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Show Chronicle - Page Six Wednesday, February 22, 1989 EDITORIAL Will U. survive-; musical duaiirs? 1979 Perhaps the Utah Legislature could be compared to a game of musical chairs. 1889 Legislators and their bills wander around for a while in circles, hoping to stand in a strategic position when the music stops. Well, after weeks of wandering around, the legislative music is about to stop. As usual for this late hour in the Legislature's game, many more competitors than seats remain. Several of these competing agenda items affect the University of Utah directly. Some deserve to die quietly, but others merit surviving today's mad melee because they offer much-neede- d aid to the U. One crucial decision made today will be salary increases for professors. It is critical faculty salaries be raised and higher medical benefit costs be covered by the state. Faculty salaries lag 22 percent behind national averages, while medical insurance costs are skyrocketing. J "frr The good news is that a legislative committee recommended using state money to cover increased insurance costs, but the Justin Toth V bad news is that it suggested only a 3 percent faculty salary increase. The really bad news is that nothing is finally decided until sometime Louisiana election is a warning i today. Legislators should follow the committee's lead and fund the insurance costs. They should also increase salaries in the 4.5 percent range, as the State Board of Regents urges, and not the 3 percent approved by the committee. non-Christia- n, 38-year-- Another important item before the Legislature is a supplemental budget request for the College of Engineering. If it is denied, the department of civil engineering may be closing its doors. Such a result would be tragic, especially considering the college lost its industrial engineering department a few ' years ago. Civil engineers are certainly a needed commodity in the community. If the U. department closes its doors, how many bright students will go elsewhere to receive an education? How many will return to Utah? How many good civil engineers will stay away from Utah for lack of research support? Legislators need to approve this supplemental request. On the list of bills that deserve to meet the waste bin is one that would give local governments the authority to cut off the sale of impounded dogs and cats to the U. It is conceivable animal could put on local enough pressure governments to stop these sales. If this happened, the U. would be forced to buy research animals from private commercial breeders-- a very costly proposition. Estimates on the additional cost run as high as $365,000. Clearly, the U. would be much better served if this bill fails and research animals continue to rights-activist- s come from local shelters. In the final analysis, the d of musical chairs is mercifully about to end. It may seem a bit much to ask, but legislators, will you please make sure the U. is cared for merry-go-roun- when the music stops? jfi Most of us, Republican or Democrat, black or white, Christian or despise racism in form. we not would any Certainly, support the political candidacy of an individual who openly embraced racial discrimination. Yet in Metairie, La., Paul Duke, a Republican (read Republikan) won a seat in the Louisiana State Legislature. Duke is a former imperial wizard for the Klu Klux Klan. In Duke's victory, a cryptic and dark side of contemporary America has emerged. For the sake of clarity, it seems wise to separate Duke's victory as a Republican from Duke's victory as a political candidate. Unfortunately, the important conclusion all Americans should reach from Duke's election will probably be lost in the peripheral political issue of whether Duke should be called a "Republican." The real point at issue here is that Duke's victory symbolizes America's recent resurgence in overt racism. Briefly, consider whether Duke can legitimately consider himself a Republican. First, Duke's platform, including his racist remarks and racist past, are in complete incongruence with the Republican Party's platform. Simply because an individual chooses to align himself with the Republican Party because the name of "Republican" will facilitate his own political ends does not make that individual a Republican. In fact, Duke changed his party affiliation to Republican only three days before he filed for office. The Republican Party is no more responsible for Duke's ideology than the Democrats are for Lyndon LaRouche's bizarre claims to being a "real" Democrat. Lee Atwater, Republican National Committee chairman, has essentially disowned Duke from the Republican Party. Republicans can now do little more than disavow Duke's undesirable company. The important issue, however, is what Duke's victory represents as a national trend. Think about this! Duke is one of those fruitcakes we see in movies who wear white robes, burn crosses and chant, "Down with the Jews and niggers!" In fact, he actually led these lunatics! Duke now promises that his candidacy doesn't jeopardize minority rights. - Editorial Board: Lori Bona Hunt, Tamarah Hardesty, utrren Hawkins, Andrew Hunt, Justin Toth The Dailv Utah Chronicle The Daily tJtah 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 must be prepaid. Forward all subscription correspondence, including change of address, to the Business Manager, Daily Utah Chronicle, 240 Union, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112 For questions, comments or complaints call Editor in Chief. Managing Editor. News Editor. . Edtorial Editor Sports Editor Feature Editor Photography Editor Copy Editor ; ... . , . Night Editor. 581-704- , Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant News Editor Editorial Editor Sports Editor Feature Editor. ..... Darren Hawkins . .Andrew Hunt Lori Bona Hunt , , . Justin Toth .Kent Condon .Deanie Wimmer .Aaron Ashcraft Ellen Hawkins . . Steve Moore Ed Ruiz . .Tamarah Hardesty .Dirk. Facer T.Sharon Deckert Assistant Photography Editor - J i AooCtnni laaioiaill O VjUpy CUllOr . , Administration Reporter. ASUU Reporter. . News Reporters. . : r- ....... Feature Writers. , Does this sound like a little Austrian man who Germans promised the same things to working-clas- s at the Hofbrauhaus in 1929? The world has been down that path of false promises once: The experience cost more than 50 million people their .; . .lives. The simple fact that Paul Duke's candidacy was considered to be legitimate should serve as a warning beacon. It is a sign that America has forgotten the civil rights struggles of the past. It , shows that we are slowing, indeed stumbling, on the path toward a raceless society. The examples are ' 'countless. ':. ... -- At the of five football Connecticut, University players entertained themselves by beating three Asian students nearly to unconsciousness. Why? The Asian students were "FOBs" (Fresh Off the Boat). This term is yet another racial slur meant to dehumanize and degrade the victims of racial persecution. -- At several universities across the country, white students are forming White Student Unions (WSU). One student stated that his group's goal was to "make a national holiday for a white leader just like the blacks got for Martin Luther King Jr." Perhaps this student forgot that Martin Luther King Jr. Day was not set aside as a holiday because King was black. King was a great human being and his struggles. benefited all Americans, regardless of skin color. Paul Duke's candidacy can be categorized with the rest of these signs. Frighteningly, Americans are growing accustomed to the telltale signs of a resurgence of overt racism. The struggles of the Civil Rights Movement have not ended. Furthering the cause of racial justice means more than recognizing Martin Luther King Jr. Day once a year. It means learning to demonstrate an intolerance for racial hatred. It involves recognizing and publicly condemning those who seek to degrade any group or person because of skin color or religious beliefs. Justin Toth, a senior majoring in political science and philosophy is the editorial editor of the Chronicle. :;.- -;. Andrew Holloway Ed Ruiz . . . .Ken Southwick .Scott Stone .'.. Mike Allsop Vic Garcia Christian Aggclor . . . .Arlene Calkins Photographer. Business Managor Accountant Classifiods Columnist. ...... . . . . . . . ; ; s Jennifer Sports Writer. : Pete-so- Isaiah Stewart Loren Jorgensen , Kristan Jacobson Rolxirt McOmber .Kay Anderson Kerry Murphy .Bel Ami Jean de Montreux Artists .", Accounting Clerk . . , . . Collections Account Executives . . . . ; , ; ; .. ti' Production Manager. . . . ; Assistant Production Manager . Production Assistant. ... . . . Distribution . . . . . ... . . . .... . . . . . R. . . , . .Byron Williams . ... Kim Bartel .Wes Pack .Tammie Bostick . . Sara Wilson Matt Dalton Jina Sanone " Sean Buckley Kenny Watanabe Abbie Hall . . ... .David Lew Stanford Hirai SridipNag , David Orchard Chris Stratford |
