In the past I’ve seen some posts with an anti-Diego Hernandez slant to them…I figured I’d add to the flame with a message from Diego in today’s Emerald.
The best part about his letter is that it starts out with a point but quickly derails.
He doesn’t really make his point known until the very end and then, bam, he hits you with it. Change the name of Deady Hall and make the University spend money on MLK day.
With all this said, the University should take a look at itself and the injustices that exist within the institution. If Matthew Deady’s name sounded familiar to you, it is because our math department building is named after him. We should celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. by changing things within the institution to provide justice to what he stood for, starting with the renaming of the math department building.
That’s the second to last paragraph of his letter. The previous two-thirds are spent talking about racist history in Oregon, Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech, racist actions against people in other states including the Jena 6, the penultimate case of racism in America.
All of that to inform you that the Univeristy is racist because Matthew Deady was racist. Well, now it all makes sense why I felt so empowered on this campus.
Today’s ODE has a letter in response to Mohamed Jemmali’s guest opinion that ran yesterday. Unfortunately, the Emerald did not deign to also print OC Publisher Guy Simmons’ letter, so I’ll just throw it up here:
Dear Editor,
Faculty member Mohamed Jemmali should not believe everything he sees on television. The NRA did not “organize a rally” in the same town that had just experienced a school shooting. The Columbine massacre occurred ten days before the NRA’s annual meeting. The meeting was planned years in advance and was expected to draw 22,000 people. However, in respect to the victims of the tragedy, the NRA canceled all of its planned meetings except the annual member’s meeting, which was required by federal law for non-profit organizations. This is not exactly an uncaring approach to freedom of speech.
In the future, Professor Jemmali should check his sources for accuracy and bias. It is embarrassing for university faculty to repeat lies about an organization that protects our civil liberties.
… because your country’s going to tell you what to do, where to do it, and what time to report for duty, citizen.
I’d like to use this space to make Alex Conley aware of great opportunities like this, this, and this. All of these offer excellent volunteering opportunities that don’t require the creation of yet another vast and inertial government bureaucracy that uses millions of taxpayer dollars for the express purpose of violating citizens’ freedom of conscience by forcing them to labor on government projects under penalty of law.
Who wants to bet that all this enthusiasm for mandatory volunteerism will vanish the next time a Republican is in the White House?
Mohamed S. Jemmali, a member of the UO Arabic Faculty, has a guest opinion in today’s Oregon Daily Emerald delightfully titled “Approach freedom of speech with care.” A cringe-inducing headline if I’ve ever heard one, even worse when you realize he’s writing about the recent Israel/Palestine demonstrations.
I won’t bother with the first paragraph, which describes the NRA supposedly “abusing” free speech by holding a rally after the Columbine massacre. Oregon Commentator Publisher Guy Simmons is much more versed on the subject and is already penning a letter to the Emerald about it.
It’s hard to pick a real argument or point out of Jemmali’s rambling parvum opus, but this seems to be it:
On Friday, some University students decided to exercise their freedom of speech. Lately, they’ve been watching horrifying live videos of dead, innocent Palestinian children and their hysterical mothers on a major U.S. news network (surprisingly), so they decided to take on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and organized a peaceful rally on campus, where they brought “PEACE” flags to call for an immediate cease-fire.
Many other University students decided to organize another rally in the same place at the same time, and brought flags of Israel to protest against the original rally. They were certainly legally exercising their freedom of speech, but was it appropriate to try to “crash the other party”?
As anyone who was actually at the rallies could tell you, there was no party crashing to be had. The pro-Israel demonstration stayed at a respectable distance, held signs and handed out fliers. But that’s besides the point. It’s troubling that Jemmali would even suggest that there’s something inappropriate about holding a counter-protest. He seems to lack a fundamental grasp of why a liberal interpretation of the First Amendment is important – namely, the right to say things that others consider “inappropriate” or offensive.
This is all very amusing because Jemmali then goes on to say (emphasis added):
Living in America, I can’t imagine what it may feel like to live in that area in the Middle East, so I shouldn’t tell people which side is right or wrong. That’s what the UN and international laws are for. What I do know is that 9/11 happened primarily because some Muslim extremists have had enough of America’s military support to Israel.
We scooped the Emerald’s front-page story today by almost a month. Remember, everyone: It’s the small, petty victories in life that mean the most and feel the best.
The Ol’ Dirty Emerald issued an editorial two days ago against the statewide ban on smoking in workplaces that went into effect on the 1st. Seriously. And it wasn’t even all that wishy-washy. Check it out:
Cigarette smoke is undoubtedly bad for one’s health, and people should not be forced to breathe it in when they want to go out for a drink. But couldn’t there be some middle ground? Banning smoking from all but a few public places could seriously damage bar owners’ and others’ business, and is a decision that should be left up to the owners’ control. In order to curb smoking, the state could offer tax breaks to smoke-free establishments, rather than taking the most restrictive course possible. Let’s not forget that if an individual wishes to avoid secondhand smoke, he or she can simply choose not to go to establishments where smoking is allowed.
Aw, I didn’t think you guys had it in you – what with your embrace of novel concepts like “individual choice” “business” and all. Of course, the first comment on the online version makes me weep a little bit for humanity:
[sic]once again the poor victim is being abused. the smoker who won’t acknowledge the health cost of their vice for themselves or the people who are forced to exist near their areas of smoking. the smokers could have stopped, could have stopped tossing their butts anywhere, could have had establishments designate areas and require air systems but no they would rather demand freedom to kill themselves and others.
i am sorry i won’t feel sorry for smokers who are being inconvienced. and if any smoker doesn’t like it have a cold and then walk into you living area and see how your world smells to others [/sic]
I realize that this “news” came out yesterday but at the time I dismissed it as trivial (it still is). Also, I didn’t actually read the article until today while I was bored at work.
The point is that in a stunning display of “journalism” our intrepid Emerald reporter managed to get all the information about the year 1999 from one person, Tony Diep.
Sure, Diep is a self-described pop-aficiando but in an article with a head line that leads me to believe we’re actually getting a flashback this was just disappointing. Mostly this article was Diep getting to be nostalgic. Whoo.
Really though, the opening paragraph is money:
As 13-year-olds growing up in Southeast Portland, Tony Diep and his friends carefully closeted their love of bubble gum pop music. Instead of partaking in the wars waged among Britney, Christina and the plethora of 1999 boy band fans, the teens opted to lip-synch to DMX beats played on Jammin’ FM 95.5. Secretly, Diep rooted for the Backstreet Boys while his ‘N Sync-crazed friend “hated them.”
“In 1999, everyone was trying really hard to be cool,” Diep said. “It was the beginning of the crazy pop phase; a less extreme version of it.”
Our intrepid reporter seems to be talking about a coming out party here.
But before you get lost in the ridiculous that is Diep, don’t forget that Andrew Pomeroy got in on the act late in the game with two random quotes. Apparently, Pomeroy used to like Limpbizkit but now realizes that was a mistake and he hates Soulja Boy and the word “hyphy.”
Doesn’t have the same ring as Mac Court. Knight Arena. Meh.
For those who want more proof that Phil Knight and company own the University of Oregon, I refer you to the Register Guard and the Ol’ Dirty:
UO President Dave Frohnmayer was happy to comply and on Saturday, at a news conference in the Rose Garden arena just before the Papé Jam basketball double-header tipped off, he announced that excavation will begin on the Matthew Knight Arena this week. The $227 million stadium will replace 82-year-old McArthur Court — Mac Court to students and fans.
Maybe Susan Palmer just hates Nike and Phil Knight but I do enjoy the way she wrote the first sentence there. Frohny was happy to comply. Ha! Who wouldn’t be happy to comply with Phil Knight when he’s bankrolled 3 other buildings on this campus, two of which already hold the Knight name. Let’s list them: Knight Library, Lillis Business Complex, and Law School/Library.
I for one am not complaining about Knight’s money. The dude is rich, bored, and likes sports. However, other than the uniforms and various other Nike donations to UO athletics, the three buildings noted above are not athletic facilities and do support the entire campus.
Mostly I’m just waiting to hear the bitching and moaning from the rest of the UO campus and Eugene area.
I don’t normally visit the website of the Daily Emerald, mostly out of sheer laziness and some spite, but I was looking today and found this near the bottom of the page in the right-hand column:
The actual hot link says “Sex Toys” and redirects the viewer to vibrator.com. Mostly I’m just curious as to why their only sponsored link is to a vibrator clearing house. I’m not bringing this up to blast them due to some social conservatism that I have, but I’m wondering: Since when can college students afford to buy sex toys?
Maybe it’s just me and my broken wallet, but the last time I dropped $50 or more dollars on sexual pleasure I was on a date.
The ODE ran a story today on the Campbell Club incident, mainly dueling quotes between the EPD and the co-opers. I enjoyed this part for the mental image (emphasis added):
[EPD Officer] Stubbs said people were not allowed out of their handcuffs to urinate because of safety concerns.
“One man in handcuffs had to use the restroom, so we allowed his girlfriend to help him,” Stubbs said. “He was not released from his handcuffs because he had previously been threatening officers, and it was a safety issue.”
Praying: Reading the Bible and praying can distract from the fact that a person is begging. It attracts attention, but not necessarily in a negative way.
Women versus men: Women inspire more pity because people assume they are mothers or more delicate than men. However, more men panhandle, so statistically, they make more.
Be professional: Treat panhandling as a job. For most people who are begging, it’s the only option they have. If you are in this situation, be professional and work hard because it’s likely the only job you have and it’s probably your only income.
Of course it wouldn’t be an Emerald story unless the reporter interviewed one or two people. In this case, the money interviewee is “Huggy” Miller, who offers the following advice to future UO graduate panhandlers:
Miller begins the song, “May I beg your pardon my Lord,” and it continues in a lilting British accent than contrasts oddly with his round, scruffy face and flame-covered bandana. He considers his ditty an icebreaker, and said asking for change or holding a sign will only bring in coins, while a song or a rhyme brings in the bills.
Miller said he sleeps down by the river, on church steps or in people’s homes when they offer. Besides paying for food and cigarettes, his panhandling money is currently going toward a big splurge – a night in a hotel.
Yes, learn to fake a British accent and spend your money on cigarettes and hotel rooms. Now there’s some advice you can bank on in a recession.
In light of the increase of attacks on campus, today’s front page story on the OL’ DIRTY is a piece on self-defense. Although the article advises using everything from hot coffee to car antennas (antenni?) as weapons, I did notice one seemingly obvious omission. Therefore, I present this as an alternative to concerned students:
Thanks to OC Publisher Guy for showing this to me. Also, here’s Monty Python’s classic take on self-defense.
A couple of days ago, the Ol’ Dirty Emerald ran a huge front page story reporting the horrifying truth that (brace yourself) some scientists don’t think global warming is man-made. It even included a provocative headline, “A global farce?”
Needless to say, there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. I even have it on good authority that one of the ODE’s delivery boys was fired after refusing to distribute the offending issue. And then came this priceless letter to the editor by a young Mr. Tim Reams:
When Ms. Hoffman and Ms. Chase seek journalism careers after graduation, I hope they will show the courage of their convictions and proudly sport this example of their work to potential employers. Time will tell how the world will view this kind of a story, written at the end of 2008. My guess, though, is that such work will be lumped, if it isn’t already, with those that hung on to such theories as “tobacco doesn’t cause cancer,” “the Holocaust never happened,” and “some races are intellectually superior to others.” I find the denial of human-caused global warming just as offensive.
So if denying anthropogenic global warming is the ethical equivalent of denying the Holocaust, that means those who cause global warming are the same as … NAZIS! Oh, Godwin, you win again!
Welcome to the Oregon Daily Emerald’s new (maybe eventually) award-winning blog coverage of the government of the Associated Students of the University of Oregon.
We decided to create this site for the best, noblest reason, one that befits the high-minded guardians of the Fourth Estate: the ASUO governs how your money is spent (at least a miniscule quantum of the umpty-trillion dollars you pump into that Anthropology degree annually) and without the constant oversight we provide, they could use it for nefarious purposes and you would never know. That and the Commentator has an (definitely actually) award-winning politics blog. And in it they call us “The Dirty.” Sometimes even in lowercase.
To the new ASUO reporter for the ODE, I give you the same inspirational words I gave to the last one: Welcome to hell.
Last week there was the beautiful OSPIRG bashing by Matt Petryni, and yesterday I opened the Ol’ Dirty in my attempts to play Sudoku and Wordsearch during class to find this:
It is likely that 2010 and 2012 will be good years for Republicans, especially with the horde of problems facing the Democratic Party. While the Republican Party under Bush has suffered greatly and become ideologically corrupt, it is not as far gone as many currently assume. The next four years will be the true determining factor.
True, it did come from Ohio State University’s student paper, The Lantern. However, it’s not very often that you see decent commentary in the Ol’ Dirty, but somehow its happened twice in two weeks. And here I was waiting for another Ty Schwoeffermann-esque piece to make the KKK look race-friendly. Of course the letter to the editor immediately underneath this op-ed makes me wonder where the readers of the Emerald have been living for the past few years:
Racism is still alive and well in our nation. Sometimes I wonder, am I really living in the 21st century? Because the racism I have witnessed and heard seems like something from the 1800s. Haven’t we come far enough to disregard someone’s skin color, the pigmentation of their skin? Obama’s race should not matter. His policies and performance matter. I hope Obama’s leadership and performance in office will change people’s minds.
