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Show LE OPINION @ READER ADVOCATE, AA-2 @ PUBLIC FORUM, AA-2 os Fae eo TheKattLakeTribune — MEROLLY REPORT, AA-3 OUR VIEW The Salt Lake Tribune’s Editorial Position Patriot Games In a classic example of symbolism over substance, the Legislature is con- sidering a bill that would order the public schools to teach children the history and etiquette of the U.S. flag. Butif wmakers are truly worried about the depth of Utah students’patriotism, they should be focusing their attention on more substantial matters than flag eti- quette. They should be concerned with how much today’s students know about the Constitution,their nation’shistory, and how their government and econ- business. It orders the State Board of Education to provide for a program of instruction in the public schools relat- ing to the flag of the United States, in- cluding the history oftheflag, etiquette, customs pertaining to the display and use of the flag and otherpatriotic exer- cises outlined in federal law. Both teachers’ and students’ efforts would be better spent on more substan- tial academicmatters. A memberof the American Legion omy work. told the Senate Education Committee that Utah children don't knowto stand, Utah students know flag etiquette, law- be quiet and put their hands over their hearts when theflag is presented. But Rather than fretting about whether makers should be scared to death that so many Utah children can’t read and write. But wrestling with the shortcomings of the public school system in general and the civics and history curriculum in particular are hard work. Funding, taxes andtesting are difficult and controversial issues.It is far easier to propose a bill mandating the teaching of flag etiquette. Senate Bill 21, sponsored by Sen. Le- onard Blackham, R-Moroni, would be harmless if notfor the fact thatit would divert educators from more important whichis more important, that students know howtoactin a civic ceremony or that they know something aboutthe 10 Amendments in the Bill of Rights, why. they were enacted and the principles and freedomsthey protect? Besides, many teachers already show their students the rudimentsof respect for theflag,It is difficult to believe that this is a grave enoughcrisis to warrant the Legislature creating a new mandate for the schools. truelove of country rests ona solid foundationof learning, not-on superfi- Wise Ruling Utah’s Supreme Court upheld the idea of personal responsibility with a 3-2 ruling limiting the money families of people killed or injured by drunken drivers could extract from the businesses that sold the vehicle operators the alcohol. Theruling wasa fair, common-sense one that was based on theprovisions of Utah’s Dramshop Act, the same law that, in effect, gave legalnotice that it was OK — indeed,socially responsible ‘— to target bars, clubs or any other business that sold alcohol that a cus- reduced a $750,000 award against two private clubs — a sum thatthe trial court judge had reduced fromitsinitial $1 million in general damages and $350,000 in punitive damages. Theruling involved a lawsuit over a 1994 case in which Paul Bredehoft,after drinking at twoclubs,later was driving on 1-15, swerved into the emergency lane and hit a car parked there as its occupants were outside the vehicle fixinga flat tire. The accidentkilled Sean Adkins. Although it may seem that the high tomer subsequently abused. It also was an admirable exampleof how the judiciary is supposed to keep itself above impetuous emotionalism and renderits rulings on thebasis of reason and law. Utah's high court,of course, was not court’s ruling washeartless,it was not. Caring and empathyhavenothing to do interested in making a libertarian-like would have had to spurn thelawit is supposed to uphold in favor of its own emotionally charged caprice,' thereby threatening theSafety and certainty that rule of law is supposed to provide. Fortunately,it resisted this impulse. statement concerning personal respon- sibility. Rather,its majority relied upon the DramshopAct itself, which places a cap on the amountinjured parties can collect. In this case, the court’s decision JHE FUTURE F TAILGATING AT THE. UNIVERSITY & UTAH P cialrituals. with casting one’s eyes about and finding somethird party to forcibly extract wealth from. Had the court.ruled- otherwise, it ANOTHER VIEW From The Chicago Tribune Missed Again Iowa Gets 2 Bites Out of Primary Apple DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa looks like a different state this week as it prepares for Monday’s presidential delegate caucuses under a blanket of snow — a stunning contrast to the warm, sunny Saturday last August when the Republicansconducted their presidential straw vote in tem when a prototype rocket missed its missiles by signing on to Thisis a system well worth spending the moneyto thoroughly research and develop — and to deploy if it can be target over the Pacific Ocean on Tues- proved to be effective in deterring or day night. downing enemymissiles. Butso far,it is It was anotherin a string of largely unsuccessful tests of a system that notyet feasible. troubled national missile defense sys- would use space-based satellites and ground-based interceptors to protect America from nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles. Only one more test is sched- uled — in late April or early May — before President Clinton is scheduled to The day may come when deployment of a missile defense will protect U.S. land.It won’t make the U.S. impervious to nuclear assault; it is designed to thwart a nuclear missile launched by a roguestate. But deploymentwill be seen in some quarters as a provocation, and make a decision, as early as July, on the decision will force the United States whether to move ahead with full de- to conducta diplomatic tap dance. Clinton has already informed Russia ploymentof this system. It may take weeks to figure out exactly why the interceptor — a high-tech “kill vehicle” designed to destroy an enemy warhead by ramming it head-on — failed to strike its target. Butthe test clearly demonstrated one thing: It's premature to order deployment of this $12.5 billion shield. It’s not ready. Still, Clinton mightnotbe able to resist the temptation. This is an election year, and Republicans are clamoring for he wants to amend the 1972 AntiBallistic Missile treaty to allow such a system. The outraged Russians have threatened to stall progress on arms control treaties, fearing the United States might expandthis defense system one dayto try to thwart their extensive nuclear arsenal. If the United States proceeds to deploy, other nuclear pow- ers, such as China, may well build more weapons in an effort to overwhelm it, a missile defense system. They have spurring a nuclear arms race if India championed the idea since Ronald Re- and Pakistan follow suit. agan pledged to develop oneas part of his so-called “Star Wars”initiative in 1983. Clinton wouldhelp Vice President Al Gore intercept a few GOP rhetorical That's a risk that might be worth taking when the technology for an antimissile system is ready. Butit’s not.It’s notready yet, TheSalt LakeTribune UTAH'S INDEPENDENT VOICESINCE1871 PAST PUBLISHERS John F. Fitzpatrick (1924-1960) PUBLISHER Dominic Welch John W. Gallivan (1960-1983) Jerry O'Brien (1983-1994) KEARNS-TRIBUNE CORPORATION, 143 8, MAIN ST, SALT LAKE CITY, MILLI most to spend on organizing — and Forbes — are almost sure to mi. It is useful to test those organizations, butto doit twice in six months in the same place is redundant. Iowa Re- nearby Ames.Butit’s the samestate. And that is the problem. For more years than I care to re- member, I have defended the right of Towa and New Hampshire to lead off the nominating process, against the many critics who ask why two such relatively small and arguably untypi- cal states should alwayshavethe privilege of takingfirst crack at the candidates. Defending lowa and New Hampshire is easy, because overthe years, I have learned how seriously the voters of these twostates take their responsibil ities. They make it their. business to0. check out the White House with care. From high school assemblies to insurance company auditoriums and from church basements andcoffee shops to libraries and town halls, they turn outt the candidates and sin uptheir characters. The media in both states also take politics seriously, and the dialogue on talk shows andin letters-to-the-editor columnsgives everyone a chance to be heard — and to compare their own viewswith thoseof their neighbors. It may not be an ideal system; cerfy it is true that minorities are un- The Pentagon suffered another hu- miliating failure in thelatesttest of its because the straw poll and the caucuses test the samething: the ability ofcandidate organizations to turn out a fraction of the voting population for an arduous endurance exam. Those who have ee DAVID BRODER ler in the two But it is a good thing for this democracy that before the candidates are swept up in an expensive exercise of mass communicationsin thelaterprimaries and the general election, they engage in sustained, face-to-face con- versation with the'voters of these two publican leaders love the “doubleTHE WASHINGTON POST WRITERS GROUP states. But what happens in Iowa and New Hampshire is more than conversation;it's an elimination contest. And at least on the Republican side, lowa has contrived to make the candidates jump through two hoops:first, the August straw poll and then the delegate cau- cuses. To be bluntaboutit, lowa doesn’t deserve two bites at the apple, when so manyotherstates get none. The Iowa Republican Party, accord- ing to its i yne | sold the presidential campaigns about 35,000-tickets (at $25 a’head)otlast Au- dipping,” because, as Robinson told me, the visiting national campaigns have helped the state GOP raise about $1.5 millionin this cycle. But at quite a cost: The straw poll campaign was so: - Lamar Alexander,pulled outofthe race soon after, and a third, Pat Buchanan, decided to leave the GOP and seek the Reform Party nomination. That's a fairly hefty price for the national party Hy bay ‘so the Iowa Republicanscan feel lush. Towa Di will also: caucus Monday night, with the advantage of status except for the publicity the press gaveit. Jabor and teachers’ support making Al Gore a strong favorite overBill Bradley. But the Democrats. no strawspoll preliminary, and no one bailed out of their race prematurely. The national GOPisre-examining its “nominating process. It wo' uld be well the wintry blasts and demonstrate enough patience to spend two hours or more at precinct caucuses that will ac- justified in telling Iowa Republicans, “Welove you guysa lot, but you really haveto choose.If you wantthe financial and publicity bonanza of your straw poll, then delay your caucuses until gust’s event in Ames, and almost 24,000 people were patient enough to wait in line to mark their presidential preferences in a straw vote that had noofficial On Monday,Robinsonexpects four to five times as many Republicans to brave tually begin the Iowa delegateselection process. Unless Robinson and other Republican veterans are all wet, Monday’s result will duplicate last August’s finish: George W. Bush, first; Steve Forbes, second; everybody else, fighting for scraps. The score will likely be the same, other states have started picking delegates in the election year. And if you want to be first in electing delegates, then scrap the straw poll — or let some other state have that wonderful summertimeeventin the pre-election year.” re are lots of states, south and westof here, that would be happytofill ~ the breach. Parental Truth: Elian Belongs With Dad Elian Gonzalez may become one of American history's most regrettable footnotes. Not only are we missing an opportunity to unite a child with his only living parent, we are setting a dangerous precedentfor the supersession of KATHLEEN PARKER claim to love Elian. (Note: Love means state over parental autonomy. The question comes down to this: Whena child is foundlost at sea followthe drowning death of his mother, what do you do? Answer: Youfind the child’s father, establish that heis fit and able parent, and reunite them as quickly as possible. The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service has donejust that, yet we continueto detain this child on American soil. Yes, but: He has cousins and uncles in the United States. His native country is in s! bles. His motherdied tryingto ferry him to freedom. His father has nothing to offer but love, while we have Disney World and Pokemon. Topthat, Fidel! As contests go, Castro has nothing on the United States when it comes to propaganda and brainwashing. The past few weeks have been a material tsunami as friends,relatives and strangers have demonstrated The American Way by suffocating this boy with an embarrassmentof cl riches. Underthe cloakof freedom, we have lavished him with toys, made him a celebrity, handed him a puppy,taken his picture, raised his hands in the victory sign, and then asked him if he wants to os ea to icky old Cuba. Weare the man proffering candy through political issue, say the pundits,ines a fatherissue,say the activists, ld belongs in Cuba, say Castro's agitators. No,the child belongs in Miami,say bitter Cuban-Americans and thosé-who TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES the schoolyard fence. Imaginea foreign government deciding to keep your son or daughter cause, say, your society is permeated with drugs, sex and violence. In the nameofcultural superiority, do we have the right to separate a child from his natural parent? Meanwhile, what about the father's, right to raise his child? Whatever happened to that concept? Know this; Had Elian’s father drowned in route to America, leaving the child afloat and his mother in Cuba mourning her beloved child, Elian would have been back in Cuba before the next sunrise. President Clinton himself would have delivered the boy, his cheeks a-smear with tears o’ mercy. A photo, quick before they dry. Instead, we profile and pontificate. Wepush the envelope and advance the clock, Courts bicker over iction, It’s a state issue, says Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, No,it's a federal issue says U.S, Attorney General Janet Reno.It's a } M not makinga child into a media clown.) Such arguments are parlor games played byfools. Elian Gonzalez belongs only to his parents as ordained by a power higher than we. Absent those parents, he belongs to the No one — neither politician, crat, dictator, congressman or di cousin — can,will or does love a as much asa parentdoes.aee jonwithls fatheroa Ea union with his father a against humanity.It is iac vitation for future challohgeaad universal understanding that pa are the primary caretakers of he children. Absent abuse or neglect, no” onehasa right to impedeor dilute}that Tole 4 Yes, but: What about communism What about Castro? What about dom?Let Elian Gor confront'th issues when he becomes a man. For tio heis a boy, and a boy needs a fath he's lucky enough to have one. Nomatter whatour individual o tional differences, the primacy. o ents’ God-given right to nurture: own children must always pre politics, Otherwise, we will havefai our highest mandate, and we grievously. |
