EDITORIAL
Here’s what we think;
now you choose: Vote
Tho following is a summary of recommendations the
Emerald has made to voters throughout October and
November for today's general election. While not all bal
lot measures and races are covered those issues with tho
greatest potential for harm to tho state and higher edu
cation received In-depth appraisals.
Measure 5: Would amend the constitution to require
voter approval of most new or increased taxes or foes. NO
Measure 8: Would amend the constitution to require
public employees to pay 6 percent of their gross salary
toward pensions This measure is particularly punitive
and ignores collective bargaining agreements reached
in good faith between public employees and their employ
ers, NO.
Measure 10. Amends tho constitution to require a two
thirds vote of both houses of the Legislature to change
voter-approved prison sentences. NO
Measure 11: Sets mandatory minimum prison sentences
for 16 felonies. This measure also requires that a person
between the ages of 15 to 17. when charged with one of
the listed crimes, la* triwi as an adult. This measure, while
well-meaning, is unfunded and would require a sub
stantial shift in state resources to pay for added correc
tions costs. It also takes discretion out of the hands of
judges who can rule on the merits of each case, especially
in the i asc (if juveniles. NO
Measure »3: would amend me constitution and pro
hibit state or local governments from protecting homo
sexual'. against discrimination. This is another particu
larly loathsome measure that would allow open
discrimination against homosexuals in housing, jobs and
basic civil rights. NO
Measure 15 Would amend the constitution to require
that the Legislature maintain current funding for schools
and community colleges. This measure seeks to do the
job of a dysfunctional legislature incapable of compro
mise when it comes to funding schools. It is the result
of the steady erosion in school funding since the passage
of the property tax limitation In 1990. Ballot Measure 15
would fund schools at the expense of every other state
funded program, most notably higher education Tuition
would increase at all state colleges and universities if tho
measure passes. NO.
Measure IB: Would allow terminally iii adults to obtain
a lethal prescription of drugs to commit suicide. This
measure does not present enough adequate sab-guards or
oversight by tho state to prevent abuse. NO.
Measure 19: Amends the constitution to permit state
and local governments to pass laws banning obscenity,
i bis measure would allow city and county governments
to create their own meaning of censorship and is overly
narrow. NO.
With all tho measures on the November H ballot, peo
ple who have not had tho time for in-depth study should
not fool obligated to vote yes or no out of a sense of duty.
Many ballot measures seek, to amend the constitution and
will greatly affect the future of Oregon. For those who feel
uninformed, confused or who just don't have an opinion
either way. abstaining from individual ballot measures
or races would lm thoughtful and prudent.
Oregon Daily
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■ OPINION
Measure 16 part of frontier spirit
Pkimo A. J.Fovum_
Americans supposedly pride
themselves on the pioneer spir
it, lhut of the rugged individual
about whom we hear so much
during Republican campaign
speeches But. the dirty little
sec ret of our country is that
underneath the rugged outside,
we are wishy-washy sentimen
talists at heart
This is perhaps most apparent
w hen looking at the c ampaign
(whic h has been quite success
ful) against Ballot Measure u»
Those who oppose the mea
sure have used every tear-jerk
ing argument possible that the
weak and elderly will lie fore ed
to die, doc tors will he playing
t.od l>\ deciding who shall or
shall not live, e! cetera
To be quite honest, it has all
Imhui rather silly
The few who have actually
read and digested the measure
have seen that it is thorough,
straightforward ami rigidly
structured in order to assure that
the nightmare scenarios present
ed by Hi's opposition do not
occur Presumably (at least
hopefully), you readers under
stand the system of i hoc ks and
double checks which will be
implemented, as well as the
heavy punishments whic h will
be placed upon those who do
not strictly follow the measure's
guidelines.
Hut many will not. since this
is politics and Americans are
sentimentalists The opposition
knows this, and they have
already outspent supporters of
the measure 10 to 1. according
to a column by The Boston
Globe's Kllen Goodman. They
have pushed their gut-wrench
ing arguments to the hilt, and
more importantly, they have
grossly simplified the issues in
order to assure that the measure
is struck down
What they don't want you to
see is that this measure is about
something more than death with
dignity, it is about self determi
nation for the ( itizena of this
state, and hopefully, this coun
try. Ballot Measure lfi's oppo
nents plat e all of us under the
moral constraints of a select
group of people Aside front this
being against what the builders
of the nation intended when
framing the Constitution, it is
simply wrong.
If you do not harm another
person in the process, you
should not l<e subject to the ide
ology of another person or party.
This seems a very simple idea,
and one fundamental to our
beliefs as Americans However,
the anti-lb forces don't agree.
They use simplistic and
abstract arguments; saving that
life is too precious, or that you
can't give up just because you
are ill. or some other hogwash
along those lines But these are
all just ways to say one thing
you cannot control your own
destiny.
Speaking for myself, if a ter
minal illness depleted my lift; to
the point where it was no longer
worth living, 1 would not want
to continue. I want to be remem
bered as a living, vital human
being, not as a shadow of my
former self wasted away bv dis
ease.
It should not matter that 16
would not force me to notify my
family. Such a decision should
be in the hands of the patient,
and if one is truly close to his or
her relatives, that person may or
may not choose to discuss the
decision with family The gov
ernment, as conservatives tell us
so often, cannot be used to
strengthen a family.
If people do not believe in
physician-assisted suicide, they
should have the respect to allow
those who do, to live under their
own moral and/or spiritual
guidelines As with abortion, if
you don t believe in it, simply
don't have one.
It is ironic that Republicans,
with all of their empty talk
about the rights of the individ
ual, have been so quiet. When it
comes to gun control or environ
mental concerns, they hate gov -
ernment, and any attempt at reg
ulation is met with virulent
opposition But when it comes
to enforcing Judeo-Christian
ethics, no amount of federal,
state, county or city intervention
is enough.
To be fair, few prominent
Democrats have supported, or
even mentioned Ballot Measure
1(> Seeing the political tide
shifting, most have shied away
from it in order to keep moder
ates happy. It is sad that the par
ty which is supposed to tie pro- 4
gressive could not look past a
few votes, and toward the larger
issues surrounding this mea
sure it could have helped define
a currently undefined party, but
the opportunity has been wast
ed.
The state of Oregon and its
people have a chance to do
something of paramount impor
tance This measure could prove
to be a crucial juncture in the
history of not only our fair state,
but the nation as well. We the
people should lie guaranteed the
freedom to control our own des
tinies, to shape our personal
beliefs without the interference
of the government and to fight
the big money in this campaign
Even if you know that you
will not wish to terminate your
own life at any time, or your
own personal morals do not
allow you to believe that it is
proper to do so. you should still
vote yes on the measure.
Don't he a “Gumped" senti
mentalist as the no on 16 forces
want you to be. Prove that you
truly have that pioneer spirit A
yes vote will break new ground
in allowing all of us not only the
dignity which we deserve, but
the right to define ourselves as
individuals.
Prima A J. Fontana is a colum
nist for the Emerald