EDITORIAL
Neil Bush does not
deserve another try
In the wake of the Gulf crisis, other domestic is
sues have been forced to take a back seat. One of those
issues that no longer gets an abundance of press cover
age is the Savings and l.oan scandal, and more impor
tantly. the involvement of the President’s son. Neil.
Savings and Loan regulators have accused Bush of
failing to adequately inform fellow Silverado savings
directors of his business ties with developers who in
vested in Bush’s oil exploration company. The devel
opers eventually defaulted on more than $132 million
in loans from Silverado.
Silverado’s collapse in December 1988 is expected
to cost taxpayers $1 billion.
Administrative l*aw lodge Daniel |. Davidson
agreed with regulators that Hush was guilty of a con
flict of interest and that his actions were evidence of
"personal dishonesty."
But Bush's career as a director of banking institu
tions is not over yet. The judge recommended that
Bush be allowed to accept a future position with a sav
ings and loan institution as long as he can demonstrate
that he can recognize the existence of actual and poten
tial conflicts of interests and respond to them appropri
ately.
Did Judge Davidson consider that maybe Bush did
recognize a conflict of interest and his "appropriate re
sponse" was to try to make as much money as possible
off the dual?
This new form of punishment .is long as you
know what you did wrong we'll give you another
chattel’ should be implemented throughout society.
Murderers who can prove they know killing others
is illegal should be set free to try again After all. if
they weren't able to recognize that the person they
shot, stabbed or strangled was going to die. how tan
we hold them responsible?
And why not put bloods ami Crips in charge of
pharmacies if they can distinguish between legal and
illegal drugs. Society is so quick to condemn these
youths when their gang related activities could have
Ireeti intended as a fun way to kill time.
Neil Bush knew what he was doing when he
loaned money to men who were investing in a compa
ny he owned. If he didn’t, why did he purchase a luxu
ry home under his wife's name — where it cannot lx*
confiscated to pay possible fines?
It is time for the justice system to start treating
white color criminals with the same lark of compas
sion now reserved for perpetrators of small time
crimes.
WERENCT
NMUTARfLY
REM FOR
vWAR.
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r
NO MORE
VIETHWS.
QVE SANCTIONS m
A CHMCE. j
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f
Keep the pentagon out of the editing room
On Monday. the Pentagon released new
guidelines for reporters in the military press
pool in the Persian Gulf.
Among those rules was a controversial
requirement that journalists submit their war
coverage to military review
This is not acceptable under any circum
stances. Most news organizations have com
plained. saying they favor the policy that
was used during the Vietnam War where
journalists were trusted to follow the guide
lines If any publication or journalist did not
follow the guidelines, that person’s creden
tials would be revoked.
That is the best way for the military to
ensure that information that would jeopar
dize the operation, endanger friendly forces
or be of use to the enemy does not get out.
Americans trust the lives of their loved ones
to the military, so the military should have
to put a little trust in the media which acts
as a communication link for the public.
With the threat of having credentials tak
en away, reporters and editors will act re
sponsibly.
Thai is 111*; best deal that the military
shuuld hope for.
Pentagon spokesman, Pete Williams,
said the military had no intention of censor
ing the dissemination of information But
that attitude could change once the prior re
view policy is in place. The possibility that
reporters will begin to hear things like, “you
can't print that, and we can't tell you why."
is likely.
It is common sense that you don't let an
organization that has a vested interest in
what the public knows make decisions about
what information gets out.
Nobody found out about the My I^ai mas
sacre in Vietnam until a soldier came for
ward anil told the story. It was not reported
by the government. If the military was al
lowed the right of prior restraint during the
Vietnam War it is possible that we might
still think we won.
The military should stick to fighting
wars and let the press report on them
LETTERS
Confusion
Editor's notv: Due to a mis
print in Carla Moser's letter
(ODE. Ian 9) we have reprinted
the first paragraph
In answer In )une Strieker's
response (ODE, Dee. 6) to my
letter (ODE. Nov. 29), I would
say. Yes. Jane. Starhawk's lec
ture did raise questions and
confusion about a number of
things On the history issue,
suffice it to say that quoting
history with a slant toward le
gitimizing particular goals is a
widespread practice, and St
arhawk is no exception with
her Earth-centered political ac
tivist agenda The issue of truth
remains an open question.
Oil bowl
Iraq. 20. USA: 3. First quar
ter: lrai| dominated their ag
gressive offense, and plowed
through the defense, scoring
two touchdowns. USA immedi
ately placed in their special
team on defense, called "Desert
Shield Defensive Squad." and
seemed to slow down the "Iraq
Attack." Responding to the ag
gression. USA moved the ball
to midfield. And on third down
they threw the long bomb,
l-ook at this Iraq .stands right
tiehind the receiver and snatch
es the txtll right out of his
hands on the 10 yard line, run
ning 90 yards for another
touchdown. This does not look,
like the USA’s game. Luckily
the kick was blocked, keeping
Iraq's score at 20.
Second quarter began and on
the first play, flags were
thrown everywhere, and USA
was taken back 10 yards From
there, they plowed up the field,
throwing powerful shotgun
passes. Now. look at this the
referees started arguing, and
then Coach Hush and Coach
Hussein yelled across the field
at each other Hush told us ear
lier that he didn't want violent
battle, and Hussein stated that
he just wanted to regain old
ground. And look at this, one
of the players hands Hush his
helmet, telling him to play the
game The USA finally gained
a field goal, and Iraq com
plained that the referees were
on USA's side. You know Iraq
is just playing USA's game,
and 1 don't think the USA real
izes that vet'.
IjKik al how many people are
in the Iraqi stands, there are
thousands up there behind
them. I think it's overpacked!
And now look at USA — no
body's there; that's pitiful!
USA always is waiting to play
but no one wants them to. I'd
just end the game now if I were
the coach
Well. I'll have to say. this is
going to be a long game It's
just like life, life is a long
game, and you can't win every
thing
David Mattison
PPPM
No voice
The residents of Riley Hall
were shocked when, on Nov.
28. we were informed that Eric
I.und had been placed on sus
pension by the University
Housing Authorities. We feel
that I.und has been an exempla
ry resident assistant, both in
his method of enforcing the
rules in a non-hostile manner,
and his rendering of advice
during our hall Al) meetings.
He works with the residents
often as an adviser, frequently
taking his personal linn; to dis
cuss problems incoming fresh
man and transfer students face
in adjusting to university life.
While this may seem to be the
standard duties of an K.A., it
should be noted that not all
K.A.'s perform these duties.
Eric is respected by the Riley
residents. He does not threaten
us with sanctions, and he treats
us as equals and friends. Eric
respects our rights as residents,
and we respect his duties as an
R A
On Nov. 30. we were in
formed that Eric had been fired.
We were not informed of the
circumstances surrounding this
action, nor were we given any
opportunity to voice our satis
faction with Eric s job perfor
mance before he was fired. We
should have had some say in
this matter.
The housing authorities have
kept us in the dark. Even now
most of us have little or no clue
as to why he was fired. We
want to know how the housing
authority can pretend to reach
an unbiased judgment against
someone in the space of three
days?
The housing authorities have
concentrated into their hands
the legislative, judicial and ex
ecutive powers. U.S. citizens
have the right to trial by jury
Why are residents of the resi
dence halls denied the same
fundamental American right?
Surely twelve residents can be
found who could render an un
biased verdict on Kric's case
(and for that matter any other
case involving alleged viola
tions of the student conduct
code).
W’hat we have between the
residents and the Housing Au
thority is a failure to communi
cate. We are entitled to greater
representation in the housing
system. A certain portion of our
room and board funds are used
to pay the salaries of the hous
ing personnel (including
K.A.'s. R.D.'s and students
mangers, etc.). We should have
a voice in what housing does.
Patrick Henry once said. "Tax
ation without representation is
tyranny!" And that is where it
stands now.
Peter Mack and 28 other Ri
ley Hail residents