Newspaper Page Text
■ QUOTABLE
4 • The Red and Black • Thursday, June 21, 1990
OPINIONS
The Red & Black
Eitablished 1893—Incorporated 1980
An independent student newspaper not affiliated with the University of Georgia
Jennifer Rampey/Editor-in-Chief
Trevor Padgett/Managing Editor
David Johnston/Opinions Editor
■ EDITORIALS
Return of the wimp
Next year is the bicentennial of our constitution’s
first ten amendments — the Bill of Rights. For 199
years these amendments have provided American citi
zens with protection from government intrusion upon
our most basic rights.
If Congress passes an amendment allowing prohi
bition of the “desecration” of the U.S. flag, clearly in
fringing upon political speech, then can limits on our
freedom of religion, freedom of the press and the right
to bear arms be far behind?
The same fearless leader who didn’t mind using his
political capital to stand by the butchers of Tiananmen
Square last year is now leading the way toward de
struction of the very foundation of our government.
Why is this happening? Not because seven or so
losers have gotten their sorry pictures in the paper by
burning a U.S. flag. Plenty of Vietnam era demonstra
tors did that.
No, the fact is that the President and Congress
want to use this non-issue to continue to hide from the
real problems our country is facing, like the deficit, our
international competitiveness and the homeless.
The 1988 George Bush is back — you guessed it —
just in time for the 1990 midterm elections.
t
Time to take a stand
U.S. Rep. Ben Jones (D-Atlanta) is the only one of
the twelve incumbents in Georgia’s congressional dele
gation who faces a serious challenger this year, and he
is only one of two Georgia congressmen who has had
the courage to step forward in defense of our Constitu
tion. The other patriot in the crowd is Rep. John Lewis
(D-Atlanta), who happily is probably the safest of our
representatives.
No one who heard Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kansas) boast
that this debate would make “a good 30-second spot”
could blame Jones for shying away from opposing the
flag amendment. His opponent is no doubt salivating
at the prospect of casting him as an unpatriotic flag
burner.
While the rest of our cowardly representatives have
announced plans to join Bush’s assault on the First
Amendment, our two distinguished U.S. senators are
unusually quiet.
Sen. Sam Nunn (D-Perry) is running unopposed
this year while his colleague, Wyche Fowler (D-At
lanta), won’t be up for election for two more years. Why
don’t they have the courage to take a stand as they did
during the Bork hearings in 1987?
We, as students, must also take a stand for democ
racy, as we did when we marched in honor of those
massacred at Tiananmen last year and when we regis
tered more than 1,000 people to vote last month. As ed
ucated people who have benefited directly from the
freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, it is our civic
duty to fight againsf this threat to democracy as hard
and as long as we can.
If we don’t we could eventually see the end of only
one of two Western governments to survive since 1776.
STAFF
NEWS: 543-1809
News Editor Mary Raid iff*
Sports Editor Jon Tulty
Entertainment Editor Rachel Curry
Associate News Editor Elizabeth Graddy
Front Page Copy Editor David Johnston
Inside Copy Editors: Nick Schweitzer,
Stephanie Smith
Graphics Editor Howard Fare
Photographers: Peter Frey. Wayne Jackson
Staff Writers: Gwlnn Bruns. J Leigh Burrell.
Carol Causey. Cathy Ferris. Patrick Flanigan.
Dan Pod. Jeff Rutherford, J.D. Squlllante,
Beth Valinotl. Douglas Wood
Entertainment Wrtler David Williams
Sports Writer. David Pace
Special Sections/Trends Editor. Marla
Edwards
Editorial Assistant Laura Roe
Cartoonist: Mike Moreu
ADVERTISING: 543-1791
Student Advertising Managers:
Kristi Burnham. Krlchelle Halualad
Senior Advertising Representative: Rick
Huggins
Advertising Representatives: Jeff Harris.
Alan Hdcomb. Chris Mungula. Toby Myers.
Kipp Muihs, Maureen Muagrove. Lee Nettles,
Jane Rice
Assistant Editorial Prod. Manager Cristina
Feindt
General Manager. Harry Montevideo
Advertising Director. Robin Stoner
Offtoe Manager Mary Straub
Production Manager Judy Jordan
ClaseHleds/Reoeptlonlst Beverly Vaughn
The Usd an* Mach it published Tuesday through
Friday during the regular school year and aach
Thursday during summtr Quarter, with the eicepoont
or holiday* end stem period*, by The Red end Week
Publishing Company Inc. a nonprofit campus
rwwtpapor not affiliated with tha University of
Georgie. 123 N. Jackson St. Athens. Ga. 30601
Third clast postaga paid at Athene, Os. Subscription
rata: 124 par year
OpMana iprussl la Tha Rad and Mach othar than
untlgnad editorial* art the opinion* of tho wntart of
signod column* and not necoeeaniy thooo of Tho Rod
end Black Publishing Company Inc. All rights
reserved. Reprints by permission of the editors.
"Someone told me I should run for the Senate because I'm also
a wizard under the sheets."
Ex-l.oulsiana governor Edwin Edwards, on former Klansman
David Duke's Senate campaign
k j eREL gTl.Ml» | .
THEN MOSES CAME DOWH
FROM MT.SlNAI ANPHAD
KVERroeiE Hissy-FTT..
AG LA assuming too much about Roosevelt
Recently, in their celebrations of Gay History
Day and Gay Pride Month, members of the
Athens Gay and Lesbian Association (AGLA)
have cited Eleanor Roosevelt as an example of a
gay historic figure. They base thiB contention
upon her extensive correspondence with jour
nalist Lorena Hickock.
In their letters, the women often described a
physical longing for one another which is not
explicitly sexual, but awfully suggestive.
Most people have this image of Roosevelt as
an incredibly strong and progressive woman,
but most of her biographers describe her as
prudish and almost Victorian in her personal
life.
Letters for her seem to have provided reassu
rance that loved ones from whom she was sepa
rated would not forget or desert her. Perhaps
this reflects the insecurities caused by the
lonely childhood she lived following her father’s
death when she was ten.
AGLA officers Lawson Sullivan and Terrence
Heath said that they chose for inclusion in Gay
History Day those who “have a healthy attitude
toward their homosexuality and a significant
emotional — and to some extent physical
relationship with someone of the same sex.”
It’s a stretch to suggest, as this definition
seems to, that a powerful emotional bond be-
Homeless man
I was so frustrated that I felt like jumping
through a store window — that the violent act
of smashing the glass would set free the rabid
animals that were my heart and conscience.
It was 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning and my
friend and I were walking around downtown
Atlanta after a festive evening Underground.
Left on the streets at that hour were only a few
other revelers, and the homeless.
And it was with one of the latter group that
what began simply as attempt to locate tne car
became for me a time to find myself. I would
eventually find the car but I feel like I’ve been
slipped another map to find myself.
The man’s name was Charles. My friend says
that in a drunken stupor, I sought him out and
initiated a conversation. I acted as if he’d ap
proached me. I was raised in a neighborhood on
Stewart Avenue and had spent much of my teen
ears venturing through downtown ... and
new there was a big difference between the
two circumstances. If he had approached me,
odds were that he was either a con artist or a
criminal and that we were in danger.
I initially thought CharleB, a well-spoken
black man who appeared to be in his late 20s to
early 30s, was just another Underground en
thusiast but as the conversation unfolded, he
told us he was homeless.
While my suburbanite, non-journalist friend
seemed to grow impatient and ready to lose
Charles, I openly began questioning him about
his life while we searched for the car. It was a
long search and one that was all too sobering.
Charles said he had attended college until
the money ran out. He got a job and was doing
all right until he injured his knee. For some
reason, he couldn't get workman’s compensa-
tween two people of the same sex is justification
enough to label them as gay.
It is not uncommon to nave a same sex *13081
friend” to whom one feels more of an emotinal
bond than with a sexual partner of the opposite
sex. Yet there is no desire to have sex with one’s
best friend, and there’s not necessarily any less
enjoyment of sex with the emotionally less im
portant lover.
Committed homosexual couples certainly
muBt, like committed heterosexual couples,
have a powerful emotional bond with each
other for a successful relationship, but they are
homosexual because of their overt sexual at
traction for each other.
Of the speculation about Hickock and Roose-
Chris
Lancette
tion (this happens frequently) and was too in
jured to work.
He got further and further behind in paying
his bills and came home one day to find his
every possession in his yard. Evicted. No money
and no place to go.
He found a hotel to stay in for $49 a week —if
he could pay cash up front. But he couldn’t and
the manager wouldn’t allow to him to work in a
labor pool for two days — where he might earn
$26 dollars a day, if he were ‘lucky.”
And besides what good is a man, the only
part of whom is bum is his leg, to a labor pool?
“I didn’t have anywhere to go but the
streets,” he said.
With true Caucasian instincts, I next ob
served that he seemed to be okay now so why
doesn't he get a job.
He told me that when you don’t have a place
to shower and you physically stink, when you
can’t afford any clothes but the scraps you're
wearing, and when you don’t have an address
to put on a job application — nobody is going to
hire you. Except the drug dealers.
And he believes in God “although Tm not
velt, biographer Geoffrey Ward says in his re
cently published book, “A First—Class
Temperament:”
“This may, of course be true. No living wit
ness knows, and the written evidence is incon
clusive. It is true that several of the women of
whom Eleanor was most fond were homosexual.
But she wrote letters no less passionate, no less
suggestive of a physical relationship to women
who were not ....and to at least three men as well
“Many of Eleanor’s letters were remarkably
ardent; her warmth and the intensity of her at
tachment must sometimes have seemed over
whelming even to those who welcomed it most. ”
The Athens gay and lesbian community is
fortunate to have a well-organized advocacy
group, but AGLA’s credibility in the hetero
sexual community is hurt by carelessly labeling
people like Roosevelt and James Dean as homo
sexuals on the basis of rumor and assumption.
There are enough admirable historic figures
who are known to have been gay to make it in
appropriate to rely upon this kind of careless
speculation.
David Johnston is Opinions Editor for The Red
and Black.
really sure why” and refused to turn to drugs or
crime.
I asked what the hell he did for food. He buys
bologna when he can afford it.
I felt so helpless, talking to a man I wanted
so badly to help but felt there wasn’t a thing I
could do for. And as the effects of my alchol con
sumption wore off slightly and my natural inhi
bitions returned, I began trying to figure out
how to get away from him.
Part of me wanted to help. Part of me wanted
to flee. And the rest of me was outraged at the
second instinct, recognizing the shallowness of
my fears and sterotypes. Internally riled while
walking past street after street of stores, I
wanted to jump through the glass. My “rabid
animals” were foaming at the mouth.
I decided to ensure that I saved my own skin
by giving him the slip. He cast his eyes down
ward and asked if I could spare any money. My
hand gripped my wallet like I were nervously
gripping a gun trigger and not knowing if I
were doing the right thing, I gave him my re
maining dollar.
This guy could really need my help or he
could be con-artist or criminal, I told myself.
Pulling away, safe in the car, the animals
were delerious and I started pounding my
window. My friend stopped me (not knowing he
was trying to make me ignore the beasts) before
I broke it.
Thinking about the evening the next day, I
realized that’s exactly what most of us do —
turn away and help the animals sleep. But that
doesn't make me feel any better. I still feel like
jumping through the glass.
Chris Lancette is a senior journalism major.
prompts release of ‘animals’
Horse is where it belongs
■ FORUM
Q The Red snd Blech welcomes letters to the editor end prints them in the Forum
column as space penults. 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, major, and other appropriate 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.
I was disappointed to learn that
the University Council has voted to
recommend that the Iron Horse
sculpture be moved back to the
University campus. I urge them to
reconsider that decision.
A number of years ago, I pro
duced a television documentary
film on sculptor Abbott Pattison’s
stay at the University and the
story of the Iron Horse.
I thoroughly researched the sub
ject and interviewed dozens of
people directly and indirectly in
volved with the story.
Pattison was invited by the UGA
Art Department to be an artist-in
residence in 1953. During that
time he completed a marble sculp
ture, "Mother and Child,” which
still stands by the Fine Arts
Building. Immediately after it was
completed, this work was defaced
with green paint, but was never re
moved.
The next year Pattiaon was in
vited back to create three more
sculptures. His first project was
the welded eteel horse. When it
was completed, it was placed in
front of Reed Hall. That evening it
caused the now notorious riot. The
next day it was decided to have the
horse removed. It had few, if any,
supporters within the administra
tion.
When Pattison saw his sculpture
the next day, he was devastated.
“It was like a Southern lynching,”
he said. “People got carried away
without meaning to do any harm.”
Another professor was more
harsh. He characterized it as a
“setback for ideas.” For years the
sculpture languished in a weed-
covered field behind a physical
plant storage barn. After some
time. University professor L.D.
Curtis, who had followed the
events that surrounded the horse,
I
i
I
asked Art Department head Lamar
Dodd if he could place the sculp
ture on his farm in Greene county.
He had always liked the sculpture
and did not want to see it rust
away in obscurity.
Since that time, the horse has
stood like a silent sentinel in the
center of a com field on the Curtis
farm. It is visible to all who drive
on Route 15 and serves as a fa
miliar reminder to returning
Athens travellers that they are al
most home. The rural background
enhances the scale of the sculp
ture; it stands out against a broad,
uncluttered vista. When Dodd first
saw the horse there he said, “It
looked so much like an animal in
the right place.”
Indeed the Iron Horse is in the
right place. Don't move it.
I suggest UGA commission Pat
tison to create a new sculpture as
part of a program to install more
public art around campus. That
would be far more constructive
than trying move the horse whero
it was unwanted in the first place.
William VanDerKloot
UGA Claes of’74
*
I
(