Driven by fear
Our lives are so permeated with psychological imperatives that it takes a degree in both psychology and advertising to even begin to properly sift through the minutiae thrown at our subconscious minds. At election time, this tragic battle for our souls seems to take the form of emotional blackmail: Hence, whoever can create the most fear will somehow become the winner because it is our fears, after all, which drive us harder than any joys we may contemplate.
The gay agenda with its holocaust and homophobia outbreaks, the police state with its perils of doom, the social service conglomerations and their worst-case scenarios, the crime commissions with perpetrators at every turn of the road, the student lobbies with outcries of empty futures and obsolete minds, the vulnerable poor and elderly, the disabled and unborn who somehow are neglected, the Christian character, which is both maligned and sin-pocked in its own efforts to win our votes, and victims of every act of life prey on our fears until we can hardly discover the difference between truth and fiction anymore.
I would like to urge everyone to please look past the constant barrage of media impersonations of reality and struggle to find a balance in our desperate needs at this moment. If we do not think and act clearly at this time, our country stands to lose more than we realize. Please, think before you vote!
Deborah Martin
Eugene
Administrative inconsistencies
The editorial on University President Dave Frohnmayer’s decision to further the University’s commitment to the Worker Rights Consortium (“WRC revisited: Will we stay or will we go?” ODE, Oct. 30) was accurate in many ways.
The editorial pointed out the irresponsibility of the manner in which the decision was made, and briefly outlined some of the events since last April. However, one crucial piece of information was left out. Last April, the University community was told that the decision to join the WRC needed to be made with the input of the University Senate.
However, apparently in order to take the first step in leaving the WRC, no public meeting with the Senate was needed, nor was such a meeting used to join the FLA.
Regardless of how the University community feels about the merits of joining the WRC, we ought to be outraged by the inconsistencies in the administration’s decision making policies. Either the students, staff and faculty have input on the University’s policies, or we don’t. It’s that simple.
Ben Andrews
junior
geology
Nader supporters not limited
to Democrats
This is in response to Democrats’ cries that Nader is throwing the election.
Democrats need to work for their votes. At this point, rather than accepting that their platform has failed to convert people to their side, they are blaming Nader.
It is a lie that Nader is draining the Democratic voting base. On Oct. 26, The New York Times published an article regarding recent national polls — MSNBC/Reuters showed that only 25 percent of Nader votes are coming from traditional Democrats. The rest are coming from independents, non-voters and, yes, Republicans.
Nader has been able to inspire some of the 55 percent of Americans who don’t vote. Nader/La Duke are the only candidates against nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles in space and the WTO/NAFTA; and for universal health care, public financing of campaigns, increasing indigenous rights and upholding the Kyoto Accords. Many independents and non-voters are inspired by this.
Additionally, Republicans make up some of Nader’s base. They are union workers frustrated about Bush’s and Gore’s support of NAFTA. They are from the Reform Party and after the split are voting for Nader. They are small business owners who see Bush and Gore acquiescing to corporate giants. They are right-wingers who feel their personal privacy is under attack by both candidates.
Democrats are wrong in assuming that Nader supporters would switch their votes if Nader dropped out. We are committed to getting the Greens their 5 percent so that our voices can be heard.
Natalie White
senior
sociology
Show me the light
What I can’t understand is how we can afford millions of dollars to renovate Autzen Stadium, but we can’t seem to fix the fluorescent light in the second floor men’s bathroom in Oregon Hall for over a month.
Andrew S. Justice
graduate student
viola performance/pedagogy
