Newspaper Page Text
k
4 • The Red and Black • Friday, February 23, 1990
■ QUOTABLE
OPINIONS
“It gives me chills to see how ecstatic they get." —
senior Stacy Godowns, a member of the Student Council for Ex
ceptional Children, on volunteering at the Special Olympics.
The Red & Black
Established 1893—Incorporated 1980
An independent student newspaper not affiliated with the University of Georgia
Charlene Smith/Editor-in-Chief
Amy Bellew/Managing Editor
Robert Todd/Opinions Editor
■ EDITORIALS
Loan justice
In response to $2 billion in student loan defaults
last year, the Bush administration is determined to
crack down on institutions with high default rates. A
General Accounting Office report said the defaults
account for 37 percent of the student loan program’s
cost.
The whole student loan system is suffering as a
result of the high defaults and it’s high time the
government took some action. Institutions with good
records of loan repayment are suffering as well as those
with high default rates.
This seems to be a case of a few bad apples ruining
it for everyone else, and the bad apples are getting
away with highway robbery. The problem seems
centered around private trade schools which accounted
for 44 percent of the defaults in 1987.
When the loan default problem gained media
attention last Spring, University officials said the
University’s exceptionally low default rate would
protect student loans here. In 1987, the University’s
student loan default rate was 1.6 percent, more than 10
percent below the national average. In 1988, the
University’s default rate stayed at 1.6 percent while
the national average climbed to 13.6 percent. However,
one must wonder how long before the high default rates
of other institutions adversely affect the University’s
program.
Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn chairs the Appropriations
subcommittee investigating the student loan program
and the high default rates. Hopefully, the committee
will identify abusers of the program and take action to
correct the problem without punishing institutions
with good repayment records.
With government funding of education and
education benefits as low as they are, every penny is
important. Penalize those who have proven they don’t
deserve the loans and make the money available for
institutions with good records.
Hypocritic oath
A Senate committee is considering a bill that would
allow doctors to test patients for AIDS without their
consent or knowledge. This would give doctors a sneaky
way to see who has AIDS before they decide whether to
treat them.
In short, it’s a license to discriminate against people
with AIDS. They already experience a great deal of
discrimination, stemming from the widespread
paranoia about the disease being transmitted through
casual contact. It’s a shame that some doctors are also
afraid to treat them.
Furthermore, it is unethical to allow a doctor to test
people for AIDS, or anything else, without their
consent. What if the patient has AIDS? Would the
doctor tell him or her? If the doctor didn’t tell the
patient, then the doctor knowingly allows someone to
transmit a deadly disease. If he did tell the patient,
then the doctor would have to decide whether to treat
the individual. The answer is probably going to be no. If
the doctor didn’t mind treating people with AIDS,
testing them behind their backs wouldn’t be necessary
in the first place.
The vote on this insensitive bill, which is
embarrassing to the state, has been postponed until
Monday to allow its supporters and opponents time to
draft amendments.
Surely our legislators have enough integrity,
enough human decency, to stop this bill. People with
AIDS deserve to be treated like human beings, just like
people with cancer, leukemia or any other deadly
disease.
If this bill passes, the Legislature will have
succeeded in leading the state back into the dark ages.
STAFF
NEWS: 543-1809
Heme Mter Suttn HIM
•porta Mtor: Gona Willie m*
■ntortabwient Mtor Q*ona Rowfcothem
Aaaaalata Nava Mtara: Hand Paaraon, Jennifer
Rampay
fee* Papr Copy Mtor Ctoft Hubbard
totoMo Copy tenon Oavtd Johraton. Trover
PadfattMarfarot Weeton, Jennifer Wilkin,
UOA Taday/WWa Mtor Robert Alula
QrapMca Mtar: Dpvlo O'Kao To
Pbeto Mtar Patar Fiey
CMaf Pbatayapbar Wayne Jecfcoon
«oft Wrttora: Qayi Barrett. Waiter Colt Marta
Etfwerda. Anne Wane Fanjuy. Chrta Onmaa. JoeI
Groover. Dora McLeod, Mtcneei McLeod, Sandra
Stephana. JennKer SqMItarAe
•porta Witter: Orta lanoatta
•pad* •aettana/Troeda Mtor Bath Qraddy
»potato* Special 11 Mtaa a/Trowdo Mtor
Andy Rofara
Mtartal A aetata at: Motile Bara
ADVERTISING: 543-1791
K/taM Burnham. Bovorty Taytor
tooO DonaWeort, ,l Lof1 11 Thurnwr
Senior AdvertMag ttapraaawtattiaa: Saar Fagan,
Knchelie Halualanl, Julie Reynold*
AOvorddm Rapronantattvaa: Craig Oakahanlake.
Joy Denton. Hrtabn Qiuda. Karon Haynoa. Laura
Hudgano. Rick Ht«m*. Q«og Kama. Lagh Riff*. Sally
Young
Aoaietant UN oriel too*. Manager: Crtetlna Falndl
AaaMant Advortlabtg feed. Manager. Martona
Martin
Production Staff: Andy Ard, Laura Frtadrtch, Andrea
Manaour. Lortn Moron. Enubath Mauu. Laura Millar.
Stacy Stanbarg. Michaiia Wagart
0 on or el Manager Harry Montevideo
Advarttalng Dir odor: Robin Stoner
OMca Maw agar Mary Straub
Production Manager: Judy Jordan
ClaaoMada/Rooeptlontat: Bovorty Vaughn
CradN Manager Chuck Lyona
Clerical: Joanna Horton. Leoiey Woe fuel
Tke Rad and Black ta pubtiehnd Tuoodey through
Friday during the regular achooi year and each
Thursday during aumrrnr quarter, with the exception*
of holiday* and team partoda. by The Rad and Stock
PubNoNng Company Inc. a nonprofit oampuo
navrepapar not affinatad with the Unharotty of
Georgia. 131 N. Jeckoon St. Athena. Oa. 10601
Third ctoee poetage paid at tthane. Oa. •ubocrtpuon
rata: 134 par year
0 pi id ana oxproaaod ta me Rad and Bet* other than
unalgnad adrtortoia are tha opmrona of fee wrttara of
mgnad oolumn* and net naceaeaniy thoaa of Tha Rad
and Stock PubiiaNng Company Inc. AH rtghta
roaarvod. Raphnta by patnuoaton of tha adRoro.
imjw*w
Struggle for equal rights far from over
There is a tendency among many today to smile
condescendingly, as if to a dull-witted child,
when hearing the terms feminist, feminism or
(God Forbid) E.R.A.
Some people would like to assume that the
conditions that gave rise to these words have
disappeared. The battles have been fought, and
the war has been won. Those militant fanatics
who are still mouthing-ofT about patriarchy and
male chauvinism are obviously sexually frus
trated women who can’t get a date because they
don’t shave their legs. Women got the vote and
the briefcase; make them stop their whining.
Well, the fact is, Oh! Complacent Ones!, that
we haven’t yet begun to fight. The progress
made by pioneers in the movement like Gloria
Steinem and Bella Abzug is a source of pride,
but it is barely skin deep. We have seen women
climbing the corporate ladder and even on a
presidential ticket, but they’re also still in their
traditional position on the low end of the pay
scale. Black, single female heads of household
make up the largest group under the poverty
line today.
As activist Hope Morrison puts it, "So far the
women who have benefited are primarily white
and middle or upper class. Low income women
and women of color are still oppressed, doubly
or triply so because of their economic and
ethnic backgrounds."
Our awareness of these issues is actually re
gressing. It is almost as if, resentful of the
changes that were demanded and won, the Es
tablishment decided that enough is enough,
and there will be no more of this feminist non
sense. It can be seen in conservations among
Hogai
Nassery
men and women our age, where dialogue on
feminism revolves around inane statements
like: “I still want a man to open a door for me,”
or “I don’t want to lose my femininity.” Since
when does egalitarian thought concern door
knobs and lace? When Thomas Jefferson told
King George III off, did they discuss who would
use what bathroom? This movement is about
more than just the norms of common courtesy;
it’s about striving toward a society where a
woman can attend a party or walk down a
street without carrying mace.
Feminists, or egalitarians, if you prefer, find
the defensive reaction elicited by the voicing of
our concerns very interesting. Opponents of the
movement will say that we are going “too far,”
or that we are looking for sexism where it
doesn’t exist and then creating it in our own
minds. What I see is a patriarchal system that
feels so threatened by the thought of change,
that it will deny the truth in order to maintain
the status quo. In a society where humane va
lues are considered weak, and therefore femi
nine, we cannot be too vigilant in our search for
prejudice and our efforts to eradicate it.
Sexism, in even its mildest form, is just as
dangerous as all other forms of ignorance, be it
racism or homophobia. With our present desire
for quick results and our low attention spans, it
is conceivable that many of us have become
bored with this issue, among others. This
makes it even more important for those of us
who are concerned and aware to become more
active on a local and national level to keep the
fires burning. If nothing else, we owe it to our
Third World sisters who have yet to reap the
fruits of our struggle.
Thousands of women around the world, and
certainly in this country, are feeling justifiable
anger. They are angry at the statistics on rape,
battered women, pornography and discrimina
tion. Why is it that as our civilization becomes
supposedly more progressive and developed, a
woman continues to fear for her life, at home
and in public? Most women watch the news
every night and berate themselves for taking
stupid risks like jogging at night or living alone.
The very lifestyle a man takes for granted can
endanger a woman’s life. The rage many of us
feel is at such a level, that the next time a man,
be it stockbroker or construction worker, makeB
an obscene gesture or lewd remark about a
woman’s legs or chest or her very existence,
don’t be surprised if she turns around and
blows his face off.
Hogai Nassery is a columnist for The Red and
Black.
Forum: God and rationality
Editor's note: The Red and Black
received too many letters about
Jeanpierre Caillault's Feb. IS
column to print all of them. In an
effort to print as many as possible,
we printed excerpts from several
different letters rather than only
one or two complete letters.
... Caillault claims that the Bible
contradicts itself. In citing from the
Scriptures, he sets up false opposi
tions.... What Cailllault doesn't re
alize is that the gospels are
supplementary to each other, not
exclusive of each other.
With regard to the question of
whether Christians are to accept a
“conception chrietology” (Luke and
Matthew) or an “incarnation
christology” (John), the answer is
both. The conception of Christ as
narrated in Luke and Matthew ful
fills the incarnation referred to in
the first chapter of John's gospel.
Contrary to Caillault’s interpreta
tion of the Council of Nicea, its doc
uments affirmed the traditional
teaching that Christ was both di
vine and human. All so-called con
tradictions in the Bible are
apparent, not real, and can be rec
onciled with a proper interpreta
tion.
... Caillault seems to be a reflec
tive, thoughtful individual but has
misinterpreted the ideology of
Christianity.
Paul Harnmat
Junior, political aclanca
Made wrong choice
.. I realize Caillault doesn’t ap
preciate quoting the Bible aa a de
fense for one’s beliefs, but I must
point out that he used the Bible in
an attempt to defend his atheism.
Therefore, I feel that my references
to Scripture are necessary. He
brought up several “inconsistan-
cies” in the books of Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John. He needs to
realize that these were four dif
ferent individuals from four very
different backgrounds. Naturally
the four are going to report dif
ferent specifics of Christ’s life, but
their focus is the same. Caillault
seems to assume that either one re
corded event is correct, or the other
is when, in reality, both can be cor
rect.
He questions the very existence
of Cod. I don't think 1 could con
vince him to change his beliefs in a
few short paragraphs, but I can ex
plain something for him. He re
fuses to accept a god who enforces
punishment on those who don’t ac
cept His Son. I believe in a God
who is both loving and to be feared.
No one attribute of Cod outweighs
another, but He doesn't force
anyone to believe anything. God
has given man the greatest power
of all — the ability to chooee. We
can either chooee to accpet Christ
or reject Him. 1 fear that Caillault
has made the wrong choice.
Angle Stevenson
freshmen, accounting
Searching for God
... Religion is man’s search for
God. However, Christianity ia God
reaching out to man and revealing
Himself through His Son. Caillault
quoted that ‘the religious use their
belief in an omniicient and omnip
resent being to remove the respon
sibility for their lives on Earth...” 1
am accountable to God for all that I
do in my life. I feel very responsible
for the way I live and the effects my
life has on others. Considering
what Caillault referred to about
man’s “need to find someone to
worship, someone who can relieve
him of the burden of his con
science," I find my conscience more
powerful now than before I became
a Christian. I do find forgiveness,
but I see more things that I need
forgiveness for.
Teresa Hudson
sophomore, forest resources
The Council of Nicea
... at the Council of Nicea in 32S
A.D., the godhood of Jesus Christ
■ FORUM
□ The Red end Black welcomes letters to the editor and prints them in the Forum
column as space permits. All letters are subject to editing for length, style and li
belous material. Letters should be typed, doublespaced and must include the name,
address and daytime telephone number of the writer. Please Include student classifi
cation and major other appropriate identification Names can be omitted with a valid
reason upon request Letters can be sent by U.S. mall or brought In person to The Red
and Black s offices at 123 N. Jackon St. Athens, Ga.
wasn't introduced as Caillault
would like people to erroneously
believe. The Council of Nicea was
assembled in order to confront the
Arian heresy because Arianism
was challenging what was already
believed concerning the godhood of
Christ from Scripture; as a result,
the Arians were excommunicated
for their deeply heretical doctrine.
Jesus Christ explicitly told the
truth about himself when he said,
“...if you do not believe that I am
Jehovah (Yahweh) you will indeed
die in your Bins’ (John 8:24).
Keith D. Bodoh
Junior, crlmlnel Justice
Rationalists distorted
Caillault's column about a ratio
nalist’s view of religion is a com
plete misanalysis of man’s
relationship with God. While I, too,
used to think as Caillault that reli
gion should be rejected because of
its irrationality and incongruities,
I have now realized that the faulty
logic was my own.
Judging Christianity and other
religions by a perception of others’
representations and manifesta
tions of them giveB a distorted
view. To reach an understanding, a
rationalist undoubtedly knows the
importance of judging something
— i.e., religion — based upon its
own merits instead of on other*’
perversions of the truth.
As a former agnostic, 1 challenge
Caillault, other atheists and agnoa
tics, to stop subjugnting their
spirits to their minds and to de
velop oh a complete person with
equal attention to the spirit and
body as well ns the mind.
Philip Wobb
sophomore, undecided
Scanner unhealthy
The University Food Service’s
system of entry into its dining halls
for those on the meal plan is a
health threat and is unsanitary.
Before I go eat, I wash my hands
and I would like them to stay clean
for my meal. But putting my hand
on a hand scanner (used to verify
students on the meal plan) where
hundreds of other students have
already placed their filthy hands
isn’t a very sensible, healthy or
sanitary way for an eating estab
lishment to operate. This system
must be replaced.
Teddy A. Wilson
Junior, biology
Determine existence
The line of reasoning that “the
existence of a soul is purely rooted
in one’s own religious belief”
(Forum letter, 2-13) is one that I
have heard on several occasions.
However, the question of the soul’s
existence isn't the issue I wish to
adress here. What I am chiefly con
cerned with is the idea that “one's
own" view of something matters
more than the thing itself. If we
take this example to another level,
it would seem to be just as rea
sonable to say the dimensions of
the earth depend entirely on
whether or not one is a flat-
earther. The earth is and will be
spherical for some time to come, re-
ardless of what I or anyone else
appens to think of the matter. If
we had the ability to determine
both the shape of the earth and the
existence of the soul, then surely
we would all be gods ourselves!
Sean Romer
senior, englltri