Wednesday, November The Daily Utah Chronicle - Page Six 14, 1990 Editorial 'Keating Five' only tip of big corruption iceberg small part of the government corruption Beginning Thursday, the Senate's infamous "Keating Five" will go before the Senate Ethics Committee. At the hearing, it will be an S & L executive. At the time, the institution was reporting an annual loss of documents recently $4.5 million. All of this corruption could end up costing showed that government officials gave preferential treatment to troubled savings the people of this nation more than $500 which led to the crisis. Newly-disclose- d decided if these senators used their political influence to protect a campaign contributor from federal investigators who wanted to shut down his failing savings and loan. It is important that this matter is thoroughly investigated by the ethics committee, and that proper measures are taken if there was indeed wrongdoing on the part of the senators. At the same time, the hearing should be and loans whose senior executives were billion. serving on boards designed to regulate those same savings and loans. These boards, the public watches Cranston and his cohorts get grilled by a panel be in next should it the kept days, during So, as six-memb- er called "home loan banks," discouraged local examiners from investigating the S & Ls. In mind that these men are only the most other words, the people who were in visible figures in a stinking mound of positions to blow the whistle on the S & L government corruption. crisis before it got out of control didn't do so Steps have been taken to make sure the S & kept in perspective. Although these because they had a vested interest in the L crisis will not be repeated. One of these five Alan Cranston of California, Donald situation. steps was the replacement of the home loan W. Riegle Jr. of Michigan, John Glenn of One of the most grotesque examples of banks as a watchdog by the Office of Thrift Ohio, and Dennis DeConcini and John government corruption occurred when a Supervision. The damage has already been McCain of Arizona are extremely visible local regulatory board approved a $5 million done, however, and the grilling of five figures in the entire debacle, they are only a bonus and a commitment of $8.5 million for senators can't change that. CAN 00 Selfishness a part of America's downslide If you didn't like my column last week about the John B. decline of moral values, you probably won't like this one either. This week I want to make some observations about what I consider to be the prime motivation behind the Wilson Chronicle Asst. Editorial Editor rapid changes in America's moral structure. Most of the decline in traditional morality in this country can be traced to a change of attitude by many of the younger members of society. There is a of widespread forsaking traditional values and obligations In in the name of many instances, Letters mine from high school are dying. They're dying from cocaine syndrome. If you think I'm dramatizing, you should visit the people I'm talking about. You would only need to be around these people ten minutes for the signs to become overwhelming and obvious. One look into the face of a cocaine reveals the pain, addict submission, personal neglect, oblivion, and hostility boiling and grinding inside of himher. As I talk to these friends it becomes increasingly clear that they are on a death march. They talk of going days without food; their emaciated bodies attest. They talk of "flopping on the ground like a fish" after smoking cocaine; their sincerity is horrifying. They tell stories of last night's harvest of stereos, bikes, sunglasses etc., stolen from anyone "irresponsible" or "stupid" enough to leave goods lying around in cars and garages; their disregard is unbelievable. Their sunken eyes look right through me as they ramble. When the phone rings they might to take a secret stop call in the bathroom. When they emerge I might not see them again because they've gone out the back door. It means nothing to them to just get up from a conversation and leave. One friend admits being a slave to cocaine, but expresses having no desire to break the bond. This friend in the same breath tells me about having to do cocaine to fall asleep the night before. mid-senten- ce question nt Victims of cocaine are on a death march marked by suffering, pain, and destruction Friends and acquaintances of I that whether it is motivates people to change their values, or just plain selfishness. I strongly believe that everyone should be able to grow and develop in any way they feel inclined. "Be all that you can be," I've dropped in on this friend before when she was on cocaine. wrestled down. sneaking around the house, watching out the window for I was snipers and instructed to whisper and walk lightly. This friend would in the intermittently hole-u- exaggerating. expect one or more of these people to die within ten years. These friends of mine aren't the only ones dying. People all over the world are dying from cocaine The lights were off, my friend was n. p basement, leaving me upstairs, and surface only to check the windows again. These people make a practice of trampling the feelings of relatives and friends. They steal from their immediate family: change, jewelry, anything pawnable. They say things to family you wouldn't expect to hear from an enemy, much less a relative. One friend occasionally sports a black eye or gash he's received from his girl friend of many years usually resultant of a cocaine bout. Feelings of others have little impact on a junkie's actions. More devastating to me than the fact these friends do little more than work or drugs is that they plan to do nothing else in the future. Most talk of being rich or famous but concede that these goals are well out of their reach, or attainable only by becoming a coke mobster. Some of these people would rather smoke cocaine than do anything else, bar nothing. As I watch these wonderful people choking in fact dying the hand of cocaine, I can't at help but wonder how to help them with their problem. I've tried talking to my friends, they only lie or ignore me. I've tried yelling at them, I only got head locked and can only watch them die and ready my funeral I feel clothes. I I'm not I syndrome. Most probably don't even recognize what's happening to them. A lot of coke users, including some of the friends I'm referring to, consider themselves recreational or weekend cocaine consumers. There is no such thing. Anyone thinking they can control cocaine is just wrong. Cocaine will eventually control every subject ignorant and stupid enough to continue using it. Yes, every subject. don't know what to do for my friends. I feel like they're plagued by some huge disease I can't cure. I've never felt so hopeless on any I subject before in my life. I can only hope these people wake up one morning and decide to change things for themselves. I can only hope the method of choice is something other than a bullet to the head or an overdose. I guess I'm writing this paper to get some things off my chest. But additionally I'm trying to paint the grotesque but factual picture of some young people I know addicted to cocaine. Maybe if other cocaine users hear one more horror story about the spiritual and physical dying of potential humans they might reconsider their options and choose to live. I hope what is left of my friends will. may be the only intelligent statement the U.S. Army has ever made. It is important for everyone to feel good about themselves and to have the chance to expand themselves to new levels. The problem I observe, however, is that many people are so sold on making the most of themselves that they cause other people suffer because of it. The change in the attitudes of young many people is characterized by the ever prevalent idea of, "What's in it for me?" There is nothing wrong with looking out for yourself and taking advantage of opportunities that arise. In this day however, it seems that most people will do nothing at all unless they are benefitted by doing it. It is hard to find someone that is willing to volunteer to help out with a worthwhile cause. It seems that nobody has time to help the needy, or the disabled, or even to get involved in social or political movements. The reason for this is that people are too self-center- ed and won't help with anything unless they are benefitted in return. Another manifestation of the widespread selfishness in our society is the uncaring attitude so many people have towards their fellow human beings. This phenomena differs from the "what's in it for me" syndrome in that it is not only concerned with getting ahead, but it allows for the tearing down of others in the process. employees, family members, or anyone else can be pushed down if it leads the individual to greater "self- - fulfillment" or achievement. It was not that long ago when people were willing to do most anything to help other people. Making others suffer so that you could achieve success was considered immoral in the not so distant past. All that has changed now. As the wave of has swept across America, I have observed two rather depressing results. The first is that all too many people have rejected their parents and families. The desire to make progress on the road to self-fulfillme- nt has led many young people to conclude that their family drags them down. Maybe families do drag people down sometimes. I feel that if people were a little more understanding and concerned about the feelings of others they would be more willing to reason with family members instead of rejecting them. Divorce is the second consequence of selfishness. The desire to be successful and make it big has caused numerous people to become quislings to their marital vows. "To love, honor, and cherish til death do us part" has been replaced with "To love, get along with, and use until it gets in the way of what I want." The traditional sacredness of marriage has been replaced by an attitude in which convenience takes precedence over devotion and loyalty. Far to many people are so caught up in working to fulfill their own wants that they are unwilling to work with their spouse to bring about mutual success. Selfishness probably affects everyone to some degree. The happy news is that there are a lot of great people out there who have not become trapped in the quagmire of selfishness described above. If people would just take more notice of what is happening to our society, maybe they woula be a little more concerned about others, instead of dwelling solely on themselves. is the John B. Wilson, Assistant Editorial Editor at the Daily Utah Chronicle.