Bad Beaver behavior
My wife and I were in attendance at the Civil War football game Nov. 18. We have attended many “away” games and have never been treated more rudely than we were that day.
The student section’s behavior was deplorable. They cussed at us, held up signs that said “F#$% the Ducks,” gave us the finger, threw things at us … and to cap it off, as we were on our way back to our car, several of the most degenerate individuals I have ever encountered taunted us with dead ducks. I’m not talking about stuffed animals, I’m talking about mallards — the real thing.
It is my hope that Oregon fans, and specifically students, would learn from this experience. When teams visit here, let’s enjoy our victories; but let’s not be rude.

Brian Nobles

Class of 1990
 

In Pursuit of Healthiness
I feel that your editorial (“Council counsels morality,” ODE, Nov. 15) criticizing the City Council’s decision on the smoking ban was seriously off base. The primary purpose of the ordinance is to protect workers rather than customers. The latter obviously have the right to decide whether to frequent smoky taverns or not, but the former must otherwise tolerate exposure to carcinogens as a condition of employment. This has been determined to be unacceptable in all other workplaces.
You speak of “only the health risks of smoking” as a “justification.” Only? Tobacco smoke is the leading preventable cause of morbidity and premature mortality in the United States, accounting for some 300,000 deaths annually — by far our most serious drug problem. And the intent of the ordinance is protection of non-smokers from secondhand smoke, not the protection of smokers from themselves.
Let the employees decide where to work, you say. Unfortunately, there are very few non-smoking bars in most communities (there were only three in Corvallis before their ordinance), and relevant to the University, alcohol service is a very popular job among college and graduate students because of the flexible hours and good income it provides. I would think you would support an ordinance which prominently protects your own student population, who should not have to compromise their health in pursuit of a livelihood.

Jack Dresser

Springfield, Ore.