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Show THE THUNDERBIRD ca )fihcfruc ( )ijirAV4r MONDAY NOVEMBER 3. 1986 PGE urto Rich for your eye care needs. Now all students, faculty and employees of SUSC will receive a 20 discount from the doctors already low fees for contacts, glasses and fashion frames, in fact, everything. Dr. A.F. Captain Ignorant rides again Originally, was going to devote this week's column to one subject. However, it looks like I'm going to have to cut my remarks on my intended subject short, in order to address something else that just came up. will do that now, and whatever space have left will go toward my intended subject. resent doing this and will be as brief as possible. It seems that some people out there (probably the same ones who think that a journalist a reporter of facts, and a columnist a spewer of opinion, are one and the same) have been rubbed the wrong way by my last column on the attitude toward drugs. Somehow, they have gotten the impression that am a staunch supporter of drugs and madness, and that am probably a Dope Fiend myself. have already gotten letters to this effect, and anticipate more. So. For The Record: do not condone drug use. do not believe that the crimes committed by drug users should be tolerated. The excuse, "I was drunkon drugs when killedinjured those people, and therefore should not be held accountable," is unacceptable. Crime is crime, no matter its cause or effect, and should be dealt with in accordance to its severity. do not believe that society is entirely responsible for drug and alcohol abuse, and do not believe that society should have to pay for the havoc wreaked by dope fiends and drunk drivers. do believe, however, that societal improvements such as improved living conditions for the poor, and equal rights amendments that are really equal, would go a long way toward solving the drug and alcohol problem in the U.S. do net believe that the individual can, or should be protected from himself. do believe that individuals should be protected from each other though. If a person wants to lock himself in his room and shoot up heroin, that's fine with me. It's his choice, his problem, his life. But, as soon as that person gets behind the wheel of his car and starts to drive then it's an entirely different matter. His personal problem has become a very real threat to the lives of others. And that, simply, is wrong. g media hype will solve anything Finally, do not believe that it will only breed fear and irrationality where calm reason and concern are needed. Well. Now that that's out of the way, can launch into my intended raving frenzy about the scary legal precedent recently set by a Tennessee court when it ruled in favor of the Christian Fundamentalists who want certain books removed from the school. These dangerous books include, The Wizard of Oz, The Red Pony, and even The Living Bible, (it's not the King James version). Then of course there's the feared book of lies, Origin of Species, by the madman, Charles Darwin. But let's not even think about that one. Naughty naughty. According to the leader of this boneheaded movement, these books are dangerous because they "could produce changes in my child's way of thinking." And here thought that's what the purpose of being educated was. thought we were supposed to learn to think for ourselves. What a fool was. often wonder why it is that some people switch their minds over to auto censor when they encounter ideas that conflict with their own. wonder why, instead of having enough conviction in their own beliefs to confront alien ideas with reason and intellect, these people turn their controls over to Captain Ignorant and his buddy, Major Fear, then flee, weeping and jabbering about "blasphemy" which in my book has never been a solid argument against anything. When people start lobbing psalms and proverbs in my direction, my first reaction is to turn the other cheek and dive for cover. This, suppose, makes me as guilty of narrowmindedness as the Fundamentalists which goes to show that there are noeasy answers to any human problems, and everyone is subject to the demon of Hypocricy. But, hypocricy or not, still think that it is wrong to repress any idea or philosophy on the grounds that it is personally offensive. To do this is to deny the human spirit its right to seek the knowledge and diverse experience so crucial to growth, and to do this is to open the doors to decay. I I I A.F. RICH, PC CALL I I I OPTOMETRIST 60 NORTH MAIN CEDAR CITY 5Q6-C8Q- 1 I I I I I I rvr iyi a vi rxxx vxxxixrjLX'x'i 'ror: - r I E v vii Him I X XYXT XT XT X YTT XT XT I 911 Get anti-dru- I well-temper- J T TXX.XXTTT. T. V (NEXT TO SKAGGS & K MART) movies and a for only 'CS r 7 with student U o I.D. and coupon. Expires Nov. 20, 1986 r if i I I I "Knowledge is the ruin of my young men" Adolph Hitler. MONSQNIS u M rz. Casio Key Boards, Harmonicas, Duel Cassette Players: Toshiba, Sharp, Christmas Music. We also have a great selection of music boxes! Remember College students get a 10 discount. WASHERS ONLY with coupon Ex. Nov 16, 1986 Your Music Store 588 South Main. & More! (Renaissance Square) 5 |