Proposed Gay Lib statute faces hearing
The Eugene Human Rights Commission
will decide Jan. 23 following a public
hearing whether to recommend that the
city amend its statutes to prohibit
discrimination on the basis of “sexual
orientation.”
Present statutes prohibit discrimination
on the basis of sex, religion, race and
national origin. The proposal, sponsored
by the Eugene Gay People’s Alliance and
the Eugene Gay Women, would add the
phrase “sexual orientation" to the list.
Members of the Gay people’s alliance
feel that the primary stumbling Mock has
been a lack of information or the presence
of misinformation on the part of Com
mission members. Some Commission
members, notably Chairer Bobby Ed
wards, feel that the issue goes deeper.
“The pattern has been that the mare the
members are made aware of the facts, the
more they realize that there is a need for
change," said Jim Hood, past Chairs- of
the Eugene Gay People’s Alliance. “As we
continue to provide information to the
commission showing that there is
discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation, they realize that there is an
inconsistency between their professed
concern for the principles of human rights
and continued opposition to our position,’’
said Hood.
Contacted by phone Wednesday, Eld
wards had a different view of the problem.
“Information and lack of it was part of the
problem, but the groups involved have
provided a considerable amount of it to the
commission I think there are some un
derlying things that are operating in some
of the commission members," said Eld
wards.
One of those underlying issues, said
Edwards, is the question of whether the
commission could handle complaints
dealing with discrimination on the basis of
sexual orientation
“Suppose for example, that an employer
has no place on an application form for an
indication of sexual orientation. If
someone is denied the job and comes back
to the commission alleging that he was
denied the job because of his sexual
orientation, we won’t have the resources to
find out if the complaint is valid or not,”
said Edwards.
“I personally think the courts and
district attorney’s office would be much
better equipped to handle this sort of
problem”
Edwards, who is Black, had another
objection. “I was insulted by the various
groups use of parallels between the Black
experience and the Gay Liberation
Movement I feel that they have been
exploiting Blacks to further their own
goals,” said Edwards
“I’ve known homosexuals and know that
there are cases of discrimination, but I
don’t see that many Gay people out
starving in the ghettos,” commented
Edwards
Edwards said the purpose of the public
hearing is to open the ultimate decision to
the public. “Up to now, we have only had
one side of it—all our information has
come from the Gay people themselves ”
At one point the Gay People’s Alliance
felt that the hearing was merely a ploy by
the commission to shift responsibility for
the decision onto the shoulders of the
community. However, Hood said they
welcome the opportunity.
“We feel we have a very strong position.
We have everything to gain through an
objective airing of the facts and con
sideration of those facts by an un
prejudiced body.”
Edwards said he felt the Gay People’s
Alliance had reason to feel optimistic
about the chances for approval. “I think it
will pass, although the commission is quite
evenly divided. If it doesn’t pass this time,
it will in the near future,” said Edwards
It is passible that the commission might
still table the amendment for con
sideration the meeting following the
hearing, because some new members will
be attending their first session, but Ed
wards said he would call for a vote on the
issue the night of the hearing.
The hearing will be held at 7:30 in the
City Council Chambers.
| Peace groups meet Saturday |
A meeting of local peace groups will be held Saturday at Is
Harris Hall from 1-5 p.m The purpose of the meeting is to §
jij; discuss strategy for the coming months. ij:
According to Rick Fitch of the Eugene Peace Center, all §
g local peace groups have been invited and the focal paint of the ||
*: meeting will be laying of plans far inaugurations day activities, | \
Jan. 20.
“This meeting will also provide an opportunity for new \\
£ people to get involved* in various peace organizations,” Fitch f:
:v said. ; •
UNIVcKblT t MKtfcl
CHURCH OF CHRIST
Ministers Herald Haskell
Rick Woodruff
9 30 Bible School
10 45 Worship
6 P .M Gospel Hour
7 P.M Youth*,
Study Groups
L.T.C.
is coining
Jan. 15
Watch for it
Complete Ice Cream Party
Items for All Occasions
BASKII ROBBIIS ]
ICE CREAM j
Hand Packed
ICE CREAM
31 Flavors
1925 River Rd.
Phone 688-9868
1365 Vi Hard Street
Phone 345-9614
[ the sound of
fillmore west
comes to Eugene
f with
with
Providence
► Two shows 7lrN p.m.
Friday. January It
Lane County Fair Grounds
S3 advance $3.50 at door
i Tickets at Sua Shop and Chrystaiship
Double Tee Productions
►
Drug survey • . .
(Continued from Page 1)
The survey was conducted in five high schools—
Sheldon, Churchill, North Eugene, South Eugene
and Thurston—and student respondents were
protected by the practice of having the question
naire results transposed to computer cards im
mediately and the original questionnaires
destroyed. Students were also assured that results
of the questionnaire would be available through
local newspapers and their schools
Carmichael says that every effort was made in
the survey to weed out "ex agger a tors or liars." One
method employed by the researchers to check such
untruthful responses was placing control questions
in the survey.
If a student said that he had used T-ST) “under a
doctor’s care only,’’ then that entire questionnaire
would be thrown out as unreliable.
Forty-eight of the students say they use
marijuana while alcohol is used by 64 per cent Two
per cent list barbiturates and another five per cent
name amphetamines. Heroin usage was reported
by one per cent of the students.
Carmichael says that drug usage in this area is
above national levels, and that the usual reason
given for this is the presence of a large University
and the unique fact that the Eugene area is a
stopping off place for West Coast travellers.
“That’s the reason often cited,” Carmichael said,
“but the truth may be the opposite—traffic coming
from the high schools to the University.”
Carmichael warns against the temptation to
speculate with the findings of the report. He said
that many people he has talked to have warned him
of a so-called “boomerang” effect of using ex
addicts as drug educators for the young. “The
rationale is,” he says, “he’s an ex-addict, he pulled
through it, so it must be okay.”
Carmichael emphasized that “causation is dif
ficult” in trying to determine the why of drug use.
Supporting him is the conclusion of the report:
“We neither have the time nor the resources to
allow guesses to substitute for knowledge and panic
programs to substitute for well-thought-out drug
abuse prevention measures.”
The Pittsburg-born Carmichael doesn’t intend to
drop the matter of testing drug education; this term
he plans to do another study—similar to the high
school survey—which will cover drug users at tjn»
Community College and the University.
He himself is the father of three children and his
interest in methods, practices and effectiveness of
drug education go beyond merely an academic
interest. He feels that the primary responsibility for
drug education still resides with the parent—they
are the ones who set the standard, ultimately, for
their children to follow.
Carmichael classifies smoking and drinking
tobacco and alcohol—as dangerous drugs, drugs
that can affect the health of the user detrimentally
He feels that many parents who smoke and drink
for the same reason their kids take drugs represent
a bad example which is hard to overcame, even with
school-initiated drug education.
“Verbally," Carmichael says of such parents,
“they say one thing; non verbally they say
another.”
Pollution authority
advised to expand
Michael Heys, of a San Francisco consulting
firm, presented a study of the Lane Regional Air
Pollution Authority (LRAPA) that dominated
discussion at the monthly meeting of the LRAPA
board of directors Wednesday night
Heys said that “increased regulation" and
“increased interest from the public" will cause
strains on the LRAPA in the future. He urged that
the LRAPA expand to alleviate the expected
problem.
Heys stated that in view of the technical nature
of the dealings of the LRAPA, the director should be
a technician instead of an administrator. He also
recommended that in view of regulations that
sometimes hamper the use of budget allocations, a
more objective budget should be adopted.
TTie board postponed the approval of an en
vironmental impact statement on five parking lots
of the Eugene Urban Renewal Agency.
In other action the board approved Emory
Crofoot of the Columbia-Willamette Air Pollution
Authority to act as a lobbyist for the LRAPA at the
state legislature.
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WORLD
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