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Show OPINION -' PAUL HARVEY COMMENTARY O.f. we hardly knew ye It is our own better judgment that is on trial in that Los Angeles courtroom. Similar sensational trials have not focused our attention to this extent because we never prejudiced the Menendez brothers or the subway shooter. But WC thought we knew o.r. We imagined a subliminal relationship with this athlete most of us have never met. We cannot know these people. We are not supposed to. Yet, inevitably, we think we do. So, it is our better judgment that is on trial. Could we possibly have been so wrong? We continue to watch the trial proceedings, mesmerized by the utter incongruity. We hope against hope and we are caught up in the same kind of denial that consumed Nicole. Simpson had crossed over so successfully that he endeared himself to the widest possible spectrum of hero worshippers. Billy Graham, through his lifetime ministry, has frequently and repeatedly cautioned, "Don't attach your faith to Bill Graham. He could falter and fail you. Focus your faith instead on the infallible Christ." Yet, for all his admonitions, we do tend to reverence the Rev. Graham. We are not supposed to have subconscious relations with public persons, and yet, hungering for heroes, we forget that. There is another dimension to the Simpson fascination . It involves race, sex, violence and intrigue - all the things Americans love to hate. When poet Don Blanding described his "Vagabond House," he mentioned a particular painting, a "sallow-eyed nude harlot on a zeb.ra skin." He acknowledged that his respectable friends would look askance - that the shouldn't have it about the place "but I like while I loath the beastly thing. I guess that's the way one feels about sin." I guess it is. Some celebrities we love so much we can't let go. Rumors persist that James Dean, so prematurely plucked from our midst, is still alive in Mexico on a respirator. Rumors persist that John Kennedy is still alive in Switzerland on a respirator. Many insist that beloved, prematurely deceased Elvis Presley is still alive and pumping gas in Memphis. In fact we never knew any of them. Yet, do desperately so some continue even now to cling to them that we have kept them alive! All it will take is one jury member, similarly clinging, hoping, longing, beUeving in the smiling football hero we thought we knew, to allow him to walk free. Whether he should or not. Paul Harvey is a syndicated columnist now living in Illinois. PROFESSIONAL STAfP AND DESK Editor Campus Editor Consulting Sports Editors Business Manager As,i,wit to the Editor PHONE NUMB.ERS: Larry Boker 586-7751 Jim Robinson 586-1997 Neil C ordner 586-7753 Brett Jewkes 586-7752 Lynn Dennett 586-7748 Jennifer Morley 586-7759 STUDENT STAFF AND DESK PHONE N 11\BERS, Associate l!ditor,i JoAnn Lundgreen 865-8226, Michelle Clegg 586-7750 Opinion Director Curry Edwards 5 6-7757 AP Wirt Editor Nicole kal 865-8225 Copy Editor Mi ki Sellers 586-7757 Photo Editor Lonnie Behunin 586-775' Arts Editor Jennifer Durr.an 586-5488 Adwerti ing Manager Jackilyn Christ!ansc:n 586-7758 Ad Rcpre..-niativc Lesa Rin,lll,hachcr 586-775 Circulotioo l\lonager Dave Mcooea 865-8225 Ad Production facilitatots Jdl Mortin 586-7757 Stacey Berry 586-7757 Thr. UnNu.sity /ournal i5 rubll!lhcd cvc:,y Momby, \VcdnU(br :10J Fn~r of the ..udc,nie. yenr .n .a pubhc.. tion of Southt'm Uuh Un.Jvcn.11y, LtS lkpanm~, o4 commumc.mon md tbr UU rudcnt A.w,ct.itlon Tht vi"t"WJ ;i1fld opinlom t-qrencd in the /aur1JIJ1 :itc 1 ~ of individual wmers: and do nl'.X ~ n l y rtO('(.t the (Tlfll(Kl of chc /,;,um.i i or on)' mmy Qf tl,c u.nfvcrsity, Ltner, to the t'd1tor must be typed and Uldudt: tht: n.unc and rhl'ml: numbn On.I, 1hc ru.mc wtll be. runr(.d Namet wtU nOl be w-hhhcld undt-r any C.UCUINU~ •nd the rcbtnr 1aaves ~ m11,t pnvtlqjc, l..c.ttt"B mu.n be 1mbnttttc:d by noon frld.ay;, for Moncby cdmont, Tuuday1 f I WednC$.U7 cd1aons 11,nd Thu.t$W)'I fer Fn<by cchttoc.u Grit-un.c-ct1: Any ind1vidu., l wnh a ,gneu .nc<- aµin.st the fournnt ~hould dn«I such problem lust 10 the editor U unruolvtd, Wt g:ricv-an« should them be d11Uttd to the/oumal Stttring Commiu« , w-hu:b ls chaucd b7 DI Fram C. Pu,,.,,,, Sll6-79 71. The s<a<UI')' is LoiJ Bulloch, SU-7710. 1./nmnitr ,-...1:0lh= in SUUTor.hnoqy lluildu,g<Xll. Mail "SUU llax9J84, Ow, Oty. Utah 1j,17lll. o PAX f801)586-S43 rRINTtO ON lOO'!G. RECYCLED PAPER PLEASE RECYCLE nn COPY I TheSapling .....- ··...,: .... - -- CURRY EDWARDS COMMENTARY Outside activities on campus are not all fun and games SUU is growing, part of this growth is seen in you have al.ready paid for with your tuition. the use of the University facilities by groups But those are just some of the annoyances. The real problem comes from having all of these from outside of the University community. Chief among these groups, in my experience, high school students, and often their parents, are high schools, and high school athletics in roaming the halls during class. particular. In. the course of the current academic Teaching is rarely an easy task and it yea.r we have seen basketball tournaments from suddenly becomes much more difficult when at least three different divisions and just last you are forced to contend with screaming high week there were choir groups from all over the school students, and the occasional impromptu state assembled on campus. cheer leading practice, in the halls or outside of While these activities are probably considered the windows. And for those classes scheduled to be good sources of i ncom e, pres tige and a right before lu nch there is the smell of hot fairly effective recruiting tool ,....__,,......,,.,..,....,,,,,._ __,,--..,...----, popcorn right across the hall. These irritations have become for the school, there are a coupl so pronounced that on occasion of groups that I fear are being passed over or even ignored. professors have cut class short These groups include the because it is nearly impossible for studentsandfacultyofSUU. them or their students to Both ends of ca mpu s are concentrate on the lesson. regularly inundated with high In defense of the school, they do school students. At the east end post signs stating that class is in of campus I have seen mainly session and ask that the people in theatre associated activities . the hall please remain qui et. While on the western end you Unfortunately these signs are get m os t, if not all, of th e almost constantly ignored. athletic activities. I understand that as students at For those of u who attend the a state university we do not, and majo.rity of our classes in the should not, have sole access to the Centrum these activities are proving to be an university's facilities. increasingly annoying thorn in the side. I also understand that regardless of the I realize that the Centru m wa built u sing disruption to the edu cational process of this funds from within the commw1ity so that there University - which probably should be its would be a place for these event to occur. primary function - that these activities will And you may ask yours lf, "The Centrum is a continue to conflict with classes. I wonder if it would be possible to schedule large building, isn't there ro m for some extracurri ular activitie in there?'' th.ese high school events at later times so that Well there i plenty of room if you don't mind they do not conflict with the class schedule of having to park out by the Pavili n, well past the t h e universit y? And that way avoid the sch ol buses, or having to fight your way through confusion and frustration of holding class in a the crowded we t entranc and the ccasional fear high school events center. that you are going to have to go outside and p urchase a ticket to whatever event is going on Curry Edwards is a junior and the opinion just to get in, so that you can attend a class that director for the University Journal. |
