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Show TfflJNDERBlRD THE THUNDERBIRDDSOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY!! MONDAY JANUARY 28, 1 991 PAGE 4 MO ONE WINS IN A CULTURAL WAR a war raging in the U.S. that is just as intense and costly to society as the Gulf Tills conflict has torn families apart, destroyed individual potential and created a social rift founded in misconceptions and outright lies. Everyone becomes a casualty as there are no victors in this war that wields hatred and indifference as its surest weapon. Bringing harmony between the varied cultures is our greatest challenge for the future. We subscribe to the claim that the U.S. is the most culturally diverse nation in the world. But with the great potential that cultural diversity offers comes a fear from some social classes that emphasizing cultural awareness will education. dilute or degrade traditonal Western-orienteThis is utter nonsense. Diversity is essential for human survival; with diversity comes an endless array of intellectual, physical and biological possibilities needed for the continuation of the human species. The environment creates variations, even among twins, and the same principles can be applied to cultures. In education, finding a reasonable cultural balance has been a long, often difficult process. Here at SUU weve attempted to bring a greater understanding of many racial, ethnic and cultural groups through our Multicultural Center, International Week and the Intercultural Communication course. But we feel that more needs to be done. On the institutional level, SUU should seriously consider making the Intercultural Communication course a general education requirement. Southern Utah may not have a wide diversity of cultures yet, but many graduates will find themselves, through their jobs, in cultural settings other than their own. On an individual level, a good starting point for fostering greater intercultui al communication includes learning a second language, which serves to broaden ones knowledge of remarkable cultural characteristics. In addition, both students and faculty should take advantage of various programs. Southern Utah has been spared the ravages of the cultural war: a conflict that has left many eastern colleges divided. Yet, the time will come as it surely must when a greater diversity of cultures will call southern Utah home. By realizing greater awareness now, we can avoid future problems. is There half-truth-s, d study-abroa- d SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY Editor Kathleen Midgley Associate Editor Natalie Coombs Opinion Director James Spainhower Photo Editor Jeff Dower Copy Editor Lisa Jane Laird Sports Editor Brent Richey CEDAR CITY, UTAH Arts Editor Cheris Tucker Production Manager Rachelle Sherratt Advertising Manager Brent Richey Ad Production Manager Cynthia Jenkins Staff Production Head Lynn Dennett Faculty Adviser Larry Baker Thf Thxwderbxid is published each Monday and Thursday of the academic year by and for the student body of Southern Utah University and is not affiliated in any wav with the Universitys department of communication. The views and opinions expressed in The Thimderbud are the opinions of the publications individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the institution, faculty, staff or student body in general. The unsigned editorial directlv above is the opinion of 7V 'Ihintierbird as a single entity. Letters to the editor must be tvped and include the name and phone number. Only the name will be printed. Names will not be withheld under any circumstances and the editor reserves editing privileges. letters must be submitted by noon Fridays for Monday editions; 5 pm. Tuesdays for Thursday editions. The Ihintlerbud- offices in SUU Industrial Education Building 005 Mail at SUU Box 9484, Cedar Citv. I'T 84720 Phone (801) FAX Go OOfVTH, VOOOS A1AJ.J. ACCESS Certain doctrines are worth a war is a recurring column through which members of the campus community may address themselves to topics of concern andor interest. Todays column is by Lynn S. Dennett, Access a publications specialist at SUU and production staff head for The Thunderbird. Ifyou want war , nourish a doctrine. Doctrines are the most to which men are ever subject , because tyrants fnghful doctrines get inside of a man s reason and betray him against himself. Civilized men have done their fiercest fighting for doctrines. William Graham Sumner A little over a week ago, a storm swept the Middle East and the world. With it came a wave of emotions, even sweeping over the United States, sacred conventions such as soap operas. People stormed the Bay Bridge in protest. Our own Student Center was manned inside and out by protesters and supporters alike. I would like to ask both sides who really knows enough to make a judgment call? I dont. I dont want to know enough about war. My parents told me about WWII when their friends and loved ones, including my father, went to fight. Some of their friends never came back. Now my friends are at war. I want my friends to come back, safe. I dont like to think of them over there; I dont want to think of possibly having to go, cither. But, Ill go if I have to. I cant say that Im for war; Im not against it either. But if war becomes the only alternative, then Bush has by all means pursue it. President-Georgtaken a lot of heat for his decision to gc to war. From what I know, every means to bring the Gulf Crisis tj a peaceful end was exhausted. I cant make the judgment call; I dont have all of the facts. The current generation enjoys a privileged existence. We have the right to storm the Bay Bridge; we have the right to burn the flag. Isnt it ironic that these same rights were saved by people willing to go e to war to preserve the same for us in 1991? Just so we can bum effigies of George Bush in protest of our current situation. As the war continues, more and more facts are revealed about the literal decimation of Kuwait and some events preceeding the attack. One report spoke of Saddam Husseins testing chemical bombs on his own people. Television viewers reeled in disgust at Kuwaiti toddlers body pictures of a with a bullet through its head. Did the soldier have to shoot the kid in self defense? As more and more facts slowly come from the Gulf it becomes more apparent that Hussein has no concern for human life. I was slightly amused at the shock the White House showed at the recent videos exploiting captured Allied pilots, saying it was a clear violation of the Geneva Convention, of which Iraq is a signatory. They went on saying that Hussein was morally as well as legally obligated to abide by that agreement. How naive can you get? If hed gas his own countrymen, who would expect him to honor the Geneva Convention? Even though the information is steadily flowing from the Gulf, not all is available for public perusal. I dont have all of the facts. CNN doesnt have all of the facts. President Bush, we must assume, does. If we were put in his shoes privy to the information he had, we may have made the same decision he did even if it was to go to war. I want peace. Who wouldnt? But to achieve world peace it may just take the threat of a major military power like the U.S. to keep the Husseins of the world from raping and pillaging countries like Kuwait. War protestors line the streets, some even resorting to burning a police car and beating the policeman. What a way to demonstrate against the violence of war. Whats their slogan? Well have world peace if we have to beat it into your skull? Im glad they can have their opinion and share it; thats a doctrine worth waging a war for. |