Last night’s ASUO senate meeting passed the most recent resolution to be voted on by the rules committee next week. The resolution that we have currently does not have last night’s amendments included. We have requested the revisions, and will post them up as soon as possible. The final revision that will be voted on will come out next Monday.

When it was time for the ASUO executive announcements, student body president Emma Kallaway unveiled the newest model for the upcoming ASUO logo.

When this was revealed Sen. Ben Fisher muttered under his breath that the logo looked like a mushroom cloud sending the whole room into uproar. Kallaway mentioned that the logo had been screened by fifty people and no one had noticed the resemblance.  It’s kinda like that picture that can be either an old lady or pretty woman depending on your perception. ASUO is still looking to solidify a slogan, and for that we would like to start our newest contest! Best ASUO slogan suggestion in the comments section wins a new sudsy shirt! New shirts are coming next week in green, navy blue, and black.

The meeting was a pretty tame one in contrasts to more recent ASUO senate meetings, but that all changed in the last five minutes. Senate President Gower was called out by Senate Vice President Schultz for violating the speakers list. Seconds before the meeting ended Schultz called for Gower to step down from his position.

Yes loyal readers, ASUO  fight club is back, and just in time for election season.

In accordance with the post I published on Feb. 1st, it seems more and more OSPIRG representatives (many of them non-students) are milling around campus, collecting signatures for their upcoming ballot measure, handing out stickers etc. I’ve stood by and heard the pitch to unassuming students and it goes something like this, “Are you a student? Do you want to help get lower textbook prices and tuition? I’m from OSPIRG and we’re trying to get our funding back so we can send students to work on issues important to students here at the UO.”

What they do not volunteer, however, is how their funding is appropriated from our students. That is, unless you’re like our distribution manager, Nicholas Ekblad, who had a conversation with one of the signature gatherers in which the OSPIRG employee gave up asking for his signature once it was evident Ekblad was aware of how their funding worked.

If you want a primer on the OSPIRG situation in general, CJ Ciaramella wrote a great article about it last year. If you want to see how and where OSPIRG is suggesting appropriating their budget, you can read my post from this Summer.

What is concerning about the signature gatherers, however, is their lack of explanation regarding the appropriation of would-be OSPIRG funds. To be honest, the fact that OSPIRG isn’t telling students that $103,000 would go directly off campus seems pretty predatory. Under the premise of “saving students money” OSPIRG wants to recklessly spend over $100k off campus. Of course, there are still some people who believe that the money–for some astounding reason–should go off campus.

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Earlier this week I had the great fortune of sitting down with both Vice President Robin Holmes and President Richard Lariviere. At the time these meetings were scheduled two weeks ago, there remained an array of unanswered questions in regard to the Pacifica issue, including and not limited to: much misinformation about the stances of the University, misunderstanding regarding the legal rights and causality regarding the Forum, a multitude of smear tactics and intolerance displayed by both sides, misquotation and misrepresentation of our university administration.

Since two weeks ago, much has happened. A Student Senate resolution was declined, a protest was outraged, and a hideous act of vandalism was induced. I was worried, perhaps erroneously, that these events could have clouded the judgment of our institution like they have clouded judgment of many protesters and student body (much of the student body still thinks “Pacifica Forum” is a “Neo-Nazi Group,” hence the populace of the “Anti-Pacifica” Facebook group).

I am humbled and relieved at the remarkable objectivity and forward thinking of our administration. I now know that it was unfair of me to equate the mental capacity of our university officials with the riotous aggrandized assertions of some undergraduate protests; I irrationally feared that the UO would get swept away in the deep rooted emotion of many of the students, a very alluring mentality.

I may say with confidence now that my fear has been put to rest.

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I found a new issue of the Comic Press today. I was going to make fun of it, but it’s kind of hard to make fun of a Xeroxed sheet of paper.

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This swastika was spray painted on the carpet of the LGBTQA on Sunday

There has been a candlelight vigil. There has been a march. As DPS continues to investigate the spray painting of a swastika in the office of the LGBTQA, we still have yet to find any answers. And, looking at the happenings going on in the Daily Emerald columns and their comments section, many people are jumping to rather rash conclusions.

Members of the LGBTQA have already tied the swastika directly to the Pacifica Forum, as seen in today’s Emerald, “LGBTQA Co-Director Alex Esparza linked the Forum’s rhetoric to the incident and criticized the ASUO’s decision. ‘I would like to see a student government that takes a stand against acts of hate like this,’ he said as EMU staff were removing the pieces of carpet upon which the symbol was painted.”

This is a slippery slope, legally speaking, as the organizers of the Forum exercise no control over what speakers say.  So even if a speaker got up and incited the crowd to immediately go break into the LGBTQA with spray paint only the speaker would be guilty of incitement.

Of course, now from the other side (quoting here from the Emerald‘s comments section) there has been much discussion as to whether or not the LGBTQA, “may have painted it on their own office floor.” Again, this is a serious allegation, one of political violence as a means to an end.

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An outsider’s view of the McDisasterfuck that is the PF.

FIRE Article

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to Drew’s editorial from the last issue lately, and the more I think about it, the more I think the premise of his argument is a viable, actionable plan. If you haven’t read it, the argument revolves around a plan that would involve students–including those protesting the Pacifica Forum–into the actual Forum as debaters.

The Pacifica Forum was started in 1994 as a way to debate two sides (or three) of an issue. As the years have gone on, speakers at the Pacifica Forum have started to push the envelope of topics discussed. Here, we should make an important distinction: The Pacifica Forum has no members per se, but an open call for its organizers. Indeed, the premise of a Forum is just that–an open discussion or debate. Instead, its protesters have been acting as if the Pacifica Forum is one, solid group with a single mindset.

Contrary to what many may think, the Pacifica Forum is not all Nazis. Instead, the organizers of the Forum have invited Nazis and debated back and forth with them about certain topics–the swastika, the Sieg Heil etc. The problem lately, however, is that the two sides of the debate haven’t been far apart enough in their arguments. Instead of a debater that is far to one side and another that is far to the other, the debaters at the Pacifica Forum have been far to one side with the other somewhere in the middle.

This is where our beloved protesters come in. Although protests were initially meant to be “silent” they have strayed far and away from that premise. Effectively, the anti-Pacifica people want their voices heard. What Drew proposed–and what I think is an exceedingly good idea–is that those protesters join the debate on the other side of the table, as speakers. Instead of holding signs and shouting, or waiting for your turn to speak at the microphone, why not sit on the other end of the table as a third party, a third side to the debate about Nazism or what have you?

I find it harder and harder to find any support within myself for the anti-Pacifica protesters. The Forum itself is not perpetuating Nazism–idiots like Jimmy Marr and Anelauskas are. Why not stand up, take charge, and take back the Forum for yourselves?

Amidst this conflict, somebody told me, “The proper reaction to bad speech is not less speech. The proper reaction is more speech.”

If only this campus could grasp that concept.

We found a little note under our door yesterday night from OSPIRG  & OSPIRG President Charles Denson. It was a envelope containing $1.75 and a note on the back of a Haiti fundraiser flyer. Thanks OSPIRG and  Charles for the laugh and cup of coffee! However we have 25 staffers who all want $1.66,  and also some alumni in Portland and Salem also want $1.66 to be sent to them off campus. I’m positive someone in OSPIRG knows how to send money to people off campus.

OSPIRG President Charles Denson

The ASUO Constitutional Court decided to approve a ballot initiative allowing OSPIRG to refund themselves through popular election this Spring. What that means is that if the ballot passes, it acts as a “mentionable” note to the ASUO–essentially the same as a Senate resolution. It would be non-binding, meaning the ASUO doesn’t actually have to fund OSPIRG.

Still, it’s rather scary how OSPIRG is essentially trying to slip in through the back door, funding-wise. Our elected student government, for two years, has refused to fund the organization on the basis that too much student money goes off campus. In case you missed it, here’s a breakdown of where your money would go if OSPIRG returned to campus:

Budget requested: $117,000

Amount of budget to go off campus: $103,579

The scary part of the whole ordeal is the reckless attitude the OSPIRG members have towards student funds. The scariest part of a meeting Guy Simmons and I attended in October was when one OSPIRG staffer said of the organization’s funding, “It’s only like, a $1.66 to every student on campus. I mean, $1.66 isn’t that much.”

Above is a picture of OSPIRG chapter president Charles Denson. He’s around the EMU a lot. I encourage you to ask him for $1.66 every time you see him. Then we’ll see how much $1.66 is to him.

The OSPIRG initiative asks the question, “Should the ASUO fund the Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG) at a level that allows OSPIRG to hire professional staff to advocate on behalf of students locally, statewide, and nationally in places like the State Legislature and Congress?”

The answer is no.

Sens. Schultz and Tipitino have proposed yet another change to the Pacifica Forum resolution. In an e-mail sent today, Schultz said:

Dear Senate,

I have worked extensively with several of you, especially Senator Tipitino. Enclosed is a copy of an amended resolution. Demic and I intend to make the following changes to the resolution prior to sending it to Rules Committee. Please look it over and think about it before Wednesday.

To be sure, the situation is beginning to get out of hand.

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A flyer found on a Commentator distribution rack

I found this flyer on our distribution rack downstairs in the EMU. In addition, our “take one” sign had been yanked off or flipped or something. The flyer is advertising some “love-in” for the anti-Pacifica movement.

Attention “activists”. Be advised that the Oregon Commentator distribution racks are private property, and as such citizens are subject to all laws regarding the vandalism of said property. In addition to this, the Oregon Commentator itself is public property and again, is subject to all laws regarding vandalism, theft or obstruction of its distribution.

Have a nice day.

[Update] Our Art Director, Josh, just called me and said he noticed this flyer inside one of our black outdoor distribution boxes as well. Not only is it vandalism, but it is supression of a student’s hard work in student programming, “I worked really hard on that cover–about 4 hours–and they put their Xeroxed flyer on top of it? That’s pretty shitty,” he said.

For Christ’s sake anti-Pacifica people, think about someone other than yourselves.

[Update] Phylicia Haggerty came to our office today and told us that she did not make this phone call.

Just received a phone call from some who claimed to be Phylicia Haggerty. Here’s how it went:

OC: Hello?

PH: Hi, my name is Phylicia. I just read something on your website I didn’t appreciate. Who am I talking to?

OC: Dane

PH: Alright well that e-mail was meant to be private. I didn’t send it to you, I meant for it to be between me and the [ASUO] Senate.

OC: Well it was sent to us by someone you communicated with. At that point in time, the e-mail he sent was his property.

PH: I meant for it to be private though. I don’t appreciate that.

OC: Well, I think that it really adds to the conversation about the Pacifica Forum. It’s already a part of the public domain.

PH: I’d rather it be taken down. Do you have a boss?

OC: Nope. I am the boss.

PH: Well I think it should be taken down. I never sent any of those to you.

OC: You never stated to anyone that you didn’t wish for them to be printed. Similarly, you actually did send us the second e-mail. You clicked “reply all” instead of just “reply”. You had prior knowledge of who you sent the e-mail to.

PH: I never meant for it to be published. Are you sure there’s no one else there I can talk to?

OC: Nope.

PH: So even if I come do there… where you guys at? Room 319?

OC: Yeah, I’ll be here if you want. The post will remain up though, it’s public information.

PH: So you’re not going to take it down?

OC: Nope. It says right on our masthead that we can print anything you send to us.

PH: Ok, well you’ll be hearing from me then.

OC: Ok.

I feel threatened, don’t you agree? I’m worried about my safety on campus, seeing as she knows where I am.

Today we received a disturbing e-mail from ASUO VP Getachew Kassa informing us of vandalism on campus.

Hello,

It saddens me to inform you this morning with disturbing news that has
occurred on our campus. Sinjin Carey a member of the ASUO Executive
and a LGBTQA member informed me the LGBTQA office experienced
disturbing acts of vandalism and hate over the weekend. This is wrong
and will not be tolerated. The people responsible for such a hateful
act will pay for there actions. The right folks are being informed. As
more Information is collected it will be shared.

Sincerely,

Getachew Kassa
ASUO Vice President

UPDATE: KVAL University has more information on the vandalism. It occurred sometime late Sunday night or early Monday morning. The vandalism is being reported as  a 4 foot by 4 foot swasitka on the floor of the LGBTQA office.