We really wanted to write a gubernatorial endorsement that would break the mold and get people riled up. We wanted to give the Oregon Commentator fodder for a whole article. We wanted to endorse write-in candidate Gary Alan Spanovich.
A majority of the editorial board believes Spanovich would be the best governor — he offers enlightened leadership and a change in the way Oregon does politics. But there’s a lot at stake in this race.
Spanovich is a man of compassion, and he hopes to bring that ethos to politics, to give Oregon a real vision for the future. He would work with leaders in the state to develop compassionate, workable plans of action to benefit most Oregonians. He has extensive experience teaching college students, and he has worked with students to bring Nobel laureates to Portland State University for a conference on world peace.
Spanovich’s compassion has taken him to India — homeland of his Buddhist beliefs — four times to personally improve the lives of people there, including organizing and raising money to build a school for 100 street children.
In an interview with the Emerald, Spanovich recalled the days of Gov. Tom McCall, when Oregon had the sense that it was creating a different way of life — a better way of life. Today, Spanovich said, there is no larger vision, and Oregon politics is mired the status quo, which means money and influence in leadership, instead of vision and values.
We wholeheartedly agree. We want a different, better vision for Oregon than is represented by our current two-party choices. Democracy is corrupt when voters find themselves voting not for the best candidate, but against the worst candidate.
Nevertheless, there are stark differences between the two leading candidates — Ted Kulongoski and Kevin Mannix — that are important to us and that we believe are important to students. Kulongoski says he represents choice for women’s bodies, support for state services and protections for the environment. Mannix emphatically does not; his moderate mask isn’t even affixed very well.
The easy thing to do, then, would be to endorse Kulongoski. But we cannot, in good conscience, overlook the fact that we believe a better candidate exists.
For some people, democracy means everyone votes for what they believe is best, and then after an election, everyone’s voice gets heard at the Big Compromise Table.
For others, the compromise happens within themselves, before the election. They pick from a pre-determined set of choices, and then the winners make the rules.
We’re not telling students which school of thought is right — the system is flawed. But our conscience tells us the only endorsement we can make is for University community members to vote their conscience. Whatever you choose, please vote.
Editorial: Our conscience doesn’t let us pick Spanovich for governor
Daily Emerald
October 31, 2002
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