PSU Magazine Winter 1998

its commi tments to respect the laws of war. " The above suggests not the acts of rogue elements of the Turkish govern– ment, its police and military, but long– term policy: practice which, by calculation, are fatal to humanity, opennes , and honesty in business, politics, the media, and scholarship , making the Turkish government, at thi time, no fit partner for PSU in any endeavor. George W. Gates '62 Portland, O regon Acknowledge genocide I am writing in response to the article "The Armenian Question ." It seems to be a piece that politely illustrates the two sides of a somewhat controver ial issue. It is, however, this exact a rt of article that allows and promotes dangerous ignorance and prejudice. It gives the public the impress ion that maybe the Armenians were not victims of genocide. If the is ue is be ing debated, then the accusation must be questionable. Lead ing to: Why don't all these minorities just quit comp laining about details that are after all, history. In doing just a little research, one will find that the Turkish government undoubtedly had an agenda of geno– cide in place during World War I, resulting in the murder of more than a mi lli on Armenians. It is not a question anymore. The fact is that if everyone, includ– ing those of us in Academia who are supposed to be the pillars of critical thinking, fai l to recognize, analyze, accept re pan ibility for, and deal with historical phenomena such a geno– cide, those minorities whose families were executed for existing will continue to uffer. We will be no better than Hitler himself or the seventh cavalry that massacred hundreds of freezing, unarmed women and children at Wounded Knee. Survivors of genocide have the right to be recognized. Jessica White Plume Spearfish, South Dakota State funds inappropriate Portland State University is about to launch into a poss ible po litica l turmoil by supporting a Turkish tudi es Program which uses matching state of O regon taxpayer dollar in supporting a foreign country's agenda. Reference is made to the signed contract (Deed of G ift dated June 30, 1997) with the ambassador of Turkey and the executive director of the Portland State University Foundation stating a chair will be selected fo r a N.W. Turkish Trade Council and an information clearing house on contem– porary Turkish issues. This is highly irregular and nonacademic. As Jack Yost wrote in the fa ll PSU Magazine, "... its program is like no other ..." I object to using O regon tax payers' dollars to support any fo reign trade council in our public universities. Pre ident Bemstine should be made aware of the entire ramifications before pursing this any further. The miss ion of the University should remain focused on activities for the educational miss ion of the University. If the state of Oregon has excess dollars fo r these nonacademic programs they should also lower their tuition fo r its students. C leo Adeline Rumpaki Portland, Oregon We refused South Africa As an alumnus of PSU, th e article on the new Contemporary Turkish Studies Program caused me considerab le concern . The article noted promi– nently that the Turkish government prov ided a $750,000 grant to PSU with matching funds coming from the state of O regon to set up this program, including a proposed trade council. The entire program raise serious ques– tions in my mind of academic objectiv– ity and public policy since it appears to create a partnership between PSU and a foreign government with one of the world's worst human right record . For years, the state of Oregon refu ed to have any busines dealing with South Africa due to that country's noto– rious apartheid policies. Our state took a strong moral stand on the is ue of human rights in this case. The appalling state of human right in Turkey ha been documented equally well. The University cannot allow itse lf to be perce ived as the promoter of a particular agenda, espec ially that of a government which has little re pect fo r basic human rights. That would be a disserv ice to the people of O regon. John G. Anas is MPA '89 Beaverton, O regon Trade council a concern The fa ll magazine included an exten– sive article on the new Contemporary Turkish Studies Program at PSU. Unfo rtunately, the article fa iled to address a number of serious concerns the proposed trade council and its relationship to the Turkish Stud ies Program ra ise . An advisory council was convened to examine the proposal. In their December 17, 1996, report to then– President Judith Ramaley, the advisory council specifically identified the trade council and the proposa l to have the Turki h tudie Program coordinator act a it director a cau e for concern. The advi ory council's report tated, "We wonder if it is in the interest of the educati nal mis ion of the University to have an academic program and a nonacademic unit so intimately connected .. . The promo– tion of business and trade does not appear to be particularly germane to the University's miss ion." Part icipati on in th is trade council could seriously undermine the acade– mic focus and integrity which PSU must maintain. George J. Anas is Portland, Oregon PSU Magazine wants to hear from you. Send your comments to PSU Magazine, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-0751 ; or to e-mail address psumag@pdx. edu . We reserve the righc to edit for space and clarity . WINTER 1998 PSU MAGAZINE 3