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Show Thursday, January 12, 1995 The Daily Utah Chronklc 5 Viewp otat Get involved; don't use holiday just to sleep in Chronicle Editorial With the signing of the American Civil Rights Act of 1964, it seemed as if Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., attained the dream for which he was martyred But we don't live in a perfect world. Human inequality and discrimination continues to affect people based on gender, ethnicity, religion and social status throughout America. Monday, communities nationwide will be afforded a day of commemoration for the celebrated leader of the civil rights movement in the '60s. The Utah King Holiday Commission Service Project will work with Camp Kostopulos in planning activities for adults with mental disabilities and children with disabilities, starting Thursday and going through Monday. Students are encouraged to honor Human Rights Day by getting involved with the many activities and programs being offered right here on campus. For the past week, the University of Utah has celebrated King's accomplishments and contributions to humanity. Rev. Bernice A. King, daughter of Martin Luther King, got a standing ovation after she spoke in the Union Ballroom to a student-packe- Also Monday evening is a Young People's Peace Vigil, "Sharing the Dream," a tribute to song, dance room and recitation, in the Capitol Rotunda at d Wednesday at noon. A book fair also began Wednesday and will con- tinue through today in the Olpin Union East Ballroom. Students may choose from books on issues, children's and general reading books as well as art and jewelry. Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing," which explores the effects of today's racial intolerance, starts today in the Union Movie Theater and will run through Sunday. A Friday seminar,. "Race Issues: Students of Color and ASUU," will feature speakers Brandi Curtis, multi-cultur- al Elizabeth Smith and Tamara Taylor and free pizza. It will be held in the Center for Ethnic Student Affairs, 318 Union. There are several opportunities to celebrate Monday. A concert featuring "Queen of the Blues" Koko Taylor and her Blues Machine will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Abravanel Hall. Before the conceit, U. Professor Ronald G. Coleman will present the Martin Luther King Youth Awards. 7, which will feature speakers, artists and dancers of different ethnic backgrounds. Students need not treat Monday as a sleep-in- , day, but get involved in the celebration. It is true that King was a celebrated leader of the do-nothi- Civil Rights Movement spurned mostly from communities in response to centuries of oppression and inequality. But his method of and his message is for the benefit of not only but all Americans the Mormon and the Jew, the Arab and the Asian, the young and the old, men and women, d the and the disabled. is It not a day set aside for exclusivity. It is a day to celebrate the diversity of humanity, cultures that are perhaps different from our own, and develop a better understanding of America. African-America- n non-violen- ce African-American- s, able-bodie- The Chronicle is an independent student newspaper. Unsigned editorials reflect the majority view of the Editorial Board ChronicleLetters, Gibson gets poor Marx Ty f Editor: I beg to differ with Doug Gibson's assertion in the concluding paragraph of his Jan. 6 column that "Most of world has rejected Karl Marx." Gibson- - is repeating conventional opinion that is based on the misunderstanding that Karl Marx's ideas had been manifest in the social structure and function of the Soviet Union. The Communist Parties of the world helped to spread the lie that Stalin's "Marxism-Leninism- " was simply an application of Marx's ideas. Capitalist governments and institutions have been happy to reinforce this lie that Marxism equals Stalinism. I dare say that Doug Gibson, like "most of the world," has little or no understanding of Karl Marx and his ideas. Dayne Goodwin staff ' NEWT r "Letten to the Editor" is an open forum to people of all persuasion!. However, letters of a scurrilous or libelous nature, or those which demean or threaten harm to any individual or group based on race, gender, sexual orientation or religion will not be considered for publication. Letters must be typed and signed and may be Edited for style and space. lb ensure that letters are not submitted under raise names, Tht Cknmkki editorial staff must speak with every letter writer before publication. Letters from those with unlisted phone numbers must now submit their letters in person with a picture I.D. at The Chtmick office, room 240 Union. : f95 PtlWflSM University should not mandate student health care Matt V u I Cusumano Chronicle Editorial Columnist Student Health Services recently inserting itself into the lives students with unprecedented vigor. of They started with the mandatory immunization program. Under this program you are given three choices; receive immunization from Student Health Services, show two forms of immunization proof, or find a new school to attend. I wondered what interest the school had in our immunization status. There hasn't been an epidemic of Tetanus in previous years justifying this policy. It's just your y friendly neighborhood, power-hungradministrative body feeling the need to get involved in our private lives. our lives), until we do agree. What Soon Student Health Services decided that they could accomplish what Clinton, a Democratic Congress and Senate could not They felt it was in their power to force every student to purchase health insurance. Their plan, that is being slowly phased in, is control do we have over the whims of our progressive administrators? I recendy had the opportunity to interview die man in charge of the student insurance plan, Dan Sampson. According to Sampson, prior to the first step in the phase in, there were less than 1,800 people and has been found so by at least one state's Court. Our Supreme Constitution provides "Equal Protection Under the Law." If the government forces one group of citizens to obey a law, (us students) they have to force all of the citizens to obey the law. By this standard, the state, acting through the U., is offering students unequal protection under the law by not forcing all other citizens to buy health insurance. Student Health Services has enormous leverage over students. If we are opposed and don't comply, they simply put a hold on our grades, regis tion and transcripts (which is basically " TTiis is a socialist plan, and should not be subjected on those who are ideo- logically opposed - involved in the student plan. That doesn't mean 1,800 students. That's students, their spouses and children. With such a pitifully low rate of participation, it's no wonder they want to force us into insurance, Because the student plan is cheaper than most health insurance (and the coverage is worse than any other private plan); is counting on students choosthe cheapest option. ing S. H. S. claims typical collecdvist justifications for the plan; they are disturbed by write-of- f cost (people who receive medical benefits and don't pay) and they want to spread medical cost from sick or injured students, on to the healthy student body. Sampson claims this plan will provide students "with the best opportunity to finish school without being forced out by unteer for the program. This is a overbearing medical bills." At first these seem like worthy motivations, but in reality they are not feasible factors. Erst .off, through my research I have only been able to find one individual in the last 7 years who was forced out of school due to medical bills. Should socialist plan, and should not be subjected on those who are ideologically opposed. Write-of- f costs are a liability to society, but college students contribute die least amount of write-of- f cost to our medical system. They contribute less than any other group in society! With all of these considerations in mind, it wduld appear that the mandate is unlawful and unnecessary. A board of appeals (which operates solely on emotion and groveling) will issue .a waiver if you can provide documentation that you are destitute. I think that an imaginative student who simply does not want to participate could find a way around it. I would have a real hard time pleading for a waiver. I don't think my pride would allow me to be subject to a this one instance warrant such a broad, coercive measure? The idea of spreading the cost on to other students is fine if the other students vol university appeals council. Hopefully some courageous student will challenge this policy in court before I'm phased into the plan. SJE-L- . |
