Editorial
Rating records no
solution for parents
"I knew a girl named Nikki, 1 guess you could say she was a
sex fiend, I met her in a hotel lobby, masturbating with a
magazine, she said, how'd you like to waste some time, I
could not resist when I saw little, Nikki grind..."
This excerpt from Prince’s “Purple Rain” album is an
example of what a group that spoke during a Senate commit
tee hearing earlier this month is seeking to regulate. The
Parent’s Music Resource Center is pushing a measure that
would require albums containing lyrics that promote sex.
drugs and violence to be labeled according to a rating system
similar to the one used to rate movies. Supporters of the
group, which was founded by Tipper Gore and Susan Baker,
the wives of Sen. Albert Gore, D-Tenn., and Treasury
Secretary James Baker, respectively, claim that the system
would enable parents to better monitor their children's
choice of music.
Supporters appear to want to use the system in order to
prevent albums containing explicit lyrics from falling into
the hands of young people. But even if the effort can sur
mount the wave of opposition rallied by the music industry,
it will fail to produce the desired result.
First, if the labels are intended to indicate to parents
which albums they may or may not want to purchase for
their children, the parents nrftist buy the album, or at least
see the rating, in order for the system to work. Unless the
rating is stamped or printed on the album cover or the album
itself, as opposed to being printed on a sticker placed on the
plastic wrapping, a rating could easily be hidden from an in
quisitive parent.
And, how many parents are the primary purchasers of
their children's albums, particularly if they are teen-agers?
Area record shop employees believe that teen-agers are the
primary purchasers of rock-oriented albums intended for
their own consumption.
The album eqivalents of “X” and “R” movie ratings
would probably not discourage a large percentage of teen
agers from buying an album. On the contrary, a rating in
dicating graphic material may make the album more
desirable.
According to Jeff Hauser, the special projects coor
dinator of the Sterling Recreation Organization, a movie
distributing company, people aged 12 to 24 attend more
movies than other segments of the population. Hauser said
that the movie industry prefers R-rated movies when appeal
ing to this age group, and that the industry supports the
PG-13 rating in order to gain better access to those under 17
while still providing adult material. This may indicate that
young people prefer adult-oriented material. If this is ac
curate and if the rating system works similarly with albums,
an album labeled as containing explicit material may be
more attractive to a young person.
Also, the popularity of records labeled as containing ex
plicit lyrics may be propagated by the same mechanism that
increased the popularity of books once they had been bann
ed. Announcing that a particular book is "off limits” may be
as effective at ensuring that high school students read the
book as actually requiring them to read it. Classic examples
of this phenomenon include "Catcher in the Rye” and
"Catch-22.”
Peer pressure, which is especially intense during teen
age years, also may prompt young people to purchase
albums containing explicit material. Most of us probably
remember being chided for seeing a G-rated movie in our
teen-age years, and the proposed system may set the stage
for similar situations concerning record albums.
Also, if records with ratings that indicate explicit lyrics
generate more money, proponents of the rating system
would be faced with increasing amounts of'graphic lyrics
<iue to increased pressure on artists to produce profitable
material.
Further, the entire controversy reflects back to the days
when Elvis and the Beatles were considered to adversely af
fect the moral health of young people. It appears that teen
agers have traditionally identified with music found offen
sive by their parents in an effort to establish a separate iden
tity and independence. The rating system would simply
make it easier for young people to identify the music that the
"establishment” finds offensive.
Tte UtHfiS OF THE OiAN Ni£\C QUILTWG AND PORN WWtW S0Q6TY BSCO0? TCT ANCFtUgR
PtSGUSTiNG ROCK LYRIC.
Tax changes
Oregonians have again said
"no" to a shift to more regres
sion in taxation in the seventh
overwhelming defeat of a sales
tax. but school standards re
main threatened. In addition to
selling schools on merit , closer
attention needs to be given to
present tax programs including:
•Reversing a trend to remove
large classes of real property
from the tax roll which has
shifted an increasing load to
present payers.
•Re-examination of historical
exemptions and levying a
minimum property tax to cover
services provided for all real
property, such as police and fire
protection.
•Consideration of taxing in
tangible property, particularly
that which is income produc
ing. Such ' sources? of new
revenue could relieve cctn:
siderably- the pressure to out
local services, including
schools.
•Adjustments in state income
tax laws. Present exclusions
from taxable'income result in
overloading those now paying
this tax.
Those- who really care must
also concern themselves with a
national tax program peppered
with exclusions and loop-holes.
National leaders, by slashing
revenues and insisting on no
new taxes, have refused to
balance the federal budget. The
domino effect on Oregon’s tax
resources has been a disaster.
Each one of us needs to put a
rein on this interlude of na
tional irresponsibility. Our
representatives need to know
we've bad enough: that we
want more discipline and
fairness in federal programs of
taxation and spending, and a
return to reality.
Harold Barton
IJ of O, class of 1943
Project support
The current ASIJO ad
ministration's opposition to the
proposed Riverfront Research
Park is unwise and in opposi
tion to the healthy minds in the
University and Eugene com
munities that realize that such a
project would be beneficial to
the University. Eugene, and
Oregon.
While we must be wary of
development on the whole, we
■ must also be able to recognize
when proposed development is
more of a boon than a detri
ment. The Riverfront Research
Park is not planned to be a ma
jor industrial complex. It would
deprive the city of park land,
but this is the least we can offer
to help out the University and
the Eugene community
Although we sometimes
laugh about Eugene and her
residents, probably. every stu
dent here has an implicit.'
gratefulness for the city's retain
ed natural beauty, which Is a •
sole product of careful develop-.
ment in the past. The riverfront •
project is no exception to this
care.
I fear that the opposition to
this project is less a heart-felt"
stance than the. staging of a
political vendetta against
classified research I hope that ■
this is not the case. As far as I
can tell, students, faculty and
community members are by far
in support of the project] with,
or without stipulations on the
restriction of classified
research.
The question is. who are we
more concerned for in this
issue? Clearly, the University.
Eugene, and Oregon would
benefit from such a project'.
Who would stand to lose?
Rob Young
Senior
Letters Policy
The Emerald will attempt to print alt letters containing
fair comment on topics of interest to the University
community.
Letters to the editor must be limited to 250 words, typed,
signed and the identification of the writer must be verified
when the letter is turned in. The Emerald reserves the right to
edit any letter for length or style. Letters to the editor should
be turned into the Emerald office. Suite 300, EMU.
Oregon Daily
Emerald
The Oregon Daily Emerald is published Monday
through Friday except during exam week and vacations
by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co . at the
University of Oregon, Eugene. Oregon, 97403
The Emerald operates independently of the University
with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union
and Is a member of the Associated Press
The Emerald Is private properly The unlewful removal
or use of papers Is prosecutable by law
General Staff
Advertising Director Susan Thelen
Advertising Seles: David Wood ■ Sales Manager, Michael
Gray, Robin Joannldes, Carlos Lamadrid. Marcia Leonard,
Julie Lewis, Brett Plckman, Laura Willoughby.
Production: Vince Adams, Kelly Alexandre, Shu-Shlng
Chen, Judy Dieringer, Storm! Dykes. Manuel Flores, Steve
Gibbons, Jim Marks, Ross Martin, Mary May, Kara Oberst,
Charla Parker, Ken Parrott, Jennifer Peterson, Geotl Rain
ville, Michele Ross, Alyson Simmons, Peg Solonlka,
Gregory Tlpps. Colleen Tremaine, Mary VanCura, Steven
Waif
Production Manager
Classified Advertising
Assistant to the Publisher
Russell Steele
Vince Adams
Jean Ownbey
Editor
Managing Editor
Nows Editor
Edilonai Page Editor
Editorial Page Assistant
Sports Editor
Photo Editor
Graphics Editor
Friday Edition Editor
Sidelines Editor
Night Editor
Associate Editors
Higher Education
Community
General Assignment
Administration
Student Government
Student Activities
Julie Shippen
Diana Elliott
Jolayne Houtz
Michelle Brence
Matthew Dodson
Rob Colllas
Karen Stallwood
Ross Martin
Sheila Landry
Allan Lazo
Diana Elliott
Gary Jimenez
Scott McFetridge
Linda Hahn
Kirsten Bolin
Mary Lichtenwalner
Julie Freeman
Reporters. Sean Axmaker, Frale de Guzman, Kim Kaady,
Lisa Loving, Robert Massey, Barbara Shaw, Elaine Toh
Photographers Shu-8htng Chen, Steve Gibbons. Rob
Hare. Jim Marks, Ross Martin. Steven Wall
News and Editorial
Display Advertising and Business
Classllied Advertising
Production
Circulation
MS 5511
885-3712
888-4343
688-4381
886 5511