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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2004)
Today’s crossword solution FT'1.1,1! mm Community Center far the Perfuming Arts 8th & Lincoln - Friday. WAR with ABAKADUBI Soul/Funk S:oo pm, tit advance, $20 door .Sunday . Dance Disaster Movement, AnbotRodriod Indie Rock S:oopm, $5 door . Monday • Stopstynyo!, Boys Nifht Out, Paii Paint By Numbers Pop-Punk 8:00 pm, $6 door ■ Tuesday - Three Melancholy Gypsies: Efc[h,Murs£ Sonub (of Uvm; trends), Hanif E Fury, Stran^efolks Hip-Hop 8:30 pm, $12 advance, $1; door - Wednesday . Mirah, Tara lane O’Neil, liaribird Singers-Songuriters 8:00 pm, $8 door All Ages Welcome 687-2746 Advertise in the ODE classifieds 346-4343 Local activist uses mic to reach masses Don Goldman, a self-titled former hippie and left-wing activist, wants his daily speeches to inspire action By Natasha Chilingerian Pulse Reporter If you've ever walked past the EMU Amphitheater at noon, you've seen him. Long white hair, glasses and holding a microphone, Don Goldman always has something to rant about. From helping the homeless to getting President George W. Bush out of office, Goldman voices his opinions with vigor and not a shred of intimidation. Goldman has spent nearly a lifetime concerned with the well-being of the United States and found the courage to do something about it a few years ago. The Chicago native first became aware of the country7s social problems during childhood. "Chicago has a white upper-class neighborhood surrounded by a giant ghetto with deplorable con ditions," Goldman said. "I was always conscious of how badly people in society were treated." As a young man in the 1960s, Goldman joined the hippie bandwagon with diligence and partici pated in Vietnam War protests. Although he said he was "never a leader" in the demonstrations, he fondly remembers partaking in the party-esque ac tivism during the years of peace and love. "In 1969 I grew my hair long and everyone was turning into a hippie," he said. "I thought it was great. The 1950s were really gray and dull." After going through many different jobs, which he refers to as "mostly crummy," he decided to at tend college in the Northwest. Beginning in 1990, he attended Portland State University, the Universi ty of Washington in Seattle and finally the Universi ty of Oregon. He is currendy studying classical lan guages and plans to graduate sometime during the next academic year. Goldman said political events in the past five years are what modvated him to take to the EMU Amphitheater stage. "I was appalled when Bush stole the election, and about Sept. 11 and the passing of the USA PATRIOT Act," he said. "These were serious, major events in history, and no one was doing anything about them. I thought, 'What could I do to stop this?' and I realized what I could do best was speak — speak loud, and hopefully, intelligentiy." Goldman said it took him a few months to gath er up the nerve to speak in the amphitheater, but in April 2002 he made his debut. He began speaking three times a day, seven days a week — once at noon, once at 6 p.m. and once at midnight — but he gradually reduced his public speaking to the time he currendy speaks — once a day at noon, Monday through Friday. Though his speeches sound like pure improvisation, Goldman writes a few notes on his hand each time to help him remember what he wants to cover. He said he consults a variety of sources for his arguments, including mainstream newspapers such as The Oregonian and The Regis ter-Guard, alternative publications and radio pro grams, including right-wing radio shows. Lauren Wimer Senior Photographer Don Goldman gives his daily speech in the EMU Amphitheater at noon on April 28. In terms of political alignment, Goldman said he is "way out on the left edge and about to fall over the edge." He lists some of his top concerns for the country as conservation of the environment, seeing that everyone has a decent place to sleep and fair ness to racial minorities in courts. "The more I study and the more I learn, the more liberal I get," he said. When asked what his idea of a "perfect country" would be, he described a pre-Christopher Colum bus America. "Based on historical sources, the Native Ameri cans were beautiful in many ways," he said. "I'd like to see this country before it got all screwed up." Goldman, who identifies himself as gay, said he was not as excited about the legalization of gay mar riage as some homosexuals were. "When gay liberation started in 1969, gays want ed to tear down the institution of marriage," he said. "Now there are all these conservative gays who just want to be married like everyone else. On one hand, I'm glad to see (the conservative party) fighting a battle they're sure to lose, but marriage isn't what gay liberation is about." With so many different views floating around campus, Goldman's speeches have undeniably stirred up reaction in students, both good and bad. Political science major Yuka Murai said she ap preciates Goldman's opinions, especially as the 2004 presidential election approaches. "Young people should be interested in this kind of political debate and activity," Murai said. "This year is especially important with the elections com ing up. I'd really like to get a group of people to gether for a debate (in the amphitheater). (Gold man) knows lots of things, and students could ask him questions." Of course, there is a fair share of students who take Goldman's words far from seriously. "I think people listen mostly for humor," Univer sity College Republicans Chairwoman and political science major Laura Jenkins said. "Most of the things he says are based on faulty information. The people who believe him and listen to him are igno rant to the truth. What he says is so out there, far from reality and far-fetched." Goldman's speeches tend to stir up controversy, and one incident in October 2002 led to his arrest. While giving what he calls his "Fuck speech, * a reli gious group began yelling, "You're going to hell!" through a megaphone. He received a Eugene Police Department citation for disorderly conduct; the charge was later dropped. In addition to speaking to the University commu nity and taking classes, Goldman writes for The Stu dent Insurgent and creates his own comedy, artwork, poetry and songs. He is currently putting together a film of local poet performances that he hopes to air on television. He said by participating in a breadth of creative activities, he hopes others will see him as more than just "a crazy, wild-eyed radical." "I make a big effort not to be a dreary, ranting guy," he said, adding he wishes students would fol low his suit and take the mic to voice their opinions. "Other people are worthy of doing this, and I don't want to be the big star," he said. Above all, Goldman hopes to reach people. He said he wants society to realize that atrocities are oc curring in the world and to cumulatively help make changes for the better. "1 want to get people so upset that they finally do something," he said. Contact the Pulse reporter atnatashachilingerian@dailyemerald.com. Help cover Hiring for summer and fall terms APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, May 14, 5:00 p.m. Applications and job descriptions can be picked up at Suite 300, EMU. Questions? Call 346-5511 Hiring for summer and fall terms. All positions are paid. I NEWS Editors, Reporters t SPORTS Editor, Reporters I PULSE/ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Editor, Reporters > EDITORIAL/OPINION Editor, Columnists I FREELANCE Editor/director of recruitment I COPY EDITING Copy Chiefs, Copy Editors I GRAPHICS AND DESIGN Design Editor Graphic Artist/Page Designer Editorial Illustrator/Cartoonist I ONLINE EDITION Editor, Webmaster Oregon Daily Emerald An Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a culturally diverse workplace. 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