OCR Text |
Show .jr X',. -i- JiMMiftiS aifJrwg oiv rur words of American slang, 'swell' and think 'swell' is lousw but 'lousy' is swell. " J.B. Priestley, British novelist (1894-1984- '7 itimr 'lousw ' 1 12 ). Thursday, October 19, 1995 The Daily Herald sraeli, Palestinian peace nay be accomplishable By OMAR M. KADER Achieving peace between Israel and the Palestinians has been a long and arduous process, one which is beginning to yield results. I recently attended the White Hou .e reception to celebrate the peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Afterward, Israel's Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin reflected on the amount of blood shed lor the sake of Israeli security. Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat also spoke of the suffering of Palestinians, referring to the Israelis as "our cousins." The leaders are ready for peace, but the real task of establishing peace will now focus on the w illingness of people to adapt to change. Many challenges exist which make the success of the agreement difficult. Issues inhibiting the peace agreements still remain, including the control of Jerusalem, water rights and security details. Furthermore, extremists on both sides are working to undermine the negotiations. However, the issue of trust and the relations between the two parties are of utmost importance. The agreements have been signed, but Israel and the Palestinians have differing priorities. Israel is concerned with the amount of territory to relinquish to the Palestinians without jeopardizing national security. If Israel occupies more land than Palestinians think is fair, Israelis are threatened with more political unrest. If too much land is relinquished with no decline in terrorism, the current Israeli .:oernment will lose the next election. Palestinian concerns, on the other hand, on lost dignity and humiliation of nter u :ig their ancestral lands which they nsider holy. If Palestinian leadership is to govern effectively, it must take control of land under Israeli occupation. Because f past injustices inflicted on them, the Palestinians feel dispossessed of their !.iml. culture and dignity. Gaining control er their homeland is a step toward covering their culture and dignity. Unfortunately, it will take more than diplomacy to implement the recent agreement. Hostility has dominated the between Jews and Arabs for a ntury. A change in the mindset of .;;elis and Palestinians is crucial. in my most recent visit to the region, I spent some time in Jerusalem where I witnessed a telling conflict between an Israeli soldier and a Palestinian teenager. .Near the Damascus Gate in East Jerusalem is an otllce where Arabs go to get exit permits. s particular day, the streets were nurjfd with people jammed up against a a ire cage in front of the door. A squad of lsi;ieli soldiers approached the crowd. At die outer edge, one of the young soldiers, perhaps IS or 19 years old. stopped a rela-lonsh- ip Hn-jfir- . Palestinian teenager, 16 or 17 years of age, and demanded his identity card. The teenager produced it, the soldier inspected it and then threw it into the street among the rubbish. The Palestinian began shouting. The teenager's cries of outrage provoked the soldier to draw his rifle. Instantly, a squad leader, no older than 23 or 24, stepped in between the two. He took the Palestinian in hand, gently asking for an explanation of his problem. At the same time, he ges- - Sues! Gummeittaf y tured to his squad member to lower his gun and be quiet. The Palestinian complained of the unfair practices of the soldier. The squad leader agreed, expressed regret that it happened and urged the Palestinian tc be calm. Immediately, the Palestinian's appearance transformed from victim to a triumphant resister of oppression. The squad leader then confronted the young soldier, explaining that it was a mistake to throw the identity card on the ground. Instances like this are common for Arabs and Jews as they struggle to overcome hostility and implement peace. Likewise, lack of trust between Israel and Palestine has been a major factor to overcome. Even after direct negotiations started in secret in early 1993, there were numerous problems with trust. Each party used references to past atrocities committed by the other party in order to gain the upper hand. In exasperation and in order to progress toward peace, both sides agreed not to talk about the past and focus only on future possibilities. Focusing on what can happen in the future and with months of isolation from public interference, the parties learned enough about one another to develop trust and assurance that their counterparts were genuinely interested in a peace agreement. In supporting the peace process, the United States is integral in the treaty's success. Both sides rely heavily on the U.S. to mediate and give the agreements legitimacy. Both parties have acknowledged that without U.S. sponsorship, there would be no agreement. Israel and the Palestinians have shown the world that with trust, time and good intentions, peace is possible. Through more negotiations coupled with American support, continued peace will eventually be accomplished. Omar M. Kader is a Prow native who lives in the Washington, DC, area and travels to the Middle East regularly. Farrakhan manages to skip years and years of progress .ike your pick. The enormous gathering black men in Washington was nun ins inspiring. Or it was depressing. It pro-idj- d hope for the future. Or pessimism worry. O; maybe all of the above. The sight of hundreds of thousands of men getting together to pledge themselves 10 latherhood. marriage, family life, hard Aork and other irtues should be inspirational, whatever color they might be. But it means een more w hen black men . piess deotion to these values, because in most serious domestic problems begin all the no father black family. When dad-- : it leads to illegitimacy. a In Miic welfare, child neglect, drug use. l.'.k crime and so many other social iiai ramcs. However, there is a slight problem. It's Miliar to be a dutiful family man when iir'tO no pay check because you can't find decent job or ev en a crumrm one. businesses possessed by the dow the 1990s' cool way of spirit a walk, you're fired" - it's hard n jka where these jobs are going to come Especially for the y oung blacks who human tdvoming out of the big-cit- y sleDouses that we call schools. But ajf1?. Newt or Bill will think of someI no-sho- jji - say-I'gla- -- ' rr 11 thing , Jktifly of the speeches at the great rally were truly eloquent. There was emotional '.ilk about shunning guns and drugs, treat-ii- g each other "with respect, pooling stalling businesses, rebuilding neighborhoods and other good works. Fine. Wonderful. But the most gripping, eloquent speaker of them all w as Louis one of the few men in America w ho can talk for two hours w ithout putting anyone to sleep. I have to admit that I enjoy a TaiTakhan speech. It has rhythm, style, pacing, graceful transitions, soft phrases rising to thunderous crescendos. Unfortunately, it's not music. It's words. And no matter what kind of con job he tries to feed Larry King, w hen he lias a live and receptive audience. just can't resist playing the Far-lakha- n. soft-spoke- n Far-lakh- Jew-baitin- honkie-hatin- history-twistin- g iicPtiigot'ue. So there we had hundreds of thousands c1 Hack men. pouring into Washington in a of solidarity, brotherhood and praiseworthy expectations. They were joined by some of black America's most respected leaders, which was inspiring and should le a cause for hope. But who got them together? Who was the big draw ing card? Who got the biggest show Mike HoySco The Chicago Tribune cheers and most adulation? Louie "the Lip" Farrakhan. black America's most intluential hatemonger. If that's not depressing, you'll never need Prozac. Farrakhan even had the gall to speak fondly of Malcolm X while reciting a list of outstanding black men w ho have been victimized by white America Apparently he thinks we've all forgotten that Malcolm X was murdered in public, not by white racists, but by black hit men from the very same Black Muslim organization in which Farrakhan was a rising star. Yet the big Washington rally provided hope that w as so obvious that most of us couldn't have overlooked it. The speakers included black men with high political and governmental positions. The audience included black men who work in the professions, the news media, run their own businesses. live in solid middle-class communities and attend fine universities. Just think back only 30 years and the way things were. If anyone had told me the following: Within a few generations, the biggest cities in America would elect black mayors, major corporations would have black executives, the finest universities would be chasing after black students, the black middle class would dramatically expand and laws would have outlawed just about all forms of housing, political and educational discrimination. If anyone had promised those things w hen I w as dodging Klansmen in Alabama, I would hae said that 1 hoped to live long enough to be part of that Utopian society. And I've made it. Sn how come I'm depressed? BilQfS Confused about (aw In today's society the workplace can be very tricky. Sexual harassment is a problem, but also a handy tool for those who can use it in their favor. Recent events at a small Spanish Fork business are proof of this. There is a man who gave 12 years to the business as manager, working many hours, days, nights, weekends, holidays, etc. You see, he has an agreement, which was worked out a few years ago with the owner, that he will buy the place so the owner can retire. This was to take place over the course of time, so the price was set and the manager was striving toward that goal. As you can w ell guess, the price of real estate has gone up over the years, and now the owner can see that the price set a few years ago would not be to his advantage. Now what should he do? Should he honor the set price, or should he let his greed get in the way? Over the course of the years, the manager has had his wife, son, daughter and niece working for him, as well as children of his friends. Many of these are children he has known for most of their lives. Now the solution to the owner's problem comes into play. ''My lawyers say I have to fire you. because one of the employees has accused you of sexual harassment." Does the manager have the chance to defend himself? No! Face the accuser? No! Will he be told what was said? No! Just take your last paycheck and leave. 1 know that in today's world we need laws to protect us. but when the law is used in this manner, none of us are safe. Think about it. how many years do you have in your job? And look at how fast they can be wiped out. I for one will be very careful of the business that I support. I hope that for all of our sake, our employers would have enough common sense and respect for us to confront us and get all the facts before making a decision that can affect us in this manner. Just the thought of it takes your appetite away. Name on file destruction. And a POX on all of us. Alumni, students and townspeople, we need your help. Make a pledge now (not money yet) and help rescue this national 1 treasure. t Mail pledge (or request forms andt information) to the following address: B.Y. Academy Foundation P.O. Box 76, Provo, UT 84603 "Do your share for Academy Square." Bess Clark The misunderstanding is that The Daily Herald may have written something that no one is quite sure of. We have been told different by Dell Taylor. LaVetta Summers Provo idea has potential Mayor George Stewart has not been one of my favorite politicians. But, wait a minute, he seems capable of looking past the elitists in Provo to the needs of we peons. He is thinking of neighborhoods and the need to quell crime as well as domestic violence. He is thinking of juvenile misconduct and the failure of the war on drug abuse. He may even be thinking of teen pregnancies and runaway youngsters. His (or my) turn of thinking is gratefully seen in his announced plan to get a police officer stationed in residence in all of the Provo neighborhoods, perhaps in concert with neighborhood chairmen? That is a great idea George, and it has all kinds of potential. Hallelujah ! Eugene J. Faux Provo Not sure about park There may have been some misunderstanding regarding the Riverbend R.V. Park and the problems that may be caused by the road going through there. According to Dell Taylor, the leasee of the park from the state says the park is making everyone move except the ones w ho live there d and that is just one person. The other leaves around the first of Nov ember for a warmer climate. There may be another person who lives there y but I am not sure. The only trailers staying are those that have been there for a long time on lop of the hill but are not lived in now. All others below the hill were told that they had to go. So by now the park is almost empty. year-aroun- d. Provo A rest stop poem This is in response to the closure of the in Utah County and the lack of sufficient numbers of same throughout the state: The Centennial and the Olympics an advertising blitz Just don't expect a private place to sit(z). A pretrv great state, come one, come rest stop all You're invited, spring, summer, winter and all Come visit us, spend lots of money Just don 't expect any rest stops honey As you travel from place to place Alas, alas, there's no toilet space. Ain 't got a potty? Then try a bucket Put a lid on until you can chuck it. The real story, not bandied about Is an interchange to move cars about. Of money and taxes, we pay a lot All for the roads and none for a pot. Isn't less best? Isn't it just common sense to let go of the past? Isn't life complicated enough these days without clinging to the past? Doesn't wisdom suggest that we lighten up. smarten up and simplify our lives? As we choose to live in the now, as an ongoing link w ith our past, don't we earn spiritual freedom? Who wants to be a slave to materialism? If peace of mind be our goal in order to lead a more relaxed, less stressful lifestyle, doesn't humility and love suggest that less is best? Just asking. Ann Johnson Letters Policy The Daily Herald welcomes letters to the editor. Please address them to: Editor, The Dailv Herald, P.O. Box 717, Provo, FAX (801) UT 84603-071Letters must be signed and include the writer's full name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Preference is given to letters that are typed, double-spaceand shorter than 400 Do share for Square d published. Editor's Note With elections drawing nigh. The Daily Herald i.v beginning to receive its usual glut of letters to the editor that praise or bash candidates. Rather than running these letters as they come in, the Herald will be collecting them for group place- ment on specially designated "Political Letters " pages from time to time prior to zwrs-- w, 17P0&N7FITANY- - IF Sm<iG A THAWS Nv ft MA'AM. Mi YOU PONT MIND ASKING, HAV& YOUBZZN PX LOT OF VM MV&5Z5R T MINlTB ofbvexy PAH. - , ', ' the election. The last day such letters will be printed is Nov. 3, the Friday before the Nov. 7 election. BY GARRY TRUDEAU SORM, MR. SIMPSON, r) 9. words in length. Letters that are too long, unsigned, illegible, obscene or libelous will not be Doonesbury II 373-548- 7. In 1923 a high school boy from Rigby, Idaho, came to Provo. He attended B.Y. High and then went on to BYU. He had wonderful ideas about a new invention, probably not realizing it could become one of the greatest inv entions of the 20th century. He nurtured, dev eloped and performed many of the experiments that led to the invention right here in Provo, in the basement labs of the old Education Building on Academy Square. Yes, Philo T. Famsworth used those labs to develop essential aspects of his television technology. He is the U.S. inventor of electronic television. Preserving Academy Square is not just it has international signifa local issue icance. Wake up. Prov o! Are we going to let the laboratories that helped Famsworth create television be destroyed? I don't believe there is another city in the world that would let such a thing happen. FIE on you, Provo. if you allow this '. Phyllis Crookston ' American Fork -- p- i " i mimmw. 1 " |