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Show ChnoicU McwdAy, Apnil Paqe Six 25, 1988 EDITORIAL Jackson worthy of consideration Although elections are seen as the culmination of political campaigning, today's caucuses actually have more significance. They're the last chance for Utahns to speak out and endorse the candidate they'd like to see on the November ballot. As part of this decision-makin- g process, the majority of the Chronicle's editorial board endorses Jesse Jackson. Jackson stands out in an otherwise mediocre crop of candidates. He has a very important kind of vision we vision for the country-t- he haven't seen in a long time. And, at this point in our nation's history, Jackson's ideas are desperately needed to effect fundamental changes, which other candidates are afraid to even bring up. At a time when military tensions are escalating, Jackson is the only true peace candidate. He fervently opposes C EASTERN lt the Midgetman and Trident 5 missiles. He wants to reverse the arms race, negotiate mutual troop reductions in Europe and reduce interventionary forces. He talks of the necessity and economic of promoting World. justice in the Third Jackson notes the paradox that exists when millions of people starve throughout the world, while at the same time excess cheese and produce in the United States is allowed to rot. He d policy. proposes a Jackson says a more competitive food industry would protect consumers. More than 76 cents of every food dollar goes to middlemen. Four companies control 80 percent of the grain trade; five companies control 58 percent of the beef market. He proposes the Family Farm Act, which calls for debt restructuring, soil conservation, and increased funding for domestic hunger Kent Anderson- D-- Symbols don't help homeless self-determinati- on right-to-foo- programs. candidate. He Jackson is the only speaks for a worker's bill of rights. He believes workers have a right to a job, a living wage, fair competition, freedom from discrimination and a right to both work and family. Jackson also strongly favors women's rights and homosexual rights. And more importantly, he's the only candidate who backs these rights with support for an Equal Rights Amendment. Most compellingly, Jackson speaks for those in our country who are powerless, those who are oppressed by the status quo. Jackson is not afraid to shake up that stale order. That's why the Chronicle urges you to investigate Jackson's policies for yourself. If peace, equality, and social and economic justice are important to you, we're sure you'll come to the same conclusion. pro-lab- or 4i OAilv tltl HRONICLE The Daily Utah Chronicle is an independent student newspaper published during fall, winter and spring quarters, excluding test weeks and quarter breaks, by the University Publications Council. Editorials reflect the opinion of the editorial board, and not necessarily the opinions of the student body or the administration. Subscriptions are $25 a year, S10 an academic quarter. All subscriptions must be prepaid. Forward all subscription correspondence, including change of address, to the Business Manager, Daily Uta h Chronicle, 240 Union, University of Utah, SaltLakeCity.Utah 84112. - ; Y to be compassionate, pretending to empathize. I wasn't about to pretend-prete- nd my sleeping out on the cold night grass would do any good; pretend my night out would even compare to the grief of the homeless. And I have a hard time understanding how anyone else could, either. I suppose it's something like peer pressure. Like the flyer said, "Be there if you care." Read that as, "The heartless stay away." And it almost got to me. But by the time the sleep out came about, the money had been collected, the hours of commiinity service promised. There was no purpose to the sleep out, except maybe publicity. But it was publicity for those who look like they care, not for those who need to be cared for. And not one TV station turned up. Only KALL, 910 AM, radio and the Chronicle covered the event. The power of the media was not exactly exploited. It was a stunt, a useless circus of "compassion." People fornicating in the tents, getting stoned in their cars and running into the Union for warmth and snacks. Not exactly a meaningful form of caring. Not exactly a recreation of homelessness. Earlier in the week, when I told a friend about the tent city for the homeless, she thought perhaps it was a group of university students taking their tents, sleeping bags and food to the homeless, giving mem tools for survival and sources of hope. Sounds like a better idea. The $2,000 and 300 hours of community service will certainly help. But if it always takes stunts like the "Night of Symbolic Homelessness" (or Live Aid or Hands Across America) to get people to contribute, then it's not Christian charity or true compassion. It's fashionable caring for the reward of participation, the joy of being seen. Some people argue that, no matter the reason or the motive, if some good comes of something like this, then the' act itself is justified. But the "Night of Symbolic Homelessness" is not justified by the $2,000 or the scores of community service hours that were donated-becau- se this little tent city trivialized the plight of the homeless and made the activists appear insincere and That's why I stayed away. Because I care. Kent Anderson is a senior majoring in mass communication and is managing editor of the Chronicle. The flyer contained a veiled threat: "Be there if you care." I care. I showed up. I left. The event was the "Night of Symbolic Homelessness." They might just as well have called it the Night of Symbolic Uselessness. It was a chance for people to party. It was a chance for people to a chance for people to look compascamp out. It was " "' ' "; sionate. , What could be better? Here's how it worked: If a group or individual wished to "buy" a spot in the tent city, a donation of $100 (or 20 hours of community service) would do the deed. This money and time goes directly to the Shelter the Homeless Project. Approximately $2,000 was raised, and 300 hours of community service donated. That's the good part. The sickening part was the sleep out itself. It was intended to be a sort of empathy with the homeless. But if that's what it turned out to be, the homeless are better off than I've ever been. The homeless have expensive tents, toasty sleeping bags and gobs and gobs of food. They even have good drugs. One of the first things said to me when I got there was, "Hey, you want to go get stoned?" Pot, of course, is plentiful on the streets, an integral part of life for the homeless and hungry. Dance music is also a key aspect of homeless life, as the pounding rhythms of One Drop, a reggae band that played in the Union Ballroom, showed. Luckily, the token homeless (or transient transients) on the Union lawn Friday night had a lovely place to go dance before they became homeless. And even though there was supposed to be a midnight candle vigil, few people were at the tent city until well after 12:30 a.m. The dance delayed the vigil, the symbolic empathy. By this time, I was gone. I didn't leave because of the chilly air. I've braved worse in the Uintas. I didn't leave because of the late hour. I was on a major insomnia trip. It was a philosophical difference. Here were all these people, camping out in their comfy Kirkham's tents, their warm down sleeping bags and their snuggly thermal underwear. They had their thermoses of coffee and hot chocolate, and money to go on food runs. And they were pretending Editorial Board: Kent Anderson, Shauna Bona, Darren Hawkins, Andrew Hunt, Bryant Larsen, Dee NaQuin, Fara Warner Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor Editorial Editor Sports Editor Feature Editor Photography Editor - Chief Copy Editor Investigative Editor Campus Editor Assistant News Editor Assistant Editorial Editor Assistant Sports Editor Assistant Feature Editor . . . Shauna Bona Kent Anderson Fara Warner . . Dee L. NaQuin , Laury Livsey Darren Hawkins Steven C. Wilson Bryant Larsen Dennis Romboy Darren Tucker Lori Bona Andrew Hunt Glenn Seninger John Pecorelli Assistant Feature Editor Assistant Photography Editor Assistant Copy Editor Reporters self-servin- g. . . Kelly Hindley .... Guy E. Elder IV Edward Ruiz Bruce Burningham Kent Condon Todd Curtis Sharon Deckert EUenGarff Amber MdKee Kerry Shea DeanieWimmer Photographer . . . , Business Manager Accountant aif,ed Jennifer Peterson Robert MoOmber Kay Andersen Charlene Collins Accounting Clerk Collections Account Executives Kim Bartel Michael All sop JohnHausknecht KrisDcBry Tammie Bosu'ck Todd Butler Sara Wilson Ad Production AbbieHall , James A. Beck Typesetters Tracey L. Heinhold Production Manager Michael Q. deary Assistant Production Manager . . . Kenny Watanabe Distribution David Orchard Christopher Stratford |
