Newspaper Page Text
4 • The Red and Black • Thursday. April 19. 1990
OPINIONS
The Red & Black
Established IH93—Incorporated 1980
An independent student newspaper nut affiliated with the University uf (ieorgia
Charlene Smith/Editor-in-Chief
Amy Bellew/Managing Editor
Hogai Nassery/Opinions Editor
■ EDITORIALS
Coming together
The sudden death of a University student from
meningitis Monday night is a tragedy that has touched
everyone in the University community. While Stacy
Ware’s death is taken the hardest by those who knew
and loved him, the very nature of his death forces them
not only to grieve, but also worry about the possibility
of their own exposure to the disease.
In this time of mourning which could’ve turned to
panic as well, it is a relief to see the Gilbert Health
Center and local hospitals handle this crisis with
competence and sensitivity. Health officials acted
quickly — 6 a.m. Tuesday — to notify the eighth floor
residents of Russell Hall, as well as the custodians who
work there, of their possible exposure.
The University called a press conference to get the
word out on campus. Everyone came together to
fulfill the needs of the students. Campus ministers
are offering counseling to Ware’s friends and
hallmates. Health service officials are meeting with
Russell residents to educate them about meningitis
and have established a hotline to answer questions.
Health officials are administering the drug
Rifampin to individuals who are at high risk of
exposure. They have limited the number of people
given the antibiotic because tolerance to it develops
quickly and it has side effects.
University officials have notified Ware’s professors
of the situation so they can tell their students who may
need to be screened for meningitis.
The best response to this tragedy is health and
emotional counseling for the individuals close to Ware,
and the University was quick to react to these needs.
Local health officials were also careful to not cause a
panic, by explaining that this is not an epidemic.
Saving the earth
Everybody’s talking trash this week with Earth
Day just arond the comer. What to do with it all as the
landfills are packed to capacity is the question of the
year and many say recycling is the answer.
If it is, the University is on the right track to
disposing of the 31 tons of trash it produces a day. After
a successful trial effort, recycling is set to become the
norm on campus at the end of June.
Fifteen thousand bins will be scattered all over
campus to collect recyclables from aluminum cans to
old tires. The goods will be sold to recycling companies
and paper mills and the money will go back into the
University programs.
The pilot program worked, allowing the
administration to find problems before permanent
plans are made. Several cities have jumped into
recycling without considering the consequences or
costs. Neighborhood programs that call for residents to
separate their glass, cans and newspapers have lost
money when they were unable to sell the newsprint.
The increase in recycling has flooded the market for
old newspapers and several paper mills have stopped
buying it because they aren’t equipped to recyle it.
When the Recycling Task Force dubbed bins “paper
only” in the trial program, newsprint was not what it
had in mind. Fortunately, Paper Recycling, Inc. in
Atlanta is buying all the newspapers that ended up in
the bins to encourage recycling at the University. The
company has to sort the newspapers from the high-
quality office paper by hand.
In the permanent program, there will be separate
bins for office paper and old newspapers. The Atlanta
company is willing to continue buying the newspapers
on faith that the market will improve.
Meanwhile, the University will keep collecting
those tons and tons of trash.
STAFF
NEWS: 543-1809
Neer* Editor Jennifer Rampoy
Sparta Editor: Trevor Padfott
Entertainment Editor: Margaret Weston
Associate Newt Editor*: Chna Gnmea. Jennifer
Wilkin
Front Pag* Copy Editor: DovhJ Job no ton
inside Copy Editor* Joel Groover. Kelly Keating.
Mary Ratcirff*. Johanna van dti Wai
UCA Today/Wire Editor Roc err AJula
Graphic* Editor: Davit O'Keeffe
Chief Photographs! Peter Frey
Photo Editor Marla Clay
Staff Witter*: Waiter Con. Maria Edward*. Ann*
Man* Fanguy. lane* Heim*. Christopher Hightower.
Oere McLeod. M.he McLeod. Stephan* Smith.
Sandra Stephen*, j. 0 Squiianta. Robert Todd
Sport* Writer: Chna Lancette
Special Section*/Trend* EdMer: Cara May
Aaaletant Special Section*/Trent* Editor:
Giotto Rowhothem
Editori d Assistant: Pamela Warran
Cartoon let: M<kt Morou
ADVERTISING: 543-1791
Student Advert!elng Manager*
KnatJ Burnham. Beverly Teytor
Advertising Assistant*
Jennifer Davit. Scott Donetdton. Kethenn* Femdei
Senior Advertising Representatives: Sean Fagan,
Kricheile Haluelam, Julie Reynold*
Advert]ting Representatives: Karen Haynes, Rick
H«4gmt. Mark lacomni, Chris Munguia. Toby Myart.
LoaNettie*. Lmgh Riffa, Lon Thurman
Aaalstant Editorial ftod. Manager: Cnttma Feindt
Assistant Advertising Pved. Manager: Mertana
Martin
Production Staff: Andy Ard, Laura Frtadrtch, Andrea
Manaour. Loan Marsh, Elizabeth Mauu, Laura Millar,
Stacy Stcnbcrg. Michelle Wcgeit
General Manage*. Harry Montevideo
Adverting DVector Robm Stoner
Office Manager: Mary Straub
Production Manager: Judy Jordan
ClaaaMada/ltaeaptienlat: Beverly Vaughn
Credit Manager: Susan Davit
Clerical: Joanna Horton
The Red and Black it published Tuesday thresh
Friday dunng the tegular school year and each
Thursday dunng summer quarter, with the except ions
of holidays and exam period*, by The Rad and Black
Publishing Company Inc. a non profit campus
newspaper not affiliated with the University of
Georgia. 123 N Jackson St. Athant. Ga 30001
Third das* postage paid at Aihen*. Ga Subtcnption
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Opinion* sipreaaad In Tha Rad and Bach other than
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and Black Publishing Company Inc. Ail right*
restored. Repnnta by permission of the Sdrtors
■ QUOTABLE
"There's no structure to keep them from going at each other."
— David Herndon, Rapid Fire moderator, referring to the guber
natorial debate.
Nunn kowtowing to feminist minority
U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn’s departure from Be-
thesda’s Burning Tree all-male social club led
me to some conclusions about outrageous femi
nist demands placed on our nation’s court sys
tems and about Nunn’s disingenuous political
effronteries. What I am led to believe by this
gentleman’s actions is that individual freedom
comes at quite an unsavory cost in this country,
one however, which he is not unwilling to pay
for the price of a political reputation.
Personally, I could care less if Sam Nunn is
courting the feminist vote in his next election or
even exactly what it was he was chortling about
with his martini-toting Washington sidekicks
inside the Burning Tree Club. What does
bother me is the fact that the Maryland Su
preme Court found the Burning Tree a sexist
operation and that Sen. Nunn has suddenly
agreed with its decision.
The court of Maryland fails to understand
two things: The rights of the individual as they
compare to a group and an individual’s right to
free association. Is the club itself sexist or is the
man joining the club sexist? Is the group or the
individual responsible for the sexism?
The logical response is that the man who
joined the club is sexist, for he made the deci
sion to join and be a part of the sexist group.
But here, the court has called the whole organi
zation sexist and has since ruled that women
Susannah
McLellan
must now be allowed to join the all-male contin
gency. What happens when a group has its free
doms restricted? Answer: The individual loses
his freedom as well — the freedom to choose to
be a part of that group or not.
It is astounding that the court had underem
phasized one’s right to free association. Is it ac
ceptable for a government to tell a person with
whom they are allowed to consort? No. But this
is what the court is telling us. One ought to re
alize that one’s rights as an individual are
being usurped by a social cause that benefits a
fringe minority.
My next question is what is so terribly wrong
with sexual delineation? Why must men be
forced to socialize with women when the whole
reason they come to the club is to escape them?
Where are these guys supposed to go for a quick
run-down of the Mets game, a Mary Kay make
up session?
Men have never changed in this age, the
women have, and to what delusional extent I’m
not quite sure. This woman has just as much
concern for sexual equality as the next femi
nist, but this type of legal bullying is little more
than the snivelings of petulant little girls.
Had the Burning Tree been a political club,
this would be a different picture, but this is a
social club for social purposes of which, for
whatever reason, women are not welcome. This
age, as revealed through our present day law
structures, is determined to destroy the
uniqueness of the sexes and with it the spirit of
the individual.
Furthermore, I am sorry to hear Sen. Nunn
lacks the courage of conviction and suddenly
dissociated himself from a group he so heartily
took part in. Although he may find such a move
politically wiley, he has really only traded his
principle for political trendiness. He seems to
prefer to shuffle before our personal rights so
that he may smile cordially across the Senate
floor at all of his well-wishing gumboil cronies.
This Senator may believe he has done the right
thing, but I’m afraid he is too ambitious to re
alize how much of a sham he really is.
Susannah McClellan is a sophomore classics
major.
Washington, D.C. oppressed and upset
Nestled on the lower end of the state of
Maryland lies our nation’s capital. Within this
district, one will find historic landmarks like
the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington
Monument. However, more importantly, one
will discover the documents that are the foun
dation of what this country stands for. The Dec
laration of Independence, The United States
Constitution, and the Federalist Papers all
strive to accent the principles of life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness.
Another key feature of these works is the
principle of government representation. The
colonists fought the Revolutionary War 200
years ago against Great Britain and declared
independence because of taxation without rep
resentation, which they felt was unjust. Why,
then, is our nation’s capital, Washington D.C.,
taxed by the federal government but not given
representation or recognized as a state by said
government?
In the Jan. 16 issue of The New York Times,
Jesse Jackson is quoted as saying, “Washington
is the last colony and Congress must end its oc
cupation and its tyranny of taxation without
representation."
Is Jackson’s assessment correct? Is our cap
ital a colony under tyranny? One would have to
agree that the more than 3.5 million tax-paying
residents who live in Washington, at least de
serve a voice in how their money is being spent.
The non-voting member that currently speaks
on the district’s behalf in the House of Rep
resentatives is a nice gesture, but not good
enough.
The fight for statehood appears to be an
uphill battle since the senate voted 97-2 against
the creation of n District of Columbia Statehood
Commission to study the matter.
Charges of racism complicate the issue, due
to the fact that Washington is more than 70
percent black and 30 percent white. Ultra-con
servative columnists like The Atlanta Journal
and Constitution’s Dick Williams claim that
the drive for statehood is simply an attempt by
Jackson to become a senator and to get addi
tional black congressmen elected.
Regardless of ethnic background, ask your
self this question: How could we ns a nation be
entering into the 21st century and still have a
district where taxation is forced without rep
resentation? For a truly representative na
tional voice to be heard, shouldn't the federal
government listen and be accountable to all the
"states"?
Richard Martin is a freshman biology major
Legion fence unnecessary
FORUM
□ The Red and 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 daybme telephone number of the writer. Please include student classiff
cation and major other appropnate identification. Names can be omitted with a valid
reason upon request. Letters can be sent by U.S. mail or brought in person to The Red
and Black s offices at 123 N. Jackon St. Athens. Ga.
The plan to expand the Legion
Field fence fails to address the
crowd control problem, and could
in fact worsen the situation. Stu
dent Activities Director Bill Porter
contends that extension of the
fence to include the area on the hill
will solve the potentially dan
gerous situation of the people that
gather there to hear concerts, that
such a situation was present at the
B-52’s concert, and that the same
situation resulted in disaster at
The Who’s Cincinnatti concert. He
is mistaken on all counts.
Incidents at The Who concert
were caused by people rushing to
get the best of general admission
seating. While reserve seating at
Legion Field is not a realistic possi
bility, better crowd control is. I was
on the hill at the B-52’s and the
crowd was well-behaved. I was also
at a Drivin’n’Cryin concert last
year at Legion Field, this time
right next to the stage. As more
people arrived and the crowd’s ex
citement grew, they began to push
toward the stage.
The crowd control problem lies
in front of and around the stage,
not on the hill 50 yards away.
Fencing off* the hill area threatens
to worsen the problem by in
creasing the number of people on
the field, pushing toward the stage.
Brad McGaughey
senior,
International business
Carpool or walk
It’s ironic that with Earth Day
approaching, UGA’s likely solution
to the parking overflow at the UGA
Foundation building is to spend a
heap of money to make a grander
parking lot. Why not pay em
ployees to carpool? For example,
there must be several carloads of 8-
5ers from Five Points. Or better
yet, encourage employees to bicycle
(gasp) or even walk to work. Or the
Foundation could underwrite
Athens Transit bus passes.
Not only would tnese be “envi
ronmentally literate” solutions to
the excess of cars over parking
spaces, it would probably cost far
less than bulldozing and paving
the neighborhood. A little creative
thinking would forestall a lot of
wasted gasoline, air pollution and
friction between Cloverhurst resi
dents and the “600-pound gorilla.”
Christopher DeForest
employee,
School of Forest Resources
Stop trashing Ga.
I am disgusted with what I ob
serve as I travel around Georgia.
Our roadways, trails and water
ways are so covered with cans,
glass, paper and plastics that it al
most makes me ashamed to be a
Georgian.
The wilderness areas and rivers
of this potentially gorgeous state,
as well as entrance ramps to our
highways and bypasses, are abso
lutely speckled with gum and
candy wrappers, baby diapers and
cigarette butts. Just drive by any
fast food restaurant and observe
the roadsides in any direction. The
area resembles what could be de
scribed as those restaurants’ own
personal landfills.'
Why do we, as proud Georgians
and Americans, litter? Are we igno
rant or just plain stupid? Don’t we
see its ugliness, or do we even give
a damn?
Observations often indicate we
are losing the anti-litter battle, and
with all the current attention fo
cused on debates regarding sani
tary landfills, incinerators, and
toxic wastes, it’s easy to forget
about the little things we can do
that can make a big difference.
Litter is something citizens can
control litter without government
intervention if we would only try to
be more conscious of its effects.
With Earth Day approaching, I
am asking that we not litter; but it
often appears that those of us who
already don’t are essentially the
only ones who comply with such a
request. Since I am constantly re
minded of the problems, however, I
will continue to ask for compliance
and curse those who ignorantly
continue the deplorable practice of
such an absurd, despicable habit.
Richard L. Milford
Broad River Action Group