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Viewpoint:
The Oregon Cue: The honest game has to start somewhere.
Viewpoint:
Belly of the Best: A case for progressives in Oregon.
Living Out: Invisible: Media make it clear what
'normal' is supposed to be.
Letters:
EW readers sound off.
The
Oregon Cue
The honest
game has to start somewhere.
One can't fault the sarcasm of many about the reality
of the athletics tail wagging the academic dog
as it demeans the nation's universities. The recent report of the
Knight Commission to the National Collegiate Athletic Association
repeats what has been obvious since the end of World War II and the
start of television coverage of college games: Academics are getting
the short end.
Las Vegas would give long odds on college presidents
correcting an imbalance that finds the "arms race" of the money-focused
sports turning higher education into an exercise in hypocrisy. But
there is hope. In recent months, the president of the UO Faculty Senate,
English Prof. James Earl, has begun a crusade that could return rationality
to the TV-hyped, irrational race for national championships in football
and basketball. The faculty's recently approved resolution calls for
a significant cutback in athletics spending -- including strastopheric
salaries for coaches of both sports -- and a halt to inflated
game schedules that cause varsity athletes to compete at a time of
final exams.
At first, Earl was viewed as a Don Quixote, having
little chance to turn things around. Then something happened. Seven
other Pac-10 faculty senates took Oregon's cue and passed the same
resolution. Only Arizona and Southern Cal were not included, and word
is both intend to make it unanimous by approving the same resolution
at early fall meetings.
Silently, UO administrators may agree in principle.
But, as often happens, principle gives in to the reality of keeping
up with the Trojans and the Huskies. That means following the winners,
spending money like the sports factories in order to not be drowned
in the wake of the winners. Now the Ducks have begun to create a winning
wake of their own.
A High Price
Winning creates excitement -- and sales for local
businesses, as well as for athletics. I've shared in that excitement.
But it's evident the price is too high. A recent announcement from
President Dave Frohnmayer suggests he has discomfort over the price.
He said the annual grant of $2.5 million to athletics from the university
General Fund will be reduced in increments over the next four years.
News of the grant surprised me. In my years as sports
information director at UO and before that at Northwestern in the
Big Ten, I oft-repeated the justification given for athletics having
an independence unknown in other school programs. I thought I was
honest when I explained athletics were spending money they earned.
It was a lie. At UO (and OSU and PSU) it was worse, as each has been
receiving in excess of $1 million annually from a state lottery. Prof.
Earl's point is that the $3 million in question has more valid uses
in a university strapped by a lack of state funding.
That fuels my cynicism when I suggest (without proof)
that the cutback in the General Fund appropriation to athletics may,
instead of being in good faith, be an effort to defuse the faculty
revolt before it spreads. If so, I doubt the faculty will buy it.
Co-opted coaches
I know and have nothing but admiration for Oregon's
"money sport" coaches: Mike Bellotti, Ernie Kent and Bev Smith. The
latter two were great Oregon athletes I publicized. I believe they
and Mike have the best interests of their athletes at heart. But they
have been co-opted by a system that makes coaches seem like moneygrubbers
as they try to survive in a cynical sports environment.
Intercollegiate athletics are headed over a precipice
of sure destruction built by big money. Coaches can't change the system.
Only university presidents can. Dave Frohnmayer can't do it alone.
If his counterparts at the sports factories -- Florida, Notre
Dame, Ohio State, Nebraska and USC, among others -- won't go
along, let them isolate themselves in a super conference more like
the pros they emulate. The others could continue under a revised system,
a sane system, monitored by the NCAA. The honest game has to start
somewhere, before the dishonest one ends everywhere.
George Beres is a Eugene writer and former UO sports
information director.
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Belly
of the Beast
A case
for progressives in Oregon.
Last November, I wrote a column for EW in which I
advocated that
the progressive community in Oregon not allow its
voting power to be manipulated into a victory for the Republicans
and George W. Bush.
While I never presented Gore as the personification
of progressive ideals (which he is not), I did advance the notion
that this movement might have more breathing room to gain some ground
under a Gore administration rather than gasping for air in fending
off a Bush steamroller rolling back previous gains.
Bush, Inc. is now positioning itself for a direct
assault on the environment through: A) defying international opinion
to unbelievably withdraw the U.S. from the global warming treaty process,
B) concocting an "energy crisis" in order to justify opening sensitive
lands to mineral extraction and re-starting the nuclear power industry
C) undermining Clinton's roadless protection plan, and D) blurring
the line on health standards for exposure to toxic chemicals. In addition,
Bush, Inc. is resuscitating the Cold War into an arms race in space
and has orchestrated a tax cut giveaway to the rich.
As progressives struggle to respond, I urge that we
not lose sight of the larger picture. An amazingly high percentage
of transgressions against the public interest are due to the underlying
fact that our entire political process has now been taken hostage
by corporations and individuals with vast wealth. This is truly the
"belly of the beast."
Breaking With the Past
This subjugation has probably been the largest
single cause of political cynicism and hopelessness than any other
issue. And yet, on the heels of the protests in Seattle, a light appeared
at the end of this tunnel. On Jan. 24, the U.S. Supreme Court broke
with its past and upheld a campaign contribution limit in Missouri
of $1,000. In a surprisingly direct slap at corporations' claim to
have a "right" to spend unlimited money in the name of "free speech,"
Justice Stephens stated that "Money is not speech. Money is property."
Corporations and rich individuals will be looking
to pour their wealth into direct "hard money" contributions to candidates
as a way to circumvent the McCain-Feingold ban on indirect "soft money"
to political parties. But every state in the country will now have
the power to effectively block such a move by instituting limits similar
to Missouri -- with the Supreme Court upholding their legality.
A ballot measure for this very purpose has already
been filed here in Oregon. It copies the Missouri limit of $1,000
for individuals but goes further in regard to corporations. Arguing
that vast corporate treasuries should not be allowed to influence
elections, their contributions to candidates are banned altogether.
Winning this ban on candidate spending will then set the stage for
a ban on initiative spending in the next round. Further information
is available from the measure's Portland coordinator (Lloyd Marbet)
through e-mail at: cnsrvncy@teleport.com
There is only so much energy and resources within
the progressive movement of Oregon. When we divide this precious energy
by constantly fighting skirmishes against symptoms rather than addressing
the source, we are unwittingly playing into the hands of our opponents.
By way of example, in 1998 the anti-clearcutting Measure 64 was totally
battered at the polls by 80 percent to 20 percent -- due largely
to the timber corporations spending millions. Rather than challenge
the ability of corporations to dominate elections, the group plans
to pour its energy into another anti-clearcutting measure for 2002.
This pattern repeats itself over and over again as progressive measures
and candidates are shot down by corporate money.
Laying the Groundwork
If the progressive movement could only unite
its forces to produce a victory on campaign spending, the groundwork
would be laid for all kinds of potential victories on the other issues
that are so near and dear to our hearts. A curtailment of clearcutting,
health care reform, toxics "right-to-know" extended statewide, and
on and on -- the entire progressive agenda becomes significantly
more achievable.
Too many progressives are fatalistically allowing
corporations and wealthy individuals to dictate the rules by which
elections are played out. Such concession pre-determines that our
side will very likely lose. I emphatically agree with Mary O'Brien's
advice in a recent column: "Don't whine and don't beg -- Change
the rules." Here is a strategy to do just that.
EW often carries articles and letters describing
the harms of corporate power. The Oregon measure to limit spending
would allow this concern to be translated into a carefully planned
action designed to strike at the heart of this power. And its sponsors
are asking for your support.
Spruce Houser is a co-producer of a documentary on
accidental nuclear war shown on PBS and is working on creating an eco-village/retreat
center in rural Oregon.
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Invisible
Media
make it clear what 'normal' is supposed to be.
On Sunday mornings Sweetie Pie and I read the paper
in bed. I cuddle into her soft shoulder while
she flips from the gossip column to Parade's "In Step With"
article.
This week features Broadway's latest Tony nominee.
One look at his publicity photo and Honey Bunch and I make the same
observation: ÉBIG FAG. Cute, stylin'-- and nothing to hide."
He flashes a full-face grin, not one of those stiff-lipped guy smiles
that make men look like they're politely trying to gag up a wayward
strand of spinach.
Lovie Dovie and I snuggle up and peruse for proof.
Personal: Born Aug. 18, 1965, single. Hello? This man is 36, unmarried,
and gorgeous. Look at that boyish, tousled hair and hip green Ralph
Lauren crew neck. Eureka! But his queerness is completely invisibilized.
Neutered. Sanitized for your protection. Not one mention of anything
you wouldn't see on a Boy Scout leader's resume.
Most of us lesbian, gay, bi, transgendered and transsexual
people would just as soon be out, counted, and included. We want the
liberty and justice that's supposed to be for all. But it's not that
simple. We can wave our gay pride flags until we're red-orange-yellow-green-blue-indigo-and-violet
in the face and mainstream culture still manages to erase us.
When I first came out I wanted everyone -- especially
my family -- to notice. I shaved my head, decked myself out in
pink triangle "DYKE" pins and invested in sensible, steel-toed boots.
I worked in a lesbian collective, sang lesbian folk songs and performed
with the Footlight Faggots and Lesbian Thespians. Could I have been
more visible? I practically had my portrait on a three dollar bill.
But I could've dyed myself lavender, for all the good it did.
My poor mother never read about anyone like me in
Parade magazine. She didn't see normal portrayals of families
with lesbian children anywhere. So, for 20 years Mom kept right on
telling people that her daughter was "away at college."
Hide That Gay
Mainstream journalists who write about Hollywood
and Broadway stars expend oodles of creativity keeping celebrity gayness
hidden. Would the earth fly off its axis if they wrote one normal
little thing about a gay actor's life? Would anyone actually drop
dead from reading "Craig and William share a brownstone in Brooklyn
with their pomeranians, Langston and Oscar"?
When Parade profiles an All-American, blatantly-straight
celeb, we get to read their whole het saga: how many times they've
been married, who's kids they've had or fathered and who they're dating
now. Even their casual mention of being encouraged by a husband or
inspired by a wife makes it clear what "normal" is supposed to be.
When we get "In Step With" gay entertainers we get no mention of who
they're dating, or whether they have a partner, or are raising a family
-- not a hint of their domestic life. We get nothing. Zippo.
Zilch. The blatant omission makes gay people crazy.
As long as the mainstream puts such obvious effort
into keeping queers invisible, it keeps drumming home the tired old
message that there's something wrong with us, that who we are is too
distasteful for a family magazine. Families take that as permission
to not acknowledge -- or enjoy -- the queerness of their
homo relatives. My own sister invited me to her Las Vegas wedding
only after exacting my promise that I wouldn't wear a tuxedo or try
to "make a statement." Hers was the sole sexual orientation to be
flaunted that day. Only my dyke friends back home knew how truly outrageous
it was for me to show up in pink chiffon with matching pumps.
When our whole selves are not welcome, we're relegated
to either the closet or society's fringe. Suffocation or exile. We
will keep working to create a healthy image of our queer selves by
being out and visible everywhere we go, but we need publications as
normal as Parade to stop doing us the dubious favor of keeping
our public identities private.
Sally Sheklow has been a part of the Eugene community
since 1972 and is a member of the WYMPROV! comedy troupe. Her column,
which began at EW, also runs in newspapers accross the country.
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GANG
OF COWARDS
The "Gang of 9" political attack-ads
in The Register-Guard have reduced deliberation and discussion
of citywide social issues to infantile mud-slinging. It would appear
that from now on if an elected official(s) goes a bit against the
grain of some well-heeled corporate interests, they will be character
assassinated, ridiculed, and demonized by relentless quarter-page,
$1,000 dollar attack ads for weeks on end with complete anonymity.
The R-G sets a dangerous precedent by running
these political attack-ads without insisting on disclosure of those
sponsoring them. Just because the ads are cutsey caricature pieces
doesn't diminish the inflammatory, divisive impact they have concerning
important city issues and policies. Unfortunately the R-G is
content to pocket the ad revenue and ignore the negative consequences
that this kind of low-level smear tactic can bring to a community.
Open and democratic discussion of issues is what our
city needs, not a 1930's-Germany style of discourse involving anonymous
thuggery, character assassination, and marginalizing of particular
city officials with relentless stereotyping. If the R-G doesn't
have the sensibilities to pull the ads, they might at the very least
preface each "Gang of 9" ad with a boldface "Gang of Cowards."
Gerry Rempel
Eugene
SERIAL
TRESPASSERS
Folks who use what has always appeared
to be the safe passage behind the jail (West 4th Avenue between Charnelton
and Willamette Street) need to be aware that we are all serial trespassers.
Apparently Amtrak finds the proper posting of its property to be "inappropriate"
and, instead, asked the Eugene Police Department to ticket us for
crossing their land. That's a $505 criminal trespass noogy on your
record, people! How ironic to see Amtrak and our own municipal police
force colluding to deny us a safe passage. Shouldn't they be providing
us with one?
Chris N. Hallett
Eugene
CORRUPT
SOCIETY
Although not a personal friend of
Jeffrey Luers, I was deeply saddened by his sentencing of 22 1/2 years.
There was a time when punishment fit the crime; when a person was
judged for the crime, not his intrinsic beliefs. When trials were
fair and just according to the evidence presented. When an individual
was innocent until proven guilty.
Corruption permeates every level of our society, and
our Earthly path is so clearly leading to our eventual disintegration
on all levels of our existence. For the sake of our future generations
we must take responsibility for our actions; respect persons and their
human worth and dignity. We must be humble to our circumstances, and
maintain a good heart -- or our Earth will surely perish. Lives
are so empty of compassion; clinging to material possessions. People
cannot make informed, educated decisions; based on a moral, ethical
internalized value system. 2001 years ago, we were asked to be stewards
of this Earth, to take only what we need. For our lives to be examples
of what is good, true, and beautiful. We have failed miserably.
Pray for Jeffrey Michael "Free" Luers. Pray for his
safety, his justice. And, pray for the sins of our world to be forgiven.
Beth Music
Eugene
QUIT
WHINING
Political correctitude has brought
me to the brink. Alan Pittman's use of "honky" (5/31) was just slang.
We crackers know that blacks call us that 'cause of our nasal twang.
Big deal. Hey, EW is free. But here is an example of
EW's PC patrol. I wanted my personal ad to read: "Even the
Chancellor of Nazi Germany from 1933-1945 had a girlfriend." I thought
it was self-deprecating humor and harmless. But you can't say the
"H" word according to them. Here is what squeezes me: There is a Mel
Brooks Broadway musical, The Producers that has a catchy song
titled "It's Springtime for H----- and Germany." Did they
review that? Don't know. And just for the record, I heard a song on
NPR titled "Even H----- had a girlfriend." If you listened
to NPR, you'd know a lot of their staff are Jewish. Didn't bug them.
Why won't everybody just freaking chill out, relax and put your whine
in the cellar. Good grief.
Greg Hume
Creswell
EDITOR'S NOTE: We want all of our ads to
bring favorable results, so our ad reps sometimes suggest revisions
-- in this case, nix the nasty Nazi.
HORRIFIC
IMPACT
Sometime in the last month, the issue
of Jeffrey Luers being sent to prison for 22 1/2 years has taken a
back seat in reference to what Mr. Luers is actually being punished
for: burning automobiles as an act of resistance.
While I regard his sentence as excessively punitive
(despite the judge's many assertions that this case was not political)
I cannot help but notice how the issue of cars and their horrific
impact on the planet has been lost in the discussions over the sentence.
It is hard to refute the claims made by many scientists,
indigenous elders and thinking individuals that our planet and culture
are on a downward spiral. Locally, this is apparent by the way we
treat the old growth forests and their inhabitants just 45 minutes
from Eugene. I implore anyone to stand on 6th Avenue (or Highways
5 or 58) for an hour and observe the numerous log trucks scream by.
Truck after truck of massive old-growth trees whiz by yet industry
zealots (and their friends at the corporate media chains) tell me
that our national forests are "locked up 100 percent." If that is
true, than where are these trees coming from? How come my every trip
to a national forest is filled with images of trees flagged to be
cut, log trucks and new roads and stumps?
When our grandchildren ask us what we did to stop
such madness, will we be at a loss for words; embarrassed by our inaction
and condemnation of people like Mr. Luers? Or is it not too late for
people to take action in their lives every day to confront head-on
this destructive culture and mindset. I only hope its not too late.
Dylan Kay
Eugene
RELOCATING
DOWNTOWN
PeaceWealth's new hospital, Symantec's
relocation to a filbert orchard, the R-G's paving of a farm
field -- all are part of an effort to relocate downtown to the
Coburg Road/Beltline interchange. This is probably part of a plan
to expand the Urban Growth Boundary northward to the McKenzie river,
given the opportunity for tawdry "riverfront" real estate with buildings
that won't outlast the payback on the loans.
If PeaceWealth really wants a hospital to serve the
community for "100 years," they would cover their buildings with solar
panels (as Japanese and German companies are starting to do), use
the Crescent Road site as an organic farm (perhaps FOOD for Lane County
could expand their "Grassroots Garden," the most interesting thing
on Coburg Road) to feed their patients who are recovering from illnesses,
and phase out toxins in their medical care (see www.noharm.org). Of
course, a hospital that generates tons of toxic trash and results
in air-polluting sprawl that causes illnesses boosts business for
medical services.
I look forward to the day when developers acknowledge
that the petroleum era is finite (see www.runningonempty.org and www.energycrisis.org),
and that future projects must plan for this.
Sacred Wallet's Willamette Street's site -- which
would build on an existing parking lot, not prime farmland soils --
seems like the ideal location for an additional facility.
Mark Robinowitz
Eugene
LOSING
BATTLE
Oh, Sacred Heart, Sacred Heart. What
shall we do?
Once again, growth effects us in negative ways, and
almost no one questions the very premise of the problem. "We have
to deal with growth," it goes. "We can't stop it!"
And so we have new problem after new problem: a new
development that the neighbors don't want, traffic worsening, water
and energy concerns, higher taxes to pay for more growth, less public
services, more noise and stress, and now, what shall Sacred Heart
do about its increasing demands for service"
If we decided to stop accommodating growth, the expansion
of Sacred Heart would become mute. And so would most of the other
big problems we face.
Or government polices serve the people who want
to live here more than they serve the people who actually live here.
If the people who live here had their say, growth would stop! Just
ask Mayor Torrey, he believes that to be true. Instead, we keep accommodating
more growth even though most people don't want it or like it!
When will our discussion change from, "How are we
going to deal with more growth," to "We're growing too big for our
own (and the planets) good, it's time to stop it!"? Until then, we'll
be fighting a never ending and losing battle.
Patrick Bronson
Eugene
THE
SIDE OF SAFETY
A school in the Bethel School District was
recently in the news. It was considering the siting of a cell phone
transmission tower on its grounds. Although the district seems to
be taking a cautious approach, I would encourage the community to
give the district feedback. Speculative tower companies and service
providers often give schools special incentives along with the potential
health risks of childhood leukemia and learning disorders (to name
but a few).
Health concerns are not allowed to be used as criteria
in the siting of these towers per the Federal Communications Act of
1996. However, the potential health risks are of great concern to
those of us who have been studying this issue since a wireless company
applied for a special use permit application in "our" backyard.
These transmission towers have been built on high
school campuses in the Portland area. Schools are now beginning to
reassess agreeing to these sitings. Parents can not be assured they
are 100 percent safe. Children could be especially susceptible to
the radio frequency waves that are emitted from these facilities because
their bodies are still developing.
Please, let us err on the side of safety. Educate
yourselves on this issue and participate in the decision making process.
Contact your school district and let them know that schools need to
be responsive to their constituents. Their first and foremost concerns
should be the health and safety of their students. Our group supports
a minimum setback of 1,200 feet from homes and schools.
Craig Harbison
Veneta
STEIN
TIME
No matter who else gets in the race,
I'm supporting Beverly Stein for governor. Stein is the dynamic woman
who served as CEO for Multnomah County for eight years. That means
she is experienced and tested running the state's third largest government.
What makes Stein different? She has a proven record of results. When
she was running Multnomah County, the callback time for county nurses
was shortened from three hours to three minutes. We need someone running
the state who knows how to deliver that kind of service.
And while other candidates have been lollygagging
around, trying to decide what to do, Stein has been hard at work.
She is drawing people to her campaign. She has over 1,500 volunteers
at work in almost every county in the state. For her experience, record
of results and optimism, Stein is the best choice to be our next governor.
Maggie Moore
Eugene
LEVEL
THE FIELD
So let me get this right! One can
pay money to The Register-Guard and have editorial cartoons
published anonymously, however, one can write brilliant letters to
the editor and they won't be published because you need to expose
a source. Can one pay to have a letter to the editor published without
their signature? I feel this would level the playing field! Some newspapers
print anonymous letters to the editor that have strong community value
in a dialogue while protecting the writer from harassment when controversial
topics and ideas are exchanged (e.g. domestic abuse or police out
of control). This omission allows a writer to speak freely on sensitive
topics, and every angle can be presented in the exchange of ideas
without fear of repercussions! Makes sense to me; so how about it,
R-G? Can I pay to have my unsigned letters published?
Donald E. Burton
Eugene
MALL
IS RIPE
Why not build/expand PeaceHealth/Sacred
Heart Hospital in the downtown mall? With Symantec moving out, other
businesses closing or moving, it should be a real estate buyer's market,
ripe for a new hospital project, keeping the facility downtown. Hey
Mayor Torrey, are you paying attention?
Fred Marsico
Monroe
LETTERS POLICY: We welcome letters on all topics and will print
as many as space allows. Please limit length to 250 words, keep submissions to once
a month, and include your address and phone number. E-mail to editor@eugeneweekly.com, fax to 484-4044, or mail
to 1251 Lincoln, Eugene 97401.
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