Jesus vs. Ryan
Jesus was a revolutionary. Ryan is a business administration major and a football player. Enough said.

Lucas Thurston

linguistics, romance languages
 

Power of the vote
Today is the last day to register to vote in the Oregon Primary Election. Unfortunately, voting is not a right that is fully taken advantage in our country, and among college students, voter turnout is especially low. At the University, we can solve that problem and increase the strength of our political voice.
The ASUO has made it a priority to help students strengthen their political voices in local, state and national governments. The first step in that process is registering to vote. Registering to vote now means that you will receive a ballot for the Oregon Primary Election in May and the General Election in November. In the elections, we will have the chance to choose our local, state and federally elected officials, including the mayor of Eugene, state senators and representatives, U.S. representatives and the president of the United States. But in order to vote, one must register. Voter registration cards are available in the ASUO office, where you can fill out the form, and we’ll deliver it to Lane County Elections for you!
If you have any questions about voter registration, talk to Robin Miller or Arlie Adkins in the ASUO, Suite 4 in the EMU or call 346-0628. Register to vote and strengthen your political voice!

Robin Miller

ASUO Federal Affairs coordinator

Vote no on 81
I recently saw the movie “Erin Brockovich” and found it very inspiring. Why did I leave the theater with that feeling, in spite of the movie being about people who were injured by a large corporation that treated their health with total disregard? Because the movie illustrated how our civil justice system is used every day to hold wrongdoers accountable for their irresponsible actions.
Oregonians are under the threat of losing the power of the civil justice system that was so wonderfully illustrated in “Erin Brockovich.” Ballot Measure 81, on the May primary ballot, would let the politicians in Salem limit damages in any civil action, no matter what the Constitution says. That means despite what a jury of ordinary people decides, its decision won’t matter because the legislature would have the power to assign a one-size-fits-all limit on damages, rather than letting juries decide on a case-by-case basis.
When Erin asks in the movie, “How much is your pine worth?” what would your answer be? I know I would want a jury to decide, not the politicians in Salem.
That’s why I’m voting “NO” on Ballot Measure 81.

Kristin Davis

reader

Nike not the only problem
If there is one argument that totally skirts the sweatshop issue, it is the argument that those fighting them are hypocritical because they themselves are wearing clothing made in sweatshops. Chances are, if you happen to be wearing clothing right now, you are probably wearing sweatshop-produced goods.
Why? Nearly the entire garment industry is using horrific labor practices. Some of the protesters were wearing Nikes. Does this make them hypocrites? No. The alternatives to buying sweatshop-produced goods, with a couple exceptions, are making your own clothes, buying them secondhand or getting them tailor-made.
So, rather than go to great lengths to find sweat-free clothes, why not try to pressure those who profit from these unfair practices to change their ways? What a concept: trying to make the world a better place rather than just easing your conscience. To me, the real hypocrites are those who say they are against sweatshop labor who take no action to change it, but instead only take small measures to make themselves feel that they are not contributing to the problem.
And hypocrites are those who claim to be against sweatshops but wag their self-righteous little fingers at people who actually are doing something just because the doers might be wearing sweated clothes. Do not place the blame of inhumane labor practices on people fighting them. Place blame where it belongs: squarely on the shoulders of those despicable CEOs and subcontractors who think the dollar is more important than basic human rights.

Randy Newnham

linguistics and anthropology

co-coordinator, Survival Center
 

WRC shackles business
I would like to voice my support for Phil Knight’s rescinding of funding for the University athletic department. The Worker Rights Consortium as an organization has lofty ideals. They are also ideals that make it impossible for businesses to function.
This is likely because of the WRC’s lack of knowledge about business. The WRC isn’t an established organization. It doesn’t have a board of directors yet. It doesn’t have its own code of conduct. It doesn’t have its own inspectors.
What it does have is a commitment from universities to bind companies to whatever rules it decides is appropriate. Currently, the plan is to have each University make up its own code of conduct. This will give businesses not one but several hundred codes of conduct to meet, a ludicrous plan. The Fair Labor Association may not be perfect — its code may not be strong enough — but it is better than the utter nonsense the WRC proposes.
I support Knight’s decision to drop his funding. He has been the University’s strongest supporter — note the library that bears his name. Nike made its position clear with Brown: Joining the WRC means breaking contracts with Nike. The University’s actions are a clear backstabbing of our greatest patron. The only decent thing for us to do is to give him back the law school.Jay Schneider
graduate student, computer and information science
 

Protest misrepresented
I am deeply dismayed by your coverage of the 1970 student ROTC protest (ODE, 4/19). There was no personal account of the event on behalf of the protesters. Simone Ripke chose to limit the bias of the article to that of the University administration and student ROTC members at that time. In no way is there an attempt to hear the student voice. In order to provide accurate coverage, all sides need to be heard from. Improper coverage lends this article a very disturbing tone. The protesters are depicted as violent, raging lunatics. The ending quote that “the Oregon campus has always been a hotbed of activism, and that’s not any different today,” suggests largely that student activists today are still carrying the torch of uncontrollable rage. Intolerable media of this sort is what has led public opinion to marginalize those who have the courage to speak out as ignorant and volatile. In short: Shape up — you’re messing with people’s heads.

Nick Vaughan

music
 

Students make a difference
Last weekend, the Friends of the Library raised $56,000 at its annual used book sale. We could not have done it without the help of two wonderful groups of University students. The ROTC cadets and Presidential Student Scholar Association helped move 2,000 heavy boxes of books to the fairgrounds. The community needs to know students do things other than riot at Halloween. Next year more than 16,000 children will attend programs at the library paid for with the money we raised. And University students helped make it happen.

Norine Madden < /strong>

Library