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Jim Ralston
Memorium: Earl Warren;
Personal Rights Champ
From the first grade to the last,
the fundamental civic’s lesson
learned by all has remained,
constant in that the unabashed
beauty of the American system
lies in the fact that every citizen
is entitled to certain individual
liberties protected by the Con
stitution. However, in this
troubled time of wiretaps and
tax audits and enemy lists, these
cherished personal rights, often
fought for, seem to currently face
a severe test of endurance.
With the death of former Chief
Justice Earl Warren last week
America lost a great past
champion of human rights, A
constant crusader for fairness
and dignity, Earl Warren through
his efforts, expanded the bounds
of freedom to all.
Dr Val Mixon, professor of
political science, feels that
Warren’s many contributions
have been substantial in making
government more responsive to
the people. “Earl Warren will, no
loubt, go down in history as one
>f our greatest chief justices,
;aid Mixon, “and although it s
/irtually impossible to com
iletelv dominate a court, his
example had a for-reaching
mpace on many social and
political issues of the day." Not
withstanding the courts’ famous
Jrown vs. Board of Education
decision, which guaranteed
equality in education, his efforts
at induring the rights of the ac
cused in criminal procedures
were also noteworthy. For in
stance, he ru’ed that evidence
obtained by unlawful entry and
seizure with out a warrant could
Letters Policy
The W est (Georgian welcomes letters from rentiers on topics of
general and campus interest.
letters to be printed must include name of writer. In certain
instances names will be withheld if request is made.
Short letters are best. All will be subject to standard editing
for clarity, and space requirements.
letters may be addressed to: The Editors, lhe West
Georgian. P.O. Box 10005, West Georgia College, Carrollton,
Go. 30117.
WEST GEORGIAN
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Jim Ralston
Mike Bailey
Tho WEST GEORGIAN is published weekly except during final exams and vacations
at Carrollton. Georgia by the students of West Georgia College. Subscriptions are
available at ’3.50 a year; and rates are available upon reguest.
Opinions expressed in signed articles are those of the authors. Unsigned editorials
are those of the majority of the staff members on the editorial board. In neithef in
stance are they to be taken as representing those of the study body at large, the
faculty, the staff, or the administration of this college.
•ox 10005 Phone 134-4411 Ext *l#
not be used in prosecution, and
that wiretapping was a direct
iolation of an individual’s rights
as established by the 4th
Amendment.
These and other important
landmark decisions provided for
far-sighted sweeping and
dramatic reforms. “Warren was
very adept at intrepreting the
Constitution,” said Mixon, “and
reading correctly the trends and
moods of the country!!”
In contrast to the Warren court,
however, the present Supreme
Court which was largely filled by
President Nixon appointees in
cluding Chief Justice Burger,
iffers some striking differences
in the question of individual
freedoms. “Although the Burger
court has not overturned any
previous major decision,” said
Mixon, “anyone interested in
civil liberty would certainly feel
more comfortable with the
Warren Court. Whenever there is
a conflict between the in
dividual’s rights and the power of
the state and police, the Burger
court has consistently rulea
against the individual.” Perhaps
the most obvious example of this
recent diminishing of personal
rights is reflected in the power of
the police in searching one’s
person and car over any routine
violation such as a burned out
taillight. This added dimension,
no doubt, offers increased
chances of abuse by over-zealous
law enforcement officers.
Where all of this will end
cannot be accuratelj hazarded,
but despite these trends,
reassuring news comes from a
grumbling Congress that seeks to
reestablish the notion that a
man’s home is his castle. The
Senate, by an overwhelming
number, has recently struck
down the controversial “no
knock" federal drug law which
was enacted in 1970. If passed by
the House, no longer can wild
eved, gun-toting agents make
firewood of your front door their
fury for narcotics.. Senator Sam
Erwin, who successfully lead the
fight against the “no knock" law,
argued that the measure in effect
employed the methods of a
common burglar and violated the
privacy and sanctity of the home.
The Atlanta police department
has, likewise, recently become
embroiled in controversy as a
result of its excessive zeal
against established individual
rights. The city council has
deliberately with held thousands
of dollars in federal grants to the
city’s special intelligence force
because of its’ questionable
tactics in keeping fabs on
alledged radicals. Also, the
American Civil Liberties Union,
with its usual ciout, has secured a
local court order banning in
discriminate searches of persons
attending city court trails. Said
Mixon, “The ACLU does a good
job of defending the Bill of Rights
and many important decisions
might not have ever gotten to
court without their pressure!”
Mike Bailey
Boredum Solution: Church
Summertime is really not too
unlike the rest of the school year
here at West Georgia. There are
just fewer people with a whole
lot less to do. One only has to
wander through the near-empty
buildings to realize this. There
seems to be a parking problem as
usual, but on the whole it seems
that summer here can get to be a
big drag.
So let’s find something for you
to do, especially on the weekends
when it’s lonely and there’s
nothing to do but mope about the
campus.
Why not go to church?
Now before you throw this
down, let me assure you that my
intentions are honorable. I
promise not to preach if you will
Letters To
The Editor
Dear Editor:
I agree whole heartedly with
The West Georgian’s stand on the
one-way street.
I have been jostled from place
to place, spent what seems like
hours of cross campus time just
to get my car in the appropriate
parking spot for my campus
business, and generally jammed
up in order to uphold the rules of
this college.
It seems to me that if the ad-
|J TjJ
Ky i3p f j _
i "~ 11 "
Knock Knock ill
listen quietly. Let’s face it, since
the T- Burger closed down, what
have you got to lose?
First of all, look at what the
churches have to offer
fellowship, singing, and
sometimes free food. If you have
just got to be around people, then
that is the place to be. And sing,
boy will they let you sing and no
one cares if you’re ott-key.
So go out and find yourself a
little or big church and attend. I
guarantee you that the walls
won’t fall down nor will the
people frown on you if you at least
try to be friendly.
Because of my own personal
Christian convictions, I can’t
recommend any places of wor
ship that are not Christian
ministration spent more time
observing the goings on here and
less time speaking rhetorically in
those endless meetings, the whole
place would be in better shape.
If there were justification for
making Brumbelow one way, it
would be different. But all the
administration seems to be able
to say is “We have ruled, be
silent!”
H. T. Thacker
THE WIST OtOROIAN. JUIV It. HZ*
fellowships. However, it’s a free
land and you can worship where
you please if you please.
It may take you a few weeks to
find a place you really like.
That’s okay, if you’re coming
back this fall, you’re one step
ahead of everyone else. When you
go, remember to go in with an
open mind. Don’t go in to cause
trouble or to start an argument.
Try to be objective and simply
enjoy the service. If you are not
sure what you’re supposed to do,
ask someone to nudge you when
you’re supposed to stand or sit or
bow or leave. At some time you
will probably feel pressured to
join a certain church and the
members would love that, but
don’t let them force you into any
decision unless you feel some sort
of conviction in your own heart.
Christianity is a personal faith
and it is up to the individual what
he wishes to do.
Remember that you are an
individual. You are a separate
piece of the puzzle of society. In
that puzzle are many different
people with many different ideas
and you have got to live with
them on this overcrowded globe.
By getting out and seeing how
people worship there might be
the chance that you may learn
better ways to understand those
different ideas.
I worship because I believe in a
supreme God and I owe a lot to
that being. I encourage you to
worship not to try and convert
you but to give you a chance to
learn something.
Wherever you can, you can
ieam something.
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