EDITORIAL
’92 election issues
coming to a close
The battle is over and the dust is settling. All that
remains is to brush ourselves off, pick up the pieces
and chock out the results.
First and foremost for Oregonians. Ballot Measure
9 was defeated. Voters realized the measure was not
about special rights at all. but about denying equal
rights to tax-paying citizens.
But we can't get comfortable yet. This will not be
the last we hear from Lon Mabon and his OCA robots
— they have talked about retooling the measure and
submitting it again, perhaps with softer language next
time.
Although the measure lost, we have to recognize
that a good 45 percent of voters said yes. These voters
represent a large- chunk &f Oregon — only a few thou
sand more citizens voting yes and we would be; mourn
ing the demise of our state.
With a softer-worded argument, those few thou
sand citizens could sway in the; other direction. It isn't
hard to imagine.
The gay and lesbian community could rectify this
by concentrating a little less on gay rights in Oregon
and more on education about guy issues. As insensitive
as that seems, the fact is thut many Oregon voters have
become alienated by homosexuals demanding equal
rights.
The gay rights movement has to start at the Itegin
ning. Before these voters warm up to the idea, it will la
necessary to inform them ns to why guvs and lesbians
deserve these rights. Otherwise, anti homosexual meas
ures such as these may continue to torment the state
and the nation.
!n other races. Bill Clinton was elected president to
no one's surprise. Everyone breath a sigh of relief. Clin
ton is a superior candidate and will bring welcome
change to the White House.
Everything went basically according to plan. Voters
embraced the idea of term limits and subsequently re
elected almost every incumbent. Apparently voters
couldn't stop themselves when they get to the voting
booth — they needed their incumbent rush. Maybe
term limits will help them recover from their incum
bent addiction. They obviously can't do it by them
selves.
Ballot measures 5 and ti went down hard. We can
only hope that PCE acts responsibly in its phase-out of
Trojan and ensures that all safety measures are taken.
The Pack wood-AuCoin battle was too close to call
at press time. And although we didn't endorse either
candidate, the fact thut the race is over is refreshing It
was a negative, depressing campaign. Neither side
showed a concern for Oregon voters, contenting them
selves with accusations over issues. Even national
newscasts mentioned the campaign as being ridicu
lously negative. ,
And now all that's left is to rest. It's been four years
since we've had to think about madness at this level.
Now we can sit back, reflect, and worry about the next
four years.
Oregon
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OPINION
Today’s lesson: Be nice to liberals
Angles
Martin Fisher
Whoevor said "you can't
please all of the people
all of the- time" must
have Iwcn an editorial writer
for the Emvruld.
During the past couple of
weeks, the editorial pages of
the Emerald have dared to be
critical of Democratic pep ral
lies and candidates
The first ripple of dissent fol
lowed an editorial that was crit
ical of a Democratic rally mas
querading as a non-partisan
voter registration drive. The od
itorial criticized the rally for
being so clearly partisan.
Organizers and supporters of
the rally wore obviously upset
by having this pointed out and
were quick to express their dis
pleasure with the Emerald Ap
parently the editorial writers
were expected to reap nothing
but praise for registering loads
of Democrats.
Oil! suppose the rally hud
been sponsored by Republicans
who registered legions of con
servatives to carry the COP
banner. No doubt campus liber
als would denounce the drive
as "dangerous" and a throat to
us all. And, of course, they
would expoct the Emrrald to
condemn the rally.
Apparently, exclusivity is
good when carried out by liber
als. but bad when carried out
by conservatives. How could
the editorial writers havo been
so naive?
The second ripple of dissent
followed a criticism of the Clin
ton rally at McArthur Court.
That editorial was critical of
the slipshod manner in which
the rally was apparently organ
ized. Regardless of how excit
ing and energetic the rally may
have bean, it was at the ex
pense of nearly 10.000 voters.
The loudest complaint we
hoard concerned Ihe number of
people reported outside As if
the editorial writers counted
each and every person Consid
ering the people who didn't
like the crowd estimate most
likely never actually saw how
many people were outside
(they wore inside, no doubt
singing repeated choruses of
"Happy Happy, Joy Joy"), and
given the comments made by
people who. after seeing the
crowd inside, said they be
lieved the crowd outside was
bigger, the argument becomes
somewhat moot.
The editorial's criticism of al
lowing children to displace vot
ers ut tiie rally also generated
some controversy. Certainly,
getting children interested in
the democratic process will,
hopefully, motivate them to
participate when the time ar
rives However, their participa
tion should not come at the ex
pense of participation by regis
tered voters.
The purpose of a political ral
ly is to gain voter support. You
don't do that by making thou
sands of voters stand outside
because school children an; re
ceiving a civics lesson.
Many of the kids in atten
dance most likely saw the event
as a chance to get out of school.
They don't vote. Their opinion
of Clinton means squat.
As for the schools that felt it
necessary to bus their students
to the rally — it's called a video
camera Look into it.
The thin! and (so fur) final
ripple of dissent has come from
the decision not to endorse Les
AuCoin for senate.
"But." we've boon told,
"don't you reali/.e that Bill
Clinton needs a Democratic
Congress if he's to be effec
tive?" Hello? Anybody homo?
We already have a Democratic
Congress. Had one for more
than 50 years. Como Jan. 1. it
will still be there.
To top it off. some people
have accused the Emerald of
running non-objective editori
als. News flash — that's why
they're called "editorials." Edi
torials are opinions and are r.ol
Some people have
accused the
Emerald of running
non-objective
editorials. News
flash — that’s why
they’re called
editorials.
supposed to !>t: objective.
Nor, as one person suggested,
are journalists permitted to
"volunteer any of their time to
a cause." It's culled ethics —
get a dictionary; look it up.
Perhaps the most bizarre
complaint has boon that the
Emeralds advertising reflects a
lack of objectivity. Of course
advertising is not objective.
Why? Because — hold your
breath — advertising is paid
for! Yes, that's right, paid for
To be fair, not all of our re
cent criticism hus been from
the left An editorial cartoon
advertising fictitious "Cay
Ban" sunglasses (mocking the
OCA) stated that the glasses
wore available In "Nazi
brown." Apparently, this of
fended a Nazi, who felt the car
toon destroyed his political
credibility. Huh?
And what does that say about
the OCA? When Nazis become
offended at being compared to
your organization, how much
lower can you go?
The editorial writers are not
trying to win popularity con
tests or the "Good Liberal
Award." They have no Inten
tion of becoming the cheer
leading mouthpieces for any
beliof or ideology.
In these days of sharply do
fined ideologies, reality and
truth are treated like loaded
guns; thoy are there to blow
holes in your value system and
sink your political ship.
If that's the case — praise the
Lord und pass the ammunition.
Marlin Fisher is an editorial
editor for the Emerald