Newspaper Page Text
Page 4
The Ked and Black
Friday, November 15, 1M5
THE RED AND BLACK
t NlubUiii-il 1**1 I**"
James Kendley, Editor-in-chief
Tommy Sims, Managing Editor
America* N#w*pep#'» PuMahara AMor«Oor
Ml PA
TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF A FREE PRESS
An independent newipapr' not affiliated with the Untxertilv of Georgia
Opinion
It’s OK: Say ‘no’ to censorship
Speak up
The University is a goldmine of human information;
there are few limits to the information a student can find
through the University if not at the University.
That’s why it’s important that students contribute to the
search for sources. The Ideas and Issues division of the Uni
versity Union is looking for suggestions. Who would you like
to hear? , ,. .
Ideas and Issues coordinators say they re looking for
people who can contribute ideas, not just big-name
speakers. We commend them for that.There are any
number of mediocre “names” on the lecture circuit, and we
think the University Union has done a bang-up job sepa
rating the chaff from the wheat.
And, after all, your suggestion is just making sure you
get a good return on your student activity fees. That’s where
a good bit of the union’s allocation comes from.
It’s a way to make sure your college experience is all it
can be. With your suggestions, the union can pull in
speakers to give you a better understanding of the world
around you.
Drop a line in the suggestion boxes on campus. You can
be an important part of the University’s link to the outside
world.
"UGA Students Do It "
Kind of grabs the eye, doesn't it?
That headline, printed on the pages of The Red
and Black two years ago, sticks out in my
memory. It, of course, is what you're probably
thinking Yes, sex — that all encomposing, three-
letter word — has invaded the University of
Georgia (gasp!) Sex pervades everything from
television shows and MTV to magazines and the
radio airwaves. In this day and age, it's hard to
think of a place where sex has not reared its ugly
head
A survey in the aforementioned article showed
that a majority of students at the University are
sexually active in some way. Only II percent of
the students surveyed said they were virgins It
just makes sense that sex is alive and well and
living at the University.
Sex has been around since the dawn of man
Obviously. Bui groups of people are trying to tell
us that sex is something that should not be talked
about publically. I think that’s wrong. We need
to speak up about sex in order to remain an in
formed society.
I don’t mean locker-room conversation about
sex I mean facts, figures and statistics An
swers to questions for those who need to know
Keeping the topic of sex hush-hush only pro
motes ignorance
Some people are downright militant in their
views that anything having to do with the broad
subject of sex should not be discussed Period —
end of argument Not birth control, not abortion,
not sexually transmitted diseases. They think it's
wrong for health teachers to tell budding adoles
cents that it's perfectly normal when they begin
menstruation. Never mind that these girls may
think they are seriously ill or circus freaks — it's
not right to talk about it
Some people even demand that records which
use the word love or any synonyms for the word
love carry a warning label that the record has
"explicit lyrics.” Wouldn’t want anyone to get
Mickey
Higginbotham
Sex has been around since
the dawn of man.
Obviously. But groups of
people are trying to tell us
that sex is something that
should not be talked about
publically. I think that’s
wrong. We need to speak up
about sex in order to
remain an informed
society.
the urge from listening to records Think about
that Even most church hymns use synonyms for
love. Although the warning labels are strictly
voluntary, 22 major record companies have said
they will stand by it. Let’s see if they stick those
labels on Amy Grant albums when she sings
about how "Love will find a way "
This summer all three networks said they
would not broadcast a public service announce
ment that gave a toll-free number for questions
about planned parenthood Sex was not men
tioned. (But hopefully we all know sex is the
reason for planned parenthood ) No slinky out
fits. No shocking graphics. But the mere mention
of birth control or planned parenthood and the,
networks slammed the door
Turn on any network program and even the
most daring will blush The daytime soaps show
people pressing flesh left and right Love m the
afternoon occurs with the old soap matriarchs
and the young swingers Prime time shows are
loaded with innuendos. There s so much sexually
related activity going on during a typical Dy
nasty episode that the TV sizzles The networks
would do good to promote birth control or
planned parenthood if they're also promoting
free-wheeling sex
We can’t let a small group of people impose its
morals on everyone Decisions about having sex,
listening to records or watching T\ should be
made individually But the information needs to
be available for those people who need it. If
questions about sex go unanswered, unwanted
pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases
will continue to rise.
A Chicago high school made national headlines
this fall When it opened a birth control clinic and
sex counseling service on its campus. Heads
rolled But the school administration stood by its
decision to run the clinic, and it stayed The
school has a shockingly high level of pregnancies
— one in three students at the school become
pregnant before graduation. It stands to reason
that the clinic is necessary. Those who choose
not to use its services will not be forced to But
the information is there. That's the first step to
curbing the problem pregnancies
We must fight to keep sex education out in the
open People with adequate information will be
able to make intellegent decisions about their
personal choices. A small group should not de
cide how the rest of the population will lead their
lives and get their information
Mickey Higginbotham is a senior reporter /or*
The Red and Black
Park it!
Political columns take insight
The city of Athens is moving ahead in many ways, and
city planners are getting it ready for the changes coming in
the near future. * 1
The city’s plan for a central transportation complex is
one of the best ideas its planners ever had, and we re
pleased that they’re now going to make it a push.
One of the main problems in the Athens parking situation
has always been commuter students who park downtown.
This central complex might not solve that portion of the
problem completely, but it will make it easier for University
students and staff to connect from Athens Transit System
buses to University buses.
Many students will never use this, but those who do will
make a dent in the traffic jam downtown.
some thoughts
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The recent controversy arising over the pros
and cons of the changes in The Red and Black's
opinions page boils down to one question: Can
student journalists competently analyze the com
plexities of international politics?
To me the answer to this question is a qualified
no.
Political analysis is a field requiring a vast
amount of intelligence, savvy and experience.
College students, however brilliant or earnest,
lack the life experience to offer truly insightful
opinions on most political issues. For undergrad
uates like ourselves to offer 10-paragraph solu
tions to relations with South Africa or the Star
Wars controversy is arrogant and ultimately
foolish.
Truly insightful political commentary can only
come from authorities who have studied political
doctrine for years, held public office or worked
for a politician in some capacity and lived
through a political conflict themselves
A student relating the Accuracy in Academia
issue to McCarthyism can't pack the punch be
yond his argument that someone who has lived
through the McCarthy era and felt the actual ef
fects of this kind of political oppression
Some may claim that a talented writer can use
his imagination to unite various ideas and expe
riences with which he has had no direct contact
into a coherent argument Andrew Greeley the
novelist/priest has blasted the press for asking
how he, a presumably celibate man of God. can
write lengthy, descriptive erotic passages into
his novels. Greeley claims he uses his imagina
tion and fantasy life to elaborate on his charac
ter's sex lives For Greeley to claim this
privilege is fine: He is a writer of fiction. Polit
ical columnists, however, are hopefully not au
thors of fiction but interpreters of fact Political
commentary should involve taking a vast wealth
of facts and experiences and tying them together
with trained analytical skill, not making fan
tastic embellishments on a skeletal outline of
knowledge
In other words, carefully reading a Time cover
story on Sandinista rebels does not qualify a col
lege student (or any other un trained political
scientist) to write a scathing commentary on the
topic.
hub l >miili
In other words, carefully
reading a Time cover story
on Sandinista rebels does
not qualify a college
student (or any other un
trained political scientist)
to write a scathing
commentary on the topic.
Taking a few classes in communist political
thought does not qualify a University undergrad
uate to write an analysis of the Soviet psyche
It may seem old fashioned to say so, but per
haps student journalists should shy away from
certain political subjects because we are simply
too young and inexperienced to fully comprehend
the issues — not unintelligent, just inex
perienced
The newsrooms of many powerful, respected
daily newspapers are full of busy reporters
under the age of 30 This is a common occurance
and one which obviously works as recent college
graduates continue to get newspaper jobs
The editorial pages of these papers are usually
a different story The political commentators for
these dailies are generally older men and
women Granted, it takes time to be promoted to
the position of collumnist, but the important fact
is that these people are usually reporters who
have spent many years covering political issues
and have gained a well-rounded, working knowl
edge of the who, what, where, when and why be
hind the conflicts They have, for example, seen
the emergence of the civil rights movement, cov
ered the Montogomery Bus Boycotts, seen inno
cent blacks mowed down by firemen's hoses ar.d
even lived to see the white population become
apathetic to the issue once again — and they
probably have quotes from an old black woman
whose feet were sore from not riding the city
bus These columnists can examine the issues
from different angles, and in many cases the
earnest and strident attitudes of youth must
defer to their experience
Accusations of triviality on The Red and
Black's opinions page have also arisen. Once
again, a quick look at the editorial page of a
"real” newspaper reveals a variety of column
types, not all of them stem and political. The At
lanta Journal offers Celestine Sibley's homespun
anecdotes on life at her country home and Lewis
Grizzard s sarcastic tales of life's pitfalls in ad
dition to Bill Shipp's knowing commentaries on
the workings of the governor's office
So when R & B columnists "cut their teeth on
trivia" as James Kendley stated in his column
earlier this week, we’re simply doing what most
newspapers do And we re following one of the
cardinal rules of good writing: We're writing
about what we know. If it's sophomoric, so be it
— some of us are sophomores
When we do examine political issues, it's is
sues we've experienced firsthand
Tami Dennis' column (mentioned earlier this
week) on prayer in school and Suzanne Wood’s
Oct. 2 piece on the new drinking age worked be
cause they looked at issues that college student's
have experienced firsthand And they were prob
ably widely read because they examined issues
University students care about and identify with.
So in the long run, sharpening our logic and
writing skills on topics within the grasp of our
current knowledge and life-experience as college
students is better preparing student journalists
to analyze the Soviet's policy when we re 40 than
we would by tackling the topics now before we
possess a working knowledge of then.
The results of such an endeavor would ultima
tely he simplistic and frequently silly.
Andy Smith is the editorial page editor for The
Red and Black
Editorial: 543-1809
Chi*/ Copy Editor Rutty Cartnull
Front Pago Copy Editor Jamne Fauchor
Copy Editor* Lynn Echma
N»wt Editor Tommy Torn]inton
Editorial Pag« Editor Andy Smith
Sport* Editor Ivan Aro»un
Entertainment Editor Jim Tremayne
Librarian UGA Today Jill SwecUppI*
Photography Editor C ornu* Andenon
A (social# Now* Editors John Aldan. Suzanne
Wood
Assi*taut Sport* Editor Chip Tower*
Assistant Photo Editor Karl Kortemeter
Senior Reporter* Bill Boater, Tami Dewitt.
Tom Jones. Greg Freeman. Mickey Htfgtn
botham Michael Koenig. Jessica Saunders
Advertising: 543-1791
Adierttamn Director Hill Wolgaat
Advertising Seles Manager Tammy Timm
Advertising Representative* Pel Agnew Julie
Barry Paige Davis. Shells Da.i* Beth
Eberhardt Sheet Hayward. Cary Me Neal. Keith
Nimitt. Lon Reed Susan Saxon Sandy Sumin
shi Gary Thacker Mart Weinstein
Production Manager David Raines
Production Staff Nanci Bateman Brenda
i lev Hand, Rnsann Kent Michelle Manic Robert
f.jte Wondworth
General Manager Harry Montevideo
Office Manager Mary Straub
Credit Manager CttOie Gotten
Contributions
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A Ga. party town for the dead
As much as he detests the word lor not actu
ally being a verb, this reporter must admit that
he and a lellow reporter went "roadtripping''
this past week
In all truth, the trip was not entirely (or plea
sure We went to Savannah to cover two thrill-a-
minute Board of Regents meetings. But the
meetings only lasted about two hours, so ba
sically we had two nights and a day to explore
the exciting nightlife of Savannah
Hah! We would have been more successful
looking lor a camel in a blizzard. Honestly, that
town was going, going, gone, kaput. DOA, rigor
mortis — I’m talking no action whatsoever!
We went to River Street, where everyone had
told us we would find a mecca of great bars and
the most fun. But what did we find? Well, there
were the cutest little artsy-craftsy shoppes and a
wondrous statue of a waving girl and her big dog
(ooh! ahhl) and, yes, some bars, filled with
mostly the over-35 crowd, and scant damn few of
them Where was all the lun? Where were all the
neo-punk frat boys? Sheesh
So we ended up watching Pillow Talk on TBS
and making fun of Rock Hudson (Get a kick out
of Rock telling Doris Day what kind of feeling a
man (eels when he has to get up behind a
horse . ). How cruel, you say Well, I'd bet he'd
know how to find some fun in that town. Hmmm
Maybe not in Savannah
On that note, we did see an interesting place
called the "Leather and Confectionery," but un
fortunately we didn't have time to check it out.
probably the only fun spot in the whole town
Ooh, and what about the town itself? Have
these people never heard ol a straight street 1
There were these strange little things called
squares in the middle of all the streets, so that
one could not at any decent speed travel down
any of the unlit backstreets of the town.
And one thing 1 would expect to see in the
"Hostess City of the South” (this must be where
all those luscious cream-filled twinkles come
Bill Boozer
'r
The clerk at the Howard
Johnson’s right across the
highway from our motel
was shot dead during a
robbery the first night we
were there. I don’t believe
this is something that
happens often enough to
warrant frequent visits.
from — yee howdeel), one thing I expected was
at least one tall building. Is this too much to ex
pect ol a "city”? The tallest thing 1 saw was the
steeple of one some cathedral (located conve
niently next to one of those damned squares i
Three stories, tops I can only feel sorry for the
people who have to live there
Savannah, by the way, is the only coastal town
I have visited which doesn't have a beach
What's the point. I'm asking
In the interest of fair Ny, I won't be a total
downer on Savannah There were a few inter
esting aspects of the trip Most exciting was that
the clerk at the Howard Johnson's right across
the highway from our motel was shot dead
during a robbery the first night we were there
However, 1 don't believe this is something thai
happens often enough to warrant frequent visits
We also had some really good seafood ai
Frank Paris' (served by our wonderful waitress
Darlene. I’m sure I wasn't the first blue-hairec
customer she’s ever served) We had tried to gc
to William's to eat, but the place closes on Tues
days Is that communist or what? Fortunatel)
the food we did have was excellent. I impresser
my equally disappointed fellow reporter bj
eating unshelled boiled shnmp. Really, somt
people find the smallest things just too inter
esting definitely Uie effect of spending severa
hours driving through Savannah
One thing that 1 noticed which was very pecu
liar in Savannah was the abundance ol Wal-Mart
stores and Krispy Chic fast food stores Thesjj
Krispy Chic places were everywhere in Sa
vannah, every five blocks or so, like a rampant
outbreak of pimples on the face of the town Chit
is pronounced like chick, or so I was told. Go<|
only knows whal the hell a Wal-Mart is. 1 didnj
see any Roof-Marts or Floor-Marts or Doorbelfi
Marts
The best part of the trip was finding this wotjj
derful store at one of the exits on highway lfc
They sold these tres fashionable scarves tha|
truly no hip dude would ever be without We”
now this hip dude's got one too, so watch oi
world
Bui look Here's the scoop from a real live re
ident of Savannah, a certain chick who wou
just love to see her name in print.
Savannah is a very historic town, she says. S
vannah is over 250 yrs. old, she says. Savann.
is a bit taken with its history, she says.
Well, you have to be tvery) old to enjoy S
vannah,” she says.
“It's just dead "
Sing it, sister
Bill Boozer is a senior reporter for The Red ai
Black