OPINION
November 20.1984
Page 4
The University Daily KANSAN
The University Dailv KANSAN
Published since 1889 by students of the University of Kansas
The University Daily Kansas (USPK 600400) is published at the University of Kansas, 115 Stairfrant Flint Hall, Lawrence Kansas. USPK 600453 daily during the regular school year and Wednesday and Friday during the summer session, excluding Saturday, Sunday, holidays and final periods. Second class postage paid at Lawrence Kansas. 600449 Subscriptions by mail are $15 for six months or $18 per year in Douglas County and $18 for six months or $3 a year outside the county. Student postage is $7 per week in Douglas County and $7 per week outside the county addresses to the University Daily Kansas. 115 Stairfrant Flint Hall, Lawrence Kansas.
DON KNOX
Editor
PAUL SEVART VINCE HESS Managing Editor Editorial Editor
DAVE WANAMAKER Business Manager
DOUG CUNNINGHAM Campus Editor
LYNNE STARK MARY BERNICA Retail Sales National Sales Manager Manager
SUSANNE SHAW
General Manager and News Adviser
JILL GOLDBLATT
Campus Sales Manager
JOHN OBERZAN Sales and Marketing Adviser
Broken vows
For years their marriage was kind and fruitful
The Associated Students of Kansas' persistent fight against an increase in the state's drinking age helped the group gain an increased allegiance from students. And the students, most of whom opposed any increase in the drinking age, benefited by having lobbyists in Topeka who supported their cause.
Now ASK has begun to divorce itself from the drinking-age issue, and the political and financial consequences of that action on the state student lobbying group could be great.
Throughout its history, ASK had contended that an increase in the drinking age was an infringement on the rights, responsibilities and lifestyles of young Kansas citizens. As ASK state director Mark Tallman said early last year, "We do believe that a higher drinking age would deny citizens of Kansas, considered legal adults in almost every other way, a right, or privilege, that older Kansans will not deny themselves."
ASK also held that any increase would have a considerable effect on students employed at local taverns.
Recently, however these vows were greatly altered.
At its Legislative Assembly last week in Pittsburgh, at which its members set lobbying priorities for the 1985 session of the Kansas Legislature, ASK decided not to lobby for keeping the legal drinking age for 3.2 beer at 18. Delegates justified their decision by citing a recently signed law that forces states to raise legal drinking ages to 21 or lose federal highway funds.
ASK contends that it remains philosophically opposed to any drinking-age increase but now realizes that keeping it at $ ^{14} $ is politically impossible.
Perhaps.
Few will deny that the challenge is great. ASK lobbyists potentially face weeks of research and hours of testifying. Their efforts well may be for nought.
But the issue is of great concern to students, or so ASK has contended all these years. It is far too early to deny the students their voice. It isn't yet necessary to dissolve the marriage.
Thanksgiving
"Thanksgiving Day ... the one day that is purely American." O. Henry wrote.
For many of us, Thanksgiving is little more than a break in the class schedule; a day to watch football games on television and eat large quantities of food; the day before the opening of Christmas shopping season; and the opening event in a holiday season filled with booze, food, parties and presents. In many ways, Thanksgiving represents the worst in conspicuous consumption.
It is easy for us to take for granted the bounty that we enjoy in this country. Most of us are not hungry. Most of us have shelter and clothing. Most of us do not need anything. Most of us, however, want something that we do not have. This is all part of human nature.
It is also very ugly
Perhaps we should try to return Thanksgiving Day to its proper perspective. This year, the holiday takes on an especially obscene appearance when juxtaposed with the horrors of starvation in Ethiopia and other countries.
Those who choose not to ignore those desperate people will have no trouble counting their own blessings at the dinner table. Those who look the other way will simply stuff themselves.
I was reading a college newspaper the other day, and one of the paper's writers had done a story about Paul Goyard. "Give My Regards to Broad Street."
Angry youth attacks Paul McCartney
The writer didn't think much of the film; he said that he had spent 90 minutes "writting in my soul" as he listened to her describe it to a it "desirable little movie."
I guess that he has the right not to like the movie. Obviously, however, he doesn't think much of McCartney, either. In his story he compared McCartney unfavorably with the Three Stooges, and write, "At least the Stooges earned their legendary fame before they flipped the flavor of dying before their receiving profession got too annoying and self-indulgent."
I reread that sentence to make sure that I understood what the writer was saying. It seemed clear. Because the writer did not enjoy McCartney's movie, he thought that McCartney somehow owed the rest of us the favor of dying — presumably as some sort of penance.
I haven't seen "Give My Regrets to Broad Street." Most of the reviews indicate that the critics think it's pretty bad, and business-show people are talking about the shockingly box-office receipts it has generated.
What interested me about the story in the college paper was not the
writer's dislike of the movie, but his novel suggestion that, because he cared for neither McCarrine nor the movie, McCartney therefore had some sort of moral obligation to his public to drop dead.
For a moment forgive the writer, if you will, for his supercharged language and imagery. Hyperbole is hyperbole. What is intriguing is the
fact that the writer's attitude is indicative of a whole syndrome in the way we treat celebrities.
BOB
GREENE
Syndicated
Columnist
The process almost can be plotted on a chart. First an artist is unknown. Then a few perceptive people begin to notice him and spread the word that he is good. Then a just-below-the-surface wave of interest builds around him. Then he produces a minor hit that makes him known to the general public. Then the mainstream media begin to publish and broadcast positive stories about him. Then, on the strength of the media coverage, he begins to command ton dollar for his work.
Then the very release of a new
project by him commands public attention. Then the same media that helped to build him up start publish stories about him, and then creeals cracks about him. Then writers
- usually young, up-and-coming writers - take a dramatic stand and offer the opinion that the artist's work is worthless, that the artist is a sham, that the emperor has no clothes. Then the artist goes through life when people who are sophisticated seem disenchanted at him constantly. Then, years later, he re-emerges as a beloved, veteran senior statesman, and all is forgiven.
A slight variation is possible on this theme. In some cases, after the initial success, the artist develops serious problems with drugs or alcohol or both. The mainstream media, with some joy, report these problems. A year of so later, the same media, in sober tones, report that the artist has beaten his problems. Either that or the artist is found dead, in which case the same media, in even more sober tones, report that he was just on the verge of beating his problems when he died.
McCartney, though most of them have not gone so far as to suggest that he die. Usually they merely have a laugh at the fact that his hair is turning gray and that his face is showing some wrinkles.
Paul McCartney seems to have entered the phase during which young, sophisticated opinion-shapers are going to make fun of him. The youngest of them is only one who has done it; I have seen a number of articles ridiculing
Gold, however, defended the project.
Well, I can't think of too many other people on this planet who have given me as much pleasure in my life as McCartney has. It if provides him with satisfaction to make movies and post-Bestates records, I say let him make all the movies and records he wants. I'm not sure why he wants to make movies, but it's not for the movies. He's also interested finances well over the years, and by some estimates he is the wealthiest entertainer in the world
I have not been enamored of McCartney's songs in recent years, and neither has the college newspaper writer. Although, having said that, I offer the thought that when he sings the title phrase in his current song, "No More Lonely Nights," it provides as a fine a musical moment as anything that he has done since "Westerday."
I know that we probably have to work our way through that up-and-down celebrity continuum with McCARTey as well as with any other artist. I'll make a deal with the music industry, but he doesn't have to go see any more McCARTey movies, and in return McCARTey doesn't have to die.
"The language we use, language which frames our thought world, is in revision, and that means the thought world also is in revision," he said.
It also has raised some pretty sharp hackles.
Scriptures neutered by council
Critics have said that the Council's Division of Education and Ministry, which overseees the project, has tampered with Scripture.
The National Council of Churches has released the second volume of the controversial "Inclusive Language Lectionary" - a rendering in non-sexist language of Bible passages used in public worship.
The new volume is for use during year B, the second year in the three-year cycle of Bible readings used by most mainline Protestant churches which begins on the first Sunday of Advent, Dec 2 this year.
"It's a pioneering thing," said the Rev. Victor Gold, of Berkeley, Calif., who is chairman of an 11-member lectionary committee.
He said others had done work to eliminate sexist language from Scripture.
"They've hod here and there, but the 'Inclusive Language Lectorian' has a lot of nonsense."
The changes in lectionary language, he said, strike at the roots of religious thought and sensitivity.
The lectionary makes changes in language about people when the context clearly means to include women; about Jesus Christ, recognizing the presence of Jesus but his inclusive humanity as crucial for the work of salvation, and
DAVID E.
ANDERSON
After responses came in to use of the first volume, the committee modified application of the principle for use of the pronoun "he." The word is now used for the human Jesus but not for the risen Christ.
United Press International
about God, on the premise of biblical teachings that God is beyond sex or any other limiting attribute.
Similarly, proper names of other Bible men are substituted for the pronouns "he," "him" and "his" only where needed for clarity.
The year A readings had been criticized for their nearly total elimination of such pronouns.
famous 23rd Psalm, which traditionally begins with "The Lord is my shepherd," is rendered "God is my shepherd" in the new version.
Moreover, the lectionary, in brackets, suggests additions to some readings that make them more inclusive. Thus, a passage such as Acts 3:13, read on the third Sunday of the Easter season reads: "The God of Haram (and Sarah), of Isaac and Rezeken, of Jacob Lach and Hachel."
In addition, the new volume, as does the first, tries to avoid other exclusive language, including any use of passive voice in the equation of darkness with evil
The changes affect even the
Such an equation, the book says in an appendix, "has不怀恶意 led some persons and groups to condemn and reject anything that is black or any dark-hued person as evil or somehow condemned by God."
"While the biblical context may be free from racist intent, the too-easy misconception that dark people are also condemned and to be avoided is clearly wrong. The terminology other than 'darkness' as a metaphor for sin and evil," it says.
Council officials have stressed that the lectionary project — the third volume is to be released next year — is a first, provisional step.
Cost of driver's night of revelry is more than just drinks
These commercials should just bring on an unrepetent drinker like Jim Locke and let him tell the viewers about his latest booze-inspired adventure, just as he told it to me.
They usually show people talking about how miserable their lives were until they quit. A phone number is given so that viewers can call for help.
You've probably seen public service commercials on television that urge heavy drinkers to go on the wagon.
"Well, it started when I was on my way home," said Locke, 41, a credit manager. "I'd been in a lot of joints. I don't know what one I last left."
"That's where my trouble began. I'm at this stoplight. I guess that my car must have crept or something, because I kind of tapped the car in front of the人. The people inside fell out of the car."
"Nah. They just want to sue me and get damages. Anyway, that kind of caught the attention of a couple of
You must have hit them hard.
MIKE
ROYKO
Syndicated
Columnist
You were driving?
"I guess I'm unlucky. So I guess they noticed that I had been drinking."
cops in a sqaud car that happened to be parked there."
Did you appear drunk?
You banged into another car with a police car right there?
breath test, so they took me to the police station."
What about the people who fell out of their car?
"Oh, veah. I really flunked the
"It was all kind of hazy, see. I'll probably find out what happened to them when they sue, but that's not what this story is about."
You had that, much with you?
"I had about $400,000."
"My money. I got clipped for $1,000 by the police."
Why would you go bar-hopping with $4,000?
"I had more than that. I had about $20,000."
"No, no, it took about a year. I started with about $20,000. Then I was down to about $4,000. I inherited this money from my mother's insurance. That's why I always have a lot of money on me."
You spent $16,000 in those bars?
Why don't you put it in a bank?
"I can't. I'm having some prob
lems with Internal Revenue, so anytime I put money in a bank, the IRS attacks."
You've been walking around with thousands of dollars in your wallet?
"I hide it, like in my socks.
"Very prudent. What happened?"
"Anyway, I get to the police station and, before they lock me up, they make an inventory of my possession, we have a check that had $40 on me. They asked me what I was doing with that kind of dough and I explained it to them.
"So I give them everything and they give me a receipt for it, put my stuff in a sate and me in a cell and go to sleep. They wake me up when I go home and take a bond. They come out with my personal property and I'm $1,000 short."
"The guy who admitted me comes into the cell and searches me and the cell, and he has to admit that I was part of a terrorist attack. So someone inconvenient comes in and he says that
they will have some kind of investigation.
Nobody explained the disappearance of your $1,000?
(A police department spokesman said, "His complaint is valid enough to initiate an investigation.")
Have you given any thought to going on the wagon?
Locke said. "It was some night. I might get sued by those people in the other car I11 probably be found guilty in court and maybe lose my license. They hit me for $700 for bond, and I got a ticket for $1,000. And I had a bad hammer."
"I don't know about that, but I think I ought to find a different place to stash my money"
Computer in the dell
WASHINGTON — Anyone who had hoped to survive the current technological revolution by taking refuge in rural areas should be aware that America now has a bimonthly magazine called "Farm Computer News."
Moreover, there has just been formed, under the auspice of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a Western Computer Consortium to augment the North Central Computer Institute and the North Eastern Computer Institute.
"Move over, Winchester riffle" says an announcement of the birth of the consortium. "Make room for the modern day winner of the West."
This appears to mean that high-tech has spread to them of 'cotton fields back home. However, the picture of cowhands punching computers instead of dogs somehow seems out of focus.
The Department of Agriculture says that computers can give farmers and ranchers objective guidance on such matters as irrigation schedules, how big a tractor to buy, the date each milk cow will stop turning a profit and which bulls get breeding rights.
Soon there may be no place to hide. If another periodical I only recently became aware of, "High
United Press International
DICK WEST
Technology." is prophetic, the Soviets might be on the verge of creating a "fusion gap."
This truly is a discouraging prognostication, because the country that tames fusion energy obviously will be able to up in the field of nuclear reactors.
The book review journals that I patronize are forever urging readers to "suspend disbelief" to appreciate some author's subtlety.
My disbelief is strong, however,
and not easily suspended. Skepticism
can't be turned on and off like a
faucet.
If a prediction is coming that requires the suspension of my disbelief, I need at least a 26-minute wait. I don't think anything will fall into the confusion gap.
that the world is on the brink of having a fusion gap is, however easy for me to believe. Certainly that prospect is more far-fetched than the report that farm families now have their own computer magazine
It also is easy to believe that the United States has a big lead in generating confusion. That gap is apparent to anyone on the mailing list of the publishers of a book called "The Experts Speak."
"Based on the evidence in this book, it can be said that the experts are and always have been wrong on almost anything and everything. At best they are misleading about the present, not to mention next week." an accompanying blurb says.
We can only hope that the experts predicted the fusion gap. This would mean that "High Technology" is wrong and that the key to unlocking the mysteries of fusion power will be found in the United States.
Who knows, it might even be as close as the nearest bunkhouse, barn or silo.