Newspapers / Meredith College Student Newspaper / March 20, 1992, edition 1 / Page 3
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March 20,1992 page three Opinion "We doth protest far too much..." A professor speaks out on the United Way scandal by Dr. Doug Wakeman, Business and Economics Much comment has been forthcom ing regarding the recently-exposed dirty dealings at the top of the United Way pyramid. United Way execu tives have been rewarding themselves with such perlcs as half-million dol lar annual salaries, while charities go begging. Reaction has been a mix ture of shock, disgust, and dismay. We doth protest far too much. Dis may and disgust are understandable, but we ought not be shocked. Or even surprised. Economics teaches us only a few things with certainty, but one of the most veritable of the verities is this: when a market is monopolized, when there is only one significant source of a "product," consumers lose. The amount of the product will be re stricted, and prices will rise. If prices are regulated (and usually if they are not) customer service deteriorates, leaving us with that characteristic arrogance that Lily Tomlin captured so perfectly: "Wedon’t care. Wedon't have to. We're the Phone Company." No important distinctions need be drawn among monopolies on the ba sis of their products, or their inten tions (charitable or profitable). With rare execeptions, consumers are bet ter served when there is competition. Charitable giving is not one of the exceptions. For years the United Way has ex ploited its position as the all-power- ful dispenser of wealth to non-profit agencies. If the Boy Scouts in San Francisco don't share the politically correct Calipomia attitude toward gay Scoutmasters, then the Boy Scouts are de-funded. It's that simple. If you don't want to play by United Way rules, they take their bucks and go home, just as Cablevision comes and takes away your converter box if you miss a payment. The fact that the United Way co erces huge numbers of "volunteer" donors to line up with their work place contributions, and "volunteer" co-ordinators who areordered to seek nothing less than 100 percent partici- pation,justmakesit worse. Ournearly universal submission makes the United Way analogous to a publicly owned and managed resource. To criticize it is to criticize "all of us." So we remain silent. But by our silence, by our complacence, by our meek acquiesence, by our lemming-like makrch to the Window of Payroll Deduction, we not only encourage the monopolistic arrogance that we now observe, we make it inevitable. I do not ignore all of the good that the United Way does. Rather, I sug gest even more good can be done with the same dollars if we cut the middle person. Support the charities of YOUR choice, rather than THEIR choice, and support those charities directly. Put your dollars where they need to be, in the hands of the agen cies that actually use them. Support and participate in an open, above board, competitive market for chari table contributions. Thanks to you, it bilks all of us. The United Way. THIS SUMMEIt GIVE YOURSELF SOME CREDIT. Myrtle Beuh, South Carolitta, is famous for its sun, sand and surf, but do you know it's also a gmt place for summer earning and ueming? You can mSceyour btaai break count by enrolling in summer courses at Coastal Carolina College. Whether wanting to get ahead or just catch up, you can accumulate a full semester's credits through Coastal's May semester and two summer sessions. Plus, you can live in our campus ajMriments for onhf $75 a week, and our Job Placement I Office will help you in your search for a summer job. I If you're spendin^pring Breu in Mvrtle Beach, stop by our Admissions Cma Monday through Friday, 8-30 am. to 5 p.m., orcaBus iothfaefOr more info^tion. This could be your best summer ever. What Meredith did for spring break... by Tracey Rawls and Ellen Williamson We surveyed about 50 of you and here’s what you did for Spring Break 1992: Where people went; St. Petersburg, Ft. Lauderdale, Cancun, Baha mas, San Diego, New Orleans, Orlando, North Myrtle Beach, Key Largo, Denver, Atlantic Beach, Greenville, Charlotte, Wilmington What people did: sailing, wenthome, got a tan, got lost, gotengaged, ate at Hard Rock Cafe, went on a cruise, went to Mardi Gras, went home with boyfriend, saw a matinee, got sunburned, looked for a job, lived through an earthquake, went to Jimmy Buffett’s Bar and Grill, went skiing, read a non-educational book, went to U2 concert, met guys. I' R E S F. N T “Your Passport To Style” Join Mademoiselle magazine iinci Pier I Imports for a special evening to discover the secret to creating your own colorful style! A Mademoiselle Editor will show you how to update your wardrobe without spendin|> a fortune. ♦ Stay and Shop With the Editor After the Show. ♦ Register to Win Gift Certificates From Pier 1 Imports and a Grand Prize From Mademoiselle. ♦ Receive a Gift Bag With the Latest Issue of Mademoiselle AND A Gift From Pier 1, While Supplies Last. Don’t miss this preview of terrific Spring fashions at Pier 1! Date: Tuesday, March 24, 1992 Time: 6:00 PM-8:30 PM Place: Pier 1 Imports 4325 Glenwood/Highway 70 Crabtree Valley Mall Convenience Center REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED 03-3mM6 1-800-a77-7000 University if Soutfc Carah'fU System
Meredith College Student Newspaper
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March 20, 1992, edition 1
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