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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 2004)
Exiled poet speaks out! 7 An independent neivspaper www. dailyemerald. com Since 1900 | Volume 106, Issue 39 | Wednesday, October 20, 2004 ★ AMERICA VOTES 2004 ★ Proposals to manage Oregon's roadless areas swing like a pendulum from preservation to utilization of forest resources BY AYISHA YAJHYA NEWS EDITOR Oregon has provided the battleground for many contentious environmental issues. Tempers have flared on every thing fromdhe spotted owl to salmon, whether to release water to farmers or preserve it Tor fish and how to balance forest conservation with the logging industry’s needs. With several gas es in courts, the environmental debate* weighs heavily on voters’ minds and thecdn didates’ platforms. Forests have been at the forefront of many of the state’s environmental disputes. Ore gon has 27.5 million acres of forestlands and over the years has been victim to devastating forest fires, such as the 2002 Biscuit Fire in Southern Oregon thayazed close to 500,000 acres. Environmentahaotivists have called for the protection of forests*, especially old growth stands. Many candidates say there is a need to employ "good science” in tackling the forest and other environmental issues. U.S. Seriate Democrat Ron WydenTaid an e-mailed statement that he will continuer to fight to end logging on federal old-growth forests and protect areas like Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge with wilder ness designations. He added that he will also work with communities to sustainably har vest trees from choked, second-growth plan tations that currently “pose real threats to our forests and our communities.” “We need to protect the special areas so important to Oregonians and move forward on restoring sustainable natural resource jobs,” he said. His Republican opponent, A1 King, who is also a farmer and a rancher, said through his profession he understands the value of car ing for natural resources. He said there is a Photo Illustration by Danielle Hickey connection between people and their re sources. “The human resources only survive when they can use the natural resource,” he said. He added that forests in Oregon have not 'been properly managed for sustained yields and are full of diseased trees and Undergrowth. “We^ejpcked up the forest and we’ve let said, adding that he is against roldless rules that limit access to certain ar eas and prevent proper maintenance of the forests. The Roadless Area Conservation Rule generally, limits timber harvest, road construction and reconstruction within road less areas on national forests and grasslands. When there is no access, it is difficult to fight fires, arfh closing off theltf|sts also pre vents “people from usingit for' recreational purposes and enjoyingjjature, King said. “The worst thing is that we can’t use it and if we can’t use it, is goes to waste,” King said. *■*.. ' Republican state Senate candidate Norm - Thomas had similar sentiments, saying the flogging industry and the state's economy has Suffered in recent years. “We need to start using natural re sources,” he said, adding that while conser vation of endangered species is important, it is vital to consider the impact on the human population. Thomas suggested that logging of new growth stands of timber be allowed and that human access not be restricted by roadless rules, especially because of the risk of major fires. “We’ve lost a lot of forests in the last cou ple years,” he said. Thomas added that he doesn’t see why the state should not be able to clean out dry fuel from burned areas and salvage what it can. ENVIRONMENT, page8 Duck U begins its season with new programming, high goals The journalism schools TV program hopes to hit it big with a 'Real World' parody that overemphasizes stereotypes BYCANELAWOOD NEWS REPORTER With cameras in place, the scene was set Friday in a two-story house on Ferry Street, just outside of campus. University students were put on the spot as they improvised scenes for a “UO Real World” parody. Actors played sorority-girl, party-guy and bookworm stereotypes while they were loosely di rected by the production staff, includ ing a camera man, director and sound recorder. The parody is the latest addi tion to the line up for Duck U, the stu dent-run television program that airs locally in Eugene and on campus and is sponsored by the School of Journal ism and Communication. Nearly 50 University students are in volved in creating the 30-minute show, which includes segments such as News and Sports, Tip of the Week and “Out and About,” a segment that features stu dents traveling around campus and Eu gene to illustrate what’s going on in the community. Along with the addition of the Real World parody, Duck U plans to do a Cribs parody as well, although that is still in the works, said Brian Merrell, a fifth-year multimedia major and one of Duck U’s four executive producers. “We expect this to be the biggest year with the biggest audience ever,” Merrell said. The first episode of Duck U aired last night at 9 p.m. and will be repeat ed Thursday at 9 p.m. on channel 14 in the residence halls. Duck U will be broadcast tonight at 10 p.m. on Com cast cable channel 23 for those not in the residence halls. “It’s a show for students, by stu dents,” said Phyllis Lee, a senior history major and director of the reality-TV seg ment for Duck U. “The point of [the Real World parody] is to portray student stereotypes to the extreme.” Katie Schroeder, a junior journalism major who plays a DUCK U, page 6 National options for abortion laws gamer discussion In addition to a woman's right to choose, candidates tackle topics such as sex education MORIAH BALINGIT NEWS REPORTER Roe v. Wade was decided 31 years ago, but the land mark Supreme Court case that affirmed a woman’s right to ter uuiidic a picgiidiiiy ltruidlllb d hot topic for candidates locally and nationally. And the debate doesn’t stop there — controver sy is rife in issues such as sex-ed ucation curricula and public funding of contraception, with election candidates taking di verse stances on the issues. U.S. Senate Sen. Ron Wyden said he is “committed to fighting attempts to stack the court with anti choice judges whose aim it is to overturn Roe v. Wade. ” He said he wants to make abortion “rare through increased access to contraceptives, sex ed ucation and promotion of the adoption option.” He said he does not support partial birth abortion, except when necessary to save a woman’s life or health, and he opposed the Bush Administra tion’s decision to ban the proce dure because it didn’t include provisions for a woman’s health. On the other hand, Republican candidate A1 King said he would approve a judicial nominee for the Supreme Court based on his or her ability to uphold the con stitution and laws “promulgated by elected officials.” King said abstinence is an im portant part of sex education. “We need to also have educa tion regarding the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases for those who are not going to follow an abstinence program,” he said. The federal government should fund contraception for those who can’t afford it to pre vent the further spread of STDs, he said, adding that he believes abortions should only be performed in the case that three doctors, the biological parents of the unborn child, and any other concerned party agrees that the proce dure is necessary be cause the life of the mother is in danger. He added that he supports the Bush Ad ministration’s bill to ban partial birth abortion, which he called “murder.” Representative in U.S. Congress, 4th District Democratic Rep. Peter DeFazio said abstinence-only sex educa tion has “limited utility.” “There’s a range of other peo ple that need a broader ap proach about responsible sexu al activity,” he said, adding that if a parent or student objected to sex education, he or she should be excused. He said emergency contracep tion should be made available over the counter but only within the tenets the Food and Drug Ad ministration sets. DeFazio said he supports a woman’s right to choose so that women won’t seek dangerous “backroom abortions” that put them at risk for death or injury, but added that the federal fund ing to assist women in obtaining abortions should be available only in “limited circumstances.” “The only availability would be through state Medicaid plans, and state Medicaid plans would limit the availability to medical necessity,” he said. DeFazio said he disagrees with the Bush Ad ministration’s bill to ban partial birth abortion because it doesn’t provide exceptions for the life and health of the mother. Republican Candidate Jim Feldkamp said that "all manners of sex education should be al lowed,” but that sex education should be limited according to the age level of the student. He said he does not support federal funding of contraception, even under federal employee health plans because “the federal government shouldn’t be funding that stuff. ” Feldkamp said he “wants to see the abortion level descend to zero,” and that he’s opposed to using abortions as a form of birth control. “For the health of the mother, I’m not going to interfere with the right Photo by Ujren Wimer HEALTH, page 5
