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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 1996)
TUESDAY. AUGUST 6.1996 INDEX Opinion News Digest News Sports Classifieds Crossword C\J £») ^ U> N N TODAY The UO Museum of Natural History features summerexhibits including “Backyard Birds,” and “What's That Tree?” INSIDE Ems Adam Johnson belted two home runs in Eugene’s 4-2 win over Southern Oregon last night James H. Warsaw Center students are getting a first-hand look at the sports marketing industry WEATHER Mostly sunny. High 80. Low 50 ANDREW BRACKENSICK/Emaratd Keeping the Faith ■ PROMISE KEEPERS: Thousands of men gathered atAutzen Stadium to proclaim their faith and establish and renew their commitment to family .*. EN MIN CHANG/EmeraJd Above: Shawn Clark (left), Ron Loucks and Mark Noland pray along with about 33,000 others in Autzen Stadium on Saturday evening during the Promise Keepers conference. Top: The Promise Keeper Band sings between speakers Saturday afternoon. ■ THE PROTEST: Those who disagreed with the Promise Keepers narrow definition of what makes a family held a candlelight vigil By Tiffany Smith Oregon Daily Emerald Under the banner, “Victory Over Big otry,” approximately two dozen people gathered outside Autzen Stadium for a can dlelight vigil in response to the Promise Keepers’ conference Friday evening. The 45-minute peaceful prayer vigil was a culmination of months of protest by gay and lesbian advocates as well as women’s organizations and local clergy to the gath ering of the conservative-Christian Promise Keepers gathering. Despite the noise of the helicopter cir cling the men’s conference overhead and the wind that kept blowing out their can dles, participants in the vigil said they were united in solidarity to expand society’s di alogue on family issues. Some speakers mentioned a feeling of re spect for the thousands of men pouring into Autzen Stadium for their desire to re new commitments to faith, family and community. However, at issue was the Turn to PROTEST, Page 8 By Carl Yeh Freelance Reporter More than 2000 years ago, the An cient Romans gathered in the Colosse um to watch Christians fight for their lives. In an ironic reversal, the Promise Keepers gathered at Autzen Stadium— not to watch people die — but to come together in a proclamation of faith and a commitment to build stronger families. More than 33,000 men attended the rally, making it the largest conference ever held in Eugene’s history. People from all over the west coast at tended the conference, and they said they had high expectations. “I’m looking forward to the speak ers,” Bob Mohr of Vancouver, WA said. Proclaiming faith Upon entering the stadium, each man was issued a copy of the New Testa ment, which the speakers at the confer ence often referred to. This paperback bible also contained a “decision card” in which men could check one of three boxes: (1) acceptance of Jesus Christ, (2) renewal of commitment to Christ and (3) some other special need. “There were 1,100 people who got saved last night," said John Jackson, a freshman at the Oregon Institute of Technology, referring to the decision cards that were turned in Friday night. “That is just so good because that’s the first step, you know. You try and go through life without God and you ain’t gonna make it.” “It’s the world’s idea of a man’s man who takes control and that’s not a godly man,” Promise Keepers President Randy Phillips said. “We must see that we have bought into the idea that we should never open up to other men. Je sus himself did not do that. Jesus him self looked into the eyes of 11 other men and said, ‘You are those who stood by me inmy time in trial.’” The men at Autzen Stadium held each other, cried and prayed through Turn to PROMISE KEEPERS, Page 8 Community speaks out on dogs, skateboards issue ■ BAN: The Council will make its final decision on Wednesday By Andrea De Young Associate Editor A variety of voices were heard at the Eu gene City Council meeting on Monday night, when the hot topic was the proposed ordinance banning dogs and skateboarders from the West University area. Members of the community were allowed three minutes to speak their mind about the ordinance. Some people prepared speeches, some just winged it, but everybody had an opinion. One man even used two stuffed animals to animate his points. With more than 40 people voicing their opinions, the public forum lasted nearly two hours. Speakers included University students and professors, business owners, and other Eugene residents. While a majority of people speaking were against the ordinance, there were several who favored the law as a step in the right di rection of cleaning up the area. However, most of those in favor said that a few irresponsible dog owners and skate boarders were causing problems. “Between skateboarders and dogs, people have to watch their feet and their backs when walking down the street,” said one lo cal business owner. On the other side of the issue were not only people with dogs and skateboards, but also those who generally disagreed with the ordinance. “The City of Eugene has a people prob lem, not a dog problem,” a member of the Eugene Kennel Club said. "Bite the bullet and deal with the people problem and you will solve the dog problem.” Catholic outcry A secretly recorded conversation between a Catholic priest and an inmate of the Lane County Jail was a religious sacrament, a judge ruled Monday. The Catholic Church is seeking the destruc tion of the tape, calling it an violation of reli gious freedom. The ruling trigged a demon stration by 75 people outside the Lane County Courthouse in Eugene. Conan Hale is charged with multiple counts of aggravated murder in the Dec. 21 shooting deaths of three teens. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. —77» Associated Press
