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Tuesday, July 22, 2003
Oregon Daily Emerald
COMMENTARY
Editor in Chief:
Brad Schmidt
Managing Editor:
Jan Tobias Montry
EDITORIAL.
Rape victims
need access
to birth control
The Oregon Legislature finally stopped its absurd
wrangling last week and moved forward with a complete
version of Senate Bill 752, a law that would provide funds
for the medical treatment of rape victims, including emer
gency contraception.
The bill, which enjoyed much bipartisan support in both
the House and the Senate, hit a rut when conservative sen
ators, seemingly on a deceptive moral mission, symboli
cally pushed their tired argument that emergency contra
ception is somehow akin to abortion. Their efforts resulted
in the removal of the emergency contraception provision
from the bill as it passed through the Senate and moved
into the House.
Senators claimed they nixed the provision after House
Speaker Karen Minnis, R-Wood Village, handed down a di
rective saying the House would hear only one abortion-re
lated bill this session — an abortion waiting-period bill —
according to The Oregonian.
State Democrats, none too happy that senators were
attempting to cut rape victims out of a perfectly reason
able method of birth control, fought to get the bill back
into the Senate with the emergency contraception provi
sion reattached.
They won, and so did all women in Oregon.
While we applaud the results, we won't let this one go so
easily. We question why it took so much hassle to get such
a no-brainer bill through lawmakers, and we scoff at the
suggestion that emergency contraception comes anywhere
near abortion. We also wonder why senators felt it was ben
eficial to remove a needed provision from a bill because
they believed it mirrors a practice that has been legal for
three decades.
First of all, an emergency contraception pill is not an
abortion pill. The well-known RU-486, which has been ap
proved by the Food and Drug Administration to induce
abortion, is a completely different class of drug known as
an antiprogestin. On the other hand, emergency contra
ception comes in two types: combined and progestin-only
pills. Both contain the same hormones used in regular
birth control pills, according to the Emergency Contracep
tion Web site, maintained by Princeton University and the
Association of Reproductive Health Professionals.
Emergency contraception is essentially a large dose of
regular birth control pills, taken before conception occurs
to prevent pregnancy — and is ineffective in terminating
pregnancies. The falsehood that these pills have the power
to destroy a fetus serves only to misinform the public and
to push the anti-abortion agenda.
In tact, emergency contraception effectively prevents
abortion. By using emergency contraception and avoiding
an unintended pregnancy, especially in the case of rape vic
tims, women would never conceive a child they otherwise
might later want to abort.
We're glad the House understood the important dis
tinction between an abortion pill and an emergency con
traception pill when it passed the new version Friday.
Now, we hope the bill will survive another round of bit
ter politics as it braves committee sparring once again in
the Senate.
All in all, we hope the state will fully realize the need for
all rape victims — not just those who are insured — to have
the necessary medical services needed to ensure physical
well-being after a sexual assault.
EDITORIAL POLICY
This editorial represents the opinion of the Emerald
editorial board. Responses can be sent to letters
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commentaries are encouraged. Letters are limited to
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to edit for space, grammar and style.
Peter Utsey for the Emerald
Bill would improve transportation
By an overwhelming bipartisan vote, the
Oregon Senate has passed House Bill
2041, more commonly known as the
Transportation Investment Act of 2003.
This bill represents the most significant
single invest
ment in our
transportation
infrastructure in
the history of this
state. What does
roller qx
WLiww 81
COMMENTARY
this mean for Oregon? This legislation will
accomplish three important goals.
First, this is the largest job creation and
economic development legislation this
session. HB 2041 will sustain 4,750 fami
ly-wage jobs each year for the next ten
years, putting Oregonians back to work in
the construction field. In addition to on
site employment, we will also increase em
ployment in related fields such as concrete,
steel and aggregate Job creation of this na
ture will not only help reverse our state's
spiraling unemployment rate, but it will
provide local economies with a shot in the
arm as these newly employed individuals
spend money on goods and services.
Second, HB 2041 will make a much
needed investment in our state's trans
portation system. We will begin to aggres
sively address more than 400 seriously
cracked bridges throughout our state. These
cracks create serious problems as bridges
are closed or weight limits are imposed.
Currently, trucks are being forced onto sec
ondary routes, which increases driving
time and costs and creates potential dan
gers to all motorists by having heavy trucks
on smaller roads not engineered for such
traffic. Fixing these bridges will both im
prove safety on our roads and help our
economy grow by ensuring that commerce
can move efficiently across Oregon.
Finally, this legislation will prepare Ore
gon communities for future growth and
help facilitate economic development. Pri
ority construction projects will be in areas
that will support future growth and job cre
ation. By focusing on these areas, we are
making sure that Oregon is prepared for the
upturn in the next business cycle. This leg
islation is key to move people and goods
safely and efficiently throughout the state.
Legislators, the governor's office, the
American Automobile Association, Oregon
Truckers Association and many other
groups were involved in months of negotia
tions and deliberations to craft legislation
that is fair and has widespread support. HB
2041 now goes to Oregon Gov. Ted Kulon
goski. This represents an important step for
ward for safe and adequate transportation
and economic recovery in Oregon.
Rick Metsger, D-Mt. Hood, and Bruce Starr,
R-Hillsboro, are members of the Oregon
Senate.
UO financial issues are easily 'solved'
I don't really understand what all the fuss
is about regarding these recent hard times.
As far as I'm concerned, there are many an
swers to the University's financial crises:
1. Ninety-nine percent of the student
body should start
compeung for » » wmm
cans, bottles and I
change on the COMMENTARY
main streets of _
the campus to
make up for the funding that allows our
football team to receive their books neatly
packaged with their names clearly labeled
every term. This is essential, of course, be
cause as many of us know, routing patterns
and blocking strategies are no match for
bookstore-aisle navigation. Besides, receiv
ing $869 per month is a small price to pay
for brain cells. Go Ducks!
2. Seventy-five percent of the student
body should see a reduction in classes of
fered, as we now have a nice, new Memori
al Plaza. Who cares if the buildings we
have classes in are older than our grand
mothers? As long as they don't actually fall
on top of me, I've got no complaints.
3. Let's ask those "soul savers" and "Je
sus lives" proponents to start paying rent
for all the space they take. Besides, isn't
there still that whole separation between
church and state thing or did that too
jump out the window like a Bush adviser?
4. If all else fails, just slap another sur
charge on my bill and let the Department
of Public Safety fine me when I go ballistic.
You see, I told you everything would be
fine. All it takes is some ingenuity and cre
ativity on the part of our financial advisers,
and voila! A balanced budget.
Adrienne Stuart is a senior majoring
in education.
ONLINE POLL
Each week, the Emerald publishes the pre
vious week's poll results and the coming
week's poll question. Visit www.dailye
merald.com to vote.
Last week: Should Department of Public
Safety officers have the power to issue cer
tain drug- and alcohol-related citations?
Results: 41 total votes
No, they aren't real cops — 26.8 percent or
11 votes
No, in fact, DPS should be altogether dis
solved — 21.9 percent or 9 votes
Yes, it will improve campus safety — 22
percent or 9 votes
No, they lack the training to do so — 19.5
percent or 8 votes
Yes, and they should get guns, too — 4.9
percent or 2 votes
Leave me alone! — 4.9 percent or 2 votes
This week: What's your favorite way to
enjoy the summer sun?
Choices: Dipping in the river and swim
ming in the ocean; Hiking and exploring
the mountains; Barbecues, parties and
wild camping trips; Bike rides and strolls
in the park; Two words: television and air
conditioning; Leave me alone!