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Thesday, March 8, 2005
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i
■ In my opinion
SACK^SACRED COE
Goodness gracious me, it seems
like there’s a whole herd of sacred
cows roaming around this campus.
I’d like to take a look at several
of them, and maybe make some
sacred hamburger.
For one thing, it seems the
word “corporate” has become a eu
phemism for “anything a company
does that I don’t like.”
When someone describes some
thing as “corporate,” it’s generally
understood that this is a bad thing. I
once had a philosophy instructor
who said, “I don’t believe in big
corporations.” The class nodded
knowingly, some making grunting
noises of vague agreement.
Now, surely this instructor would
be willing to acknowledge the
existence of big corporations. What,
then, does it mean not to believe in
big corporations? I don’t want to
speak for someone else, but I’m
pretty sure she meant she doesn’t
agree with particular practices of
certain corporations.
Rather than saying, “I disagree
with and condemn those companies
that engage in anti-competitive prac
tices, predatory pricing, and the use
of child labor,” it has become hip to
say something far more meaning
less: “Corporations suck.”
Never mind the fact that the
mom-and-pop shops these anti
corporate heroes claim to love are
probably corporations themselves.
A corporation is basically just
a set of notarized documents sitting
in a filing cabinet at the Secretary
of State’s office. Corporations are
what encourage entrepreneurs
to take risks knowing that if their
GABE BRADLEY
THE WRITING ON THE WALL
businesses fail, they won’t lose
everything they own. If not for the
concept of the corporation, business
in America would belong even more
to the privileged elite because only
those who could afford to take
multimillion dollar risks could go
into business for themselves.
If not for the corporation, mom-and
pop shops wouldn’t be able to exist.
There are a lot of problems
with big business in America.
But if you want to start talking
about these problems in any sort of
meaningful way, you’re going to
have to think about what you’re
saying instead of falling back on
the overused “corporate” cliche.
Seriously, you sound like a jackass
when you say it.
And another thing: “Patriarchal”
apparently now means “anytime one
discusses complicated diversity
issues without drastically oversim
plifying the issue, spouting politically
correct positions and getting
angry all at the same time.”
As a man who wrote an
award-winning series of columns on
gender issues two years ago, I can’t
keep track of the times I have been
called patriarchal. As best I could
tell, this complaint arose mainly
because the tone of my columns
was tongue-in-cheek instead of
righteously indignant.
And just like that, another word
in the English lexicon loses its
meaning and becomes a buzzword
for an angry demographic with a
political agenda.
“Hate speech” is another term
that has been overused to the point
of being basically meaningless. No
one has been able to supply me with
a satisfactory definition of hate
speech. But no one wants to be
accused of it, that’s for sure.
Taking words that once meant
something and turning them into
euphemisms for things we don’t like
is an affront to language and public
discourse. Like those who used to
(and sometimes still do) throw the
word “communist” around until it
really means nothing, those who
propagate the use of such buzz
words keep their discussions
painfully shallow.
As long as people boo whenever
something is described as
“corporate” and cower whenever
they’re accused of “hate speech,”
discussions about business ethics
or diversity will never get past
the rhetoric and to the heart of
these issues.
In a country where most college
students double-major in fermented
beverage consumption and political
correctness, with a minor in
standardless mediocrity, it’s not too
surprising that most of the words
coming out of their mouths have no
meaning whatsoever. Surprising or
not, though, it is a tragedy.
gabebradley@dailyemerald.com
INBOX
City shows different side of
acceptance outside classes
Recently, I was refused service
by a presumptuous bartender at the
Indigo District, who took offense to
my shirt that read, “Coloreds of
Eugene Unite!” The quote that
adorns these shirts derives from two
sources: First, students of color
are not well represented at the
University School of Law, despite
overwhelming attempts by the
University to recruit them; second, a
group of my friends and I were at
Rennie’s and noticed a startling lack
of people of color.
After a round of pool, my turn
came to buy drinks. At that time
the bartender pulled me aside and
notified me that he would not
serve me because of the potentially
inflammatory nature of my shirt.
Though incensed, I had no real beef
because as a private place of business
he could refuse me service. However,
his decision was troubling. The
bartender’s own shirt proudly
displayed a large middle finger.
My experience at the Indigo District
only belies the perceived liberal
attitude of Eugene. I cannot say that
the whole of Eugene is as myopic and
pathetic as Mr. Middle Finger
bartender. I can say, after my law
school experience and after facilitat
ing discussions on the topic of race for
the undergraduate campus, that
Eugene is less accommodating than it
would have you believe. My position
is that most individuals in this
city have never had to encounter real
issues of race.
In my experience, such individuals
take a paternal approach on the sub
ject of race. Such individuals are open
to discussing the topic of race when it
is controlled in a classroom setting
and subject to a closed universe of
reading. However, when the issue of
race comes in a real social setting, this
liberal bastion becomes nothing
more than a vagabond searching for a
comfortable place to hide.
Comfortable means denying me
service without seeking the meaning
of my shirt. Comfortable means
assuming my intent without asking
me why I wear certain clothing.
Comfortable is why there is a race
problem in this city, in this state, and
in this country. This state is only
two generations removed from
miscegenation laws that outlawed
marriage between a white person
and a black person.
I enjoy the Indigo District, but I will
never again patronize it because its
employees presume to be the
harbingers of political correctness.
From now on, the Indigo District will
be nothing more than a place of
oppression. The irony is that the
person who in effect censored me was
himself trying to project an
image of non-conformity with his
shirt and his other attending
clothing, no doubt secured on a shop
ping spree at Urban Outfitters.
Robert Romero
Lodi, CA
Vagina' column trivializes
play's powerful message
The uneducated, over-stated,
oppressive comments Gabe Bradley
makes in his column regarding
the ASUO’s production of “The
Vagina Monologues” (‘“Vagina
Monologues Misspeaks,’” ODE,
Feb. 15) were not worth the ink it
took to print them. His anti-feminist
rhetoric is neither enlightening nor
original. His remarks are an unimag
inative addition to the patriarchal
foundation of our society.
Anyone who has bothered to
intelligently consider the content
of “The Vagina Monologues” knows
that it is an assertion of feminine
power, a recognition of years of
female oppression and abuse and a
celebration of new life.
While it is unfortunate that Bradley
was unable to share this experience, it
is not his place to trivialize something
so profound. Furthermore, anyone
who saw the production realizes the
value in the diversity of the cast that
Bradley dismisses as a victory of the
political correctness militia. As a
white man, it is interesting that
Bradley should feel so strongly about
what the appropriate cast of “The
Vagina Monologues” should look like.
The fact he claims, “The horse is
dead, yet (feminists) just keep beating
it,” is testament in itself that the horse
is very much alive.
Theya McCown
Eugene
■ Editorial
Offering the
ATU the aid
and respect
it deserves
The Emerald has fully supported the
Amalgamated Transit Union Division 757
from the very beginning of its struggles with
Lane Transit District leadership. Now that the
union has voted to strike, the Emerald would
like to reaffirm our unconditional support.
The workers did everything they could
to avert a strike, enduring mediation after
mediation in the outside hope that they could
spare Eugene from this commotion.
They have shown just how much they
truly care about the community they
serve, something we cannot say about LTD
management. They should be commended for
their efforts.
The main issue in the dispute involves
health-care coverage: Union employees want
to keep the benefits they currently enjoy,
while LTD insists it cannot afford to do so.
The strike has already caused
huge headaches for members of the public
dependent on bus service, including
University students.
According to an Emerald report (“Eugeneans
back LTD drivers at demonstration,” ODE,
Jan. 14), LTD gets more than a half-million
dollars in student fees to provide students with
free, unlimited rides. Nearly 3,000 University
students and employees use the bus to get
to and from campus. We expect LTD will
refund student fees for every day that bus
service is shut down.
There are a few options for students
struggling to get to school. Drivers can park
for free at the Autzen Stadium parking lot
from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Car-poolers can obtain free permits for certain
spots around campus from the Department of
Public Safety. University students and
employees can also use a Laidlaw bus shuttle
that leaves the Lane County Fairgrounds
and arrives at Sacred Heart Medical Center.
And the Assault Prevention Shuttle will
operate as usual.
The ASUO really dropped the ball by
refusing to act early and implement proactive
measures to help students during the strike,
such as helping to organize and publicize
carpooling lists.
Despite these problems, we hope the
strike will continue for as long as it takes
until the workers achieve what they deserve:
a fair contract.
We’ve said it once and we will say it again:
As a community we must stand in solidarity
with the union as it fights for the rights that
all workers deserve — a family wage, health
benefits and respect.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Jennifer Sudick Steven R. Neuman
Editor in Chief Managing Editor
David Jagernauth Shadra Beesiey
Commentary Editor Copy Chief
Adrienne Nelson
Online Editor
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