Show o QmnMMni Sunday April 18 2004 A4 The Herald Journal Our view On finding a new USU athletic director urrX of Another thought: Maybe USU doesn’t need a flashy new here's a lot guys worse than me in this business" That was one of the parting public statements of USU Athletic Director Ranee Pugmire ath- letic director Maybe it’s time to see how effective a lunch-buckguy (or gal) could be in that et position — somebody more after an alleged drunken driving interested in the joys and intrinincident led to his resignation sic rewards of their work than resume building for a better gig this month elsewhere loudThose words should ring Aggie basketball coach Stew ly in the ears of individuals on Morrill would certainly fit in the USU search committee lookthis category He came to Utah ing for Pugmire's replacement e in the insider As a long-timState from a more prominent college athletic scene Pugmire athletic projgram because he should know wanted his family to live in It's an arena of big egos big Cache Valley And despite great salaries last talk loose expense success here he appears to be accounts flashy personalities turning his back on lucrative schmoozing sexual enticement opportunities elsewhere (as Pugmire perks galorc'and Of course all candidates will alluded) lots of booze to convince the committee Athletes arc commonly sub- try that coming to USU and making jected to drug tests maybe the Aggies successful is their coaches and athletic directors ultimate goal in life It’s not that should be required to undergo higher aspirations should be tests random blood-alcohheld against someone only that Obviously that's not realistic the university should definitely but enough has come to light as a both locally and nationally in guard against being used recent months to put the USU mere stepping stone for the search committee on red alert upwardly mobile And it also must guard algainst for signs of a drinking problem unknowingly selecting one of — or any of the other shenanithe guys Pugmire was referring gans endemic to college athletics Reference checking should to of which there apparently are many go well beyond routine calls We don’t envy the search Also news archives and police records from the towns where committee Finding the right candidates have previously person for USU in today’s canworked should be thoroughly didate pool is going to be a difficult task indeed scoured ol IBB The Herald Journal The Herald Journal welcomes letters to this editor Potentially libelous or offensive letters will not be published however and the editor reserves the right to edit all letters td conform to the length and style requirements of the newspaper iaaH The Opinion page is intended to acquaint with a variety of viewpoints on matters of public importance and provide members of the community with a forum for their views Personal columns cartoon& and letters from readers reflect the opinions of their enters and creators Editorials under the heading 'Qur View ' represent the views of the Herald Journal editorial board Members of tha editorial board: readers Letters should be: Has beauty become our beast? By Susan DeMsrsssman Christian Science Monitor I t seems that almost every TV network has some sort of reality “makeover” show Three of these involve serious plastic surgery and one even requires the participants to take part in a “beauty” contest after their transformations: During a recent workshop for teenagers I brought up the issue of appearance in their world They reacted in a sort of resigned anger regarding the power of media images over how they should look and what they should own I asked if they thought we would ever reach the point where qualities that were not visible would matter ' more than appearance Would that human tendency to aspire to what is rare or difficult to attain trumpthe obsession with “beauty"? For example in times of deprivation it was beautiful to be a little plump In times when only peasants were tan it was beautiful to be as pale as possible --- - or to powder oneself to appear so Now it is easy to be plump very easy And so the sought-aftappearance is slender - very slender ' I suggested that perhaps now that medicine and technology make it ' possible to appear almost any way one wants — at least any way one is willing or able to pay for — could it be that positive internal qualities will become sought after? Could qualities such as perseverance honesty and Advertisers whose ' commodity or product So such values are not heavily promoted And unfortunately media images are the pool in which our cultural values ate reflected and reinforced What is valued in this pool is appearance — the material and the superfi- rev- enues support most media focus mainly on the young considered a more malleable market Perhaps more important there is no sector of the economy that can profit by selling honesty compassion or persever- ance as a commodity or product cial How can a child who grows up in American culture not believe that billboards are altars to what is impor-tant: - T I grew up hearing phrases such as “Beauty is as beauty does” “He has a beautiful heart” and “Don't judge a book by its cover” We were cautioned not to try to keep dp with the Joneses It was Considered bad form to focus too much on appearance and possessions: But now-aone wise old gentle- man once said “These youngsters are living in the kingdom of thing-dom- ” compassion be things that people v strive to develop? Will they come to The trend to reshape oneself qualify as the “rare things”? through plastic surgery is perhaps The teenagers were hot optimistic just another example of how our I’m afraid I'm not either but I consociety often confuses the possible tinue to hdpe with the necessary Still one of those " I wonder if the maturing majority invisible qualities that my parents will help change the values of our valued and instilled in me causes me make ' to look for some society Aging positive implication up a huge market Will what they in our current trend of transformation value affect this trend? to meet a narrow standard of “beau-It’s a long shot ty" Advertisers whose revenues sup- And so I hope aswe search for port most media! focus mainly on the thenext rate thing we start to look young considered a more malleable inside market Perhaps mote important: there is no sector of the economy that Can profit by selling honesty Susan DeMersseman isa psychologist compassion! or perseverance as a and parent educator ’ ' baby-boome- er Typewritten and double-space- d ' No more than 450 words in length Addressed and include daytime phone number for purposes of verification Signed by the author ' Individuals are limited to one published let- ' ter y within any period Address letters to hjletter6hjnewscom Guest com- mentanes are also welcome and are run at the editor's discretion ' DARRELL EHRUCKaty editorClNDY YURTHfeatures editor BRUCE SMITH'publisrieT'' CHARLES McCOLLllM managing editor Commentary rs - Your view School bond will benefit ail The solution to to the districts website wwwcuchekl2iitus At that web address you can directly access thebond detailsTo the edilor:(EMAIL) ' Since I moved my children to On April 14 I attended a public Avon seven years ago I have withearing on the upcoming Cache nessed explosive residential growth CoUnty Sehool Districl bond elec- -' in all areas of the valley My kids lion I received a great deal of inldr- belong to the south valley jgroup that matiou on the status of growth in and bussed gets “boundary-shifted- ” " Cache Comity as well details of how around every time a school is built ' the district plans to allocate the or one gets tx full The meeting I mi uiey if the bond is voted in by attended left me somewhat frustrated I of that the new school is going to be" Ciicliiciljyns urge everyone not have whether in you voting age put East Hyrum Ihad hoped that ' elie- started your family yet’ nr j the district was going to build an in school area a already raised your family (and 1 morequiet mentary respectfully implore those of you Additionally only one of my daugh-that choose noi to have Children to ters w’ill really benefit from the bond see the logic of improved education money and my increased taxes but 'for all yoitlhj to gel to the (Kills on you know what? It is our duty to 1a 4 and vote ’Ves for Tuesday hdp the children of Cache Valley '' t lie blind! recei ve the best education that they '' i )ur increased faxes (estimated at ' can -r-- today and tomorrow Educat- iirouiid Wiyear for a 200000 ing our youth needs to be the top prir Iioniej will he Worth it The children brityif we want them to succeed in' life and live wisely Please get-of Caelie valley both present and involved The district is accepting future deserve the best education elec- -' opportunities 4- that means we need ' written comments on thebond : is how we w:e education lion Excellent them need more schoolsand commu-nit- y our and world the svion! improve ' so Jet us vote ‘Yes’ for the Belize I attended this meeting! I Knd:' V :: was unaware of many important issues that thc Cache County ScIkkiI Jennifer pines District is facing Superintendent " Avon - Norton referred information requests street racing - -- you-hav- ' : Hyrum Public prayer can be misused ' ' population low habitation or unused farmland ' The nearest location to race is The ' Rocky Mountain Raceway Racers ' and fans of the sport agree that the drive although worth it is not some- -' thing they can do every time their favorite race is scheduled The rising price pf gas also discourages many from taking the long drive tp' Magna The city of Logan is growing even as this letter is being read They haVe built restauranLs stores and even " ' skateboarding parks to discourage skateboarding on the city sidewalks Even though racing cars causes more damage and is more dangerous the city is encouraging it to happen on city streets rather than oh a tracki Building a racetrack would pay for itself because people would come from all oVer the see the races The : "-- !" ‘ inclusions mmnQikfhf to kjjatfoniout of a multitude of tongues To the editor: " I've been a member of Paradise Planning and Zoning for over two years now In that time we have never prayed pubiicly in our meet-m- gs Members who have been : involved for much longer don’t remember when prayers were Prayers aren't held in our - ht : agenda Speeches disguised as prayers allowed a person an extra forum to spew their views ! Prayers can also send an arrogant message to those seeking help from a town council Not Only does the town disapprove of your dog liennel' so does God Using prayer in meet- ingsmay seem like a sincere effort to do the right thing but in a clear violation of church and state it creates an unhealthy group of people who may feel by petitioning God before meetings they receive a divine stamp of approval for every ' decision they make Since the majority of those serving on councils throughout the valley are LDS they know that a tenet of the LDS faith is to uphold the laws of the land Separation of church and state is important so government doesn't cross the often tenuous and bluny line in UtahPray in chArch' pray inyour homes pray to and from your meetings if desired You! can even bow your head and silently pray during your political meetings People will likely just assume you fell a$leep: Heavenly guidance is not limited in anyway for those who sincerely seek for it Forfeiting public political prayers doesn't infringe on my rightto pray town councils either I'm surprised at the uproar prayer is causing in ' some towns throughout the county Prayer in civic meetings is at its best harmless although inappropri- ate At worst prayer in government sponsored meetings can be down-rigtoxic Seldom are public prayers sincere petitions to God but rather smack of mockery uttered to impress the people present or even worse to persuade others toward one's political agenda In a large 'V town in Utah prayers are now limiK ed and timed to three minutes The reason this is necessary is because ' prayer givers were often using their Carole Thayne Warburton time to leiigthen allotted time on the Paradise - : - ’ Alex Droilinger To the editor: (EMAIL) ' It has come to my attention that the city of Logan has much unused land that could be used to accommo- date racer in Cache Valley! All over the valley people are complaining about the problem with street racing it is the import cars and the muscle cars that people notice and Complain about There is plenty of excess land in the city of Logan places wiih no - - problem with racing-oLogan's' streets would he solved dm tfuougfi any find ofautfMitatiV(selection ! r — judgt lined and American jurist ' 1 1872-196- 1 ) |