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Show Jum JS, 199s WcdMtdtay, The Saauwr Ckrooidc American Heroes not Allowed Humanity tdistcn Riedclbzch Chronicle Editorial Columnist i. has been a lot of dia-I- I loguc of late on the topic of heroes new heroes, fallen heroes, old heroes who became fallen heroes who want a new start as happier, better adjusted, experience-ripene- d 1 here U heroes. Darryl Strawberry let us down, but Mr. Lt. who lived on bugs and rainwater, came along to give our hopes a boost. (Insert here a small reminder that peoples poverty and all over the world have been living on the same diet for ages without Colonel-whatev- er famine-stricke- n the aid of a government issued supersuit to help them along.) Kurt Cobain killed himself, but don't despair, because out of the ashes of collective grief rose his widowed domestic partner, bud- ding songstress, and tough gal Courtney Love to buoy the forces and continue on in the all-arou- battle of teen angst. And, as a true testament to the powers of heroism, Mike Tyson is back in the ring, the news, and the lives of impressionable young boxers everywhere. The question arises, what is it that makes these people special? What takes this happy band of actors, rock stars, athletes, armed forces personnel, and lifts them to the position of demi-god- Who ? tides them "hero"? The answer is simple of course. We do. From the thrones of our E-- chairs with our remote controls as scepters, Z bestow upon them herohood. Why? Because they are doing what we can't do. However, what makes America's brand of heroism particularly alluring is that we don't see them as Rather, superhuman or demi-godthese are "everyday" kinds of people, ordinary folks just like you and I who put their pants on one leg at a time, doing what we would do, if we had that kind of time, that kind of money, energy, drive "I could have been a great dancer, but I did not want to sacrifice leisure time s. - and family." Hence, our heroes are nothing Utah's Wilderness Areas Deserve Protection by Law and air Editor: - the necessities of life. more than what we could have been, "if only ..." So we treat our heroes accordingly. We want them to be as smart as us, plus a little but not too smart. Extremely intelligent people do not make good heroes. Look at how often people point out that Albert Einstein did poorly in school. We want them to be talented, but not too talented. People that are "too talented" are often classified as snobbish or difficult or sometimes crazy. Like Mozart, Jim Morrison or Shirley Maclain. And of. course they must be humble. Heroes are absolutely not supposed to say they accomplished what they did because they are smart andor talented and worked really hard. They must a) credit a higher power, the most popular one being the Christian God andor b) admit they just got really lucky. Finally, heroes must be as moral as us, plus a litde, plus a little more besides that. After all, our kids are watching these people (and they certainly could not be watching us.) Heroes do not have sex. They do not drink excessively, do drugs, or swear in public. They never get angry, and if they do, they should never, ever vent this anger. Especially publicly.' That is why Sean Perm cannot be a hero. They are kind and generous, give money to the poor, and never get perturbed when someone interrupts their dinner for an autograph. In short, heroes are humans just like you and I, except they must not exhibit any human behavior. But they shouldn't exhibit human behavior to a great extent or they are abnormal or "too good for us." In other words, they can't be human. Hmm. The fickleness of American culture dictates that heroes, whether or not they asked to be heroes, can never, ever mess up because had we the energy, time, money, opportunity, to do as they have, we would never mess up. Heroes are not allowed to do anything other than what we tell them. It seems to rhe that America's heroes, since they come from the same stock as us, can only be expected to be as good as us. Therefore, we should be the proud bearers of the most poorly educated, most violent heroes in the world. Welcome back Mike. wnic: (The Chrony Arts Entertainment magazine) needs a Fine Arts Assistant Editor and entertainment writers of all sorts, shapes and sizes. Think of the prestige! Think o! the Iree stuff! Apply 240 Union today! lofts) Humans need to be considerate I've been reading in the Chronicle all of the articles about the wilderness issues and I'd like to stick my "two cents" in. I read recendy the location shoot for Legends of the Fall, a story of an American family at the turn of the century through World War I, was filmed in Canada. I wanted to know why was this film of America's western lands filmed in a foreign country? Why didn't the film maker find a wilderness location in our own country? I know Unfortunately answer: In less than 75 the years America's wild lands have dwinNow dled to near the federal government wants to deregulate those rare areas left and cut funding for endangered plant non-existenc- e. and wildlife. We need to protect the few remaining undeveloped areas of our country. We need to remember that once lost, these areas can never be replaced. These lands are a part of our nation's wealth. They are a source of recreation, biological research, natural resources, wildlife, aesthetic value, etc. We need a balance of nature for survival. Take the dinosaurs for example. When they became out of balance with nature they became extinct. Humanity is following a path to extinction. In fact, we are forcing it. Since the industrial age began the world has changed dramatically. Yes, part of that was very beneficial to humans, but look at all' of the environmental problems it caused pollution of land, water of nature for their own sake, not just nature's. The loss of rain forests is just another example of 6f7 needless destruction that will harm reproduced. An endangered or rare species means it is only found in less than Can't we expand economically and leave these very few regions alone? In dealing with other businesses, customers and foreign governments we compromise, so why can't we compromise with nature? We live in a world that contains so many disposable products (paper plates, plastic bottles, 81 'I :v contact razors, forks, daily-wea- r lenses, disposable diapers, etc.) that we forget that everything is not easily replaced or in abundance. Look at the value we place on antiques, collectibles and art. Why don't we hold that kind of esteem for a tree, plant or animal? Humans themselves are animals and part of the ecological balance. We need to be more responsible and to give the same consideration and rights to nature as we do to other humans. The earth is a finite place and we need to start treating it that way. Denise Sprague English - Sierra-We-st J EWELERS Am, coo GT c;r:::iTTorcu ioA,gi DYTYaCEERS " - humankind. The destruction of these habitats, which provide rare plants and animals, means the destruction of the source of many drugs beneficial to humans. Once the source is gone it can not be 10 regions in the world. A!:DSc:;zccLDr.:zD:si;:L To your body, alcohol and medicine can seem very similar. Both can affect your J balance, coordination, and ability to see accurately. Skills that are essential to riding. After drinking or taking medication, don't ride. That's the best orescriotion for your safety. OTKCTCU SAFETY fKSsam Jjv l344S.800E.fttm 521-09- 00 226-600- 6" ffl $, Com KMICenla-SL- C and Valley Fait Mall 966-966- 2 9 |