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Show ptohom Sun Advocate 6A Tuesday, May 26, 1092 Open forum In the past few weeks, the United States has been on a collision course with reality. Things dont look good for us. The impact will be delayed because this is a presidential year. Both major political parties and the Federal Reserve will do everything possible to deaden the crushing impact, but reality is just too uncharitable. Everyone knows that civil rebellion is close, that inner-cit- y life is untenable and that the men who have returned from the armed forces will not tolerate the bleak lifestyle our system has been forcing on them. All races are heavily armed and too many homes have modern weapons stashed away, but close at hand. Those people who speak of peaceful solution still command attention, but their influence seems dimmed by extremely hostile minority groups who keep fanning the fires of hatred. Apparently the majority of our many races remain loyal, even though our government has lost respect and in effect echos that famous phrase, Let them eat cake," to the poor. This is the time for fresh faces of all colors in our government. There are no Democrats or Republicans who deserve a carte blanche return to office. Our officials have made too many grievous, tragic mistakes. We need a leadership which will focus mainly upon domestic issues. We need one that is color-blin- d. Willie Hortons. No more manipucivil of lating rights for anyones political purposes. No more double-talNo more favor for the wealthy upper class. No more pork barrelling using tax money that should go to schools and child care. No more of a medical care system that provides only for affluent citizens. We must extract insurance companies from between caregivers and the sick. No more minimizing of education. Everyone shares a responsibility to vote. If you havent voted in the last four years, you must register again or you will be turned away at the polls. I say no more k. Eugene Faux, M.D. Weed out crime One of the most effective ways to combat urban decay is to root out street crime and sustain social residents reclaim programs that can help inner-cit- y Toward this end, a very promtheir neighborhoods. ising effort is off to a running start in San Diego, Los Angeles and 14 other cities. Operation Weed and Seed, mounted in April by the U.S. Justice Department, will provide $1 million to each city during the next two years. Under this pilot program, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies will work with community residents to weed crime-ridde- n neighborhoods of violence and drug dealing. The seed will include increased funding for Head Start, which helps prepare disadvantaged youngsters to succeed in school. It also will finance health care, job training, drug prevention programs and community development grants. A mother was treating her beautiful little daughter as the child sat up in bed. It wasnt a plain little cot. No, reading everyones explanations and this bed was beautiful with fluffy comforters, an array of puffy pillows incased in rummaging around for my own. At first, it made me angry that poverty ruffles and lace and perfectly matched is being used as an excuse for crime. Its sheets. The room was just as luxurious not a new syndrome; hungry people have and stocked with every kind of toy and been stealing chickens from the rich for stuffed animal. I found myself feeling years. But this was different the inten- guilty because I wasnt able to provide sity, the violence, the arrogance and greed such surroundings for my own children. Thank heavens Im an adult who was was frightening. I dont remember the Depression. My able to realize what was happening to me mother does. Most of the folks her age and why. Children are not so fortunate. remember making do and making over They see the images, they hear the lanin order to meet their needs. Its not a hap- guage and they believe they must have py memory, but the people I know from those things to be like everyone else. This that era came away from their poverty as kind of advertising breeds greed and people of character. They are principled dissatisfaction to the extent that childand decent. As I heard a speaker say once, ren have killed other children for their These people were in the right place at athletic shoes or leather jackets. I know, Im oversimplifying. But I the right time doing the right tilings. So what makes the difference? believe the horror of being trapped in n I blame advertising first. Yes, its my overcrowded, areas of a big city bread and butter. But todays television with little hope for a future is intensified advertising tells us many lies that we by unrealistic expectations. Kids learn all to soon that some of those things they see accept as truth. I first realized how strong those visual on TV can be theirs if they succumb to a messages are as I watched an ad for child life of crime. The hard work ethic is not Like everyone else, images from the Los Angeles riots are indelibly burned into my mind. I keep thinking about it, rens medicine. run-dow- A life of pleasure that can be gained by possessing stuff is the message. I realize I have no concept of such poverty. Its a way of life I am a stranger to. There are so many reasons for the riots, it is silly to point a finger in any single direction. For example, civil disobedience became permissible during the 60s. During the Depression, such a demonstration of dissatisfaction was unthinkable. taught in advertising. We cannot ignore the overwhelming use of crack cocaine and other expensive drugs and the crime it spawns. Eventually, the U.S. will have to come to terms with eliminating the causes of consumption as vigorously as it pursues the suppliers. Family treatment must become available to the poor. Our education system, which is in disarray, needs to be radically remodeled. Now is the time to look deeply into the American way of life and find answers. We must change. And as we look at rebuilding the morals and families of the inner cities, as the politicians suggest, we must first look at the materialism that spins our society. Current Issues Forum Issue: Should a four-lan- e toll highway be built tween Spanish Fork and Monticello? be- YES: Increased traffic on SR-- between Price and Spanish Fork has lead to increased safety problems. The road is the scene of many on a recent accidents, and nearly everyone can recount a near-mis-s vital are a the arteries trip through key to canyon. Transportation increased economic development. It is no secret that southeastern Utah is suffering a depression in the midst of an economically healthy state. Getting traffic through our southeast area safely and efficiently will promote tourism and economic growth. A toll fee? Absolutely necessary. As the feds cut back funds for highway construction and maintenance and the road is excluded from state budget plans for years into the future, there are no other funds available for such a mammoth project. 6 NO: As one candidate said, "I don't pay to drive on or why should pay to drive on a road through Carbon County? Toll roads are an offense to a citizenry that already pays gasoline taxes for road construction. Although such highway improvements are desirable, they are not necessary to safety or economic development. Increased numbers of UHP troopers patroling the highway can diminish the high cost in accidents, death and injuries. A better road may mean more tourism in the area, but tourism provides only minimum wage jobs. A better road will not insure a better coal market, whish is the real answer to ending the Carbon-Emerdepression. I y you would like to voice your opinion on the issue of building a e toll highway between Spanish Fork and Monticello you can do so by calling the Current Issues line: question number 1 . Cost of each call is 50 cents. Current Issues is by ATP Inc., Vernal, Utah. If four-lan- answer to last week's question- - "Should parimutuel wagering be placed on the November ballot?- "- 64 percent answered yes, 36 answered no. In expressed In the Current Issues Forum do not necessarily reflect those of this publication. The opinions By JOSEPH WALKER fundraiser and I Guest columnist even tempted. OK, Ill tell you how I voted, even though it goes against my principles you know, the more to do with my sanctity of the voting booth and all of that. But since you asked and since I appreciate the implications of this election, Ill tell you: I voted for... the Young Elvis. Now, I know what youre thinking. Youre saying to Here is someone yourself, who is living in the past, who ignores harsh realities while basking in a retrospective fantasy that never really existed. Here is someone who still likes Ike, whose idea of high comedy is Milton Berle in a dress and whose fondest dream is to spend an entire summer cruising Route 66 in a red and white Corvette Stingray." Right? But youre wrong. The first U.S. president I can remember is President Kennedy. I never even saw Milton Berle in a dress. And while I kind of like the idea of the red and white Vette, I recently heard about a group that is selling pieces of the old Route 66 as a wasnt Thats because Elvis has sisters generation than mine. Im more of a Beatles n Beach Boys kind of guy. But I voted for the Young Elvis postage stamp... well, 1 didnt like the sideburns on the Old Elvis stamp. Dumb reason? Well, maybe. But logic is often the first casualty in any election year. How else do you explain the endurance of political bromides like these: You cant legislate moraliGive me a break. Or better ty. yet, give me an example of a law that isnt at its heart legislated morality. We have laws against murder because we believe it is wrong for one person to kill another. Civil rights legislation was bom in the notion that racism is wrong. Even traffic laws reflect commonly held values with regard to public safety and personal responsibility. In other words, theres no reason to be afraid of candidates or issues that are based on moral perspectives. Our job as voters is to become familiar with the various moral viewpoints being espoused and then to select the one that is most closely aligned with our own. In fact, if someone comes along claiming amorali-ty...wel- l, thats the person to fear. How can you believe in someone who doesnt believe in something? A candidates private life is irrelevant to the election process. Au contraire! What a candidate does outside the public eye may well be the best indication of personal preparedness for public service. Be honest do we really want to put our struggling economy in the hands of someone whose personal finances are a shambles? How much faith can we place in the campaign promises of someone who pays little attention to marital vows? And what does it say about a persons attitudes and judgment if they have a history of sexual harassment, bigotry or driving while intoxicated? Dont get me wrong Im not advocating witch hunts, and I hate the idea of a tabloid approach to campaign coverage. Certain private family matters that have nothing to with the candidates character can and should remain do confidential. But values issues are another matter entirely. While its unrealistic to expect perfection of our candidates, it is not at all inappro- priate to expect them to adhere to certain standards of honesty, decency, integrity and morality in their personal as well as their public lives. And if they dont, the public has a right to know. Throw the bums out! Every election year about this time we hear this refrain. And while I understand the temptation to blame every pothole and civil disturbance on our elected officials, the fact is we only get the government we elect. If weve got leaders who deserve to be tossed out on their political perks, lets toss em. But as we do so, lets remember that part of their failure is ours because we werent more discerning at the ballot box. They may be bums, but theyre our bums. So to speak. We have a wondrous democratic process that is sometimes flawed by our own poor (Continued on Page 1 A) |