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Show THE ZEPHYR AUGUST 1995 PAGE 8 ORGANICALLY GROWN VEGETABLES I j The Farmers' Market is open every Saturday morning from 9AM to Noon and features Garden vegetables Fresh fruit Flowers and Herbs This market is open to everyone interested in selling their produce. There is no charge and any Quantity is appreciated. 2 FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL CANDACE AT 259-22- 1 Am I the only one to notice, or has our state legislature seemed a tad more visible lately? It seems that everywhere I look, some state representative is thumping his chest in jubilation. If you can stand to watch long enough, the reason for this glee is revealed. Our legislators have managed to draft the toughest measures yet for dealing with that most odious of creatures the uninsured motorist. Dire consequences await the next motorist who dares to defy this law. Well, OK, this new measure is only expected to catch 20 of the aforementioned, and it will probably end up costing the taxpayers (both insured and uninsured) quite a bit in terms of added but...Cosh, I forget what the actual advantages were. When I try to remember, all that really sticks in my mind is the loudness with which this bill has been publicized. This in direct contrast to the final (and ever so secret) hour of the last legislative session. For those who missed it (this includes Utah's governor, if it makes you feel better), here is what happened. Not all of what happened of course. Just the most disgusting portion. Specifically Senate Bill 287. Prior to this bill, laws were in place (where they had been since 1983) which required minimum mandatory sentencing for convicted sexual abusers of children. These minimum sentences began at 5 years and went up to 15 years prison time. For most of the thinking world, 5 years seemed a trifle lenient, for the obvious reason that it doesn't even give the victim time to reach the age where he or she can competently handle a gun. Still, in the final hour, literally, of the 1995 legislature, our "representatives" quietly passed a law that would repeal minimum mandatory sentencing. Which means sentencing is left completely up to the discretion of the judge and how impressed he is by the perpetrator's remorse. The reasons for doing this are, frankly, explanations that 1 would rather not hear. They range from the problem all the way down to, yes, finances. I have a fair level, pretty grasp of economics, but I never took it to the 1 low do which may be why I have such a problem with the "financial" you argument. attach a dollar amount to a child's soul? How many lifetimes would it take to earn the money to buy a childhood back? I can only sit on the fringes and attempt to understand the horror and helplessness of being the small victim of this sickest of adults. When, last week, the newspaper said that public opinion was being sought on the sentencing of child sexual abusers, I decided to go. Against the advice of a relative ( it s not your issue ), went. I had my opinion, involving a rusty nail and a dull 1 voiced and knife, it, but after listening to other people's comments, I wanted to stand back up and say, Never mind. A rusty nail is too humane." One of the speakers was a man about my age. He looked scared, but we all do when addressing crowds of strangers. As he spoke, I began to understand that this was a very brave man. He said, "I was sexually molested when 1 was a little boy." He spoke calmly and intelligently, making reference to voting out of office the legislators who had voted to pass this repeal. And then his tone changed. His voice broke as he remembered watching other children playing on the playground and wishing he could join them. He remembered watching other children laughing and playing and trusting and realized even then that he never would be able to do that. And all these decades later, he is still imprisoned. His abuser? He has been out of jail for years. Probably still in Utah, where the laws are so favorable to his chosen lifestyle. A woman then - man-hour- plea-barga- in post-gradua- te . 1 HOME OF THE ZUCCHINI BIKINI "Eat it or Woar it!" 'KeedteA To hell with Output the swimsuit.. Im buck-nake- d. CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK NEEDLES DISTRICT Located 34 miles west of Hwy 191 on Hwy 211 CAMPINGSHOWERS GAS'PROPANE 4x4 RENTALS SCENIC FLIGHTS MAPS, BOOKS, INFORMATION GENERAL STORESNACK BAR ICE, COLD BEER, POP SHOWERS FIREWOOD CALL 979-400- 7 or 259-854- 5 "Nice scenery. Dang tasty burgers wm s, |