Editorial
La
Alcohol-server law
should be improved
Oregon’s new alcohol-server education law is a step in
the right direction as a means to enlighten alcohol servers
and consumers about the dangers of excessive drinking, as
well as a good way to reduce insurance liability for owners
of drinking establishments. However, there are some flaws
to this piece of legislation that should be corrected.
For starters, the exam fee for the mandatory course is too
high, ranging from $25 to $45. and in some areas the cost
may even be higher. Those on fixed incomes, or who only
work part-time will find it difficult to figure the cost of the
program into their budgets.
Moreover, individuals who serve alcohol should not
have to bear any of the cost for taking the course —
restaurant and bar owners should. Owners are in a better
position to pay for their employees’ exams because they can
pass the cost on to the consumer by raising drink prices.
While many would criticize this suggestion as being un
fair to owners and the drinking public, price increases
would be temporary and spread out over a greater segment
of society. Essentially, this would be more fair than the cur
rent system, for the alcohol-server law was designed to pro
tect everyone — not just those who serve drinks — and so it
follows the greater whole should bear the cost.
The law could also be improved if alcohol servers had
the option to read the 30-page booklet and then take the ex
am, rather than being required to attend the five to eight
hour course. If one could read the booklet and pass the ex
am, taking the course would be redundant.
The public would be wise
to keep an eye on Bennett
While we applaud City Councilor Rob Bennett’s deci
sion to abstain from voting on amendments to the city’s
condominium-conversion ordinance, there are still ques
tions regarding his participation in the final decision on the
proposal that we believe should be addressed.
Although the city’s attorney decided that Bennett does
not have conflict of interest because he has yet to announce
his intention to convert his Kugene Manor apartment com
plex to condos, we have our doubts that will stop him from
playing a prominent role in the city’s final decision.
Bennett, a real-estate developer, pushed for the change
in the condo conversion ordinance when he was on the
Eugene Planning Commission last year. The ordinance
change would suit Bennett just fine as he would no doubt
benefit from converting Eugene Manor into condominiums.
And even though he won’t be voting on the ordinance’s
change per se, he will still have a hand in the decision mak
ing process. As City Councilor, he’ll have access to the City
Council’s ear. Herein lies the other conflict of interest not
addressed by the city’s attorney.
Bennett undoubtedly will lobby strongly for changing
the condo conversion ordinance. Although it’s not illegal for
him to do so, there are ethical considerations at stake here.
Bennett has friends in high places, and his word carries a lot
of weight.
It would be naive to think that he will not pull some str
ings to get what is most beneficial for him. For this reason it
would behoove those who would be affected by the City
Council’s decision to keep a close eye on the council, as well
as City Councilor Rob Bennett.
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Letters
Obscenity
Oregon's Supreme Court
rules that “obscenity is pro
tected under the state constitu
tion's guarantee(d)... right of
free expression.” From this
quote—the entire substance of
the story it broached in four
obscure column inches of
space—I infer that:
(Firstest—the Oregon Supreme
Court, like the obscenity its rul
ing countenances, is itself
constitutional.
Secondish — the Court
couldn't have touched the anti
obscenity prohibition it struck,
if that prohibition was an
organic part of the constitution.
Thirdlike—if thus constitu
tional. its clear interpretation
and specific application pur
suant to public conscience
should be easier than
negotiating the ground-fog of
ERA shrouding the brow of its
precipice.
l^astmost—effectual “censor
ship.” presently affecting only
the “free", albeit unscriptural
public exercise of religious
observances, shall extend to
media filth when, to our cons
cientious recognition and
abhorrence thereof, are wedded
ACLU’s discernment-to
apprehend and wisdom-to
prevent abuses of censor
ship—for which Ri-danq-ue
lots. Dave.
Kenneth L. Paige
Salem
Oregon Daily
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Big Bang
This letter is intended to up
the ante on all the letters
received.
“Sophomoric," Mr.
Kallimanis? (ODE, Jan 29) Your
reading ability is half-baked.
This is our first letter on the se
cond law of thermodynamics,
but don’t blame us for the
misunderstanding—no one call
ed to inquire of our statement!
We said that the second law
“was not always the case (if you
hold to your reasoning)," (ODE,
Jan. 12). What we are referring
to is the Big Bang. On this issue
of spontaneous creation,
DuNouy says that "the chance
formulations of a typical protein
molecule made up of 3,000
atoms is of the order of one to
2.02 x 10 to the 231st power, or
practically nil. Even if the
elements are shaken up at the
speed of the vibration of light, it
would take 10 to the 234th
power billions of years to get
the protein molecule (needed)
for life, and life on the earth is
limited to about two billion
years."
Genesis 1. the creation of the
world chapter, is certainly not
out of harmony with the trend
of present scientific informa
tion. Think about it!
"Freud”, Mr. Tryba? (ODE,
Jan. 30) Your reasoning is
pathetically basic, and terribly
misinformed. Here’s to your
ante, "My religion consists of a
humble admiration of the il
limitable superior Spirit who
reveals Himself in the slight
minds. That deeply emotional
conviction of the presence of a
superior reasoning power,
which is revealed in the incom
prehensible universe, forms my
idea of God,” Albert Einstein.
Brian Frary
Biology
Freethinkers
There is one church in the
Lane Gounty area that caters to
the "free-thinkers” as many
people call us. The Unitarian
Church of Eugene and Une
County, located at 477 E. 14th
Ave.
As we state in our
Newcomer’s Guide: "We are a
community of free religious
seekers. We are people who
look to all sources, both sacred
and secular, for new wisdom
and insight.... We also laud,
not just tolerance of, but ge
nuine respect for, the ideas and
opinions of one another.”
I am in a tight spot to PRO
SELYTIZE too much because
our church has a rich history in
NOT telling people what to
think, when it comes to the
LARGER questions of life.
However, please feel free to at
tend the church services, held
at 10:30, or the adult class call
ed “Developing your own
Theology” which brings people
together to explore individual
meanings to life.
A personal note to the in
dividuals who particularly
identified with JOEL BEATH,
amongst the Unitarian religion
are a full range from
“believers” to “atheists.”
Brian D. Lewis
Board of Directors
Unitarian Church of Eugene
Revolution
I must be getting old. Did 1
read that the University of
Oregon received bomb threats
because they’re building a
museum over a parking lot?
(Register Guard, )an. 27) It used
to be the other way around. (Has
the revolution of the 60’s slow
ed down, sputtered to a stop
and shifted into reverse?)
Oh well, 1 guess I can see the
point of view of these new age
protesters. There’s plenty of sil
ly old museums around already,
but how many really neat and
convenient parking lots are left?
Will they all be sacrificed before
future generations even get a
chance to park in them? What’s
after that? High-rise condo
demolition to make room for
parks? Where will the insanity
end?
Bob Saltz
Eugene
In Vogue
)osh King remarked, “social
activism seems to be in vogue
today.” Com’ on, babe; get a
grip on yourself.
N. R. Rant
University of Washington
Class of 1970