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Oregon Daily Emerald
Monday, October 3, 2005
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■ In my opinion
War perpetuates Terrorism
The war in Iraq has been removed
from its prestigious position as love
child sprung from the media and mili
tary. Now, “Iraq” pops up on front
pages and news briefs simply as a
warning bell that death toll numbers
will appear momentarily.
America, at least the sect of Ameri
ca without personal ties to the war,
now leaves Iraq on the back burner of
any political discussion and usually
avoids the topic for fear of hearing
“old news.”
Well, here’s something brand
spanking new that is not new at all.
A historical road map inextricably
tied to 9/11, terrorism and the attack
on Iraq has led us to exactly this
place: On Saturday, three suicide
bombers attacked restaurants in Bali,
killing at least 19 and injuring more
than 100. The restaurants were locat
ed in an area heavily populated by in
ternational tourists, so it’s no sur
prise that America has condemned
the bombings for their role in the is
sue of terrorism.
Ergo, it is also no surprise that sui
cide bombers would wipe out eater
ies on a fabulous beach resort in the
first place.
Most terrorists remain unaffiliated
with any nation, giving them neither
a country to fight for nor a specific
cause to win. Instead, since 9/11 es
pecially, sites of Americanized or
Westernized culture have become the
battlefield for rogue terrorists.
Ironically, America has turned
around and made Islamic culture the
battlefield for the U.S. Army. Iraqi cit
izens were not at the helm of the 9/11
airplanes; however, George Bush and
the American media managed to con
vince 45 percent of this country’s citi
zens that Saddam was “personally in
volved” in the trade center attacks.
America sees no difference between
the Islamic extremists who suicide
bombed our buildings and the Islamic
AILEE SLATER
FURTHER FROM PERFECTION
citizens now trapped in American
Iraqi crossfire, thanks to our vigilant
stand against Saddam Hussein. Any
one, on that side of the world at least,
is expendable if a larger purpose is
served: Ending Terrorism.
Which is exactly the same mentali
ty employed by those responsible for
9/11. The World Trade Center was
not solely occupied by American citi
zens bent on taking over the world.
The towers included kids in daycare
and international tourists, but the
9/11 hijackers considered those peo
ple expendable. Like America’s atti
tude toward casualties in the War on
Terror, the 9/11 suicide pilots also
saw themselves as serving a greater
purpose: Fighting a culture of capital
ism and globalization that is undeni
ably linked to specific cases of
Islamic suffering.
The war in Iraq is certainly a global
ization of American ideals. Is it any won
der that terrorism has not yet ended?
The majority of the world has con
demned the Bali bombing, just like
the majority of the world condemned
the U.S. decision to strike Iraq. Iraq
was attacked nonetheless. Why
should it pressure rogue terrorists to
hear such condemnations when em
pirical evidence only shows that
World Condemnation wields no con
crete power?
The United States subscribed to a
system wherein global opinion does
not matter long before terrorists real
ized that they could blow up a beach
and receive no real punishment. The
people of Earth are far too torn to
work together, and rogue terrorists
take shelter in that atmosphere of ar
rogant individuality, or if you will,
“patriotism.”
When I began crafting this article, I
expected to produce a piece on what
a suicide bomber is and why such a
person is so dangerous. I expected to
explain why suicide bombers in par
ticular are so frightening, so capable
of destruction. I expected to explain
how the continual creation of suicide
bombers across the globe could be
tackled; this from my own, Western
perspective.
The idea I set out to prove did not end
up being the idea that I now believe.
A suicide bomber or pilot is no dif
ferent from an American soldier: A
courageous individual willing to both
kill and die for the ideals of a leader,
community, or nation. Until the United
States extricates its armed forces from
Iraq, there is no reason that we Ameri
cans should be pious enough to expect
suicide bombers to ever go away.
Our nation must take off its blind
ers and stop deeming everyone, ex
cept ourselves, irrational. Only when
we can see the rationality behind an
Islamic extremist can we see the irra
tionality behind the American mili
tary platform. And vice versa, as
America tends to make it. As long as
there is an irrational enemy, there will
be a rationalized war.
I don’t know about you, but I am
not a hypocrite. I am, however, tired
of talking about the war in Iraq. If I
stand in solidarity with the American
soldiers, then I stand in solidarity
with the suicide bombers in Bali. On
the other hand, if I stand in opposi
tion to war, then I stand in opposition
to war.
I stand in opposition to war.
aslater@dailyenierald.com
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■ Editorial
Smokers don't want to be
protected from themselves
At the end of September, the Eugene
City Council urged the development of
new rules that would, ostensibly, reduce
the health hazard of secondhand smoke.
The ruling? That outdoor smoking “en
closures” must now be 75 percent open.
Under such City Council direction, a
smoking area with both a roof and more
than one wall would not be permissible.
The Eugene City Council has claimed
that better ventilation will reduce the
health risks of smoking, but who are we
kidding? The only people who frequent
smoking areas are smokers — otherwise
known as people comfortable with the
idea of inhaling smoke. Smokers are al
ready prohibited from smoking inside any
city building; now, they won’t even be al
lowed protection from wind and rain
when trying to smoke outdoors.
As long as citizens over the age of 18
have the legal right to smoke a cigarette,
the city of Eugene has little business pro
tecting smokers from themselves. If the
lungs of non-smokers are the City Coun
cil’s true concern, they should consider
the fact that opening up smoking areas
only creates an abundance of secondhand
smoke flowing into the faces of passersby.
For $15,000, Eugene can surely accom
plish a feat greater than rebuilding smok
ing enclosures. Smokers don’t have a
problem with their own secondhand
smoke, and non-smokers will be less likely
to inhale toxins if smoking enclosures stay
enclosed. The only public hazard we see
is a Eugene governmental body that
wastes time and money on unnecessary
legislation.
Renters need to understand
and assert their rights
Students renting homes or apartments
with clogged drains, broken thermostats
or rotting floors in Eugene don’t have to
be soggy, cold or light-footed anymore.
Under the city’s new Rental Housing
Code, tenants now have the power to force
landlords to act quickly and ensure proper
plumbing, heating, weatherproofing and
structural integrity, but renters must
educate themselves.
According to the new code, a tenant
must file a written complaint to the prop
erty manager, and the property manager
has 10 days to respond to the complaint. If
the owner fails to respond, the tenant may
file a complaint with the city. The city will
investigate, and if the complaint is valid, a
written order will be issued for the land
lord to make any needed repairs. Each day
the landlord doesn’t respond to the
complaint, there will be a $250 fine.
Since July, there have been several ten
ant complaints that are not covered by the
new code, including mold, chipped paint
and appliances. There has only been one
violation involving a broken window
(ODE Sept. 30, “Few complain after
housing code change”).
All student tenants (University Housing
renters, too) should know their rights. The
Housing Code, more than a decade in the
making, exists to aid renters. Take the ac
tion necessary and write to your property
manager. The law is in your favor.
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Parker Howell
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