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Show Sing hy ra Opin “Life is like a landscape. You live in the midst of it. but ean +} ¢ describe it onlyfrom the vantage point ofdistance.” — Chiites, A.Lindbergh (1902-1974). “+ r< The Daily Herald Friend has problem with not dying broke “If you're gonna take that stool and talk, make it something cheerful,” said Slats Grobnik, “because I'm feeling depressed,” Whatis the source of your unhappiness? “| just got done with a lawyer and him we have 30 éxtra fridge in the basement, and she could stuff me in there for a while.” Your lawyer was right. Besides, it is callous of you to consider spending every- thing and leaving your wife penniless should you s ly depart. made out my last will and Ah, yes, then I can understand your gloomy feelings. Drafting a will reminds us of our mortality and of how fleeting a time we have in this vale of tears before we. “Hey, knock it off. You think I'm so stupid that I need a will to let me know that I'm gonna croak one of these days? I get a reminder every morning when I shave and look in the mirror.” Then what has upset you? “1 don’t like the idea that I need a will.” But having an up-to-date will shows that you are a prudent man and that your assets will be passed on in an orderly way. “That's it. Assets. It bugs me thatI got anything to pass on.” Why? The fact that you have an estate is a testament to your hard work, thrift, self-reliance and good sense. “No.It means I'm stupid because I'm not gonnadie broke.” But why would you wantto dothat? “Because if I’m broke,it would mean I was smart enough to have a whoopee time spending everything. That’s why I think these Baby Boomers or yuppie characters or whatever they are got the rightidea.” Whatidea? “Well, you read about how they're getting older, but they never believed in saving. They wanted a jazzy foreign car, they bought one on time payments or got a lease. They wanted to eat fancy restaurant grub, they go outall the time to joints that charge 10 bucks for a plate of spaghetti with pretty flowers in it. They want to go skiing or to a beach in Mexico, they wave their plastic and they do it.” But what about saving for that rainy day, a hard-and-fast rule of our careful, umbrella-toting generation? “Hey, when mytoes curl up and petunias are growing on top of me, whocares if it’s raining?” You wouldn't want to leave your spouse destitute because you whoopedit up and squandered your assets. How would she pay for your funeral? “Wouldn't be one, and I had an argumentwith the lawyer aboutthat. ! wanted it in the will that when I go, she puts me in a big Hefty bag and drags it out by the curb for when they have the special pick- up. But she can’t do that. Whatifthe special pickup wasn’t for several days? “That's what the lawyersaid. ButI told Mike Royko The Chicago Tribune “Why am I callous? How do | know she won't sell the house, cash in my savings, get one of those butt-lift jobs and go on a luxury cruise with some oily-haired gigolo?” Well, you have the option of leaving a trust that controls how your assets are distributed. “Yeah, that’s what I wanted to do, but the lawyerdidn’t go for my ideas because he said he didn’t think they’d hold up.” Such as? “There are these pictures that show you like in 3-D,. where you're rotating and moving and look feal-life.” Yes, they are called holograms. Amaz- ingly realistic. What is your interest in them? “Like | told the lawyer, 1 want to get one of those holograms made of me standing up with a pistol in one hand while I'm frowning and squinting myeyes and wagging myfinger.” For what purpose? “That's what the lawyer asked. And I told him that I wantedit in the will that if my wife hooked up with a guy younger than I was and with a full head ofoily hair, she wouldn't inherit nothing unless. she puts that hologram at the foot of the bed and keeps it turned onall night.” You can’t ask for something like that. Your wife would be horrified and would go to court to have it thrown out, “Nah.| evén told her about it.” Was she appalled? “No, she said it gave her an idea. She wants to have a hologram made ofher in case she goes fitst and | wind up with a younger womain.” She wants her hologram to be at the foot of your bed, holding a pistol, frowning and wagging a finger? “No. She said in hers she'd just be holding her sides and laughing.” ‘Religious freedom’ an evolving definition By THOMAS G. WEST Until the 1960s, the principle of religious liberty was thought to require the separation of church andstate, but not the separation ofreligion from politics. The American tradition was full of examples of government-sponsored prayers, religious music andreligious instruction The Supreme Court has declared quite a few ofthe older practices unconstitutional. Liberals attack these traditions as relics ofan earlier era ofreligious bigotry. Conservatives have resisted the expulsion ofreligion from public life, but they don’t quite knowhow to explain or defend the older approach. The problem with the conservative defense is that it is based on a notion of religious liberty that is totally opposed to the American Founders. In today’s view, largely accepted by liberals and conservatives alike, a forbidden “establishment of religion” exists whenever government Supports or promotesa particular teaching on God _ The strangeness of today’s approach, from the earlier standpoint, can be seen mostvividly by this fact: By today’s logic, it is unconstitutional to teach the Declara- tion of Independence in public school. The Supreme Court has ruled that government may not teach or practice religion. It may not exert “subtle coercive Pressure” on students by prayers or reli- gious instruction. If the Declaration were taught in a public school as the truth, the teacher would “teach religion.” She would be exercising “subtle coercive pressure” on students. She would be promoting an * establishment of religion in violation of the First Amendment. Butthis is absurd. Or are wereally willing to say that our principles, announced in the Declaration at the moment of the nation’s founding. forbid the public teach- ing of the source of our principles? Without an eternal foundation in God and nature, our rights become the arbitrary gift of government. And what government gives, government may take away, Ofcourse. teaehing the Declaration has not been declared unconstitutional. But that is only because the Court has been unwilling to admit the full juences of Be ea st ei ae the ic out Dabtafation were| Z spa id w if the fromthe class- ca Editor's note Theletter to the editor written by Debbie Hooge of American Fork which appeared in the Thursday, May16, edition of The Daily Herald incorrectly listed the date of the vote on ordinance #1995, which would limit the number ofunits in certain housing developments in Utah County, as May24. The date ofthe vote is Tuesday, May 21. Bad news judgment Arguably the most important event in recent international news was South Africa’s ratification of a permanentconstitution. Any political document beginning, “We the people...” as does the new South African basic iaw, should strike a harmonious chord with Herald readers; so it is rather surprising that the news of such an outstanding achievementdid not reach the paper’s front page on Wednesday, May 8, when the story was universally reported elsewhere with the fanfare it richly deserved. “Peace may be near in Guatemala,” a creditable if less-certain headline, illustrated with a generous photograph, instead dominated the Herald's first page. The post-apartheid constitution waspolitely noted at the top of page AS. The placement ofthis story in itself would scarcely be worth mentioning, but the next day, South Africa did grace the front page: “Mandela loses the support of gious liberty leads liberals to demand the elimination ofthe fewremaining remnants of traditional morality and religious expression from public life. The limitation ofmarriage toa man and a woman, the lin- gering presence of ChristmasHolidays and pictures, etc. You are very kind and generous to have done so. The children have been excited to check the mail each day. At the end of the year when wetake our bulletin board down, each child will go home with postcards, pamphlets, travel guides, etc. Many children have expressed an interest in asking their parents if they may visit your state during their summer vacations. Wewish that we had enough time in the school year to write back to each and every one of you. We are working on sending individual notes to people who sent us huge packages of expensive items. We hope that you understand how much we appreciate all of your efforts. We also hope that you willvisit Indiana someday. Mrs. Gouncil’s fifth grade class LaPorte, Ind. Wilkinson memories It was with greatinterest that I read the article on Ernest L. Wilkinson by Vern Anderson in the May 14 Daily Herald. It recalied many, many memories, most of which the general public is unaware. I worked as the head cashier at Brigham Young University with President Wilkinson from 1954 until he retired. Although he hassince been followed in that position by several great men, there has been no white-led party.” ran the headline. Certainly the withdrawal of the National Party from the Government of National Unity was noteworthy and unexpected; however, mostperceptive observers would not rank its significance above or even near that of one that gave more to the university in these South African stories served only to reinforce the stereotypical impression mostUtahnshave ofAfrica: A continentof backwardness,instal and violence. African realities complex. and are not necessarily a high priority of a local fewspaper or its readers. But they are indicative ofan editorial challenge:If one most of the year. He drove no one harder personal sacrifice than he. In those days, it was not unusual for staff members to work around the clock during registration. However, we were unable to feel noble about our dedication the adoption of the constitution. The Her- because on the third floor of the Maeser ald’s awkward and superficial treatment of building sat a man who put those hours in ‘of the Herald's duties is to reliably inform room, the Court falsely asserts that the documentis not really religious. The prevailing, incorrect view ofreli- Many of you not only sent postcards, but also pamphlets, travel guides, maps, Utah Valley of contemporary events, the paper (and by extension, the community) would surely benefit from a more insightful consideration of international news. Keith Snedegar Orem Thanks for mail We wanted to take the time to send a special thinks to you for the wonderful responses that we received to our class project in which we requested post cards than himself. It was not againsthis rules to call me on a Sunday to inquire about a problem in which he had become involved. One such occasion I remember vividly: It was my first experience with a student who had written many 8 checks; all had bounced. | had notified the police and the young man was going to be charged in court. President Wilkinson wrote me a per- sonal check to cover the amount of the checks, plus the fines and swore me to secrecy. But he had me call the authorities to drop the charges. He was not acquainted with that young student, who inciden- tally was more than surprised to get out of serious trouble with no explanation, and he went on to graduate as a credit to his college. example, and as I walk across the campus and see the results of his drive, I am proud to have known him. Muriel Thole OremA good gatheringThe State Democratic Convention was wonderful this year. It was at the Bingham High School, a historical building nestled betweenthe old Bingham mine and the mountains where the pioneers took out the granite to build the Salt Lake temple. I saw Governor Rampton at the con- vention; he said the Democrats were a great party. i : It was great seeing Orton, Atkinson and all my otherfriends at the convention. America, the United States will always be the greatest land ofall. It was another great event in Utah history, especially at this time, our centennial Richard G. Thayne Provo Dull not all thatbad I wonder how many Daily Herald subscribers sawthe cartoon that ared on the editorial page in the May !2 issue Jampooning Bob Dole, Republican nominee for President. He resembles a bleary-eyed bear and has a button on his lapel which reads, “Bob Dull, *96.” Whomever we choose to support — whether it be Dole or Clinton — we can expect them to be recipients of ridicule vid TV, newspapers and other media. The thing that baffles me is — what standards are the people of the country using to determine who is the best man td lead us during these troubled times? The polls showPresident Clinton leading by4 substantial margin. Dole has been a capa; ble and respected Majority Leader of the Senate for many years, a World War It hero and a manofintegrity. whose moral character has been beyond reproach throughouthislife. | The president, on the other hand, has been a womanizer, a draft and a vacillator on important issues. sions ‘on moral issues should be made based o1 what is right and wrong, not by checking with the pollsters to see which way the, political wind is blowing. Some say what a president does in his personallife has no bearing upon his abil~ ityto lead. What rubbish. He ould be the ultimate role model for everyone, especially the youth of America. Eloquence or verbal agility is not pe Retple Clinton, on the other and, has a glib tongue, is you! a looking and oie bat ree want for a President — Don Juan or a man President Wilkinson also took time to ofsterling character? If the polls are accurate, which show impressed on my mind that it was a a President Clinton leading, the American these holdovers of the repressive traditions area a The response was overwhelming. The lege to live in this great country. He ofthe past must go. need to re-examine their standards Conservatives, holding the same view bulletin board outside of our classroom is dry sense of humor that he shared with for choosingthe manto lead us when our filled with postcards. We have enjoyed those he felt comfortable with. of religious libgs ke aynk ie Oe ameeh Slooking at them and reading the many Myonly regret is that many failed to Sis. 'y to this, I i notes and letters than you wrote us. We Jook at this man for what he really was, to decide who is “dull.” os el between re have learned a great deal about your great and saw onlythe little general or Caesar. I Fay S. Parker results in a p square.” State. . toved Earnest L. Wilkinson as a friend and Orem Liberals ni 0 learn that'although the right to free exercise ofreligion is indeed songs in public schools, taxpayer support oflegislative and militaty chaplains — all sacred, it is both appropriate and necessary for government to support sound religious convictions in a nation that means to remain free. They need to recover the Founders understanding that @ public life which allows no place for religious expression is mot fit a bitation. Conservatives need | not to be shy about their desire for public acknow!edgementof the importance of God in our lives as long as evi tected, in his gatural Dr, low in Religion @ mont Instinutee the Lal 4 to give us more information about your Doonesbury teach me about American politics and BY GARRY TRUDEAU |