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4 • The Red and Black • Wednesday, September 26, 1990
OPINIONS
The Red & Black
Katabliahed 1893—Incorporated 1980
An independent atudent neuapaper not affiliated with the Univeraity of Georgia
Robert Todd/Editor-in-Chief
Jennifer Rampey/Managing Editor
David Johnston/Opinions Editor
■ EDITORIALS
Arts on trial
The Robert Mapplethorpe exibit features 175
photographs of nudes, lilies and graphic sexual poses.
It is for adults, and those who choose to attend a
Mapplethorpe exibition know what to expect.
Last spring the Contemporary Arts Center of
Cincinnati exibited the Mapplethorpe photographic
retrospective for seven weeks. Now, four months after
the exhibit left, the museum and its director are on
trial and facing obscenity charges.
There is a lot more on trial than an art exibit in
Cincinnati. Clearly, the arts in this country and the
right to freedom of expression are what will be tried in
the weeks to come.
Censorship has no place in this country, and as
stoutly as we protect freedom of speech we as a nation
must protect freedom of artistic expression.
The Mapplethorpe retrospective toured the country
without incident, and museum directors across the
nation recognize the artistic value of his work.
However, officials in Cincinnati say they have a
different set of standards and the retrospective violates
them.
Though “what is obscenity and what is art?” is
certainly one question raised by this fiasco, it isn’t the
most important. One larger question is “who’s right is
it to decide what is obscene?"
Is it the place of government to dictate how artists
express themselves, to tell authors what to write or
even to tell the public what it can or can’t look at. We
say no. It is the right of the individuals to set their own
standards for obscenity, and it is the right of the artists
to choose their method of expression.
We are not talking about public indecency, or
“shouting fire in a crowded movie house.” This is an art
exibit inside a museum which adults make a rational
decision to view or not to view.
Let’s protect the arts and expression and let’s make
sure its the citizens who set the standards for
themselves and not the government.
Confirm Souter
The Red and Black’s editorial stance on abortion
has consistently been pro-choice. We oppose all
government interference with a woman’s right to
decide whether or not to reproduce.
Roe v. Wade is one of the most important decisions
ever handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court. It
should never be overturned. But we must disagree with
those in the pro-choice movement who feel that New
Hampshire Judge David Souter’s nomination to the
Court should be rejected because of his refusal to reveal
his opinion of Roe v. Wade.
While not the most notable jurist in the country,
Souter has impressive academic and judicial
credentials for confirmation to the court. Souter’s
record is conservative, but his Senate testimony
revealed a respect for the right to privacy and a
reasoned approach to original intent.
A Supreme Court justice’s decisions should be
based upon his interpretation of the Constitution as it
applies to the issue at hand. This is why it is important
to determine how a nominee feels about original intent.
If a justice believes that there is no room for
interpretation in constitutional law — that the framers
expected their words to be taken literally — then
he/she cannot view each case on its own merit. His/her
opinions will be unmovable. The Constitution must be
dynamic. The nation is in very different circumstances
now than it was in 1789.
Souter’s nomination should be confirmed without
unnecessary delay and debate. But he and the present
justices must understand that the majority of
Americans will not tolerate the overturning of Roe v.
Wade. Such a decision would be an unprecedented
move backward for American law and result in a
Constitutional crisis.
STAFF
NEWS: 543-1809
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■ QUOTABLE
“If truth In advertising applied to It, you’d probably be doing
time.’'
— Democratic gubernatorial nominee Zell Miller to his oppo-
nent Johnny Isakson on his campaign s latest commercials.
hippo-crue
Campus enemy no. 1 takes class over
I should have known the first day of class
that things would not go well for me.
My professor resembled an unusually large
Brown Rat. He had two beady red eyes which
probed students like radar searching for enemy
aircraft. His hair was singularly unkempt,
somewhat a cross between Don King’s vertical
f irojections and Albert Einstein’s electrical
ocks. He walked with the gait of a drunkard
swaggering forth and to the right. Obviously he
had not changed his clothes since the 50’s.
As he handed out what I distinctly heard him
refer to as the “sillybus,” he inspired me to a
901 quiet chuckle when I noticed his shoes were
on backward. My classmates and I were in for
an unusual quarter to say the least. I remem
bered an exceptional orator for God and hoped I
could overcome.
“Archaic institutions 101?” he asked.
“Yes, sir!” we replied.
He pointed directly between my eyes.
“What’B the question?”
“ The question? ... Oh yes, I ask the ques
tions! Do you have Life Call the device you
press into the air and...”
I’M HAVING CHEST PAINS!!
“Exactly,” he said. “ I’m calling paramedics
right away Mr...”
“Sacco,”1 said,“and Vanzetti.”
He bellowed an excruciatingly long belly
Howard is a
The lieutenant governor’s race between
Democrat Pierre Howard and Republican Matt
Towery has received limited media coverage
since both candidates kicked off their cam
paigns in August. However, the coverage both
candidates have received has been mostly neg
ative.
Critics claim that Republican Towery is too
young at age 31 to hold the state’s second most
S iwerful position. They also argue that
oward, after 18 years in the Senate, has be
come a semi-permanent fixture to the good ole’
boy system that has run Georgia amuck for sev
eral decades.
Since much of the governor’s race has fo
cused on the anti-Tom Murphy sentiment
shared by most Georgians, Howard and Towerv
have likewise joined the bandwagon to basn
Murphy. However, only one candidate for lieu
tenant governor has succeeded.
Throughout the Democratic primary,
Howard maintained that “Pierre is French for
Bubba” so often that this quote has evolved into
the centerpiece of a rather stagnant campaign.
While the slogan was admittedly amusing the
first one or two times his campaign used it,
today it has become annoying, monotonous, and
indicative of the true politics Howard espouses.
Howard claims to be running against an es-
laugh and said,
“Ronald.”
“McDonald,” said I.
“Ally!” he exclaimed.
“Oop,”I retorted.
Engrossed in this little game I then cried,
“Maxwell!”
“Smart!” he yelled. And then “NO! NO, NO,
NO!!!”
He then glared at me and a silence like that
of death held the room at bay. Forgetting he
was on top of his desk, he stepped backward
and crashed heavily to the floor.
“I’m calling the mortician right away Mr.
Ceasar.”
The whole class erupted into uncontrollable
laughter until he frantically waived us to si
lence.
“Vanzetti, you are a trouble maker of the
worst sort. You think you can beat the system
do you?"
He then opened the top drawer of his desk
and pulled out a camera. I smiled gaily as he
snapped my mug. He showed it to the class.
“Public enemy number one,” he scud.
Taping it to the blackboard, he wrote
WANTED BY UGA in bold white chalk. My
classmates looked sidelong at me as he drew an
X across my face. My heart began to beat with
impetuous fury. Summoning a courage from
deep within my bosom, I rose from my desk and
stalked to the front of the room. I grabbed his
biggest eraser and wiped the condemning
words into oblivion. In my best Spike Lee im
pression possible, I put my hands on my hips
and said,
“Holm boy Ceaser been dead!” As his mouth
fell open I added, “Where did you get that lame
brained idea that only a professor can ask ques
tions and who made you a king?”
The class fell prostrate upon the floor.
“I got the idea from you , the students; you
ask no questions and treat me like royalty. But
now Mr Van...er, Sacco, now that you have
broken the ice, perhaps my glorious ruling days
are over."
“Perhaps,” said I. “But like you, I’m waiting
on the masses.”
Steven D. Sacco is a senior criminal justice
major and classroom troublemaker.
‘Bubba’ in any language
Brad
Rountree
tablishment he has been a part of for nearly two
decades, yet he readily identifies himself with
the image of just that - a good ole’ boy named
Bubba.
In trying to capture the votes of rural
Georgians with this slogan, Mr. Howard will
probably alienate many of the urban votes he
received in winning his party’s nomination.
Anyone that followed the Democratic pri
mary for governor may recall that Murphy,
King of the Good Ole’ Boys himself, personally
endorsed and campaigned for his candidate
Bubba McDonald. The humiliating defeat for
McDonald sent a message to Murphy and his
followers that Georgia will no longer tolerate
the back-patting that has dominated for so
long. Unfortunately for Howard, the correlation
among these three men and their politics could
prove fatal to his campaign.
Howard’s liberal agenda set forth an increase
in pork barrel spending that has become all too
familiar with Zell Miller and company. For in
stance, Howard voted to spend $228,000 on new
public golf courses, $40,000 on artwork for the
governor’s mansion (which, incidentally, Gov
ernor Harris never requested), and thousands
more on parking lots and water slides. In all,
this one year spending binge totaled more than
$2.4 million - money that could have been
better invested in our children’s education.
After reviewing his literature and platform,
Howard’s positions on abortion and taxes are
unclear. While Howard claims to favor a
woman’s right to abortion, he voted for certain
limitations (e.g. parental notification) and some
nght-to life organizations say he has appeared
at their rallies.As for taxes, Howard voted both
ways on the largest tax raise in Georgia’s his
tory.
Finally, Howard has spoken in favor of the
Georgia Dome in cities like Atlanta, yet he has
been quoted on the radio in rural towns as
being opposed to the dome.
Howard’s campaign has yet to explain his
speaking from both sides of his mouth — a fa
vorite tactic of those who entertain special-in
terest legislation.
Brad Rountree is a junior business major.
Operation Rescue terroristic
FORUM
□ The Red and Black welcomes letters to the ed.tor and pnnts them in the Forum
column as space permits. All letters are subject to editing (or length style and li
belous material. Letters should be typed, doublespaced and must Include the name,
address and daytime telephone number ol the writer. Please include student classifi
cation, major, and other appropriate identificabon. 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.
In response to Daniel Brown’s
letter in Tuesday’s (9/25/90)
Forum, I disagree with his
statement that “Operation Rescue
has never been accused of using vi
olent tactics."
As an individual who has partic
ipated in clinic defense, I accuse
the white males who made up “Op
eration Rescue" of physically as
saulting and verbally harassing
those who desired counseling, birth
control, and, of course, abortions.
Even if I did not personally wit
ness these events, I would consider
physically interfering with an indi
vidual’s rights and limiting their
choice to be an act of violence.
Mr. Brown should also know
that Joseph Scheidler, an OR
stormtrooper, authored the book
“Closed: 99 Ways to Stop Abor
tion,” in which he advocates fire-
bombing clinics. Scheidler is
presently under indictment by the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and
Firearms for several bombing inci
dents.
I would like to thank The Red
and Black staff for the objective re
porting and progressive articles
that I have read thus far.
Christopher Street
Political Science Dept
Supports center
Personally, I can’t wait for the
new civic center. I’m thrilled by the
prospect and the message that this
new edifice will present. The clean
straight lines will fill what is now
poorly used air space. The happy
anticipation of the economic bene
fits that the civic center will
without a doubt rain upon Athens.
And there’s so much more, I’m
sure.
However, this endearing atti
tude of mine was not easily arrived
at. In fact, way back, when I’d just
arrived in Athens a year ago. I had
been an idealist of the worst sort. I
appreciated the skyline of the
center of town for its dated simpli
city. But this is passe. I've been
converted to a better and more pro
gressive view.
What caused such a radical turn
around? That’s easy. It was the
construction of the two new
parking decks, like well-matched
bookends as I see it.
Back when I used to think the
other way, and I saw the first one
go up, I thought how obtrusive it
was.l was using the words like au
dacity with some familiar mod
ifiers when the second one started
going up. On looking at the first
one I thought, there aren’t enough
cars in here to buy lunch for the
ticket collector. Why another one?
When it rose over Lowery’s Pub
and blotted out our town hall from
the campus’ perspective, some
thing snapped — no —something
dawned on me. I stopped using
words like “audacity” and started
using ones like “bold" and “vi
sionary.”
I stopped looking at the present
where there is no need for more
space or even more traffic, or the
gasoline consumption that goes
with the increased traffic, or the in
creased pollution and frustration
levels, but to the future where
these problems are solved and
where there is more need, lots
more need.
As for me, I now understand
that the city council or planning
committee is beyond reproach ana
how dare we question those who
ore eo truly beyond us in fanciful
thinking.
Idah Downs