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Show New ftJh Pi,.t Grow Rcmcu Lindonn Edition - ThursJav June 20. 2002 - Page 2 Opinion 5 It's our rieht and privilege Nobody writes anymore Oct out and vote. It is a hirnplt ,-tatt-m.f nt. Vc t v. h i It- millions in the world turn to the United .States of America and to its flatf as a Kymhol of freedom, millions of its citizens will ignore one of its most basic freedoms the privilege priv-ilege to vote for representation in our government. On Tuesday. June 25, the polls will open at 7 a.m. and remain open until 8 p.m. After the polls are closed, the electoral elec-toral judges will he cloistered in a room and there they will count and tally the votes. One of the ballots they look at could he yours, if you vote. Your vote will help decide which candidates will continue to run for the general election in the race for a seat on the Alpine School District Board. The district had two new positions created on the board and many residents have volunteered volun-teered for the opportunity to represent their communities as part of this governmental body. Hecause this is a primary election, each ASD seat will have two candidates run in the general election. The Republican Party also decided that in this election, their organization would have a closed primary. This is the first time there has been a closed primary on a local level. Only once before have the Republicans had a closed primary for a presidential presiden-tial election and voters had to choose at the polls which party ballot they would use. This prevents registered members of other parties from stacking the votes against a strong Republican candidate. Many voters, however, have never claimed official affiliation to a party and have voted according to their conscience and for who they thought was the best candidate. They now will need to register regis-ter as Republicans at the polls on Tuesday if they want to take part in deciding who will represent repre-sent the Republican Party at the general election in November. Novem-ber. Since a Republican candidate usually wins in the general election, elec-tion, the outcome of the Republican Republi-can primary can be seen, quite often, as a final decision. Registered Republicans will be deciding who will run in the general election for the United States representative, District 2, and for the county assessor and attorney. For those who not want to register as Republicans, it still is vital to cast a vote. Many of the ASD candidates have spent hundreds of dollars to campaign for a thankless job opportunity that costs in long, late night hours. Be one of the less than 10 percent of registered voters who make it to the polls every year. Like the fireworks used to celebrate our nation's independence, independ-ence, your vote not only decides our representation but visibly tells others that America and the ideals it stands for is still as vibrant and alive as the day it was conceived. Don't forget get out and vote. Looking for a pretty dress As I was on my way to a baseball field to drop off my son a couple of weeks back, I was excited when I saw a large tent set up in the parking park-ing lot of Lehi High School advertising adver-tising dresses for sale. The ones I could see from the street looked like just the sort I like, so after I dropped the player off, I headed back to see if I could pick up something some-thing for my daughter, who was soon to celebrate her 11th birthday. As I approached the tent, I saw a couple of respected name brands on the sign companies known for fine quality. The advertised prices Ux)ked good too, so I was feeling very optimistic as I entered. The place was indeed stuffed with racks full of dresses -- the kind with wide skirts and lace trimming that many of us love to put our little girls in. None of my daughters have been particularly frilly in their tastes, but my youngest does enjoy twirling her skirt and is fond of the little feminine femi-nine touches (within limits) that her older sisters had little use for. My smile began to fade, though, as I looked for larger sizes, and realized that even those which looked close were too small for her. The racks were very loosely organized organ-ized so there was no quick way to find a section for any particular size, and it was a long time before I found ones with the right numbers. num-bers. I should have just stayed in my car. Here, among hundreds of beautiful dresses that would warm any girl's heart, the only ones thev had for my daughter were the same ugly, clingy, spaghetti-strap creations that I have seen everywhere every-where else -- and even in the same weird, unflattering colors. Shopping for her the last couple of years has been infuriating, to say the least. Who decrees that C&5(MSI' when a girl turns 10, she suddenly has to start dressing like the anorexic models that litter the covers cov-ers of so-called "sophisticated" magazines? Most of the stuff they wear doesn't look good even on them, but it certainly doesn't on a child. I realize the fashion industry tries to invent new styles every year so that people will feel compelled com-pelled to buy new things in order to stay "in fashion," but I find it revolting that this mentality is filtering fil-tering down to ever-younger ages. Youngsters have enough things to worry about already, without adding the clothing excesses already prevalent in the teen and adult worlds. It doesn't matter where I go though, the story is the same. It took us a whole month to find something that was even remotely suitable for an Easter dress - and even it left a lot to be desired. At least it has an actual sleeve, though a very short one, which is more than I can say for most of the stuff hanging on store racks now. High school girls have often complained to me about how hard it is to find decent prom dresses, and I know that a couple of companies compa-nies in Utah have sprung up over the past few years that cater to more conservative tastes. I wish somebody would do the same for girls in early adolescence. The only stuff that national buyers buy-ers apparently have access to just doesn't suit, and finding anything else is a frustrating exercise in futilitv. Have you noticed that nobody writes anvmore? I'm not talking about e-mails. I mean the good, old-fashioned letter delivered by the mail carrier (or snail mail as it is now called). I was writing in my journal, bv hand, the other day and my hand really hurt after I had written for a couple pages. I realized that I was out of practice prac-tice and hardly took the time, or had a reason to write anything anymore. Computers, cell phones, low long-distance rates and of course the Internet have all caused us to be so instantly connected that there seems to be no need for the traditional letter. It used to be so exciting for the mail to come each day. We moved around a lot as I was growing up and I had friends scattered throughout three states. Our parents rarely let us call, so we kept in touch through the mail. Even up to several years ago, I still had friends I kept in touch with through the mail. My friend Lisa and I have been writing writ-ing to each other for 15 years. Or at least we had been writing to each other because she didn't have a computer. But that changed last month when I got an e-mail from her saying it would be easier to keep in touch through e-mails instead of writing writ-ing letters. I was kind of sad because she was my last friend I was writing to. Now there's never anything really exciting for me in the mailbox. It's always bills, credit card applications, advertisements advertise-ments and more credit card applications. I almost dread getting get-ting the mail now. Instead I find myself checking my answering machine or my e-mail e-mail several times a day. Once, when I was taking a scrapbooking class, the instructor instruc-tor said we should take the time to write things on some of our pages, instead of using the computer com-puter all the time. She said our children would like to see our writing someday and it would remind them of us. Handwriting is a unique part of each person. I love my mom's handwriting. It's so neatly done and easy to read. I like to see it on an old recipe or when I get a birthday card froin v like my husband chicken scratching saved some of from when we We V: 1 m so glad he hand rather than out. They have ,0 1?" meaning to me now.-I now.-I save them. About the only trr-now trr-now in addition to rr'' course, are phone rv' ' eery lists, to-do lists V'; and story notes. Buu sometimes I use the f-type f-type my notes for stor" be writing. Christmas used to time to get letters frc but now even that ho' -n't guarantee a ha-note. ha-note. So many pe0p printed cards, or copy' mas letters. I guess that's the ; have to pay for prog! know if I would wantu to the way things used" too, am now reliant c-wonders c-wonders of the Interne; However, I still woul getting the occasional-written occasional-written letter, delivered mail. Karli Poyfair can k at kpoyfairnewutahx(-. Journalism fires shots heard round the m I was honored this past week by the statewide chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Journal-ists. At their annual banquet Saturday Sat-urday night, the group, which represents professional journalists journal-ists in newspaper, magazine, TV, radio and web, presented me with the Clifford P. Cheney Award for Service to Journalism. Journal-ism. Making the presentation, Don Meyers, editorial page editor for The Daily Herald and the incoming president of the organization, organ-ization, cited my years working and teaching at BYU, where I shepherded communications students through a rigorous journalism laboratory program. The award was a complete surprise, but has caused me much thought since I received it. Journalism is not currently a highly respected profession. Many folks trust used car salesmen sales-men more than they trust journalists, jour-nalists, they say. (Sorry . about the slur, used car salesmen.) , So why do people do it? People who, other than being journalists, journal-ists, seem to be intelligent people peo-ple good writers, who can understand and translate complicated com-plicated information into terms an audience can understand quickly. People who can feed themselves without too much embarrassment in public and can cite Chaucer and Shakespeare. Shake-speare. Why do we get into a business where the money is not good and the hours are miser- I 1' I Ihl I able and the thanks is bitter. It's because what journalists do is important. When you picked up this paper today, if you cupped your hand and listened, carefully, out your front door, you might could have heard a faint shot a lone musket fired at the beginning of a volley thousands of miles away and more than 200 years ago. It was the "shot heard 'round the world.'" "By the rude bridge that arched the flood, their flag to April's breeze unfurled. Here once the embattled farmers stood, and fired the shot heard 'round the world.'" The quote, of course, is from Ralph Waldo Emerson, from the hymn he wrote to commemorate the completion of the Battle Monument at Concord, Mass. What happened when those farmers stood by the "rude bridge" was more than the start of a war. (The real battle started a few minutes earlier on Concord Con-cord Green when someone fired a shot at a standoff on the green. There are even rumors that John Adams himself might have fired that shot, just to get things going.) No, what happened was the farmers said they had enough of someone else telling them what to do. The farmers si. were as able to goverr. selves as King George . they were going to claim . to do so. That's the same shot ;; when you picked up you: paper today. You decide: informed enough to gover self. Bang! A little bit r ranee just bit the dust a: became more powerful, I'm passionate akt rights of people to goverr. selves. If people don't ct right, someone else will from them. Whether it is on C Green or on Center S:: Lehi, people need to t they can govern themsel" Whether it's bond is;, street closures or changes or selecting t attorney or choosing m building a new school, t of the people, vox pof be heard in a democrat us free. Journalists are often - the bearers of bad news a: is generally why pI' think too highly of us. E the responsibility of the. ist to convey informa'.:-or informa'.:-or otherwise, to the ' where the informatics : processed and put to I'm proud to be a ) and I'm particularly F-have F-have been honored by:, journalists as having service to that comnw: Thanks, SPJ. Reader's Forum Keith Christesen left a legacy Editor: A piece of my heart was silenced with the passing pass-ing of Keith Christesen. He wined and dined me for many years with his superb talent. I have laughed and cried with him and Dennis Purdie in many plays they performed together. Keith's love for the theater has added so much to my life and to our community. The arts are such a meaningful part of life. They help to bring out the goodness in people. The song, This Is The Moment," was sung with such beauty and feeling at Keith's funeral. Some of the words took on new meaning to me a them to Keith's life. . c "This is the moment! This is the titt- momentum, and the moment, are m me this moment, this precious chaC ' up my past, and make some sense a look back, I will always recaI1; moment. This was the moment. moment of them all! This is the day, and shine!" . Your legacy will live on forever in.. those you touched and who enjoyed ) - was a gift. Thank you. Dixie Pleasant Grove Review 59 Y. Main American Fork. UT S4003 An edition of The Daily Herald. a Pulitzer, Inc. newspaper USPS 01S-5S0 (ISSN: 1 521 -6545) XEWSSTAND PRICE: 50 cents SUBSCRIPTION R.ATE: 1 year - S26 (Thursday and Sunday deliveries) SEWS: We welcome news tips. Call 756-7669 to report a news tip or if you have a comment or a question. ve welcome letters to the editor. All letters must include the author "s name (printed AND signed) and a telephone number. We resene the right to edit letters for clarity, punctuation, taste and length. Letters are welcome on any topic. Published Thursdays by Pulitzer Newspapers Inc 59 West m; Periodicals postage paid at American Fork, 14 Pos Fork' Utah 843' American Fork, UT 84003. Member: Audit BeL omlculadoSs 59 DEADLINES Classified Advertising Tuesday, noon Display Advertising Monday," 5 p.m. ,,ews Monday, 2 p.m. Missionaries, Weddings Monday. 2 pm. Sports, Letters to the Editor . .Monday 10 am Community Calendar Monday, 10 a.m. 0bltuanes Tuesday, 11 a.m. Subscriptions 4 Delivery News & Advertising Fax E-mail . Circulation . PG City Editor Lehi City Editor Jf niieditorsn" " .Karli r. .CaftT AF Citv Editor Lone Peak Editor Sc |
