Show Thursday November 15 1990 The Eagle -- Page 3 What happened to the American Dream? Car will be prize for Problems of society are being neglected sLes by Brad Gwyther editorial writer It would seem that in this day and age with the technology we have that society could work on the problems of the world Problems of debt the homeless etc seem to be escalating beyond “humane" proportions You might think that we as a people would try and work towards a better world but the word “work" seems to stick a burr under the saddle of humanity American society has got into the habit of taking a proverbial pill when a crisis occurs We as a society arc constantly looking for a painless way out of a serious situation (especially one that needs to be admitted and solved) Americans used to ask “what's wrong with me and how do I take care of it?” But now it seems that they only plead “can you give me something for the pain?" the federal budget as if to avoid its massive jaws Maybe it's just as well they did get caught it might just teach them a lesson This is ridiculous these arc the "responsible" adults-parcnpoliticians the “solid" citizens What a crock! The addiction Americans face has no involvement with drugs America is addicted to television the consumption of energy plastics and convenient power — cars boats air conditioners and home appliances They arc addicted to credit and debt and high speeds These addictions all have one similarity: the hope of painlessness But when a painless lifestyle occurs all power is lost Addictions of any kind strip people of their talents and abilities The attention fades away and curiosity diminishes to darkness Every nationality has their obsessive traits Germans are addicted to order the French to their language the Italians to their tempers and the list goes on But ours seems to be one of laziness denial and evasion It seems to be a value of compensation staling that with conveniences comes along more miseries Jean Coiictcau greater stated "Stupidity is always amazing no matter how used to it you become" Well this writer is pretty damn amazed It seems that ignorance has become America's addiction In fact it seems that people arc shooting up with ignorance for that high of "painlessness" Ignorance seems to be the perfect anesthesia for our society The Manifest Destiny has become an oblivious recollection of how this nation was established Virtue and success was achieved by But dealing with the problems face on and dealing with them somewhere that hard work and sacrifice was lost in the shuffle of getting around the pain of success and sacrifice Did the American Dream die or is it just lost? It is a pity that it has the mirage of just being a way to get there painlessly and without ts Our society has fallen into the habit when a problem arises that they ask for the “painkiller” first before the diagnosis is even given The American mind has slipped into a state of denial and avoidance And once evasive altitudes begin to “work" the “patient" begins to care less and less about the problem While the pill works the problems seem to vanish the world heals itself and thoughts wander if possible to more delightful memories Memories of the glory days innocence honor of wars won all sit in our mind of how things used to be We as a society seemed to be obsessed with nostalgic things But whin about today? Sure there can be scapegoats to blame for the mess we arc in today "It must have been during the 1980s under Reagan who was a child of an alcoholic" Was this the turning point to where this so called addiction got out of hand? (Listen pointing the finger never solved anything and it never will This is the prime example of the denial angle mentioned earlier) The government falls deeper into debt as it fails to pay off its bills Something our great grandchildren will have to be put up for almost as collateral The president as well as Congress tiptoe around sacrifice The Follett College Book Company “Roadtrip USA" Sweepstakes is held during each quarter at select college stores nationwide This is how it works: When students sell back their textbooks to the CEU Bookstore they receive a free game piece Each game piece could possibly win any erne of the many national prizes including this year's grand prize car a 1991 Ford Probe LX or a number of assorted prizes like a Pepsi mini vending machine with a year's supply of soft drinks an Aquaicrra kayak or a CD player College of Eastern Utah students can participate in this year's “Roadtrip USA" Sweepstakes on Dec 10th Uth and 12th by bringing their textbooks to the CEU Bookstore The Follett College Book Company headquarter in Chicago Illinois is the oldest college textbook company in the United States Although this is Follett's fourth “Roadtrip USA"Swecp-stake- s promotion it is the first time the CEU Bookstore has been able to participate forensics squad ranks first at two tournaments CEU by Melissa Grogan staff writer The CEU debate team competed in tlie Santa Rosa Invitational Speech Tournament October 20-2- 1 placing first in junior college sweepstakes with an impressive 129 12 points Their nearest competitor Riverside accumulated a mere 52 points CEU even beat the first place four year school by over fifty points A total of 31 schools 16 two-yeattended the and IS four-yetournament Eleven members of the CEU squad traveled to Santa Rosa Calif for the two day tournament and all left with a trophy or other award CEU won 23 trophies and 4 other awards Leading the pack was Joe Carver with five awards Carver finished first in overall speaker awards first in informative speaking first in impromptu speaking and second in after dinner speaking Carver also finished first in junior CEDA team debate along with teammate Mac Webster Additionally Webster placed third in impromptu speaking Bill Bryncr finished first in communication analysis followed by teammate Paige Petersen in second Bryncr also finished first in open LD CEDA debate while Petersen finished fourth Karen McGee placed first for best junior CEDA speaker fourth in extemporaneous speaking and ar ar third in junior CEDA team debate along with her partner Amy Pclo Pclo also finished third in informative speaking Aimce Anderson placed third in poetry interpretation and was named fifth best junior CEDA speaker Anderson and partner Daniel Espcrson placed fourth in open Espcrson also ranked third in prose interpretation The novice debate team of Tami Davis and Julie Stilson finished fifth in CEDA debate Davis also placed third in informative speaking and Stilson was named ninth best novice CEDA speaker Sheryl Lake rounded out the CEU awards with her second place finish in prose interpretation The CEU squad also competed at the Color Country tournament held at Southern Utah State College last weekend CEU finished first for the community college sweepstakes with a total of 126 points The team also succcdcd in beating four year schools for the first place overall sweepstakes award CEU’s nearest competitor was San Diego State University with a total of 109 points schools six two-yeTwenty-thre- e from Utah and 17 four-yeArizona California Nevada and Colorado participated in the tournament With the exception of novice debate all other events were open on ar ar division This means that the CEU squad competed with students who had three and four years experience on the college level Despite this fact CEU made an excellent showing In the area of open CEDA debate the team of Webster and Bryncr finished fourth followed by Pclo and McGee in fifth Webster was named sixth best speaker in open debate followed by Pclo in seventh and McGee in tenth Jennifer DcRosc and Petersen took first place in novice CEDA debate while teammates Davis and Stilson finished third Petersen earned fust place for best novice speaker while DcRosc finished second and Stilson came in eighth In individual events Anderson and Espcrson placed first in and rccicvcd the award for top junior Espcrson in prose interwas a pretation and Anderson placed sixth in impromptu speaking taking the top junior award in that event as well Tony Benjamin in impromptu was a in commu first Bryncr placed semi-finali- st semi-finali- st ORacism— Black man running and the top of the page reads “Official Runnin' Nigger Target" In the margin is a note that says “All body shots count Shots to the head do not count unless metal piercing cartridge is used" It is absolutely sickening to think that there are still people who hold such attitudes However we can not deny that these attitudes exist Because racism seems to be so ingrained in people who are prejudice alleviating society of racism seems a massive taskJBul there are several things that could be done to aid the process I think the first step is to leant more about what is going cm and then niealion analysis taking the top junior award He was followed by teammate Petersen who placed fifth Anderson was awarded fifth place overall for best IE speaker “We have some great people with real promise” coach Neil Warren said “as long as the team holds together" ( CEU is currently ranked second in the nation among junior college CEDA schools Coaches Warren and Scou Pullan are encouraged b the team’s early success (cont from page 2) be taken to elementary schools to teach them that diversity is someBecause legislators are supposthing that is interesting and woredly representing their conalert stituents we have a right to thy of respect Prevention is althem of our desires Writing letways more effective than cure There are steps that we can take ters to the Republican National to conquer racism We just need Committee demanding that they to make our voices heard and igwithdraw support from Jesse in We nore cynicism that would convice Helms would be order us that individual efforts do not should let our government know count The problem is loo horrithat we want continued pressure ble to sit back comfortably and put on South Africa until the rid is of Apartheid say that the system is too difficult country totally to change On the local level we could bnMvtin Luther King longed administration the college petition for a “cokxblind" nation Just as to offer a class on cultural diverfosit is people who prevent this from Education sity and ethnicity inters respect for our differences happening it is people who will stead of fear Some students could actualize this dream The time has then create a program that would long since come te make our opinions heard |