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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 26, 2000)
2_________ Opinion WEdNEsdAy, J anuary 26, 2000 TI he CI ac I camas P rint Student complaint against Epstein raises questions on academic freedom vs. prejudiced opinion Instructor's comjnent Radical techniques challenge students td'think n response to Salena De La Cruz’ invitation to bring dis tasteful material to the sur face, I am writing this letter. You offend me, as well as some of your better-versed colleagues. The Print seems to have a knack for taking decent human beings and demeaning them to the point of ridiculousness. Your personal political views interfere with your articles, which either are very in telligent or extremely biased. If someone else’s views or opin ions differ from your own it doesn’t mean that I am right or you are right. It means we have other beliefs that are influenced by cultural, religious, or ethnicity. This is called diversity. Instructors seem to be a favored topic these days and I have found your choice of victims dis turbing. Both Dean Darris and Donald Epstein are known for radical techniques that challenge the students to think for themselves. Darris, despite his reputation as an intelligent instructor, was singled out for blame during the I Jennifer Rankin debate. The only lem started.” ASG President plausible explanation for this James Gould took on the topic outright insult to a man, who was as well by stating, “I had a feel merely consoling a friend, is a ing, when I saw Dean Darris there [at the hearing], personal that he was push agenda against ing Jennifer.” his views. In Then the Print the issue of went on to as Nov. 17, 1999 Business sume that Darris was in control on Manager Karl Katzke re the Rankin de Colleen fense, stating, marked in ref BW. Baird “Several times, erence to the Student after Darris com removal of Jen municated with nifer Rankin, her, Johnston “Unfortu nately, everything she hears is passed a note to Rankin and her through a sieve of her ideas and attorney.” This is a useless waste morals, which have been twisted of journalistic effort that could and bent through the ideas she be used to cover topics that have has learned from her mentors and valor and some semblance of advisors.” In the issue of Nov. truth. Spreading rumors and in 19, 1999 President John Keyser sults will not encourage respect was interviewed and stated, from your intellectual patrons or “When Jennifer wasn’t happy college instructors. I see repeti with some of the answers that tion in these actions against she received from the student Donald Epstein. Epstein is an admitted Right services side, I think she got dif ferent answers from Dean Darris, Wing Republican; I am as well. I and I think that’s where the prob believe in capital punishment, the If you don't have anything intelli gent to say...don't say anything at all. right to bear arms, defense spending, equal rights, and I can’t stand feminists. In some circles that makes me a bigot, and a chauvinist pig. However, most intelligent people would not be inhibited from learning because of differences of personal views. Most students who are serious about education find mediocrity boring. Epstein spends the extra effort to bring his students the truth and the realism of whatever time period or part of the world they are studying. Judaic stud ies included, especially taking in consideration that he is an expert of the field and is a member of that respected and ancient reli gion. The context in which he stated “better of dead than ho mosexual” was used appropri ately in the study of Greeks vs. Jews, and the Holocaust in which homosexuals were also tortured maimed and killed. Historical re search will back up both ac counts. If you are infuriated by Jewish history and beliefs, then read the Old Testament, or the To rah, and argue with writers who have been dead for thousands of years. I urge you. however, to not make the mistake of mixing personal feelings into an objec tive study. Like the young scholar who aspires to be a teacher, and appears asinine in public view. To Joshua Alexander: If the real world is ugly and scares you, then go home and watch a TV program in which everyone agrees and lives happily ever after holding hands. The time has come to put childish fancies away and let the sun shine into your eyes instead of through rose colored glasses. And a piece of advice to the Print... a responsible advisor should set an example and not let the Print stoop so low in their journalistic standards, by picking on two of the finest instructors on this campus. “If you don’t have anything intelligent to say...don’t say anything at all.” Colleen BW Baird Student Are instructors teaching personal bias in class? D ear Editor: I’m writing in response to the article regarding Dr. Donald Epstein, instructor for the Judaic Studies/Holocaust class, and the letter titled Words will never hurt me’” that appeared in the same is sue of The Clackamas Print. I personally believe there is a dif ference between a child’s rhyme about sticks and stones and giv ing students the permission to hate a group of people. Additionally, the laws in this country relating to li bel evidently are based on the premise that words can badly hurt you. It’s my feeling that encourag ing hate and prejudice should not be taught in public schools be cause of the serious damage it can cause. To me it seems evident that it causes senseless and brutal mur ders, such as that of Mathew Shepard. Intolerance can put a ter rifying end to a life. I also think of the Columbine School massacre. Does anyone know what inflamed the hatred in the adolescent mur derers? Were ‘sticks and stones’ in the form of racism and name-call From the interview Dr. Epstein ing part of it? I am not objecting to Dr. provided to The Print, I gathered Epstein’s right to teach the Judaic he feels that we, as students, have Bible. If that Bible states, “People been brainwashed by those are better off being dead than be preaching political correctness. He ing a homosexual,” he has a right also appears to feel that by being and obligation to tell students that. outrageous, his words not mine, he will teach students Just out of curi to think. I fail to osity, where in see how teaching the Judaic Bible students that all does it say this? homosexuals The course is would be better also titled “Ho off dead because locaust”. Please the Judaic Bible understand, in says so inspires no way do I Tam Oliver much thought, mean to mini Student even on his part. mize the atroci For critical and ties that were creative thinking committed against the Jewish people. I can to take place, it takes some knowl not and do not want to imagine the edge and exploration of all the is amount of hatred it took for the sues. Of course, students can de Nazis to reach this level of human bate his opinions and religious con cruelty. Yet, the Jews were not the victions with him in front of the only people tortured, imprisoned class. However, it appears from Dr. and exterminated during the Holo Epstein’s comments that they sim caust. It also happened to the gyp ply drop the class. Could the rea sies, political prisoners, regular son for this be that a debate be prisoners, Jehovah’s witnesses, tween a teacher and a student can be unfairly biased in the direction and homosexuals. Intolerance can put a terrifying end to a life. f ‘‘ I of the teacher because of the dif ference in power held by each of them? Could it be that someone who has taught in front of a class room and has information available to someone with a Ph.D. could make a fool out of that student? Could it be that it is difficult to stand up in front of a classroom and defend homosexuals because someone might think that you are one (... and you are not, or you are and don’t want anyone to know it because you’re afraid?) These are questions that need to be an swered. I would also like to take issue with Dr. Epstein’s statement that homosexuals think the Bible is in valid. What proof does the man have of this? Is it not conceivable that a homosexual group is com prised of individuals that have dif ferent thoughts just like any other group? Is he aware that there are many homosexuals that have reli gious convictions? Additionally, which Bible is he talking about? His statement “That which is morally wrong should not be legally right” somehow reminded me of the reason we separate church and state. Can you imagine our legal system if it were built on all the religious convictions that are held in this country? If we decided to base law on just one religion, would we at least have a vote on which one? Would this stir up hate and dissention? The reason that the Nazis gave for imprisoning, torturing and killing homosexuals during the Holocaust was that ho mosexuality was illegal. Homo sexuality was illegal because it was deemed to be immoral. I admit that I am not a student of Dr. Epstein’s and that this letter is written in reaction to his state ments quoted in The Clackamas Print. However, it appears to me that he could be using his posi tion as a teacher to teach his per sonal biases and prejudices. I can only hope that proves not to be true, as I assume that someone who is getting ready for retirement has taught more than a few classes. Sincerely, Tam Oliver Student The Clackamas Print aims to report the news in an Business Manager: Editor-in-Chief: Photo Editor: Managing Editor: Cartoonist: Design Editor: Timothy Ä. Bell Chris Lundgren Shelbi Wescott Staff: Jason Lingel Angie Daschel Maggie Jirasek News Editor: Joel P. Shempert Sandy Lupo Matt Shempert Associate News Editor: Diana Scrivner C C C p R i NT @ c I ac I c AMAS.CC.OR.US Secretary: Mandy Good Advisor: Salena De La Cruz should be 300 words or less and will be considered for publication if submitted by 1 pm the Friday prior to publication. All signed letters submitted for A Student's Voice/Another Voice should be 500 words or less and will be considered for publication if submitted by 1 pm and A Studen's Voice/Another Voice are subject to editing.The Clackamas Print is a weekly publication Linda Vogt (x2310) Opinion Editor: ated with The Clackamas Print. The advertising rate is the Friday prior to publication. Both Letters to the Editor JoAnne Gale Sports Editor: Print are not neccesarily endorsed by anyone associ $4.75 per column inch. All signed letters to the editor Toni McMichael A & E Editor: tion, its faculty, or The Clackamas Print advertisers. Products and services advertised in The Clackamas Joel Gunderson Feature Editor: expressed in The Clackamas Print do not necessarily reflect those of the student body, college administra Sarah Welch Megan Oldenstadt 19600' S. M o I a U a Ave. O reqon ClTy, O reçon 97045 (505) 657'6958 ext 2509 honest, unbiased, professional manner. The opinions Karl Katzke (x2578) John Thorburn (x2447) and is distributed every Wednesday except during Finals week. The Clackamas Print Copyright 1999.
