OCR Text |
Show 11 Id nrmnTTMm Public disgirace of deadbeat parentis Ineffective an opportunity to pay, and the custodial parChrcnlcls Efltcrizl ents are asked for permission because the pub-- , licity might be embarrassing to the children. Nationwide it is estimated that $27 billion here is a new cable public access television show in Contra Costa, Calif., called is owed in child support. In California, dead-beContra Costa County's Deadbeat Parents. The parents are $3 billion in arrears. And in show features several carpenters, a freelance Contra Costa County, population 800,000, tattoo artist, an osteopathic doctor and a $146 millions overdue, with 6,600 cases meetstockbroker. As its main attraction each ing the threshold for televised humiliation. Contra Costa officials expect that the show month, the show will expose a group of parents from the county roster of those who owe will motivate some people to pay up to avoid more than $10,000 in child support and are having their pictures on television. They also more than six months overdue in their pay- hope that information from viewers will reveal hidden assets of those shown, like ments "deadbeats." "Expose" means that the person's picture is wages paid off the books and bank accounts scrolled across a television screen while an in different names. However, the primary colannouncer tells his or her height, weight, race, lection problem is not in finding the deadbeat last known occupation, last known locale and parents but in proving that they have money. While the Chronicle does not support this the number of his or her minor children. The delinquent parents are notified that kind of public defamation, we recognize the they are candidates for the show and offered. necessity of finding ways to close the many at loopholes that exist in the child support program. The question that must be answered is not what is the best way to force delinquent parents to pay their debts, but rather, what is the best way to ensure payment from the beginning. The use of garnishing of wages from the beginning of any refusal to pay child support instead of as a last resort after the parent owes an exorbitant amount could make the retrieval of delinquent funds easier to attain. In order to affect any changes in the current system, changes must be made within that system. The idea of public humiliation in order to . get deadbeat parents to pay their debts sounds good. However, it will probably prove to be ineffective. If these parents cares so little about the economic welfare of their children, then they more than likely won't care about their public image. The Chronicle is an independent student newspaper. Unsigned editorials reflect the majority view of the Editorial Eoard. Letters Chronicle inaccurate Editor: I am writing to correct an error of fact in the Nov. 4 Chronicle. Your headline states "Former U. employee arrested for thefts." In fact, no person has been arrested, no stolen property was found, and as far as I am aware, nothing was stolen from the U. Medical Center. This came to my attention because the article was based loosely on a personal conversation I had with an officer, Pleyington, at your campus. Rather than write the cold hard facts, someone turned it into a fanciful account of a fictional arrest that he might, in his wildest dreams, have made. Not the first time I have seen a report which bore little resemblance to reality, but certainly one of the more hilarious. To assist in distinguishing fact from fiction: my reason for writing. W.C. Skousen . film studies student graduate ifnanucr Business nours: Monday tnrougn Frraay e am to 5 pm reader Please Chronicle 581-70- d The welcomes bring typed, response. letters, not exceeding two pages. to 240 Union Building. Each letter should include your name, major, year in school and telephone number (for verification purposes only). Unsigned letters will not be considered for publication. The Chronich reserves the right to edit letters for spelling, grammar and space. ...... double-space- ' : 9mSr. : , ... JASON WOOD Nightmare or reality? Clinton goes to Wood's dreamland Late last night I awoke from a horrifying nightmare. It very chilling and once I experienced the, "Thank God it was only a dream" sensation, I began to recall my mind's Bela Lugosian movie in the peculiar silence of the 5 a.m. hour. In my dream I was a Charlton Hestonesque protago-nis- t; the only man in the country aware of The Conspiracy. No one believed my theory and I was dismissed by my fellow Americans as mad. But I knew it was happening. Something terrifying was taking place, and no one other than myself seemed to notice the difference. It seems a rash of dark, colonial buildings had appeared in all of the nation's capitol cities. I would see people entering these structures with confused grimaces, and then exit with blank, vacuous eyes and dumb grins on their faces. They would then wander the streets in a state of ignorant bliss, seemingly unaware of their state of mind or activity. Stores, restaurants and offices were functioning on a diminished level. Commerce was slowing, and people were just sitting in parks, contemplating God knows what. The entire population was in a marijuana-lik- e state of contented complacency. I had to discover what destructive force lurked inside the dark edifice that had recently appeared in Salt Lake City. I immersed myself in one of the crowds entering the building, and attempted to ease through the door when I was stopped by a young man in Birkenstocks and unkempt hai with a concerned and troubled look in his . hazy, red eyes. , "I need to see your 'Ridiculously Idealistic and Naive had the word "Government" tattooed in large capital letters on his. forehead. v The people in line would ask Government for help in ID Card,' sir." I shrugged confusedly and tried to come whatever problem they might be experiencing: Broken up with an excuse when two guards who looked like arms, break-up- s with spouses, corns, car trouble, any' Kurt Loder and Tabitha Soren escorted me back to the thing. street.-Government would then anoint the complainant with I I then knew a crisis was imminent and it was jip to one of his many arms, and the person seeking help me to avert complete tragedy. The next few minutes of would wander back into the street. Unbeknownst to the patron of Government's influence, the corns hadn't left ' The face was a dead-ringfeet, yet he would still meander aimlessly with that for his eerie grin on his face, convinced his problem was cured. Bill Clinton and the creature The whole scene was strangely reminiscent of the had the word "Government" Star Trek "Doomsday Machine" episode where the mistattooed in large capital letters chievous Trelane creature from Gothos constantly medL f dled in the affairs of the Enterprise's crew. on his forehead. I reached into my quiver that had appeared on my back and a out laser arrow of Cynical Realism pulled giant Cfcroalcla ECltsr In CMsf and Logic. I aimed at Government's chin and let fly. After an explosion that made the demolition of the the dream were blurryr but through some combination Dune's Casino look like Magna's Sludge Days of MacGyverian ingenuity and action-movitough-gu- y Celebration, Government's arms retreated into his giganphysical heroics, I had ascended the roof of the colonial tic head, which sucked itself into nothingness. structure and crashed through the windows on a rope' The hazy clouds of ignorant indifference had left Salt harness. Lake's people and they slowly resumed the daily toils of " I regained my composure and looked to see a large, dealing with their own problems. translucent head with innumerable arms floating above I laughed at the silliness of my dream and laid myself the line of people who sought its insipid influence. The back to once again. But right before I lost consleep face was a dead-ringfor Bill Clinton and the creature sciousness I swear that I heard Vincent Price laughing. . - . -' ..- .:-:- er i e, er |