Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 30, 1981)
T"' ff fir.?.:* > n USTBE EGAL AGE SENTER * rf r nqrnfon io^ ,<■ ttf nudity offends YOU Do not enter. I.D. required €t aqe. ‘Hell, it’s pornography’ “If nudity offends you, do not enter," the sign warns the two women who cautiously enter Adult Books on Franklin Boulevard. At first they both stare at the floor to avoid the overtly sexual items that jumped out at them, so to speak. But their modesty soon gives way to curiosity. A soft-spoken young man sits smiling behind a glass case that displays a wide assortment of sexual novelties. The older woman walks to the counter while the other woman giggles at the novelties displyed on the wall. “Do you have any books that could ac tually help my husband and my sex life?" she asks timidly. “I might,’’ owner Mitch Hutchinson answers. “What are you looking for?" After she describes her problem, he pulls out a few sex manuals with plastic covers that contain graphic photos and explana tions. “I don’t think that's what I’m looking for," she says, flipping the pages “I don’t like this kind of thing.” “I think I understand what you’re looking for, and to be honest, you won’t find it here,” Hutchinson says, advising her to try the public library. There’s not much demand for those sorts of books, he says. Adult Books carries magazines featuring most sexual fantasies, including gay sex and explicit bondage. "Kiddy porn’’ (magazines picturing nude persons under 18-years-old) and bestiality (people having sex with animals) are violations of the law. Novelties include dildos, pornographic playing cards, French ticklers, love oils and gags — such as a penis passifier for the baby in the family. He also sells movies, greeting cards and T-shirts. Hutchinson doesn’t hesitate explaining why he’s in the business. It’s the money. “Let’s face it, that’s what everyone who has a business is in it for.” He doesn’t read the material that he calls “literary garbage.” But Hutchinson says he is helpful and doesn’t judge his customers. People from all walks of life come into the store, he says. Some are lonely, some cur ious, some bored with their marital sex. Some buy magazines, some buy novels and some buy gadgets, and “they're having fun with it.” Some magazines show violent sex. But Hutchinson says people who fantasize their perversions “maybe won’t have to go out and live them.” “The person that does it (sexual violence) was going to do it anyhow. You’ve got to lay the blame on the individual,” he says. Two theories apply to violent porno graphy, says Marcia Kraus, coordinator of the University Women’s Referral Center. The first explains that pornographic mater ial is cathartic — that fantasies act in place of reality. The other theory explains that people react from what they see. Sex material that illustrates mutuality between two people can be helpful, Kraus says. But material that shows one person doing sex to another is pornography. This emphasizes women as objects that "men can derive pleasure from,” Kraus says. Because the woman is shown merely as a body and not a whole person, it dehuman izes them. Showing "sex as mechanical, cold, and calculative takes the totality away from it,” Kraus says, and "makes it organ-to-organ instead of person-to-person.” Pornography that pictures bondage per petuates the myth that women enjoy being suppressed in sex, she says. Continual exposure to such material legitimizes this concept. A Eugene psychologist, who asked not to be identified, says that since adult book stores are considered unacceptable in society, the atmosphere perpetuates the idea that sex is dirty "To hell with it, it’s pornography," says Hutchinson. "If you don't want it, don’t buy it.” He says he supplies products at a profit, keeps his books and pays taxes like any business. But this same book store was closed in June 1979 under different ownership when Lane County Circuit Court Judge Edwin Allen ruled the store was a public nuisance Allen alleged the store’s owners allowed sexual acts between men while viewing coin-operated movies in enclosed booths. The owners, Daniel Cosset and Thomas Shaw, both of Portland, were permanently enjoined from allowing "lewd activity" in the store. The order also read that the owners couldn’t use the premises for one year unless they posted a $62,500 bond. The suit was civil, not criminal. The bond wasn’t posted and the store remained closed for more than a year. In September 1980, Hutchinson leased the store from the previous owners and began the current business without the coin-oper ated arcades Hutchinson also applied in September for a licence to operate 24 coin-operated movie arcade machines. The city has yet to decide on the license application. The city is moving slowly on the issue because it wants to be sure the same of fenses aren’t repeated, Eugene Police in vestigator Mel Olson says Clear-cut violations of Oregon's obsceni ty laws, such as bestiality and "kiddy porn" are easier to enforce than touchier issues involving constitutional guarantees of free expression In 1973 the U S Supreme Court ruled that local community standards should deter mine what material is obscene and therefore not protected by the constitution. Because Eugene hasn’t established a community standard, Eugene police of ficers rely on state statutes to determine what materials are against the law Oregon statutes already prohibit kiddy porn, beastiality and live shows. It also prohibits sale of "obscene” material to minors. Another statute declares material obs cene and illegal if it depicts in a "patently offensive manner” sadomasochistic abuse or sexual conduct. Olson says police officers only file reports with the district attorney's office when a community member complains or the ma terial is "obviously" obscene and unlawful. Story by NancyAnn Lofgren Photos by Steve Dykes Choose a diamond that says it’s forever No stone can match the fire of a diamond. It's enduring beauty has been the engagement ring choice for centuries. At Skeie’s our varied selection of diamonds and mountings sparkles with quality. Let her hand be dazzling with the elegance of a diamond from Skeie s and tell her "I love you forever," as only a diamond can. 1027 Willamette • 345-0354 February Movie Come along for the most terrifying extra-terrestrial trip ever! In space there 's nowhere to run or hide from the most horrible and indestructible force imaginable. Don't miss a single spine-tingling second. Watch it uncut, unedited and commercial free! sHownvmm AMERICA’S MOST ORIGINAL PAYTV ^^T Teieproripier of Oregor Q£myjcu\?7 484-3006 HOW TO PAY FOR MEDICAL SCHOOL (A) Get yourself accepted by an accredited Medical or Osteopathic school. (B) Call Larry DuFrain in Portland Collect (503) 221-3041 for interview. (C) Make your appointment to see if you qualify for a Naval Commission. (D) After qualifying, go to Med school with tuition and fees, books and supplies, plus a little spending money ($485 per month). (E) For more information, go to step (B). LET US PAY YOUR WAY! MONSTER BOOKIES Devour 7, get the 8th one FREE! Ask at book information desk for details. Sorry, no textbooks. Offer good through March 21. Cash register sales only ..<it'w y % o o Upstairs in the Book Department Only at the UO Bookstore 13th & Kincaid _ Mon-Fri 8:15-5:30 BOOKSTORE sat 1000-2 00 Textbooks 686-3520 • General Books 686-3510 • Supplies 686-4391 Oregon Daily Emerald classifieds get results
