OCR Text |
Show "My definition ofan educated man is the fellow who knows the right thing to do at the time it has to be done. ... You can be sincere and still be stupid." Charles F. Kettering, American inventor (187&1958) E GDpOODGDOQg Wednesday, September 2, 1992 The Daily Herald Rise and shout, the Cougars are raid back! We're not referring just to the Brigham Young University football team which makes its 1992 debut Saturday. That pleasant distraction makes fail a favorite time of year for many thousands of faithful fans, but we're talking about all the Cougars. Classes are back in session at BYU and the nearly 30,000 students are once again a major force in the lifestyle and traffic patterns of Utah Valley. There are a few detractors who would like to see the entire university miraculously disappear, perhaps to join the missing 10 Tribes of Israel. Most, however, would likely join us in welcoming the students back and wish- eco-mon- y, Rebutting Sheehan ing them a pleasant and productive year. We would urge the students and all d residents to take extra precautions when walking or driving. At least one local law enforcement officer attributes an unusually high number of traffic accidents in Provo and Orem on Monday to the added traffic generated by returning students. Increased traffic means increased risks on local streets and highways. We would urge the returning Cougars and all others to, "Be careful! It's a jungle out there!" year-roun- "(S IT Sweet Thanks tragedy Editor: I am writing in response to a letter by Tim Sheehan that appeared in the August 25 issue of the Herald . I certainly want to give Mr. Sheehan the benefit of the doubt and believe that he is simply misinformed and not trying to purposely mislead the public on the issue of vouchers. The voucher plan proposed by Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard Eyre would not cause the public school system to '"immediately lose over $10 million." In Utah, wherever a student moves within the public school system $3,000 follows that student. Under Eyre's plan $1 ,200 could be taken by a student leaving the public system f or the private. Simple addition tells you that this leaves $1 ,800 in the district which now has one less student to educate. Initially this plan would only be available to students currently enrolled in public schools. In reality the public schools do not lose, they gain. Another part of Eyre's plan would help make public schools better by competing for students. Students would be free to move within the public schools. This would give parents freedom to choose the schools and teachers that best meet the needs of their children. How can Mr. Sheehan call it a subsidy for the wealthy when it opens the door for all of Utah's children to receive the quality of education that they deserve. Mr. Eyre worked on similar proposals under the Reagan administration. The Bush scholarship plan, as well as Eyre's voucher proposal, are both a direct reseult of the research done by Reagan's staff. Why question the legality of one and not the other? Mr. Sheehan urges the public to "carefully study this voucher proposal." I urge Mr. Sheehan to carefully study the facts before he attempts to educate the public on something he obviously knows nothing about. TorriBowcut Pleasant Grove Rebutting Snelgrove Editor. Recently Richard Snelgrove, a Salt Laker unsuccessful in the 1990 congressional race, wrote an article for the newspaper saying, Richard Eyre won the endorsement game by finishing first at the Republican State Convention, beating Leavitt and Stewart." It is true that Eyre did a fine job of organizing for the mass meetings and beat Leavitt percent with Stewart a close third. by Stewart has since endorsed Leavitt. Don't you ever think that Mike Leavitt is not his own person! He is a tough-minde- d decision maker who will not be unduly influenced by any group or individual. Snelgrove says Leavitt is endorsed by "people who can best gain more power by electing one .of their own as governor." I think you. readers deserve to know who these "power " 1 Editor: As a damaged Sweet Thanks shareholder, I found little personal satisfaction in learning that Paul Van Dam gave Assistant Attorney General, Jay Butler the ultimatum to resign or be fired because of his prosecutorial misconduct in the recently dismissed Sweet Thanks investigation. We are sad for Jay Butler and his family, but even more so for the many lives that have been seriously damaged by his and other state employees' gross abuse of state power. Business Regulations Director Dave Buhler has resigned. Jay Butler has resigned and we would assume as a minimum, State Securities Director Earl Maeser and Investigator Brent Hermanson will be asked to resign or be fired because of their significant roles in this tragedy. A $10 million company was destroyed, 75 jobs were wiped out, illegal searchers based on fraudulent affidavits were conducted, numerous shareholders threatened with prison, and malicious criminal charges were filed which had to be dropped once the state, under pressure, finally conducted an appropriate investigation and determined there had been no wrongdoing. 1. ) The state took the first correct step when Paul Van Dam admitted publicly they had made a mistake and dropped all the charges. 2. ) The second proper step was asking the lead prosecutor, Jay Butler, to resign or be fired. 3. ) The third correct step would be a negotiated settlement for damages so we can all put this tragedy behind us. Everyone has been the loser because of this gross abuse of power by misguided public servants who were carrying out a personal vendetta. It is a tragedy when you nave to fear your own government. Fellow next citizens, be aware and be concerned time it could be you. Jeannine Gagnon Springville Editor: Over the years, Provo City and all of our sister communities in Utah County have been the beneficiaries of thousands of volunteer hours and projects. These volunteer efforts have improved our quality of life and beautified our neighborhoods and business areas. While much good work has been done in almost every area, we still face a serous problem with literacy. Today in Utah County there are hundreds of adults who are limited in their work opportunities and life style because they have not achieved competency in reading and writing skills. Illiterate adults are often very intelligent endorsed have who but are they face serious challenges. Many hungry" people adults cannot read directions, labels, reciNfike Leavitt for governor. From private life and the business com- pes, signs, prescriptions or want ads. They munity they are people like Charlie Bates. cannot fill out a job application or apply for a Carol Thome, Doug Morrison, Bill Fill- promotion or a new position at their place of more, LaVorn Sparks, George Bailey, Tom employment. They avoid situations which Sawyer, Dorothy Clark, Charone Smith, would reveal their illiteracy. We feel the impact of illiteracy in many Alan Ashton and on and on. From the educational community: Dr. ways but we also have the answer to the volun-teerisChase Peterson, Ted Bell, the P.T.A., the problem right in our communities Mike classroom teachers, etc. Incidentally, There is a need for tutors who will volunLeavitt, now a regent of our system of basis hither education, is committed to a four-ye- teer their time to work on a with individuals in Utah to want who County. improve their college jrom the political scene: 13 out of 13 reading skills. There is also a need to get Ujah County Republican legislators, all of information to people who would like to be the Republican commissioners in Utah, Salt helped and are willing to particiapte in the Lake. Davis and Weber Counties, past Utah program. If you are interested in serving as a County Republican Chair Raylene Ireland, tutor or if you know someone who could Governor Norm Bangerter, Senator Jake benefit from this program please call the Gatfi. Lieut. Gov. Val Oveson, Republican United Way Volunteer Line 374-810- 8. The first step in solving any problem is mayors' Joe Jenkins, of Provo, and Marie Hi iff, of Spanish Fork and many more. I being aware that it exists. September is Nahave never seen the Republican leadership tional Literacy Month and September 8th so (initcd and they will need to be in Novem- has been designated as National Literacy race between a Day. Residents throughout Utah are encourber because a three-wa- y Merrill Cook aged to turn on their porch lights for "Lights and a Democrat Republican, isindeed a close race that the Republicans on Literacy" that night. Thanks for your support. cspnot win without unity. ' r State Senator C. E. 'Chuck ' ' Peterson Mayor Joseph A. Jenkins Provo one-to-o- - It's the Catwoman School of Feminism Michelle Pfeiffer, actress and political theoretician, portrayed "Catwoman" in the recent film "Batman Returns." Pfeiffer considers Catwoman to be "an empowering character. " In a fashion presumably coveted by women, the felinoid feminist much of the movie maiming and spends When men. Batman, finally driven killing beyond forebearance, backhands the rampaging Catwoman, the feminist icon sniffles, "How dare you hit a woman?" Overcome by irrepressible chivalry, Batman and is promptly momentarily relents thrown over the ledge by the resurgent Catwoman. When she is not boasting of her "empowerment," the typical feminist will speak tremulously of the "fear" and "pain" inflicted by those who resist her demands. Catwoman's counterparts in real life (or rather in politics, which occasionally bears some resemblance to real life) are Hillary Clinton and her anguished supporters, who insist that conservatives are being beastly by "misrepresenting" Clinton's writings about the family. ed Shortly after the Republican Convention, columnist Ellen Goodman disgorged this complaint: "If they ever expand the laws against hate crimes, I want to file a suit against the Republican National Convention on behalf of one Hillary Rodham Clinton. We are talking hate speech here ... the nasty edge to the Hate Hillary speech n suit. '' turns this into a Like nearly everybody else in the prestige press, Goodman has become a propamean-spirite- d, class-actio- 7j CD At Home August 9 Hillary offered a speech before the annual convention of the American Bar Association. Although Mrs. Clinton was at the top of the marquee the big draw was Anita Hill, who has come to embody the VJilI Gjl30 and Abroad ganda minister for the Clinton campaign. She believes that criticism of Hillary Clinton's writings can result only from hatred and misogyny. It was not a conservative who excavated Hillary's opinions about the family; it was Gary Wills, a certified liberal and veteran Like many in the misReagan-bashe- r. named "Children's Rights" movement, Hillary seeks to "emancipate" children by disrupting parental authority. In a May Vanity Fair profile, Gail Sheeisn't ny wrote that, "Those who ask 'why (Hillary) running miss the point. Hillary Clinton is running ... they are, despite protestations to the contrary, for president of the United States." Their compatibility is striking. While Bill was eluding military service in Vietnam (and carefully regulating his inhalation), ColHillary was organizing Wellesley demonstration. lege's first Their political compatibility is an enduring marvel. To judge from its donors, the Clinton campaign could be considered a subsidiary of the litigation industry. On anti-Vietna- m profit potential of perjury . Hill urged the assembled lawyers to become feminist "social engineers;" persuading litigators to assume this role is about as difficult as seducing Catherine the Great. (Furthermore, like Catherine, most actiyist laywers profess concern for the downtrodden while expanding the power of the political elite.) Hillary followed by declaring that "All women are in Anita Hill's debt." This will perplex the majority of American women who believed Clar-- . ence Thomas, ratherthan Anita Hill. Carolyn Y. Staley, a Clinton family friend quoted in Vanity Fair, has explained, "Hillary's tough as nails. Bill has always deferred to women to fight his battles." If Hillary is tough enough to shield her invertebrate husband, surely she can endure the criticism she has provoked over the course of a very public career. The Catwoman school of feminism dicalternately predatory :nd pathetic to hateful and tates that it is scurrilous criticize public figures like Hillary. Goodman's desire to make criminals of Hil- lary's critics is not without precedent. National Review reports that a Florida lawyer was sentenced to six months of probation and 50 hours of community service for referring to a female prosecutor as a "little lady." This could be a preview of "justice" under the first Hillary Administra tion. One company's garbage is one town's treasure Turn on lights ar A lvAGlMAT70M, OR IS TTJE ELECTION COVERAGE LITTLE MORE TILTED THIS DEARTH AM USUAL? ne Provo What's good for General Motors apor is pears to be good for Sawyer, N.D. it? Sen. Kent Conrad, and Sawyer, a town of 319, are having a head-o- n collision over that question. Sawyer isn't hard to picture think of a Norman Rockwell painting. A small farming community with no traffic lights and only one police officer who works part time. The 25 firefighters work on a volunteer basis, earning $4 per fire, even after a recent blaze. Emergency calls ring simultaneously in the homes of 14 of the firefighters. Downtown Detroit is more than 1,200 miles away from Sawyer, and many worlds apart culturally. But Sawyer has something that the Fortune 500 automaker desperately needs: a dumping ground. G.M. will deliver 8 percent of its total waste to a landfill nine miles south of Sawyer. The scrap metal, concrete rubble, dried paint residue and other "stabilized materials" from over 100 G.M. plants across the country will be railroaded into town. Sawyer's own mayor, Dennis Redding, will be waiting. Redding will haul the arriving waste in his pick-u- p truck from the railroad station to the Echo Mountain landfill. By 7 a.m. most mornings, Redding is busy packing dirt into a cell to ready the landfill site. Redding didn't even appear on the ballot .earlier this year to get to his fourth four-yeterm, winning 54 of 98 D-N.- 12-ho- ur ar Letters policy The Daily Herald welcomes letters to the editor. Address letters to Letters to the Editor, PO Box 717, Provo, UT 84603. Letters must be signed and include the writer's full name, address and a daytime phone number for verification. representing the trash merchants" recently "camped out just off the Senate floor" to preserve their rights in deals such as Sawyer's. Conrad's outspokenness has stirred up a hornet's nest. Redding and the five members of the town's city council fired off a stinging letter to the senator, accusing him of belittling the town as small and struggling in the North Dakota press. "Senator, you have insulted us by callSyndicated Columnist ing us 'economically hard pressed' without ever having been to Sawyer or Echo Mountain. You have insulted our integrity as n write-iworking people. ... Does a community candidate for the votes cast as a that raised over $4,500 to upgrade the moonlighting position, which often entails chasing down stray infield on its baseball diamond sound 'hard pressed?'" the July 28 letter argues. dogs. in is "North Dakota a bind," Redding "How many larger cities in our state told our associate Ed Henry. "There's no would welcome a business that would industry that's growing. People are leav- -. bring more than 30 good paying, permaing because of unemployment. You look nent jobs to their area?" If G.M. is an answer to Sawyer's prayaround the United States and the waste then it's also an answer to G.M's. ers, is industry growing everywhere." Some 43 states currently import and G.M. reduces the controversy to a simple case of supply and demand. With landfill export what amounts to normal household space across the country shrinking, corpo- some trash, and every state exports rations are scrambling to find a diminishamounts of both hazardous, ing number of dumping grounds. G.M. or industrial waste. Municipal Services Corp., which owns and operates the says that their waste management costs landfill, is a subsidiary of U.S. Pollution had skyrocketed until it settled on Sawyer. Control, Inc. Although the safety of Echo It's becoming advantageous for corporaMountain has not been challenged, USPCI tions in states with stringent environmental has been cited for numerous violations and regulations to shop around for states with has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars softer requirements. "We don't need to keep generating in connection with alleged violations at liabilities," says a G.M. spokesother landfill sites across the country. man. "Superfuhds get pretty expensive. Without G.M.'s garbage and a job from is here." Municipal Services Corp., Redding would This pure economics "This is a stunning story," says Conhave been forced to uproot his family from rad, who is retiring at the end of his term. this farming community. "It's a sad commentary when garbage, "The thing that really raised my interest trash and sludge become sold as answers to ... is the fact that nobody has any say if a economic problems to states like mine," community (like Sawyer) signs a deal with Conrad told us. He expressed his disgust at a big company. What happens to the quality of life of the surrounding community?". seeing what he called "a pack of lobbyists Andciccn $25-a-mon- th non-haz- ai us nd once-thrivi- ng . . |