EDITORIAL
Recall petition fair
way to resolve issue
It .should come as no surprise that ASUO Vice Pres
ident Jo Sonja Watson is the subject of a recall effort. It
should also come as no shock that the petition drive is
being led by College Republicans.
Once again, our campus political factions raise
their ugly heads. Watson and the recallers have been
subjected to some of the most vicious mudslinging
seen in these parts since Michael Colson was ousted
from the IFC last year
But it doesn't change the basic nature of the issue.
Watson is guilty of shoplifting from the University
Bookstore in November. 1990 — of that there is no
doubt She was tried, convicted, sentenced to do com
munity service and fined.
What is ut stake is whether Watson's "mistake ’ re
flects on her ability to do her job MemlHsrs of the Col
lege Republicans think so and have started the recull.
Watson and ASUO President Jennifer Hills disagree.
The only fair arbitrators of this dispute are the vot
ers. Students will have to deride whether the punish
inent of a recall election fits the crime of shoplifting.
both Watson and Bills contend the crime was just a
mistake and has no reflection on her political life.
Perhaps, but what a leader does in his or her pri
vate life definitely has ramifications in the political
arena. It is not unfair to ask whether Watson’s error in
judgment will be repeated again
Watson and Hills claim the shoplifting charge
would have made no difference had it come out during
the election That opinion has no possible verification
except from a recall petition. If students feel strongly
about the rec all, they will sign it If they disagree with
the petitioners, they’ll simply walk the other way. Hut
if voters get that opportunity, it will Ire enough.
From this corner, there is no support or condemna
tion for removing Watson from office However, to
deny students — voters — their Itrgal right to speak on
this matter is neither fair or just Opposition to this pe
tition simply removes the "student" from student gov
ernment.
However, irony is not entirely absent from this is
sue. For petitioners to get a recall on the ballot, they
need signatures from 10 percent of the student popula
lion. Only 6 percent of the students voted in the last
election. The discrepancy between the two numbers
should not be overlooked.
Bills and Watson, who have claimed great student
support since the story broke, should welcome this op
portunity to clear Watson’s name. If voters really no
believe in Watson, they will not sign the petition and
the recall effort will wither. If it does go to a ballot and
is defeated, the same thing happens. There will be no
further recourse against her. The voters will have spo
ken. one way or the other. For proclaimed defenders of
student’s rights, that should strike them as fair.
Yes. we have all made mistakes in our lives, but we
are ail not ASUO vice presidents Politicians have an
obligation not only to the people who put them into of
fice. but the ones who voted against them as well
There is something called public trust, and University
students will have to decide whether Watson broke it
Ultimately it is up to the individual student. No
urging, one way or the other; just think about it.
()rcyon Daily
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OPINION
Reagan as far as the eye can see
THE FINE
PRINT
PETERS
To thr sound of rushing I
1t> jots .mi) droning ox
presidents, tho Ronald
Koiigiin presidential llhrurv thus
doftulod
These libraries are nothing
now Hverv former president
has one The Idea of continuing
tfieir political influent.e from
beyond the grave is just too at
tractive Presidents can now
screw up the next generation of
voters with little or no effort
There was enough gushing
going on at the opening to run a
hydro electric plant, and sufli
cient hot utr to float the Hin
tlrnhurtf l ive presidents
four ex. one present attend
od the ceremony, which quic k
|\ turned into a Ronald Reagan
love-In
Said President Hush. "No
leader since ('hlirehill used
words so effectively to help
freedom uni ham our world
Possibly If true, that surely
tells the sad state ol politics in
the last 40 years However,
Churchill at least knew the day
the flattie of Britain began
Oops, wrong president Sorry
l '.eorge
Richard Nixon said Reagan
"restored Americ u s military
might " Gerald Ford countered
with "(he was) able to articu
late the highest hopes and
deepest beliefs of the American
people
Definitely not a day for those
with weak stomachs Hopeful
ly. some benevolent airline is
sued to the crowd some com
plimentary "c ourtesy bugs
An entire library devoted to
the Ronald Reagan legacy is
enough to boggle the- mind and
sic ken the stomach There
hasn't been tins much self-con
gratulatory hat kslapping in a
lotcg time something we i an all
he thankful for
But the library isn't com
plrli' Mol yet
Through intrepid reporting
and wide spread doling out of
bribe money. I have managed to
gel a preliminary list of dis
plays that will lie added to the
collection
doming soon to Ihe Reagan
library:
The ")ust Say No" reading
room Dedicated to Reagan's fa
vorite post-presidential saving
Patrons can browse the special
ly made wallpaper filled with
the infamous "I don't remem
ber'' quote
The "What Scandal?" exhib
it A broom c loset full of hot
air. dust and skeletons Iran
These libraries are
nothing new. Every
former president
has one. The Idea
of continuing their
political influence
from beyond the
grave Is Just too
attractive.
Contra never looked so gixid
The "I'm In Charge Here”
wing Ihe comedy portion of
the collection Watch the thrill
ing moment as Reagan's first
Secretary of State Alexander
Haig makes a fool out of him
self on national television
while attempting an ill-fated
grab at the reins of presidential
power
The "Deficit, Smeficit" dis
play A continuously clicking
monitor of the national debt
Reagan’s biggest contribution to
the American way of life, this
exhibit has a few technical
problems The whirring speed
of the numbers keeps burning
out the engine.
The "Faces of Reagan" hall
way A pictorial of the different
faces Reagan displayed during
his eight years in office All two
of them
The "Kdwin Nleese: Man or
Myth" video extravaganza
Not lor tin- faint-heartened Lis
ton to the former attorney gen
er.il discuss at length his
political views Antacids tab
lets and evanide pills .ire in
cluded in the admission prit e
The "Better Than a Fortune
Cookie" astrological chart All
of Reagan's decisions put in an
easy-to-read format, corre
sponding to where his House of
Venus was for the month It ex
plains a lot. most notably his
nomination ol Robert Bork to
the Supreme Court
The "Now You See Him.
Now You Don’t" memoriul A
summation of Donald Regan's
contribution to the Reagan ad
ministration. A hard to find ex
hibit, It's located in the buse
ment Around a corner Near
the boiler room
The "We Deny Everything
eternal flame State of the art
technology feeds c opios of Ki!t\
Kelley's Nancy Reagan biogra
phy into the lire to keep this
display a hurtlin'
The “Evil Mt Empire" rotun
da A granite slab engraved
with the names of all the for
rner Red Army soldiers now
flipping McBorshl burgers in
Most ow
The “I Wanna Be a Presi
dent” corridor Dedicated to
former Reaganite James Iiaker,
who, in his new job, continu
ously strives to make himself
look good while at the same
time racking up the frequent
flyer miles. He should Ik; eligi
ble for that trip to Hawaii any
day now.
Reagan had his faults (under
statement) but at least he was
fun to have around Only Dana
Garvey does a really good
George Bush impression, but
everybody can mimic the fa
mous Reagan drawl and goofy
grin
Go ahead. Do something nice
for yourself. Do a Reagan im
pression It'll make you fool
much better.
I promise.