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The Ktd and Black
Turtdai, Ffbniary 2. I»H2
Established 1893 — Incorporated 1980
Charles II. Kussell. General Manager
Mack Browning, Editor-in-chief Tim Bonner, Managing Editor
An independent student newspaper not affiliated with the University of Georgia
A spot in the greenhouse
A bold step
Evidently, President Reagan is prepared to
lead a Western crusade against the communist
crackdown on the Polish Solidarity union. Thus
comes as a relief for those concerned that
Reagan is devoting too much time to defense
and not enough time to the preservation of basic
human rights in the world.
While Reagan seems unable to get away from
the use of his “Hollywood Cabinet” — the Bob
Hopes and the Frank Sinatras — the president
seems adamant in his stand in favor of
Solidarity.
But his meaning comes across loud and clear:
The American people are pulling for those Poles
who are fighting for their basic human rights.
However, caution should be exercised by
Reagan to ensure that no Vietnam-type men
tality develops. We cannot say that all Poles are
behind Solidarity, or even if all workers from
Poland favor Solidarity. It is doubtful that a
majority of the Polish people want the United
States’ help or even our moral support.
A re-statement of policy is in order now,
though, particularly after reports of this past
weekend which indicate that over 200 arrests
were made in Poland during rioting.
Again, Reagan denounced the governments of
Poland and the Soviet Union for suppressing the
“gallant people of Poland,” but he repeated his
tiresome “shape up, or else” warning, giving
little indication of steps he might take if things
in Poland deteriorate.
However, he did suggest that martial law be
lifted and negotiations begun between the
government and the Catholic church and
Solidarity. The president is behind on the latter
suggestion as the Polish government has
already agreed to talk with Solidarity leaders.
Reagan gave no ultimatums, and none was
intended in a program of that nature. But he
succeeded in relaying a common bond between
Americans and Poles. It was a bold step to take,
especially when others cry that the United
States is passing out propaganda and lies.
Nonetheless, Reagan did well in issuing his own
human rights principles to our allies, and
enemies, abroad.
Inarguably, the purpose of human life
is to stay alive
But the U S. Supreme Court recently
dealt a hard blow to the cause of human
survival when it ruled that sentencing
juveniles to the death penalty is not
cruel and unusual punishment and thus
is constitutional
Although the court recommended
that lower courts exercise caution in
the future in giving the death sentence
to juveniles, its judgment makes it
clear that America's highest court has
little regard for the sanctity and dignity
of human life
The decision also implies that the
court places little value in the belief
that society’s criminals can be remold
ed into fit citizens through rehabilita
tion and correction.
The issue here is not whether capital
punishment should be legal but if
youngsters under 18 should be killed for
capital offenses
It seems that by extinguishing
youthful lives—lives which haven't
reached psychic maturity and which
haven’t had sufficient time to reconcile
themselves to the difficulties of merely
existing in our time—we deny ourselves
as well as our victims the essence of
life.
For if we have no hope—no hope for
self betterment, for improvement, for a
better life—our lives all at once become
empty and meaningless. And by relin
quishing the hope that we can improve
the faulty products of our society, we
devalue the purpose and meaning of liv
ing. By divesting ourselves of hope, our
lives become not only meaningless, but
also missionloss.
‘By relinquishing the
hope that we can im
prove the faulty pro
ducts of our society,
we devalue the pur
pose and meaning of
life. By divesting
ourselves of hope, our
lives become not only
meaningless, but also
missionless.’
We need to realize that we owe our
juvenile offenders a second chance
because as their progenitors and as the
composite social force which molds
them into what they are, we are largely
responsible for their actions.
While it makes no sense to argue that
juveniles are blameless for their
crimes simply because of their age, it
makes even less sense for us not to
recognize that their age may very well
be a significant reason for their
behavior.
Consequently, it is naive to discount
the likelihood that with age perhaps will
come maturity and responsibility,
A young criminal can be compared to
a plant which, because of a lack of light,
of fertilizer and of fresh air, has grown
into an awkward and ugly specimen
But with proper steps—pruning, suffi
cient light, nourishment and a heaping
dose of attention—we can expect the
plant to grow into a shape far better
than the original.
The improved specimen might not be
suitable for entry into competition, but
it at least is worthy of a spot in the
greenhouse.
Thus it's logical to expect the same of
immature young adults. Given the pro
per attention, they can be fostered into
specimens which may not be accep
table for readmission into society, but
which at the very least ate worthy of
life.
We are committing an injustice to
ourselves when we blot out life which
hasn't reached physical or mental
maturity. As humans tied together
because of our humanity, we—each one
of us—are diminished when we deny ex
istence to one of our own.
Wendell Brock is editorial page editor
of The Red and Black.
‘Women's teams deserve fair coverage'
TO THE EDITOR:
Regarding the Jan. 21 article on
women's basketball, Charles Aaron has
shown that he did not research his topic
well and that he still has a lot to learn
about the sport
His description of two of the top
women's coljegiate basketball teams of
the mid-70's is without fact, and I
challenge Mr Aaron to research their
records and accomplishments in depth
As a sports fan and graduate of Delta
State University, 1 find Mr. Aaron's
comment that Immaculata and Delta
State "played dull and uneventful"
basketball insulting and demeaning
I spent many nights listening to the
radio as the Lady Statesmen played
because their games were always sold
out well in advance.
And as to his comment that the crowd
consisted mostly ol parents and priests
at these school games, w hat percentage
of attendance at UGA games today
consists of this same group of people’
Another question I would like to ask is
when or if Mr. Aaron ever saw these
teams play? My guess would be never,
or his article would not lie slanted
against the smaller schools
The games that Delta State played
against Immaculata or any of the other
top women's teams were as physical
and intense as any as could possibly be
played These teams did not play like
girls, especially if your assumption is
based on hitting twenty-foot jump
shots.
As well as UGA's men's team has
played, Wanda Hairston and Debbie
Brock, former stars at DSU, could show
them how to shoot from the outside as
well as how to get the ball to the man
inside
Admittedly, Immaculata College and
Delta State, as well as Wayland Baptist
and Valdosta State, are not schools that
you hear mentioned everyday. They
brought such respectability to women's
basketball that the big name schools
could no longer ignore the existence of
the game
If Immaculata. Delta State, Valdosta
State and Wayland Baptist could
compete financially, with their winning
tradition they would still be at the top in
women's basketball
As for the Lady Bulldogs, they are a
very good team and I would urge the
people who turn out for the men s
games to give the women a try
JAMESO. IIKOWN
‘Wish Bull's
parents liatln V ’
TO THE EDITOR :
As a matter of course, Rimey Bull
always lives up to his name, and though
his frequently published trash is
usually simply overlooked as occupying
what could otherwise be useful space in
your newspaper, I felt compelled to
scan his propaganda regarding
abortion on Jan. 28.
Mr Bull characteristically attacks
all issues that deal with women
specifically as though he has authority
to do so.
Now he has stated "... conviction for
rape causing an abortion should carry
the murder charge if we decide the
victim is entitled to an abortion."
What gives him the right to say that
he or anyone else can or should decide
whether or not a rape victim is entitled
to an abortion?
Mr Bull, I only wish that your
parents had abstained — assuming they
were each consenting adults.
NAME WITHHELD
Resurrect spirit of Tyrone’s
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The place was still smoking, but not
like it smoked in those many wonderful
nights before This time, it was noon,
and the smoke was real, not
metaphorical Jimmy Ellison stood in
front of what was left of Tyrone’s O.C.
with his head cocked a bit to the side,
hands shoved deep into the pockets of
his old field jacket Confused, he shook
his head and said in a voice barely
above a whisper, "This place was like
home to me."
It was — to many more folks than
Jimmy Ellison, whose band, the Side
Effects, had been nurtured to a spot of
relative popularity in the much-
hooplaed Athens new music scene by
Tyrone's
And when the place burned down
three weeks ago, everybody who knew
anything at all about original music in
this town agreed that original music in
Athens had been crippled
Whether the music would be just a
little lame in one leg or paralyzed from
the neck down was unknown And the
verdict is still out But it's been three
weeks since the fire, and the time to
assess the situation is now, while there
is still time to act.
What we must worry about is
replacing Tyrone's And I don't mean
just putting another club in the same
location or relocating in another
location but under the same name
Neither option is really acceptable
unless John Snell, Steve Ekard and
Mike Hobbs — Tyrone's two main
owners and its booking agent — are at
the helm And right now it looks like
they w on't be So w hat must occur is the
creation of the spirit that made
Tyrone's what it was
C huck Reece
What it was was a place that looked
after original music in this town when
virtually no one else would. Of course,
the now-defunct Last Resort brought in
original music, but being stuck in its
folk-blues rut didn't really help any
ba nds a round here to grow.
Nothing is wrong with folk and blues
music, and Tyrone's brought that kind
of music in. What made Tyrone’s really
special was that it had no formula
Value — whether it was shock value,
social value, musical value or any other
standard — was what would lead
Tyrone's to take a chance on a band.
Many paid off.
Like the chance the club look nearly
two years ago when it hired an unknown
Athens band called REM to open for
the Brains Today the band is riding as
high a crest of popularity as is possible
for a band without a major recording
contract
And the more traditional, too-often-
overlooked music from Normaltown —
music made by the Normaltow n Flyers,
DeBoiz, the Bluesicians or the now-
disbanded Misery - Loves Company and
the Night Bloomin’ Jazzmen — always
had a home at Tyrone’s.
When the chance came to bring in the
out-of-town acts that people really
should have heard but hadn't heard of
yet, Tyrone's again came through.
Thanks to that club, Athens saw the
Downchild Blues Band from Canada.
They nearly knocked down the walls.
On the other end of the spectrum,
Tyrone's gave Athens a most
memorable performance of the Gang of
Four, a band from England that makes
what is probably the most politically
conscious, thought-provoking and
entertaining music around today.
None of the clubs except Tyrone's
would take those kinds of chances
Profit motives dictated otherwise. But I
am no bleeding heart, no helpless
idealist; I can't really blame the other
clubs for playing it safe.
What I can do is tell them (if they
haven’t figured it out for themselves)
that taking those kinds of risks can be
profitable as well as artistically
fulfilling.
Witness the new wave of musicians
that has filled this town with something
different from the mindless crap that
used to ring from the B and L
Warehouse
R E M., Pylon, the Method Actors,
the Side Effects, Love Tractor, Oh-
O.K , the Swindles — all these bands
had no hope for life beyond the tiny 40
Watt Club without Tyrone's. And
because Tyrone's gave them the breaks
they needed, these bands produced
such a fertile musical crop that Athens
is recognized across the nation for
something other than Bulldog football
And with all that notoriety comes
money.
The other clubs that have the
potential to fill the musical niche that
burned with Tyrone's — the Mad
Hatter, Smoke’s, the new Warehouse
when it opens — should book the bands
that Tyrone’s would have booked. Take
chances.
I remember last summer. It was late,
it was raining, and down at Tyrone's
some nameless band from Atlanta was
playing to a small crowd. But Steve
Ekard, one of the club’s owners, and
Mike Hobbs, the booking agent, were
nowhere to be found at their old club on
Foundry Street. Both were up Clayton
Street at the 40 Watt Club, watching
Love Tractor. Probably because they
thought the music of this band that first
played on their stage was better than
what was on their own stage that night.
Tyrone’s nurtured the new bands
because the owners liked the new
bands Tyrone’s appreciated their
musical vision, even though it was a bit
twisted.
Two weeks ago, a Memorial Hall
Ballroom full of people screamed,
refusing to let Pylon and Love Tractor,
two of those bands, leave the stage
without another song
Such things may be different. They
may not fit the formula of worthless
bands playing worthless songs they
didn't even write themselves. But there
is so much more to music than Journey
and Styx. And it can be good business.
So goodbye to Tyrone's
And hello to the rest ol Athens'
nightclubs You know your job. Go do it.
Chuck Reece is a staff writer for The
Red and Black.
Editorial: 543-1809
Oi#/ copy editor Ales Johnson
Cops editors Joanna Beckman Gary
Friend. Brian Jaudon Scooter MacMillan
New* editor David Nelson
Associate new* editor Bob Keyes
Sports editor Jackie tYoaby
E•rtenamment editor Krv in Bicknetl
PHotofrophy editor Lam t'utrhall
features editor Mark B Fleming
Assistant news editors Jan Hulling* Jack
Threadgill
Art director lomPmtMi
Training coordinator Justin Glilts
Assistant sports editor Steve Corrigan
Assistant photography editor Nancy Shepherd
r ditorioi page editor Wendell Brock
l/GA Today coordinator Elaine Dukakis
Librarian Ann Deacon
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