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Posts tagged as “off topic”

UO students sell their blood

No, I’m not talking about student athletes trying to help Willie Taggart make his payday. This is about regular UO students selling their blood plasma to pay for their living expenses. Emerald reporter Francisca “Frankie” Benitez has the very interesting story here, with comments from a few UO Econ professors.…

President Schill reiterates UO commitment to our DACA/Dreamer students

9/4/2017: The full text of President Schill’s message here includes links to UO resources and the UO Dreamers website, here.

Members of the University of Oregon community,

President Trump this week is expected to make changes to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration policy, also known as DACA. I join hundreds of university leaders as well as local, state, federal, and business leaders in strongly urging President Trump to continue this program. I also write to let our students know that we support them, and to provide information about where our students and their families can go for assistance, should the need arise.

In a world full of ambiguities, there is no ambiguity for me about the importance of continuing DACA. My view of morality dictates that young people, many of whom were brought here as infants or toddlers, must be allowed to remain in the United States to learn, work, and make a life for themselves. The United States is their home. To uproot them would be wrong. Period.

But the argument for DACA doesn’t just rest on principles of morality; it is also good for our country. One of the reasons the United States became the greatest nation in the world is because it was founded, built, and shaped by immigrants. Millions and millions of people, including all of my grandparents, risked everything to come to the United States to escape religious, ethnic, and political oppression or to seek out a better life for their children. The very act of coming here showed grit and determination, the willingness to assume risk, and courage—just the skills necessary to build our nation. …

The UO Senate resolution from last November, written by Prof. Lynn Stephens and other members of the DACA and Undocumented Students Working Group, with cooperation from the UO administration, is here. The video of the Senate meeting is here. Minutes:

4.4 Vote: US16/17-09: Declaring UO a Sanctuary Campus; Lynn Stephen (Anthropology) et al. Lynn Stephen read the motion. She thanked President Schill and Provost Coltrane for their statement on immigration earlier in the day and for working together with the Senate. She noted that over 200 local jurisdictions throughout the United States, though not Lane County, have expressed their unwillingness to help ICE enforce immigration laws.

Motion to adopt. Presented by: _______________. Second: ________________.

Craig Parsons expressed his concern about the Senate addressing issues like this one, which asks the UO to take a position on how it will deal with federal agencies. The previous resolution focused on the university’s own values, but this one requires a political stance from senators who were not elected based on their political beliefs. Jane Cramer said this resolution will make many students she knows feel safer. Chris Chavez said it is important for the university to speak up at critical moments like this.

Vote to adopt. No – 2. Yes – all other votes. Moved/Seconded/Carried.

9/4/2017: Miserable old man finds brief joy in punishing innocent children

Politico has the news on Donald Trump’s decision to repeal the Obama directive that gave temporary residency and a path to citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants, here. Congress will have 6 months to decide to reinstate it, or not.

Sept 5 downtown Eugene rally against DACA/Dreamer repeal:

By some of the same people who organized the excellent Eugene Anti-Hate march. On Facebook here.

8/14/2017 update: Peaceful Eugene Anti-Hate march from EMU to downtown

Why I love Oregon

More great RG headlines: “Putting the fun — and education — in fungi”, here. “Here’s a mushroom that will give you a fun trip, and here’s one that going to kill you,” ,,, “Someone wants to buy old city dump near Creswell”, here. Oregon men, and dog, to face jury of their peers…