Ignition locking system
deters drunk drivers
A House Bill proposing the installation of a device into
convicted drunk driver’s automobiles is a safe and effective
idea for deterring potential drinking and driving. The device
would lock an automobile’s ignition if the driver were too
drunk.
The device is wired to the car’s ignition system and
designed to detect the driver’s blood-alcohol level. If the
driver’s alcohol level is over the legal limit of .08 percent,
the car will not start.
The system would be offered as an optional part of the
occupational-license program, which is given to convicted
drunk drivers whose licenses have been suspended. Cur
rently, drivers with a suspended license can apply for an oc
cupational license after the first year. House Bill 2449 would
make the installation of a breath-test device an option for
judges issuing the licenses.
Provisions for possible circumvention are included in
the bill. The interlock device requires a special breathing
pattern before it will start the car.
According to Donald Meador, the Linn County traffic
safety coordinator, the patern is difficult to master, even
when the driver is sober. This helps prevent the driver from
getting someone else to use the breath-test device.
The bill also makes it illegal to help someone with an in
terlock device drive a vehicle. This includes blowing into
the device for the driver or loaning the driver another car.
Under the current system, drivers with occupational
licenses are subject to spot checks at least once a month. The
breath-test devices also will undergo monthly inspections to
determine if they have been tampered with and to prevent
malfunctions.
This bill presents an effective idea for preventing con
victed drunk drivers from starting a car while intoxicated. In
turn, this likely will reduce the drunk-driving rate.
Granted, the system is not foolproof. Anyone deter
mined enough to drive drunk will probably find a way. But
the breath-test device warns drivers if they have had too
much to (irink, and it sets up safeguards to prevent drunk
drivers from starting a car.
The bill is a preventive measure to a crime on the rise. It
is by no means a cure to the drunk-driving problem, but it
reduces the problem without infringing on the driver’s
rights.
Emerald apologizes
The Oregon Daily Emerald has made a serious mistake.
I-ast Thursday, the Emerald published a story about a stu
dent, John Stephen Fisher, who committed suicide on Feb.
25. Under the headline “Friend says classroom pressure
caused suicide of older student,’’ the story quoted a friend of
Fisher’s as saying Fisher killed himself because he was hav
ing trouble in a math class.
Besides police, the friend was the only source in the
story. Using only the friend’s comments was irresponsible.
We do not know why Fisher killed himself. But by prin
ting the friend’s statements, we put our stamp of credibility
on them.
Fisher’s death was tragic. We should not have com
pounded that tragedy by laying blame to a single class or
instructor.
We sincerely apologize to that instructor. We have done
this person a terrible injustice.
sB^eqll
Y\ELl0THERE!nPi^! wR 70UW BE. getting a
R/MS£ IH A COUPLE OF YEARS
, Letters
Wet T-shirt
The wonders of our sexist,
mysogynist society never cease
to amaze me. Friday’s ad for
Beta Theta Pi's "First Annual
Wet T-Shirt Contest" is the
newest affront.
Not that wet T-shirt contests
are new, or are not harmful to
women all on their own. It’s just
that ! can’t recall ever seeing
one "for charity ’’ What chari
ty, I wonder, will the fraternity
be so graciously donating this
money to, this money gained by
exploiting women’s bodies?
Womenspace, or Rape Crisis
Network, perhaps, both
dedicated to ending the
physical manifestations (batter
ing, rape, child-sexual assault)
of the painfully mysogynist at
titudes that wet T-shirt contests
reflect?
In anticipation of the fraternal
cries, "But we don’t force the
women to do it!" I pose this
question: Why is Beta Theta Pi
not having a bake sale to raise
money for charity, or some
other equally innocuous fund
raiser?
Perhaps because in our socie
ty baked goods don’t bring in
the bucks. Breasts do. Girls and
women are taught by society
Oregon Daily
Emerald
The Oregon Dally 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 Lottlnville
Classified Advertising Alyson Simmons
Assistant to the Publisher Jean Ownbey
Advertising Sales: Peter LaFleur / Sales Manager
Teresa Acosta, Beryl Israel. Janelle Heitmann, Laura
Goldstein. Catherine Lilja, Rick Martz, Joseph Menzel,
Peter Miller, Joan Wlldermuth
News and Editorial 686-5511
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Page 2
Editor
Managing Editor
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Photo Editor
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Night Editor
Associate Editors
Community
Politics
Higher Education / Administration
University Affairs
Student Government
Student Activities
General Assignment
General Assignment
General Assignment
Michelle Brence
Lucinda Dillon
Michael Rivers
Stephen Maher
Stanley Nelson
Michael Drummond
Angie Muniz
Capi Lynn
Michael Wilhelm
John Giustlna
Lorraine Rath
Michelle Brence
Jolayne Houtz
Nick Reed
Chris Norred
B J Thomsen
Carolyn Lamberson
Sarah Kitchen
Karen Creighton
Dennis Fernandes
Scott Maben
Reporters: Sean Axmaker, Mary Courtis, Gary Henley
Janet Paulson
Photographers: Sherlyn Bjorkgren, ShuShing Chen,
Maria Corvallis, Derrel Hewitt, Bobbie Lo. Dan Wheeler
Production: Michele Ross / Ad Coordinator
Kelly Alexandre, Ronwin Nicole Ashton, Virginia Baniaga,
Samantha Barbitta, Sandra Bevans, Sara Briscoe, Shu
shing Chen, Janet Emery, Judith Gatz, Lisa Haggerty,
Donna Leslie, Curtis Lott, Steve Lundgren, Kelli Mason,
Mike McGraw, Rob Miles. Angela Muniz, Julie Paul, Ingrid
White, Serena Williams, X Kang Xie
that their bodies are what is
valuable, and one sure-fire way
to gain recognition in our male
dominated world is to display
our bodies for approval.
1 don’t want wet jock-strap
contests. I want respect for
myself and my sisters.
Cassandra Van Buren
Eugene
Bad prose
In my last letter (Feb. 11). I at
tempted to highlight the con
tempt for the English language
reflected in your prose. You
responded with a letter which
demonstrated that you STILL
don’t understand the relation
ships between the words in
your sentences.
People reading your letters
must constantly choose bet
ween clear grammatical
reference and your intended
meaning. Alas, with your mean
ing hidden amongst poorly ap
plied colloquialisms, inverted
word order, and cryptic quota
tions from Bible-thumpers,
readers are seldom able to
decipher your message before
the sun sets.
While writing my last letter,
it occurred to me that to focus
on your consistently inap
propriate word choice and your
difficulty with syntax would be
petty. As an alternative, I ad
vanced several questions, hop
ing that you might attempt an
explanation.
In response you suggested.
“If you care to debate a point,
you must first not ask what it
means.” This last quote ex
plains both your willingness to
debate scientific theories you
don't understand and your
commitment to the vacuous
arguments associated with your
position.
Although you make a fairly
convincing case to the contrary,
religion and reason are NOT
mutually exclusive — nor does
the average “scientist” contend
that they should be. To believe
in something beyond empirical
examination is NOT
unreasonable. It is, however,
unreasonable to ask people to
agree with the distortions of
"science” you espouse along
your voyage to intellectual
suicide. Have a nice day.
Alex Gardner
Graduate student, biology
Head sickness
Bob Baldwin: Your letter
about Ron Munion is a perfect
example of why I loathe your
branch of the SPA. Your letter
shows that you have no code of
honor and know only how to
destroy your opponents by in
nuendo (ODE, March 4).
Get this straight, jerk. This is
not a liberal-conservative face
off. I want you to know in no
uncertain terms that I think you
are sick in the head for using
filth in order to gain political
advantage when your side is
loosing.
Ms. Cameron, ASUO vice
president, is a person of man
ners compared to you. Why
don’t you learn some tact from
her before you are screwed to
the wall by people who are tired
of your self-righteous
nonsense?
Andrew Beckwith
Graduate student, physics
So predictable
As 1 sit here in the EMU, I
have just picked up my Oregon
Daily Emerald hoping to find an
unbiased Associated Press arti
cle on President Reagan’s
speech last week, which I wat
ched with great interest.
But as I flip through the
pages, I cannot find one.
All I see is basically what I’ve
come to expect from the
Emerald editorial page: biased,
liberal nonsense based on left
wing opinion.
What’s wrong. Emerald? Are
you afraid to run an AP article?
Why won’t you print the facts
and let the people decide for
themselves? Oh, 1 see. Only real
newspapers do that.
Rick Bergesen
Senior