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
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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