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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 1987)
Editorial 'Rugged' Oregonians protect free speech The Oregon Supreme Court last week overturned a 1973 Oregon obscenity law, saying that the Oregon Constitution provides more protection for speech than the First Amend ment. The ruling is a profound step toward preserving civil freedoms and limiting the government’s ability to impose notions of morality on citizens in this state. In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court set a three-part defini tion of obscenity, saying that obscenity was not protected by the First Amendment. The Oregon court held that the; Oregon Constitution provides blanket protection for expres sion of opinion, saying that obscenity is a form of speech, and is thus protected by the constitution, which covers “any subject whatever.” Justice Robert Jones wrote in the court’s opinion that the drafters of the Oregon Constitution were “rugged and robust individuals dedicated to founding a free society unfettered by the governmental imposition of some people’s views of morality on the free expression of others.” Oregonians today are no less "rugged and robust individuals.” The court did leave the door open for regulation of obscenity in the interests of unwilling viewers, captive au diences, minors and beleaguered neighbors — the issue before the court was not the regulation of pornography or its display, but rather whether pornography itself is protected. The ruling comes as good news. then, for the two Oregonians convicted under the obscenity laws, but also as good news for anyone who dislikes the government setting moral standards on speech. Helms' capture of position raises ideological sword It is with great disappointment that we watch Sen. Jesse Helms become the Republican leader of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The move was a politically motivated ouster of Sen. Richard huger, who made the mistake of buck ing the conservative agenda on key issues. i.ugar led the rally on the Republican side to override President Reagan’s veto of South African sanctions, and played a key role in persuading Reagan to give up support lor Ferdinand Marcos. These actions angered Helms, who has attacked the "liberals" in the State Department for not being sufficiently anti-communist. When Lugar fought for overriding Reagan’s veto on the sanctions bill, many observers said it was political suicide, that Helms would pull seniority on Lugar to oust him from his position on the committee. Now Helms has done so. and he will bring his own peculiar brand of combative, racist ultra-conservatism to the committee, replacing Lugar’s proven ability to draft widely supported compromises. Helms now will manage floor debate before the committee for the Republican side. Despite what Republicans said after the vote to oust Lugar. the campaign on Helms’ behalf was laced with political attacks on Lugar — casting doubts on the sincerity of the faith in the seniority system Republican senators ex pressed during the vote. Seniority is now a two-edged sword for committee leadership — there is no guarantee for junior Senators that Republicans will wield seniority on their behalf if they don’t meet ideological muster. HaaoxBuer "me Denar ARKS contra BAUNce«Drae THe Homes "I’d Ilk* to b*gin tho Suit* of th* Union addrass... but Mr*t, a f*w an*cdot*«..." Sidewalks Does the University admit il literate students? Hikepaths are clearly marked. Kugene has more of them than any city in the country, jogging on concrete is supposedly harmful, and there are many jogging paths. Must we be forced to add a skateboard lane too? Sidewalks are for pedestrians those of us who walk. Douglas James Student Let him go Silas llissell is alleged to have attempted to bomb a Seattle ROTC building in 1970 As I recall, those were pretty wild times in America. (Granted, bombing buildings is not tin? most intelligent method of affecting social change, hut it could be argued those who opposed the Vietnam war were expressing their true conscience. Now. 17 years later. Silas Bissell is arrested and faces a possible 15-year prison term for his anti-war activities. Why bother to arrest a man so long after the fact when he has ob viously given up his once radical lifestyle? What can be done to make him “repay his debt"? Silas' 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 property. The unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable by law General Staff Advertising Director Susan Thelen Production Manager Wayne Michael Lottlnvllle Classified Advertising Alyson Simmons Assistant to the Publisher jean Ownbey Advertising Sales: Peter LaFleur / Sales Manager Teresa Acosta, Brent Collins, Beryl Israel. Janelle Heit mann, Laura Goldstein, Catherine Lilja, Rick Martz, Joseph Menzel, Peter Miller, Joan Wildermuth News and Editorial 686 5511 Display Advertising and Business 686-3712 Classified Advertising 686-4343 Production 686-4381 Circulation 686 5511 Editor Managing Editor News Editor Spectrum Editor Spectrum Assistant Editor Editorial Page Editors Sports Editor Photo Editor Assistant Photo Editor Graphic Editor Night Editor Associate Editors Michelle Brence Lucinda Dillon Michael Rivers Curtis Condon Stephen Maher James Young Michael Drummond Cap! Lynn Michael Wilhelm John Giustina Lorraine Rath Lucinda Dillon Community Jolayne Houtz Politics Shawn Wlrtz Higher Education / Administration Chris Norred University Affairs Stan Nelson Student Government Sarah Kitchen Student Activities Tonnie Dakin General Assignment Dennis Fernandes Reporters: Sean Axmaker. Mary Courtis. Karen Creighton, Gary Heniey, Carolyn Lamberson, Scott Maben, Janet Paulson. B J Thomsen Photographers: Sherlyn Bjorkgren, Shu-Shmg Chen Maria Corvallis, Derrel Hewitt. Bobbie Lo, Dan Wheeler Production: Michele Ross / Ad Coordinator Kelly Alexandre. Elizabeth Asher, Ronwin Nicole Ashton, Virginia Baniaga. Sandra Bevans. Sara Briscoe, Shu shing Chen, Janet Emery, Lisa Haggerty, Donna Leslie, Curtis Lott, Kelli Mason, Mike McGraw, Rob Miles! Angelina Muniz. Julie Paul, Ingrid White, X Kang Xie imprisonment would make him a drain on the system, a finan cial liability. When he emerges from incarceration, will he be a better, more productive citizen? Most likely he would come out an alienated, angry, perhaps broken man who would no doubt need a lot of assistance to have a chance at becoming any kind of social asset. I wonder how much of tax payers' money has been wasted chasing this guy for the past 17 years? Think about it. I say. save Silas the time and us the cost and forget the prison term, (live him some communi ty service to do, and let a pro ductive citizen remain as such. Moreover, the Westmoreland Tenant’s Council is establishing a satellite program of the EMU Childcare and Development Centers. Thus, the Westmoreland community will be approaching the IFC not just for a paltry $400 bail-out of the faltering daycare cooperative, but for some substantial fun ding. We are entitled to ade quate services here, where we live. James V. Munyer Westmoreland Tenant's Council Daycare Committee Chairman James Parfitt Eugene Family first The observation of and sug gestions for the Westmoreland Cooperative Preschool (ODE editorial, Jan. 22) have no basis of facts or reality. It is difficult for me to believe that you do not understand that correct analysis cannot occur with limited information. The only illustration of ”glar ing mismanagement and negligence” was that editorial! In your lofty editorial position, do you really suppose you are above accusations of defamation? Head Teacher Julie McFarland is not a public figure. Her credibility is vital to her career. Contrary to your discrediting statements. McFarland was not responsible for administration of the poorly supported cooperative. Are such ill-founded accusations as yours the only reward for such competent, dedicated people as Julie McFarland? Furthermore, your sugges tions for establishing a new ad ministrative position or hiring a consultant are ridiculous. You are suggesting expending thousands of dollars to solve a $400 problem! If you had done your homework, you would have known the issue was moot. The 1FC doesn’t lend money. The loan request was turned down before it got through the first step, which was at IFC. Heavy thought Let us honestly and candidly speak of the theory of Punc tuated Equilibria. It will pro bably be quite foreign to everyone except science majors, therefore allow a brief elabora tion. as it is generally not being taught in high schools. The theory is held by the two foremost advocates of the theory of evolution: Gould and Eldredge. They believe that evolution did occur, but do acknowledge the fact that the fossil records do not support this. Therefore, they propose that evolution occurred in “spurts” (punctuated), thus producing so few fossils that they haven’t found yet. And. contrary to our own “expert’’ McCormick (ODE, )an. 16), paleontologist S. Stanley of John Hopkins University, says this weakens the theory of evolution. The objective of this letter is to inform you that should you, in fact, be keeping up with cur rent science, you do not believe in gradual evolution. You in stead believe that unex plainable, catastrophic changes occurred in the genetic codes of each and every intermediate specie, but acknowledge that there is no evidence to support this. Leff (ODE. Jan. 14) is ask ing you to believe this with the same blind faith that he accepts this theory. Brian Frary, biology Charlie Richards, economics
