The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 75, No. 58, Ed. 1, Wednesday, April 27, 1988 Page: 2 of 8
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Opinion
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"Ash and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the
door will be ojmed to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks
finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened " Matthew 7: 7-8.
Optimist
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Candy Holcomba
editor bi chief
Jonathan Witt
editorial page editor
KrUUBuchsrt
managing news editor
Dawn Treat
Wednesday edition editor
Julia Ftopatrick
frlday edition editor
RebeVahGlbbs
wedneiday news editor
OndyLeeper
friday news editor
Kerry Cole
copy editor
TerrtWest
assistant copy editor
Kenneth HPybus
sports editor
Cade White
fihoto editor
ohnPaulBrownlow
assistant photographer
Mary Wiley
stat director
Kevin Marshall
staff
The I
Optimist is published semi-weekly except during
the Journalism and Mass Communication Division of Abilene Christian University Abilene Texas 7WW. m
Optimist Is affiliated with the Associated Collegiate Press the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association the
soutmvestem journalism congress ine Associated jtcjs ana mo nuiy muunwm iuojjw na mt
tlon.
Editorial opinions appearing In the Optimist are views of the editorial board and do not necessarily reflect
the official policy of the ACU administration.
Signed Columns represent the individual views of the authors.
editorials
Jackson should get
the tough questions
Let's ask Jesse Jackson the ques-
tions we want answered by a man
who seeks to be president of the
United States.
Newsweek magazine's Meg Green-
field asserts that avoiding pressing
and pertinent questions of Jesse
Jackson is a form of racial prejudice.
It is also foolish.
Jesse Jackson
Jackson is a true contender for the
Democratic nomination. We must
take his candidacy seriously and we
must treat him like any other man.
When ABC News confronted the
candidates about specific plans to
Kinsmen must serve
to ensure strength
We congratulate Kinsmen on its
successful rechartering and in striv-
ing to become more service-oriented.
The club under the new name of
Gamma Sigma Phi inducted 51 new
members. It can now compete in in-
tramurals again participate in Sing
Song and perform large-scale service
projects.
Its increased ability to serve is
what this reborn club should capital-
ize on. This service theme coupled
with the traditional theme of fun ac-
tivities will allow Kinsmen to carve
(SOHS CHOSEN PEOPLE PERSUADING
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Cody Moore
staff
Chris Maclean
production
lames MHlngsley
ad production
Bryan Haddock
adproductlon
EricMcMlHan
marketplace
Donna Southerland
ad manager
Dr. Charlie Marler
adviser
the summer vacations and final examinations by
fight the drug-abuse menace the
treatment was uneven. Both Vice
President George Bush and
Massachusetts Gov. Michael
Dukakis answered in private inter-
views. The commentator pointed
out that both candidates had no
specific commitment plan of attack.
Jackson's chiefly emotional appeal to
voters about the topic of drugs was
summarized in clips from campaign
speeches. The newscaster glossed
over Jackson's unavailability for
comment.
Yet just that morning on the same
station Jackson had been challenged
by Phil Donahue to be specific
about his proposed war against
drugs. Donahue showed taped inter-
views with Dukakis and Bush. How
Donahue asked Jackson is your plan
of attack on drugs better than theirs?
Jackson's response not only was just
as general as his opponents' but also
verbatim repetitions of statements
made in a speech telecast the night
before. Jackson had been available
for comment but the interview was
not used for the evening audience. It
should have been.
Let's ask Jesse Jackson every ques-
tion we need answered by a man
who wants to sit in the Oval Office.
Give Jackson the respect any man
deserves and give the American
people the information they need to
make a good decision when they
vote for president of the United
States.
out a distinctive niche that will en-
sure a healthy future.
Otherwise club-seekers may come
to see Kinsmen as a risky alternative
to more solidly established clubs an
alternative with nothing distinctive
to offer.
So service coupled with big-club
fun is the key for Kinsmen.
And its service orientation will 'ac-
complish something even more im-
portant. It will encourage them to
help others. And that's what we've
been called to do
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PALESTINIANS TOWARD pEACk
Neanderthals annoy civilized
The movie barely had begun when
the row of Neanderthals behind us
began to stir.
At first they confined themselves to
shuffling and grunting "pass the pop-
corn" to one another. I found them irri-
tants but ignorable ones
So ignore them we did and my friend
and I continued watching the plot of
"Broadcast News" unfold before us.
And when the movie came to the point
where the heroine had to decide her
future or at least which co-worker she
would pursue we anxiously prepared to
watch her decide.
Amazingly the Neanderthals also had
understood the plot up to this point
and they began making suggestions to
the wavering character.
"Hit him punch him out" they
noisily advised. "Say no. Just leave."
Another patron gently tried to shush
the row at which point they all replied
"Oh shush yourself." Evidently the lit-
tle group was trying to mimic higher
intelligence forms.
They continued being a disturbance
throughout the movie and I continued
to get more and more frustrated. I left
the movie seething.
Fortunately my rage had subsided by
. VNw wmwm nm sw& n wwvesm9
letters to the editor
Service group
thanks helpers
To the Editor:
Meals on Wheels Plus would like
to take this opportunity to express
Trust key
No sex. No drugs. Be where you say
you're going to be.
The rules seemed simple enough.
Clear simple guidelines are the first
step in practicing the Lang Theory of
Teen Supervision: tell them what you
expect then trust them.
A recent weekend trip to the Univer-
sity Interscholastic League Press Con-
ference convention in Austin was to be
my first experience of taking a group of
high school students out of town over-
night. For the first time I personally
would test the Lang theory.
My husband Ed Lang as both youth
director and pastor has practiced the
method for 22 years. He first developed
the theory when he was a church camp
counselor.
He had heard about campers who
kept their counselors up all night. He
was just finishing a year of graduate
studies before entering seminary. He
was exhausted. He wanted to sleep. So
the first night at lights out Ed Lang
told the boys to go to bed said good
night got into bed himself and went to
sleep. So did his campers. The theory
was born.
Now I was going to put the theory in-
to practice.
No sex. No drugs. Be where you say
you're going to be. The first two rules
ourtreat
rcBr ""
dawn treat
the time Sunday morning came. I went
to church and sat in a pew much like
the one in the movie theater.
The announcements barely had
begun when the Neanderthals in front
of us began to stir.
I took a deep breath and told myself
they would quiet down when the actual
worship began. Evidently they had not
yet discovered music for the two pre-
teen female Neanderthals continued
talking to each other while the rest of
the congregation sang hymns.
The prayer also failed to quiet them.
As did the sermon. As did the exit of
most of the people on the row behind
them when the girls' talking forced
others to move.
I don't know why I was blessed with
these two experiences this weekend.
Perhaps I met the Neanderthals to learn
a lesson in patience. Maybe I en-
countered them to learn how to pay at-
tention despite my surroundings. I
our appreciation to all of the ACU
students and faculty who have
delivered meals to the elderly and
homebound citizens of Abilene. As
you return to your hometowns or
move on in your life you should feel
good about yourself. You have per-
formed a much-needed service for the
needy of Abilene.
to teen supervision
amy lang
guest columnist
needed no explanation. The 1 1 students
ages 14 to 17 knew what I meant.
For the third rule the agenda was
printed and in everyone's possession.
The key two hours were Saturday
night: out of the swimming pool at 10
p.m. in one of the group's rooms from
10 until midnight and in one's own
room and lights out at midnight.
From my room's low balcony about
six feet from the chain-link fence that
surrounded the pool area I watched the
students swimming. On their own they
started back to the rooms at 9:30. 1
went inside and dressed for bed. I could
hear them talking through the thin
walls. I lay on the bed with the televi-
sion on trying to stay awake until 10.
Once they were in the rooms I could
relax. They would be where they said
they would be.
At 9:45 the sports editor telephoned.
"We're all in Room 141 right across
the hall. We're going to watch a movie
together before lights out."
"That's fine. We'll leave at eight for
hope I gained some practice in both
those areas.
However maybe the reason the
Neanderthals disturbed me and my
friends in the first place was because
they need to be taught some of our
society's unspoken rules.
Perhaps they never learned that you
should be quiet in a movie theater. The
characters on screen can't hear your ad-
vice and the people around you don't
want to.
Nice people who try to correct lower
life forms shouldn't be reprimanded for
asking them to be quiet. When politely
asked to stop talking you should apolo-
gize and shut up. Neanderthals don't
know this yet.
Most importantly church is a place
for worshiping. Whispering and giggl-
ing disturb people around you even if
you are doing it quietly. Maybe
Neandcithal land has no churches.
I doubt this column will directly help
any Neanderthals on their path to fit-
ting in with society. I don't think they
read yet. But in case you sit near one in
church or in the movies or anywhere
else don't feel timid about reminding
them about the right way to act.
It's the human thing to do.
We would like to extend an invita-
tion to any student or teacher who
would like to assist us during the
summer semesters. If you can donate
your car gas and two hours one day a
week please call 672-5050.
Betty Dleas
Executive Director
breakfast. Each room should leave its
own wake-up call. Good night."
"Good night Mrs. Lang.''
I placed the receiver in its cradle
turned offthe TV and went immediate-
ly to sleep trusting the teens in my
charge to be where they said they
would be.
Between sessions the next morning a
publications adviser from one of the
large cities at the edge of Texas had sta-
tioned himself at an intersection of
halls. I spotted him there looking first
one way and then another. "Everything
OK?" I asked.
The night before at midnight he
said he had gone around to make sure
all his students were in their rooms.
One group had brought beer and four
University of Texas football players
back to their room.
"Now my editor is not in cither of
the sessions she said she'd be in; I guess
I'll have to go find her" he said.
He must not have heard the Lang
Theory.
Trust is a fragile virtue given on
faith. Trustworthiness is a learned
response.
I had told my students what I ex-
pected and trusted them. They had
proved trustworthy. The Lang Theory
of Teen Supervision was verified.
(I
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 75, No. 58, Ed. 1, Wednesday, April 27, 1988, newspaper, April 27, 1988; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101459/m1/2/: accessed July 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.