The print., January 16, 1985, Page 2, Image 2

I
Monologue____
State seat belt law
violates one’s rights
By D. Dietrich
Arts Editor
This year may be the one in which a man­
datory seat belt law will finally be passed in the
Oregon Legislature. At least that’s the op­
timistic view of state Sen. Rod Monroe,
D-Portland, who has tried unsuccesfully to
have such a bill enacted for the last two years.
The arguments in favor of such legislation
are indeed strong ones. If passed, proponents
of the measure claim it would not only save
lives but also millions of dollars spent by the
state each year for workers compensation to
those affected by traffic accidents. The bill' is
asking that Oregonians be required to wear seat
belts under penalty of a Class D traffic infrac­
tion. If found guilty the fine would require a
$31 bail under current standards.
Because it is preventive in nature, such
legislation would save lives and money just as
annual medical check-ups would. However,
there is a fine line between the invasion of
privacy and the pursuit of law enforcement
here, and I believe this bill would sneak over to
the side of invasion.
There are many reasons why people may
chose not to buckle up. Most of them are
cosmetic. A strap across one’s body is certainly
not a glamorous sight and we all know what
kind of unsightly wrinkles it would engage in a
taffeta dress. There is also a variety of medical
reasons precluding a seat belt from action. An
avid buckler I know refrained from wearing the
restraining device while in the last two months
of her pregnancy. There are more personal mat­
ters also, not all of which must be listed in
print, let alone explained to a stranger in a blue
suit.
Without being a bad idea, a mandatory seat
belt law is not a practical one. I’m not sure I
could resist the temptation to fasten up after
being stopped by a police officer and waiting
for him to arrive at my car door after which he
may have me ticketed for unlawful ventilation
(wearing seat belts in the summertime is a sticky
business.) It doesn’t make sense that a citizen is
allowed to ride on two small wheels at 55
m.p.h. without any protection on the head and
the delicate contents therein, while those sur­
rounded by metal must latch themselves to their
cars.
Because the bill is of defendable substance,
the compromise of passing an amendment,
thereby making it required for children under
the age of, say, 11 is allowable, besides, the
Oregon Legislature would end up arguing the
age factor for another five years as they have
done with any given clause in the last 20 bills
that were given for consideration.
A mandatory seat belt bill finds similarities
with the idea that it is illegal to commit suicide.
Breaking either law would mean a definite lack
of good judgement but both are geared to
punishing the criminal as well as the victim.
__ Fon ScAooZ ? !__________ _
I
Subway vigilante Goetz’s support misguided
By Shelley Ball
Editor In Chief
By now most everyone has heard
about Bernhard Hugo Goetz, the New
Yorker who skyrocketed to fame over
Christmas vacation by shooting four
black youths he said attempted to rob
him while riding the subway.
The subway vigilante is receiving
enormous support from the general
Starting next week...
Fritz Wenzel’s
“Community Corner”
Fritz takes a look at the people and events
around the College community.
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THE PRINT, a member of the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association, aims to be a fair and
impartial journalistic medium covering the campus community as thoroughly as possible. Opi­
nions expressed in THE PRINT do not necessarily reflect those of the College administration,
faculty, Associated Student Government or other members of THE PRINT. THE PRINT is a
weekly publication distributed each Wednesday except for finals week. Clackamas Community
College, 19600 S. Molalla Avenue, Oregon City, Oregon 97045.
X
Page 2
public, who believe Goetz’s actions to
be self-defensive in nature and are
therefore justifiable. For example, it’s
been reported that nationwide con­
tributions for bail and legal fees for
Goetz have been pouring in, and a Ber­
nhard Goetz Defense Fund has been set
up by some of Goetz’s business
associates in the electronics field.
The basis for this wave of sympathy
for Goetz has become suspect,
however. While the original story in­
dicated that Goetz acted in self­
defense, evidence being gathered about
the shooting indicates that Goetz may
be no more than a trigger-happy pistol
packer.
I’m not saying that protecting
oneself from criminal attacks is wrong,
and it’s easy for those of us who’ve
never experienced an attack of any
kind to sit back and say Goetz acted in
a wrongful manner.
There’s also nothing wrong with
supporting someone who acted in self­
defense, but there is something wrong
with supporting Goetz, who can’t pro­
ve he was menaced enough to resort to
gunfire, at least at this point in the in­
vestigation.
Not all the details have been worked
out in this case, but the current report
is that the four teenagers approached
Goetz and asked for the time, a match
and $5. Goetz reportedly said, “Yes, I
have $5 for each of you,” then stood
up and fired his gun at the youths until
he ran out of ammunition.
The youths were found to be carry­
ing crude weapons (screwdrivers with
sharpened points) during the confron­
tation, but the indications at this point
are they were not used in a threatening
manner against Goetz and were not
displayed for him to see. Therefore,
Goetz does not appear to have been in
a situation where firing a gun to kill for
his own protection was warranted.
In supporting Goetz, the public is
supporting the need for justice. The
problem is the public thinks it sees
justice being carried out by Goetz, and
in thinking so they are misguided. At a
time when the rights of criminals ap­
pear to be taking precedence over the
rights of victims, the public has been
hungry to rally around a figure who
symbolizes justice for the victims. In
Bernhard Goetz they have temporarily
found that figure.
Clackamas Community College