In Stephen Murphy’s letter “ASUO doesn’t reflect accepting nature of campus” (ODE May 23), Murphy does a lot of complaining about “student objections,” the senate, OSPIRG, an office environment and “persecuted minorities,” but what Murphy neglects is any sense of history. How about the “libertarian” ideals which created this situation?
I contend that the ASUO president three years ago basically destroyed the student government as a “liberal, progressive, free-thinking … campus culture.” Murphy talks about “no regard to student objections” in the election, but Sam Dotters-Katz spent more than $20,000 on his campaign — in effect buying the election — and Murphy’s beloved Oregon Commentator endorsed it! The ASUO Senate and OSPIRG are an intertwining controversy, and Dotters-Katz came into office saying essentially he would not accept any budget with OSPIRG in it. The Senate heard Murphy’s Commentator staff shouting down opposition to get them defunded and violating procedural rules to get OSPIRG off campus.
Now that those who were bought off by Dotters-Katz are no longer in office, OSPIRG is reinstated, because despite the moans of the Commentator, students regularly vote in favor of maintaining a chapter on campus. As a student present during those debates, I am well aware how “student objections” are overrun, and how a conservative ideology seems to “mindlessly agree” (a practice reflected in national politics).
The climate of the ASUO is just now beginning to reflect the values of a “liberal, progressive, free-thinking” campus. The offices of the ASUO were unwelcoming for about two years toward any “liberal” who entered, and I have seen that most students feel more welcomed and connected now than during that period.
It takes a lot of gall to talk about “persecuted minorities” as a white male, while in the same article decry events aimed at promoting diversity. People of color, international students and “other” are less than 30 percent of the student body. Racism, sexism, homophobia and ableism have not gone away. Efforts at diversity and solidarity are chronically under-funded by the ASUO, and any movement toward supporting such efforts goes a long way.
Saying that “we should fight against the status quo” makes me wonder what exactly Murphy wants to fight against. Murphy’s ideas seem to lack a sense of history, are out of touch with reality and are misguided at best.  Maybe Murphy’s ideas themselves are a coded display of “apathy and hostility.”
Cimmeron Gillespie
University junior