The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 74, No. 21, Ed. 1, Friday, November 7, 1986 Page: 2 of 14
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Opinion
frlckv. nov. 7. 1986. Mft
friday nov. 7 1986 peg 2
Negative politics spark interest
f .' i.
The 1986 campaign has been
characterized as a negative
mudslinging campaign. Can
didatcs for governor representat-
ive .and senator throughout the
United States have participated
in election tactics considered
negative.
Candidate fighting is common
during election time but the
reports of this year's mudsling-
ing have had a negative effect on
the; American people.
Changes
depress
friends
got a long-distance call from
an old friend on the East Coast
recently my best friend from
high school.
My graduating class reported-
tyi has a huge bank balance and
might throw a massive five-year
reunion next year at a downtown
Philadelphia motel.
The phone call gave Ed the
chance to fill me in on the hap-
penings in the lives of about 10
or 15 friends and aquaintances
from my high school most of
whom I haven't seen since
graduating more than four years
ago.
headwind
151)1 hobbs
Much of the news was rather
depressing.
Few Christians attended my
high school. For most of the 452
in'.my class of '82 church was a
place you never went and Sunday-morning
a stretch of 'daylight
you never saw.
Most of the people I knew at
my high school seemed like
normal people. Sure they par-
tied on the weekends and smok-
ed; and drank a lot but things
like: that happen everywhere and
I stopped being shocked only a
few weeks after I first went off to
college.
Two of the 10 or 15 Ed and I
talked about are married have a
child and are getting a divorce.
The child is older than the mar-
ridge. Another has been busy tearing
up a marriage so she can have
the guy for herself.
Another is gay.
Much of the rest of the news
from home was just as depress-
ing but one couple is engaged
and planning to be married soon
a hopeful sign in all the
wreckage.
These were friends and
aquaintances of mine people I
saw every day and thought they
had much more promising
futures than divorces affairs and
"alternative lifestyles."
Considering all that goes on in
our society maybe "normal"
isn't normal anymore and the
weird minority from the fringe
has become the weirder majority-
The friend who called? He
like myself has spent the last
four years going to college on
five-year plan living a pretty ge-
neric life.
We agreed our classmates had
gone pretty wild. We agreed that
the engaged couple probably had
the "right stuff" to make their
marriage work.
We agreed that talk of our
rather average existences since
graduation wouldn't enliven a
reunion as much as the other
news.
We agreed we'd be happy to
keep it that way.
And we agreed we're going to
skip that five-year reunion com-
ing up next year.
m
Campaigns focusing on attack-
ing the opponent have been the
most popular and have increas-
ed candidate popularity accor-
ding to several political advertis-
ing executives.
However if the public is en-
joying the negative campaigning
what type of effect will the anti-
positive attitudes have on the
voting public?
Maybe negative campaigning
gets more popular support for a
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Motorists
Abilene is a crossroads of a
sort for travelers.
Motorists often pass through
this fair city enroute to Dallas-
Fort Worth as well as many
other destinations.
For those traveling on U.S. In-
terstate 20 however the drive
through Abilene can be a hungry
one. Not one fast-food restaurant
can be found on Interstate 20 as
it passes through Abilene.
The Kettle Restaurant is
located just off the interstate but
often travelers do not have the
time for a sit-down meal. In-
stead they press on toward the
next town hoping they will soon
see the Golden Arches or
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Editor answers the Republican calling
The preacher announced the
invitation song and we stood to
sing. As we began the second
verse of "Tenderly Calling" I
began to feel a twinge of guilt in
my chest and a lump in my
throat. The emotion began to
swell up inside me as I stepped
into the aisle to answer the
preacher's call.
My heart throbbed as I step-
ped before the preacher and con-
fessed my liberal journalistic ac-
tivities of the past few weeks. He
said "Do not fear. You will be
made new."
The preacher laid his hands on
letters to the editor1
h i ni'
'Optimist' provides for exchanging ideas
To the Editor;
In reference to Cary Roberts' letter
in Tuesday's OptlmUt I am dlsap-
rimed with bis extremist attitude
understand that he is an ardent
Republican and I can respect that;
Ii too generally vote Republican.
To attack the Optimist for "allow-
ing Eric Miles to write on behalf of
Larry Holmes" calling it "ir-
responsible journalism" exemplifies
an intolerance of others and their
viewpoints that is extremely disturbing
candidate but politicians risk
losing credibility when their
campaign efforts focus on the
wrong of their opponents instead
of the right of themselves.
Politicians have always had a
difficult time proving themselves
to the public without first attack-
ing the other candidate. The
campaign strategy may have
evolved out of negative politics
causing the voter not to trust a
politician.
1
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starve in
discover a Burger King town.
One. might think a city of more
than 100000 population' would"
have a fast-food restaurant on a
well-traveled interstate. Travel-
ers might not get the idea of just
how big Abilene is. After all in
this country a place such as
Wendy's is almost counted as a
sign of civilization.
Travelers are not the only ones
who would benefit from the con-
struction of a fast-food franchise
near the interstate. The city's
two largest colleges are located
near the route not to mention a
number of residences.
Perhaps die students and resi-
dents are tired of having to drive
my head as I knelt before him in
front of the congregation and in
his most powerful voice he said
"Be healed ye liberal brother.
Feel the cleansing power of the
Republican party come over
you brother!"
And magnificently enough I
did. I could feel the change.
I looked up at the preacher
who had one hand on my
forehead and the other stretched
above his head. For a moment
he looked amazingly like Pat
Robertson.
"No it can't be" I thought.
Sure enough it wasn't.
' .r
The tendency toward censorship
has been so strong throughout hi-
tory tht the United States' Con-
stitution ipedfically prohibits it. I
do not believe any politician in die
United States supports or even
agrees with this concept. To abuse
a newspaper for facilitating the
spread of ideas Is totally against
what America stands for liberty.
To curtail any freedom can lead to
abolishment of all rights; Christians
are fond of the right to worship as
they do.
God allows free choice; our
And with the advent of more
negative political advertising
who should a voter believe? Both
sides claim the other side is Us-
ing. The voter is left picking be-
tween two liars.
Negative campaigning has
brought more advertising dollars
to agencies representing can-
didates. The dollar is a very powerful
tool of the advertising communi-
ty to influence a candidate to
fefcVWiCKH
Abilene
all the way to U.S. Highway 80
to go to Burger King or to North
First Street to go to McDonald's '
Two fast-food restaurants serv-
ing Mexican-style food are
located on Judge Ely but some-
times pepple want a little variety.
The constiuction of a fast-food
franchise near the interstate
would have other benefits as
well.
A new franchise would bring a
little more money into Abilene as
well as provide a few more jobs
especially for high school and
college students.
For some enterprising individ-
ual a golden-fried opportunity is
waiting to be taken.
After a sufficient amount of
calling on "the powers that be"
in the White House the
fielder's
choice
thomas graham
preacher grabbed my arm lifted
me up to face the congregation
and said "Brethren a new-born
' -ft
religious beliefs are cot forced upon
us Likewise our political beliefs'
must not be arbitrarily decreed. My
beliefs right or wrong are en in-
tegral part of me and I defy anyone
to tell me that I am wrong or ir-
responsible for holding these be-
lief). The Optimist has a duty to pro-
vide an opportunity for a variety of
ideas to spread. To chastise it for
fulfilling this responsibility Is folly
and worse.
Sean Bryan senior
Fairfax va.
"K 111
take a certain position in adver-
tising campaigning.
The negative variables can on-
ly lead to one thing: negative at-
titudes among the people and
possibly a lower voter turnout.
If mudslinging is to be part of
politics let it be reserved to ac-
tual evidence against the other
candidntc. And if evidence is
stacked against the candidate let
the candidates expound on their
strengths before they attack the
Student learn
from speaker
Two girls were having a pre-
Chapel gossip session. Actually
they were having a dur-ing-Chapel
session because they
continued to speak after the sing-
ing had begun and only ceased
talking when the prayer was
said. They were about to resume
their chatter when one of them
noticed that the boy in the front
row who always sang in sign
language was moving to the po-
dium. One girl "Debbie" got a
quizzical look on her face ob-
viously wondering why "Quint"
was going to the speaker's stand.
After all he was stone deaf. The
Chapel leader announced quietly
that Quint would address the
assembly.
Immediately Debbie began
scoffing to "Cindy" about the
silliness of the whole idea. Quint
was deaf she said; he couldn't
possibly have the ability to ad-
dress the group.
Cindy frowned at her friend
and urged her to hush. Debbie
snickered and settled back to
watch the "folly" before her.
Quint spoke on the subject of
the warmth God's love provides
to people as opposed to the
temporary warmth afforded by
material things. Although Quint
was deaf he did manage to speak
as well as oign his voice hoarse
and at times unintelligible. But
his spirit was undaunted and in-
spirational and many people did
not need the words of the inter-
Republican!" The entire crowd
circled around me and began to
shake my hand and slap my
back.
The next day I chose a blue
blazer tan slacks and a red tie
instead of my usual blue jeans. I
was a changed man. And I was
ready to vote.
My voting experience lasted
all of five seconds as I punched
the hole next to "Straight ticket
Republican."
After I left the voting booth a
phrase from our school's alma
mater kept playing over and
over in my head: " ... forever
Optimist
thomas graham
editor in chief
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Edlrcuiil ftnlniont iDDtarini in the OotimUt are views of the staff end do not
sully teflect the oflkUl policy of the
weaknesses of the other cae
dictate
Mudslinging for the sake
gaining ground during a caal
paign can oniy dc counter
productive tor tne cantuoaw
Soon he will ruin his good it
age.
Negative tactics damage thi
voters view of politics and eve
tually damage the system by noj
supporting me nest person ia
the job.
preter to understand hi
message.
While the majority of the
dknee listened in rapt silence
Quint's impassioned speecl
Debbie made nearly inaudit
sarcastic remarks to her fri
regarding Quint's gestures
problems with speech.
Cindy gave her friend
proving glances and tried to
norc her.
After Quint's speech t
assembly gave Quint a
deserved round of appl
making sure he could see
receptive they were to his U
ture. m
Debbie opened her mouth
make a remark and
silenced her with a look. Cit
then told her icily that she
no business being sarcastic. Jv
because a person is pby
disabled does not mean they
not human and do not
high inteliifencc and emotl
she said.
After all Cindy said Quint
dear but be still
God's love and wants to
his word.
Some neook. on the
hand may consider themsdvl
physically perfect Cindy
but don't realize that their
icap is in their soul.
Debbie's eyes widened in
prise at her friend's tone.
again opened her mouth
speak but found she
nothing to say.
upholding the right."
I asked mvself if that
the moral rieht or the politi
right. And I felt good about
mvself. J
As I stenned from the curl
front of Hillcrtst Church of
Christ a black limousine stq
ocd in front of me the Us
States flag rippling in the bi
November wind t ne dock
dow rolled down and a
doselv resembiin Ronald
Reagan leaned forward and!
said
"Well done my good and
faithful servant."
charles marler
adviser
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 74, No. 21, Ed. 1, Friday, November 7, 1986, newspaper, November 7, 1986; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth92081/m1/2/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.