Electricity filled the lecture hall air on Wednesday night before the long-awaited debate between UO College Democrats and UO College Republicans. Vocal Republican panel supporters congregated on the right side of the PLC 180 lecture hall, equally enthusiastic Democratic panel supporters filled in the left side and everyone else found a seat somewhere in the middle or back.

Four panel members from each side of the debate discussed questions posed by two moderators, neither of which were members of the two clubs. Topics included gun control, immigration, health care and foreign policy.

Finding policy positions to agree on was a goal for the two clubs in preparation for the debate in the context of a divided political climate on campus and nationally.

At the same time, both sides iterated strong positions on topics such as gun control with Democrats calling for enhanced background checks for gun buyers while the Republican panel emphasized second amendment rights.

In regards to immigration, UO Republicans emphasized securing national borders while their democratic counterparts iterated the importance and legal precedent for sanctuary cities and states.

Originally the debate was scheduled to be on May 22, but following the death of a University of Oregon student at Shasta Lake the prior weekend both sides agreed to reschedule the debate to Wednesday night

A UO College Democrat speaks during the debate. Some common ground was found on reducing gun violence. (Mateo Sundberg/Emerald)

The structure and topics of the debate was a collaborative effort between the two political clubs.

“The UO Republicans came to one of our meetings, and we went to one of their meetings to have more of an open dialogue,” said UO College Democrats president Hannah Argento-McCurdy.

The questions were created by an independent committee, comprised of UO Republicans and UO Democrats, and panel members were not given access to the questions before the debate.

After a moderator posed a question, each panel had three minutes to respond, one minute to ask the other panel a question on their response, a two minute rebuttal and finally six minutes for the audience to ask the panel relevant questions to the debate.

On one occasion, an audience member asked why there were no persons of color represented on either panel after debate on how some gun control measures may lead to disproportionate rates of arrest of minorities.

Through some hooting and hollering of support for her question, moderator Alison Watkins said the question was not related to the issue at hand. She was met with some disdain from the audience.

“I was interested in keeping things on topic, and that was my judgement call,” said Watkins.

Most of the debate continued with supporters cheering for their respective side’s strong rebuttals or talking points. The cheering helped define each sides policy positions and how they distinguish themselves from the other side.

“I was slightly worried about this debate because I personally do not like the really intense tribalism that can result from something like Democrats vs Republicans” said audience member Sravya Tadepalli, who had asked why there were no minorities on the panel.

However, the opposing panels did find some common ground on ERPO (Extreme risk protection orders) also known as red flag laws as part of the solution for gun control. Red flag laws allow for the state to temporarily take weapons from individuals who have been petitioned by other community members as a risk to themselves or others.

The two clubs aimed to have an open discourse and to find possible common ground.

“It gave both sides an open place to safely and respectfully express their opinions. It allowed a space for debate and thought, and I think that’s the whole point of politics in America and government in general, and that’s something we need to get back towards” said Elliot Ergeson a Democratic panel member.

The debate also provided an opportunity for students to engage with the opposing side of the political debate, for example; a Democratic student hearing positions straight from a Republican.

“I wanted to put a face to the Republican ideas, and show that we’re here, we’re regular people and we want to engage,” said UO College Republicans president Quinn Milionis.

Though each panel said there were things to be improved on in the structure of the debate, Milionis was among those excited for another debate in the future.

“We want this to be the first of many debates,” he said.

The post College Republicans and Democrats debate, define their positions and find common ground appeared first on Emerald Media.

Christopher Columbus was a European explorer who exploited and enslaved native people in the Americas, but we should still celebrate his holiday on Oct. 9.

Although his legacy is rightfully tarnished by his acts under Spanish authority, his arrival to the New World should be celebrated and discussed, not covered up and forgotten by revision.

Columbus’ landing proclaimed the arrival of Europe into uncharted territory and the beginning of a cultural bridge that stretched across the Atlantic Ocean. The initial purpose of this connection was for imperialistic gain for Spain, but the long term effect of this Old World vs. New World clash was greater.

After the pillaging, enslavement and pain, what was left was a beautiful mix of blood and culture. The intermixing between Spaniards, indigenous peoples and African slaves created what is affectionately known as the ‘cosmic race.’

For this reason, Columbus Day is celebrated as “Dia de la Raza,” or “day of the race,” in Latin America to commemorate the beginning of Latino culture. Latinos would not exist without Columbus and his treacherous journey across the Atlantic, and the mark he left in Latin America is more significant than only the bad things he did while here. The mark he left still runs through the blood of Latinos across the Americas.

An example of Latino celebration of Columbus was when Puerto Rico erected a 350-foot statue of the explorer last year to commemorate his harrowing journey. The statue is taller than the Statue of Liberty in New York.

In contrast, activists in the United States are trying to intimidate leaders to remove statues of the explorer, like in New York City last month. They are attempting to erase a key moment in the birth of Latino culture in the name of justice for indigenous people. The day of Columbus arriving in the New World is more complex than the notion that he solely brought pain, suffering and imperialism to Latin America.

Columbus is not only an important figure for Latinos, but also for Italian-Americans. Even though he sailed under the Spanish flag, Christopher Columbus was Italian. There are over a half million spectators present for New York City’s Columbus Day Parade, and it is the largest celebration of Italian-American culture in the world. The explorer is an influential figure for people across multiple backgrounds.

But Christopher Columbus’ legacy becomes more unpopular each year. Many states, including Oregon, do not recognize the federal holiday of Columbus Day with a day off for state workers. In lieu of Columbus Day, many cities and states have opted to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day.

The celebration of Columbus is difficult to balance without overshadowing the Native American side of history. Columbus became an overshadowing and almost mythological figure in history, and his story sucked all the oxygen out of the room when it came to analyzing the history of the New World. Indigenous history should not be erased, and the stories and perspectives of those people then and now should be celebrated in conjunction with Columbus.

However, celebrating Columbus is not synonymous with absolving him of his flaws. Having a day to commemorate the larger-than-life moment — the opening of the Western Hemisphere to Europe – does not endorse his bad deeds.

Yes, Columbus was a brutal colonizer. No, there is never an excuse for slavery. But what does anyone gain by trying to suppress a controversial date in history?

By doing so, the tide of anti-Columbus sentiment has disrespected an imperative piece of Latino heritage and the cosmic race. Observe Columbus Day with all the good, bad and momentous aspects that come with it.

The post Sundberg: Columbus Day should not be forgotten appeared first on Emerald Media.

The Urban Echo Chamber

Oregon’s character is often defined by its urban areas: cities filled with flavorful food carts, copious coffee shops, and laid-back liberal attitudes. Due to these cities driving Oregon’s social, economic and political conversations, the voices and perspectives of rural Oregonians are sometimes drowned out.

Lane County is no exception. Eugene is the county seat and largest population center, with over 40 percent of the county’s population residing within the city. While Eugene may feel small at times, other Lane County towns such as Creswell, located 10 miles outside the city, have a population of just over 5,000 people.

Creswell on Fourth of July is classic Americana. First, the town’s families meet in the park to eat a pancake breakfast together. Then they crowd the sidewalks of the main street, catch candy tossed from floats and watch 1950s hot rods pass by as biplanes soar overhead. The spectators stretch as far as the eye can see and are packed three deep. Creswell is the poster child of small-town America.

Small Town Feel

The friendly and enthusiastic attitude of the crowd at the Fourth of July parade is an accurate representation of Creswell’s character. Michelle Amberg, a city administrator, says there is a lot to be gained from a tightly knit community such as Creswell.

“In a town like this, the real capital you have is knowing people,” says Michael Dehart, the city’s economic development coordinator.

Amberg highlights the close-knit community of Creswell saying that,“There’s no such thing as a missing animal in Creswell,” Everyone here looks out for each other, down to their pets.

While the town may seem small to those who visit, some residents remember a time when the population was substantially smaller.

“There are a lot of people who have lived here for several generations,” says lifetime Creswell resident Suzanne Holt Peterson. “I can remember when it was 800 or less people. I’ve seen it turn into a town of 5,000 people.”

Change in Creswell is often gradual, at a “Creswell pace” as coined by Mayor Stram, but in the past, the unexpected dramatically altered the course of the town.

The Fire that Changed Creswell

Months before stock markets crashed in 2008, Creswell experienced an economic tragedy of its own. The Bald Knob Veneer Industrial site burned to the ground that May. But the industrial site was not the only casualty; approximately 100 Creswell jobs were lost when the company decided not to rebuild the industrial site after the fire.

Current mayor Dave Stram remembers the devastating effects the fire had on the community and its members.

“It was a major fire, and it shut them down, and they decided not to rebuild. All that employment, just like that, ended,” he says. “During that time I was pastoring a church, and people lost jobs. Just their job was gone.”

Amberg, the city administrator says the fire affected the timber industry as well. The damage to the industry was so severe the city thought it wasn’t worth rebuilding

When the Bald Knob Lumber company decided not to reinvest in Creswell, it represented more than just a vacant industrial site; it signaled a profound shift in the town’s identity.

“That was when Creswell started to become less of a nuclear community and more of a bedroom community,” says Dehart.

Transitioning from a stand-alone town to a town reliant on Eugene has been drastic: about 85 percent of Creswellians leave the town to work each day, according to city councillor Richard Zettervall.

Losing a local mill has been a crippling blow to small towns across Oregon, but being situated only 18 minutes from Eugene turned out to be a blessing for Creswell.

“By anchoring to Eugene and becoming a bedroom community, Creswell kind of saved itself,” says Dehart.

Each passing year, Creswell becomes increasingly intertwined with Eugene; however, Mayor Stram assures that does not mean Creswell will lose its small-town character.

“We love being near Eugene, not being Eugene. We’re Creswell. We’re different. We’re unique.”

Blue State, Red City

Despite Creswell’s beneficial economic relationship with Eugene, there are stark contrasts between the philosophies of both communities.

These differences are apparent to those who understand the cultures of both cities, such as Dehart, who lives in Eugene and works in Creswell. He says the differences between the two towns appear even before he enters Creswell.

“I’d leave Eugene where I see all the Bernie signs over the hill on Dillard Road and then see the Trump signs. You get this real vivid sense of the urban/rural divide when you live in Eugene and work in Creswell.”

In the 2016 general election, 53.07 percent of Creswell voted for President Trump while only 35.17 percent voted for Hillary Clinton. The remaining 11.76 percent voted for a third party or wrote in a candidate. Eugene was the opposite — with the overwhelming majority of the electors casting their vote for Clinton.  Dehart’s observation is not unique to Lane County: While Eugene and Oregon’s large metro areas vote Democratic, Oregon’s rural communities tend to vote conservatively.

Despite the election being a national upset, Dehart was not entirely shocked.

“It was kind of less of a surprise to me when Trump got elected. Because I knew that beating heart of conservatism was around.”

The divisions between Creswell and Eugene are not drawn by red and blue lines but rather by an adherence to traditional values. Creswell, for example, voted down the sale and production of marijuana while Eugene has welcomed the new business with open arms and wallets.

Eugene’s reputation as a liberal haven is solidified by the presence of the university, which acts as an anchor for academics and social justice advocates. Dehart, an alum of the university, says that sometimes there is a bubble between academia and other parts of the state such as Creswell.

“There’s a lot of closed-minded, liberal opinions at the university,” he says. “I saw a timber harvest protest at the UO, and they were holding wooden sticks and paper signs.”  

However, he is quick to note that this phenomenon is not at all unique to college campuses and cities, saying that rural communities will have closed-minded, conservative opinions as well.

At the most fundamental level, some members of both communities refuse to engage in dialogue with one another.

An old car on Creswell’s main street (Mateo Sundberg/DailyEmerald)

The Friendly City Looks Out for Each Other

Creswell is sometimes overlooked when it comes to grants or other available state funds.

“A lot of resources are captured by the large cities. With a city staff of eight people, it’s hard to get those,” Amberg said.

With money and resources flowing to big cities like Eugene, Creswell’s community has to find its own means to combat issues in the city. That is where Creswell First steps in.

Creswell First is a 501(c)(3) community foundation that brings city money to facilitate projects that address Creswell’s issues, as well as building on prior community success.

“One of the downsides of a small community is that you don’t have as many resources available for people and that’s something else we’ve tried to address,” says Su Liudahl, vice president of Creswell First and director of the local library

In an effort to bring more resources to Creswell, Creswell First helps facilitate Women Space, a local nonprofit organization that helps victims and survivors of domestic violence.

There were 80 cases last year where women in domestic violence situations wanted to leave their situation completely. Based on how many cases reported, and possibly unreported, in such a small community, president of Creswell First Steve Carmichael made sure Creswell First stepped in to help fund Women Space in Creswell.

“It was the project that touched me most emotionally of these projects that came to us,” Carmichael says.

The spirit of Creswell shines the brightest when fellow residents need a boost in life. The Friendly City goes far and beyond friendliness.

An Open Invite

Although the city’s economic changes have transformed the way citizens work, there is still a strong sense of small town identity and culture among Creswell’s residents.

“Creswell is a vibrant community. I think it’s a healthy community, and we’re growing,” Mayor Stram said. “We’re growing at a slow pace, a Creswell pace. A thoughtful pace. We don’t have aspirations to be Eugene or Springfield. We want to continue to be Creswell. The Friendly City.”

While being only 10 miles from Eugene and the university, Creswell may seem like a blip on Oregon’s radar. This is far from the truth. Creswellians make the trek from their community to the bustling city of Eugene, and Eugenians have the opportunity to journey to Creswell to experience life at a slower pace. Stram invites Eugenians to visit Creswell with the same cordial attitude his town had on the Fourth — “come have breakfast with us.”

The post Creswell offers another perspective on life in Lane County appeared first on Emerald Media.

The Urban Echo Chamber

Oregon’s character is often defined by its urban areas: cities filled with flavorful food carts, copious coffee shops, and laid-back liberal attitudes. Due to these cities driving Oregon’s social, economic and political conversations, the voices and perspectives of rural Oregonians are sometimes drowned out.

Lane County is no exception. Eugene is the county seat and largest population center, with over 40 percent of the county’s population residing within the city. While Eugene may feel small at times, other Lane County towns such as Creswell, located 10 miles outside the city, have a population of just over 5,000 people.

Creswell on Fourth of July is classic Americana. First, the town’s families meet in the park to eat a pancake breakfast together. Then they crowd the sidewalks of the main street, catch candy tossed from floats and watch 1950s hot rods pass by as biplanes soar overhead. The spectators stretch as far as the eye can see and are packed three deep. Creswell is the poster child of small-town America.

Small Town Feel

The friendly and enthusiastic attitude of the crowd at the Fourth of July parade is an accurate representation of Creswell’s character. Michelle Amberg, a city administrator, says there is a lot to be gained from a tightly knit community such as Creswell.

“In a town like this, the real capital you have is knowing people,” says Michael Dehart, the city’s economic development coordinator.

Amberg highlights the close-knit community of Creswell saying that,“There’s no such thing as a missing animal in Creswell,” Everyone here looks out for each other, down to their pets.

While the town may seem small to those who visit, some residents remember a time when the population was substantially smaller.

“There are a lot of people who have lived here for several generations,” says lifetime Creswell resident Suzanne Holt Peterson. “I can remember when it was 800 or less people. I’ve seen it turn into a town of 5,000 people.”

Change in Creswell is often gradual, at a “Creswell pace” as coined by Mayor Stram, but in the past, the unexpected dramatically altered the course of the town.

The Fire that Changed Creswell

Months before stock markets crashed in 2008, Creswell experienced an economic tragedy of its own. The Bald Knob Veneer Industrial site burned to the ground that May. But the industrial site was not the only casualty; approximately 100 Creswell jobs were lost when the company decided not to rebuild the industrial site after the fire.

Current mayor Dave Stram remembers the devastating effects the fire had on the community and its members.

“It was a major fire, and it shut them down, and they decided not to rebuild. All that employment, just like that, ended,” he says. “During that time I was pastoring a church, and people lost jobs. Just their job was gone.”

Amberg, the city administrator says the fire affected the timber industry as well. The damage to the industry was so severe the city thought it wasn’t worth rebuilding

When the Bald Knob Lumber company decided not to reinvest in Creswell, it represented more than just a vacant industrial site; it signaled a profound shift in the town’s identity.

“That was when Creswell started to become less of a nuclear community and more of a bedroom community,” says Dehart.

Transitioning from a stand-alone town to a town reliant on Eugene has been drastic: about 85 percent of Creswellians leave the town to work each day, according to city councillor Richard Zettervall.

Losing a local mill has been a crippling blow to small towns across Oregon, but being situated only 18 minutes from Eugene turned out to be a blessing for Creswell.

“By anchoring to Eugene and becoming a bedroom community, Creswell kind of saved itself,” says Dehart.

Each passing year, Creswell becomes increasingly intertwined with Eugene; however, Mayor Stram assures that does not mean Creswell will lose its small-town character.

“We love being near Eugene, not being Eugene. We’re Creswell. We’re different. We’re unique.”

Blue State, Red City

Despite Creswell’s beneficial economic relationship with Eugene, there are stark contrasts between the philosophies of both communities.

These differences are apparent to those who understand the cultures of both cities, such as Dehart, who lives in Eugene and works in Creswell. He says the differences between the two towns appear even before he enters Creswell.

“I’d leave Eugene where I see all the Bernie signs over the hill on Dillard Road and then see the Trump signs. You get this real vivid sense of the urban/rural divide when you live in Eugene and work in Creswell.”

In the 2016 general election, 53.07 percent of Creswell voted for President Trump while only 35.17 percent voted for Hillary Clinton. The remaining 11.76 percent voted for a third party or wrote in a candidate. Eugene was the opposite — with the overwhelming majority of the electors casting their vote for Clinton.  Dehart’s observation is not unique to Lane County: While Eugene and Oregon’s large metro areas vote Democratic, Oregon’s rural communities tend to vote conservatively.

Despite the election being a national upset, Dehart was not entirely shocked.

“It was kind of less of a surprise to me when Trump got elected. Because I knew that beating heart of conservatism was around.”

The divisions between Creswell and Eugene are not drawn by red and blue lines but rather by an adherence to traditional values. Creswell, for example, voted down the sale and production of marijuana while Eugene has welcomed the new business with open arms and wallets.

Eugene’s reputation as a liberal haven is solidified by the presence of the university, which acts as an anchor for academics and social justice advocates. Dehart, an alum of the university, says that sometimes there is a bubble between academia and other parts of the state such as Creswell.

“There’s a lot of closed-minded, liberal opinions at the university,” he says. “I saw a timber harvest protest at the UO, and they were holding wooden sticks and paper signs.”  

However, he is quick to note that this phenomenon is not at all unique to college campuses and cities, saying that rural communities will have closed-minded, conservative opinions as well.

At the most fundamental level, some members of both communities refuse to engage in dialogue with one another.

An old car on Creswell’s main street (Mateo Sundberg/DailyEmerald)

The Friendly City Looks Out for Each Other

Creswell is sometimes overlooked when it comes to grants or other available state funds.

“A lot of resources are captured by the large cities. With a city staff of eight people, it’s hard to get those,” Amberg said.

With money and resources flowing to big cities like Eugene, Creswell’s community has to find its own means to combat issues in the city. That is where Creswell First steps in.

Creswell First is a 501(c)(3) community foundation that brings city money to facilitate projects that address Creswell’s issues, as well as building on prior community success.

“One of the downsides of a small community is that you don’t have as many resources available for people and that’s something else we’ve tried to address,” says Su Liudahl, vice president of Creswell First and director of the local library

In an effort to bring more resources to Creswell, Creswell First helps facilitate Women Space, a local nonprofit organization that helps victims and survivors of domestic violence.

There were 80 cases last year where women in domestic violence situations wanted to leave their situation completely. Based on how many cases reported, and possibly unreported, in such a small community, president of Creswell First Steve Carmichael made sure Creswell First stepped in to help fund Women Space in Creswell.

“It was the project that touched me most emotionally of these projects that came to us,” Carmichael says.

The spirit of Creswell shines the brightest when fellow residents need a boost in life. The Friendly City goes far and beyond friendliness.

An Open Invite

Although the city’s economic changes have transformed the way citizens work, there is still a strong sense of small town identity and culture among Creswell’s residents.

“Creswell is a vibrant community. I think it’s a healthy community, and we’re growing,” Mayor Stram said. “We’re growing at a slow pace, a Creswell pace. A thoughtful pace. We don’t have aspirations to be Eugene or Springfield. We want to continue to be Creswell. The Friendly City.”

While being only 10 miles from Eugene and the university, Creswell may seem like a blip on Oregon’s radar. This is far from the truth. Creswellians make the trek from their community to the bustling city of Eugene, and Eugenians have the opportunity to journey to Creswell to experience life at a slower pace. Stram invites Eugenians to visit Creswell with the same cordial attitude his town had on the Fourth — “come have breakfast with us.”

The post Creswell offers another perspective on life in Lane County appeared first on Emerald Media.

I sometimes imagine what it will be like when I go back to Tualatin, the suburb of Portland where I grew up, in fifty years. I used to have a rosy dream that I would come back and nothing would have changed; however, in fifty years, with the rapid spread of globalization, it is likely that I will see nothing familiar, if only the dead carcass of a town I grew up in.

This sentiment is being felt right now by many older citizens of France during their presidential elections. The sudden advent of globalization and increased immigration has changed the French landscape and has many yearning for the France they once knew.

The runoff election features two candidates: one being centrist and pro-EU candidate Emmanuel Macron and the other being Marine Le Pen, who is a nationalist and supports France breaking with the European Union.

What is most notable about Le Pen’s political stances is her strong position against more immigration into France. During a rally before the first round of presidential elections, which were on April 23, Le Pen questioned whether we will “be able to live much longer as French people in France, while entire neighborhoods are being transformed.” Le Pen went on to say, “It is right for us not to want our country transformed into a mere corridor, a giant railway station.” This protectionist stance for France exposes the growing feelings of angst and worry about where French culture is going.

I recently interviewed Professor Connie Dickey from the University of Oregon’s French Department about the upcoming French presidential runoff election.

“The very rapid and very stark changes are making a whole generation, actually multiple generations, ask that question of what it means to be French,” Dickey said.

Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen oppose each other at a time when the election of leaders like Donald Trump is causing countries to question their identity. (Creative Commons)

What many people view as “French” is what Dickey refers to as “La France Profonde,” or the deep France in the countryside that is the heart of French cuisine, language and customs.

However, as Dickey explains, due to globalization young people move out of their hometowns to large cities where there are more jobs. In turn, there has been a decline in these French country towns that hold so much of France’s culture, and this is tied to the decline of ‘Frenchness.’

“There are people in their fifties and sixties who have tried very valiantly to keep their regional traditions alive amongst the young people,” Dickey said.

Despite the efforts being made to preserve the ‘Frenchness’ of towns, she said, “they’re dying.” She paused and said, “It doesn’t matter. Their efforts will eventually fade as each generation cares less and less.”

The imminent death of what so many hold onto as their own, as their culture, how they see France and how they identify their hometown is rapidly deteriorating and disintegrating into the wind. It gives me pause. This phenomenon is not isolated only to France or Europe — it has happened and will continue to happen here in the United States.

“You will remember things that you grew up with, and eventually those will go too,” Dickey said. “You see the richness of it. You see what the value is.”

This hits me hard. Soon, I will be old and the world will have changed without my consent, for better or for worse. My once recognizable hometown will be foreign to me. This is something that so many people of older generations in France are experiencing right now as they see their once thriving regional towns and local cultures slowly die as the newer generations decide to go in a different direction. It is hard to blame many French people for voting for a return to what they held as beautiful and right about their country. I cannot pretend that I will always be immune to that impulse.

The train of globalization has already left the station because the momentum it has gained is now almost irreversible. The dramatic change from our new world economy has already swept across towns that relied on local industry, and the effects from this emphatic shift are starting to be felt culturally and politically. 

Young people should take pause when thinking about the onset of globalization, as well as the higher levels of artificial intelligence that will inevitably replace many jobs, and take into consideration the effects that it may have on the way a nation identifies with its culture. The situation in France is a testament to that conflict.

The post Sundberg: French elections question how culture will live on appeared first on Emerald Media.

One of the main foundations for democracy is the concept of having an adversarial system, where ideas are debated against each other in a sparring manner. Arguments are fine-tuned through the process of being torn down, picked away and challenged by the opposition.

A great example of this practice is in the British Parliament, where once a week, the prime minister from the ruling party goes through a rigorous debate with the leader of the opposition party. The questions thrown at the prime minister are strong and direct, unlike some questions lobbed at politicians by the media in the United States. The questions, in turn, elicit surprisingly concise and poignant responses from the prime minister, revealing clarity in the ruling party’s ideology.

Without this strong practice of adversarial politics there is the likelihood of parties and politicians becoming lethargic with their policy initiatives. With it, however, not only is there an accountability to voters but also an accountability to the opposition party, proving that the government is not just being controlled by empty suits.

The United States Congress often lacks this adversarial tradition. Instead of the high energy and quick back and forth debate between leaders of the two parties, there are long monologues and a rehashing of positions that are not being tested in that very moment — the dissection and rebuttal of their position often comes later, in another monologue or through the media. Trump would not want to be questioned or grilled by opposition Democratic lawmakers in a debate, and he shies away from this adversarial practice.

Bringing this idea back home, the ASUO election featured only one running slate, though the lack of competition does not disqualify the slate from potentially being great stewards for the University of Oregon. From top to bottom there is a wealth of qualified people for ASUO next year.

However, part of the process of fine-tuning and growth does come from a competitive campaign season. Though in the past there have been ugly moments during the election season, the tradition of debate will be missed. Being accountable to not only the electorate, but also being pushed to a higher standard by an opposing party is what modern nations are built on.

What is missing from the ASUO’s structure is that opposition party that shares some stake in decision-making powers throughout the year. After the campaign, the newly elected slate is still accountable to the student population and is under the eye of the media, yet it is missing the compromise and deal-making with formal decision makers of a different view point. The current system could benefit from the multifaceted accountability structure that many governments have built-in.

Though there is the possibility that this would make governing more difficult throughout the year, the case for having a built-in opposition slate serving as a small stakeholder in decision-making within the ASUO is still strong. The ruling slate’s plans and ideas for governing would be under constant review and scrutiny from the opposing slate which would help to continue and refine the majority slate’s governing, an example being the governing in the UK. Students on campus may not have enough time or constant commitment to keep up to date with ASUO’s decisions and policies, and a governing opposition slate would be able to help in keeping policy in check. It would be beneficial for students to consider that perhaps our campus democracy isn’t as functional as it should be and that we need a system that establishes an opposition party, so that even in years with one slate, there is guaranteed accountability to the campus community — this election and beyond.

Another benefit would be a higher likelihood that more students can be directly represented in the ASUO if another slate is present at all times throughout the school year, and could serve as a go-to place for students with qualms with the slate. Additionally, an insurgent slate that runs heavily on one key issue, such as tuition, could keep key issues that students want alleviated in the spotlight throughout the entire school year. While there wasn’t an opposing slate in the election, a platform within the ASUO that remains keenly critical of the organization’s actions could help fill the role of an opposing slate without the drama of elections and pressure of acting as president or vice president.

Overall, there is a lot to be desired for this spring term. The fantasy that a civil, eye-opening and respectful campaign season would be happening this spring (unlike a certain election last fall) will not happen. Fatigue for any election at any level may be at play, but the democratic tradition of adversarial politics can be invigorating.

Students should want even more than just another slate to choose from in their election. This unique election invites some new and unique ideas. Students should push for an adversarial form of government in ASUO, where the ruling slate is held to a higher standard by an internal opposition slate and more opportunities for representation are available. 

Follow Mateo on Twitter @MateoSundberg

The post Sundberg: Finding ASUO solutions after a one slate election appeared first on Emerald Media.

What hasn’t been done has already been done before. Music, film or literature that is new and innovative may not be appealing to a broad swath of the general public, and hence techniques to appeal to the lowest common denominator emerge. One method of choice is the practice of sampling in music.

Sampling is when an artist takes a snippet, or often times a larger piece, of another artist’s music in order to create their own “new” music. The new song is built and relies on the sample. This varies from a simple starting point to create more original music to near rehashing of music with slight variations made to it.

In a TED talk, English DJ Mark Ronson, who created the popular “Uptown Funk” with Bruno Mars, described and went through a large amount of evidence revealing a recycling of melodies in pop songs. One example is the numerous times Slick Rick’s “La Di Da Di” has been used — over 500 times — in hip hop and pop songs. Sometimes it is a sample of Slick’s catchy “La Di Da Di” mixed into a larger composition, but sometimes it is a rehash of the song’s melody, which Miley Cyrus did in her hit song “We Can’t Stop.” In this example, the line between sampling and stealing is blurred and difficult to distinguish.

On the one hand, artists find inspiration and a creative spark when listening to other artists from the past or current soundscape. The liberal nature of music has created an environment where creative whims can be explored with little fear of repercussion. The free marketplace of music creation yields results that are lackluster and results that are outstanding.

On the other hand, there is a difference between sampling in order to create music. It often comes from picking and choosing from obscure titles from past generations. Trying to insert oneself into the sound and feeling of that music, when they grew up listening to it, is fair and noble by resurrecting a feeling of familiarity to anchor a new song. This evokes memories and experiences from past times. Yet the example of Miley Cyrus using the tune of “La Di Da Di” in her song “We Can’t Stop” is suspect, because she was not even alive when Slick Rick released that original track. Borrowing elements, not wholesale melodies and tunes, is what sampling, hip-hop and pop music can thrive on to continue creating music that our generation loves, and that holds itself to a high artistic standard.

The recycling of some music is understandable. Like fashion, music trends come, go and resurge. What speaks to one generation can ring true for another farther removed, and this speaks to shared experiences and emotions across generational divides.

Apart from the discussion about the tastefulness or ethics of sampling is the legal issue of copyright protections for songs, and how the law can be interpreted in numerous ways. Questions that arise stem from the main question of whether a song’s copyright only protects the entire embodiment of the song from being copied, or whether that copyright extends to protecting even the smallest snippets.

This question was answered in the United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in the Bridgeport Music INC. v. Dimension Films. The case involved the rap group NWA, where they had sampled a two second guitar riff from a Funkadelic song without their permission. The court ruled that even the smallest snippet of a song is still protected by copyright laws.

Though the protection of songs in their entirety should undoubtedly be protected, and even major melodies or choruses, the insistence of artists, big or small, to receive permission for a handful of notes to create something new and beautiful stifles creation.

The consequences for having too strict of copyright regulations will be detrimental for the music industry. Setting a barrier that’s too high for artists to grow and experiment with music will keep many young and budding artists out of the music picture. Copyright laws should be reformed so that small, one to five second samples can be used for artistic purposes without expressed permission from the original artists, while still protecting the copying of the entire song or major elements such as the chorus, lyrics or melodies. Having a reformed law on copyrights that is stricter in some areas, while more relaxed in others, will lift a large burden off of the shoulders of individual artists. This change would simplify the creative process for young artists while also preventing the tasteless recycling of other artists’ work.

You can follow Mateo on Twitter @mateosundberg

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Merrick Garland’s long, strung out and painful nomination process came to an end on Jan. 3 of this year after the Republican-controlled Senate’s insistence on not holding hearings for President Obama’s nominee.

The responsibility to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat fell into the lap of President Donald Trump, and last week he announced his nominee: Neil Gorsuch. Neil Gorsuch hails from the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and has been a law clerk for current Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. He holds degrees from Columbia University, Harvard University and Oxford University.

His resume is long and accomplished, yet Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer has hinted at a long confirmation battle for Neil Gorsuch to get the necessary 60 senate votes for him to join the ranks of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Samuel Alito. This is in part a retaliation over the controversial tactics used by Senate Republicans last year, but also because some of his rulings on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals have been controversial and Democratic leaders have worried that a Trump nominee may be unpredictable.

This is because Gorsuch has been described as being out of the mainstream of contemporary legal thought. He has been described as a “strict constitutionalist” and “originalist”, which encompasses the idea that the Constitution should be read and interpreted by the original meaning of the founding fathers as closely as possible. This falls within the same vein as the late Justice Antonin Scalia.

The ideology of originalism promotes stability in the interpretation of constitutional law by removing a judge’s ability to inject their opinion into a case because they are bound to the constraints of the founding father’s original meaning behind the constitution. Conversely, in the school of thought where the constitution is viewed as a “living document”, a judge is given the immense responsibility of making decisions that they see best fit our country’s current climate and needs.

However, the Supreme Court seems to have a more ideological divide that is stronger and more profound than how we should interpret the Constitution. An ideological line exists that is political, and not simply intellectual. Supreme Court justices that were appointed by Democratic presidents side together on important cases while justices appointed by Republican presidents stick together.

Neil Gorsuch is an “Originalist,” but he is also a Conservative. His decisions on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals reflected a conservative world view where he made decisions that upheld defunding Planned Parenthood, defending religious freedom in Hobby Lobby Stores v. Sebelius, and protecting police officers over use of force.  A majority of his decisions and ideas are in line with President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. He is seen as someone who will be reliable to their executive and legislative agendas.

When he was a student at Columbia University, however, he wrote opinion pieces showing a commitment to free speech, and to having a rich marketplace of thoughts and ideas. He believed that the university should limit its regulation and interaction with student affairs so that an intellectually rigorous and diverse community could blossom.

In this respect, Neil Gorsuch can become a champion and protector of civil liberties and rights on the Supreme Court, which will help and benefit all people if it is implemented in a thoughtful and concise way. These civil liberties should be implemented on a case by case basis, and not in a one size fits all approach to business and universities which have vast differences.

Additionally, commentators on both ends of the political spectrum have lauded his commitment to the rule of law, and how he is someone who is willing to rule against the Republican party when their actions have overreached their constitutional bounds. His temperament is balanced and thoughtful, and he is someone who can be a counterweight to the chaotic politics in legislative and executive branches.

In terms of the future for the Supreme Court and how their judicial decisions will affect the trajectory of the United States, people should not fret a radical change in the court’s balance. He is a conservative originalist who is replacing another conservative originalist, and on major cases where the court uses a strict level of scrutiny, one would expect a similar divide on the issues with Justice Kennedy or Chief Justice Roberts possibly swinging over to the more liberal wing of the court.

With all aspects of Neil Gorsuch taken account for, he should be confirmed as our nation’s next Supreme Court Justice. Aside from his politics, his character reflects one of a justice who is composed, and he will strengthen the Supreme Court’s duty of being a balance to the other branches of the government.

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Being an “American” is an identity and name that many citizens and residents of the United States use to identify themselves. It is used exclusively in popular culture, literature and journalism in reference to the citizens of this country of 318.9 million. Being American is synonymous with being a part of a country that values democracy, freedom and the pursuit of happiness.

However, these traits are not exclusive to the United States. In fact, these ideals and commitments to justice appear in a multitude of constitutions across the world. These ideas are most poignant and sacred in a specific area of the world: North America and South America. This suggests a common history and heritage among all nations in the Americas, not just the U.S.

Therefore, we do not own the title of “Americans.” This is a title for all people in the Americas, from the top of Canada to the bottom of Chile.

There are plentiful examples for the shared ideals among the nations of North and South America. For instance, in the Chilean constitution, there are specific protections for “freedom of conscience” and “the right to personal freedom.” These are not foreign ideas for the typical U.S. citizen; they actually sound quite familiar to amendments in the United States’ Bill of Rights and its protections of a citizen’s “life, liberty, or property” in the Fourteenth Amendment, as well as the freedom of speech in the First Amendment.

Detractors may say that many nations in Latin America do not abide by these principles (Chile had the brutal dictator, Augusto Pinochet, from 1973-1990) and do not share this commonality with the democratic U.S. Though many Latin American nations have been dominated by dictators and strong armed governments in the past, the people have rejected these governments based on their inherent beliefs of individual rights and the rule of law.

Common themes such as these are found throughout the constitutions of nations in North and South America. They show a shared and common appreciation for values of individuality and protections from the government. 

The story of the U.S. revolution has been told numerous times, and it is a fixture in history for the colonists’ rejection of the colonial empire of Britain. This led to a spark of revolutions in Central America and South America during the 19th century against the colonial empires of Spain and Portugal, which had reigned in similar injustices on the native people. This period of change and growth through revolution is a truly unique period in history, and triumphant in its successes. The liberation of modern day Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador was led by the revolutionary leader Simón Bolívar, who is immortalized in a similar way as our own George Washington. It was portrayed as a common struggle for all of the Americas, as one people, to fight back against tyranny and create nations that represent the people of the Americas.

There is historical precedent for this idea of a collective American identity across North and South America. In fact, often during the 1800s, on the Fourth of July people of the United States would celebrate the triumphs of Latin American countries in their respective revolutions. This patriotism also translated into actual policy: the United States was one of the first countries to extend diplomatic recognition to the countries of Peru, Chile, Argentina, Mexico and Colombia.

The Americas have faced similar contemporary problems as well. Almost every nation in the Americas has indigenous people, some of whom have been untouched by the outside world and have their own unique cultures and languages. Should there be a process of assimilation? Should they be left alone? How are past wrongs made right again?

These are questions that nations such as Ecuador have tried to answer by having programs, museums and initiatives that preserve the indigenous language Quechua. The United States has taken similar actions and should continue to learn from and follow countries like Ecuador. With all of this accounted for, it is difficult to justify how the United States gets sole use of the word “American.” American culture is not restricted to the culture of the United States, it is the shared culture among all nations of the Americas which transcends borders and languages.

Now the problem is, what do we call people of the United States? Unfortunately, “United Statesians” does not roll off the tongue well.

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McDonald’s is the rock for American society. It is not a local community center run with government funds which boast a wide array of programs and events for little or no cost. It is not the public library with free books, DVDs, CDs and even video games to borrow. No, it is our local McDonald’s; each and every single one of the 14,157 restaurants in the United States have a unique community that defines the American experience.

I would have never come to this idea on my own. Whenever I used to walk into a Mcdonald’s, I would only see the generic uniformity in the decor, food and experience of the fast food chain. I only saw it as a place to satisfy my hunger in exchange for a reasonable price. It was a large corporation without a face.

That was the case until I saw Chris Arnade’s article and photos in The Guardian about his documentation of the vibrant communities that are alive in McDonald’s lobbies across the nation. His exploration of the groups of retirees meeting every morning for coffee, the numerous different Bible studies and the portrait of a couple stopping into their local McDonald’s on their wedding day were all beautiful in simply their description.

These people blend into the background. They are quiet and easy to miss. This part of America congregates at McDonald’s thanks to their low prices and open arms. McDonald’s welcomes respectful customers to stay as long as they want, where they can read, laugh and share the joys and pains of life for hours on end. Some even have live music for their loyal regulars. Along with its generous table policy, the low price for a coffee in the morning, unlike many pricey and chic cafes,  does not discriminate against many people in the United States who live on a tighter budget. For many people, especially retirees, a morning cup of coffee with other regulars in the lobby is their only community where they can talk about the smallest whims of their imagination to the heavier parts of life. McDonald’s perfect formula of affordability, location and welcomeness creates the lowest common denominator for all people to come and congregate.

It has been easy for me to dismiss and forget, but part of my own life has been shaped by this American institution. When I was in preschool, my mom tells me that some evenings we would walk over to the McDonald’s on Scholls Ferry Road for a late afternoon snack, so that she could rest after a long day at work by not having to prepare another meal and let me run around in the extravagant PlayPlace.

During middle school and high school, I remember going to the McDonald’s on Boones Ferry road to eat with friends after school, or after a late Friday night football game because no other places to eat would be open, and it was easy to stretch a $5 bill at McDonald’s. It was the almost universally palatable choice for a group of high school kids. You may not love the typical hamburger, but the large and diverse menu had something for everyone.

I now feel a shared experience with the people at McDonald’s. The kids I see running around in the PlayPlace or the group of teenagers are no longer fixtures in a set but living, breathing and dynamic people who I also was at one point. We all do not have much in common; however, our shared presence in the lobby of McDonald’s speaks volumes about what we as Americans have in common.

When I was back at my parents’ house over winter break I went to the McDonalds on Pacific Highway in King City, Oregon. King City is a community of “55 years and better” neighborhoods, and the city boasts a library and golf course catered to their retirees. I strolled in on a Thursday morning and I found a small group of older gentlemen having a quiet and subtle conversation over a cup of coffee. These were folks who do not care too much for anything “fancy” or “special.” They understand what is important: the people who you are with, and supporting those you care about through the short journey of life.

In that moment I could see myself in their booth—talking, laughing, reminiscing in the lobby of the restaurant that is welcome to all people.

I have grown up and will continue to grow with the patrons of McDonald’s who are the heart and soul of this nation. It is hard to find a place more beautiful and pure.

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