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4 « The Red and Black » Wednesday. October 10, 1990
OPINIONS
The Red & Black
Eatabliihed 1893—Incorporated 1980
An independent atudent newspaper not affiliated with the Uniuertity of Georgia
Robert Todd/Editor-in-Chief
Jennifer Rampey/Managing Editor
David Johnston/Opinions Editor
■ EDITORIALS
Do the right thing
The spend-and-spend economic policy of the
Reagan-Bush administration has left the nation
bankrupt. In a world where economic power is
increasingly more important than military strength,
we have become the world’s largest debtor nation. Ten
years ago we were the world’s largest creditor nation.
Last week, responding to public opinion, Congress
rejected a 1991 budget agreement which was full of
inequities.
The Joint Tax Committee of Congress predicted
that under the defeated plan people who make less
than $10,000 annually would see their taxes rise 7.6
percent while those with yearly incomes of more than
$100,000 would see only a 1.9 percent rise. Taxes on
people making between $20,000 and $50,000 a year
would rise 3 percent.
Congress was right to reject this budget proposal.
The president and Congress must work together to
produce a budget plan which is fair to everyone. If there
must be new tax revenue, then it must result from
progressive taxation. The middle and lower class have
borne the burden of national debt for far too long.
The military budget must be cut to a reasonable
level, and all domestic agencies must also take their
fair share of cuts.
We all must pay the price for the decade-long fiscal
irresponsibility of the federal government, and we
must all share the blame for letting them get away with
it.
The price isn’t right
Now for the $45,000 question. What are two of the
scarcest things on the University campus? The answer,
money and computers.
That’s why the computer thefts this weekend and
last spring are especially disturbing. What’s also
disturbing is that no extra preventive measures have
been adopted since the rash of thefts this past spring.
Let’s take some positive steps to end this menace
before the thieves strike again. Put locks on the
computers that aren’t easily busted or alarm systems
in areas with unsecured computers.
It might cost a little, but if these thefts keep up the
University stands to lose a lot more.
Self-study
Two years ago, 10 committees comprised of 200
faculty, staff, students and alumni began studying just
about everything about the University.
Among other things, they reviewed its educational
programs, its student developmental services and its
educational support services, putting their findings
together in a 600-page self-study.
The study, which became available to students
Tuesday, will help determine if the University’s
accreditation should be reaffirmed.
But the review process isn’t over. Students and
faculty can make critical comments on the study, and
those comments will be summarized in an appendix of
the final draft.
The draft will be sent to the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools in December for review. A team of
professors and administrators from SACS will then
evaluate the University’s bid.
Copies of the study are available in the main
library, the science library, the Tate Student Center
information booth, Student Government Association
offices and all dean’s offices.
If you have a complaint or a suggestion, here’s your
chance. Pick up a copy of the study and let the SACS
know what you think. It could make a difference.
STAFF
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■ QUOTABLE
"It was the sort of day for the Bush Presidency that can only be
described as cheesy."
— Journalist Maureen Dowd in Tuesday's New York Times
New Bible reflects decline of language
A new edition of an all-time best seller re
leased late last week marked the beginning of
the end, perhaps, for what has been called “the
only fp*eat book ever written by committee" and
with it, the English language itself.
The bestseller? The King James Version of
the Bible, originally published in 1611.
Its challenger is the New Revised Standard
Version, which has already been on sale for sev
eral months before its recent official dedication.
The new edition completely eliminates the pro
nouns “thee" and “thou” as well as many male-
centered terms (although Jesus remains the
“Son of Mon” and God is still “Our Father" in
stead of “Our Parental Figure”).
The poetry of the King James version suffers
as well. The passage “I am very dork, but
comely” from the Song of Solomon becomes “1
am black and beautiful” in the new translation.
Such a rendering might well have served The
New Revised Mod Squad Version, but seems
lacking in comparison with the graceful, lucid
prose of the original. The new translation does,
however, render the potentially confusing (to
modern ears, anyway) “Once I was stoned” from
II Corinthians to “Once I received a stoning.”
Many linguists would argue that it is point
less to fight changes in English, which, they
say, are inevitable and do not affect the lan
guage’s ability to communicate idens. lndE*ed,
English has changed drastically over the course
of its existence. Matthew 13:24 was rendered
“Heofonn rice is geworden tham menn gelic the
seow god saed on his aecere” in an English ver
sion of one thousand years ago. Not everyone
has the time or inclination to learn Old English
in order to rend the Bible, nor should they.
But there are certain changes which should
be fought. ‘Thee” and “Thou” are not merely
cute archaic terms. They served a real purpose
in the language, saying that the “you 4 meant
was one person, not two or more, and further
marking it in the nominative or objective case.
Our modem day “you” is pressed into triple
service as the singular and plural second
person pronoun, as well as often taking the
place of the neuter third person “one.” The real
need for a distinction of number in this pronoun
is shown by the Southern usage “/all,” which is
often considered substandard English even
though it clarifies to whom the speaker is
talking.
The correct usage of “thou" and “thee” to
mark the case of the prounoun in such phrases
as “thou art” and “I served thee" may strike
many readers of the King James Version as pe
dantic or useless, flowery language. English
was already well on the way to obliteration of
its once rich declension system in 1611, how
ever, with disasterous results for then and now.
The prevalence of such phrases as “me and her
went to the store” in everyday conversation
shows just how close we are to linguistic di
saster. Many linguists have predicted that
sooner or later only one of “I” or “me” will sur
vive the leveling process to which “thee” and
“thou” succumbed, with the result, one sup
poses, of a New New Revised Standard “Once
me received a stoning.”
Who or what is to blame for this situation? A
recent Wall Street Journal tirticle on “aliteracy”
names the usual culprits: television, Nintendo,
the telephone, and parents who don’t read to
their children. Mr. John S. Carroll, editor of the
Lexington Herald-Leader, admits that a recent
series on education problems in Kentucky
which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize was
purposely written on an eighth grade level due
to an “alarming” decline in the literacy level of
its readership.
The result of years of video games and
“Happy Days” reruns becomes evident when
our youngsters reach high school. Art Peterson,
a high school composition teacher in San Fran
cisco, says that he must teach his students how
to write from scratch, as “most haven’t read
enough to pick up basic sentence construction.”
Dr. Arthur O. Van Eck, a church liaison with
the New Revised Standard translation com
mittee, says that the King James Version will
be kept in print until at least 1995, because “it’s
like Classic Coke, some people will continue to
prefer it.” Sadly, it seems as if a generation will
prefer television commercials for Classic Coke
to the joys of the rich, majestic English of the
King James Bible.
John Hunter is a junior English major.
Southern Baptists might
have to divide
I am not now, nor have I ever been, a member
of a Baptist church. However, the situation now
brewing in the Southern Baptist Convention re
flects more than just a religious or regional
matter. The SBC is the nation’s largest Protes
tant denomination with about 15 million mem
bers and congregations in all fifty states. It is a
force to understand and a problem to ponder,
not because it is some fearsome monolith, but
because its problem reflects one in our society.
About a decade ago, a faction of conserva
tives gained control of the leadership of the
Convention. They are marked largely by funda
mentalism and a literal interpretation of the
Bible as the inspired word of God, and therefore
not open to interpretation. Their critics, usually
called moderates or liberals , accuse the conser
vatives of having a political agenda which sur-
plant8 the traditional missions. However, the
ugliest mark of the newcomers is their in
sistence on a narrow religious orthodoxy of
seminary professors and denominational jour
nalists.
While persons are surely within their rights
to demand religious tests for its theologians
and journalists to root out “heresy,” the same
theologians and journalists have a right to de
fend themselves. Moreover, it is very upsetting
to see this happen within a Baptist denomina
tion. Traditionally, Baptists have been distinc
tive in having a faith open (in theory) to
interpretation and debate. At the local church,
such freedom may cause hostility and heart
ache, but within each Baptist remains the room
Scott
Wells
for a vital faith unsaddled by intrusive dogma.
This example should not be lost on anyone,
regardless of faith. Each of us will, at one time,
be a part of a group that will demand our loy
alty or allegience, even so far as to try to step on
our hard-held convictions. Political parties
often ask people to tow a line. While I might
generally agree with a party’s political agenda,
my reasons, positions and self-interests will
surely conflict at some point. There I demand to
be heard, even so far as to leave the group to do
so.
Even if you miss those groups, there are al
ways those movements who demand your im
mediate allegience to the viewpoint of the hour.
For example, there are those who demand the
ethical treatment of animals. I can be consid
erate, even humane, but I will still eat tuna and
wear leather. I have my reasons, and I can
argue them. Unquestioning allegience is as
harmful for political ends as it is for religious
ones. Baptists aren’t immune.
Most people are now speculating that the
Southern Baptist Convention will split into
conservative and moderate (or liberal) camps. A
new denomination, replete with a news service
and seminaries would surely follow. Similar di
visions have plagued individual Baptist congre
gations and denominations (the three National
Baptist conventions come to mind), not to men
tion other religious sects.
Why then, are so many people so flustered?
Certainly part of it is because of the SBC’s con
siderable size, treasury, and influence. I think
that a part of its wealth is its century and a half
of cooperation between local congregations for a
common goal. Nobody is going to enjoy this an
ticipated spilt, but the reason it is needed is be
cause the basic rules have changed.
The conservative leaders may be Christian,
but they are not of the Baptist tradition. If they
controlled their own denomination, I wouldn’t
mind, but I believe that it is better for the
Southern Baptists to survive pure and separate
than united and tainted.
We also must fortify our own beliefs when it
becomes difficult to do so. For instance, those in
the conservative Baptist camp obviously think
that they are right. That’s fine. Some others
(who also think they’re right) think they should
leave. That s fine, too. Some people are at ease
being “politically correct.” I wish them well. But
excuse me while I make my faith, my thoughts,
and my speech my own.
Scott Wells is a senior history and religion
major.
Policy should be changed
■ 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,
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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.
This letter is in reference to An
drew Stone’s letter of 10/5/90. He
claims that until lesbians and gay
men better identify themselves
and unify that Charles Knapp is
justified in not amending the Uni
versity’s non-discrimination policy
to include them.
Unfortunately, the over
whelming homophobia that exists
on this campus as well as in this
country is more pressure than
many closeted homosexuals can
deal with. This is precisely why
Knapp should support an amend
ment to include sexual orientation.
Knapp’s excuse about federal
and state non-discrimination poli
cies not including sexual orienta
tion is getting old.
Instituting such a policy at the
University is ideal for setting a
precedent that would influence fed
eral and state legislators to amend
their policies. Obviously Knapp is
more concerned with the presence
of ROTC on campus.
No policy change will occur at
the University as long os the De
partment of Defense continues its
anti-homosexual stance since the
ROTC operates under the DOD’s
mandate.
Perhaps it is time to consider re
moving the ROTC and welcoming
human rights for all students.
Andrew Hinze
Junior, journalism
Stop ‘newspeak’
People who accuse Operation
Rescue of violence are either kno
wingly ignorant or liars.
This attack is typical Orwellian
"newspeak” from pro-death advo
cates. They accuse passive pro-life
deminstrators, who are sitting on
their butts in front of the doors of
child-killing centers, of “violence."
At the same time, they defend
the viloent scalding and ripping
apart of unborn humans taking
place routinely on the other side of
the doors as the mere exercise of
“choice."
In this characterization, they ex
ceed the skill of Hitler’s propa
ganda minister.
J. Owens Smith
public service associate