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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 5, 2005)
SfKiLLY HCTIUf? ftlfY FOR FPEP FAMILY PLANNING ENPANSION PROJECT Free health services covered by FPEP contraception for men • Condoms contraception for momen • Emergency contraception* • Oral contraceptioes • Barrier methods • Oepo Prouera • • Eura patch • IUD and more • Pregnancy test ulsit for men S momen • SED screening tutien contraception is primary concern for uisit Check on eligibility at 346-2770, http://healthcenter.voregon.edu or by stopping by the Health Center ‘Emergency contraception can be taken up to 120 hours following unprotected intercourse. The sooner it is taken, the more effective. O UNIVERSITY OF OREGON http://healthcenter.uoregon.edu • appointments: 346-2770 Commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the Assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero Smoldering Ashes: Revisiting the Legacy of the Cold War in Central America Mexican Human Rights Leader Bishop Raul Vera Lopez "The Mission of the Catholic Church for Human Rights and Justice in Latin America" Thursday, May 5,3:30 pm EMU Ballroom Free and Open to the Public Sponsored by:UO Latin American Studies, UO Cultural Forum and Newman Center Catholic Campus Ministry Cosponsored by: College of Arts and Sciences, Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics, Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Interamerican University Studies Institute, Department of Romance languages, Savage Endowment, the Oregon Bach Festival, Dept, of History, Dept, of Political Science, Dept, of Sociology, Dept, of Anthropology, International Studies Program, School of Journalism and Communication and the Center for the Study of Women and Society. For more information, please call Carlos Aguirre at 346-5905 or Bryan Moore at 346-0577. Art Exhibit Opening at 5:00 pm Artist, Francisco Letclier ' Guatemala Photo Exhibit: “Our Culture is our Resistance” Artist, Jonathan Molicr ■ IHU BALLROOM j Cultural Celebration at 6:00pm | Music by ‘Lo Nuestro’ IREfiON DAILY EMERALD >,oui-indepencleni^wnewspape, 500 gather to hear former neo-Nazi speak against hate 1)1 ^MliLUUN I KAVfcK NBA/S REPORTER A former neo-Nazi, skinhead and member of the Aryan Nations and the ultra violent Hammerskin Nation came to the University on Wednesday to speak to students and the public about his life and spread a message of tolerance as part of Holocaust Aware ness Week. As a former violent racist, “TJ” Ley den knows what it is like within the white supremacist movement in the United States. He came to the EMU Ballroom and related his experiences to approximately 500 people; some were survivors of racist violence. Jewish Student Union Director Ava Asher said his message was one of action. “Every speaker has left with a mes sage telling people not to say ‘Oh that’s awful’ and then go eat dinner,” Asher said. “They want you to do something about it.” Leyden said tolerance and accept ance has to be tackled at an individual level. Not saying anything when an in appropriate comment is made is the same as acceptance, he said. “The next time someone makes a racist comment and you don’t say any thing, you aren’t part of the problem, you are the problem,” he said. Leyden said he was raised with a vi olent father. As a young boy, he was forced to fist fight his cousin while his father and uncle placed bets on them. “If I lost, I got beaten,” Leyden said. “If I won, I got a hug.” He said he was 15 when he started going to punk rock concerts as an acceptable outlet to get into fights and beat people. He said oth er kids were drawn to him and soon af ter he started his own racist group. Leyden said he took part in drive-by shootings and “boot parties,” ap proaching people they feel should be beaten and then kicking, hitting and even stabbing them. He was in and out of jail before joining the U.S. Marines when he turned 18. While he was a Marine, he wore Nazi tattoos, includ ing an “SS” symbol on his neck, and passed out copies of “Mein Kampf” and the “Tlimer Diaries” and recruited new members. Leyden said there are currently more than 50,000 active white su premacists living in the United States and that many hold prominent posi tions as businesspeople, lawyers and government officials. “Not all racists are rednecks with pickup trucks and baseball bats,” Ley den said. “Most racists aren’t.” He said racist organizations are re cruiting with tools like comic books, video games with titles like “Ethnic Cleansing and Beyond,” and calen dars with pinup “Nazi Girls.” One Portland-based online store, Aryan Wear, even sells boots with swastikas ' as tread and onesies for babies with racist symbols on them. Leyden said the movement has at tracted more women than men during the last few years. He said this has been a recruiting tool to bring more people into the movement. “Good Nazi women raise good Nazi children,” Leyden said. Leyden said it wasn’t until his son was 3 years old and called a black character on a television program a racial slur that he realized he didn’t want his kids to follow the path of de struction that he was on. “When a 3-year-old says that, all pu rity is lost,” Leyden said. He realized he had to make a change. “Eventually I came to a crossroads. Either I’m in or I’m out,” he said. Leyden said he got out of the white supremacist movement and because of his current outspoken role as a pro moter of tolerance, he still receives death threats from white supremacists and carries a gun for protection. Sever al Department of Public Safety officers and bodyguards were at the lecture for his protection. He has spoken on college campus es, at tolerance events, government functions and at a White House hate crimes conference at the invitation of former President Bill Clinton. He said he is proud he has reached this point in his life, although he ad mits that he caused a lot of damage to others and that many of the people he recruited are now recruiters. He said he hopes others will hear his message and make changes now. “My legacy of hate continues to this day,” Leyden said. Sophomore Cody Covey said he was skeptical at first but said Ley den’s message gave him something to think about. “Small things can make a difference one way or the other,” Covey said. Junior Jonathan Vetter said he was amazed when Leyden pointed out that most people in the room laughed at stereotypical comments that were made. “There was a hushed air of respect,” Vetter said. “It makes people realize how real it is today.” sheldontraver@ daily emerald, com mm mm 199 E. 5th Ave • (541) 484-1334 Sushi on the conveyor Variety of sushi, sashimi, and chef specials starting at $1.50 eoisio • Lunch special: • Box • Tempura • Teriyaki • Udon • Yakisoba • Katsu • Variety of sea food salad • To go available • and more Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30 - 2:30 Dinner Mon-Sat 5:00-10:00 Sunday Closed
