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Show r $bc Suit Jake (Tribune Sunday Morning Section January Opinion l'J, lWili A Pag' 7 H rihunt luli t or in Is i (Anninon Currier Ia'IIcts M Help for Westminster College Is in Publics Best Interest Gov. Norm Bangertcr is correct. State Sen. Richard Carling. Lake City, has provided the appropriate legislation. Westminster College of Salt Lake City is entitled to a modest amount of state aid so it can conlt tinue its higher education services in Utah. Reiterating his reasoning that the institution saves the state money. Gov. Bangerter Thursday again plugged for a $1.1 million capital improvements grant to Westminster. It was solid," agreeable support for the bill which would make the financial Sen. Carlings Utah help possible Financial Assistance Act for Nonpublic Institutions of Higher Education. During his University of Utah KUED news conference, the governor observed if continuing financial difficulties forced Westminster to close, a large proportion of its student body would move to state col1,300-memb- leges and universities, Utahs costs more than increasing $1.1 million. In fact, when the aid for Westminster was first requested in 1984, it was estimated the existence of the institution saves Utah $2 million in higher education costs annually. enrolled at percent are the 1,300 students Westminster College, 84 Utah residents, according ficials. Its reasonable then, that the Of to school ofto assume, college fulfills a locally-fel- t higher education need and, therefore, can justifiably receive state help. ld Precedent-settin- is certainly inCarling's bill is written to prevent not just any private institution of higher learning from obtaining state appropriations. Those operated for profit are ineligible as well as those owned by a church or tied closely to religious instruction. Although founded as a Presbyterian college, Westminster severed that connection 12 years ago. Sen. Carlings bill limits possible state aid to only those private schools r offering at least a college level course leading toward a baccalaureate degree. Any future requests from such institutions would have to stand on their individual merits, able to make a compelling case for state g volved. But Sen. two-yea- help. Westminster already has. It would use the $1.1 million to repair campus buildings now unusable because of repair work, buildings listed on the countrys historic sites register. With these facilities, the college has a fighting chance to stay open, relieving Utah state government of the additional costs caused by absorbing the Westminster student load. Since 1875, Westminster has been a functioning and credible part of edu- Raymond Coffey i What Do the Salmon Say About This? The Chicago Tribune WASHINGTON Did anyone consult the salmon, I wonder, to get an idea of how they might feel about being rendered sexless? Possibly you missed it. but there was an unnerving story the other day about the Department of Fisheries in Washington state having created a new "super breed" of coho salmon designed to eliminate the biological urge to spawn and consequently die. The idea is that this will keep the new fish alive for two extra years and they will, therefore, grow bigger and fatter and look more impressive on the end of a fisherman's line when, finally, they do come to the end of their careers. However, the idea also entails sterilizing the fish - neutering them, wiping out all possibility of courtship, romance, rendezvous in the rapids. It also wipes out. of course, the possibility of reproduction for these hapless new specimens. No heirs. According to the story, from the Seattle Times and relayed by The Associated Fress. supporters of this experiment in sexless fish say it could greatly improve sports fishing in Puget Sound by doubling the size of some coho." Well. yes. I suppose so. But how the salmon feel about it. I still wonder - or And I wonder how many fishermen would want to trade in their fisherwomen sexuality for an extra two years of existence and the opportunity to expand their waist- - lines. de-se- x cation efforts in Utah. It is asking for The whole business strikes me as yet ana small amount of state help so it can other bizarre case of violating that useful continue making that contribution. and enduring old wisdom about how if it The transaction is fair, balanced in ain't broke, don't fix it." the publics favor and worth the legisIt is such a goofy idea that I would have lative support asked for by Gov. Ban- thought it would originate here in Washington. DC.. rather than in some generally norgerter and Sen. Carling. mal and sensible environment like the state of Washington. The System Works The saga of Bernhard Goetz has not ended 13 months after it began on Dec. 22, 1984, when he shot four youths on a New York City subway. Mr. Goetz, who has freely admitted the shootings, says he believed the youths were about to physically attack and rob him. After two attempts, the Manhattan district attorney has been given an unusual third chance to have Mr. Goetz indicted by a grand jury on atH. tempted murder charges. A judge has ordered those charges, returned by a the second grand jury called in the case, dismissed because of prejudicial error by a prosecutor who instructed the grand jury and because two of the victims now strongly appear to have been lying when they testified to the grand jury. When Mr. Goetz shot the youths he touched off a fierce international and national debate over vigilantism and the right of people to defend themselves against criminals. In some quarters he immediately became a hero, his actions representing the pent up frustrations of a segment of society that feels victimized by judges" and "liberals. Also, the shootings served to orchestrate one more futile chapter in an endless and, so far, fruitless debate over gun control. But, for the most part, the Goetz case has probably created ambivalent reactions. Initially, people quite likely identified with the electronic engineer's reaction. Instantaneous and decisive action to prevent harm to ones self is. "soft-heade- d after all, a natural response. On cooler, second thought, those same people would be apt to conclude, that taking the law into ones own hands is wrong and that the traditional, established processes for dealing with crime and criminals ought to be allowed to work. Now, people who had those second thoughts have been vindicated the system is working. Mr. Goetz is by no means getting off scot-freHe still faces charges of reckless endangerment, because one of the shots he fired didnt hit its target but ricocheted in a subway car. e. threatening the passengers aboard. Neither is he out of the woods yet on those attempted murder charges. If the Manhattan district attorney still has an unusual third chance, and if he and his associates will pay closer attention to the rules, it may be possible to get an indictment on those charges. Whether Mr. Goetz is ever indicted is uncertain, as is the possibility that he will be convicted if he does have to face any additional charges. Those are the vagaries of "the system." They might not necessarily be swift and sure. But they do reduce, almost as much as is humanly possible, the chances that innocent persons will be convicted or that guilty persons will escape punishment. It might fall short of perfection, but that system goes a long way toward preventing abuses (lamentably, in the minds of those who don't understand or are intolerant of it) of both the innocent and the guilty equally. That Department of Fisheries released of the sexless salmon into Puget Sound and, according to the story, some critics are wondering whether this tinkering with nature's way could harm the sound's fragile ecosystem. No one knows what could happen," said Lee Blankenship of the Department of Fisheries. Will this produce some giant predator that will gobble up fish?" Not to worry, soothed a scientist who the fish. "Let s face it." said helped Sam Milham. fisheries officials have been fooling around with nature with hatcheries forever. And (the fish) arc only going to live another two years. They're not going to get as big as sharks." 150,000 Personally I sort of admire coho salmon just the way they are. And I am not entirely sure that whoever or whatever invented God. let's say, though that probably them had principally will get an argument, too in mind pleasing the sport fishermen of Puget Sound - Walter Dickoff, a researcher with the University of Washington School of Fisheries. did point to one problem "We have no idea where (the salmon) are going to go" once their sexual drive, and with it their urge to swim upriver to spawn, is They might just swim about aimlessly or even decide to take off for Alaska, he short-circuite- said. The typical coho now lives three years and tips the scales at between eight and 11 pounds. If that's not big enough for Puget Sound fishermen, then let them go fish fur sharks, or whales. The real issue here, however, is what seems to me to have become this reckless urge to tinker and tamper with what is, New and different and bigger and cheaper are not not by a long shot always better Think of the phone company Think of New Coke. Think of designated hitters in baseball and artificial turf. Think of bilingual education. Think of banks that used to have real live human tellers who smiled and who actually worked, instead of computers and money machines that don't work and certainly never smile. Now. along with all that, we've got "genetics engineers" who think they can improve on the normal, traditional, flawed but intended variety of human being we've all grown accustomed to Keep an eye on them. What if they decide they can improve on us by doing to us what they're doing to those coho salmon'1 suspect the coho would rather sw im upfor the sake of romance than hang around an extra two years and get I stream and perish fat. So would I. Columnists Don't Sway Readers Opinion Peddlers Find Few Buyers and dodge tomatoes. It feels too good to be legal. By Douglas Pike Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel last week loped along, none of the old reliables the lunacy of Reaganomics, tin paralysis of Congress, the heartbreak of pso riasis - sparked an urge to write. So instead of halfheartedly bashing some politico. Pvt been thinking about the very business ol slinging opinions. stateConsider this a ment by an oddball in an odd business. One of its oddities is that readers seem to want columnists who are 110 percent sure of themselves. It s hard to be so cut and dried on lots of matters. Take the sore subject of President Rea gun. In truth. I'm only 99 and percent sure that he's wrong ubout just about everything. But it's simpler and stronger to leave out the doubts and the asterisks. As - This oversimplification invites dissent Recent letters have accused me of hostility." "pragmatic hedonism" and Such charges go with the territory but I plead innocent on point three. My moments of hostility and of hedonism are without regard to race, color or creed. - " If this sounds a bit cheeky, it's because the mail also punctures a pundit's overblown notion that he can change hearts and minds Letter writers express an annoying prefer cnee for their own opinions. Letters (all into two types according to the message: Y..u're right" or "You're wrong." After moie tn. n U0 columns, I still haven't got a single let On days when my energies and convictions are at 110 percent, it s exhilarating to try by column to right a wrong or to share something more personal. At times when things aren't so in sync, it's fun to be able to ruminate on slices of life. By the way. in the interest of full disclosure and in case a truck runs me down tomorrow. here's a handy pocket guide to life's finer and fouler things Good: diner food, foghorns. laughter. Jay Leno, first-clas- s mail, libraries. Woody Allen, friends, the open road. Bad Sinatra, spokesmen, lobbyists, bigots, fashion, liars, TV preachers, broccoli, telemarketing. There it goes again that natural urge of a columnist to be bossy. But in truth, I like people who concoct their own opinions and take pontifieation with a grain of salt. Imagine two people at a dance who don't know they "can't dance." They don't need a more expert opinion from some geek in the punch line. Yet sometimes that's the upshot of commentary. Some opinion peddlers make it easy for people not to be mesmerized by them. always liked Nicholas Von Hoffman's old description of what a columnist should be: "a grouch, suspicious, nasty, introspective monk, a horrid, raggedy thing " A little grouchmess can keep people from falling asleep. But I worry about obscuring my basic goal to befriend a few underdogs and offend a few fat cats ter, card or call that said. "You changed my mind " Ah. if only Samuel Butler had been more right when he wrote that people are eager ti. take their opinions from others "The public buys its opinions as it buys its meat, or takes its nulk, on the principle that it is cheaper to do l tus than to keep a cow " But my basic attitude toward opinion mongering isn't futility. I feel honored to haw xanrh'd i eel i.iee'oshi-- i ideas and H s t' feelingiimg t a n d on soapbox 1 Reign of Terror Must Stop Thinking Moslems Value Human Rights, Condemn Fanatieism im By Abdullahi Ahmed Special to the Los Angeles Times One year ago this week a devout elderly Moslem, Mahmoud Mohammed Tuha, was publicly hanged in Sudan's capital for the "offense" of defending the faith against radi cal fanaticism. He went to his death in a brutal manner us 2.000 fanatics cheered with "God is great " shouts of Allah akbar In the ensuing months this sad event has An-N- a - a member AMallahl Ahmed of the low faculty at tbe I'nh entity of Khartoum, Is a visiting professor at I 'Diversity of California, Los Angeles, School of Law. An-Sa'i- Urn turned into a positive movement for human rights in the Islamic wurld. and this week thousands of people were e.Xectcd to gather in Khartoum for public commemorations of the revered teacher's martyrdom This is extremely significant Tuliu. 70 years old at the lime of his death, was an sufi (Moslem engineer by profession and In resHmse mystic) by jiersonal discipline. to this one man's willingness to die graceful for the liberty and dignity of all men and women, many Moslems are now standing for human rights m the face of religious fjnati cism and intimidation God is truly great in ways in winch the fanatics fail to appreciate The proponents of the literal application of the ancient Islamic code, the sharia, pro pose to establish autocratic, oppressive "Is ly ianuc" states, along the Iranian model, throughout the Moslem wurld Their vision of Islamic law relegates women and non Moslems to the status of second- and third ( lass citizens The mutilation of criminal ol fenders, suppression of political opponents and international terrorism in the name ol jihad (liidv war) are their primary conlribu turns to civilization In contrast. Talia advocated the applica Hon uf the fundamental principles ol justice and equality revealed to the Prophet Mohammed Talia maintained that some as ports of sharia were social, not theological - that they reflected the situation of the first Moslem state. Medina, a 7th century coinmuiiily in Arabia Talia taught that Is lam has more to uflor. and suggested ways m which today's Moslems may identify and en act the universal aspects of their religion to achieve civil, political and economic equali ly and justice regardless of sex or religion, thereby contributing to human progress Over the course of 40 years many people were drawn to Tuba's vision of a more just society under the precepts of Islam, and to him as ustadh - revered teacher His followers were known as the Republican Brothers (though nearly half were women), and were outlawed as a political organization In 911)1. Gen Gaafar Nimeiry, then presi dent of Sudan, decided to transform the country into an autocratic "Islamic" state, and he had Talia and his leading followers detained without trial Continuing pressure by international human rights groups apparently prompted the sudden unconditional re lease of the group in December 19114 But Nimeiry may have had a craftier motive During that year be had replaced Sudan s civil laws with the sharia As might haw been expected, within a week of their release Talia and Ins followers issued a protest c,i let. demanding the restoration ol democrat tc freedoms so that the principle and manner ol applying sharia could be debated freely Sudanese The leaflet also asked lor a political settlement for the civil war in the southern part of the largely country Talia and four of Ins followers were arrested again, and after a highly irregular two hour trial were condemned to death Since Talia was deemed intransigent in ad vocating "heretical" views, he was hanged immediately The other lour condemned men were "pardoned" after a humiliating days later public recantation. Seventy-siNimeiry was overthrow n by a popular upi is mg, which was followed by a formal at my coup d'et.it Sudan is now governed by a joint milt I ary and civilian administration under a transitional ('(institution adopted Iasi Octn her Tbe future uf sharia rule is supposed to be settled by a parliament to lie elected in April It seems doubtful, however. Iliat sim li a fundamental issue will lie determined b a gencial election The modern application uf sharia confronts all Moslems with a genuine dilemma They strongly feel the religious duty to conduct all of their public and private affairs in accordance with Islam. Many aspects ol sharia, however, such as discrimination are clearagainst women and ly untenable today Political oppression and religious intimidation are forcing many honest thinking Moslems tu ponder their predicament Are they to give up their legitimate aspiration to enjoy basic individual liberties" Can they consent to the relegation of their female and compatriots to inferior status" Ur are they to abandon their spiritual commitment to Islam" Talia showed extraordinary honesty and courage in openly addressing this fundamental issue But lie did more He provided an Mamie answer to the Moslem dilemma Thai is why he has become the symbol of human rights lor all Moslems The celebrations that are planned in his honor will clearly demonstrate that ideas live or die by their ow n merit and not bv the late of their individual proponents |
