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.