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4 ' Tin Red and Black « Monday, October 6, 1993
OPINIONS
The Red & Black
Established in I89J - Incorporated I MO
An independent student newspaper not affiliated with the University of Georgia
Mike McLeod/Editor-in-Chief
Johnathan Burns/Managing Editor
Melody Willis/Opinions Editor
■ EDITORIALS
AIDS loses Magic
“[Y]our administration has not done what it could
and should to address a situation which, day by day,
poses an increasing danger to the well-being of millions
of Americans.”
-Earvin “Magic" Johnson, writing to President Bush
in resignation from the National Commission on AIDS ,
The one hope for stemming the tide of the AIDS epi
demic has been snuffed. Magic resigned Sept. 25 from
the Bush administration’s commission. Why? The ad
ministration didn't support the group’s efforts.
Magic, whose honest smile has charmed millions of
hearts around the world, has tried everything he could
to get the politicos on Capitol Hill to understand the se
riousness of America’s AIDS problem. Now, Magic has
decided to go it alone in getting our country to wake up.
• Last November, Magic tested positive for HIY» the
virus that causes AIDS. Soon after retiring from the
Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, Bush asked Magic
to join the National Commission on AIDS.
Now, the Bush campaign cares little about Magic’s
resignation. Instead, the administration is busy rebut
ting his charges of insufficient funding for research.
“It is unfortunate that Magic Johnson failed to rec
ognize the tremendous commitment and compassion
and resources that this administration has committed
to this problem,” Bush spokeswoman Tbrie Clarke said.
Hogwash. Fact is, Magic offered a high-profile
spokesman for the administration’s AIDS policy. But no.
These political junkies kowtowed to the conservative
folks who believe that sex education should be left to
out-of-touch parents, that AIDS only strikes the sinners
in our society and that the disease can be spread
through casual contact.
They are dead wrong. Magic was a perfect antithe
sis to these bigoted, backward beliefs. Now, ignorance
will continue to reign in the administration. Luckily,
Magic has promised to continue the battle by taking his
message to society by himself.
If Earvin Johnson manages to turn these insensi
tive, uneducated oafs around to see the real dangers of
AIDS, maybe he really will be Magic.
To run or not to run
Come on, who does Tbxas billionaire and sometime
independent presidential candidate Ross Perot think
he's bamboozling here?
His kinda-sorta-maybe-well-OK-you-talked-(wink)-
me-into-it-you-volunteer8-(wink,wink)-and-you-support-
ers-(more winking)-who-called-in campaign is more
than a little fishy. Let’s review;
• On July 16, Perot drops out of the race, saying he
doesn’t want to be disruptive to American politics. His
announcement follows an embarrassing speech to an
NAACP convention and increasingly negative press.
• On Oct. 1, he re-starts his campaign, taking to the
talk shows and dodging the traditional media scrutiny
of his plans. He bounces questions off him with a fi
nesse Ronald Reagan would be proud of,
• Meanwhile, Perot spent millions of dollars - some
of it going to “volunteers” - to ensure his name would
be on the ballot in all 50 states.
• Tbday, he wants, er, well - you've said that you
want- your vote to go to him. When you called his 800-
number, you weren’t just calling, like we were, to tell
him not to run, were you?
Hmmm. You don’t think he was lying, do you? You
don’t think that maybe he knew he was going to run all
along and that he just avoided a lot of the heat by step
ping out of the kitchen for a couple of months, do you?
You don’t? You say you just think he’s a buffoon who
must be joshing the American public with his belief
that we’ll elect him on a platform that is about as solid
as Whatizit’s amorphous body?
Good, we agree.
STAFF
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■It's a catchy slogan and It's people oriented. A lot of people
want to know where it originated from, and they want to be a
part of it.* -Dexter Weever, owner of Weaver D's restaurant,
on R.E.M.'s latest album's name, “Automatic for the People."
Similarities in Clinton and Kennedy candidacies
There are striking similarities between the
presidential candidacies of John Kennedy and
Bill Clinton. Both in 1960 and 1992, there was a
consensus that national problems had worsened
while the White House slept. Both Democrats
hoped to replace old Republican presidents
(Dwight Eisenhower and George Bush) who were
WWII heroes perceived as personally decent but
politically deficient. Both the 1960 and 1992
GOP presidential nominees, Richard Nixon and
Bush, were seen as uneasy campaigners, weak
debaters, insufficiently conservative to their par
ty’s right wing and burdened by a recession-
plagued economy.
Kennedy and Clinton's personal resumes have
much in common as both men were handsomely
fortiesh with Ivy League educations and attrac
tive wives. Each adroitly displayed a surplus of
charisma and charm which lent them a starlike
quality that attracted strong support from
Hollywood. They also shared a weakness for
pretty women. Likewise, there was controversy
about their conduct regarding the military. With
JFK, it concerned whether his disastrous com
mand of a PT boat in WWII warranted his medal.
With Clinton, it’s whether his avoidance of the
draft and refusal to come clean about it should
be an issue.
Both were indefatigable campaigners with
outstanding organizations. Superb public speak
ers and debaters, they crushed their main rivals
in the primaries. Both Sen. Hubert Humphrey in
1960 and ex-Sen. Raul Taongas this year were
principled, well-respected frost-belt liberals who
_ s
Douglas
»«■» i g t
simply lacked the infectious personal mag-
netism, money, speaking ability and ruthless-
neas of JFK and Clinton
Both Democratic nominees were very popular
with tfip national press corps who saw them as
being far more exciting, fun and culturally hip
than Nixon or Bush. But, this charm combined
with a very inconsistent public record caused
many voters to worry that each candidate was
too “slick* and difficult to label ideologically.
Both had zig-zagged on various issues and made
an art of appealing to conservative and liberal
constituencies which prompted conservatives to
blast them as liberal wolves in conservative
clothing while aome liberals excoriated them as
political opportunists devoid of political convic
tion*.
Kennedy and Clinton also followed two weak
Democratic national tickets that lost by land
slides, and they were seen as much tougher on
defense and foreign policy than their recent pre-
deceaeore. Furthermore, Clinton echoes JFK
with his calls “to get this country moving again”
on domestic issues. Indeed, his New Covenant
policy agenda is reminiscent of Kennedy's New
Frontier program for stateside rejuvenation.
To be sure, there are obvious differences be
tween the 1960 and 1992 elections mirroring our
vastly changed times. To President Bush's ad
vantage, he can put the full power of the White
House behind hie candidacy while Vice President
Nixon could not. Additionally, while JFK waa
hailed as a military hero, Clinton is disdained by
veterans as a draft-dodger, and the reporters of
1960 only winked at Kennedy’s skirt-chasing
while many in 1992 eagerly hunted for any
Clinton “bimbo eruptions” to publish.
To Clinton's advantage, the Bush administra
tion is not remotely as popular as Eisenhower's,
and Bush himself must answer for his failures
more forthrightly than Nixon had to for Ike'e.
What’s more, with the Cold War over, the cam
paign debate is now focused on the homefront
where Democrats are more comfortable.
A Bush victory may be largely indebted to the
perception that Clinton’s party has become the
political home of a motley collection of Amerioa'a
losers which inflicted the Carteresque economic
nightmare of the late 1970s. A Clinton triumph
will be viewed as vindication of historian (and
Kennedy aide) Arthur Schlesinger’a Cycles of
History theory and provide sustenance to liberal
hopes for a progressive reawakening in America.
Douglas Young is a doctoral candidate in politi
cal science.
Conservatives belittle the
real environmental problems
I notice that conservative
columnists are running their word
processors overtime in their at
tempts to portray A1 Gore's ideas
as extremist “eco-panic* which
threatens to wreck the economy. I
don't object to the political hatenet
job—it’s a campaign year, after all.
What bothere me is the foolish and
dangerous attempt to deny the re
ality of global environmental prob
lems. Nobel laureate Freeman
Dyson put it elmply in hie report on
the Challenger disaster, in which
managers under political pressure
to launch the shuttle overrode
their engineers’ warnings, that the
launch was not eafe at low temper
atures. ‘You can’t fool Mother
Nature,* Dyson pointed out.
Conservatives may be able to con
vince us that we aren't really de
stroying our life-eupport system,
but Mother Nature isn’t reading
their columns.
These columnists are doing us
ell a serious disservice by pretend
ing that global warning and other
environmental threats are contro
versial theorise unworthy of our
concern. In fact, a firm scientific
consensus exists that fossil-ftiel
burning, if it continues to increase,
will rales the earth’s average tern-
C ature. There are, it ia true, at
■t a dozen areas of uncertainty
which couid decrease or increase
the amount of wanning and the
time until It's felt. According to cli
matologist Stephen 8chneider,
however, “No conceivable combina
tion of these uncertainties could
make the wanning go away.*
Conservatives usually prqject a
confident, can-do attitude towards
American technological prowess,
but they turn into complete wimps
when technical remedies for envi
ronmental problems are suggested.
A good example ie the infamous
proposal to require an average fleet
mileage of 40 mpg by the year
2000. Conservatives assure ue that
thle draconian meaeure would
have ue riding in cramped, unsafe
vehicles. If not electrified roller
skates. However, a recent EPA re
port showed that by replacing ev
ery car with the moat ftiel-efficient
vehicle In its class, we would raise
the fleet average to 35 mpg —with
out sacriflcinr safety or roominess,
tnd using only currently-available
technology. Detroit'* fear of im
proved mileage it based not not on
any technical difficulty but on the
prospect of loeing the profits from
telling overpowered “muscle care*
and low mileage vehicles.
Ultimately, of course, a sustain
able society can't be reached
through technology alone. Some
lifestyle changes will be required.
But change ia not always bad.
Studies enow that a sustainable
economy could meet everyone ma
terial needs worldwide, allowing ue
all to live at the level of present-
day Western Europe. I believe a
sustainable society could be
healthier, gentler, more communi
ty-orientated and more supportive
of our non-material needs than the
present system. Getting from here
to there won't be easy and will be
harder the longer we put it off, But,
America shows its best face in re
sponding to challenges, if given the
right leadership.
If you are undecided as to
whether A1 Gore ie a forward-look
ing thinker or a spaced-out looney-
tune, I recommend reading his
book. For a eober and scientific, but
inspiring, look at the challenges of
malting a sustainable society, I rec
ommend “Beyond the Limits* by
Donella Meadows.
Den Iverett
Assistant to Department Heed
Computer Sclenoe Department
T-shirt not overt racism
In the Sept. 30 edition, Andy
Aehurat voiced some strong opin
ions about racism. While he made
a few good points, I disagreed with
a lot of what he said. In particular.
1 would like to address hie third
and fourth paragraphs. Aehurst
mentions a group called the
Southern Preservation Society. I
believe he meant to say the
Culture of the South Association. If
this ie the group he meant to talk
about, hie butchering of the name
proves that he has never attended
a C.S.A. meeting and knows noth
ing about the group.
He states that the old Georgia
state flag ie *the true Southern
flag* While it waa baaed on the
firat national flag of the
Confederacy, this fact had been
forgotten by many Ueorgiana. The
Confederate battle flag, which la on
the present etate flag, waa the flag
earned by the troops Into battle.
■ FORUM
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oolumn as space permits. All letters are subject to editing for length, style end li
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Include student classification, major and other appropriate Identification. Names
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bring them In person to The Red and Black's offices at 123 North Jackson Street,
Athens, Georgia 30601.
The United Confederate Veterans
chose the battle flag over the three
national flags as their symbol. This
strong affection has helped pre
serve the symbolism of the flag.
Today, it’a still a symbol of the sac
rifices made by Southerners of all
races during the War for Southern
Independence. Aehurst sounds
confident when he states the state
flag waa changed to proteat achool
integration but doesn't preaent any
support for hia claims. Again, it’s
apparent that he hasn’t done any
research. If he had, he would eure-
ly have known that interest in the
war waa very high in the mid-50e,
the time the flag waa changed. Just
a few months before the change
was proposed, a Civil War
Centennial Commitaion waa estab
lished to coordinate the many cele
brations that were already being
planned across the country.
Another reason the war waa re
ceiving Increased interest ie that
the last of tha Confederate veter
ans were dying.
In hie fourth paragraph
Aahurat montione tha T-ehirt with
tha alogan “It’s a Southern thing,
/all wouldn't understand* I have
seen a number of vereione with this
design, but none included the
phrase, *but your grandmother
would.* Unlike the shirts that aay,
•It’e a black thing..." or *It’» a white
thing...' the shirts stating, “Itia a
Southern thing.,,* isn't racist be
cause it isn't aimed at any race. Aa
many blacks were raised in the
8outn they have just as much right
to wear the shirt and conelder
them selvae Southerner! aa white
Southerner* do. Inatead of being
aimed at a race, the ahlrt la aimed
at all non-Southernere eepecially
those who belittle the South.
Aehurst encourages whites to
educate thamaelvee. I would en
courage everyone to educate them-
eelvea as much ae possible.
Perhaps he could start by attend
ing a Culture of the South
Association masting.
Tony Para mo re
Sophomore, general business
PI Kapps are scapegoats
I was walking through the
Creswell lobby the other evening,
and a girl (topped me and asked if
I had signed the petition yet. She
wanted to know if l had read the
racial slur. I told her I had heard
it, but I hadn't and didn't Intend to
sign the petition that would make
Pi Kappa Phi the scapegoat for the
raciem that abounds not only In
the Greek eystem but all over our
campus.
What did Pi Kappa Phi do that
ia so different from whnt moat of
tha other soda) fraternitiea and
aororitiaa do, a little discreetly, on
a regular basis? All they did wrong
waa get caught with the written
proof Honestly, many of the other
fraternities and ioraritiea ere just
ae racially bigoted. Some of the
same people eTgning the petition*
and refining to play with this fra-
ternity are juet aa guilty of
raciam.Who are they trying to kid?
It’e obvious that here at UQA white
frate are for whites, black frate are
for blacks, jewiah frate are for jaws,
and ao on.
I believe that punishment of
this fraternity by Ihe Qreek eye-
tern, or by just about any UGA etu-
dent organization would be hypo
critical. Thatr action only verbal
ized the reality of the situation
that of where the students here at
tha University of Oeorgia want to
be in. How do I know that? 1 know
that, because I see the proof of It
everyday in tha cafeterias, on the
busea, in the dorms, etc. why pun
ish a few for the sine of ue all? He
without sin, east the first stone,
If we are looking for an anewer
to this problem, there ie only one,
and it's not education. Ilka many
would have ue think. Jews Chriit
I* the only on* who can break down
the walla of ‘tradition* and hatred
that have been put up here at the
University. Anything else la Juet
•hot-t*rm r*lt*f to a long-term
problem.
Samuel Joseph
Senior, English