EDITORIAL
Speed kills ...
your pocketbook
The uninhibited weight that seems to draw one’s accel
erator pedal closer to the medal could drastically inhib
it the controllable weight on one’s pocketbook.
Now legislation that goes into effect Fob. 1 is heavier
than a load foot, and crushing for those with a lead foot.
For example, a 78-mph speeding ticket, in a 65-mph zone,
that costs $160 dollars today could cost a minimum of
$329 early next week. However, the increases are not just
limited to speeding infractions, but traffic infractions in
general. An open liquor container that costs $57 today
will increase to S4I6 next week. Ignoring the flashing
lights of a school bus will cost you $630, an increase from
$110.
A common question is sure to be. why such a drastic
increase?
"Were hoping this might encourage more compliance,”
said Bill Linden, state court administrator. An ugly way
to ask for compliant e. one might add
"We don’t have reason to justify these bails. The Leg
islature gave these now rules, and we have no other alter
native than to sot the tickets.” Officer Bill Jennings said.
He also mentioned he had a hard time comprehending
the drastic increases.
Wait a minute. This is an officer of the law, the guy
giving out the tickets, but even he doesn’t know why they
cost so much. Next time you find yourself on the shoul
der of the rode with a peace officer at your window, hand
ing over an infraction worthy of wiping out half your life
savings, bo sure to ask the officer, why is this so dang
expensive? The response should be an amusing one.
Whom is all of this money going anyways?
it is estimated that the increase in the infractions will
generate an extra $16 million, and that is only in the 17
months remaining in the state’s two-year budget period.
About $12 million is to be allocated to the state general
fund. (The general what?) The rest of the newfound rich
es are to be spent on cities and counties (Ho sun) to note
the improvements in your area.)
It seems a good portion of the increase in bails may
have to go to an increased public relations task force
for the police departments (maybe it can come out of the
general fund). Certainly, they will have quite a lot of work
to do patching up the relations between themselves and
the unluckv ret ipinnls of the traffic infractions.
If you do fool the need for speed, take it elsewhere,
Take it nc ross tin* state line, where in both Washington
and California the fines are considerably less Consider
ing the 65-mph speed limit, in Washington traveling
between 71-75 mph pro\ ides a minimum fine of .$38, and
in California the same infraction deems a $54 ticket (as
long as it's your first ticket). It seems a little biased to
bo subjected to such an increase when our neighbors
aren’t, but maybe ()regon is just a forerunner in the tick
et increases.
For the officers giving the tickets, one might suggest
they park slightly closer to the villain violating the law.
Certainly a quick getaway might be the easiest explana
tion for the officer passing on the fine. When all else fails,
don't forget, you can always take it to traffic court.
or^o^ Emerald
PO 00*3149 EUGENE OAfGOW 9>403
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LETTERS
Responsibility
I oni writing in response to 11
poll it* beat article that appeared
in tln> Emerald Inst week (|an
2\\ It reported a party at the Phi
Delta Theta house in which
alcohol was allegedly served to
minors What bothered me
about this article was the way it
was worded so its to place blame
on the Greek fraternity for oth
ers' irresponsibility
Why must we live in a society
where someone else is always
responsible for the decisions
you and I make? When do peo
ple start to become liable for
their actions7 Concerns over
underage drinking are warrant
ed, but why must the Greek svs
tern b»- targeted more than any
one else7
I have been a member of tins
fraternity lor three years and
have seen, too many times, the
(.reek system persis utod by the
University, the Kugune police
department and by other Kngene
citizens l am no different than
anyone else who attends this
University, except that I am a
Greek.
Vet. people have prejudged
opinions about the Greek sy s
tem Don't judge us as a group,
but rather as individual people
You couldn't explain the whole
human kind by only looking at
one person.
Long gone are the Greeks ol
Animal House. Kids today are a
lot more responsible, no matter
what the police or the Universi
ty might tell you Still, it is too
bad that people condemn the
Greek system when they know
nothing about it As individuals,
wo are just like everyone else,
but when we are stereotyped,
wo are viewed as irresponsible
animals, which is extremely
untrue. Greeks are tired of being
harassed just for growing up.
something our parents — and
those who criticize us — had to
do.
Kyle Bland
Irresponsibility
I am writing to address the
Lorena Bobbitt issue, specifical
ly Robbie Reeves commentary in
tht* Jan. 13 Emerald. The tone of
tins article disturbed me some
what It sounded to me as if
Reeves thought Mrs Bobbitt to
tie an untrustworthy individual
concerning her husband's
behavior, that her claims of
abuse and rape were fictional
and were made in an attempt to
create additional publicity- This
is almost certainly not the case,
because between the trial and
the media attention, she must
have been caused no end of
embarrassment and emotional
pain.
Reeves' tone throughout the
arte le makes it sound as if l.ore
na is the one who is lying and
that her siiie of the story is far
less important, that her pain in
her relationship was not real
This kind of attitude makes me
sick
When l.orena Bobbitt cut off
her husband's penis, I doubt if it
was without provocation
Spousal abuse is a real problem
in this country, one that has
been taken too lightly. I find it
disturbing that Mr. Reeves
chooses to trivialize l.orena Bob
bitt's and any other abused
woman's plight He should be
informed that, at least in the
United States, it is not legal to
either sexually or physically
abuse your wife.
I think we should applaud
l.orena Bobbitt for standing up
and being courageous in the
face of such abuse by both her
husband and the media. And.
although I don't condone
spousal castration. I think l.ore
na Bobbitt's reaction to the sit
uation was not completely out
of the realm of reason.
Paul VanSickle
Pro-Journalism
Bad OCA
I couldn't say it any better
than Robbie Reeves said in his
opinion piece {OPE. Jan. 1H).
The Oregon Citizens Alliance is
misguided in its thinking that
homosexuality is a < hoice. Why
are they so afraid of anybody
who is different than them ' The
United States is not made up of
just white Christians Welcome
to the present! It s called diver
sity.
Oregonians need to join
together to solve some real prob
lems and not be turned against
each other over some silly tiling
like this Take vour narrow
minded views home and stop
trying to push them on the rest '
of us!
Jackie D. Cherry
Eugene
KWVA good
I am writing in support of the
University radio station, KWVA.
I have read in the Emerald that
tnanv think the station is a
waste of time and money. Oth
ers say that nobody listens to the
station What was it that they
said? Oh ves! That there’s only
IS listeners, and they are all DJs.
two guys from Springfield and -
their dog.
If you don’t like the sound
coming from your radio when it
is tuned to HH 1 I'M, it is only
vour fault The DJs are more
than willing to play whatever is
requested. I for one have even
heard the sounds of a country
melodv being played ... whit h
could be punished bv disem
bowel merit. This just goes to
show what lengths these radio
announcers are willing to go to
just to please their audience. So
any arguments made on the
basis that the music is not desir
able should be seen as invalid.
What everyone should also
realize is that KWVA is still in
its first year of life. Other radio
stations weren't built in a day.
So just relax while HH. 1 becomes
more professional and popular.
KWVA has already put on some
very worthwhile concerts such
as the "Screw" and has spon
sored others at the WOW Mall.
Plus, there’s no better way to
win tickets to local shows than
by winning them from KWVA.
In closing, I would just like to
thank campus radio for provid
ing me an alternative to KDIJK
and Hot Country. Thumbs up
from me for a tremendous job.
And to all you pessimists of col
lege radio, please transfer to
some conservative school like
Oregon State Bye bye
Ben Nelson
Eugene