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Show THE DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE 10 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2001 PARKING continued from page 9 Granted, these lots are not as close as the lots where the majority of the violators are caught, but all are within a five to xo minute walk of the library, business and engineering lots, and all are serviced by the shuttles. The parking "problem" is not caused by a lack of available parking spaces. It is ioo percent behavioral. It is a result of laziness. Black and hundreds of others like him claim not to have time to spend 2.5 hours on the bus to get to campus, but they have the time to drive in and arrive over an hour before their class starts so they can get a stall close to their classroom building. The problem is caused not by The Unintended Side Effects the number of cars on campus, but by the attitudes of the people driving them. I dare say it is priholdmarily caused by ers who arrive on campus with the attitude that their suo bought them the right to park as close to their final destination as possible. For those given the responsi- bility of planning the growth of this campus, maintaining green space is a higher priority than providing parking within 15 feet of the door of each new building. They will put a building on top of a parking lot long before they pave the golf course. Bottom line: If you want to be part of the solution, it is not necessary for you to leave your car at home, yet But you must be willing to walk a little. Of Multiculturalism alism. MIKE CHIDESTER Chronicle Opinion Columnist A TRAVIS PIERSON Junior, Communication Parking Services Employee Enjoy your break, don't worry about the homework. -- OJIUJWIWI mm WM.JMUHW 111 ' " well-meani- "' ' letter to the editor in the September issue of The Century, a publication produced by the University of Utah Latter-da- y Saints Student Association, made this bold declaration: "Diversity is what makes life worth living." Well, then. Apparently, for some people, establishing meaningful relationships, achieving and developing highly effective habits are misguided ways to find happiness. individuFor these als, the inalienable rights found in the Declaration of Independence might more aptly be listed as life, liberty and the pursuit of diversity. Most organizations, and especially universities, are aggressively pursuing diversity. The principles efforts fairness, behind such and tolerance are understanding admirable. In most cases, the motives of those who work to achieve diversity whatever that ambiguous state may be are equally commendable. the even most However, admirable efforts can create unde-sire- d side effects. Albert Einstein's y equivalence important formula (EMC2) thrilled the scientific community and propelled scientific discovery but it also led to the atomic bomb. Such is the case with multiculturalism. Although saying as much usually means being politically incorrect, multiculturalism modernity's dazzling diva does have several ugly stepsisters. g Pulitzer columnist George Will tears apart the diversity dogma. "A multitude of sins are committed and excused in the service of 'diversity,'" Will wrote, "They include reverse discrimination, quotas and other 'race (or sex or sexual preference)-consciou- s remedies' used to advance political mass-energ- If you find yourself regularly searching for relief from constipation-relate- d symptoms, there may be another option. . Volunteers are needed for a research study that will determine whether an investigational medication can safely and effectively relieve symptoms of chronic constipation. Qualified participants must: Prize-winnin- Be at least 18 years old Have experienced fewer than 3 complete, spontaneous bowel movements per week for at least 6 months All care is provided including doctor visits, exams, physical laboratory tests, and study medication. study-relate- d For more information, please call: agendas..." Will also cites the leftist indoctri801-944-31- 54 nation of university studies and the censorship of speech to "enforce sensitivity" as results of multicultur Others criticize multiculturalism, though not as harshly. Multiculturalism perpetuates victimization, says the Very Rev. Nathan D. Baxter, dean of the Washington National Cathedral. In a recent sermon, he taught, "We are all victims of something: racism, sexism, homophobia, classism even privilegism that says nobody likes us because we are successful." "There is a pride," Baxter continued, "a manipulative sense of power in being a victim today, and our...fights are often about who is more oppressed, or whose turn it is to be exalted as the "victim of the day.'" Legal defense funds reflect this sense of victimization. Women, chil- dren, Italian Americans and even animals have their own legal defense funds. The Home School Legal Defense Fund (if you can believe it exists) has been around for nearly 20 years. Former President Clinton reportedly raised over $8 million with the Clinton Legal Expense Trust. The name "defense fund" itself mirrors a victimized attitude. The groups behind these funds which add up to pretty much everyone are simply "defending" themselves from attacks at all sides. But who, in fact, is attacking? In many cases, the real enemy is an enhanced sense of "rights," or the belief that nobody should be restricted from doing anything at any time in any way. When Aaron Schubert a male ran for Homecoming Queen at New Mexico State University in 1999, the school disallowed his candidacy. This "inequality on campus" led Matthew Peterson, one of Schubert's supporters, to say this: "If there is one person who feels like his or her right to express him or herself is restricted by any law, then there is an injustice that we have to investigate and make it right" Peterson subscribes to the philosophy of the extreme individualists, who believe that almost any rule restricts an individual's rights inappropriately. Ironically (but not surprisingly), extremists like Peterson seldom appreciate the right of others to disagree with them. Victimization leads to another problem: divisiveness. How could the diversity movement, which mmm Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times syndicated columnist and The leading Zkmerican analyst of globalization and terrorism "The Challenges of Globalization" Octohi 3:30 5 p.JTL Kingsbury Hall, University of Utah campus Free to the public ' focuses so much on tolerance and acceptance, possibly divide people and organizations? For each group to effectively voice its concerns, it must differentiate itself from others, usually based around a few primary. grievances or interests. According to Baxter, this compels people to see themselves separately from other groups and "makes it impossible for us to ask what is in the interest of the society as a whole." Individuals should question the diversity doctrine that insists highlighting differences always leads to cohesion. For black columnist William Raspberry, the most distressing part of the quagmire is that the "victimist approach to political gain," he wrote, "proceeds from a presumption of weakness and, thereby, encourages the aggrieved to magnify their weakness." Raspberry, however, is encouraged by a new education advertising campaign. The campaign, called "Success in School Equals Success in Life," does something Raspberry has been advocating for a long time. "The campaign," Raspberry wrote, "calls on disadvantaged minorities to take the lead in their own salvation." For Raspberry, real empowerment comes when people have the "courage to look inward" and focus on "attitudes...discipline and motivation," as difficult as the external environment may be. Raspberry hopes this new focus on internal control will shift the focus of many from "what has been done to me?" to "what can I do to improve myself?" Albert Einstein, whose work influenced the creation of the atom bomb, originally supported its production. He later regretted his decision, saying, "I made one great mistake in my life when I signed that letter to President Roosevelt recommending that atom bombs be made." Society's experience with multiculturalism may mirror Einstein's experience with the atom bomb. Moderate multiculturalism may, in fact, contribute greatly to society. Unchecked and unquestioned, however, it may be "one great mistake" society makes. Mike welcomes feedback at: mchidesterchronicle.utah.edu or send letters to the editor to: Homecoming's For the Fishes Editor: I am quite dismayed that organizers would knowingly leave 1,500 students at Friday night's Homecoming dance, after hours of dancing, to thirst for water. The closest thing was fish water. At certain times the drinking fountain lines were 10 minutes long. If one can organize distilled water for gold fish in cool bowls, how hard would it be to organize cups with a water bowl for 800 prepaid tickets? Crackers and juice are offered to kindergartners, but why aren't they offered to paying patrons? If I attend a stomp, I don't expect a punch bowl or cookies. But at a formal dance, I would expect a little more than everyday, water fountains. MINDY LAYTON Sophomore, German serve-it-yours- DAVID ECCLES SCHOOL OF BUSINESS L'nirerfiy of Utah Midair Ran Confer |