I was walking along East 13th Avenue the other day minding my own business when I was stopped by a very friendly individual. He asked if I had heard of the publication The Oregon Vagabond. I had heard of this newspaper, which is written by people living on the streets of Eugene, Ore., and when he offered me one I gladly accepted. On the front page of the paper, it reads “$1.00 Suggested Donation.” I gave Taz, the wonderful salesman, two dollars and was on my way when I heard:
“Now that’s street vending, and I can’t let you do that.”
I looked to see a Eugene police officer that I had not originally noticed while I was talking to Taz. I considered going back to argue for Taz, but I heard him use the only argument I had:
“I’m not selling the newspapers, he just gave a donation.” (as it clearly said on the FRONT PAGE)
Instead of complicating the situation by joining the conversation, I went across the street to where I could merely observe. The police officer then said, “Well if you’re not selling them, I can have one for free?” While technically this is true, donations are The Vagabond’s only source of income to purchase materials, publish its paper and pay its writers. I found it in bad taste to simply take one. Taz, however, obliged the officer and said “of course” with a smile.
The officer proceeded to rip up the newspaper in front of Taz and essentially “shooed” him away. Taz respected the cop’s wishes and packed his stuff up and left. I was left there standing, shocked. While I understand the officer was doing his job, I was utterly dumbfounded by the way he treated our friendly salesman.
Taz was not belligerent. He smiled at the officer and gave him a newspaper. While he did argue his point, he still listened to and obeyed the officer. Yet the police officer treated him so poorly. It’s not the fact that he chased Taz away that prompted me to write this piece but how he treated Taz.
The officer treated him like a second-class citizen as though he was not deserving of being treated with courtesy and humanity. There was no reason for the cop to be so obnoxiously rude to a man who was so kind to him.
I found it appalling that a police officer would use authority and intimidation as a means to treat someone like crap. He was already ruining Taz’s day — the least he could do was treat him with dignity and respect like a human being.
I don’t know if it is just me, but I was astounded and angered by this officer’s behavior and felt the need to share this story. The police do have authority in our society, but they aren’t infallible, and they aren’t exempt from basic human courtesy. Their authority does not mean they should be held to a different moral code as the rest of us.
Stephen Weber
University student