I can honestly say that today I am embarrassed to be an Oregon alumna.
I have always been proud to be a part of the University, but not now. On Tuesday, I attended the Club Sports executive committee appeal hearing regarding the Oregon men’s ultimate frisbee team. What I saw was not an appeal process at all. It was blatant discrimination against a team with a proud 30-year tradition that does not fit mainstream athletic culture.
The executive committee had clearly made its decision before the members walked in, all except one brave young woman. Although the frisbee team drew in countless supporters – some who attended but many others from across the nation via letters of support – it was not enough. The ASUO president even spoke on its behalf. However, other club sports representatives expressed that they felt the ultimate team was tarnishing its “impeccable” reputation.
I can’t help but ask myself how many of these other athletes have simply not been caught. The Emerald quoted board member Elizabeth Dow as saying the team had been in so much trouble this year it “wasn’t something you could look at as an isolated incident” (“Club frisbee team to appeal decision to cancel season,” ODE, April 27). Could someone explain to me who ever defined expressing one’s self through nudity as wrong? What if someone would have screamed a four-letter expletive?
Being offended is part of life, but free speech is an inherent American right. Everyone in this country should be able to speak and express themselves freely. The ultimate team paid the highest price for doing so.
The board said it had done so much to “work with” the team and that it “broke their hearts” to make this decision. According to many of the players I spoke to, none of the board members ever attended a game, and therefore never gave themselves the chance to understand the dedication and caliber of athleticism the team possesses. The team is nationally ranked and therefore draws in students from across the nation and even the world. Now that its season is over, not only will the team not compete, but other collegiate teams will know their success is partly due to the lack of competition.
I ask this final question: What did anyone gain here? Maybe the executive committee members will sleep better knowing they have held onto their power. Grown men shed tears at the end of this “appeal” process because their dreams were crushed when they didn’t even know they were doing anything wrong.
Club Sports has lost the potential success that could have come from this season, but at least everyone else’s reputations remain untainted. I sincerely hope this decision does not stand. Again, it is a sad day to be a Duck.
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