Newspaper Page Text
September 25, 1991
Page 19
FLAGPOLE MAGAZINE
Behind the curtain...
Giving it away....
The Big High
In 1980 Ronald Reagan promised to get
“Big Government" off our backs and was
elected president. George Bush, a man
who knows a successful con when he sees
one, did a political 180° and signed on to
the Reagan agenda. All of this would have
been fine if indeed the goal was to get "Big
Government" off our backs. It wasn’t and it
isn’t. The only people in America who are
being relieved of governmental intrusions
are big businesses (those with 500 or more
employees) and mega-corporations. The
freedoms that they have been granted have
come at the expense of the rest of us. The
Reagan/Bush approach has produced
some impressive results: the S & L Crisis,
the Airline Crisis, the junk bond scandals,
the credit crunch, high unemployment, the
ever growing deficit, America's metamor
phosis mto a debtor nation, the looming
insurance crisis and the list goes on and on.
Like the deficit, there is
no end in sight for the
price we will all be pay
ing for these Reagan/
Bush years Like junkies
we seem to want more.
Why? It’s simple; the
“high" is so good, even if
it does produce self
destructive tendencies
that are worse than those
in a crack addict.
The "New World Order’ is a designer
drug. World events are presented as sound
bite diversions. History, change and the
struggle for freedom are reduced to a dis
traction. We are awed that people in other
countries would risk their lives for freedom.
We are too stoned to realize that we are
giving ours away and all we want in return is
for the high to continue.
We have become a nation of co-depend
ent junkies. We will; swallow any lie, deny
any fact, betray any ideal as long as the
illusion can continue. The constitution, the
bill of rights, liberty and personal freedom
are all expendable. We would sell them all
if the high could just continue. It’s time to go
cold turkey and say NO to this nasty Rea
gan/Bush drug.
A sign...
Last week Georgia’s new parental notifi
cation law went into effect. On its surface it
is not a draconian law According to the
law, any minor, (those 17 & under) who
wants to have an abortion must present a
letter from at least one of her parents before
the procedure can continue. Any one 17 &
under who does not want to provide a letter
of parental notification can petition a Juve
nile Court Judge and try to convince the
court that an exception should be made in
her case. Clinics that provide abortions are
not required to verify that the letters of
notification actually came from the parent.
Also, the law provides no statutes that would
punish anyone for presenting a false letter
of parental notification. With all of that said,
this new law is a bad law and if you have
ever loved liberty or cherished your per
sonal freedom you should be concerned.
I am a parent. I have a daughter. I would
want to know if she was ever facing a
decision as hard and painful as the one that
surrounds the abortion issue. It would hurt
if she felt that she could not talk to me about
it. However, the government can not legis
late communication between a parent and
a child. If my daughter felt she could not talk
to me out of fear, confusion, shame, guilt or
out of- a personal sense of independence
and responsibility, that would be an issue
solely between her and me. Society at large
and this ineffective "Big" government can
not be involved. The issue is too personal.
It is a private matter and I do not choose to
invite the government
into my personal life. It is
an invasion. It is an intru
sion that transcends the
pros and cons of the
abortion issue
The honesty and
closeness of a parent’s
relationship with their
child can not be man
dated by governmental
legislation. The GA
Notification Law is an attempted to do just
that. It reduces the child to a possession.
Also, it covers up for all those parents who
have never been able to honestly commu
nicate with, and accept and love their chil
dren as human beings. Our children are not
toys, nor are they extensions of our hopes or
vehicles to fulfill our lost ambitions and
dreams. They are alive, unique and beau
tiful. They deserve our love and our respect.
The hard moments, the tough decisions
and the pain that is often associated with a
parent/child relationship do not fall within
the responsibilities of government. The GA
Notification Law presumes that this intru
sion into that relationship is a governmental
responsibility.
The GA Notification Law is an illusion It is
another governmental drug dispensed to
the population Parents and children don't
have to communicate. The Government will
do it for you. Hey, it’s the law.
It is a mess. We are all responsible We
are all addicted to this high that lets of feel
good about avoiding difficult moments. In a
free society the government can not legis
late morality. Historically, that kind of legis
lation is only passed in repressive totalitar
ian states. Americans are giving up their
freedoms. One by one Take a stand Go
cold turkey Shake off the high. Look around
and take action. Dennis F Greenia
Publisher. Flagpole Magazine
It is a private
matter and I do not
choose to invite
the government
into my personal
life.
■ ■ ■ ■
Theoretically Spea
John & Mary meet
Theories Of The Old School
down the stairs at The
Downstairs on Saturday,
September 28. We don’t
imagine it will be too loud
These people are good
We theorise you should try
to be there Good food
and nice drinkables,
too., wotta combo. (30 )
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