Opinion
2
Wednesday, February 10, 1999
TI-IE
CI ac I<AMAS P r ÌNT
Intentions not enough
And so we arrive back at our old
We human beings like to feel
good about ourselves. We try and question: by what standard do we
fail, we try again, and through it judge behavior to be moral or im
all, we harbor the idea that as long moral, right or wrong? Is there an
as we mean well, things
will be “OK.” After all,
tar
why else would our pe
rennial phrase for the
n cnown
excusability of failure
be, “I’m only human?”
But are good inten JOEL P. SHEMPERT
tions really morally suf Copy Editor
ficient?
Aristotle would be the first to Absolute
remind us that good intentions are on which to
not enough—that compassion stand?
Many be
without knowledge will do more
harm than good, and that knowl gin from
edge without compassion is noth the prin-
ing more than self-serving. Only ciple, “Do harm to no man.” I
in the combination of knowledge would even further refine this idea
and compassion will wisdom be to encompass the Golden Rule:
achieved and true good enacted “Treat others the way you would
like to be treated.” This is the es
in society.
Therein lies the rub, however. sence of love—not only avoiding
Motives may be pure, but has the harmful actions but also-actively
individual’s knowledge brought seeking helpful ones.
At this point I must again ask,
him or her to the correct conclu
sion? Is the course of action a “What about good intentions?”
right one? Hell’s road may be As long as I try to help, as long as
paved with good intentions not I mean well, is my conscience
only because those intentions clear?
I must answer no. Actions that
were not realized, but in some cases
lead to harm, even unintentionally,
because they were.
I have pointed out in the past, are wrong. If I do not, through
as G.K. Chesterton before me, that wisdom (knowledge combined
it is precisely on the “right solu with compassion), do all I can to
tion,” enacted from “pure mo avoid this harm, I have not done
tives,” that people disagree the all I can in love.
Solomon, in his Proverbs, as
most strongly. How can one de
serted that “There is a way which
termine which action is right?
The latesongwriter Rich Mullins seems right unto a man, but the
has an insight here: “Because I end thereof are the ways of death.”
grew up in Indiana, in the Protes This is why I am grateful to have a
tant tradition, in fact in the Quaker reference to a perspective higher
tradition—that had a lot to do with than my own when making the big
biasing me.. .1 need to be aware of decisions of life. My perspective
what my perspective is, so I can is imperfect. My perspective is in
both appreciate it and be a little complete. I see truth “through a
glass, darkly.”
distrustful of it.”
In other words, I don’t have all
An individual’s perspective,
whether cultural, political, or spiri the answers, but I know Who
tual, is inherent to that person, does. I know it’s awfully Judeo-
which is not necessarily bad: Christian of me to keep bringing
people need a reference point for up the Biblical perspective, but this
judgment. It’s impossible to make is the anchor that helps to keep
decisions in a vacuum. Perspec my good intentions from drifting
tive, then, is a tool, to be used toward disaster. Ishowyou a more
excellent way.
wisely.
Th E AI
of AN
U I
Cod
Making money off of fears
It is a sad thing when a whole
Last week, I walked out to my
car in the middle of the day, and portion of our society feels so
watched as a group of people cir depressed about the way they
culated through the parking lot look that they are willing to take
placing fliers on wind
shields.
e in a
Smurfing one off of
the nearest windshield,
er ect
or
I had my eyes assaulted
by the garish green
KARLKATZKE
color.
The
flier
screamed, “Lose 30 Assoc. Editor
pounds in 30 days!”
Sure, I mused, if you’re spending drugs that
may harm
money in British Pounds.
Of course, maybe the weight them, call
loss program was in the exercise numbers
gained in putting the fliers on the on hand
windshields... the slightly over written
weight people who I saw sweat signs
ing their way across the parking along the freeways, and starve
lot sure looked like they were los themselves to look like that per
son on TV.
ing weight.
And what’s even worse is that
The worst thing about the inci
dent is that almost everybody who we have entrepreneurs who will
received a flier simply ripped it off capitalize on people’s weaknesses.
and threw it on the ground, litter Can we not, as a culture, have the
ing the environment, wasting pa common decency to allow some
per, and so on. The only good one to feel good about them
thing about the fliers is that they selves?
Of course, the media plays a part
pointed out a part of our culture
in this. Have you ever seen a
that sickens me.
To B
P
W
I
H
heavy model in a department store
ad? Nope. What kinds of maga
zines are on the newsrack? I’ll
name a few. Redbook; Seventeen,
Fitness... need I keep going?
And then there’s the stores.
The majority of women are ‘plus-
sizes’... and the department
stores only carry things for
skinny people.
Until we, as a people, can feel
comfortable with ourselves, our
minds, and our bodies, we will
never be able to exorcise the sick
parts of our society... those that
will try to make money off of
someone’s fears.
It's your choice. Use your
voice.
Correction
In the Feb. 3 article entitled
“McGee: a student living in his
tory,” an incorrect phone number
was printed for the Civil War
Council. The correct phone num
ber for Chairman Donny Cameron
is 645-4184.
To Whom it May Concern:
The idea expressed in 77ze Clackamas Print about de-commissioning
the public safety officers is not only foolhardy, but seems to be putting the
students safety second to cost.
There are several reasons to keep the officers we have now. First and
foremost is the physical presence and
training the officers already have. I
etters
am currently a security officer and
shift leader for Mall 205 Security. I
have
seen personally the difference
t
between how civilians/students react
to both security officers and police/
commissioned officers. The reactions are 180° different. The reaction to
security officers is “Yeah right this is only a civilian with a crackerjack
badge,” and the reaction to police/commissioned officers is “OK, this
officer can give a ticket/arrest me, I better comply.”
The visibility of the officers is a factor also. There is no one more
professional looking or more welcoming in a serious situation than an
officer of the law. Many would argue against it, but the drugs, violence,
and general peaceful attitude maintained against (drugs/violence) and
maintained (peacefulness) are due to these officers. The people least
wanted (i.e, drug pushers, speeders, burglars) are kept away due to them.
I implore, whichever committee is in charge of this descision to rethink
getting rid of “our” officers. I feel safer with them here.
L
to
U e EdiTOR
Respectfully,
Dennis Knight
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