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Monday, October 6, 1986 / University Daily Kansan
Competence in a cup
In the blur created by a full-fledged media blitz, with the Reagan administration leading the way, the United States" "drug problem" has now become "the issue" of the 1986 elections.
The farm crisis in the heartlands has disappeared, the national debt and balance of trade problem have been cured and the arms race is a thing of the past.
No need to worry about any of those topics. As long as candidates can pass a urine test, they are instantly qualified to take public office.
In the meantime, it has become almost impossible for a voter to find out where any candidate stands on the real issues: the economy, unemployment, the deficit, etc.
"Family, work and neighborhood," were Republican watchwords during the 1980 presidential election. But now it seems as if everyone has joined the "traditional values" boom.
Nancy and Ronald Reagan appeared together on television to plea with the American public to create an atmosphere of "intolerance." Instead, they bred a wave of thinking that now borders on hysteria.
Moral values and an emphasis on family are fine, but they are not the pivotal issues of an election.
It is easy to hop on the "drug problem" bandwagon; who would think of coming out in favor of drug abuse?
Democracy works only when there is an informed electorate and candidates who are qualified to maintain the institutions of government. So far, the electorate has received little information, aside from diatribes on drug use and abuse. How are we to know who are the best qualified candidates?
But unless the candidates spend the next five weeks separating themselves from the pack and making themselves heard on some real issues, the voters face the danger of electing politicians that may have sparkling clean urine, but few of the tools needed to run our government.
Ye olde economics
It seems that Col. Moammar Gadhafi's troubled country has been having some economic problems lately.
In 1980, all Libyan bank accounts containing more than $3,300 were seized by the government, and the next year, state-run supermarketres replaced small, privately owned food and clothing stores. The country also recently sold its shares in the Italian-owned company Fiat — much to the relief of the Italians, no doubt. Libya's interests in the company must have created a unique problem for the company's public relations department: "Fiat, the symbol of style, quality and a Middle-Eastern madman." It's not exactly a compelling slogan.
Apparently, even these measures haven't been helpful enough, because Gadhafi has turned to the Middle Ages for a revolutionary economic idea. He has decided that Libya will
operate under a system based on bartering.
That's right, bartering: You give me two goats, I give you a rug, two loaves of bread and an option on my first-born child.
According to JANA, the country's official news agency, money only will be used as a unit of measurement. Gadhafi may have some trouble getting the Libyans to accept this, but dictators usually are pretty persuasive. The real problem will be how Libya plans to trade with the rest of the world.
What will be the rate of exchange? Forty-eight oken for one terrorist attack? Three thousand M-16s for a million chickens? How's anybody going to buy oil from this guy?
Maybe we shouldn't snicker too loudly. There is always the chance that this "new" system will screw up the Libyan economy so badly that Gadhafi will be too busy to launch any terrorist attacks for a while.
A safety objective
The student Senate recently passed a bill to form a campus safety board. The board's intent is to oversee all safety programs, evaluate existing campus safety programs and suggest new ones.
If the board fulfills its objectives, it will provide much-needed continuity, and safety issues will remain issues regardless of whether it is election time. It is hoped the board will be more effective because it will operate in relative independence from the Student Senate.
The Senate has had previous victories in the effort to make campus a safer place. It has started programs, such as the SecureCab nighttime taxi service, that have worked well and need to be continued. The board will insure that the tipsy taxi serves the community long after those senators who implemented it are graduated and gone.
Other safety measures the board intends to discuss are a safety manual with tips on vehicle, apartment and personal safety, expanding the program to mark valuables and a nighttime escort service.
By creating the board to take charge of campus safety, the Senate has shown itself to be a responsible group concerned about the safety of the campus. It is a prime example that the Senate can accomplish things to the benefit of the University.
News staff
News staff
Lauretta McMillen ... Editor
Kady McMaster ... Managing editor
Tad Clarke ... News editor
David Silverman ... Editorial editor
John Hanna ... Campus editor
Frank Hansel ... Sports editor
Jacki Kelly ... Photo editor
Tom Eblen ... General manager, news adviser
Business staff
David Nixon ... Business manager
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Beverly Kastens ... Traffic manager
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october 2016
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A couple of weeks ago, somewhere among the beautiful ranches and mansions in Malibu, Calif., something strange, nay, something horrific occurred. It wasn't a murder, an earthquake, or a devastating brush fire. It was a resurrection of biblical proportions.
Off-key voices in celebrity politics
After six silent years, Barbra Streisand performed in concert. Barb's special reason for giving the show;
The concert was a smashing success. The lucky pups who could attend paid $2,500 each. The show was organized by the Hollywood Women's
Jon Gregor
Among those present at the exclusive outdoor concert was, you guessed it, Jane Fonda. The same Jane who brought you "Barbarella" and her simplistic views on Vietnam. It's no wonder that Americans value her opinions so much; the woman possesses such courage and depth.
she thought she had to "sing again to raise money so that we send people to Washington who will solve problems, not create them."
Staff Columnist
Political Committee and the beneficiaries of all this hoopla were six Democratic candidates.
"Hollywood" and "political" are the two words in that title that just don't seem to go together. It's like saying Reagan and liberal, or Sylvester Stallone and metaphysical thought in the same sentence. The two are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
The Hollywood Women's Political Committee?
Imagine the H.W.P.C. meeting, with "Wheel of Fortune's" Vanna White as the hostess, at which the gala concert was planned.
Jane Fonda, jumping from her seat, would exclaim: "Get us out of Vietnam!"
"Hi everyone. Oooh, let's officially open the meeting."
To which Streisand would respond:
"Thanks Vanna. Now does anyone wish to clear up any old news?"
"Well, there are just oodles and oodles of problems in Washington," the "new" Gloria would say. "Let's help elect more liberals, and give a neato concert to help them raise
money.
Streisand, enchanted with the idea, would reply: "Wonderful fun. I'll throw a bash at the ranch. And, of course, we must take a stand on important issues. The press will be covering the party and they'll want to know our biases.
ing with campaign contributions, do you think they will hold the "common good" above the interests of those elite few who have organized to fill campaign warchests?
It's a simple question, with a predictable answer: Politicians cater to the people who pay for their television commercials, not to the people who watch them.
"Yes Jane, we know, please sit down," would be Streisand's retort. "Now to the new items. Yes, Ms. Steinem?"
"Well then, we're against war, poverty, inflation, unemployment and Ryan O'Neal for what he did to Farrah. We're really turned on to the ideas of peace, love, happiness and Alan Alda — the darling."
money."
And . . . ?" Fonda would prompt. "Oh yes, and an end to the Vietnamese conflict. Well, we certainly have accomplished a lot today. Is there anything else, Vanna?"
What are we, students and mostly middle-class Americans, doing to ensure that our interests will be protected?
"No, not that I can think of," White would reply, her sequined gown shimmering with her every move. "The meeting is officially adjourned. Bye-bye everybody."
Although those in Hollywood have intelligence quotients no higher than our own, they are willing to organize and become active to further their views. Their pocketbooks will win them some influence, but their activism is what helps to produce the votes in Congress.
ine punchline: When the po-
cians walk away from these
superstar parties, their pockets bulg
Until John and Jane Smith, the average Americans, take some initiative to get their views recognized, their political voice continually will be drowned out by the whimsical likes of Barbra Streisand.
Wouldn't it be nice if we held our own party? It wouldn't be as lavish, but it would have the same effect. We may not raise a million dollars, but the politicians would get the message — WE CARE.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate
The Comiskey Park terminator
Tony Pratapas has a full-time job as a cop, but for several years he picked up extra income by moonlighting as a security guard at Comiskey Park, the home of the Chicago White Sox.
As some baseball fans know, when Misters Einhorn and Reindorf bought this franchise from Bill Veeck a few years ago, they decided that many veteran Sox followers were uncouth beer-guzzlers.
Mike Royko
Chicago Tribune
The man shook his head and said, no, he was going to leave the car where it was.
As corporate types, they didn't care for this sort of behavior. As a baseball type, as well as a beer drinker and free-spirit, Veeck never saw much harm in a bit of rowdism.
So the new owners hired an army of off-duty lawmen to give the fans some extra couth.
Pratapas was standing nearby and decided to speak up. He said the following conversation took place.
one recent afternoon, Pratapas came to the ballpark to perform his job of maintaining civilized behavior.
That day, he was assigned to the employees parking lot, where he was to watch out for vandals, thieves and ruffians.
The parking lot attendant walked up to the man, pointed to an empty space nearby, and said, "Pull it over here, sir."
just before game time, a car pulled into the lot and swung into a spot reserved for the handicapped.
A man who appeared to be sound of limb stepped out of the car.
Pratapas: "Sir, are you handicapped?"
The man said, "No, but I have a reserved spot."
Pratapas said, "Sir you can't park in a handcapped space if you aren't handicapped."
He was correct. There is a state law that provides a $50 fine for taking a handicapped parking space, even if it's on private property.
But the man said, "I'm the vice president."
Pratapas said, "I really don't care who you are. It's a space reserved for handicapped fans. It's not reserved for personnel."
personnel. That was also correct. Outside the lot, there is a sign that directs the handicapped to those spaces.
And Pratapas said, "You should feel guilty about parking in a handicapped spot. Doesn't that bother you?"
But the man said, "You don't understand who I am. I don't want my car vandalized."
"No, that doesn't bother me at all," the man said.
Pratapas, getting a little angry said, "You probably do the same thing at the supermarket."
But the man strode away and disappeared through the employee entrance.
It turned out that he was Michael McClure, the vice president for marketing of the White Sox franchise.
"I do it, it's none of your business."
"Is it going to kill you to walk an extra 20 feet? There's a lot of empty spaces nearby."
So, when the game ended, a security supervisor called Pratapas in and told him he was fired for lipping off to
McClure.
MEETURE
"Yeah, they told me I was canned for opening my mouth to him." Pratapas said later. "But things like that bother me. Why make handicapped people — and a lot of them come to the games — walk farther than necessary? That's the reason they put those spaces close to the ballpark in the first place.
There were a lot of empty spaces he could have used. He could have walked a few extra yards. He looked healthy enough."
When McClure was asked about the firing, he said in a very vice-presidential manner, "I was not aware that the gentleman in the parking lot had been terminated."
Didn't you get him canned, or in modern corporate terms, terminated?
"I had absolutely nothing to do with it, other than to mention park personnel that he had been abusive."
He said he and other busy White Sox executives sometimes were delayed at meetings, so they expected a few spaces be kept open for them so they could park near the entrance.
"I've been here five years," Me-
Clure said, "and I've never had any
problems before. I had never seen
the man before, and this incident was
no big deal to me."
irratapas said, "I worked there five years, too. And it's no big deal to me either, except that I wouldn't have been moonlighting if I couldn't use the extra money."
So, I guess that this shows that the Einhorn-Reinsdorf approach to seeing more orderly behavior at the ballpark is getting results.
They are rid of an uncouth, unruly security guard.
And the world is a little safer place for the corporate vice presidents.
GOP bane: Swaggart's big mouth
Evangelist Pat Robertson's run for the GOP presidential nomination often is compared to Jesse Jackson's 1984 Democratic campaign.
Both men represent important but minority constituencies within their parties, and among party regulars, each man is seen as divisive, somewhat outside the mainstream and likely to hurt the establishment favorite.
In Robertson's case, that's conservative Rep. Jack Kemp, R.N.Y.
Robertson, however, also may mirror the Jackson campaign in another
David E.
Anderson
UPI Commentary
and - for the candidate - potentially more harmful way: Having to endure the embrace of an influential but extremely controversial supporter
In Robertson's case, that's fellow television evangelist Jimmy Swaggart.
"Jimmy Swaggart is Pat Robertson's Farrakhan," says David Kusnet of People for the American Way, a group founded to counter the religious extremism in American politics.
Kusnet referred to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who embraced Jackson's candidacy but whose strident anti-Semitism — he called Judaism "a gutter religion" — created a deep rift among Jews and blacks.
Farrakhan's views prompted demands from Democrats not associated with the Muslim leaders that Jackson repudiate the extremist views. While Jackson said he rejected Farrakhan's views, he didn't break with the Muslim leader and the controversy dogged his campaign.
Swaggart, one of the most outspoken and theologically fundamentalist of the television evangelists, may prove a similar embarrassment to Robertson and other Republicans.
"He's an equal opportunity bigot," says Anthony Podosta, president of People for the American Way, referring to Swaggart's long record of remarks critical of Jews, Catholics, Mormons, Christian Scientists
Swaggart also has attacked Roman Catholicism, calling it a cult riddle with superstition, heathenism and false doctrine. The evangelist says there is only one way to worship: His way.
For the sake of religious pluralism and civility, it seems likely that not only Robertson, but other Republicans as well — just as Democratic nominee Walter Mondale in 1984 constantly was with Jackson and Farrakhan — will be called on to repudiate those views.
More U.S. spending needed for anti-aging research
It may be, as they claim, that science could slow the aging process, but I'm thankful I'll probably be too
Some authorities on aging say the government doesn't spend enough money on longevity research.
Dick West
UPI Commentary
old to benefit. Not that the alternative is all that great either.
1 I remember writing an obituary of H.L. Mencken and lifting a line from
wrote, any man desiring "to please my shade" could, among other things equally bizarre, "wink your eye at some homely girl."
I have since gone almost blind from winking, so many homely girls have I encountered in the shade. Some even had wrinkled faces. There remains, however, a question of whether public or private funds should be used to finance anti-aging research.
one of his collections.
Kathy Keeton, president of Omni magazine, contends that "only the federal government can supply money and resources on the scale that modern scientific research
"If, after I depart this vale," he demands."
Keeton insists Congress should be channeling more money into longevity research instead of spending money on studies that predict the Social Security system eventually will be bankrupt unless something is done.
She may have a point there. Who knows? Not all studies deal with
"Brave and visionary men and women are being forced to wage two distinct battles: one against old age, the other against insufficient funding." she writes.
Social Security problems, however. Five new privately financed studies indicate that workers who have almost no control over their jobs run a higher risk of having heart attacks than hard-driving executives.
"The workers at greatest risk are people who have very little or no decision-making power," says one of the researchers.
It's discouraging, that's what it is. Here hard-driving executives spend all this time in workshops learning how to cope with stress, and then new studies come along suggesting this time is being wasted