Dan Brunell Emerald
The University of Oregon School of
Journalism dedicated the newly-con
structed First Amendment Plaza to
Ted M. Natt on Saturday. A promi
nent newspaper publisher in south
west Washington, Natt died in a heli
copter crash on Sept. 23, 1999. A
graduate of the University in 1963,
Natt worked tirelessly for freedom of
the press and the rights of profession
al journalists.
Smoking ban
continued from page 1
I don’t think anyone should be, but
I think the ban on smoking should
be a personal choice.”
Stafford also singled out an issue
several other bar owners addressed
— the cost already sunk into main
taining a smoking environment
geared towards both smokers and
non-smokers.
“I have equipment that purifies
the air,” Stafford said. “It’s not fair
to us who have spent the money on
the equipment to force us to lock
out our smoking customers.”
However, recent research pre
sented at the forum contradicted
the fears of bar owners regarding a
smoking ban’s negative effect on
business.
One study of a similar smoke
free ordinance in Corvallis found
the economic fall out was negligi
ble, though video poker revenues
were significantly cut.
“As a whole, Corvallis didn’t
show a decrease in alcohol sales as
compared to Albany” (where there
is no smoking ban), the study’s au
thor, Jack Dresser said. “I didn’t see
any evidence of economic effect
other than video poker.”
Despite the research, smoking es
tablishment owners believe that a
smoking ban for all work places
would cripple business for bars,
taverns, and Bingo parlors, which
claim smoking is part of their cul
ture.
“Our business is going to close if
this law passes and we’re not ex
empted,” said Carolyn Dorchak, an
employee of Bingomania.
Bar representatives emphasize
the idea of choice — that patrons
can choose to frequent bars with
non-smoking areas.
Also, both opponents and sup
porters of the smoking ban have ex
pressed concern that it would drive
customers out of Eugene and into
Springfield bars and restaurants.
“I’m a non-smoker and I work
here because I choose to work
here,” said Michael Drury, an em
ployee of the Black Forest Tavern.
“If they pass [the ordinance] here,
we’ve got Springfield right across
( { Our business is going
to close if this law passes
and we're not exempted.
Carolyn Dorchak
employee, Bingomania
the river and they’ll get rich.”
Mentioning efforts in Springfield
to enact a smoking ban, Kelly said,
“I think we need to give Lane
County something to level the play
ing field.”
Supporters of a smoking ban,
however, maintain that the hazards
of second-hand smoke warrant ac
tion.
“Second-hand smoke is a public
health hazard,” said Munir Katul, a
retired physician. “There are occu
pational health and safety regula
tions regarding other hazards. This
is no different than any other safe
ty measures employers are forced
to abide by. Imagine a place adver
tising unhealthy working environ
ment standards. Society wouldn’t
accept this. Second-hand smoke is
no different.”
The vote is scheduled at 7:30
p.m. in city council chambers.
Reaction
continued from page 4
role on campus. A group of students
who were involved in last May’s
WRC protest and members of the
Human Rights Alliance now have
positions in student government,
including Breslow, Magner, Legisla
tive Organizer Melissa Unger and
University Affairs Coordinator
Chad Sullivan. Breslow and Unger
were two of 14 students arrested
during the 10-day protest.
Sullivan said he and the rest of
the Executive staff have briefly dis
cussed their overlapping, and possi
bly contradicting, roles. He definite
ly won’t quell his opinions on
issues being tacked in the Survival
Center, but he and others are still
considering how partisan they
should be as members of student
government.
For now, he said his focus will be
to educate the University about the
WRC, the FLA and labor conditions
and he’ll leave his personal beliefs
in the Survival Center. He said he
was frustrated many times by the
misinformation some students had
about the WRC, FLA and the work
er’ rights issue.
“I want to bring the issue out of
the Survival Center and update stu
dents on what’s happened,” he said.
“We need to create a dialogue and
stop pointing fingers.”