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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 2000)
Letters______________ 2_________ WedNEsdAy, O ctoòer 18, 2000 Al! signed letters to the editor should be 500 words or less and will b< Opinion considered for publication if submitted by 1 pm the Friday prior u publication. Letters to the Editor arc subject to editing. We reserve the right to not publish any letter. -Editorial----------------------------------------- Measure 9 threatens free speech, school funds The Clackamas Print believes Mea sure 9, to be voted on in the Nov. 7 general election, would vial^at&e right Rs progpedib® tmeon- b®h t^Wffltld States ’W this reason, the Print opposes Measure 9. Measure 9 would require that “in struction of behaviors relating to ho mosexuality and bisexuality shall not be presented in a public school in a manner which encourages, promotes or sanctions such behaviors.” Non- compliance by any school could re sult in the “withholding of all or part of state funding.” This reasonable-sounding lan guage is nothing less than censor ship in the guise of student protec tion. The Oregon Constitution pro tects citizens from intrusions by gov ernment into their free speech rights. While the Print opposes Mea Section 8, Article 1 forbids laws “re or a fair opportunity to, or discrimi straining the free expression of opin nate against, any students who wish sure 9 on the basis of freedom of ion, or restricting the right to speak, to conduct a meeting.. .on the basis speech, many other individuals and write, or print freely on any subject of the religious, political, philosophi groups have spoken out against the cal, or other content of the speech measure for other reasons. whatever...” Planned Parenthood of Oregon When Measure 8, an initiative re at such meetings.” Groups in support of homosexu asserts, “Measure 9 would severely lating to sexual orientation, was ap proved in Oregon in 1988, the Or ality or bisexuality, like Clackamas’ limit what our kids learn about birth egon Court of Appeals overturned Rainbow Group for gay and lesbian control, abstinence and AIDS/HTV it, finding “free and open expression students, would likely be in viola prevention...” and “...Measure 9 about sexual orientation is clearly tion of Measure 9. Since other groups will create even more danger to our protected...” by the Oregon Con do not have similar prohibitions kids by taking, away vital counsel stitution, and “expression may not placed on them, Measure 9 raises ing services for lesbian and gay stu be punished in the interest of a uni the issue of equal treatment, not dents that help prevent teen suicide form vision on how human sexuality only endangering federal aid, but attempts.” Oregon Teachers and Parents state: violating, again, the Oregon consti should be regarded or portrayed.” ‘Teach respect and fairness, not ex Measure 9 could also jeopardize tution. Section 20 of Article 1 of the Or clusion,” and “our schools should be federal funds for Oregon schools. The Federal Equal Access Act egon Constitution states: “No law places to reinforce values of tolerance states: “It shall be unlawful for any shall be passed granting to any citi and respect, not harassment and fear.” If discussion of homosexuality and public secondary school which re zen or class of citizens privileges, or ceives Federal financial immunities, which...shall not bisexuality may be governed, what assistance...to deny equal access equally belong to all citizens.” speech will be the next target? WHO OPPOSES MEASURE 9? Oregon Parent Teacher Assoc. Planned Parenthood Children First for Oregon Oregon Nurses Association League of Women Voters Ecumenical Ministries Oregon Education Association Oregon Republican Mainstream Peggy Fowler, President, PGE Rural Organizing Project Human Rights Campaign Nat'l Ass /Letter Carriers, Br. 82 Basic Rights Oregon American Civil Liberties Union American Fed. of Teachers Oregon Library Association (Partial list) MR*' If you vote, politicians Protect the children, vote yes on 9 will have to listen A news story in last week’s Print pointed out that only eight percent of people between the ages of 18 and 24 voted in the last election. I’ve been wondering why. At the age of 18, United States citizens gain one of the premier privi leges of being an adult in this coun- Stand and be counted* try. Yet, many people have ceased to believe their votes make a differ ence. Unfortunately in this case, if you believe it, it becomes true. People in power in our govern ment actually pay a great deal of attention to voting groups such as women, seniors and farmers. How ever, if your attitude as a group is to give up the power that comes from voting, then they don’t have to listen to you. It’s as if you don’t exist Yes, voting requires taking re sponsibility. All privileges come at that price. However, this is the age of communication and technology. Never in history has information been so freely available to every one. Of course, it’s a bit of a task to seek and sort it out, but developing the ability to do so may be the most important thing you learn in college. It’s a shame to see young adults putting their heads in the sand, when the country badly needs new ideas and input. By not voting, you are giving away part of your personal power. The state of Oregon has made it easier than ever to vote this year. Oregon is the first state to ever have an entirely vote-by-mail gen eral election. Your ballot will be mailed to you between Oct. 20 and Oct. 24. If you have registered and do not receive a ballot by mail, you may call your local county elec tions office for assis tance. The telephone Tam Oliver numbers are Feature Co-Editor listed on page 375 of your Voters’ Pamphlet. The ballots must be received at any county elections office (des ignated in the Voters’ Pamphlet) by 8 p.m. on Nov. 7, so a postmark that date will not count. And there are many ways to be come informed on the issues. There are web sites such as http:/ /www.sos.state.or.us/elections/ nov72000/nov72000.htm. . news papers, television and the Oregon Voters' Pamphlet. Additionally, every ASG representative is pre pared to explain to every student the seven measures on the Nov. 7 ballot that will directly impact students. Go to the ASG office in the Community Center and ask questions. Speak your piece too. Your opinions are important. And don’t let the Oregon Vot ers' Pamphlet intimidate you. If you can’t be informed on every issue, then vote on the ones you know and care about. If you stand up to be counted, they will pay attention. After all, they are politicians. Measure 9 prohibits public school instruction encouraging, promoting, or sanctioning homo- sexual/bisexual behaviors, and provides penal ties for its viola tion. Sounds simple enough, right? In fact, the bottom line is, Measure 9 is that simple. This measure is about the children, and even if homosexuals dp what they do, that doesn’t have any place in the children’s curriculum. This is a measure that will ensure the standard of education for them. We’ve seen what’s going on with the curriculum down in Cali fornia, and that’s not how it should be. In the last four years the Gay, Lesbian Straight Educa- tion Network (GLSEN), has greatly accelerated its activity in California and we (Oregon) are their next target! This is a measure that leaders of the GOP (Republicans) in Or- egon have endorsed. In a meet ing in June, closed to the press, the majority of the Education, Principle, Action. Michael Choe Staami,er 100 delegates endorsed this stu dent protection act. The initiative pretty closely tracks what the party platform says. “While we respect indi vidual rights of privacy and while we are tolerant of different pref erences, we oppose government’s efforts to validate or sanction homosexual activity,” said Rep. Kevin Mannix, R-Sa- lem. Another issue intertwined in this measure is religion. The mea sure has split churches. About 75 percent of Oregonians classify themselves as Christians, while about 17 percent consider them- Jonathan Baggs takt HPTHEREf Jo*/ SAÉift AgôuT7Me & Now t - m sudje. 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Diana Scrivncr (x2447) — CbckAÜXs Ftâ THI s *7K£NÖ* >4 «re. 4 Feature Co-Editor: sP'intl A• ir mein with toe. selves to be non-religious (the highest percentage in the nation, according to the 1990 National Study of Religious Identifica tion, conducted by City Uni versity of New York). In a lit eral interpretation, the Bible states that same-sex relation ships are an “abomination” de serving death. The Christian Coalition of Oregon has also taken a stand. “We’re at a crossroads,” said Executive Director Lou Beres, “When you affect our kids and want to teach a lifestyle that is completely against God’s word, that’s the line in the sand,” David Reinhard of the Orego nian agreed that the underlying morality of this measure cannot be denied. Pro-homosexual curricula, films and handouts have become commonplace, such as the infa mous Los Angeles Unified hand out that claimed Abraham Lincoln was a homosexual; I'ts not about singling out one group of people, it’s about making a moral decision for the future. Business Manager: Secretary: Mike Pollock JoAnne Gale Advisor: Scott Crcson (x2578) Linda Vogt (x2310) this ld w.MieY "FouMKEo e y g.EVo LunoMftftrßs • The Clackamas Print aims to report the news in an honest, unbiased, professional manner. The opinions expressed in The Clackamas Print do not necessarily reflect those of the student body, college administration, its fac ulty, or The Clackamas Print advertisers. Products and services, advertised in The Clackamas Print are not neccesarily endorsed by anyone associated with The Clackamas Print. The advertising rate is $4.75 per col umn inch. The Clackamas Print is a weekly publication and is distributed every Wednes day except during Finals week. The Clackamas Print Copyright 2000.
