Page 2 The Clarion February 2«, l»89 CLARION CDmmentary Are you a chicken or an eagle? Kenny Monteith Kdilor Heather (^lonracl Assistant Editor Juan Kincaid Sports Editor Matt French Artist Andrea Henry Editorial Editor Selena Lauterer Poetry- Editor Jock Lauterer Faculty Advisor The Clarion invites students, faculty and the administration staff to write articles, let ters to the editor, and commentaries. We consider them on the premise of interest, significance, timeliness and space. All articles on the editorial page represent the author’s opinion and not that of the Clarion staff, administration or faculty of Brevard College. All letters must be typed or printed legibly, and must be signed, along with your year in school or relationship to Brevard College. All submissions are subject to editing and must be turned in on Mondays by II a.m. to the Clarion box located in McLarty-Goodson lobby. bv Doiifi ^ebb CAarion Hei>i>rler The egg of an Eagle and that of a hen are much alike. Both shells are white. When hatched, both produce cute, feathery little birds. But the chick never leaves the ground. Scratching for food, laying countless eggs, finally being devoured...that’s the chicken’s destiny. The eaglet learns to soar. The highest peaks become his home. Proud! He dwells in those loftly areas where few of God’s creatures ever ven ture. Today! You are out of your shell! Are you a chick or Eaglet? There are too many chickens in this world. Chickens are people that go through the same routines and the same ways of living everyday. ‘Chickens,” for example, get up every morning at the same time. “Chickens” go to work everyday, and then they eat and go to bed so they can get up and go to work the next morning. “Chickens” are those who never do anything with their lives, never go out into the world, never participate in any activities, and do not keep up with what’s happening in the world. Many people do not even know who is the president of the United States! This is a problem that many people have in our world. I refer to it as not wanting to get out and realize what’s going on in the world. Why can we not all be like “eagles!” “Eagles” are those people who strive to achieve new heights who work to be above the rest, who get out in the world and look for new ways to achieve their success. “Eagles” soar to new heights, while “chickens” stay where they are never wanting to achieve anything in life. “Eagles” live the life that I want to live. I hope that there are others who want to be “Eagles”, so that the world will be a better place to live and not just a place full of chickens. Which would you like to be-a “Chicken” or an “Eagle”? Emperor funeral marks end of an era in Japan by Will (^tlliiiH (’Inrum Refmrli'r Political leaders from around the world, including President George Bush, gather in Tokyo for the funeral of Emperor Hirohito who died Jan. 7, 1989, of cancer. Here at Brevard College there are some 30 Japanese students. TT They said their parents said two days of official mourning were observed. During that time they were not allowed to have social activities. Tomoko Sato, 20, is from the city of Bep- pu. She is in her second year at Brevard. She said her parents and grandparents mourned the Emperor’s death but that her generation of Japanese young people did not as much. Since the death, the Emperor’s body has been kept in the Imperial Palace in a wooden coffin. Some people thought the Emperor’s death would lead to an emotional outbreak among the Japanese, but that has not hap- who aw COHSClCTIce/ 'WHERE YA GOI ro« SPRING BREAK JOE ? Fl/n,Sun, So, V*WAftC -r«TH€ 8€MH. ^ yeu-TAK»Mfc Vteun Books? cah use TMli 7l«€ TO STooy/ f A pened. The Emperor’s death ends the tie to World War II that still creates bad memories from some of Japan’s neighbors in Asia. Emperor Hirohito is succeded on the Chrysanthemum Throne by Crown Prince Akihito, 55, who is a perfect example of post-war Japan. Akihito became the suc cessor in 1952 and since that time has been preparing for this moment. Akihito had a normal boy’s upbringing. He was raised away from his parents. He married a com moner who is the daughter of a flour com pany president. Two days of official mounting were observed after Hirohito died. According to a report in NEWSWEEK magazine, some Japanese felt a sense of relief upon his death because Hirohito was the last con nection with World War II and Japan’s devastating defeat. Although Emperor Hirohito was the ceremonial head of Japan, Hirohito sur rendered his country to Allied powers in 1946, shortly after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. World War II experts have debated how much of a role Emperor Hirohito played during the war. Did he know about Japan’s plans to bomb the United States’ base at Pearl Harbor? The Emperor was a father figure to millions of Japanese. He was raised in the Imperial Palace, began his education in a school for the sons of nobility and was tutored along with a select group of five other boys. He went on a tour of Europe as a Crown Prince in 1921. He was a guest of King George V of England. Hirohito became Crown Prince Regent in 1921 when his father became mentally ill. Hirohito surrendered his country to the Allied demands in 1946 and spent the next eight years traveling throughout Japan rebuilding a spirit of unity among his peo ple. He told them that all Japanese must share in the burden of defeat. Since World War II, Japan has build a strong economy and is now considered the world’s first non-military superpower.