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Show 10A Emery County Progress Castle Dale, Utah Tuesday April 16, 2002 Commentary When America Contemplates the Unthinkable by DOUG PATTON 'I imilly. brethren, whatsoever limit's arc true, liatsocvcr lliinns arc laaicsl. whatsoever tilings arc jii.l, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of pood report, if here lie any virtue, and if there he aev praise, think on these things." I'lnlippians 1.8, Kinp. lames Bible. I he Apostle Paul's admonition is a to practice in post-- t iuis-- t one lough ia America, especially for those of us who th rive on the new sol the day. The (jtieslion of vv hellier their and actions have become people more depraved or we simply have the instant communications to hear, set1 and read about them is a valid one. I tend to think both factors are at work. Selling aside the v ieious attack of vs long-aske- September al the 1 and eonfininponr look hiarre, sometimes demonic actions of Americans, consider just few of the major news events of the Iasi do.en years: dellrey Itahmereommils unspeakable aids in his Milwaukee a -- apartment. - Susan Smith secures her helpless children in her ear, pushes them into a lake to drown, then appears on network television to tell the world they have been kidnapped. At the Branch Davidian cull headquarters outside Waco, Texas, the Justice Department oversees an operation wherein men, women and eiiildren are burned to death. Two years later, to the day, in an act of blind, savage rev engo against the government, Timothy McVeigh blows up the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 1(18 innocent people. - James Byrd is dragged to death behind u pickup in Jasper, Texas, because of his race. Two Colorado teenagers murder their classmates in cold blood (one of many such attacks in thelitis, this was the most deadly). - After considerable deliberation, Andrea Yales drowns her five children in tin1 bathtub. - A Fort Worth woman hits u man vv itli her ear, drives home with him lying on her hood, broken and helpless but alive, Ids head protruding through her w indsldeld, parks her ear in her garage and ignores his picas for help for three days, after, which she and her boyfriend dump -- -- the body. - A lyos Angeles couple is convicted w hen their vicious dogs teur out the throat of a young woman and rip her body to pieces. There is more, of course, much more, but these cxumples make the point. What is happening to our society? What accounts for the difference between what America was and what America has become? The iVentieth Century saw incredible advancement and incredible cruelty. of homicide Tin difference between living in 2002 and living in 1002 is almost unimaginable. So, wind changed? When John Adams said, Our Constitution was w ritten for a moral and a religious people and is wholly inadequate for the governing of any oilier, lie saw the potential of what our nation became in its seeond full century. Adams recognized that only people, adhering to principles greater than their own could function in an of atmosphere freedom. He knew enough of history to realize that nowhere on tiie face of the earth had such sweeping liberties been acThis was knowledged as No new. brand government something Cod-give- n. Caught Using the S Word another driver obviously deserves "DAB! Matthew said IheS-worMy youngest breathlessly runs in to tattle. look up over my glasses and reply, "I le did?" Now I must confess and I have that I know a been known to use them when appropriate, such as w hen driving in SBC. However, there are none that I can print hero... perhaps on a freeway underpass, but not here. Now, I also know that my wife has rules about certain words that can't be said in our house vv ithoul some sort of punishment. Nothing makes the kids happier than when slip up and say one of my because they know that I am it. in for "MOM! Dad said IheS-worThis again!" usually results in some kind of bribe from me to the kids or a left ure on judge not.. .or be yea judged". None of which works as they are quite delighted to see mom drag me about the yard by my ear. By the look in his eyes it is obvious that he expects me to do something. I reluctantly sit up and act concerned. I mean after all his older brother did I fevvN-vvord- 1 d, say IheS-wor- d and somethingmust be done. Bight? I am thinking.. .there is Shut Up. in our house and Thai's an usually results in a lecture by mom on how that will hurl someone's feelings and we say "Please be quiet. in our house. Then, there is the other Stupid! We can't say that in our house or car, even when I have being culled a few are spillassumed these rules always over from her teacher training. No one is oyer stupid, only a late bloomer. Then there is "Sucks. That is a to particularly annoying ife, if said in our house this will result in a rd my vv horrific look from my wife, followed by a very stern grab hold of the shoulders, look mein the eye... That is an ugly word and YB don't ever use it! This is followed by a Itugand the misty eyes and that concerned look that says, "Why did I ever become a mother? Im just not up to it. My kid said sucks! You dont ever hear Mrs Whatsl lerName's kids say words like that. Im a failure as a mom. OK, run out and play and "Remember that I love you and Heavenly Father loves you. Followed by slumped shoulders and a long sigh. I finally conclude that before I can appropriately punish the perpetrator, I will have to know what particular was said. I give my youngest my look and say, Well son what did he say? He looks at me as if to question my sanity. I le must be thinking that this is some kind of trick that I am so getting him to say the bad that hell get punished too. He looks determined not to say it. I assure him, that when he is ratting-ou- t his brother that he can tell an adult the word, and that it doesnt count as a sin or anything. i le look both directions and peeks down the hall, and then quietly tells me, with his most gravest look, He said SCHOOL! He looked relieved that the burden was off his shoulders and on to mine. Now I know that when I was growing up that SCHOOL was that I hated to hear the the I but hadnt realized that it had most, list. made my wifes current When did my wife actually put SCHOOL on the list? Then I remembered at the Sunday table we were talking about school starting again after Spring Break and she said half jokingly, Oh...Dont say THAT word in this house! Spring Break cant be gone already. I cant go back to school yet. I need another couple of days. Although, I think most parents were thinkingspringbreak is finally over and school cant start soon enough. I cant help but think that all the other parents in town were saying, Oh...sny that word again. SCHOOL! Yes! Then they do a little jig. One more day with these kids home and I am voting for year round school. Whew. I'll be dangglad to get them back to school so I can have some peace around here. rd HOMEMADE Reacting to Problems the Third Way By PAULA WELLNITZ Have you heard the phrase" the third way connected with a problem ora conflict situation? Many related phrases like, creative e, solution, conflict resolution, etc., are used similarly. Each refers to resolving a problem or conflict by some means peaceably but fairly. WTii'ii someone attacks us. that is, creates a problem of some kind for us, we usually react in one of two ways. Some people immediately attack back w hellier w hat they do or say makes sense or not. Others w ill retreat and not attempt to solve the problem but continue to fool hurt, treated unjustly. Those actions can be on a physical level or verbal and win-wi- n intelhrtual. I iovvever, there is a third way wo can respond to some type of problem situation. That way may be as simple in one situation as taking a deep breath to engage inner energy and become calm so we can think and decide if it is worth doing more or to help ourselves find the best thing to do or say. That third way can lie to take time All to listen and talk with the person or persons we have the problem with. We may find a new friend in this way. Sometimes it may be ourselves or someone who acts, but is a third party to the situation. We or they can in some way do or say somethingto diffuse the immediate reactions and encourage those involved in the conflict to resolve the issue without either being more hurtful. Sometimes that third party may do somethingas simple as raising a hand to gesture for the participants to calm down. Maybe that person will find an appropriate way to bringone of both parties to laugh without pulling down either the problem or the persons. These things may give the people in conflict the space to think about what they are doing so the real resolution ean be worked on. In some situations, particularly as parents w ith their children, the third self-intere- st When two boys take guns to school and kill anyone in sight, the clamor for more gun control is heard across the land, and the Second Amendment is eroded. And when a black man is murdered in Texas, the laws on the books that call for penalties up to and including death by lethal injection are suddenly insufficient. I late crimes" laws, wherein racist thoughts in the mind of the perpetrator somehow make the crime more heinous, are said to be necessary The Bill of Bights was a radical . document w hen it was written. It still is. Ben Franklins answer to the question posed to him as he emerged from the Constitutional Convention still reverberates across centuries. When asked, What sort of government have you given us? Franklin replied, A Republic, if you can keep it. self-intere- MY CAVE, MY VIEW By GARY TORRES had ever been formed on earth those in authority had voluntarily surrendered power in order to give citizens the right to control their ow n actions. Adams and the other Founders could foresee the oppression that would inevitably ensue if were exalted and (lod w as forgotten. They knew that the fragile framework of the Constitution was only safe as long as those in authority both honored the rights acknowledged in it and believed the people were still capable of governing themselves. Thus, when a soeioputh uses a homemade bomb to destroy a building, the federal government places barricades on the street in front of the White House, while members of Congress rail against the availability of fertilizer and the president blames the crime on talk radio. w herein way may be to act as a facilitator of resolution. This person helps those in conflict actively listen to each other. A parent also actively listens and encourages each child to bring up possible solutions. That means helpingeach say the result they would like and each listen to what the other really wants, as well. Finally, to come up creatively with what might be done so the other, as well as themselves, can get as close to the solution each would like as possible. In time, children learn the process and so most of the time use the skills to solve problems and conflict with little need for the third party. In or out of the family people often say I stay out of it. Yet one can often use some judicious third party action. One example from life is the minor auto accident where both parties scream at one another. A bystander may use the action mentioned above of raising a hand which one participant sees. This can cause that person to choose to act without anger or violence. That changes the whole situation. Be open to be aware of how you can use or be party to a third way and try it out. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Informative Meeting attended the same meetingas Ms. Truman that was sponsored by the Castle Countiy Rural Alliance. My take is some what different on the meeting. 1 would like to applaud the Castle Country Rural Alliance for sponsoring such an informative meeting. I felt that the guest speakers were informed and qualified to represent the information as presented. How often do we get a chance to hear from a former state BLM director? Mr. Parker has more than 20 years of experience with the BLM at both national and state levels. Ms. Truman obviously disagrees with many of the points made by Mr. Parker. I find it very interesting to have listened to Mr. Crawford w ho is a resident in Garfield County explain how the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument has impacted his life. 1 noticed that Ms. Truman did not have much to say about his information. Mr. Crawford pointed out that he has not noticed any economic differences since the creation of the GSENM. Ms. Truman points out that a monument would bring an increase in construction and guidinginilfitting jobs. Mr. Crawford is employed in both of these sectors and has not noticed the economic windfall as proclaimed by Ms. Truman. I applaud Ms. Truman for her efforts in the planning phase of GSENM. Emery County has stated that the language they submit will protect our local interests. We must all be aware that after this proposal is submitted, it will then go through a monument planning process and be taken out of the hands of Emery County and the local voice will no longer be heard. Case in point, Ms. Truman who is a resident of Emery County played a key role in the monument planningof the GSENM. Her position should have been held by a resident of Kane or Garfield County. Having people from outside of the county make decisions is not acceptable in any planning process. How many people from out of Emery County will be placed in key planning positions when this area undergoes the same process? Mr. Crawford stated that he felt that the voice of the citizens was not 1 heard duringthe planningprocess. Ms. Truman stated that the GSENM has 900 miles of open roads of w hich 550 miles is open to ATV use. This is an embarrassment! Was the voice of the people heard on this? The GSENM consists of over 1.7 million acres and only 550 miles are accessible! This represents .04 percent open to ATVs and .06 percent is open road travel of 1.7 million acres. How is this a fair representation of the desires of the people? Ms. Truman points out that Kane . County is an economic paradise and that a number of jobs have come to the city of Kanub as a direct result of the monument. I find it hard to understand her data. Living in Emery ' County we are well aware of the fact that the number of school children eprolled is reflective of how stable ' our economy is. Emery County has lost many jobs in the last several years which have resulted in families relocating and low er school enrollments. In the 1 995-9- 6 school year, ' Kane County School District had 1,440 students. For the 2001-0- 2 school year Kane County has 1,284 enrolled students. Since the creation of the GSENM the Kane County , School District has seen a decline of 160 students. Aceordingto the office of Workforce Services in Kane County, there has not been a noticeable difference in new jobs that have resulted from the creation of the GSENM. -- Wade Allinson Memorable Experience ' On March 22 and 23, Emery High hosted a High School Softball Tournament. A week before it started, my sister called. She has a daughter; who plays on the softball team. She said they didnt have enough money in their budget for a motel and asked if they could slay at my house so they wouldnt have to drive back and forth after playing so late. 1 told her they could stay and asked how many there would be. She told me there were 19 ! girls and four coaches. We were looking at this as an adventure. You need to do your part to help the schools and their activities, I told my husband. As we know, everytime we turn around, they are cutting somethingfrom the schools in ; the budget. here! Well, the weekend finally got Here they all came, bringing in their . sleepingbags and luggage. Upstairs half w'enl and half downstairs.They picked up after themselves. My house was just as clean when they left as when they got here. These girls were so w'ell mannered and polite. Everytime I turned around, someone' was thanking me. For 19 young girls, I was very impressed. Everything went in an order. They were all ready and left in time for the games. They worked very w ell together on and off the field. We took pictures and will be remembering this for a long time to come. All of these girls and coaches of the West High Girls Softball Team can come back next year. 1 would do it again in a heartbeat. I am very proud of all these young ladies and wish them good luck. - Cheresa and Monty Larsen Lawrence 4 Letters to the editor should focus on public issues rather than private personalities or entities. must be verified prior to publication. 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