Dear Dave Frohnmayer,
This letter is being written on behalf of Students for a Democratic Society, a national organization, dedicated to fighting for the voice of the students.
Imperialist war is an issue on which students are rarely given a chance to speak outside of the classroom, if even then. The views of young people are extremely important to form a healthy discourse about the direction our society is to take in the future.
Along these lines, SDS is concerned, as are other students, faculty, and citizens, about the current military funding for the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI). On March 1, a public hearing was held to discuss the Department of Defense’s support for the ONAMI research center at the University.
More than half of the Student Senate, as well as yourself, were unfortunately absent at this event. The over 40 year history of Department of Defense funding for University research projects was discussed, as well as the current funding for ONAMI. It was
said, by Vice President Linton, that the University prohibits “classified research” and thus does not participate in the development of weapons for the military. Certainly, this is good policy, but SDS is of the opinion that this is not enough. In light of the current ambitions of U.S. imperialism, students at the University of Oregon should not be subjected in any way to promoting the future of warfare. Weapons systems are just part of the technologies needed for the U.S. military. The research funded by Department of Defense, as stated in a press release from Peter DeFazio’s office on December 19, 2005,”has a wide range of military applications including development of portable power systems for use by military personnel in the field for water purification and battery power.”
This type of technological development can be seen only as a means of moving the U.S. military into a new age of warfare. In a world of stiff opposition to the U.S. occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq, and its militarism in general, why should a public institution of higher education be subjected to promoting more?
Thus, we at SDS ask why you, Mr. Dave Frohnmayer, support this funding. As students, we have a right to know why our president would approve research intended for use in the
business of killing, be it weapons research or otherwise, and we ask now for your personal opinion.
Students for a Democratic Society is a new organization on the University campus