iJobember t, 1994
Vision of Purpose
Wade Tomlinson
Staff Writer
As the mid-term elections near,
there is an anti-Democratic wave
that Republicans are definately
riding.
This "wave" is the trend of po
litical parties to use the President's
shortcomings to detract from other
candidates from the same party. As
a result, in average off-year elec
tions, the party that holds the presi
dency usually has trouble in gain
ing further support from the popu
lace.
The Democrats rode this same
wave in 1982 when Ronald Re
agan was more unpopular than
Clinton is now (remember that?)
In 1982, the Democrats took ad
vantage of a deepening recession
and high inflation to win bade the
Senate and increase their majority
in the House.
The Republicans this year are
bad-mouthing Clinton to try to do
the same thing.
But this year is particularly odd
because Republicans are not using
legitimate criticisms against the
Democrat candidates; they are us
ing cynicism. There are no real
wars, the economy is booming,
and there are virtually no scandals.
Stranger still is the fact that Re
publican candidates are much
more controversial than the Demo
crats who are running.
Republican Oliver North defines
the term controversy. Gubernato
rial candidates like Jeb and George
W. Bush (Fla. and Tex.) cling
closely behind their fathers' un
popular reputation. Kay Bailey
Hutchinson (R-Texas; Senate in-
&Jjc (HuiUorDtan
€t)itorial sSoarb
Co-Editors in Chief. Daphne Lewis
Caroline A. Wolfe
Adviser. Jeff Jeske
News Editor. Cory Birdwhistell
Perspectives Editor. Hardy Wallace
Features Editor. Kitson Broadbelt
Sports Editor. Joe Wallace
Assistant Sport Editor. Jenna M. Brown
SenateJClub Coordinator....Luisa Constanza
Personnel Manager. Kiley Holder
Layout Editor. Matt Chamblin
Copy Editor. Rebecca Chamberlin
Assistant Copy Editor. Wende Doolittle
CirculationJSubscription....Kinsey Gimbel
Advertising/Business Teddy Kolev,
Brian Lane, Noelle Molinaro
Photography Editor. Heather Glissen
Tomlinson
Staff Writer
cumbent) has been coined a "Jesse
Helms in a skirt" while she leads
Steve Fisher by a two-thirds ma
jority in recent polls.
So, what is fueling this Repub
lican uprising? It is very simple—
the repenting of false information,
distortions, and myths on the cam
paign trail. These kind of attacks
are typical of Rush Limbaugh, but
are not acceptable practices when
running for office.
We hear much in the campaign
about foreign policy failures like
Bosnia and Somalia as well as
criticism of "too much government
spending." What is not mentioned
is the fact that President Clinton
has had a string of successes in
North Korea, Haiti, in dealing with
Cuba, Iraq and Saddam Hussein,
and a hand in pioneering peace ini
tiatives in the Middle East.
But these are legitimate criti
cisms.
Where the propaganda lies are
in the ads and speeches that attack
the White House and other Demo
cratic incumbents. They distort the
iPenfpettfte*
truth by claiming that Clinton
"passed the largest tax increase in
our nation's history." In reality, the
tax increase applied only to the
wealthiest top-five percent and
cigarette smokers.
They continually refer to myths
like Whitewater, Paula Jones, as
well as other supposed conspira
cies that have no basis or founda
tion.
This cynicism shows up in
NRA-funded ads that say, "Clin
ton, the Satan of the second
Amendment." In Pro-life signs in
Florida, Texas, and New York that
admonish you to, "Vote Republi
can-over the murdering, neo-nazi,
atheistic alternative."
The Republicans continually
misrepresent the truth in spending
figures, arguments against health
care, and in budgetary matters.
Locally, Republican Richard
Burr has attacked Sandy Sands,
who is revered by both parties, for
everything under the sun. In fact,
his television adds have com
pletely lied about how Sands voted
on many issues.
Cynicism is a detriment to ev
eryone.
To be critical is admirable; it
suggests using the facts to ask for
something different. To be cyni
cal is the job of cartoonists and
comedians, not candidates for of
fice. Propaganda and cynicism are
the tools of ignorance in a war to
erode the foundation of govern
ment; too often used - and more
recently, abused.
Heather Glissen
Wade Tomlinson is a politi
cal science major from
Friendswood, Texas,
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flect the views of the staff and editorial
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E-mail: Guilfordian@rascal.euilford.edu
Your Rights End
Where Mine Begin
Rob Mirchin
Staff Writer
I and several other students have
noticed that the steps of King Hall
have become increasingly foggy,
cloudy, and polluted. I wonder
why.
A: The chemistry department
conducted a nuclear experiment
that backfired; B: All those ra
dioactive materials stored in King
finally seeped out; C: Hundreds
of smokers have been congregat
ing on the steps before and after
classes.
The answer is C. Seriously, I
have to hold my breath as I bob
and weave through the smokers on
the steps in my path to the door,
wherein lies relief (I spell it C-L-
E-A-N A-I-R).
I don't mind people smoking,
but I do mind having to inhale it
as I walk to my 8:30 class. I real
ize that smokers are being pushed
more to the fringe of society, but
it is really just a matter of them
finding the proper place for the
activity. This place is where they
can be with people of a similar
smoking interest, and where no
non-smokers are liable to pass by.
ETS (Environmental Tobacco
Smoke)--the smoke that we smell
as we pass the steps of King Hall.
ETS, a known carcinogen, causes
cancer in non-smokers. I do not
think that non-smokers should
have to be subjected to a health
hazard that is not even their choice.
But I do think there should be com
promise.
I would be in favor of having
rooms in buildings just for smok
Alison Amis Paige Mcßae
Chris Atack Rob Mirchin
Jason Barber Adrienne Moore
Meisha Bracey Thebe Mphenyeke
Fabio Camara Beth Norwood
John "Ricky" Carbaugh Liz O'Brien
Cathy Chow Ryan Page
Nathan Davis Amy Rogerino
Kevin Faria Kristen Schwarz
Lauren Goforth Scott Shaffer
Steve Grimes Chris Singler
Alena Hairston Cara Skeat
Shingai Jaravaza Kandra Strauss
Amy Leacy Wade Tomlinson
Brian Lozvit Chris Weber
Jimi Lulejian Christine Wozniak
Staff meetings are held weekly in the
Passion Pit, second floor, Founders Hall,
Monday evenings at 9 o'clock.
All are welcome.
fcte #utltx>rftan
ing, but they would have to be
separately ventilated (to eliminate
ETS), and I doubt that our school's
administration would invest the
money for that.
Keeping that in mind, maybe
Guilford should have entire dorms
devoted to smokers instead of just
single rooms. Another idea is a
"smoking court" This would be
an area designated just for smok
ing, perhaps with seats and flow
ers—a social area. But this would
be an outside area that is out of the
paths of non-smoking students.
I understand that it inconve
niences smokers not to be able to
smoke in buildings. I understand
that it inconveniences smokers not
to be able to smoke on the steps of
building, outside of the doors.
However, which is more impor
tant—the inconvenience that
smokers are put through, or my
right to a healthy living environ
ment?
This is where your rights end,
and mine begin.
Sometimes smokers overlook
the rights of others to breathe clean
air. But our rights should be con
sidered first before smokers' in
conveniences because the actions
smokers take infringes on my
rights and my health.
I too, want to peacefully co-ex
ist with smokers (many of whom
are my friends) and I think com
promise is needed. But agreement
and action is needed on the part of
administration and among all stu
dents to make these compromises
happen.
Rob Mirchin is a Biology ma
jor from Bethesda, Maryland.
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