Drug fine increase also considered
Gay rights bill sparks legislative discussion
By GREG WASSON
Of the Emerald
Gay rights isn’t the sexy issue
it once was, but it’s still a matter
of discussion at the Legislature.
A number of bills pertinent to
gay rights have been in
troduced, but the most com
prehensive is HB 2704, spon
sored by about a half-dozen
legislators, including Rep. Mar
gie Hendriksen, D-Eugene.
“This is a comprehensive ap
proach in which civil rights laws
relating to real estate, em
ployment and public ac
comodations are amended to
include sexual orientation.”
Hendriksen repeats the oft
stated contention that the bill is
simply a matter of fair play.
Student resurrects
University ACLU
By ANN PORTAL
Of the Emerald
In response to the “new wave
of conservatism” in Washing
ton, D C., the American Civil
Liberties Union is being resur
rected at the University after two
years of dormancy.
Student organizer Steve
Schneider says he hopes to
meet the threat of a repression
of civil rights at the federal level
by reviving the campus branch
of the organization.
“What's happening in Wa
shington is going to transcend
what’s going to happen in the
state," Schneider predicts.
“All the civil rights we’ve been
fighting for during the last
several decades are in danger.”
Schneider says the campus
ACLU will have a dual purpose
— providing students with infor
mation on basic civil liberty
issues and staying informed on
ACLU activities in Washington.
Schneider, a University his
tory student and OSPIRG
member, already has held three
organizational meetings. About
12 students have signed up, he
says.
Schneider plans to hold a
membership drive during spring
term and says he thinks many
students are looking for an or
ganization to address civil rights
issues.
The University branch will not
be an independent chapter but
instead will operate in conjunc
tion with the Lane County
chapter, located in the base
ment of the Wesley Center,
Schneider says.
IFC funding will be requested
to support a campus office that
would allow the ACLU to be "vi
sible on campus" and "provide
available access to students,"
he says.
Schneider, who plans to
remain active in OSPIRG until
June, says the ACLU office
won’t duplicate services offered
by OSPIRG. OSPIRG is mainly a
research group, but the ACLU
concentrates on defending civil
liberties, he says.
The liberties that ACLU
lawyers have fought to preserve
include sexual equality, racial
justice, religious freedom, the
freedom to control one’s own
body, the constitutional rights of
students and the right to
privacy.
The ACLU currently is battling
increased surveillance by the
CIA and FBI, Schneider says.
“It’s really crazy what’s going
on. People are just sitting back
and taking it.”
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"It’s a recognition that people
are discriminated against
because of their sexual prefer
ence. It’s saying that every
Oregonian should be allowed to
work, to buy real estate, receive
goods and services without be
ing discriminated against on a
non-job, non-performance
related criteria."
And, Hendriksen is totally
dismayed that voters in places
like Eugene have referred and
abolished such legislation.
“That’s always a possibility.
There have been other places
where legislation of this type
has enacted and not been
reversed. If a majority of the
people understand these laws
and the issues, and understand
that this is merely protecting the
rights of other Oregonians, it
should pass.”
However, if Rep. Peg Jolin,
D-Cottage Grove, is any indica
tion, not everybody under
stands that.
"I have no objection to what
somebody does in their own
privacy,” says Jolin. "However,
whenever we deal with this sub
ject matter legislatively, we are
dealing with special privileges.
In the process, we take away
other people’s rights.”
Asked to enumerate what
rights she's talking about, Jolin
points to the landlord-tenant
relationship. This type of legis
lation, she contends, gives un
welcome tenants a shield to
hide behind when the landlord
attempts to evict them for legi
timate reasons.
The House Judiciary Commit
tee has been examining gay
rights bills as well as drug-relat
ed legislation, like the proposal
introduced by Rep. Grattan Ke
rans, D-Eugene, at the request
of Lane County District Attorney
Pat Horton.
The proposal raises the fines
for certain drug violations. Hor
ton explains that the bill is
necessary because of current
enforcement realities.
"With the prison overcrowd
ing, drug violaters aren’t doing
time.”
Horton says the situation calls
for the present fines, currently
limited to $2,500, to be in
creased dramatically.
The head of the committee,
Rep. Tom Mason, D-Portland,
calls Horton’s inclusion of mar
ijuana unrealistic.
"I don't think it’s applicable to
the present social situation.
This Legislature and this legis
lator are not about to legalize
marijuana. But we are going to
pass laws which reflect socie
ty’s changing values. Mr. Hor
ton’s proposal, I don't think, fits
within that category.”
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