Newspaper Page Text
Page 16
Flagpole Magazine
May 6, 1992
Should we talk about the government?
Looking over our shoulders
Well, you know what I’m going to talk about — the same
thing everybody else has been talking about for the last few
days Riots in the streets — hell, let’s face it, it was a god
damn race war in L.A., there’s no other name for it. And in
Atlanta too—the city too busy too hate must have had a little
free time to kill last weekend.
In L. A., the violence erupted at the news of the verdict in
the Rodney King trial. At first we saw it as a reaction to the
jury's verdict, but it soon became apparent that it was
merely the last in a long series of straws heaped upon the
backs of the American lower classes for the past year or
more.
You could see it in the violence. Koreans
were targeted by many Afro-Americans during
the riots — evidence of an animosity that has
been brewing for many years. These were not
just cries of “Fuck tha’ Police,’ but bursts of
anger against the oppression those iiving in
South Central L.A. have been feeling.
You could hear it in the conversations and
speeches, whether on CNN or in the Globe; at
demonstrations or at the dinner table; talk began
with Rodney King and grewto encompass all the
things our government and the economy has
either forced upon the American people or sim
ply refused to acknowledge.
But things have calmed down. People do, of
course, get bored with any activity, even looting
and rioting. Now the cleanup has begun — of
the garbage and wreckage in the streets and of
the demands and cries of anger lobbied to
wards our leaders. We relax a bit. We get back
to our lives. We go to school, or work, and we
come home and watch the news for stories of the aftermath,
as the television and the government tries to get everything
back to normal.
But we will remember — I will remember—over 58 dead
in L.A , fires and looting in the streets of Atlanta, and just
today, riotous demonstrations in Canada. And we tell
ourselves that this is the enlightened age, that we aren’t
guilty of the attitudes and prejudices of our grandfathers
and even of our fathers; that we have risen above the
troubles and conflicts between the races that marred this
century with violence. But it’s crap. And the government
tries to get things back to normal again...
W.M. Overend
Athens/Clarke Commission
The Athens/Clarke Commission consists of 10 district
Commissioners and the Chief Executive Officer. The com
mission votes on the first Tuesday of each month, and holds
work sessions on the other three Tuesdays. These meet
ings are held in the Commission chamber, located on the
main floor of City Hall. The meetings begin at 7 p.m
May 6 - Work session
May 12 - Work session
May 19 - Agenda setting
May 26 - Work session
June 2 - Voting meeting
Atlanta Police arresting looters - Friday. May I
Athens/Clarke Planning Commission
The Athens/Clarke Planning commission meets on the
second Thursday of each month. These meetings are
generally held in the City Hall commission chamber at 7:00
p.m.
The Next meeting of the Planning Commission will be
held on May 14
School Board
The Board of Education is an independent government
body consisting of 11 members appointed by the Superin
tendent of the Clarke County School District The Board
meets on the second Thursday of every month at 730 PM
in the CCSD Headquarters. To address the board and be
guaranteed a hearing, contact the Secretary-Treasurer of
the Board at 546-7721, X-210.
There will be a meeting of the drug testing advisory
panel on Monday May 4th at 7 PM at Clarke Central High
School’s media center. The public (I think that’s us; is
welcome to attend but no public input will be taken.
Lisa May
Presidential Race
With each passing day (and primary) Clinton and Bush
appear to be pulling ahead. The third candidate, Ross
Perot, also appears to be gaining momentum in his bid for
the presidency.
As the riots of Los Angeles, Atlanta, and
other cities are finally leveling off, many have
rallied in support of Bill Clinton. And after a
strong victory in Pennsylvania (his first non
southern state impressive showing), Clinton is
being championed as the 1992 Democratic
nominee. Many leaders of the NAACP, the
SCLC, and Democrats are giving the blame for
this recent violence as a result of eleven and a
half years of Republican leadership. Naturally,
Clinton has been capitalizing on this Bush
must react to these series of events which
remind many of the Watts riots of 1968.
What will Bush do? The federal investiga
tion of a possible violation of Rodney King’s will
heat-up considerably. As Bush still gropes for
a clear cut agenda, there is no other possible
avenue for him to pursue. In addition, the anti
incumbency fever is still weeding-out many
members of Congress as public discontent
can only be exacerbated by the recent ricts. The Bush
Administration must confront the issue of racism and racial
tolerance.
On the nomination news, Democrats are now mobilizing
behind Clinton as Brown fades with Buchanan. Clinton now
has 1,439 delegate votes, he only needs about 600 more,
while Bush has 1,092 and only needs 13 more delegate
votes to wrap-up the Republican nomination. Perot's
supporters are still feverishly working to get him or. the
ballot of all fifty states
Todd Trego
Oh, P S. We re looking for writers. If you find politics
local interesting, then call Bill at 549 - 9523.
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