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Wednesday, April 17, 1991 / University Daily Kansan
Opinion
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Police video needed
Cameras in police cars will protect civil rights and save police departments court time, money
Something good can result from the March 3 beating of Rodney King, an unarmed Los Angeles motorist who repeatedly was kicked, clubbed and shocked with an electronic stun gun by police.
About 50 police departments in the United States have purchased 2-inch-square cameras to install in police cars. The systems cost about $7,300 each and include cameras mounted between the mirror and windshield of the patrol cars. The camera is connected to a recorder in the trunk.
The officers' speech is recorded through microphones worn by the officers. The camera indicates the date, time, police department, car number, officers' numbers, speed of the patrol car, speed of cars tracked by the radar unit and whether the lights or siren are being used.
Nothing but good can result if police departments invest in these video systems.
Most importantly, the cameras will diminish incidents of police brutality and make police officers accountable for their actions.
Civil liberties groups have praised the video systems, as long as they are kept on at all times. Privacy rights may be an issue because citizens may be filmed without their knowledge, but no cases have come up yet.
A secondary benefit, one that will appeal to law enforcement agencies, is that the cameras would lessen the amount of time police officers spend in court.
With the new technology, an officer can rewind the tape and show traffic violators why they were pulled over. This luxury will reduce the number of contested tickets and keep police out of courts and on the streets where they belong.
The tapes also could be offered as evidence in court as police officers' defense against damage lawsuits.
Police departments must study the benefits of installing the video camera systems. The expense of doing so is minimal compared to the gains in civil liberties that can and need to be achieved.
Debbie Myers for the editorial board
Ozone depletion
Government must take problem more seriously
The Environmental Protection Agency recently announced that the ozone layer over the United States is disappearing at more than twice the rate it first thought.
The loss since 1978 has been about 5 percent, which means that 10 percent more ultraviolet light now reaches the Earth's surface. This means that in the next 50 years, about 12 million U.S. citizens will get skin cancer from too much ultraviolet light.
About 200,000 people will die from skin cancer, nearly 20 times more than previously estimated.
The government has taken several steps to reduce chlorofluorocarbons, which are the primary chemicals destroying the ozone layer. However, as the problem becomes worse, the White House seems to be taking a wait-and-see attitude.
Last June, more than 90 countries agreed to ban CFCs entirely by the year 2000. In 1987, 24 nations agreed to cut the production of CFCs in half by the year 2000. Also last year, President Bush pledged $25 million to help underdeveloped countries replace CFCs with safe, but more expensive, chemicals.
These decisions were made before the EPA released the new figures on the rate of ozone depletion. White House critics now warn against acting too quickly on this news. They warn that environmentalists are becoming
too pessimistic.
And just last month, Chrysler chairperson Lee Iacocca met with President Bush to ask for lower auto emission standards. He said strict environmental regulations were hurting the automobile industry. Bush officials said they would consider the request.
Perhaps the government hopes environmental problems will disappear. Unfortunately, ozone depletion is going to get worse. CFCs remain in the atmosphere for decades, so decreasing them will take years to have a positive effect. And lowering emission standards would only destroy one of the few regulations helping the environment in the short-term.
These latest findings should force the government to step up plans to deal with environmental hazards. Instead, it is skeptical of the findings.
William Reilly, administrator of the EPA, said the EPA would continue to increase efforts to find CFC substitutes.
But in the meantime, the White House must take the issue more seriously. A good start would be to acknowledge the extent of the problem.
Editorials reflect the opinion of the University Daily Kansan editorial board. Editorials appear in a box on the left side of the page. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the board but not necessarily the opinion of the signed author.
The least the government could do is to continue to enforce regulations it has already set, despite the pleas from the auto industry.
The time of wait and see has long passed.
Melanie Botts for the editorial board
Opinions expressed in guest and staff columns and cartoons are solely those of the author or artist. Views expressed in columns and cartoons are not necessarily shared by the Kansan.
9. 10
Few people are laughing about the links in the S & L failures
So have you heard the one about the savings and loan sugar daddies, the contrast and the Central Intelligence Agency? No?
It's not real funny, so not many people are telling it.
I think by now everyone has heard the S & L routine, a real-life version of Abbott and Costello's "Who's on first?" We've just begun to bust our gats on that one when in comes the new twist. The jokers telling this knee-slapper are reporters for the Houston Post named Brewton and Seay. Since the beginning of last year, they've been filing stories (picked up by Joel Bleifuss of In These Times) about the connections between former CIA operatives, organized crime, failed savings and loans and the Iran-contra scandal. What cards!
Their new twist lends to the comedy of a peculiar Three Stooges quality. Congress and the Justice Department are Larry and Mo arguing bases, while our venerable execu- tors his sons and his former colleague Clare will vide the eyepoking, nose-pinching and face-speaking Curly.
Tim Hamilton
Staff columnist
Basically, the Post weaves together an enigmatic tale that suggests possible links between the CIA and organized crime in the failure of 22 thrifts, of which 16 are in Texas. Many names associated with the Iran-contra scandal pop up. The Post began its investigation when Houston's Mainland Savings Association failed because of loans to a group of New York apartment syndicators. The U.S. General Accounting Office later notified Brewton that two men were charged with racketeering and fraud in connection with deposits made in Mainland. As luck would have it, one of the racketeers, Martin Schwimmer, lived across his Long
Island street from one of the apartment syndicators, Howard Pulver.
A tip regarding a San Diego lawsuit later linked the other solicitor, Mario Renda, with Herman K. Beeble Sr., who reportedly has ties with the Marcelo crime family in New Orleans, and various failed Texas S& Ls. A 1985 report of the federal comproller listed Beeble as having control or influence over 12 national banks. Perhaps most important among them was three blocks from the White House, the Palmer National Bank of Washington, D.C. Financed by Beeble Sr., this bank had four accounts of the National Endowment for the Preservation of Liberty, which helped launder money for Ollie North and the contrast. Palmer was co-founded by Stefan Halper, the son of a former CIA deputy director, member of Bush 1980 presidential campaign, former deputy director of the State Department's Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs during Reagan's first term. He also headed North's Defense Fund.
Finally, after Brewton had exposed a large pattern of "more" circumstantial evidence alleging Mafia and CIA involvement, his theory was corroborated by two men. Lloyd Monroe, former prosecutor with the department's organized crime strike, and Brenneke, self-proclaimed CIA operative, went on record alleging the suspected collision.
Brenneke attracted Justice
Department attention when his testimony at the trial of Heinrich Rupp, another CIA agent indicted for bank fraud, included information that incriminated George Bush, William Casey and Donald Gregg in the alledged host-for-hospitals deal that delayed release of the 52 Americans until after the 1980 election in order to damage Curtis's chances.
The Justice Department brought Brenneke up on charges of making false statements last May in Portland, Ore. He was acquitted. A key witness for defense was West Point graduate William Norrpur, one of 17 charged in the $2 billion sales to Iran. Norrpur testified that he knew Brenneke worked for Air America, a company in the 1960s. Rupp testified for Air America same time. The Houston Post also reported that a 1957 ID card showed Rupp to be a vice president and pilot for Global International Airways.
This airline is thought to be the same as Global International Airlines, which is owned by Farhad Azima, whose family had ties with the shah and who owned the failed Indian Springs State Bank of Kansas City, Kan. Indian Springs is the first place that the feeds caught up with Benda, who has ties not only to Dhaka but also to Khashoggi, the Saudi arms dealer implicated in the arms shipments to Iran.
The Post also reported that the plane that flew 23 tons of spare parts to Iran was owned by RACE Aviation, by owning by Azima and his wife.
I'm sure once it comes out in the wash we'll all laugh our way to the bank. If there still is one.
Tim Hamilton is a Lawrence student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
LETTERS to the EDITOR
Graduation cancellation
Rock Chalk Jayhawk, KU! Tradition is the University of Kansas' claim to excellence. One of the most cherished traditions at KU is the infamous walk down the hill on graduation day. The sun is shining, that band is playing "Pomp and Circumstance," students are in their ceps and gowns. Amateur photographers line the route as thousands of family members, friends and faculty from all over the country gather in
the celebration of one of life's most respected accomplishments — graduation. The recognition for all of the students who put in one of studies is well deserved.
According to this year's commencement guide, if it is raining on graduation day at 1 p.m., the procession will start at 5:30 p.m. if the weather clears. However, if it is still raining, the procession will be canceled. Allen Field House will not be used for commencement exercises.
No graduation ceremonies! Is this fair after all of the years of sacrifice, dedication, commitment, determination and hard work? We, as graduates, will have no formal recognition for our achievement. None of our family members will be able to see us achieve this goal in our lives. A
school that promotes tradition has taken one of the most cherished traditions away from us.
When questioning this change, I was informed by the chancellor's office that it would cost too much money to set up Allen Field House as an alternative commencement site. What about all of the money spent by students to reach this point in our academic careers? What about all of the money spent on buying graduation announcements? What about the money spent to buy a cap and gown to wear on graduation day? Rain or shine, the University owes us a graduation ceremony.
In an academic setting, you would think the great minds on the Commencement Committee could have used any of the money we spent for
'From a school that claims to value tradition, I feel robbed of college's most important tradition!'
tution and fees during the past four or five years? Where does the money we spent to rent the plastic caps and gowns go? The chancellor's office also says that Allen Field House is too small to hold graduation ceremonies up in the schools and hold separate ceremonies in different locations?
Of course, the people on the Commencement Committee have already had their chance to be recognized for their contributions. The people already had their chance to shine in
the spotlight for their great achievement. What does it matter to them that for the first time in commencement history our graduation ceremony could be canceled? I wonder if people who are considering coming to KU would still come if they knew that after four or five long, hard years they might not have a graduation?
From a school that claims to value tradition, I feel robbed of college's most important tradition! I pray that it doesn't rain. I would hate for my relatives to travel from afar, only to sit in the car and drive around the Campanile on my graduation day.
Shundrekia Smith Kansas City, Mo., senior
Thanks from U.S.S.R.
I hoped to run a doctor program in education at KU, but I don't have currency. Perhaps with your help I'll be able to train an assistant or ship some other source of aid.
In October 1990, I was a guest of your precious state as a member of the Soviet delegation. Surely I still have unforgettable impressions. Your university is great. Many people in this country do envy me because I saw Kawas.
Best wishes.
KANSAN STAFF
CHRIS SIRON
Editor
RICH CORNEILI
RICH CORNELL
TOM EBLEN
General manager, news adviser
I would like to wish all your readers happiness and success.
TOM EBLEN
Editors
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Loco Locals
HE'S NOTHING LIKE THE
GUY I'M LOOKING FOR.
I WANT SOMEONE WHO
ISSIN. WEARS HATS ... IS
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TOMORROW.
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Uralsk, U.S.S.R.
by Tom Michaud