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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 12, 1994)
EDITORIAL Prosecuting ‘Frog’ squandered $20,000 One of the Eugene's most colorful segas has Anally reached a conclusion, and the coat of the whole affair to taxpayers was a paltry $20,000. If the money had gone to researching ways to revital ize downtown, or to help replace the public library, or to paying for a few more city services, it might have been worth it. But $20,000 to prosecute "Frog,” the off-beat joke book vendor of 13th Avenue? Because he didn't have a permit to sell his books? Come on. Eugene. Couldn't you do better than that? In a decision handed down last Thursday, the Oregon Supreme Court overturned two earlier convictions against “Frog," a.k.e. David Miller, who was cited numerous times for selling his homemade joke books without a jihrmit. At the time of the citations. Eugene city ordinances did not provide permits for the sate of anything but food, beverages. Rowers and balloons. In other words, the city required "Frog" to buy a per mit that couldn't be bought. It couldn't be bought because the city didn't sell them. So Eugene police continued giving tickets to "Frog." and "Frog" continued refusing to pay them. Besides the above complaint — that he couldn't be expected to buy a permit that the city doesn't sell — he also argued that the permit requirement was a violation of his right to free expression, as guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. He was right on both counts, although the court stopped short of stating that the sale of his joke books is a Constitutionally-protected form of free speech. Instead, it said that the city could not impose stricter requirements on a vendor of expressive materials (like joko books) without a reasonable justification why that particular kind of sale should be prohibited or restrict ed while othor sales are not. The court did not clarify what would constitute a reasonable justification, although it did say that Eugene did not provide such a justification when it began its campaign against "Frog.” During the course of all this litigation,.the ordinance that restricted sidewalk sales to only certain items was chan god* It no longor specifies what salos are legal, so “Frog" could, in theory, buy a permit to sell his books. But “Frog" has not said whether ho will actually choose to buy a permit, even now that they aro avail able, So this saga may not have reached a conclusion aftor all. If the city trios to force "Frog” to buy a permit, and he refuses, it may end up in court all over again, gob bling more and more of the city’s sparse funds. It may take a long series of court battles to determine conclusively whether a person can legally be forced to pay for the right to disseminate tho products of his or nor expression. Although the answer to that question will eventually have to be found, maybe Eugene should let some other city do the finding. If Eugene still insists on prosecuting "Frog,” however, maybe he could do the citizens of this city a big favor and buy the permit. That may be the only way to stop the city from squandering its money. Oregon Daily PO sot )«» tuctu Oregon o&y t^ttrakJ >» put*Vx*1 dorfy Monday ttvough f nd»y duong *chooj »<»‘V and Toatday and Thursday during ih« by lb© O*gon Da<*y £m®?iisd PutAtbfnQ Co . 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Stephan*© Suacm. Susann# St**©™ Mkheto Thompaon. Amy van Tuyt, West Qanarai Manager Judy Rm* Advertising Director Kit k Wait©# Production Manager. McheU Rosa Advertising: Brian Oavts. Sutfcf Dutta. Nicole Hertmvk. Taras* lsab©*‘©. J©ft Ma^on Jar ©my Mason, Michael M*»©«©. K«#§ay We***i Classified H©c*y Merchant. Manager Vidor Ma^a. S*m T/e Tack Distribution John Long. Grahien Smpaor Busina** Kathy Carbone, Supervisor Judy Connofty Promotion Da© McCobb. Production Coondnatar Shawn* Aba*© Grag Desmond. Tara Gaufloay. Brad Jos*. Jennifer Round, bun Thangv**!. Dayton Ya© pwwvoom ..... Omc«. 346*5512 LKftpuy AGrvtHliftmg . Ctoootftod Adv#rti»mg --*40-371Z 340-4*43 I THIS N€*R I‘»\ I GOING To HAVE I A BETTER. LAWN THE LAST VEAAS /Tls SEEN WFESTED W«TW UNHEAjLTMV PESTS. 7>4£V KILL HALT me PLANTS AND UAME BENINO TUEJk SMELLY WASTES, BUT NOT ThlS V*AR. 0>O oh! GET out OP MV VA HD» f"’w< could Hu. vov AUTFk+l \ |SOvc»frgOs,MO« £fCR<T IHVJl&AL 0*4i Accusations Saferide is just a tip of the ice berg when it comes to the op pression of white males on cam pus. We know that this service, which excludes men in an attempt to prevent rape, effec tively ui ( uses all man of being capable of rape. This is really unfair. Those who agree with this logic might want to help me with the following projects: • The removal of the bars on the fire escapes of PLC. which tac itly accuse all of us of being klutzy or suicidal. • The banning of bike locks, which give the impression that all of us are c apable of stealing bikes. • The elimination of final ex ams. which makes the implicit statement that some of us have slacked off in class • The destruc lion of handrails on alt stairways, which seem to imply that all of us are capable of falling dow n stairs Of course, this would leave suicides, thieves, slackers and the equitibriatly challenged to fend for themselves, but it's worth it in the name of fairness Now, it occurs to me that no body thinks of liars, locks, finals and handrails as any kind of accusation. Those are merely prec actions that acknowledge the ever-present dangers of grav ity, theft, lack of motivation and wet floors. So what is it about acknowledging the ever-present threat of rape that makes certain men feel "ac c used”? I'll let you figure that one out for your selves, but hey, I'm not accusing anybody of anything. Steve Close English Don’t demolish I lived in Amazon family housing for two happy years while attending the University and raising two teens. More than housing, Amazon was a com munity. Children ran in the safety of the compound, with sc hools, playing fields and caring neigh bors nearby We had a cottage with a yard, small by American standards, but a place which assisted my dream of going to the University. 1 came from o family of U children and could not have afforded going to the University without low-cost housing and financial aid. We didn't mind Amazon's scruffy looks. The community had a soul: alive with friendship! Today I direct disease pre vention programs for youth us ing art and recreation Amazon helped me get here. The play ground, the laundry, organic gardens and friends kept us go ing. My first photo exhibit was in the Amazon laundry room. Our clothes and furniture came from the free box. Everyone helped each other. Our neigh bors were South African. Irani an. Asian and single parents, struggling families sharing the goal of an education. My chil dren learned culture from the people next door, not from TV stereotypes that link people of color with crime und feur My kids are grown now. They know that people who look different are just people who look differ ent. Amazon taught these things. Demolishing Amazon for cost ly buildings may also demolish hope for many who can’t afford both high rent and high tuition Please save Amazon Preserve the opportunity for everyone. Sharon Rose Bishop, Calif. Kitzhaber 1994 Kttzhaber: not a beer, not a German sausage and not some thing you say when someone sneezes. John Kitzhaber is a gu bernatorial candidate dedicated to Oregon's future Kitzhaber's accomplishments as an Oregon legislator include authoring the Oregon Health Plan, rewriting the Forest Practices Act. and fighting for Oregon’s workers. His expe rience at facilitating compromise among diverged groups is des perately needed to encourage community among Oregonians. We especially appreciate Kitzhaber's emphasis on job cre ation. In this period of transition for our resource-based economy. wn need a governor who will pro tect the jobs and wages of Ore gon's families. During Kitzhaber's legislative service, he made job creation a high priority. He sup ported funding that created 130 jobs and saved 120 jobs at the new Planar Systems plant in Washington County. Kitzhnber has worked to develop local economies by supporting region al strategies for job growth and creation Kitzhaber realizes that job cre ation must not come at the expense of a sustainable envi ronment. He helped stop at tempts to derail Oregon's na tionally-recognized land use planning program. Kitzhaber also protected Oregon's Coastal resources by supporting the Or egon Ocean Resources Manage ment Program. These efforts have helper! make our state one of the nation’s most livable. Kitzhaber's record of service to Oregon convinces tis that he would do one hell of a job as gov ernor Register by April 26 in the ASUO office. EMU Suite 4, in order to vote in the May 17 elec tion. Kendall Parmeter April Brinkman Students tor Kitzhaber Brick for a buck He a part of someone's dream. This week in the EMU, the Unit ed Way Youth Volunteer Coun cil will conduct a fundraising projec t to benefit the St. Vincent del’uul Amerii ail Dream Home »4 Students can donate change or buy a paper brick for $1 (a brick for a buck). Names will lie written on each brick and will go on a poster in the form of a house indicating how much money is raised This money will lie used as a down payment on a house for a homeless fami ly. This is everyone's chance to be an important part of some one's life. A family in the com munity will greatly benefit from the University's efforts. Do what you can do: donate to this worthwhile cause. Nikki Martinez ESCAPE Field Studies
