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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1994)
EDITORIAL ‘Hey buddy, can ya spare a coupon?’ They're not just a way to got $2 off a box of Lucky Charms anymore. Today, several IJ.S. cities are using coupons to try to eliminate one of the most troubling problems associated with panhandling: that the person asking for a few cents' change will spend the money on something unhealthy, like alcohol or cigarettes. More is the way the program works: people who want to give change to panhandlers — but are afraid of what they would do with the money — can buy coupons worth 25 cents eat h from local retailers, who participate in the program on a voluntary basis. When asked for a handout, people who have pur chased the coupons can give them away instead of mon ey. The panhandler then exchanges the coupons for food, non-alcoholic beverages or personal care items. Essentially, it would be like giving away 25 cent gift cer lij^tjates, redeemable only for those items people down bn their luck would actually need. Any panhandler who doesn't accept a coupon doesn't really need the help, organizers of the program say. This innovative idea, introduced recently in Boston and already in place in such cities as Seattle, New York. Chicago, Berkeley, Calif., and Boulder. Colo., shows tremendous promise as a way to solve the potential pit falls of panhandling. If those programs became widely known and popular ly used, they could significantly reduce the access of poor people to alcohol, cigarettes and drugs by denying them the money required to purchase such items. Some beggars make up to $300 a day — more than enough to keep them fed and perpetually high. The coupon system would work nicely in concert with the federal food stamps program, which also allows recipients to buy food but not alcohol. Unlike food stamps, however, coupons could bn used to buy other essential items that aren't exactly edible: toilet paper and shampoo, for example. In this way, a coupon program could help correct for one of the failures of the food stamp system. The coupon idea isn't without its problems, howev er. Some retailors may not bo willing to parti< ipato, fear ing that the coupons will bring in so many panhandlers that other customers will stop coming. But if large num bers of retailors agree to join which will require the encouragement of both city government and consumers — then the coupon users would bo spread out and the problem would be minimized. Digging deep into one's pockets to help somebody in need can bo a satisfying act of charity, but it has always been tainted with the fear that a generous person might be doing more harm than good. If programs such as these continue to appear in Amer ican cities, perhaps people could start to feel good again about giving. Ana that would go a long way toward eas ing the plight of people who rely, at least temporarily, on the generosity of strangers. Oregon Daily Emerald PO 60* JiW fUGINf OREGON 97404 The Oegon 0*rfy •» put*>*had da*, Monday through FrnJa» du!'ng the v. r*cx>i year and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer Dy Oregon 0a> im#*a‘d PiAksh-ng Co . fnc r»l the University of Orngon i ugene, Oregon The emerald opera tea independently of the University with offces at Suae 900 of the F.rt> Memorial Umon and .» a member of the A.sv - sated PreM The Em&alciit private property The u'Mawfui removal Or use ol papers s prosecut-aUe Managing Editor Editorial Editor Graphics Editor Freelance Editor Editor-In-Chief Jafce Berg Calve> A/nk^v-n Sport* Editor Stave M^-s Dav<J Thom Editorial Editor .;»■'* P »,tva " Jeff Pa&uy Photo Editor M. *■..«»* Sh r^ A.Utna Ba-*n Supplement* Editor <K.i , . • Night Editor: f Ja.vJ Ki , v *!r Associate Editors: l chs.ud Klopfenste $L*3t»--l G-.r-.e> • A, • *>?■«••, Met-*- • a M«~ Commun-f> f4©a!he»f« Himes, 7*»pher EchJcabonAdn\t.'($tr&i»ori News Staff U> Btf' W> son Ch i , Dave Chartv »m A - , ( .. • - ['4,^ Mng Oecfci'-ph Amy Davenport. Tashd l n hen*#-he' Ma a F «• tv M.»o f V r- Sarah He J©** r- y r* l eng le-vig. Suiann* Marta M.v .s Memnd, T r nta Njh » -,.ii <-•• Reenstjema, Robt>e Reeves Kale Sabounn. Lie Safoccm. Scott S*mon*on Stephanie S sskon, Sutwvri'e Ste*fw's M»ehe*e Thompson Amy Van Tuyf, West General Manager Judy R*> r Advarlismg Director M.i-s Wartwr Production Manager M * R >*. Advertising' H Da. i. $ub>' Dull a U- e »-* Temx» M« «*»e r\y W.iv W ‘ ,w- M w.- K>- %<*y We*t Classified fk* %, Me- * ,i: ' Ui , M>> » \ * * Distribution: John Lo?*g. f »*enc RaPcv : Grah.i n S ^ j vjn Business' Kofhy Cartwnn. Sap+f\i&>r Jkrdy Con-vS y Production Doe McCotob FVcsAjCfron C.\vdku?or Shawrxa Abe«e. Greg Dov'-ovl, Tar a Gainey. tk%d Joss. Jervvfer Roland. Nan Thangv :■'. Clayton Veo Newsroom . 340 5511 Display Advertising 346 3712 Business Office 346 5512 Classified Advertising 346 4343 9 /"Id/V f Wi«i1nn«o1 a w i, mo 1 1 QAa "I Su£E, wagls AU6 ^ALLinC. IBut jytRE ARE still plE^tv or i JOBS. J r I KNOW. J*fA WOftKWG BOTH Of TH£M v NOW. ftfOKJE wu5 UM£S AC*/*/ OPINION Sorry, folks — no apologies Kobbii Khun Well. this ii it This lining my final column for the Emerald. I guttss this will be tin last time to offend anyone for a while No, I'm not going to write some wimpy article apologizing to any one and everyone I've offended, ridiculed, mocked or whatever Why' Because I'm not sorry Some people claim that 1 am too liberal Others say that i am too conservative And others are dumbfounded that the Emerald really even hired me to write any thing Personally. I'm glad that everyone hasn't agreed with me or my v iew points The last thing this campus needs is a group of people who totally agree with each other on everything. (As for the third group that didn't under stand why 1 "as hired I vs as kind of surprised my self.) A i ouple of [Mtople hove asked me how I dealt with letters to the editor, especially those 1 dis agreed with. I loved them. 1 real ly did 1 believed that 1 had ai i omplished something when I motivated someone to take the time to write a letter and send it to riie Emerald. This happened a number of times, such us with mv column about the (lersistant Port land military recruiter and with the death of Richard Nixon Other benefits came with this job, including having a picture of me (apparently having a neck spasm, if you look closely) put in the paper (a benefit?). There was also the neat series of prank phone calls in which somebody out there (ailed military recruiters and. using mv name and phone number, asked ior more information on "military opportunities " To the person who did that, thanks. 1 enjoyed II Other poo jilt’ 1 know have dared me to find a was to put cer tain words in my columns, just to see whether I could fit them into a column. Well, a good friend of mine, who shall be known as "Jon," asked me to put the word "proctologist" in the Emerald Well, I just did Don't know what it means? Look it up in the dictionary, and spare rue your outrage and letters After Monday, the Emerald won’t pub lish again until summer session However, the part of my job I have enjoyed the most was the personal t ontai t with readers, who often told me what my col umn reminded them of. gave me ideas for future columns and gave me a lot of encouragement for my work here. This column was the first time I had written an opinion pes o on a regular basis I wrote news for a couple of years in high school and starting next year, I will be a reporter here at the Emerald. Admittedly, every single column wasn't perfect, but I was learn ing Not every argument 1 marie was as good as it could have been, hut I was learning And I'm sure that I made other mistakes along the line, hut 1 kept learning about this job I learned a bunch about this job since I was hired m November', and 1 have trea sured my exponent e us a colum nist. Where else can you get paid for telling [>eoplo w hat you think? Hut it s time for me to move on I don't want to he the next George Will or. for those who read The Oregonian. Margie Houle Besides, they don't look like they'll be quitting by the time I graduate from here. Then I’m not going to write some wimpy article apologizing to anyone and everyone I’ve offended, ridiculed, mocked or whatever. Why? Because I’m not sorry. again, by the lime 1 accumulate enough credits, they may very well lie on the way out I'm sure there will be more controversy next year us there was with USSA, the Insurgent and other groups this year. Take it upon yourself as a paying member of this University com munity (even if Uncle Sam or vour parents are paying for you) to be aware of the issues facing us Without students, faculty and others looking out for them selves and for others, people can get avyay with the damnedest things Need 1 mention the three-digit phone hills of some campus organizations again1’ Keep writing letters to the edi tor here at the Emerald and to the other campus publications us well 1 he free flow of ideas and opinions is vital to the well-being of the University, and students should take it upon themselves to put a little something into the mix of opinions on this campus. It s lieeri fun Hobble Reeves is (n os) a columnist for the Emerald COMMENTARY POLICY 1 lit.* Oregon l huh limrmhl m'lcomcs commentaries from the public cont enting topics of interest to the University commu nity. Commentaries should be between 600 and BOO words, legi ble, signed and the identification of the writer must be verified when the letter is submitted. The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length or style.
