| Show ' ' Sunday February 23 2003 ' A4 1 The Herald Journal Your view Allow educators die Most are as innocent as the people in the World Dade Center To many our methods will appear as bad as bin Laden’s Therein lies my real fear Our actions will make it much easier fm bin Laden to recruit People hate arrogance and they hate the things that scare them and we scare them Bob Simon of the CBS program “60 Minutes” recently reported that young South Koreans see President Bush as more dangerous than North Korean dictator Kim Jong II As that attitude becomes more prevalent it could become unsafe for Americans to travel anywhere in the world This would be a particular hazard to'LDS missionaries In addition the war is going to cost billions of dollars at a time when we can’t even afford a good education for our kids or basic sup-port for the elderly And we’re going to cut taxes at the same time? Is this some sort of new math taught in Texas or some class Bush misunder- stood at Yale? Finally I recently read a letter that stated some people in this country are “becoming a bigger threat to die security of this nation than Saddam and combined” I agree with that However the writer was referring to Ted Koppel and I’m referring to the people occupying the White House Now I have one final question for the people who are so eager to see us go to war Given the same circumstances we have today what would your position be if it was Bill Clinton or A1 Gore salivating to take us into Iraq? to truly educate To the editor: I'm 9 teacher I like teaching I knew what I'd make and I chose to teach anyway And foigive me if I’m in outer space I believe my students like me About two weeks ago I was eating my lunch when I heard a ruckus at the hallway doors I went out to see what was going on and !o and behold a (some) student(s) had turned off the hallway lights I politely asked them to turn them back on Knowing I'd never “catch” the one who “did it ” I put on my saddest face and said “I'm so sony you guys It’s too bad that one person can ruin things for everyone but I’m just going to have to ask all of you to leave the entry way” They moaned and groaned but followed instructions Bet someone who wants to wait in the warmth of the entry way for lunch to get over will say some- thing next time before I have toget involved Point: Yes sometimes a few can ruin things for others and IT’S OKAY Not fair but okay Another story (with another related point) Three weeks ago I was walking to an early morning Spanish class several faculty members put togeth- " er I met Principal Johnson of Mount Logan Middle School heading to the same class We were about to be late and his stride showed it He was friendly and conversational but by the time we reached the class we’d gotten our early morning walk Point: This is a man who practices what he preaches He’s not going to stand in the halls telling students to get to class when he doesn’t make his own meetings a priority ' Mount Logan Middle School is a community learning center Let's allow the educators there to truly ' Philip Bullock Logan ! Standing up for Principal Johnson ' educate Let's not try to draw a line between crimes that are okay on school grounds and ones that aren’t Let’s be our brother’s keeper once in a while Let’s speak out for what is right (because I still believe that some things are right and some are wrong) Let’s encourage responsibility in ourselves and others Anne Sampson Logan Invading won’t make us safer ' : To the editor I would like to commend Thad Michael Box for his commentary-anWolfe for his letter in TheHerald Journal of February 19 Both were insightful and filled with basic com- mon sense One would hope they would encourage people to think of the many ramifications of the Iraqi issue and of the course of action this administration is taking Unfortunately letters and com- mentaries of this nature more commonly provoke a rash of name-callin- g and character assassi- nation The terms “stupid” “igno- rant” and “unpatriotic” have been used to describe the people who oppose this insanity I'm a veteran and Hove this coun-- try but I’m ashamed of what t)ie Bush administration is doing and of the level of public support Bush’s policies seem to have If I thought an attack on Iraq would improve our security I might feel differently However I'm convinced that this invasion will make it a more dangerous world and will brand America an ' international aggressor concerned I’m about our trbops but Fm also concerned about the thousands of Iraqi civilians who may - Why is Bush two wars? fighting Td the editor I wasn’t overly concerned when Bush the Younger was appointed president I figured the worst he would do is ram through tax breaks for the fat cats who put him in office I expected more of him after 9-though I anticipated he would use America’s military might to hunt down and mow down Osama bin Laden and his cowardly cohorts wherever they were Instead Bush announced plans to invade Iraq a country that was so thoroughly whipped in 1991 that it has become a virtual nonentity 11 See VIEW on A12 Lettersipolicyj Herald Journal lamatisinaicB 3 Th Opinion page Is Intended to acquaint readers with a variety of viewports on inmsis of public importance and provide members of the comrriunity with a torum for ttwir views Personal columns cartoons and letters from readers reflect the opmiona of their witters and creators Edttorials under the haadnotJur View represent the views of the Herald Journal rial board Members of the edhortal board: - DARRELL EHRUCKcity editor CINOYYURTHrteaturee edttor BRUCE SMITHfpuMshsr CHARLES MrCOLLUMtaunqing editor To the editor It’s too bad that the second night of die Mountain Film Festival was cancelled I feel for those who wanted to attend and couldn’t I also feel for those affected by the crimp in fundraising this will cause for the USU Outdoor Rec Center I’m surprised though at the balance of the negative reaction toward MLMS Principal Dan Johnson and the superintendent versus thpse who were drinking and smoking at die event I certainly don’t have most of the details so I can’t say whether I think Principal Johnson made the right decision or not However I can speak up for him as a principal and a leader of one of the best middle schools in the state — a large underfunded overcrowded middle school I’ve had children at MLMS and have been pleased at their experiences and their educa- tion Not everything is good but most of it is The principal deserves much of the credit for this Mike Kuhns Logan - ' manners on da : The Herald Journal weloomea letters to the adttor Pqtentiaty RMous or offensive Mere wi not be published however and the edttor reserves the right to edttal letters to oonfoim to the length and atyle requirements of the Letters should be: Typewritten and double spaced No more than 450 words in length Addressed and Induda daytime phone number for puposes of verification Signed by the auflror IndMduato are Imiled to one puNehad latter wNhin any 3Q4ay period Addraae letters io hjMtarOhjnowscom Guest are also welcome and are run at s J 1— ancraon uii 9onon By Anin Brunson w e cut each other off Wc dawdle in the passing lane or use the slow lane to pass on the right We speed by then dart in front of each other only to slow down We stop in the middle of the road to chat with our friends or to let a passenger out of the car We coast along after dusk in the near dark without our headlights on and we blind each other with our blights Sometimes we swerve into the other lane as we talk on our cell phones chat with our passengers apply lipstick or eat We run red lights and glide through stop signs and of sarcasm my-oh-- how we love to tailgate Some of us are better drivers than others but everyone who has been behind the wheel has made a mistake at one time or another What they can’t seem to teach us in driver’s ed is ho w to cope when those we share the road with are driving us crazy As a young girl I learned well from my grandmother how to drive in the worst of circumstances She never sat me on her lap behind the wheel for a practice run like so many elders do for their young She never reviewed the rules of the road either Still Gram’s unique roadside manners were ingrained in my psyche before I was old enough to ride along without the aid of a booster seat She maneuvered through the troublesome traffic in downtown Miami back in the early '70s with confidence and skill that was unmatched by those around her The fact that my brother and I were too short to see the people places and things whizzing by the windows made the journey no less interesting Gram’s ongoing narrative full of color and vivacity always mad our sojourns fascinating and informative It surprised me the first few times I heard this otherwise elegant South- em belle mutter and sputter to those she shared the road with Exhibiting a passion that varied according to & No it r i m- - In die “direst of situations she would let it all out biting her tongue to keep from using expletives We’d sit in die back seat biting our tongues trying to keep from laughing at her “For crying out loud! What do you think you’re doing? Can’t you see where you’re going?” and my childhood favorite “Did you get your license out of a Cracker Jack box?” Like my predecessors did forme I am teaching my own youngsters the ways of die road They follow my comments closely giving each other a high-fiv- e when I come up with a Someparticularly cleyer put-dotimes they have questions like “Mom can I get a license in a Cracker Jack box?” Sometimes they lean closer to make out the details of my mumblings and grumblings and they’re always ready to rein me in if I cross the line “Mommy we’re not allowed to call people stupid” they remind me : timidly “I’m not calling him stupid honey I'm calling his actions stupid” I explain “When you pull out in front of a vehicle that is moving SS mph that's stupid AND idiotic” “Mommy we’re hot allowed to call people idiotic" they remind me again ever so timidly Well you get die picture They’re right after aQ and this fact becomes perfectiy clear when the issue resurfaces during their next argument “Stupid Stupid Stupid Idiotic” I hear one ofthem say to another one “Children” I say “we’re not allowed to talk to each other like that" “But Mom I’m not calling him stupid I’m calling his actions stu- pid” Needless to say when the children are in tow I’ve learned to at least try to use my best manners whenever I talk to the traffic I was alone early one morning this week though when there was a bit of confusion at the recently installed nonsensical y stop on the jagged coiners around 600 East and 1000 North in Logan When it was my turn to move an inattentive driver in a Suburban big rt enough to haul cargo for charged out and cut me off I threw my palms up in dismay and mouthed anunintelligible string of adjectives that I thought best described the insensitive driver at that moment As he passed the gentleman held up his end of tiie conversation by uttering an equally unintelligible string of words and shaking his pointer finger at me Staying on course I pulled out and rode behind him for a few blocks I was still steaming when traffic forced me to pull up next to him at a red traffic light I stole a glance at him out of curiosity and our eyes mri when he turned to look down at me from his big-ri-g Very dramatically I this man at who was old glared enough to be my father and I did what any child might do in a similar situation I stuck my tongue out at him and blew This set his finger to shaking and his jaws to flapping again and the absurdity of it all hit me square: I started laughing uncontrollably and in die split second that followed he began chuckling too The light turned green a moment later and we both drove away guf fawing at the absurdity of our own behavior and at the situation we had created I guess the point I’m driving at is that we could all be a little mbre considerate when we’re behind the wheel When all else fails though we can still enjoy the journey four-wa- Wal-Ma- a Herald Journal education reporter Her column appears on the Opinion page every other Sunday She can be reached by at abrunaonOhjnewscom Arrin Brunson is all contest to reality television shows By Dave Barry Tribune Media Sendees I decided to take up a sport J’m old and it’s time I did something good for my body other than occasionally burp it But which i sport? A lot of men my age play golf but as far as I can tell this SS years “sport" severity of their offenses Gram would talk to the other drivers as if they were hanging on her every word “All right honey you can scoot out in front of me if it!ll make your day a little better” she would Say with a smile and lilting drawl to someone waiting patiently in the wings of the road “Is Gram going crazy?” we wondered at first Her words came quicker and with more severity if the offense warranted it “Where’d you leave your glasses today? You must drink you own the road or something Don’t let me get in your way” she’d say with a touch con- sists mainly of piys describ mg to each other in great detail how they shanked their bogeys Call me a wet blanket but I don't want to know how another guy shanks his ' bogey I thought about taking up competitive eating This is an actual sport which I found out about from a TV show called “Man Versus Beast” This is one of those “reality’’ shows which depict real situidions that real people like you and me are always really finding ourselves in For example just the other night I was hanging out with some celebrity millionaire bachelorette class-reunisurvivors and one of them turned out to be a mole! Don't you HATE it when that happens? Anyway on "Man Versus Beast” on V they had real humans competing against real animals in various con-tests one of which was eating hot ' dogs This event pitted a guy named: Tkkeru Kobayashi billed as “the world-recor- d holder in j ing” against a Kodiak bear whose j 1' name was not given probably because when he realized what kind of show this was he demanded ' 1 anonymity to protect his career You will never guess who won unless youhave three or more brain cells in which case you will immedi' ately say: The bear I mean duh it’s a BEAR The announcers tried to make the contest look exciting by hot-dog-e- at- See BARRY on A s i y i y i ' |
