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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 17, 1995)
EDITORIAL Responsibility law good move for city A small Oregon town set a precedent earlier this year when it demanded that parents bo accountable for the t ondtn t of their children and threatened fines if they weren't. The law took effect Jan. 1 in Silvorton, a small town near Salem. Just over two weeks later, one parent. Ani ta Hock, was charged for failing to supervise hor son under the ordinance because her son shoplifted. Bor k and the American Civil Liberties Union contest ed the law. arguing that it invaded the lives of parents The court rojoi ted the argument and uphold the ordt nance. The Silvorton law is a positive stop toward ensuring that parents are more proactive in raising their children. While there are many parents who raise their children excellently, others take no responsibility for the upbring log of their t hildren. They need to know that they are required legally, if not morally - to take t are of their children. One of Beck's charges was that the ordinance infringed on her right to raise her children free of intrusion by the gutxwat is a fallacy The community should be able to expect that a parent will teat h his or her child proper conduc t and that some things, such as stealing, are wrong While parents don't always know exar tl\ where their children are. they should be held account able for their actions Parents are responsible for many things in the life of a child A parent must consent before most medical pro endures are performed on a child. Parents can be held financially liable for tin? actions of their children, logi cally. therefore, parents should bn held liable for the criminal actions of their children The Silvorton ordinance doesn't take away punish ments ior children com ictml of crimes. Children should bo hold accountable for their actions as well, just like everyone else. The Silvorton law only adds penalties for parents The env ironment in whit h a child grows up often rennets on the minor. A child may resort to stealing or joining a gang as a response to problems at home. The Silvorton ordinance will help children by ensuring that they grow up in an atmosphere in whit h parents take a role in teat hing children the difference between right and wrong under threat <>i law No law will take the place of unproddod communica tion between parent and child. Perhaps, one day. an ordinant o like Silvorton's will be unnecessary and juve nile crime a nonissue. However, the parental responsi bility ordinance is- a good first step toward addressing society’s problem of juvenile crime. Parents, more than anyone, can help to solve the problem by teaching their children that crime is wrong. Silvorton is moving the right way in working to help i hildren who commit crimes More cities should fol low Silvorton's example. 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Fom \n \ ift* in Fugeno is. to say the very least, quite interest• -1—JtuK More th.in anything else, vs hat makes it so is tlu* cast of i harat tors w« six* around our larnpus I wo sui h people, who 1 would like to salute today, are Pinkman and Frog Now til of us know Frog, but Pinkman may need a bit of intro duction 1 saw him for the first time lust week as 1 was walking down Fast 13th Avenue toward Gilbert Hall As I was trudging to my class, I nolle od someone riding a uni cvcle down the street, which although rare, was not startling in itself Then, upon closer inspection. I noticed the rider, a little guy who probably yveighed about 150 pounds, yvas wearing a neon pink, full-body spondees suit that covered all of his laxly, including his head. As he tipped in and out of the bicyclists and on and off of the sidewalk through the pedestri ans, he i aused quite a commo tion. He made "zooming" noises as he puttered about and made sure to quip with ail of those who gazed at him as he passed. To one young woman with purple hair, he pulled up along side and said: "Great hair! Pinkman loves purple." It yvas obvious that he was having u ball, and so was every one who saw him Students, hippies and professors alike stopped for a moment to have a laugh with him. Even Frank Anderson, who yvas my professor for Math 315. slopped for a chuc kle 1 haven't seen him laugh that Itard since he graded my final las! fall. Everyone was impressed One friend of mine, w ho stood along side me as we watched ill awe summed it up perfecth "I want lo know whut he's smoking, and how 1 can gel some of n ." I’inkman was awesome for a number of reasons. First, riding a unicyele as well ns he did u quilt* an accom plishment in itself. Second, anyone with the guts lo wear that outfit publicly should either la* feared, respect ed or both Third, he was more entertain ing than anything I've seen on television since The Jefferson* and All in the Family went off of the air For all of us. as we moved through the motions of our day to-day routine. Pinkman gave us a chance to giggle for just a minute and take a break from the frenetic pace of our lives in this age of rough times and fears about the future, that's worth u lot. Another person who performs such a public service is that per manent fixture of 13th and Kin <-aid. Frog The world's greatest joke- book seller has l*een there for years, probably longer than any student currently enrolled I remember my first encounter with Frog. It was about three weeks into my freshman year, and I had just dropped a friend off at her house off-campus As I walked alone through the dark, I was startled by a little bearded man on a bike who stopped at a light alongside of me "Have you had a chance* to read the world's funniest joke books?" he asked in the voice that by now is familiar to all of us. "Well. uh. no. 1 don't think so." I responded, still sho< ked at the prospect of discussing books at a stoplight with a total stranger during the small hours of the morning. "Come and see me in front of the Bookstore this week if you'd like to take a look." Fventuallv, 1 did see Frog in front of the store, and out of sheer curiosity I bought one of Ins f>ooks f hate to say i was sur prised, but it really was funny. After that. 1 started to sis' him as most of us do. a facet of life at the University A fellow /-.filer aid staffer once told me: "I think that Frog is the only stable thing in Eugene " In a town where Kevin Hornhut kie could get elected, that's probably true. While students are walking to class or going to buy something at the Bookstore. Frog is there smiling, books in hand, with one of his witty sales lines "Buy one of these joke books and Jesus will love you." “These make great Mother's Day gifts." And. of ( nurse, the oft repent ed i i.ismi "Have you seen the world's funniest joke books?” On a rough day. walking toward a midterm or a final, it’s ■tUsijs nice to see timi there Without fail, we crack a smile as he banters with us, even if we don't want to — it simply can't he helped. His enjoyment of what ho does is contagious and it makes pushing through school just a little easier. As some of us prepare to grad uate and leave not only this town hut our youth behind us. we should think about Frog and Pmkman 1 hey don't play it by the liook. they don't wear suits and ties, at least not that I’ve seen; they don't lit the image of what we're taught is "success ful." but both of them bring something valuable to all of us. Life is hard, and we all know this No matter how tough it gets though, there is always time to sit bat k for just a minute and realize how- silly all of our wor ries and preoccupations are. This is the gift that Frog and Pink man give us When we laugh with them, we can laugh ;h ourselves Primo A / Fontana is a colum nist for the Emerald.
