OCR Text |
Show 2jhe Magna Times West Valley News, Thursday, March 2, 1995 Editorial Letter to Editor Dear Editor: I am writing because I feel I have no choice. I have devoted my entire life as an educator and artist to the creation and protection of culture. Culture is not a fashionable word to most 21st century Americans. We may not agree what it means, we may not even know what it is. But we will certainly know young peoples lives are spiraling downward in ignorance, ugliness, and despair, which naturally strike back with revenge and violence. If things continue as they are, in a few years we wont need to worry about getting people into our art museums; instead, we will so need, to lock the doors A art. the dont they destroy few years ago, J.M. Coetzee, a South African novelist, wrote a book entitled Waiting for the Bfurbarians. He concluded, as some of us have, that we dont need to wait much longer. Recently, the Utah State when we lose it. We are witnessing the annihilation of culture as we know it. I feel I cannot stand by silently while everything I value horrifyingly collapses like a movie of a cathedral destroyed by a slow-motio- n . bomb. ' The annihilation of culture takes some very recognizable forms: abdication of individual civic responsibility, Legislature passed a resolu- tion in favor of reinstilling values in Utah institutions. We all know that no one can legislate values, but we can legislate support for activities which carry values, which enin other courages values as happened in ancient Greece; unbounded in- dulgence in sex, power, and violence, as happened in ancient Rome; the failure of genuine spiritual or political leadership, as happened in the Middle Ages; the rapid growth of a massive words, activities which regenerate the human soul. I am writing to speak on behalf of those acts which literally save the soul arts education in our schools and lifelong participation in the arts of society. uneducated underclass as happened before the Industrial and Bolshevik Albert Einstein once said, The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them. Even to articulate the problems facing education and the arts in Utah requires a quantum leap in thinking. Revolutions; the suppression of intellectual inquiry and artistic freedom, as happened in the Inquisition, Nazi Germany, and our own McCarthy fcra. 1995. America, Utah, 1995. We have all the symptoms: widespread disrespect for law, unleashed appetites for sex and brutality, lack of a spiritual center, arid a rapidly growipg underjlass w disadvantaged socially, economically, and educationally. ' In spite of the dedicated efforts of parents and teachers, some of our " W&mf overall academic performance, yet in most Utah schools, the arts core curriculum is not being implemented as mandated by the State Board of Education. Statistics argue for the arts as a social force, particularly for giving youngsters to gang membership, alter-nativ- es substituting creative expres- sion for violence, and providing the underprivileged with a renewed sense of At the same time, funding for the arts has never been more precarious. self-wort- h. The arts at once create and preserve culture. They are a direct measure of what a civilization what Utah the and values, only permanent documentation that we existed at all. Art is the journey from one heart into anothers. We may not understand or like the journey. It may sound crashingly dissonant, as it does in some contemporary music, or proudly majestic, as it does in our Baroque classics. It may look disturbing or even chaotic, as it does DAY 36 We are coming down the home stretch and everyone is starting to feel the strain. The tension during this session has been enormous and it is going to be a difficult finish. Today, our congressional delegation made their annual pilgrimage to the state capitol to address the legislature. Reps. Orton and Green and Sens. Hatch and Bennett each visited both houses and made brief comments about the Washington scene. (Rep. Hansen visited us on Friday). One of the bills I sponsored came before committee today. This bill actually REPEALS a statute. One less law on the books. It seems that this statute said that a sale is not final until the state finishes processing their paperwork and issues a title. That is ridiculous and it was brought to light by a recent court case where a young woman bought a car, paid cash, left on a trip, got drunk, and wrecked the vehicle, killing three and seriously injuring two others. Her attorney1 stated that she did not own the car because the$tate had notissued her a title. In addition, he argued that the selling dealer had willfully endangered his client by negligently entrusting the car to her. She would have won the case had there not been a mistake made in arguing the case. This is not just an issue for dealers. You, as an individual, are also affected if you sell your car. You REMAIN the owner untQ your customer gets the car licensed and titled. My bill zipped through committee and should sail through to final passage. in some contemporary abstract painting, or it may be tender and spiritual, as it is in our greatest religious art. Art takes us (daces we cannot go any other way. Art makes us grow in directions we cannot grow any other way. Stabilizing the arts in Utahs legislative expenUtah will, in a very real ditures on the arts totaled just sense, help to stabilize socieof one twelve ty, bringing light to a darkenof the total state percent ing future, bringing hope to a hudget, yeteveryjdollarsRepU..world so. in needol healing on the art leverages 11 to 26 dollars in federal and private Sincerely,. Aden Ross money. Numerous studies Utah Arts Council prove that the arts in the curriculum increase students Board member voluntary, health insurance coalition, to provide small businesses with health insurance. low-co- st MAGNA TIMES USPS 325-58- 0 8980 West 2700 South Magna, Utah 84044 J. HOWARD STAHLE Publisher : GARY BLODGETT Editor KENT GOBLE - Feature Writer DEANNA JONES Arts S Entertainment Editor Production Manager KARL C. RANKIN, JR. Staff Writer SHARON LINSCHOTEN Staff Writer DALE SIMONS Sports Columnist DANA JONES Layout Published each Thursday Subscription $15 per year $18 per year out of state Second class postage paid at Magna. Utah 84044 Postmaster Send change address to: Magna Times W. 2700 So. Magna, UT 84044 8980 (801)250-565-6 FAX (801) 250-568- all those involved. Everyone wins with this coalition concept because the employer has the potential to lower costs and simplify administration, the employee gets greater choice, physicians will see greater stability in their relationships with patients, and the health in- 5 of be offered through National Dental Health, a vision plan will be offered through Vision Service Plans Inc., and a discount optical plan will be of- fered through government-ru- n Paradise Yesterday, alliances, voluntary and nongovernmental. It relies solely on market forces to achieve cost containment and is based on current legislation, noted Bush. With company quarters in Salt Lake City, CARE of Utah stands for Coalition of Agents Representing Employers of Utah. Annual sales for 1995 are projected to be $13.5 ' Want to keep up on all the community news? HB305, ; - 1 DAY the Governors health before they could vote on the bill. There were many questions and I couldnt get a feeling about how controversial the bill is going to be. I do know that the Eagle Forum would love to kill this bill. They do not feel that the government should do anything but DISBAND. They make Atilla the Hun look like a flaming liberal. On the floor of the Senate we debated a hotly contested set of workers compensation bills. These bills were offered by a task force i committee formed by the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce. Of course, they were heavily ' opposed by labor because they were not very .; worker friendly. We spent most of the day on these bills and by the time they were amended, and amended, and amended, they were almost palatable. Only time will tell if they are good laws. , . DAY 38 Today we were greeted with the news that there has been a breakdown in the negotiations on the budget between the Governor and the Republicans in the Legislature. It is 39 Today the Senate honored Warren Nuesmeyer. Warren has been a lifelong booster for the State of Utah, especially Magna. He has been a champion for the rights of labor and a tireless worker for the Democratic party and for democratic principles. One of the Republican leaders said with tongue in cheek, It is people like Warren who give Democrats a GOOD name,. I was honored to stand and offer remarks for Warren. I consider him a very good friend and he gave me great help to become a state senator and wise counsel to ponder while I have been here. My best wishes, thoughts, and prayers go out to Warren. He is ill but it is our hope that, being the fighter he is, he will overcome this adversity just as he has overcome many other adversities in his lifetime., care bill, was heard in the House Health Committee. The committee ran out of time CARE of Utah is a private market coalition that is en- tirely DAY DAY 37 Optical. CARE of Utah was created by a group of local independent agents and consultants Unlike the Clinton plan which called for mandatory, surance carriers can market million. their services in a way never before possible, said Bush. out-of-ar- STACEY T. CASE . According to Michael D. Bush, CARE of Utahs marketing director, the more than 44,000 small businesses throughout Utah will have the power under this new approach to contain costs while allowing their employees the choice of these leading managed care companies. Bush also noted that the coalition allows advantages According to Bush, coverage for medical, life, dental, and disability insurance will be handled by U.S. Life, an A rated insurance company operating in all 50 states. Additionally, a voluntary dental plan will Staff Writer or Healthcare of Utah have agreed to offer plans through the CARE of Utah coalition. to BONNIE STAHLE Advertising Manager Office Manager Layout Sports Editor IHC Health Plans, FHP, Intergroup of Utah, and United be- UTAH STATE LEGISLATURE Top health insurance companies in new coalition Many of Utahs largest health insurance companies have announced they are participating in CARE of Utah, a my considered opinion that this state is ing held hostage by the John Birch Society. It is fine to be conservative, but when ANY viewpoint is carried to this extreme, it is bad for the process. I do hope that we will survive until the pendulum can swing back to the middle. It is unbelievable for me to see that the Republican party has one of the most popular governors in the states history and they treat him like a door mat. However, it is encouraging to know that there is ONE person on Capitol Hill who is having a more difficult and frustrating time than I am this session Mike Leavitt! The House Health Committee resumed hearings on the Health Bill today; however, discussion came to an abrupt end. One of the House members who also serves on the Health Policy Commission felt that she had not been given an adequate briefing on final negotiations the Governor had with the insurers. Good grief! The egos in this building are so gigantic you could be squashed like a gnat if one fell on you. My viewpoint is that once the Health Policy Commission made its report to the Governor, it was his bill to do with what he chooses. I was included in these meetings because I am the Senate sponsor, but other commission members had no need to be included. This is a delay that could really hurt us because we are running out of time. Today was also Seniors Day at the Legislature. It was good to see many of my friends from Magna and Tooele. My hat is off to the seniors for caring enough about the system to become involved. by SEN. GEORGE MANTES . 40 We are told that a compromise has been struck in the titanic battle of the Governor vs. the Republicans. The $90M property tax cut stays, the Governors bonding request is decimated, and the mysterious, extra $42M that showed up under the doormat, on our doorstep, at the eleventh hour, will be used to fund critical needs of the state. Its not enough to cover roads and schools, but is a heck of a lot better than what we had before. The press conference showed a Mike Leavitt who looked like hed had many better days. As a side note, yesterday in an outrageous . act of blatant hypocrisy, the legislature awarded the GUV a special citation for ser-- ; vice to the state. Very interesting! They stab him in the back with one hand and present him with a plaque as he lays bleeding. Is there no end to this madness? The health bill did not come to the floor of the House today because it could not be printed in time. If we are not able to pass this . bill, it will be a bitter disappointment to me and a tragic blow to the State of Utah. Drink a toast this weekend to giant egos and legislative stupidity. Ill be back fen the windup next week. Only three more days until sanity returns to my life. Sen. E.G. Mantes SUBSCRIBE! AMBROSE WHAT IF YOUR HUSBAND CAME HOME AND FOUND ME IN YOUR ARmSIIV . |