EDITORIAL
Abortion guidelines
set doubtful future
There is little doubt that Monday’s Supreme Court
decision on abortion is a significant victory for the
Bush camp. It upholds restrictions in a Pennsylvania
law that make it more difficult to get an abortion, while
leaving the door open for other states to enact equally
tough or tougher abortion laws.
But while the Pennsylvania ruling could be de
bated endlessly, the fact remains that it is now in the ^
past. The issue is no longer whether Pennsylvania's
laws are constitutional, but instead the impact this will
have on future Court rulings.
Louisiana. Utah, and the U.S. territory of Guam all
have very restrictive abortion laws that will likely go
before the Court at some point. In the Pennsylvania
case, only two justices voted to strike down all the
Pennsylvania law's provisions. Therefore, seven jus
tices were willing to restrict abortion in some way. One
can only assume that of these seven, there are a few
who wouldn’t mind going further than the Pennsylva
nia ruling.
On the positive side, the Court made it clear that it
isn’t ready to outlaw abortion quite yet. By a 5-4 vote,
they decided to uphold Roc v. Wade until further no
tic*.
They went as far us to include a new “undue bur
den" test for judging abortion regulation. Essentially, a
state cannot impose an "absolute obstacle or severe
limitation on the abortion decision." meuning states
cannot directly make abortion illegal.
While this docs offer a glimmer of hope — maybe
Bush’s court isn’t as conservative as once feared — it is
not a sign for rejoicing. The Court may have decided to
keep Roc v. Wade intact for several different reasons. It
could be for political purposes, as an immediate over
turning could lie damaging to Bush’s public image. It
could oven be for constitutional reasons, as the major
ity opinion stated a respect for individual liberty.
But in all probability. Roc v. Wade will be clinging
by its fingertips for the next few years. We must re
member that in 1986. the court struck down nearly
identic*! regulations in Pennsylvania. Since them, three
of tho five majority justices have retired, replaced by
Reagan and Bush appointees.
In addition. Justice Harry Blackmun author of Roe
v. Wade and one of two justices to vote against the
Pennsylvania restrictions, is probably nearing retire
ment. Pending the outcome of the next election, he
could very easily be replaced by a more conservative
justice, thereby altering the Court majority.
Tho Pennsylvania decision wasn't as bad as it
could have berm. The court has not become a conserva
tive nightmare yet. and Roe vs. Wade survives. But the
trend away from legal abortion is worrisome. And un
fortunately. it’s a trend we may huve to get used to.
Oregon Daily
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COMMENTARY
Leaders losing fight with OCA
By Ibrahim J Gassama
As a recent arrival to Ore
gon, I have found myself
fascinator! and surprised
by a crurious aspect of Oregoni
an politics the Influence of
the Oregon Citizens Alliance —
that seemingly tireless group of
citizens engaged in the all Im
portant task of saving civiliza
tion from the "homosexual
scourge."
it was certainly not what I ex
pected when, after a couple of
short visits. I moved to this
stale last fall I was fully pre
pared to be captivated by the
sheer beauty of my physical
surroundings My wife and I
looked forward to spending
weekends on the coast braving
the elements from the comfort
of un oceans Ido hotel name
Having lived in hig cities for
much of my life, I looked for
ward with s|io<:ial anticipation
to the patience and civility that
seems to have escaped those
who have s|>en! Ux) much time
In those concrete and steel
habitats. It would be good, I
thought, to spend some time in
a community with people who
don't honk ut you a second af
ter the light turns greon. bus
drivers who assist folks in
wheelchairs and deer that have
temerity to graze in your back
yard in broad daylight. Of
course, I have i>oen around long
enough to know that life in Or
egon would not be as perfect as
It appeared after a couple of
short visits.
I must confess, however, that
the phenomenon of the (X)A
was a total surprise. I don't
moan its existence. It is to be
expected that unywhero in the
United Statics, and indeed, in
much of the world, there would
be such groupings of human
beings who cannot ho at poace
with themselves In the pres
ence of others who are and who
uro not uncomfortable or apolo
getic about it. It is also to be ex
pected that such groups would
tend to prosper ns they exploit,
not only hate, hut the yearning
for simple explanations during
periods of economic stress.
What accounts for my sur
prise. and indeed consterna
tion. Is the equanimity with
which the (X;A s exploits have
been greeted by the traditional
centers of leadership. 1 koep
waiting for the governor, legis
lature. tho heads of business
and academia and other such
public figures to engage the
(X:A in a public dialogue about
the Implications of their objec
tives.
I would have l>een willing to
accept the silence as perhaps a
reflection of native Oregonian
roticcnce if I did not know
something about the episodes
of exclusion and intolerance
that reflect a shameful aspect of
Oregon's past Organized ele
ments of Oregon society in the
recent past have waged suc
cessful campaigns of hate and
intolerance against African
Americans, Asians, Catholics
and jews
There is a direct parallol be
tween the current effort to de
prive Oregonians of their citi
zenship and fundamental hu
man rights because of their sex
ual orientation through an
amendment to the state consti
tution, and tho successful ef
forts to exclude blacks from Or
egon back in the 1857 Oregon
State Constitution. I am confi
dent that then, as now, there
were docent, well-meaning peo
ple who saw the tragedy un
folding but wore too busy
working on other measures.
Time will not be kind to Ore
gon if instead of focusing its en
ergy toward expanding and
modernizing its economy, it
continues to expend scarce so
cial, economic and emotional
capital in an unending series of
initiatives to determine wheth
er some of its citizens should
have all the rights and expecta
tions of that status. Isn't it time
for all Americans to realize that
our obsossions with differences
— race, class, gender and sexu
al orientation — is slowly de
stroying our capacities to re
spond to more fundamental
challenges?
Now, 1 do recognize that
there arc many grassroots ef
forts to counter the OCA. I also
recognize that current senti
ments show considerable dis
satisfaction with much of our
institutional leadership. In fact,
the very notion of leadership is
now generally called Into ques
tion and many would rather
have these leaders remain out
of the issue.
It would be a mistake, how
ever, to absolve from responsi
bility those who head key sec
tions of our civil society when
issues of fundamental rights are
involved. Indeed, the very per
sistence of the OCA affirms the
vitality of leadership, even
when, as in this case it is bigot
ed. The problem. I believe, Is
not with leaders or the concept
of leadership. Tho problem is
that we have assignod leader
ship positions to those who are
simply not capable of leading.
If such is the caso, it is up to us
to remind them how to load —
replace them.
Ibrahim J. Cassama loaches
la tv at the University.
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