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Show D3 COMMENTARY Sunday January 22, 199 TheSalt Lake Tribune U.S.-Russia Ties Survive Chechnya Test itself and no decision would be re- RUSSIAN VIEW quired of him Whenit didn’t happen that way the belated official U.S. reaction to the invasion was what mosteverybody expected — support for Yeltsin's drive to keep Russia from falling apart. with a request to avoid too much violence. That The Russian tri-color flying over the blasted-out presidential palace in Grozny may not mean the end of war in Chechnya, but it certainly has provoked a sigh of relief in Washington, D.C. The Chechen fighters fled to the mountains, threatening the Russians with a prolonged and deadly guerrilla war. From now on, there will be exchanges with Kalashnikovrifles, anti-infantry mines and hand grenadesinstead of tank assaults and carpet bombing But at least the first and worst phaseof the disastrous Chechnya campaign finally ended. And so has the most serioustest of U.S.Russian relations since the demiseof the old Soviet Union. The test wasn't passed flawlessly When Boris Yeltsin first ordered his troops to attack Chechnyaon Dec. 11, President Clinton did exactly the same thing Mikhail Gorbachev did when the Chernobyl nuclear power blew up in 1986: nothing plant have been generated by the U.S 1993, when the Russian leader administration itself. Ensure the universal justice and happiness — burned his own parliament build- this is what the only remaining su- approach MICHAEL NAKORYAKOV These options didn’t just look unrealistic, they simply didn’t exist. Clinton did all he could under the circumstances and the only reason why so many people are unhappyabout it is that they — again — expected a miracle. Partiaily. those expectations worked in October. ing with tank assaults. But while the 1993 shootout ended in two days, Russian military attempts to capture Grozny by force seemedto take forever. Forty days of continuous bombing and thousandsof murderedcivilians certainly was too much. Besides, with every day of fighting more questions were prompted about the legitimacy of the Rus- sian leader's actions. Even Yeltsin’s advocates probably wouldn't insist that justice has been served in Chechnya. Too much destruction occurred, too manylives were lost Besides, the Chechens’ desire to be independent seemed nolesslegitimate than the Bosnians’. Why didn’t the U.S. administration say in 1992 that the Yugoslav Peo- ple’s Army's attempt to keep Bosnia in Yugoslavia by force was an internal question’? There is only one possible an- swer to that: Welcometo the real world What did the critics of the U.S. conduct expect Clinton to do? Send weapons to Chechens? Or, as Dmitri Simes of the Car- perpower’s mission is. right? Wrong. And byrepeatedly set- ting its goals too high. American leadershiponlydrives itself into a corner Russia still is in trouble — economically, politically, socially — and will remain in trouble for years to come. The Americans certainly may wish Russians the best of luck, but that’s about all they can do. The United Statesisn’t capable of making Russia prosper. Nor can the Americans prevent the The same is true in regard to ferent the other way around? It certainly feels good to see by-side, laughing together like good buddies during summit meetings. But. at least for the time being, there won't be much more than that. Which is nothing to be upset about negie Foundation advised on CNN last week. quickly dump Yeltsin and offer support to his Salt LakeTribunereporter Michael Nakoryakovwas a journal. ist in Moscow until November opponents within Russia? 1991. are violent Thestrongest criticism was leveled by the Rev. Monsignor Rob- ert R. Servatius, who called the cartoon an “editorial blunder.” “I write to express to you my JOHN CUMMINS Have you ever noticed how a dozen people can view the same painting or attend the same meet- ing and come away with 12 different interpretations of what they have seen or heard? That's often the case with editorials and editorial cartoons. Editorials, personal columns and editorial cartoons are supposedto reflect opinion. They are shock and resentment over the sketch . ,” he said in a letter to The Tribune’s Public Forum. “First, I consider this use of a time-honored sacred image and masterpiece of religious art to be sacrilegious, especially due to the fact thatit labels a large group of dedicated people, the vast majority of whom are non-violent, cate- gorically as murderers. “Second,it takes that extremist view — that because a few deranged individuals commit vio- defend a point of view. However, despite the best in- lent acts all pro-life advocates are thus branded asvillainous, murderous andevil.” Regardless of the Catholic Church’s anti-abortion stance,the tentions of columnists or cartoonists, readers who disagree with themoften perceive their work to he insensitive or offensive. Some- en. His interpretations are understandable. However, on the hunch that supposed to be biased and one- sided. Their goal is to promote or times i( is a matter of misinterpretation. And, to some readers, insensitivity and stereotyping were byproducts of a recent editorial cartoon in The Salt Lake Tribune Thecartoon, the work of syndicated cartoonist Clay Bennett, was a likeness of Leonardo da Vinci's painting, “The Last Sup- per,” with the caption, “Cne of you will betray me... .” In the spot where da Vinci's painting features Judas Iscariot, Bennett's cartoon has a seated man wearing a pro-life sweat shirt. A rifle is leaning againstthe monsignor’s points are well-tak- Bennett's intentions werejust the opposite, I called him at his St. Petersburg, Fla., home. He confirmed his intent was to depict pro-life extremists whoresort to acts such as the recentkillings of doctors and workers at abortion clinics as betrayers of their own cause because of the violence they bring to the abortion debate. In fact, the cartoon was used in The Tribuneto illustrate a column by Knight-Ridder Newspaper columnist Claude Lewis, contending that excessive violenceis corrupting the abortion debate “Some [extremists] project themselves as disciples of Christ. andit was at the last supper with His disciples when Christ con- fronted his betrayer,’ Bennett said He also acknowledged his cartoon had drawn criticism from readers of other newspapers in which it was published. “When youuse religious imagery. people often misinterpret it,” he said Amen Elsewherethis week, a handful of readerssaid The Tribune could have been morehelpful hadit not waited until Mondayto print the list of businesses and services that would or would not be open on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. “I lookedall through the [Sunday] paper. I founda lot ofpretty pictures, but no EDWARDMcDONOUGH A principal clause in the Republican Contract with America would transfer responsibility for welfare from federal government bureaucracies to the states. One objection to state control of welfare stems from fear that disparity between state benefit plans could spawn a new migrant class — welfare clients leaving tight- fisted states for states with generous welfare benefits. But in the present system of federal welfare programs administered by individualstates, disparities already exist sufficient to promote welfare migration. The United States Supreme Court heard a case Tuesday involving issues of welfare migra- tion, specifically whether a state can constitutionally provide a smaller level of welfare to people who move jnto its jurisdiction te from a state providing lower public assistance. Anderson vs. Green involves California’s administration of Aid to Families with DependantChildren (AFDC), a 1935 federalwelfare program financed jointly by federal and state governments. Each participating state administers its own AFDC plan,establishing, within federal guidelines, its own benefit amounts. A 1992 California laws says newcomers immediately filing for AFDC can receive only the amount they wereeligible for in the state where they previously lived. The full California grantis available only after residing a yearin thatstate. When Deshawn Green and her two children moved to California from Louisiana, she filed for the AFDC assistance which state guidelines provided womenin her situation — $624 a month. Since, however, the Greens’ Louisiana AFDC payment wasonly $190 a month, that’s all they qualified for in California until they lived there 12 months, Green and others brought a class action against California, claiming the residency requirementis unconstitutional. The Supreme Court has heard similar cases before, including least his children would he fixed forlife NEWSDAY NEW YORK — Suppose 0.J Simpson submitted an itemized bill to his attorneys demanding payment for the promotional benefits his case has provided their law practice: for the full commercial valueof all the time spent preening them- selves before television cameras: and for a slice of the future fees they arelikely to rake in as a result of the celebrity derived from his misery Then imagine he charged Rob- ert Shapiro's haberdashersa commission on all the lushlytailored suits and ties he modelsso artful- Hell, he could probably make a juke-box designer. The public posturing of the defense team leaves one seriously wondering whether ™ an arguable case that numerous members ofthe Americanbar, all of themofficers of the courts both famous and obscure. owe him something for the exposure they've had going on TV posing as “experts” to speculate irresponsi bly and fatuously on his guilt or innocence. thestrategyof his defense, the probability of his con viction and just about anything else they could think of to pro mote themselves as leading stars and potential fee earners of the legal universe Indeed, the American criminal justice system may emerge from these gentlemen are concerned with the audi e ratings achievedby thetrial coverage or with the acquittal of their client Surely, a lot of us will more likely tune in now if only to see whether Shapiro and F. Lee Bailey get into a shoving matchor to see who makes opening argu- ments or whether, since they are not spea to each other and won't evenride in the samelimousine, Judge Lance Ito will make themsit on opposite sides of the courtroom Some people might at least give these guys an “A” for showman- ship and cash flow even if they ly at every court session andin- this case with its reputation en would flunk them as litigators: sists Alan Dershowitz cut him in on a share of the royalties from hanced, its fairness reaffirmed Surely though, it will not be pos: But it is as showmen that they have tried hardest and failed most his dreadfully written books sible. whatever the outcome, to abjectly whose sales are enhanced every imagine the same for the good The first duty of any decent and committed criminal lawyer is to exude a credible and gracious notion that they believe utterly and time hegoes ona talk showtoremind everybodythat he’sstill on O.J.’s defense team despite Shapiro’s earlier attempts to shut him u Simpson's lawyers would prob ably owe Simpson morethanhe’s paid them to date in legal fees. Andif he addedto this reimbursementforthe irreparable damages he has suffered from the adoles- nameof the nation’s lawyers. By surrounding himself with not onebut four lawyers wih egos the size of aircraft carriers who have so carefully cultivated images of themselves as the cash ma. chines and hood ornaments ofthe nation’s criminal bar. Simpson seems headedfor trial with a defense vehicleincreasingly resembling a 1953 Buick customizedby loyally in their client’s innocence or interests to the exclusionof everything. including wife, their children, their their own dog their career, their Cadillac. their yacht — even, by heayen, their law practice. Has anybody gotten that impression from these information,” one reader said in a messageleft s week on on my voice mail. There was libraryfull of information in the Sunday paper, butit is true the specific data she waslooking for was absent It is also true that most readers alreadyknowwhatis oris not normally open on a national holiday. Still, the messages on myvoice mailindicated several people were concerned whether they should put out the garbage, whether UTAwas runningits reg- ular schedule or if the liquor stores were open The paper could have been more helpful by publishing the list of open and closed businesses at the outset of the weekend The Reader Advocate's phone number is 237-2015. Writeto the Reader Advocate, The Salt Lake Tribune, P.O. Box 867, Salt Lake City, Utah 84110. one in 1969 on whichit ruled a 12month state residency requirementfor receiving AFDCbenefits wasinvalid becauseit denied the constitutional right ofcitizens to move from state to state and infringed upon the right to equal protection. In later cases, the Court has madeit clear that only a “compelling governmental interest” could override the personal constitutionalrights to travel and movefreely Saving money onstate welfare costs, the Court has said, is not such a compelling interest. ss Eyeglasses Any frame Even designer names Anyprescription Even lined bifocals and trifocals Questionable Welfare Requirements POINT OF LAW cent public bickering they have engaged in among themselves. at ROBERT RENO they've Cartoon Illustration Draws Complaint who espouse the pro-life cause O.J.’s Attorneys Should Be Paying Him Clinton and Yeltsin walking side- It looked like the U.S. leader, table near him. Some readers felt the artist went too far and had suggested all AMERICAN JURISPRUDENCE - A WORK IN PKOGRESS. Russia's limited influence on U.S politics, so why shouldit be dif- again like Gorbachey, hoped for the first few days that the problem would somehowdisappear by READER ADVOCATE iS Russians from doing what they want — when the American interests aren't directly threatened. that is The only real difference between the earlier and pendingcases is that in the formerall benefits were denied andin the latter benefits are temporarily reduced. Counsel for the Greens, Sarah Kurtz, with the San Mateo County Legal Aid Society, called this a distinction withouta constitutional difference. She argued that, whether partial or full benefits are denied to newresidents, the right to move residency and the right to equal treatment are violated without serving any compelling governmental interest. I think she’s right. Edward McDonough practices lain Salt LakeCity. Right now at Sears Optical get any frame - including designer names like Linda Evans, J. 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