes who
are suffering from emotional trauma can contact Sexual
Assault Support Services at 484-9791. The non-profit sup
port service offers a 24-hour crisis line.
EDITORIAL POLICY
This editorial represents the opinion of the Emerald
editorial board. Responses can be sent to letters
@dailyemerald.com. 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. The Emerald reserves the right
to edit for space, grammar and style.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Brad Schmidt
Editor in Chief
Jan Tobias Montry
Managing Editor
Aimee Rudin
Freelance Editor
Ayisha Yahya
News Editor
Travis Willse
Editorial Editor
More good than harm
If I ponder for a few min
utes, I can think of exactly two
people I know who have nev
er smoked pot. Of course, I
don't wander around among
my acquaintances taking pot
smoking polls, but having
lived in Eugene for many
years, the subject comes up
more often than you might
think — particularly if you're
discussing brownie recipes.
Some of these people only
tried it once or twice and
found it wasn't to their liking.
Others reminisce fondly
about misspent adolescent
years and the accompanying
drug-induced haze. A handful
liked it enough to continue
the practice to this day — of
ten substituting a joint for an
after-dinner drink.
Now, according to the
Drug Enforcement Agency,
"Marijuana is a dangerous,
addictive drug that poses sig
nificant health threats
to users."
Hmmm ...
What if you're already deal
ing with a significant health
threat? While there is still an
awful lot of debate over the
efficacy of marijuana in the
medical world, there is some
reason to think it might offer
relief for folks with certain se
rious health issues.
If you've tuned into the de
bates over the years, you
probably already know that
many claim pot can help alle
viate the vomiting and nausea
associated with chemothera
py, and it can help stimulate
the appetite of those with
AIDS. But, did you know that
folks with multiple sclerosis
have found that smoking pot
can ease muscle pain, calm
tremors and help increase
control over their bladders? It
may even prevent epileptics
from having seizures and ease
eye pressure for people suffer
ing from glaucoma.
Dangerous, indeed!
To save us from that suspect
class of people who might seek
to do us harm — you know,
doctors — the federal govern
ment has sought to impose
sanctions on physicians who
have the temerity to discuss
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with their patients the poten
tial efficacy of marijuana.
Let's be very clear on this
point: They want to punish
doctors for merely talking with
Jessica
Cole-Hodgkinson
Huh? What? Really.
patients about marijuana.
Of course, if you need eye
surgery, your doctor is al
lowed to administer cocaine.
If you're in serious pain, she
can give you morphine or
codeine. If your blood pres
sure is skyrocketing, she can
tell you that a daily glass of
red wine might help.
The plain fact is that co
caine, opiates, and alcohol are
also dangerous and addictive
— hence the need for organi
zations like Alcoholics Anony
mous and Narcotics Anony
mous. Nevertheless, where
these substances are con
cerned, the federal govern
ment is willing to trust our
doctors to exercise their best
medical judgment.
What makes marijuana so
different?
A little research shows that
35 states have passed legisla
tion recognizing the medicinal
potential of marijuana. Nine
more — Oregon, Washington,
California, Nevada, Hawaii,
Arizona, Alaska, Colorado and
Maine — have gone so far as
to make it legal for people to
use marijuana on the advice of
their doctors. Canada as a
whole allows people with ter
minal illnesses and certain
chronic conditions to grow it
themselves or designate some
one to do it for them.
From where I sit, marijuana
appears to be a big, open secret
that everyone but the federal
government is in on. Well, ac
tually, our recent heads of said
government members do seem
to be in on it too. Clinton told
us he didn't inhale; Gore con
fessed that he did. Bush —
well, what hasn't he done?
Last week, the Supreme
Court refused to reconsider
the decision by the Ninth Cir
cuit Court of Appeals in Co
nant v. Walters that bars the
government from investigat
ing and issuing sanctions to
doctors who discuss the use
marijuana with their patients.
I'm sure that the govern
ment's representative — So
licitor General Ted Olson —
was frustrated by the decision.
After all, he thinks that allow
ing doctors to talk to their pa
tients about using marijuana
for medical purposes is likely
to "facilitate and promote the
acquisition and use of an un
safe controlled substance."
Because he was on the losing
side of an argument, he has
my sympathy if not my un
derstanding. I wonder ...
Do you think he'd appreciate
a nice, big batch of brownies?
Contact the columnist
at jessicacolehodgkinson
©dailyemera ld.com. Her
opinions do not necessarily
represent those of the Emerald.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Loaded terms, non-important
issues dominate paper
The Emerald began this year by reserv
ing the loaded language of "dire," "do-or
die" and several other emotional terms for
the sports pages. Meanwhile the colum
nists are writing increasingly frivolous dis
tractions from pressing issues facing stu
dents and our society.
I'm not interested in whether or not a
team wins or team mascot name back
lash bothers a columnist. Please rejoin us
in the real world of "exorbitant" tuition,
"intolerable" prison populations, "mas
sive" debts, and a "dire" health care sys
tem situation.
Mike Meyer
senior
family and human services
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 question: Do you value instruction
from GTFs as much as from professors?
Results: 82 votes
Yes - GTFs can better relate to students:
. 26.8 percent or 22 votes.
No — GTFs don't have the knowledge or
experience required to teach classes:
24.4 percent or 20 votes
No — I pay for instruction from
professors, not students: 18.3 percent or
15 votes.
It makes no difference to me: 18.3
percent or 15 votes.
Yes — GTFs have more current
knowledge: 12.2 percent or 10 votes.
This week: What happened to the
University’s alternative mascot,
Mandrake?
Choices: Flew south for the winter, along
with the football team’s talent; Waiting in
Phil Knight’s freezer for Thanksgiving
dinner; Took a year off to run for
California governor; Kidnapped by OSU
mascot Benny the Beaver; Went to a
party with one of the football players and
is still walking home.