opinion__________
Education dangerous to Reagan Campaign
“Why should we subsidize intellectual
curiosity?” the man asked. Who is that man?
Why, It just so happens that that man just might
be our next president. No, not John Anderson.
Nor Ed Clark. The man who said it is everyone’s
favorite right-wing-yes-man superconservative
elitist. He’s Ronald Reagan.
Yes, Ronald Reagan is against Financial Aid,
without a doubt the most important special fun
ding a student , can receive, next to a million-
dollar inheritance.
“More government red tape,” the man grumbl
ed. Maybe, but that red tape helps to educate
millions of people in this country, and without
it, millions would not be able to educate
themselves at a college.
The idea of financial aid,* of course, is to
educate as many as possible. Why is Mr. Reagan
against financial aid? Maybe he senses the
danger of education to his candidacy.
He must also sense the danger of the middle
class to his hopes for the White House. Maybe
the man is a rich elitist (you can be a poor
^b^ducated^f^voul^rathei^iv^theinJtajHn^^^^^^
centives. At least it wouldn’t take them four
years to get nowhere.
A man who doesn’t feel the poor or middle
class should receive monetary aid to help them
educate themselves, does not believe in educa
tion for the common people and should not be
president.
How this man could be leading in the polls is
beyond comprehension. Although I wouldn’t
put it beyond Reagan to change his mind and
support financial aid when he has to talk in front
of college students. He has done it before. Most
recently, after talking to Lee lacocca of
Chrysler, came out in support of the govern
ment’s bailout of Chrysler. A bail-out he has
staunchly opposed from beginning until his
speech to the auto workers in Detroit.
Now wait a minute. I thought that Ronald
Reagan wanted government out of business?
This is a complete turnaround from his cam
paign. A note needs to be made that he made his
policy change in a speech to AUTO WORKERS.
It’s just telling people what they want to hear.
Reagan’s pretty good at that.
The importance of being impressive
One of the great (when I say great, I mean
huge—not fantastic) problems people have when
they write editorials or letters to the paper, is
really not that great (I still mean huge) at all. In
fact, it is really a small-tiny-minor problem.
That problem is, of course, impressing the
reader.
Impressing the reader is not hard at all—if you
know how to do it. If done right, an editorial can
impress the reader even if the contents are less
than impressive, (stink).
The problems of impotent-impress the
reader-writers stem from two different roots.
The first root is the lack of a planted subject.
The second needs watering only in the flowery
style of the language.
Choosing a subject is one of the most impor
tant steps in gardening a truly impressive
editorial. The subject must not only interest the
writer, but interest must also blossom in the
minds of the readers, not to mention in the
mind of the editor oFthe paper. Although if the
writer signs his or her work, it will probably get
published. An interesting subject matter is im
perative.
For example, if a person writes to a communi
ty college paper, he or may assured that their
reader could care less about the community’s
problems. If it really bothers the author of the
piece, rest assured it will be published.
As far as subject matter goes, national and in
ternational subjects are always interesting copy
sprint
THE PRINT, member of the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association,
aims to be a fair and impartial Journalistic medium covering the campus
community as thoroughly as possible. Opinions expressed in THE
PRINT do not necessarily reflect those of the College administration,
faculty, or Associated Student Government.
Office: Trailer B Telephone : 656-8400, ext. 309, 310
editor: Thomas A. Rhodes
assignment editor: Matt Johnson; news editor: David Hayden;
arts editor: Michael L. Rose; feature editor: Steve Lee
sports editor: Rick Obritschkewitsch; photo editor Duffy Coffman
staff writers: John Baker, Linda Cabrera, Ed Coyne, Richard Green
Jim Haynes, Tom Jeffries, Benjamin Munhall
staff photographers: Ramona Isackson, Sue Hanneman
typesetter: Kathy Walmsley artist: Lynn Griffith
advertising & business manager: Dan Champie
adviser: J. Faraca
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and can take up a great deal of space. Choose a
subject that can be milked to death. Subjects
like Iran and Afghanistan, presidential elec
tions, property taxes, Missouri, or cows and
Ronald Reagan (no connection is intended).
Socialism, Facism, the need for peace, the need
for, war, the need for electric guitars all make
fascinating reading. Anything that is controver
sial or interesting will work.
Someone in the back has just asked how the
need for electric guitars can make for
fascinating reading. The Germans say it best:
EET eez zee vay eet is put togezearr. Or the way
it is put together.
The first way to impress the reader (especially
if the writer has no idea what he is talking
about) is through the use of such big words that,
no one has any idea what they mean. An easy
way to find big words is to consult “Roget’s
Thesaurus.” For example, if a writer wrote “Jim
my Carter’s quadary of his lasciviousness may
cost him his excogitation,” people would think
he is a genius. It is pure bull, but he would be a
shoe-in for ASG Senator (Forgive me Cherlynn).
To go with the big words, a quote or two from
everyone’s favorite, William, is always im
pressive. Imagine the appause a writer will
receive when he writes, “Asses are made to bare
and so is Ayatollah Khomeni’s.” The writer of
that will surely become a campus hero. Imagine
the social possiblities! Dates, marriage, a
political future is assured.
* A good classical style is always a plus. Would
anyone be reading “The Canterbury Tales” had
Geoffrey Chaucer written it in 21st century New
York-English coloquial bathroom-wall style? Of
course not. They would go out and buy the Cliff
Notes like any smart and cheating student.
Americans prefer style over contents, anyway.
How else would we choose our national
leaders? If they look presidential, we vote for
them regardless of what comes spewing out of
their mouths. Style is everything.
To make a very, very (going for inches, now),
very, very long story short, drop those letters at
Trailer B (for Boy), anytime before Monday at 2
p.m. (That’s the deadline time, folks) and if the
prolific writers^ijmtheii^iames^heyTlgeV^^
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