University of Oregon tells driver to remove troop magnet

Seattle Times ^ | 1-25-05 | AP

[bellevuesbest]

EUGENE, Ore. – The University of Oregon is defending its decision to tell one of its delivery drivers to remove a "Support Our Troops" magnet from the state-owned truck he uses at work.

Oregon law prohibits personal messages on state-owned vehicles, regardless of the context.

Several months ago, driver Pete Baker put the yellow ribbon magnet on the back of the state truck.

University officials learned of the magnet and said last week it had to come off, and Baker's story quickly found its way to radio talk shows and to several military Web logs.

"I don't know how they think these are political," Baker told Eugene television station KEZI last Friday. "I think they are patriotic."

University President Dave Frohnmayer said today that Baker will face no disciplinary action, and added that he was upset that the incident has led people to question the patriotism of the university.

"The excuse that some people take in events like this to question the patriotism of other Americans is frankly below the belt," he said.

[bellevuesbest]

Pete Baker is a rare breed in Eugene.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Blood boilin' ping

[TenaciousZ]

Oregon law prohibits personal messages on state-owned vehicles, regardless of the context.

Well, there you have it. Patriotic, political, whatever, it's a personal message. As long as the law isn't being selectively enforced, the magnet has to go. This is a non-story.

[Drew68]

Oregon law prohibits personal messages on state-owned vehicles, regardless of the context.

Sounds pretty cut and dried to me.

[spetznaz]

University President Dave Frohnmayer said today that Baker will face no disciplinary action, and added that he was upset that the incident has led people to question the patriotism of the university. "The excuse that some people take in events like this to question the patriotism of other Americans is frankly below the belt," he said.

The prez. did not have much of a choice. As the article states, it is against Oregon law to have sucg messages on state-owned vehicles.

[Echo Talon]

"The excuse that some people take in events like this to question the patriotism of other Americans is frankly below the belt," he said

Well, how else should it be taken? If you don't support our troops, you sure as hell aren't patriotic...

[AmericanArchConservative]

Frohnmayer used to be Oregon's Att'y. General, an absolutely Classic, archetype "Oregon Liberal". Over the top sensitive, touchy-feely PC conscious to the core...

Pete is rare within Eugene, but once you stray much outside the city limits of "hippyville", from behind the Birkenstock curtain, there are real people in the 'burbs and rural areas.

If it were not for Portland (Multnomah county) and Eugene (Lane county) Oregon might be a Red State. This story is not over yet!

[AmericanArchConservative]

Hardly. Bear in mind the troops are federally funded and under the authority of our federal gov't., (and the state in the case of the guard). The University is also the recipient of state and fed funding. So really this is not personal expression, but one government agency generally "supporting" another.

When public employees' Labor union contracts come up for renegotiation, many of these state workers post slogans and such on fleet vehicles. Nobody dares whisper a word to them then. This is all about bowing to the PC demands of the antiwar "In" crowd that runs things in Oregon.

[Oreo Kookey]

Now there's a reply that has it exactly right. Good job.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

No doubt there would be no hint of not even a whisper from them ( University of Orwell ) if that bumper sticker or magnet had any " GAY AGENDA " propaganda on it or any " FEMENIST AGENDA " on it ? would we ? Hmmmmm ???

[Rocket1968]

I work for THE STATE in Maine. The Union representing employees frequently uses the state email system to invite members to KERRY rallies or functions for our DEM gov. Many of have complained about this abuse, but it gets nowhere.

Recently, my boss went around our workspace and told people to take down ALL personal items above 4 feet (essentially everything). I had put up a small stick flag after 9/11, as did two other workers. All three are above the four foot limit. ALL THREE are still up. I don't think my boss (or the state) wanted the hassle that would have come their way had we been required to remove those flags.

Intimidation can go both ways.

[Junior]

Oregon law prohibits personal messages on state-owned vehicles, regardless of the context.

End of story.

[Salvation]

Oregon Ping

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Oregon Ping List.

[ORECON]

Then I guess the union stickers have to come off of the state vehicles.

[RetroWarrior]

Universities are private institutions, as upheld by the Supreme Court. So how can the truck be considered state owned?

[VeniVidiVici]

Time to start taking pictures.

I'm sure some of the University staff has car privileges. Not to mention some the higher muckity-mucks in the state government.

[rage24]

So putting a magnet on your car is what it takes to support the troops? And those without magnets or bumperstickers do not support the troops?

[Echo Talon]

So putting a magnet on your car is what it takes to support the troops? And those without magnets or bumperstickers do not support the troops?

Making someone remove a magnet in support of the troops, would make you well, lets say a dolt...

[Kirsty-Q]

I'm a student at the UO-and I hate to do this, but I'm going to defend Frohnie.

In his statement posted on the University website, he said "Because the university is a state agency, I cannot make distinctions or allowances on this matter, regardless of the cause or the breadth of its support. Whether the message is "Support Our Troops," "Fund Cancer Research" or "Support Tsunami Relief," employees may not place personal stickers or magnets on state-owned vehicles."

I agree with him. Contrary to what people have said, I've seen very few state-owned vehicles in Eugene with personal stickers on them (I actually cannot recall any, but I won't say I haven't ever seen them...). Though this is a case of a rule probably needing to be bent, Frohnmayer IS right. And as a former Attorney General, he probably doesn't want to just go make things up as he goes-especially when these issues are so prominent. Trust me, my boyfriend knows the man fairly well-he didn't want to do it.