Show 2D Standard-Examin- er Sunday May 27 1990 Memorial Day Memorial Day 1990 holds great significance We are no longer a nation living with the threat of war Peace is more than a hope Democracy has been embraced in nation’s whose peoples heretofore have only known tyranny Eastern European nations have leaders elected by the people Free elections are being held in the Soviet Union Barriers between nations — once believed impregnable — have fallen This nation has achieved some historical distance from the prolonged “Cold War” Antagonism between rival nations has lessened there is a diminished clashing of ideologies and the buildup of destructive nuclear arsenals is disappearing The leaders of the two superpowers will be meeting later this week in affirmation that the world climate is no longer shrouded in peril What better way to carry out the rich custom of paying love and respect to our dead and our fallen war heroes than to reflect on the value of this d peace that is sweeping across the globe Memorial Day as formally established and historically celebrated was declared a national holiday in 1866 just one year after the end of the American Civil War Memorial Day was expressly set aside by Congress to remember the extreme sacrifices of war so that it wouldn’t happen again But in the 200-plyears of this republic war has happened again and again and again Its sacredness is embodied in its tributes to those who died in this nation’s wars and a show of appreciation for their gallantry in preserving our cherished liberties The perspective of Memorial Day has changed with the tide of world events but the innate yearning of Americans to express their feelings over the loss of loved ones has not Therefore cemeteries will be filled as families and friends take wreaths of flowers to gravesites Crosses and miniature flags will stand as senti- nels of freedom at the resting places of those who fought so valiantly and paid the supreme sacrifice for this nation Marble headstones designate the graves of loved ones where families and friends will gather on this solemn and significant national holiday Memorial Day’s calendar position is also important to the human soul It coincides with the seasonal change schools recess new beginnings are everywhere as graduates participate in the rite of passage There is an air of exhilaration in knowing that warm weather activities are now commu-nistsociali- st new-foun- us possible Memorial Day 1990’s observances will be dramatically heightened in knowing that the fears of wars have been eased and the horizon shines from the reflection of the new birth of freedom that is racing across continents Despite deficiencies education achieves The annual report card from the US Education Department had the proverbial good and bad news for Utah As suspected Utah flunked came in at an embarrassing ratio and last — 51st among the states — in teacher-pup- il expenditure per student On the brighter side Utah had the highest number of high school graduates who pass Advanced Placement test for college credit — more than any other state Utah also ranked third in the number of students who take the placement classes The same report contained other information favorable to Utah We were one of five states among the 28 that use the American College Test as their preferred college entrance exam where the average scores on the test did not drop Utah’s average score remained the same with a composite score of 189 The national average is 186 The greatest concern of the national report is contained in Education Secretary Lauro Cavazos’s comments that for the fourth consecutive year there has been no improvement in achievement tests Although Utah’s classroom sizes are at an unacceptable level in the latest report that 51st ranking could dramatically change in the next report because of 1990 legislation that allows local school districts to enact a 2 mill levy for the reduction of class sizes Nonetheless the national report on education is a tribute to the ingenuity dedication and commitment of Utah’s teachers to educate students with a willingness to learn even though they are hampered by less than acceptable educational conditions It proved that despite deficiencies in funding and class sizes Utah is not producing dummies It is clearly an example of how students can achieve 'wnen there are qualified teachers who can deliver quality education and inspire accomplishment with fewer dollars ad-vanc- ed For once the NRA is under the gun WASHINGTON — Sen Dennis DeConci-n- i waved a picture of a Street d cannon with Sweeper a black enough firepower to blast away a herd of dinosaurs He explained to Senate peers that the Street Sweeper aka Striker 12 is a magazine South Afrishotgun with a ca’s military designed it to riddle riot mobs Rambo could buy For $700 any would-b- e version the “Can anybody imagine hunting a deer with one of these?” DeConcini said “You’d blow him all over the woods” iz many women weeping over coffins many children without fathers” Sandy Grady pistol-grippe- ge 12-sh- ot US-ma- de Never mind deer The National Rifle Association would love to make DeConcini an endangered species His betrayal was shocking Hadn’t the NRA given DeConcini its “A” rating for protecting guns and named him “Legislator of the Month”? Suddenly DeConcini was a traitor the Benedict Arnold of the gun lobby DeConcini impressed by horror stories from outgunned Arizona cops was proposing a ban on nine paramilitary assault rifles including four US makes — the MAC 10 and 11 Colt AR-1- 5 INTRATEC and CAR-1- 5 TEC-- 9 and infamous Street Sweeper another dead-megun bill NoDeConcini it would not pass body thought not the Bush administration not the NRA which routinely terrifies politicians As usual the NRA which believes every American has a Second Amendment right to carry a bazooka for target practice poured on e ads (“It Can Happen full fire It ran Ho-hu- m at full-pag- Here”) equating DeConcini’s bill with the Soviets’ stripping firearms from Lithuanians “He’d take guns away from decent people and do nothing to stop crime” NRA director Wayne LaPierre said noting the 3 million that would still be on the streets “Maybe the odds aren’t good but we’ll d fight like hell” said DeConcini a watery-eye- d prosecutor All DeConcini seemed to have on his side were polls and cops Sure ever since the Stockton Calif massacre Americans have become fed up with Rambo-styl- e rifles Sure DeConcini surrounded himself with a sea of blue made up of the Fraternal Order of Police and other e cops bitter about facing bad guys with cannons But DeConcini had two aces in the hole First by hammering at assault guns as “drug-lordweapon of choice” he played on the enthusiasm Second he Senate’s drug-wa- r suspected the NRA’s clout had faded After all the New Jersey legislature a week earlier had surprisingly beaten NRA forces It passed the nation’s toughest ban on assault rifles Could the US Senate be by semi-automati- cs sandy-haire- fast-fir- s’ out-gutt- ed New Jersey? As the debate began you couldn’t figure who outnumbered who in Senate hallways — cops or NRA lobbyists “There are too many bullet holes in blue” DeConcini said with unusual passion “Too Too n antagonist Orrin Hatch fumed “Honest decent people like to shoot these guns Deranged psychopaths crooks and violent people will still get them” who lost Howard Metzenbaum vote 24 hours earlier tried to an anti-gu- n buck up the troops “Don’t be afraid of the NRA” Metzenbaum cried “It’s a paper ti' His ah pro-gu- io ger” As the vote began under the eyes of NRA lobbyists DeConcini said almost prayerfully rit’s going to be dam close” Then came the ban stunner — DeConcini’s assault-gu- n 8 squeaked through “It’s a great day” said his ally Joe Biden “but frankly one I didn’t expect” Why the upset? Maybe it was the cops’ n polls Or New Jersey’s prepleas Or cedent Or NRA’s weakening muscle Or maybe key senators were struck by an absurdity: How on the same day could they speed up the death penalty while ignoring deadly firepower on US streets? “We lost a battle not the war” the NRA’s LaPierre said n He’s right Republicans were plotting a filibuster to drone DeConcini’s bill to death If it does get through Congress well there’s No 1 NRA member George Bush waiting with a veto the gun If DeConcini could double-cros- s lobby if cops polls and even New Jersey showed moxie can Bush be less brave? 52-4- 'D-D- el anti-gu- Pro-gu- Knight-Ridd- er Newspapers Disabled Americans foresee new world WASHINGTON — Joshua Chartienitz couldn’t clap his hands his mother had to do it for him His fingertips are bent over Many people around him couldn’t clap either or shout but somehow there was a joyful noise in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall as members of Americans with Disabilities watched on closed-circu- it television House passage of a bill that will give them a better life At 5 Joshua was according to his proud mother Jenifer Simpson “the littlest lobbyist” She pushed him around in his wheelchair to the offices of Maryland legislators and told them what the bill would mean to her son Joshua can’t talk walk feed or dress himself But his mother expects him to get a job While Joshua sucked on a large “Americans With Disabilities” button she said emotionally “With this bill he can be anything he wants to be” The immediate consequence for Jenifer and Joshua will be that they can go more places They won’t have to wait an hour for the bus with the chairlift that runs near their house They can get into hotels by the front door instead of by the back alley through the trash barrels Jenifer slight and spirited says Joshua “gives us so much back — he’s a social little guy makes friends easily" A wheelchair away was Bob Williams Jenifer's at the Cerebral Palsy Foundation He has difficulty speaking but was plainly elated throwing his head back and excitedly fingering words on the “talk board" he held in his lap “Bob is an absolutely brilliant man” said Jenifer “He is a published poet he used to be on Sen Weickcr's staff He's a graduate of George Washington University and a consultant to the US Civil Rights Commission" "i er - school “a segregated school” where she says she learned nothing but how to manipulate the system and feel sorry for herself But Aquinas College gave her a chance she He was also on the lobbying learned how to study and was on her way team assembled from various handicapped d As Rep Steny Hoyer the hero of interest groups who have been working for the hour came into the Statuary Hall and better access and education since 1973 They went to the microphone Kate Wolters’ eyes went forth daily for months to persuade Confilled with tears “I feel fortunate to be here” gress that rights for the disabled is a civil she said Hoyer inherited the leadership of rights issue The presence of Ralph Neas of the bill from Tony Coelho the former Demothe Leadership Conference on Civil Rights cratic majority leader who quit the House last helped make the point year Hoyer was awed by the commitment of The major thing was the strategy Pat the bill’s clients “You are the primary reason this bill has Wright of the Disability Rights Education just passed the House” he said He promised is blind devised Defense Fund who legally see them in the Rose Garden for the presito to it: “We didn’t want people dential signing speak for us we wanted to speak for ourSen Tom Harkin chief Senate sponsor selves We wanted to show them we are not came through to be cheered He stopped by ‘the handicapped’ but people with disabilithe wheelchair of Duane French who has ties” been paralyzed from the neck down since he They were effective Only 20 members of was 14 French a natty figure in pinstripes the House dared vote against them It's the with a carnation in his buttonhole had come dawn of a new day the farthest to lobby — from Anchorage Kate Wolters has the pleasantest face imagAlaska He was arrested twice for his efforts inable She looks like your favorite elementaand spent a night in a District of Columbia ry school teacher Standing on her jail He had staged a sit-i- n in the office of wheelchair she looked as if she were kneeling Rep Bud Shuster a author of an down At age 33 she is 3'j feet tall Dwarf- amendment to cut back on “reasonable acism hasn't stopped her commodations" in cities of less than 200000 She is the executive director of a foundaThe cell door wasn’t wide enough to admit tion She drives a car She has a master’s dehis wneelchair He had a good laugh thinking gree in social work from Michigan State that next time it will be “This law is so exciting" he said “A University She is happily married to a man of average size a merchant They met in a now has greater opportunities to get bar back into the community right away When I “That'll look bad in the paper" she chuckbroke my neck I became a nonentity Most led "but that's the way it happened" of the people around me thought life was It took her a while to reach this plateau As over for me and I was just waiting to die" a child she went to a special education Universal Press Syndicate Mary McGrory D-M- able-bodi- ed R-P- I ' -- |