EDITORIAL
Conservative group
pushes views again
The Oregon Citizen's Alliance is at i! again
l.nn Mahon, head of the radically conservative
group, recently came to Springfield to help begin pro
ceedings for a May 1992 ballot initiative that would
eliminate gay and lesbian rights ‘once and for all"
from the town's anti-discriminatory statute.
Should OCA have its way, the proposed initiative
would incorporate a section forbidding government
"promotion, encouragement, or facilitation of homo
sexuality, pedophilia, sadism, and masochism."
Notice the group s lumping together of homosexu
ality with sexual behavior typically viewed .0 violent
anti unact eptable. Nice ploy Mentioning it in the same
breath as masochism should succeed in bending at
least a few minds to view homosexuality in the same
way OCA does: detestably abnormal.
And that’s the trouble here. This latest stunt typi
fies one of OCA's main objectives, which is to make
sure every Oregonian, and ultimately world citizen no
doubt, thinks as it does.
The group punished last year's Republican guber
natorial candidate and Oregon Attorney General Dave
l'rohnmayer when he refused to modify his pro-choice
'.tanee by introducing independent candidate Al Mob
ley The tactic, revealed during one the candidates' de
bates. pulled conservative votes from Frohnmayer,
contributing to Barbara Roberts' win.
OCA also successfully campaigned to overturn
Gov Ned Goldschmidt's 1988 legislation prohibiting
sexual-orientation discrimination in various parts of
Oregon's government.
And the group is now putting >1 ballot measure to
gether for November 1992 that would formally classify
homosexual behavior as abnormal.
These folks obviously have a bone to pick — prob
lem is, they’re forcing that bone down all our throats
The most bothersome thing about OCA is its assurance
that their way is the only way. Regardless of peoples’
stance on issues such as homosexuality and abortion,
many don't appreciate the attempted conversion to
OCA ideology.
The group's militant conservatism does more harm
than good. It defeats any possibility of compromise by
botli creating distance and walls between involved par
ties. OCA should ease its oppressive stance and allow
others the right it so readily claims to their opinions
and lifestyles.
Put cars anywhere
but the Bean courts
It’s not the most glamorous place in the world to
play basketball. Some of the nets hang in dirty tat tors
from drooping, bent hoops. The asphalt surface, cov
ered with faded lines and u scattering of gravel, is pit
ted and cracked in places. But for basketball players of
all abilities, the courts at 15th Avenue and Moss Street
lire the best game in town.
Because of construction to expand the parking lot
across from Bean Complex, cars are temporarily parked
underneath the baskets and on the free-throw lines.
The amount of available playing space has var
ied.Although two courts have been cleared and are
now protected with sawhorses, the space at Bean is
much smaller, it's clear the students have given them
selves a raw deal: To gain a few parking spaces, they
traded away a place where anyone with a ball and a
pair of sneakers can get some exercise and fresh au
tumn air.
The Bean courts were the only place within walk
ing distance of campus to play outdoor, full-court bas
ketball -- the way it was meant to be played. The other
courts around campus are either too small (a few halt
courts) or too crowded and way too competitive (a few
open gyms).
Although this loss is temporary, it is sad the Uni
versity community chose to forsake the recreational
needs of students for the needs of a few cars, which
could have been parked anywhere.
Yes. parking is a vital student need, t
ing dock vanquishes the last few nit
Bean courts — all of them — will be s
( niversity should find someplace e
ot
DASOTS mW
I III —
Subliminal
What I want to know is
who chooses tin; political car
toons for the ciiilorial page?
Whoever it is has recently lost a
sense of compassion
1 am appalled at the two car
toons that ran Oc t 16 and Oct
17, deputing angry and hyster
ical females Not only do I find
the use of a Viking to represent
the feminist movement revolt
ing, but the full-chested, short
skirted, sprawled, crawling Ic
male bodies strewn across the
floor are definitely an insult to
my sexuality
The text below that cartoon
reads "Dammit Senator 1 be
lieve we are in another of those
i ycios " The subliminal mes
sage implies that females are
sub-human animals when they
menstruate
Tins connection with the
Thomas/Hill trials disgustingly
illustrates the complete lack of
understanding of sexual harass
ment and vvnmvn in general,
within our political structure.
The thing I am most upset
about is that despite the out
cries of angry African-Ameri
cans in regard to the t artoon
with Clarence Thomas in
sheep's clothing, the editor has
continued to print potentially
harmful cartoons. They are no
better than racist or sexist
jokes The only purpose they
sum; is to uphold the storno
types they are based on
(ioulil this bo a sad editorial
ptov to gel an argument started
on the editorial page’'
Kerstv n Kobie
Student
Answers please
B r a i n teasers: If Jon
Wo!lander (ODE, Oi l 15)
proves beyond a doubt that ho
mosexuality is not a result of
genetic heredity, can we as
sume that 10 percent of the
population will magically dis
appear7 If Gertrude Stein is ret
roactively rendered non-exis
tent. will there he a "there” in
Oakland and will .1 rose no
longer bo a rose?
Why have I never seen a mes
sage in the Emcr,thi personals
which reads "The pamphlet is
handy/the speakers were
great thanks lots for the lec
ture/on halting date rape?"
If the average life expei tancy
of a dog is 10 to 15 years, why
are so many of the dogs on 13th
Avenue under six months old?
1! we gave money to their own
ers, would they get bigger?
It student enrollment is down
and the campus has loss mon
ey, win .ire we still building
new parking structures
II fraternity houses don't
wish to In; associated with alco
hol and partying, why do many
of their members wear T-shirts
that associate their house let
ters with such savings as "A
day without a buz/, is a dav that
never was,” "Beer Bust 'til,”
and so on?
The tirst person to answer all
seven questions without a) tie
ing r ynicul, h) being conde
scending, or c) causing some
one else to write an angry reply
can have my Cub Scout opti
mism merit badge. You have
until the end of the class peri
od.
Steve Close
English
Achtung
Students beware! The Motor
Nazis .ire out there! If you re
ceive a parking ticket (city or
University), pay it and keep
your receipt!
They may not keep your cita
tions and payments on record
You might go to jail ldid
Natasha Brady
Eugene
*<f
Vo ft Dfc. CL"
V**/>
VftLL.'HlU
AMCJTVlE^ fiMt
f y£> l kt m.
RjtJLiC <
J
Uk g»u.s^
j WHO'S (\ K'-M
[ jrntt r^’
■ WY taj'QE b
^FMEK PkK^Y
TX)(Soffp)
'ibo KEEPir
InD k>D
A
nq w
&*?MU»TY
7>i
: SO TO
'WoKK(bixy>'
f I WOMDfK
HO\N~IU£
• UNtMflQYU)
kRFDOiHG
we \Jt [*>«
*u. we Can
KXTHiXt
D£AD6fMb