NEWSROOM:
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ON-LINE EDITION:
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EDITOR IN CHIEF
Ryan Frank
EDITORIAL EDITORS
Kameron Cole
Stefanie Knowlton
The jury needs to focus on the facts in a
landmark abortion case
n a country that so prides itself
on free and open discourse as
the United States, it seems
ridiculous that people turn to
violence as a means of self-ex
pression.
Sadly though, they do.
Wednesday a Portland jury
began deliberation in Planned
Parenthood v. American Coalition of
Life Activists, a case that many agree
will have far-reaching implications in
the national debate on free speech and
abortion.
At issue
in the
case is
whether a
series of
anti-abor
tion mate
rials that
features in
formation
about abor
tion doc
tors—
Wanted
style
posters, a
‘‘Deadly
dozen” list
of abortion
providers and a
Web site called the "Nuremberg Files”
— constitute a threat to the safety of
those doctors.
Legally, these materials have been
difficult to stop because they avoid lan
guage that implicitly calls for violence,
which places them under the wide um
brella of free speech.
But the principle of free speech has
always been a difficult one. The fact
that doctors and clinic workers who
have been featured on the posters and
the Web site have been wounded or
killed certainly does muddy the wa
ters.
The Web site is of particular interest
in this case. While the
site does not call
for violence
against abor
tion providers outright, it does pro
claim them guilty of “crimes against
humanity,” lists their full names, the
cities in which they practice and the
names of their spouses and children.
The most disturbing aspect of this
site, however, is the one that is most
cited by the plaintiffs and the media.
When one of the people listed on the
site is wounded, the name is listed in
gray. When one is killed, the name is
crossed out and noted as a fatality.
It is not just tactics like this that
make the site and the other materials
threatening, argue the plaintiffs. This is
where things get sticky. Their argu
ment is that the current climate of the
abortion debate is so charged that any
thing that advocates violence toward
abortion providers, even indirectly,
can be construed as threatening.
This is the issue the jury has taken
up.
Violence against abortion providers
and their families is reprehensible and
should be punished to the fullest ex
tent. But if Planned Parenthood or any
one else believes that the violence will
end if the “Nuremberg Files” Web site
is taken down or if anti-abortion
groups are prohibited from producing
and distributing posters, they are mis
taken.
The criteria the jury must apply to
this case is whether a “reasonable per
son” would view the materials as a
threat.
If the jury finds in favor of the plain
tiff, it will send the message that the
perception of the doctors has more cre
dence than the intent of the anti-abor
tion activists — whatever it may be.
This would open a door that a society
that prizes free speech should be wary
of walking through.
This is a case where, more than any
thing else, the jury needs to be focused
on the central issue. We hope they will
find it beneath the layers of rhetoric,
emotion and subjectivity.
This editorial represents the opinion of the
Emerald editorial board. Responses may
be sent to ode@orvgon.uoregon.edu
Letters to the Editor
Bike theft
Your article on theft (ODE, Jan. 22}
noted that bike theft is a problem on
campus. The good news is that we
can reduce bike theft by doing a few
simple things. First, DO NOT use a ca
ble as the primary means of locking
your bicycle. Cables are just stands of
wire that are very easy to cut. A cable
will attract a would-be thief while a
solid steel U-lock or O-lock will most
often deter one. Second, lock an en
closed part of your bike’s frame — not
just the wheel. Third, register your
bike. It is required on campus. In case
your bike is stolen and recovered, the
registration provides us with a way to
locate you. Registration is available at
the Office of Public Safety (OPS) and
it is free. If you have any questions
about how to reduce the chances of
your bike being stolen or vandalized,
please contact me at 346-5425 or
email: bikes@oregon.uoregon.edu
David Niles
University Bicycle Coordinator
Editorial accurate
Regarding the editorial article enti
tled “Who’s watching the kids?”
(ODE, Jan. 26): This very accurately
represents the issue at hand: that hun
dreds of students here at the Univer
sity are struggling to keep their heads
above water when it comes to balanc
ing school, work and caring for their
children, not to mention the countless
other factors that affect all of our lives.
Although some may feel detatched
from this issue, I can guarantee that it
affects all of us, whether it’s yourself,
a friend, family member or even that
person who sits next to you in your 11
a.m. class. Please ask yourself what
you can do to help. Simply volunteer
ing a couple of hours at the ASUO can
make all the difference in the world.
That is what I did, and I have come
away with a satisfaction that far out
weighs what I put in.
Devon Streed
Freshman
Political Science
Thumbs
TO MORE
MONEY:
The Universi
ty’s plan to offer
automatic $1000
and $2000
scholarships to
incoming in
state freshmen
with high grades
should go a long
way toward at
tracting top stu
dents.
TO CUTTING
SOME SLACK.
Though they
don’t want it to
happen again,
the Chinese gov
ernment allowed
the results of a
recent township
election to stand,
even though it
took place with
out formal gov
ernment ap
TO REMOVING
RIGHTS:
A recently
proposed bill in
the Oregon Leg
islature would
make it illegal
for teachers to
goon strike.
TO MOVING
BACKWARD:
Some Ore
gon restauran
teurs are seek
ing exemption
from paying
their employees
minimum wage.
At $6.50 per
hour, Oregon
boasts the high
est minimum
wage in the
country.