Editorial

What is it With Us and Fascism?

If you can't tell that the atmosphere of the University is declining, then maybe you aren't paying attention. Or drinking enough. Or both.

o The most glaring example is Publisher Andy Combs' truly disturbing yet inescapably convincing case for education-based eugenics. Taking note of the inverse relationship between a person's level of education and number of offspring, Combs offers an "Immodest Proposal" (page 14) for national reproductive regulation.

o Brandon Hartley's sad eulogy for the death of one of our campus's oldest and most stately landmarks ("The Fall of the House of Collier," page 9) is peppered with troubling evidence of the author's gnawing obsession with Benito Mussolini. "Brandon," we asked him, "How does Mussolini, or any other Italian fascist for that matter, relate to the Collier House in any way?" All we can say is, his argument was very persuasive. But we aren't going to spell it out for you. Some things should be left to the reader.

o Andrew Adam's report on the decline of the time-tested and truly honorable drinking culture within the Greek system ("Greek Life in the Year 2000," page 12) has left us filled with disgust. We never considered going Greek; indeed, we emphatically oppose it. However, now we oppose it even more. Greeks, already limited to a paltry six beers during official functions, are now moving towards abolishing booze altogether through the Select 2000 program. Right now, the Greeks are fascists who get really drunk. After Select 2000, they'll simply be fascists.

On a completely different subject, the Eugene City Council is currently considering some utterly repulsive legislation. The Eugene Police Department has introduced the "Cost Recovery Ordinance," which would penalize tenants and landlords for repeat party-related offenses. If a particular property draws a police response for a party twice in 60 days, they could be fined the cost of enforcement up to $5,000 (in addition to the standard fines for offenses).

The police are justifying this ordinance by suggesting that the number of party-related offenses has exploded this fall, and everyone, including the Emerald, seems to be swallowing this tripe.

It is tripe because the EPD has actively been seeking to increase the number of offenses. As we reported in our last issue ("Summertime, Legislation is Easy," OC, October 27, Vol. XVII, Issue II), the EPD has activated six overtime officers to patrol the West University area on weekends; in addition to breaking up parties these officers have been checking bars for minors with success. As a result, the first three weeks of fall term netted 196 MIP's in the campus area, compared to 872 during all of 1998. But has the level of student partying actually increased at all from 1998 to the present? Not as far as we can tell. The fact is, the parties have always been there; the number of party-related offenses is directly related to the extent to which the police seek them out. As Flava Flav said, "Don't believe the hype!"

Now this fictional explosion of debauchery is being used to promote the "Cost Recovery Ordinance." This ordinance, which City Councilor Bobby Lee has deemed "draconian," would be overbearing for student tenants and severely unfair to landlords

Speaking of "explosions of debauchery," what is wrong with you people? This is aimed specifically at the 0.8% of the student population who actually riot (and we love ya!). What exactly happened last Halloween weekend? We're not in the mood for excuses. Don't give us any of this "Parent's Weekend" crap. If you claim confusion over the Saturday night/ Sunday night dichotomy, you are a bunch of one-night wusses. And if any of you potential rioters actually opted for David Spade and the midnight breakfast, we would appreciate it if you set down this issue right now and never read our magazine again. You're pathetic.

By last tally, the total number of people who actually rioted Halloween weekend is 3. Yes, 3. OC Graphic editor Brandon Hartley led a hardy crew of rowdy souls to riot on the air at 2 AM Sunday night on 88.1, KWVA. Thank you, Brandon, and be proud: you were mentioned twice in one editorial, for entirely different reasons.