GTFF rally more than ‘Faith’
As a Journalism and Communication GTF and a participant in the GTFF rally on Feb. 26, I am very outraged by Steve Baggs’ illustration on the rally Feb. 27. Along with (Leon) Tovey’s full-of-inaccurate-information “GTFs rally for fair contract” piece (ODE, 2/27), I cannot see how the Emerald is able to provide its readers a full context to understand the issue at hand. Rather than seeing GTF contracts as a stand-alone issue, we should try to understand why it is related to the quality of undergraduate and graduate education, state budget cuts in higher education and university ranking in the nation. GTFs contribute to 30 percent of the teaching load, University-wide; most of us help faculty on their research, which is a focal point of a research university. A cut in the state education budget means some people have to bear the cost — unfortunately, it is the GTFs who probably have the weakest bargaining power.
I feel very disappointed that not only did the Emerald fail to give its readers a much more holistic and critical perspective in framing education issues that are pertinent to them, it also trivialized a serious issue by characterizing participants of rally as a bunch of brats who are asking for more than they should. The readers do not need to know why the rally started with “Faith,” the readers have to know the good cause behind the rally and why it, in every way, is relevant to their education.

Micky Lee

Ph.D. student and GTF

School of Journalism and Communication

ASUO election well-run
We are very impressed with how the ASUO primary election was run. We’re glad our expenditure form got published in the Emerald. It is a status symbol.
We felt that the elections coordinators did their jobs as well as they could, which narrowed down two identifiable candidates. What it all boils down to is leadership ability in a time of radical change.
Our voice definitely got out to the people we wanted to get it out to: smart guys like us and pretty girls.
We really enjoyed the experience we had and hope that the University we go to is represented in a manner unique to any other school in the country.

John Ely

junior

history, folklore

Hayes Hurwitz

junior

economics, Spanish

Dreier needs to get a clue
This letter is in response to Timothy Dreier’s reply on my letter dealing with his interview (“Edwards is a commie sympathizer,” ODE, 02/22).
First of all, in response to Dreier’s comment on my ability to recognize satire: For something to be effective and recognizable as satire, it must be clearly identified as satire, and it must be clear what is being satirized. I don’t see Dreier doing either one of these until after the fact.
Most students don’t care about campus politics; I am one of them. These students don’t get their information anywhere but the Emerald and the occasional flier handed to them. How did Dreier expect people who had never heard of him and what he was running for to instantly recognize his tasteless satire of other candidates, who they also know little or nothing about? Not a good way to get people to care about student elections.
And second, it’s pretty clear Dreier has no conception of what it is like in a culture where people are legally discriminated against for their political views. He has obviously never lived in a country where people could be, as he so casually jokes about, “black-listed” and their and their families’ entire lives ruined because of it.
Dreier should think about what he treats so lightly.

Nathan Edwards

junior

English

Cultural Forum needs to learn job
I’m not surprised there was no review for the Feb. 24 horribly-run Ice-T/Nelly concert. I’ve seen roughly three-dozen large venue concerts since 1994, and have never seen such a poorly executed, overpriced production. After the UO Cultural Forum’s horrible hosting and production of the Ice-T/Nelly concert, it’s apparent that the Cultural Forum needs to learn how to host a show, and the community will be lucky to be able to host any big name concerts in the near future because of this recent failure.
Feb. 20 the Emerald said Ice-T canceled, then Feb. 21 the Emerald said it was a mistake, and that Ice-T would be performing after all. So what actually happens? Ice-T doesn’t show and there is no announcement. I don’t blame the performers, but rather disinformation, the total lack of enough speakers and the negative feeling the crowd felt by an overabundance of DPS officers outside and security inside on the floor.
The University could have done a better job; they did before, putting on Bob Dylan and Paul Simon in ’98!

Aaron Reddick

junior

landscape architecture

Sin may be ‘in,’

but sexism certainly is not
It is with great disappointment that I write in regard to an advertisement in the Emerald’s Feb. 26 “Sin is In” edition. The advertisement, for High Priestess Piercing (page 7B), reads: “give in to temptation” and pictures a nearly nude woman in a sexually suggestive position.
This advertisement demeans and reduces women to mere sexual objects and reinforces stereotypes against women. Sexist attitudes and comments are not new to the Emerald. In October of 2000, readers of this publication were subjected to similar material (the Yahoo! campaign).
Once again, Becky Merchant and the Emerald staff have failed to make proper advertising decisions. Making money off the objectification of women is offensive to many individuals, and seems fully inconsistent with the vision of a University environment free of sexism in any form.
Page 8B contains an ad which promotes positive body image. How can this advertisement be in the same issue as one which encourages discrimination against women — sexual discrimination which could possibly lead to sexual assault?
Organizations like the Emerald must realize ads like these contribute to the lack of safety on campus as much as poor campus lighting. As a student-run newspaper, the Emerald should be wary of alienating and objectifying half the student body, in addition to many other constituents of our community.
It must be said, that once again, it is time that the Emerald reflect and see the decision to run this ad as a sign of irresponsible journalism.

Emily Katina May

senior

general science