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This Book is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Portland Spectator by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. GRAND THEFT AUTO • SADDAM’S DIARY • RUSSEL KIRK The Portland Spectator SUMMER 2003
The Classics Aisle When movies were by and for grown-ups SUMMER 2003
MISSION STATEMENT The The purpose of the Portland Spectator is to provide the students, faculty, and Portland staff with the alternative viewpoint to the left-wing mentality forced upon all at Spectator Portland State University. The Portland Spectator is concerned with the defense LIFE LIBERTY PROPERTY and advancement of the ideals under which our great Republic was founded. Our viewpoint originates from the following principles: Editor-in-Chief Individual Liberty Napoleon Linardatos Limited Government Managing Editor Free Market Economy and Free Trade Joey Coon The Rule of Law Senior Editor Shahriyar Smith The Portland Spectator is published by the Portland State University Copy Editor Publication Board; and is staffed solely by volunteer editors and writers. The Janet Rogers Portland Spectator is funded through incidental student fees, advertisement rev- enue, and private donations. Our aim is to show that a conservative philosophy is Technology Director the proper way to approach issues of common concern. In general the staff of the Tom McShane Portland Spectator share beliefs in the following: Contributors Mike Arrington -We believe that the academic environment should become again an open Sean H. Boggs forum, where there is a chance for rational and prudent arguments to be S. J. Campbell heard. The current environment of political correctness, political fundamen- Patricia Elliot talism and mob mentality stifle genuine political debate. Seth Hatmaker -We support high academic standards. Brian Danielson Michael King -We believe that each student should be judged solely on his/her merits. Justice McPherson Justin Myers -We oppose the special or preferential treatment of any one person or group. Dan Mikhno Nathan Pawlicki -We believe in an open, fair and small student government. Julia Moore -We believe that equal treatment yields inequality inherent in our human nature. Cartoonist -We oppose unequal treatment in order to yield equality, for this violates any Dion Lienhard principle of justice that can maintain a free and civilized society. MEMBER OF THE COLLEGIATE NETWORK
-We oppose the welfare state that either benefits individuals, groups or corpo- The Portland Spectator is published by the rations. The welfare state in the long run creates more poverty, dependency, Student Publication Board of PSU. All signed social and economic decline. essays and commentaries herein represent the opinions of the writers and not necessarily the opinions of the magazine or its staff. -We believe in Capitalism, and that the sole role of government in economic The Portland Spectator accepts letters to the matters is to provide the institutional arrangements that allow capitalism to editor and commentaries from students, faculty flourish. and staff at the Portland State University. Please limit your letters to 300 words. -We do not hate the rich; we do not idolize the poor. We reserve the right to edit material we find obscene, libelous, inappropriate or lengthy. We -We believe in an activist U.S. foreign policy that seeks to promote and estab- are not obliged to print anything that does not lish freedom, political and economic, all around the world. suit us. Unsolicited material will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self- addressed envelope. Submission constitutes tes- -We believe, most importantly, in the necessity of patriotic duty consistent timony as to the accuracy. with the preservation and advancement of our Republic. -Each person limited to 3 copies -Copyright © 2003 The Portland Spectator. All rights reserved.
Contact Information Email: Address: Location: Telephone: [email protected] Smith Memorial 503.725.9795 The Portland Spectator Center S-28 Tips: PO Box 347, Portland (sub-basement) Office Hours: [email protected] OR 97207 Monday 1pm-5pm Tuesday 1pm-3pm Web Site: portlandspectator.com
2 portlandspectator.com The Portland Spectator SUMMER 2003 CONTENTS
Summer 2003 • Volume 2 • Issue 9
Departments
4 Parenthesis 6 Editorial 26 Letters 27 Healthy Body Sick Mind 28 Back Page Satire
Articles
7 Tuition Worries JUSTIN MYERS 8 Grand Theft Paranoia BRIAN DANIELSON 10 The Field of Economic Dreams MATT ROEHR 11 Propaganda: The Anti-Drug JOEY COON 12 The Right Against the War MICHAEL KING 13 The Jayson Blair Affair HOLMAN W. JENKINS JR
Fiction
14 From Saddam Hussein’s Diary NAPOLEON LINARDATOS
Books & Arts
15 The Making of a Caricature JANET ROGERS 16 The Classics Aisle S. J. CAMPBELL 19 First Things First MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI 20 The Conservative Mind SHAHRIYAR SMITH
Editor’s Report
23 A Right-Wing Conspiracy is Born NAPOLEON LINARDATOS
World Exclusive From Saddam Hussein’s Diary
Many are looking for weapons of mass destruction, others for oil and some others for the stolen museum items. The Portland Spectator searched for and found Saddam’s personal diary.
All you wanted to know about the inner Saddam is here.
By Napoleon Linardatos Page 14
The Portland Spectator portlandspectator.com 3 SUMMER 2003 PARENTHESIS
Good news for children A CLEVER TAX-CUT Following the Senate, the House of Economics is a science of single instances, Representatives voted to ban the hor- hence it is hardly a science. So how much the rendous procedure of partial birth abor- president's most recent tax cuts will stimulate tion. The vote was 282 to 139. Congress the economy is conjectural, a conjecture being has voted for the ban twice before but it a guess by a PhD. The Los Angeles Times, using was vetoed by President Clinton. This Commerce Department figures, says the econ- time President Bush has said that he will omy may be expanded "by somewhere between sign the bill. the annual output of North Dakota, the small- “In a partial-birth abortion, the abor- est of the states in economic terms, and tionist pulls a living baby feet-first out of Nevada, which ranks 31st," or by the equivalent the womb and into the birth canal (vagi- of "adding another Sears, Roebuck & Co. and na), except for the head, which the abor- Dell Computer Corp." tionist purposely keeps lodged just But as a stimulus to the president's political inside the cervix (the opening to the stock and conservatives' aspirations, the latest womb). The abortionist punctures the tax cuts, signed Wednesday, will be doubly successful. They will make it more diffi- base of the baby’s skull with a surgical cult for a Democrat to win the presidency. And should one win, the cuts will make it instrument, such as a long surgical scis- more difficult to use the presidency for Democratic purposes. sors or a pointed hollow metal tube called a trochar. - George Will, The Washington Post, June 1 2003 He then inserts a catheter (tube) into the wound, and removes the baby's brain with a powerful suction machine. A HOLLOW MATRIX This causes the skull to collapse, after The movie has the portentous hollowness of so which the abortionist completes the much bad sci-fi, in which the world is always about delivery of the now-dead baby.” to end, but nothing else much matters, or makes any sense. The original, with its touch of the uncan- ny, has a special appeal for techno-geek teen-agers Teen disarmament and perhaps for certain intellectuals who feel Ohio-Kevin Long, a first-grader, took a trapped in a corporate-controlled culture that they plastic butter knife from the school are powerless to fight. lunchroom and put it in his backpack to Instead, they turn themselves into hip theoreticians of simulated reality, an idea bring home. This was apparently a vio- no more interesting than the gaga psychedelic fantasies of the sixties era. It's an lation of the school’s ban on weapons. unpleasant irony that the artistic value of "The Matrix" has been crushed by exact- The 6-year-old has been suspended and ly the franchise-making mentality that admirers of the original hate the most. is facing the possibility of expulsion. If the school board upholds the sus- - David Denby, The New Yorker, June 3 2003 pension, Kevin’s parents plan to file charges against the school for providing weapons to minors. THE MYTH OF MEDIA CONCENTRATION Despite many mergers in the media industry in Granny in the Clink recent years, Americans today actually enjoy more diversity and competition in the media than at any Francisco Santana owes money to his other time in history, thanks to cable TV, Internet, ex-wife. But because the man is the licensing of new broadcast stations and other nowhere to be found, a Brazilian court factors. has decided that his 72-year old-mother Rather than media monopolies, consumers face a Maria Mendes Santana is liable for the bewildering and unprecedented amount of choice. payment. Instead, the real danger to Americans is that out- Because she is unable to pay, the court dated and unnecessary FCC restrictions will limit sentenced the woman to spend 30 days improvements in media markets and technologies, limiting the benefits that they in jail. When interviewed she can provide. exclaimed, “I really can't believe I am going to prison for something I have no - James Gattuso, Heritage Foundation Research, May 29 2003 control of.”
4 portlandspectator.com The Portland Spectator SUMMER 2003
Double standards In the state of Oregon, suspected ter- rorists are innocent until proven guilty. The 2003 Spectator Awards If you are a police officer however, and risk your life every day to protect hun- dreds of thousands of people around The Excellent Public Service Award you, you may not be so lucky. Goes to Tracy Earll, chair of the Student Fee “Civil rights” groups have called for Committee (SFC). For the first time in recent memo- the resignation of a Portland police offi- ry someone had the guts to stand up to the special cer after he was involved in a fatal interests of PSU - and all that just before an election. shooting. Apparently, the right to a PSU has an abysmal turnout in the elections and that trial before judgment is not a civil right gives the special interest group huge power. But in the case of police officers. Tracy Earll and the rest of the SFC fought on. Earll also ended the practice of rubber-stamp allocation of student money. No, we’ve had enough, really Additionally, in a year of astounding increases in costs she managed a zero OSPIRG has recently raised its annoy- increase in student fees. Three true things about Earll: Admirable courage, ance level to code red, preparing for excellent management skills, strong bond with Dr. Pepper. maximum irrelevance. The group held a forum on education reform in the park blocks. The Nixon/Carter Award On the panel were… eight people who Goes to Kristin Wallace, ex-president of the student agreed with each other. The sound of government. We wanted to have the Nixon and Carter the choir was marvelous. As the event awards separate, one for lack of ethics the other for continued, the harmony of the carefully sheer incompetence, but the case of Wallace gave us conducted orchestra made for a very the opportunity to combine them. Wallace’s career relaxing afternoon – free of conflict or started with an illegal fundraiser and ended with the dispute. resignation of her vice president (the highlight of her presidency). Her only ‘accomplishment’ was her strong support for special Thanks Ted interest groups. Two true things about Wallace: no ethics, no shame. Some Portlanders are angry with Governor Kulongoski. After his envi- ronmental, pro-choice based campaign, The Silent Revolution Award many are wondering: where’s the radi- Goes to Nathan Pawlicki, senate member, E&CR cal we elected? Kulongoski did not member and Spectator contributor. Till recently only begin a progressive statewide crusade known for putting caffeine to sleep with his voice. But against capitalism. then it came to him: government should follow the The Portland Spectator would like to law. Before you knew it, a revolution took place in thank Governor Kulongoski for his con- student government where at least some laws were sistent support of the war on terrorism observed. We don’t know how long the trend will last, as well. but we enjoyed the ride nevertheless. Four true things about Pawlicki: Al Gore’s charm, a voice as passionate as Joe Lieberman’s, Correction faith in the rule of law, late on deadlines. In our May editorial titled “The Expensive Habits of Multnomah County” we said: The new tax would The Feisty Woman Award effectively cost average earning families Goes to Annie Stewart, chair of the Evaluation & $981 annually...” One reader rightly Constitution Review committee (E&CR.) Stewart as a noticed that “ I think the figure should member of the E&CR and later on, as chair, partici- be $981 for the three year period. I pated in making all the important decisions that had an adjusted federal gross income in brought things upside down. Some times notably excess of $80,000. I have computed wrong, some other times notably right, Stewart is a “a my annual Multnomah County tax to be riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” $399 per year. As I understand it, take Three true things about Stewart: passionate, opin- your Oregon state taxable income, and ionated, and absolutely hot in black. subtract $1500 if single, $5000 if filing a joint return, ad multiple by .0125.”
The Portland Spectator portlandspectator.com 5 SUMMER 2003 EDITORIAL
The Future of the PSU Graduate
Near PSU, on sixth and Harrison, there is a McDonalds. PSU them through tax increases. Decade after decade more of what graduates will be welcome to file an application for employ- Oregonians earn will go to the government. ment there. If the recent economic trends continue it might be Of course no one talks about what happened in the 90s. It’s the only place where you could get a job. not politically convenient. Instead politi- According to the 2002 Business Census Apply Here cians, with the help of the media, scare and Survey last year had only terrible the voters into acceptance of a behemoth news for downtown Portland. Nearly state by threatening cuts in essential ser- 5,000 jobs were lost, in sectors like vices. Information (-890), finance and insur- At the same time rampant over-regula- ance (-912) and professional, scientific tion contributes more to the stifling of the and technical services (-889). Of course, economy. The irrational anti-automobile there was growth in one area: policies and land use policies have made Accommodation and food services Downtown Employment 2001-2002 our housing market the 5th most expen- (+321). Apparently, the only sector that’s Finance and Insurance -1,277 sive in the nation, and the home owner- doing well in Portland is the fast food sec- Information -890 ship rate the 41st lowest, quite an achieve- tor. Who knows, if the trend continues for Professional, scientific ment. a little longer we might become the fast- and technical services -889 Oregon increasingly becomes an unwel- food capital of the world. Transportation and warehousing -1,227 come place for middle and low income This is where the policies of tax & spend Retail Trade -513 households. Policies that are supposedly have lead. The recent tax increase, Accommodation and food services +321 for those people have negative conse- allegedly temporary, in Multnomah quences to those most in need. A wealthy Country is supposed to be for the schools. Source:2002 Downtown Business Census and Survey person can do just fine even if unemploy- A closer look though proves something ment is high, even if the economy is stagnant, even if the hous- else: it’s for the teacher’s union. All in order to finance a system ing market is very expensive. It’s not the same for the average of exorbitant benefits, a system unaccountable to the parents, person out there. And it’s not the same for the PSU graduate a system that so often fails the children. coming out of college and looking for a job that’s not there. The State of Oregon spends between 15-20% more than the What creates jobs and opportunity is not command and con- average US State with the same demographics. During the trol economics espoused by Oregon’s political class and media. roaring 90s the State of Oregon spent every single penny it It’s an economy that rewards people’s hard work, innovation could creating a myriad new government programs. At the and risk taking, not Salem lobbying. same time, spending on higher education went down as a per- Oregon can do much better, and it can do much better for centage of the overall budget. Oregon’s political class focused everybody. But first there must be the political courage to bat- instead on creating and pampering new entitlement programs. tle vested interests that have put Oregon in a state of political, Consider what will happen if in every boom, we create new gov- economic and cultural decline. ernment programs, then in every recession we keep financing
Continuing Education Brings Michael Moore
The liberal New Yorker says “Moore, as always, is less a reliable The Program of Continuing Education has a different opinion or coherent thinker than a left-wing joker with a camera”. though. They have decided to bring Michael Moore to Another liberal magazine, The New Republic, says “His award- Portland. For those who don’t know the Program of winning documentary about America's culture of guns and vio- Continuing Education “is a department within the School of lence was riddled with errors and misrepresentations.” Extended Studies at Portland State University that provides And the leftist Dissent goes much further: “His political criti- quality education that supports the professional growth of cism signals problems faced by the left more generally: mar- PreK-16 educators, trainers, and human service professionals.” ginalization, a tendency to seek the purity of confrontation Now the force-feeding of certain politics by many depart- rather than to work for long-term political solutions, a cyni- ments is well known. The question here is why the Program of cism about the possibilities of politics today, and questionable Continuing Education went so low in its selection? We under- political judgments. Moore exhibits all these weaknesses. stand Mr. Moore’s popularity with certain segments of the Unfortunately, an effective left cannot draw energy or inspira- public eager to consume entertainment wrapped in tion from a deeply cynical view of politics that blurs entertain- vitriolic/fictitious assertions. But an academic department, ment and argument. Moore takes shortcuts when it comes to especially one that seeks to educate educators, should be able politics. He entertains, but he doesn't always do much more.” to avoid the lures of popular entertainment.
6 portlandspectator.com The Portland Spectator SUMMER 2003
PSU Threatening the tuition plateau Making a serious problem even worse . BY JUSTIN MYERS THE tuition plateau has come under inform the final decision is being over- higher education's importance at the attack. Not because there is anything looked; What percentage of students uti- state level has been on the decline over inherently unfair about the policy, but lize that plateau at some point in their the past few years. This budget crunch is because its stands between the adminis- college career? The answer is undoubtly a dirrect result of Oregon's poor spend- tration and an easy answer to our 'bud- more than the amount which does dur- ing practices. Since 1990 the percent of get crisis'. ing any one term. the state budget going to higher educa- 'Plateau' is the term used to describe The plateau is vital for students who are tion has dropped from around 11%, to the flat-rate tuition cost for students tak- attending Portland State University full barely 7%. ing 12-18 credits for under- The administration may be graduates, and 9-16 credits for pressed to find new sources of graduate students. revenue to maintain services at Removing this plateau would PSU, but they do a disservice to mean that tuition would be the university community by linked directly to the amount arguing that the their motives of credits being taken. Due to for recomending the plateau the details of the plan pro- removal are based entirely on a posed by the Office of deep concern over the 'unfair- Financial and Administration, ness' of the plateau. The propos- which lowers the cost per cred- al is rife with empty claims and it by a measly two dollars, the pitiful offerings. proponents of the tuition And if the fiscal situation should plateau removal claim that improve, what then? How easy tuition is being reduced for the do you think it would be for a majority of Portland State university that has grown University students. dependent on a per-credit Cathy Dyck and other admin- tuition system to let go and re- istrators say that the majority establish a plateau? People need of undergraduates do not take advan- time. The ability to take varrying course to recognize that the university may tage of the tuition plateau. The statistic loads over the course of a year gives stu- have to endure difficult and lean times they provide is that two-thirds of the dents an important ingredient for suc- for now without condemning the stu- students take twelve credits or less. The cess. dents of the future to bear the burden of argument, then, is that these students Also, many students are dedicated work- our current problems. are subsidizing the remaining one-third ers intent on getting the most from their If Portland State University is truly of the students who are taking thirteen college experience. Punishing the stu- interested in becoming a powerful and credits or more. dents who work the hardest by increas- respected school it needs to stay away Removing the tuition plateau is thus ing their tuition by as much as 46% (for from the community college image. PSU touted as necessary to lift the burden of undergrads taking 18 credits) does not does play an important role in the city as cost from the shoulders of the part-time respect their efforts. an embedded center for the service of students. These students could look to Fortunately, there are rumors that the the urban community, and students here save up to twenty-four dollars per term. budget and priorities committee decided use the school differently than students Students who are taking sixteen credits, not to recommend the removal of the on massive campuses away from city the course load normally expected to be plateau. centers. But we can not allow the fact taken in order for most individuals to The decision makers at Portland State that many students do not live on cam- graduate within four years, would be University need to listen to the commit- pus modify the atmosphere of education forced to pay an extra $328 each term. tee and not allow PSU to become here to a drive through, which is at the The enrollment numbers for Spring, oppressive to students who want to push heart of the plateau removal. 2003 show that 37% of undergraduates themselves in their education. It is true are taking course loads on the plateau, that we're in a budget crunch, but mak- and 62% of undergraduates are enrolled ing it more difficult to attend school is full time. Little information is provided not the answer. about the course loads students take It needs to be remembered that PSU is during their entire college career. An not in this situtation because of the important statistic that would help plateau. We're in this situtation because
The Portland Spectator portlandspectator.com 7 SUMMER 2003
ENTERTAINMENT
Grand Theft Paranoia Why violent video games are not a problem. BY BRIAN DANIELSON
SINCE the dawn of the video game con- realistic in recent years that the United to a gatling gun spraying forty rounds a sole in the 1970s, America’s youth have States Military uses them for desensiti- second, the sounds are accurate and real- been glued to televisions across the zation and combat simulation among istic. With such accuracy on the weapon country to engorge themselves in enter- recruits (US Department of Defense). sounds, the look of the weapon must be taining titles ranging from the ultra-sim- The military describes the purpose being accurate too. Guns now have reflective plistic Pong and action-packed blood- to teach cooperation and listening skills brass shells ejecting when fired along baths like Quake and Doom to more real- as well as quick decision making. with the explosive light and sometimes istic sports games like Madden NFL. In To illustrate how realistically violent when fire is emitted from the tip of an this paper, I am going to examine how games have become, in Wolfenstein 3D assault rifle, it is always present and the video game marketplace is saturated always in great detail. With such accura- with ultra-violent video games and cy on weapons detail video game coders whether the existing video game rating also have to add in realism as far as the system does an adequate job identifying impact of the weapon. In the FPS game the amount of violence in a particular Quake III: Arena, a thick mist of blood video game. spews from a character when hit by a If one were to go out and purchase a bullet. In both iterations of FPS game video game today, there are really only Soldier of Fortune, characters are dis- five different genres to choose from: membered by shotgun shots while gibs First Person Shooter (FPS for short, soar through the bloody air. The game examples being Doom or Quake series), Unreal Tournament also features a “head Sports (example being Madden NFL shot” bonus, where if a foe is shot in the Football), Real Time Strategy (RTS for head with certain weapons, the opponent short, example being Command & when a character dies, they basically instantly dies and a booming voice Conquer, Age of Empires), Sci-Fi (exam- flash and then they are seen lying on the echoes “Head Shot!”. ple being Final Fantasy Series) and ground. There are no blood splatters or With such shocking realism in current Action (wide variety, inclusive of both puddles of blood with body parts, also games and the expectation of more to FPS and sports, example being Grand known as “gibs” floating in them. The come as PC and game console hardware Theft Auto). first game to introduce realistic death progresses, many are wondering how As the name suggests, the First Person sequences was Activision’s Soldier of these ultra-violent video games affect Shooter genre essentially puts the player Fortune. According to Activision, there society as well as what game developers in the shoes of a character, usually some are twenty six different ways for a char- and the retail establishments that sell sort of hero or action figure, and the acter to die. These animated death them are doing to make sure children are point is to obliterate everything that sequences range from a shotgun wound not purchasing these games. moves. Some times there is a plot or mis- severing a limb to a pistol shot to the Similar to feature films, video games sion, other times it is simple groin, having the character jump around are also regulated by rating systems. The “Deathmatch” where the person with the holding himself, emitting bloodcurdling ESRB or Electronic Software Ratings highest number of kills wins. The very screams and groans. Board oversees these ratings and deter- first three-dimensional game was in fact Not only have the death sequences mines what rating every game on the a First Person Shooter. Developed by id become realistic, but the weapons and market will receive. After numerous revi- Software, Wolfenstien 3D featured a weapon impact also has a disturbing sions in the past few years, the ESRB has hero in Nazi Germany going through realism. In the PC game/combat simula- setup a system of six ratings. These rat- camps and killing Nazi soldiers. As tech- tor Project IGI, the weapon sounds are ings include Early Childhood (edutain- nology has progressed and the ongoing taken from the actual weapons. ment titles), Everyone (generally sports “realism war” between consoles like the Codemasters, the developer of Project titles or adventure titles like Mario and XBOX and Playstation 2 and the PC, IGI went overseas where weapons Sonic the Hedgehog), Teen (lesser vio- these violent games have transitioned restrictions aren’t as stringent as they lent games like Command & Conquer or from being blocky and cartoon-like to are in the United States and obtained Age of Empires), Mature (ultra-violent having fluid, life-like weapons, bodies quite an arsenal to use in their game. games like the Grand Theft Auto series, and even bloody mist when someone is Featuring a number of pistols like the Quake, Doom and Soldier of Fortune) blown up by a rocket launcher or H&K 45 caliber pistol to the M16 and and Adults Only (usually sexually orient- implodes from the BFG in the game AK47 assault rifles, Codemasters record- ed games with provocative nudity (such Quake III: Arena. ed and duplicated the sounds near per- as the appropriately titled BMX-XXX). Video games have in fact, become so fect. Even from a double-tap pistol shot continued on page 24
8 portlandspectator.com The Portland Spectator Medical studies have shown that even limited exposure to images of Ronald Reagan can cause itching, hives, and swelling of the lips and face in university professors. Testicular pain has also been reported. The Portland Spectator takes great care in order to protect our educators and administrators from images that could disturb their psychological and physical well-being. The safety of all members of our intellectually homogenous community is of primary concern.
The Portland Spectator
Dear Professor, tear down this wall SUMMER 2003
PORTLAND
The Field of Economic Dreams Bringing major league baseball to Portland. BY MATT ROEHR AND KURT T. WEBER
PORTLAND, Washington, DC and Baseball (MLB) stadium in Portland. Portland will be evaluating for stadium Northern Virginia are competing to get HB3606 would allow income taxes from financing.” Among the options: tax the Montreal Expos. In the process, player and executive salaries to back increment financing, hotel and car rental Oregonians should remember: a base- $150million in bonds to help pay for taxes,parking revenue bonds, a special ball teamis a private business. As a pri- construction costs. assessment district, a local improvement vate business, a team should build its However, $150 million won’t buy much. dis-trict, and targeted increases in busi- own facilities.Raymond J. Keating high- Pacific Bell Park’s price tag ran $354mil- ness license fees. These won’t require lights, prior to 1953 every ballpark built voter approval. The report lists possible specifically forMajor League Baseball “Financial Tools” that would require was funded 100 percent with private dol- voter approval: a general obligation lars. Stadiums and arenas have since property tax, an amusement tax, and a been privately built as well. food and beverage tax. Keating, chief economist for the Small Keating examined the public financing Business Survival Committee, notes, of professional sports facilities in a Cato “Theprivate sector gave us such gems as Institute report Sports Pork: The Costly Detroit’s Tiger Stadium, Boston’s Relationship between Major League FenwayPark, the Bronx’s Yankee Sports and Government. In a related Stadium, Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field, Washington Post article he pointed out, Philadelphia’s Shibe Park, and Chicago’s “almost all sports-happy politicians jus- Wrigley Field, to name just a few.” tify subsidies by claiming that stadiums (Multnomah Stadium in Portland, now and arenas are economic engines, and called PGE Park, was privately built in they point to supporting reports from 1926.) hired-gun consultants that amount to In the 1990s, “Toronto’s Air Canada the worst kind of economic guesswork.” Centre, Atlanta’s Turner Field, Roger G. Noll, a Stanford University Montreal’sMolson Centre, Vancouver’s economics professor and co-author of General Motors Palace and Chicago’s Sports, Jobs and Taxes: The Economic United Cen-ter were built with either no Impact of Sports Stadiums, concurs. He or small government subsidies,” Keating lion, and Seattle’s Safeco Field nearly wrote in a New York Times commentary, reports.More recently, new arenas in $520 million after cost overruns. Costs “Independent studies of sports facilities Columbus (Ohio), Los Angeles, and escalate to meet MLB requirements, city invariably conclude that they provide no Denver have been financed with little or wish lists, the Americans with Disabili- significant economic benefits…. And no government aid. After voters rejected ties Act, environmentalists’ demands, because a team has relatively few (but four separate proposals for a new tax- and so forth. If Portland were granted a very highly paid) employees, it usually payer subsidized stadium, the San franchise, baseball proponents would causes over-all employment in a city to Francisco Giants moved into Pacific Bell probably push to build a state-of-the-art fall because it can drive other entertain- Park, with 96 percent of the costs cov- stadium, and the final cost would sky- ment businesses to cut back or close.” ered by private financing. rocket significantly. Retractable roofs These cut backs or closures can be the Unfortunately, numerous local officials don’t come cheap. Who will pay for that? result of what economists call the “sub- and legislators have embraced corporate Taxpayers will. stitution effect,” which many consultants welfare to build a ballpark as Expo bait. The City’s report to MLB, Portland at ignore when attempting to sell tax- Oregon House Bill 3606 would subsidize the Plate, provides a “preliminary list of continued on page 25 the construction of a Major League local financing options the City of
If Portland were granted a franchise, baseball proponents would probably push to build a state-of-the-art stadium, and the final cost would skyrocket significantly. Retractable roofs don’t come cheap. Who will pay for that? Taxpayers will.
10 portlandspectator.com The Portland Spectator SUMMER 2003 FEBRUARY 2003 PUBLIC POLICY
Propaganda: The Anti-Drug The hypocrisy of the war on drugs . BY JOEY COON
IN one of several ads purchased by the means for drug users and sellers to seek not able to be spent in another area. The Office of National Drug Control Policy, recompense for fraud or theft. You can’t “war on drugs” is no different. Every dol- we are told that the drug trade finances dial 9-1-1 when someone has stolen your lar that is spent to infiltrate a drug cartel “groups that commit violent crimes.” To supply of crack or take a dealer to civil is a dollar that could have been used to discourage young people from consum- court for breaking a contract. Violence infiltrate a terrorist organization. By ing drugs, the ads explain that if one becomes an accepted business practice prosecuting and imprisoning peaceful buys drugs the money “goes to people in an industry at odds with law enforce- drug users we are spending tens of bil- responsible for murder, bribery, lions of dollars annually. These intimidation and torture.” Some resources could be used to better ads broadcast shortly after the protect American citizens had attacks of September 11, explicitly they been directed toward the connect recreational drug use with legitimate end of reducing violent terrorism. This view, however, is crime and curbing terrorist activi- dishonest. The government’s drug ty. policy in this country is the driving To say that drug users are force in encouraging criminal activ- responsible for the violent crime ity and funding terrorism. and terrorism is fraudulent. It is There is no dispute that the sale of not the nature of illicit substances illicit drugs benefits criminals and that lead criminals to the drug extremist organizations. The Office trade, it is the enormous profits of National Drug Policy is correct that can be attained because of when it states that “drugs form an the risk in participating in illegal important part of the financial activity. As Patrick Stevens of the infrastructure of terror networks.” Objectivist Center writes, “if the But the important question is not government made chocolate ille- whether drugs create large revenue gal, then buying a candy bar for criminal elements, but why. would probably ‘support terror- The reason that the sale of nar- ism’.” That is the nature of a black cotics is so lucrative is because they market. are illegal. In essence, the “war on The American public should be drugs” inflates prices by increasing outraged that the government’s the risk to those who are active in actions are jeopardizing the safety the trade. In a December 2001 issue of ordinary people. We should be of Reason Magazine, Jacob Sullum outraged that our liberties are states that the “risk premium being cast aside and that the lives means that cocaine and heroin sell of peaceful individuals, who have for 20 to 40 times as much as they not infringed on the rights of any- otherwise would.” The prohibition one, are being destroyed. Instead of narcotics is similar to alcohol of repealing laws that have proven prohibition of the 1930s. Banning ineffective time and time again, the production and consumption of alco- ment and the civil and criminal judicial the government uses taxpayer dollars to hol did not actually eliminate alcohol, system. create propaganda that blames honest but instead created an opportunity for Aside from inflating the profits of the Americans for the problems perpetuated organized crime to establish a foothold drug trade, government policy diverts by the state. by offering them a new occupation. vital money away from prevention of While drug use can destroy lives, it does Government drug policies have created more immediate threats. Law enforce- not compare to the wreckage caused by the same effects only to a much grander ment and intelligence agencies have a the “war on drugs.” In this case, the sup- scale. fixed amount of resources (though they posed treatment is more damaging than By banning a product that people want, might think the amount of money they the illness it professes to cure. the “war on drugs” encourages criminals can take from taxpayer pockets is infi- to capitalize on the large revenue associ- nite, I assure you it is fixed as well). ated with the risk. There are no legal Every dollar that is spent on one area, is
The Portland Spectator portlandspectator.com 11 SUMMER 2003
POLITICS
The Right Against the War The forgotten anti-war activists. BY MICHAEL KING
SEEMINGLY forgotten in the debate by moderator Tim Russert “Can you ing the 1970s. While many (but certainly after September 11, and during the assure American viewers …that we’re in not all) neo-cons were Jews, they tried months leading up to Operation Iraqi this situation against Saddam Hussein very hard to assimilate themselves into Freedom, was the vigorous dissent from and his removal for American security mainstream conservatism. Indeed, certain quarters of the right. While only interests? And what would be the link in Norman Podhertz, commonly consid- on the fringes, it shows that, the further terms of Israel?” Ah, Jewish conspiracy ered one of the founders of the move- right you go on the traditional political time! If uttered by Buchanan or anyone ment, several years ago wrote an essay spectrum, pretty soon you come back claiming to be a conservative, the media called "Neoconservatism: A Eulogy" in around to the extreme left. Usually, such Commentary magazine. Indiscriminate views spring from what are known as use of calling opponents neocons has “paleoconservatives,” commonly identi- only debased the utility of the word, fied with followers of Pat Buchanan, but muddying the waters of comprehension- certainly not limited to them. Also, (and what Orwell warned about in his essay I know that they will hate me for doing “Politics and the English Language.” this) there is a significant crossover ele- Not surprising, much of the invective ment with libertarians, whom I for this spewed by paleos against Israel devolves purpose do consider part of the right, into conspiracy and paranoia. Justin though they are not strictly speaking Raimondo, the Internet journalist who conservatives. was a groupie of Buchanan’s in the What unites these seemingly disparate Reform Party, claimed in December of groups-which range from respected lib- 2001 “that the Israelis had some signifi- ertarian think tanks to Buchanan’s faux cant foreknowledge and involvement in conservative magazine The American the events preceding 9/11 seems beyond Conservative in name only Conservative- is a distinctly isolationist dispute.” In essence, paleos and their fel- view of American foreign policy. While low travelers on the right wish to freeze conservatives of all types have a healthy would be all over them, bringing charges American society as it was circa 1910-or distrust of international organizations, of anti-semitism. Instead, it is interest- even before. To them, WW1 was an egre- in this case that distrust is carried even ing to see a respected mainstream media gious mistake for America to enter (I dis- further-essentially a distrust of any over- personality, such as Russert, ask such a agree, but it is legitimately debatable) seas American military presence of any question, and not get hammered for it. and even WW2, the only American war kind. With this in mind, one may legiti- Yet another example of how the extreme in this century to be endorsed fully by mately ask how Buchanan’s view of the left and right come together. Of course, liberals, should have been avoided. world is any different than that repre- the strongly Roman Catholic Buchanan It is almost pointless debating these sented in the New York Times or the had no trouble endorsing the use of the topics with those who think FDR was Democratic Party. U.S Navy to protect Croatia against involved in a conspiracy to get the U.S. While Buchanan would have different Serbian attack in 1991-quite a double involved in World War 2, or that the root causes for believing for what he standard. One may ask why, if Buchanan Republican Party went downhill after does, ultimately he and his followers end thinks that Croatia was an outpost of Robert Taft. Only the more grave chal- up having more in common with France, Western Civilization to be defended, why lenge of communism helped keep them a the U.N. and Hans Blix (admittedly not a not the Orthodox Christian Serbs, mod- part of the conservative movement. link that many conservatives would rel- erate Bosnian and Albanian Muslims, or When the Cold War ended, they went ish). (gasp!) Israel, truly a bastion of civiliza- back to their old views, and what a time Another factor that influences things, tion in the Middle East. to do it in-who can say that the decade of but admittedly more so for paleos, is an While neoconservative does have a the X-Files wasn’t a fertile field for cur- intense hatred of Israel, either implicit legitimate use to refer to certain types of mudgeonly conspiracy theorists. or expressed with overt anti-semitism. conservatives, lately it has devolved into The birth of modern American For example, the term “neoconservative” a smear, led by people who quite often Conservatism usually dates from the has been gratuitously thrown around have no idea of the original etymology of 1950s. One of the founders, William F. recently, to refer to pretty much any sup- the word. Originally it referred to disaf- Buckley of National Review fame, helped porter of the war with Iraq, many of fected liberals in the 60s and 70s, who legitimize conservatism by getting rid of whom happen to be pro-Israel. Richard moved to the right after seeing the disas- its seedy underbelly-extremists like the Perle, when he was on NBC’s Meet the trous effects of the Great Society, and the continued on page 24 Press in February, was asked point blank Western retreat from Communism dur-
12 portlandspectator.com The Portland Spectator SUMMER 2003
MEDIA
The Jayson Blair Affair Unwitting tribune of racial hope . BY HOLMAN W. JENKINS JR.
THANKS to wayward reporter Jayson dealings with 88% of car buyers who Good grief. Not even the most ardent Blair, for once we have a controversy aren't black? The study completely failed definition of affirmative action requires involving race in which no one is leveling to ask whether dealers were making weaving an illusion of success around charges of racism. The controversy over extraordinary profits at the expense of someone who is visibly screwing up. The Mr. Blair's fabrications at the New York black customers -- or merely negotiating Times should wish that misplaced solici- Times is not even about affirmative higher finance charges in order to make tude for a failing colleague is all that was action, except on the surface. Instead, an otherwise unprofitable sale prof- going on here. the controversy is about something that itable. Mr. Blair, after all, was not just any we've long needed a controver- reporter but on a fast track to sy about: racial neuroticism. the top, assigned to the biggest Mr. Blair, to recap, is the story in America at the time (the young reporter recently D.C. sniper case) and repeated- resigned from the Times who ly promoted on the front page had been found to have been despite a mid-level editor who faking his whereabouts and had warned pre-emptorily that cribbing from competing pub- he couldn't be trusted. One can lications to make his reporting only wonder if editors had been seem more impressive than it similarly ignored or kept their was. Why couldn't the Times mouths shut rather than object tell it had a con man in its to front-page stories that found midst? Had the paper's nearly racism in the innocent conver- gothic hang-up about race sations of Texaco executives or affected not just news judg- in the routine profit-seeking of ment but personnel policy? auto dealers. One should perhaps hesitate These earlier pieces, it's impor- to psychoanalyze an institution, but the We won't go into the church-burning tant to understand, were written by Times pours out tens of thousands of mythology of 1996 or the farcical cam- reporters of much greater reputation words a day, and like any of us, reveals paign to draft Tiger Woods into a cru- and experience than Mr. Blair. The itself in what it chooses to say and not to sade to get women admitted to the Times, we make so bold as to suggest, say. And the Times is so mystified by the Augusta National Golf Club. The prob- has become a primary propagator of subject of race that it has repeatedly fall- lem here is obvious. The Times can't find racial neurosis, second only to the en into the kind of bloopers that make enough authentic racist behavior to suit courts. Yes, we have a race problem in journalists cringe, namely getting the it so the paper has to resort to dubious this country -- historically rooted, social- story wrong. statistical and other means to create the ly perpetuated. But let's remember that Which great paper of record was giddy story it's looking for. it's experienced by most people not as to report that a ranking Texaco executive The Blair problem might have been actual racial hatred but as a needless had used the word "nigger"" and dispar- treated as run-of-the-mill employee burden of mistrust between people of aged African-American colleagues as fraud, compounded by management goodwill. "black jelly beans?" Except the attribu- falling in love with one of its proteges, as Take whatever percentage of the tion wasn't true: The Times had relied on management is wont to do. But after American population you assume to be the word of trial lawyers who stood to denying for days that race was a factor, genuinely against racism -- 90%, 95%, make millions from a racial suit. A care- editor Howell Raines was obliged to give whatever. They still have the problem of ful examination of the secretly taped the world what the Times itself had con- not knowing but thinking they know conversation showed that the offending ditioned the world to want: a racial what's in their fellow Americans' heads. word was "Nicholas" and "jelly bean" explanation. "I believe in aggressively Blacks and whites readily misinterpret was an approved metaphor used by providing hiring and career opportuni- each other, seeing condescension, suspi- Texaco's own outside diversity trainer. ties for minorities," he was reported in cion or resentment in innocent acts as Next we had a story based on yet anoth- the Times itself as saying. "You have a well as in acts whose biggest mistake is er trial-lawyer study showing that car right to ask if I, as a white man from trying too hard to be innocent of preju- dealers were twice as likely to charge a Alabama, with those convictions, gave dice. "dealer markup" on the financing rate to him one chance too many. When I look This is basically the eternal problem of black car purchasers. Wait. So car deal- into my heart for the truth of that, the continued on page 24 ers are leaving money on the table in answer is yes.'"
The Portland Spectator portlandspectator.com 13 SUMMER 2003 FICTION From Saddam Hussein’s Diary BY NAPOLEON LINARDATOS
April 3 room. I’ll sink my head in the pillow I am particularly irritated today and I’ll cry till my eyes are dry. It is at because we spent so much time on the The most entertaining thing is to this moment, half asleep and half awake, speech. It started so beautifully - with watch Bush Jr. talking. I just saw anoth- that I dream myself as a little pink but- the juxtaposition of deconstructed signi- er speech of his today. Freedom this and terfly, flying from flower to flower with- fiers in “You damned, wicked, little freedom that, freedom here and freedom out cares and responsibilities, without a degenerate disgusting puppets of there. Blah, blah, blah… public role to perform. Zionist imperialism…” Texans wouldn’t know freedom if it Forever free Anyway, all our efforts were in vain came on a pickup truck with zero per- Forever flying since the focus was on my moustache, cent finance. Forever little pink butterfly the thickness of my glasses, the piece of The important thing with Bush’s cloth behind me, and the surrounding speeches is not what he’ll say next, but if flora. The western media obsession with he’ll be able to say anything at all. Every form over substance is disgusting and a time he jumps from one word to anoth- threat to international peace. er he takes a great leap into the unknown and you can see the anxiety painted all over his face. April 9 Amerikans have no problem with all that. They treat him like their little It’s been very depressing to watch tele- child. Watching him taking his first vision today. It’s painful for a man like steps, getting hooked on phonics and me who has given so much to the arts to what have you. Crazy stuff. see the philistine hordes ransack Baghdad. For the western media it was a great day. Having Iraqis go around and April 4 destroy my statues and pictures made good TV, and much better propaganda. I had to make another tape today. Perhaps someone will say that I am Sitting at the head of table in uniform upset because these statues and pictures and surrounded by other uniforms. are depicting me. This is totally untrue. Another tape to reassure the public. For the past thirty years there has been Another tape to present the public a titanic effort in Iraq to revitalize the Saddam, decisive, tough, hardheaded arts. There have been a few times in the and ready for everything. history of the mankind (Pericles’ At other times, encircled by a crowd, April 6 Athens, Renaissance Italy) that the arts holding a rifle, I’ll start shooting at the saw such growth. When I became presi- sky while I watch the crowd, as if by The treatment that I get from the west- dent it was Iraq’s turn. Every Iraqi walk- accident I try to gun down a bird that ern media is absolutely horrendous. ing down the street could be a witness of happened to be in the wrong place at the Every time I make a speech there is a an age of grand artistic creativity. wrong time. How stupid. concentrated and persistent effort to dis- Now as the dirty Amerikan hands des- I am just sick and tired of this game. I tract the public from my message with ecrate the Iraqi body politic I know that want to be me again, a person with feel- questions about doubles and what have this age is gone. Probably, they’ll turn ings, not just a uniform. For three you. They are scared to allow their peo- Iraq into a Texas, a state where the high- decades now I have given Iraq every last ple listen to what I have to say. It’s obvi- est artistic moment comes the day little bit of me. I can’t take it anymore. ous, that if that were to happen so many before Halloween when thousands of Often, at the end of some public event myths created about me would come pumpkins are carved into really amus- I’ll run like a crazy goat back to my bed- crashing down like paper towers. ing shapes. Shame.
14 portlandspectator.com The Portland Spectator SUMMER 2003 BOOKS & ARTS The Making of a Caricature The CBS failure to portray Hitler. REVIEWED BY JANET ROGERS
I knew there was something familiar piercing, but frequently wide and would have given a better impression of about the CBS “TV-Movie-Event,” buggy, giving the appearance of a the depth of his hatred for the Jews; in “Hitler: The Rise of Evil.” This aired on manic, paranoid cartoon character, an postmodern fashion, all that is needed is May 18 and 20. The caricature of Hitler insane puppet, really de trop. application and repetition of a word to was like the caricatures of Jews made by Like portrayals of George Bush, Hitler substitute for content, in this case the the Nazis; both crazed by their unnatur- was somehow simultaneously an evil word “Jews” was repeatedly emphasized al, pathological drives. Though the genius plotting to conquer the world, to make the point. Of course Hitler used movie was dull and cliché-ridden, the and a stupid, provincial clown. Given propaganda and manipulation in this underlying message was clear: the Nazi these two options, we are able to apply way, but in such a simplistic analysis it regime and the Bush administration are either image to a situation, making it seems acceptable to use trigger words to frighteningly similar (as if this has- induce reactions in audiences. n’t been the latest fad.) At the end of the movie, there was This was a simple, connect-the- a list of groups the Nazis targeted dots presentation, touching briefly for persecution and elimination, on selected events and incorporating including “dissidents.” Among stock characters who represent these groups, there was no mention stereotypes: the upper class who of Christian dissidents and activists, support Hitler, the brave opposition who were among the victims. After who are silenced, the Jews who are the Reichstag fire, Hitler spoke and persecuted, and the women who are placed blame on terrorists, not com- abused. Aspects of Hitler’s life and munists, as he did in real life. These times that couldn’t be compared subtle cues are there to be picked up with George Bush were omitted. for those relating it to the present Like the Nazis, who didn’t go in day. It would be great, if for once, much for psychology, preferring producers would give the audience mind control through propagandis- credit for having some intelligence tic repetition of stereotypes and slogans, fit. Most people don’t even know or care and reason and ask more provocative this movie never went into the more about Hitler now, except to convenient- questions. Ideally, this movie should interesting or enigmatic aspects of ly invoke his name. They can pull it like have been preceded by one about Hitler’s character. an image from a fear file to create post- Weimar Germany, which could have The short introduction shows young modern propaganda. However, this given many more clues as to why Hitler Hitler being abused and abusive, which movie didn’t succeed in portraying was able to gain power. There was a very is too easy to point to, especially in Hitler as a puppet, because by intending tame and abbreviated portrayal of hindsight, as a reason for his pathology. to lead viewers to expect a totalitarian cabaret life, token scenes which served as It doesn’t seem like Hitler would have outcome, the writers must not have a sort of barometer for changes in the stood out from other young Germans taken into consideration the fact that political climate. For a much better who suffered trauma during World War such governments are not ruled by pup- explication of this, I recommend the I, so the inclusion of scenes of Hitler at pets. German film, “Gripsholm,” which the front left little impression, except The movie did nothing to explain why depicts the intellectual, political, and for that of him abusing a dog. A major so many Germans followed Hitler. personal milieu of the cabaret and how it problem with the movie was that the It portrayed him as manic from his early became like shifting sand in the early actor playing Hitler didn’t look any- life, when in fact his earlier speeches had 1930’s. The TV-movie made Ernst thing like Hitler. Though Hitler’s eyes a mesmerizing quality, and his voice was Hanfstaengl one of the main characters, were described by some of his contem- not harsh and strident, as it was later. and he did provide some guidance and poraries as being “blue and piercing,” in Nothing was shown of his rhetorical the movie his eyes were neither blue nor style and control of his audience, which continued on page 24
The Portland Spectator portlandspectator.com 15 SUMMER 2003
The Classics Aisle
When movies were by and for grown-ups BY S. J. CAMPBELL
For most, hearing ‘Casablanca’ makes to be heard from again. But while there by making movies for them, but since them think of a black and white film is a strong element of this in physical their age bracket has fewer responsibili- starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid reality, and the bodies up on screen are ties and therefore more disposable Bergman, not an actual place. Since of an increasingly younger age, the most income, the majority of movies are making the film in 1943, the flickering grievous effect of this change in taste is directed toward them. The consequence images of Rick’s Café Americain and seen not in wrinkle lines, but rather in of this is that the scripts that are picked prop driven aeroplanes have had more terms of mentality. up by the studios are geared for the reality to the world audience than an Bogart, he was a man. And I don’t experiential, and intellectual simpleton. actual foreign city populated by real mean that in some ‘reinforcing classic Our movies are about kids, young people. We may not know that a syn- behavior and image paradigms in gen- adults, all the way up to, (dare we even chronized suicide terror attack by der roles in American society’ kind of say it?) thirty years of age. They do the Islamic extremists killed people there a way, and neither am I being nostalgic for things that kids do: go out into the short while ago, but all of us know that brutal, emotionless masculinity of the world, experience adventure, fall in love, “this could*** be the beginning of a days of yore. What I mean is, that have bad romances, break it off, in other beautiful friendship.” But looking back Bogart, in every film of his that I have words, the whole hill of beans. All of over the last sixty years of movies, seen, was a man. A grown up, psycho- these adventures we package inside baby Casablanca has become not only symbol- logically developed, lifetime of history faced actors like Leonardo Dicaprio, and ic of a particular era of American film, in the world, man. Unlike the films of have done with it. The mass audience is but paradigmatic of a major shift in today, when one picks one of these relic happy because they see themselves on American taste. The shift away from the films like Casablanca off the shelf at the screen, and can not only relate to the adult, and toward the culture of the video store, they will receive an aston- tribulations of the young, but be child. ishing impression: the world of the encouraged by them, inspired by the Watching Casablanca today is some- black and white past was peopled by sexiness of their own youthfulness. The thing like getting a transmission from complete, grown up, and consequently problem is, these children, and yes, their another world. If we were evaluating real characters. Characters of substance, youthful adventures, are agonizingly the two different worlds from which of maturity and consequence. And boring. these movies have come: one of the shad- Rick, Bogart’s character in Casablanca, Let’s be honest: watching kids in a owy black and whites of early is perhaps the last and most well known sandbox for two hours doesn’t entertain Hollywood, and the other of the shim- of these ancient Hollywood men. us. If it did, people would pay parents 8 mery hyperreal color of the Hollywood Ever since the rise of audience targeted bucks an hour to baby sit their kids. of today, we might get the impression marketing in America this day has been But they don’t. In fact, they have to be that the world of contemporary America coming. When we gave America’s chil- paid themselves to watch. The fact is is organized along the lines of the future dren the dollar, and the ability to spend that children are endlessly boring. seen in Logan’s run. In movie after it, the capitalism of art has responded They’re tiring. They’re exasperating. movie, it seems that everyone who ever and given this new, exciting, and They might have a lot going for them on approached the age of thirty was told to wealthy population something to con- the sentimental front, but all the reasons report to the regeneration room, never sume. Not only did Hollywood respond we have to love and cherish children –
16 portlandspectator.com The Portland Spectator SUMMER 2003
Unlike the films of today, when one picks one of these relic films like Casablanca off the shelf at the video store, they will receive an astonishing impression: the world of the black and white past was peopled by complete, grown up, and consequently real characters. Characters of substance, of maturity and consequence. And Rick, Bogart’s character in Casablanca, is perhaps the last and most well known of these ancient Hollywood men. their potential, their innocence, their The fact is that for the young, nothing is placed in movies like Big convincingly whole lives ahead of them – are the very at stake. There is no consequence to anymore, but if we give him a young kid reasons that these same children make their actions, and the consequence there- and a place to live, then can play the such bad subjects for art. And yet, this of is that the ability to witness some- same youthful character as before with is what we see over and over again in the thing about our humanity is stunted. So impunity. Fall in love, be together, live popular movies of our day. we see cheap, shallow characters that get happily ever after. Period. This is still The problem is that it’s simply impos- away with being cheap and shallow the plotline of a teenager, and there are sible to care. Watching a twenty three because they are young. But this is just as few consequences. And the audi- year old, seventeen year old, twenty much more than a property of birthdate. ence scoffs, and the audience laughs, and seven year old up on the silver screen There are, of course, actors and actress- the audience remains unsatisfied. Like a going through the throes of some ago- es who frequent the screen in movies lightning storm, it’s nice for the eye, but nizing new love, however starcrossed, who are over the age of thirty. We know it doesn’t let us know about our any- can’t engage us the way a movie about this because they were in movies twenty thing about ourselves, doesn’t change us an adult can. The reason is simple: Not years ago, in similar roles. For these in any meaningful way. only are these shallow, psychologically people, the scenario changes only slight- Because it’s not about us. We are undeveloped people, but quite frankly, if ly, and the psychology absolutely none. human beings with histories, living in they make bad choices, if they get Even if the characters are not actually the world. We’ve gotten too old, too knocked around a bit, who cares? tots in the sandbox, intellectually, emo- committed to our lives, our communi- They’re young, with strength and vigor tionally, psychologically and spiritually ties and friends and families (or not) to enough to recover a hundred times over. the difference is indistinguishable. be the hero of some ridiculous adventure The same tragedy played on an adult In our contemporary movies people are tale. We are people dealing every day might cause the character to lose some- thrown, naked souls, up onto the screen. with the consequences of our actions, thing unrecoverable. For an adult being Even when they’re married, with chil- and if we fuck up, it’s the kids who go dealt badly in love, the effects may be dren even, they are flat, historyless crea- hungry, it’s the home that gets taken by lifelong. At twenty, Leonardo Dicaprio tures beginning their entire existence the bank. And we don’t have time to fix will find another pretty face, at mid right before our eyes, when the film it. fifties, Bogart may not. For the young, starts to flicker. Take the example of We know that it’s too late, that we’re it is a story full of sound and fury, full of Sleepless in Seattle. The plotline is still too old to start over now, and that gives strutting and fretting, all of it signify- the same as all the other adolescent love meaning to our actions. Without this ing nothing. This is the rub, and even stories: character must fall in love. kind of context, actions are empty, and Shakespeare had to kill his starcrossed Characters must be together. Tom kids in order to make them interesting. Hanks has gotten older, and he can’t be continued next page
The Portland Spectator portlandspectator.com 17 MARCH 2003
The Classics Aisle Continued from page 17 in order to make an audience feel some- like Shindler’s list, these movie makers the plane. They will make these deci- thing, you have to cheat. Today, our didn’t need to kill six million Jews on sions because they are the right ones, movies cheat like Shakespeare. They use screen to imbue their film with gravity and they will make us all feel good death instead of drama. – or, for that matter, show Africans about humanity in the process. Make us The whole of Casablanca revolves drown over the side of a ship or watch a feel not just their suffering, but that around a man who has to make a deci- knife pushed slowly into a soldier’s there is something worth suffering for. sion. Give the letters of transit, or not. chest. Just a man and a decision. And That life is more than one dumb ado- On the surface, it fits lescent love story after in nicely with other another, more complex, contemporary movies. more beautiful. More It’s the story of a self important. For in these pitying egoist who movies, there are people, drinks away his trou- grown up and complex, bles like a petulant like you and me. In brat. these movies, for these If it were Leonardo characters, there is Dicaprio in his place, something at stake. For any decision would do. them, there is some- Ingrid Bergman could thing to be lost, and stay with Bogart in therefore, something to the end, they could be learned. It is only in run away, or, if she this context can a movie were to leave, they transcend to art. could hope to find one It is a tale told by an another again, some idiot, and one full of time after the war was sound and fury, only this over. But Bogart’s time, it is one not signi- Rick is an adult. He doesn’t have that at its core, this is what art is about. fying nothing. extra twenty five years. Now whether or not these images from Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, These are characters up against their the two different worlds accurately rep- but someday soon, and for the rest of our last chance, not only for each other, but resent the way they authentically differ lives we’ll regret turning our heroes into possibly for anything. It is a decision for is up to debate. It might be that histo- children, into sham human beings with all time. For this character, his decision ry has winnowed down the bulk of their nothing to teach us. But if that day ever is the mature one, acting in spite of his movies to the fifty or so on the ‘classics’ comes, keep your chin up, and remem- adolescent feelings. For him there is the shelf at the video store, and that the rest ber: We’ll always have the classics aisle. choice of regaining everything that was were about the pointless tribulations of lost, everything that has haunted him, kids. and then, in the face of this, he makes a But one can’t help getting the feeling, moral decision. walking down the long aisles of our con- It is true, the locale may be more exot- temporary inanity, that turning onto ic that what we’re used to, and maybe that aisle of classics, where men are men there isn’t a literal war next door, but and not simplified to boys, and women the fact remains that for these charac- were women, and not dumbed down ters, as for every adult, there is cost to into girls, is like a refuge of the mature. any decision made. It is this cost that Where men will choose against their portlandspectator.com makes great art. Unlike recent movies own happiness, and women will get on
18 portlandspectator.com The Portland Spectator SUMMER 2003
First Things First A synopsis of The Future of Freedom. BY MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
Contrary to popular belief, democracy what Zakaria calls “illiberal democracy” stances – historical, cultural, economic, is not the same thing as utopia. In some – and it is becoming insidiously popular and even geographical – achieved equi- cases, it is actually quite the opposite. in nations experimenting with the librium in the West, allowing the Due to the incredible success of the democratic system. In fact, The Future democratic system to flourish. Basically, democratic system in the United States, of Freedom shows that new democracies democratic constitutional liberalism has it has become the most popular struc- around the world are increasingly lean- had time to grow and consolidate itself ture of government in existence. But in ing toward illiberal government. This in the West; it is a system that had been the euphoria of bringing ‘power to the cultivated in the collective subconscious people,’ nation-states around the world for centuries. Of course, democracy’s have often neglected the sobering reality connection to Europe and America does- that an effective democracy requires n’t mean that they are unique cases. much more than slapping together a few After all, the “twisted path” to liberal elections. The development of a success- democracy was extremely tedious in ful democracy involves a number of many Western countries (monarchy and complex elements, including protection fascism were huge obstacles.) Yet in of individual rights, limited govern- east-Asian states such as Japan and ment, separation of powers, and freedom South Korea, liberal democracy has tri- of speech – a combination otherwise umphed after only a few decades, which known as constitutional liberalism. shows that it is by no means a system of In his new book, The Future of government confined to the West. Freedom, political analyst Fareed One of the reasons for these countries’ Zakaria argues that these factors must be success is simply financial. Studies have firmly in place before democracy can shown that there is a direct link between work. In the United States, our consti- the degree of individual wealth within a tutional rights have become so nation and the stability of its democrat- ingrained into the system of govern- ic government. While political leader- ment that we often confuse democracy ship is vital to a successful government, with liberty. History has shown, howev- can have grim consequences, such as economic conditions must be at least er, that the two can be dramatically dif- ethnic violence in the former somewhat decent in order for good lead- ferent. Yugoslavia, or a return to dictatorship, ers to establish authority. And the most As Zakaria points out, the freedoms we as we have seen in Venezuela. efficient method to achieve financial enjoy as Americans are attributed more As a Harvard-educated historian, strength is free-market capitalism. to constitutional liberalism than to Fareed Zakaria is very skillful in his nar- Though it may disturb budding social- democracy. Indeed, majority rule has ration of democracy’s progress through- ists here at PSU, capitalism has repeat- occasionally led to some of civilization’s out human history. He follows it from edly proved itself to be the only eco- saddest blunders – from the execution of its early sprouts in ancient Greece and nomic system conducive to freedom and Socrates, to the rise of Hitler, right up to Rome to its bloom in the New English democracy – “for liberal democracy the the election of tyrants in today’s world. colonies. As politically incorrect as it best economic growth is capitalist Even in the U.S., elections have some- may be, Zakaria contends that the West growth.” Capitalism puts power in the times hindered freedom: “slavery and was the first to conceive of democracy, hands of business owners, thereby segregation were entrenched in the and that Western civilization has been, restricting the influence of the state and American South through the democratic for the most part, the most successful in the church. Also, the capitalist tax sys- system … In the end, slavery died not implementing it. The author does not tem makes both the people and the gov- because it was lost in a vote but because ascribe this to any inherent superiority ernment more accountable to one anoth- the forces of the North crushed the in European culture, but he does insist er – as the revolutionary saying goes, South.” The tyranny of the majority is that several interconnected circum- continued on page 22
The Portland Spectator portlandspectator.com 19 SUMMER 2003
The Conservative Mind A synopsis of Russell Kirk’s masterpiece. BY SHAHRIYAR SMITH Conservatism, in the classical sense, common spirit of conservatism between would be no restoration, but a creation. differs sharply from conservatism in the historical figures that are seldom associ- Men are not equal by nature; the social- modern sense. Modern conservatism is ated. David Hume, John Adams, John ist must level them by legislation and comprised of many different philoso- C. Calhoun, Benjamin Disraeli, economic device. ‘In order to establish phies. Classical liberals are now called Fenimore Cooper, George Santayana, equality, we must first establish inequal- conservatives, while classical conserva- T.S. Eliot, even the poets Frost and ity’ – is this not the most significant tives bear the same label. The two Kipling are all tied together by this sentence in Capital? The clever, the philosophies, which today occupy space common disposition. The spirit of con- strong, the industrious, the virtuous, together under an ambiguous heading of must be compelled to serve the weak modern “conservatism,” are actually bit- and stupid and slack and vicious; nature ter enemies. must submit to the socialist art, so that Conservatism and liberalism have been an Idea may be vindicated.” at war for over two centuries, since the Collectivism is the antithesis of true French Revolution of 1789. Edmund community. Burke, publishing his Reflections on the In a true community, the basic social Revolution in France, became the father unit is the autonomous group, not the of conservatism. Since Burke, a broad individual. Along with Robert Nisbet, range of thinkers have contributed to Kirk advocates: “The old laissez-faire the cause of conservatism, establishing a was founded upon a misapprehension of tradition bound not by an ideology, but human nature, an exaltation of individ- by an attitude, a disposition. uality (in private character often a The Conservative Mind is an explica- virtue) to the condition of a political tion of conservatism in the classical dogma, which destroyed the spirit of sense. Conservatism is “neither a reli- community and reduced men to so many gion nor an ideology. …conservatism is servatism is illuminated as the common- equipollent atoms of humanity, without the negation of ideology: it is a state of alities between different contexts and sense of brotherhood or of purpose. And mind, a type of character, a way of look- philosophies become sclear. this old laissez-faire, when confronted ing at the civil social order. …the diver- Kirk is concerned with the revival of with the brute force of the masses and sity of ways in which conservative views true community, which “is a world away the intricate machine of collectivism, may find expression is itself proof that from collectivism. Real community is necessarily collapsed because it had no conservatism is no fixed ideology,” Kirk governed by love and charity, not by communal force behind it; the individ- says. “To review conservative ideas, compulsion. Through churches, volun- ual stood defenseless before the commis- examining their validity for this per- tary associations, local governments, and sar.” A laissez-faire based upon the plexed age, is the purpose of this book, a variety of institutions, conservatives autonomous group, “the family, the local which does not pretend to be a history of strive to keep community healthy. community, the trade union, the church, conservative parties. This study is a pro- Conservatives are not selfish, but public- the college, the profession …will seek longed essay in definition. What is the spirited. They know that collectivism not unity, not centralization, not power essence of British and American conser- means the end of real community, sub- over masses of people, but rather diver- vatism? What system of ideas, common stituting uniformity for variety and sity of culture, plurality of association, to England and the United States, has force for willing cooperation,” Kirk and division of responsibilities.” sustained men of conservative instincts writes. “For Marx, the end of human Classical liberalism and collectivism are in their resistance against radical theo- endeavor was absolute equality of condi- both dangers to true community - the ries and social transformation ever since tion. He was under no illusion as to one stressing atomistic individualism, the beginning of the French equality in a hypothetical state of the other insisting upon uniform equal- Revolution?” nature: equality had never before existed ity of condition. Beginning with Edmund Burke, Kirk in society, he knew; he sneered at all On the conservative view, society is not proceeds to analyze and identify the concepts of natural right. Equality a machine with separate individual
20 portlandspectator.com The Portland Spectator SUMMER 2003 parts, but a spiritual, organic entity. als that the conservative believes all expect is a tolerably ordered, just, and Conservatives view society as a commu- social questions, at heart, to be questions free society, in which some evils, malad- nity of souls where the living, the dead, of private morality. Properly under- justments, and suffering will continue and those to be born are bound to one stood, this statement is quite true. A to lurk. By proper attention to prudent another in a continuity of existence. society in which men and women are reform we may preserve and improve “We have a moral debt to our ancestors, governed by belief in an enduring moral this tolerable order. But if the old insti- who bestowed upon us our civilization, order, by a strong sense of right and tutional and moral safeguards of a nation and a moral obligation to the genera- wrong, by personal convictions about are neglected, then the anarchic impulse tions who will come after us.” We are justice and honor, will be a good society of humankind breaks loose: ‘the ceremo- standing on the shoulders of our ances- – whatever political machinery it may ny of innocence is drowned.’ The ideo- tors; ideas such as justice and freedom utilize; while a society in which men and logues who promise the perfection of are products of “a long social experience, women are morally adrift, ignorant of man and society have converted a great the result of centuries of trial and reflec- norms, and intent chiefly upon gratifica- part of the twentieth-century into a ter- tion and sacrifice.” Man does not exist restrial hell.” for his own sake. Society is not built Conservatism seeks to preserve the best upon the simple gratification of desire in us, in society, but it is not allergic to and appetite. It is built upon a continu- change. It is through prudent reform, as ity linking generation to generation, opposed to radical change, that society without which life is meaningless. progresses. A conservative is someone When this continuity is broken, a “mass who “endeavors to conserve the best in of individuals without real community” our traditions and our institutions, rec- emerges - a “Lonely Crowd.” They are onciling that best with necessary reform “aware that they matter to no one, and from time to time.” Reform is born out often convinced that nothing else mat- of necessity. Prudent reform occurs cau- ters.” “In reaction ... the confused and tiously with the future in mind, judging resentful masses incline toward any by “probable long-run consequences, fanaticism that promises to assuage their Russell Kirk not merely by temporary advantage or loneliness – the Communist or Fascist popularity. Liberals and radicals, the parties, the lunatic dissidence of dissent, tion of appetites, will be a bad society – conservative says, are imprudent: for the totalist state with its delusions.” no matter how many people vote and no they dash at their objectives without Society is a community of souls, linked matter how liberal its formal constitu- giving much heed to the risk of new from generation to generation by knowl- tion may be.” There are no simple abuses worse than the evils they hope to edge, respect, duty, and responsibility. abstract formulas for the world. sweep away… The conservative declares Within true community exists an Conservatives reconcile themselves that he acts only after sufficient reflec- enduring moral order. Not one imposed with the world as it exists. tion, having weighed the consequences. out of some preexisting, oppressive hier- Conservatism is pragmatic. The conser- Sudden and slashing reforms are as per- archy. Rather, it is within order that vative looks at the world and says with ilous as sudden and slashing surgery.” freedom, justice and virtue endure. As Kirk: “[w]e cannot make a heaven on “If humanity is to conserve the ele- Kirk says, liberty is a “liberty connected earth, though we may make a hell. We ments in civilization that make life with order: that not only exists along are all creatures of mingled good and worth living, some coherent body of with order and virtue, but cannot exist evil; and, good institutions neglected ideas must resist the leveling and without them.” Absolute freedom is and ancient moral principles ignored, destructive impulse of fanatic revolu- held by classical liberalism to be a good the evil in us tends to predominate.” tionaries.” “[A] historic continuity of in and of itself. But this is utopianism. “Man being imperfect, no perfect social experience, says the conservative, offers a Freedom means the freedom to choose order ever can be created. Because of guide to policy far better than the right or wrong. Total freedom means human restlessness, mankind would abstract designs of coffee-house philoso- anarchy. It is within a moral order, a grow rebellious under any utopian dom- phers.” Since 1789, liberalism has been harmony, a strong sense of right and ination, and would break out once more triumphant, yet succumbed to its own wrong that liberty and justice do not in violent discontent – or else expire in absurdities. “Conservatives have been simply exist, but endure. It is within boredom. To seek for utopia is to end in routed, although not conquered… con- order that true community exists. disaster, the conservative says: we are not servative convictions have maintained a “It has been said by liberal intellectu- made for perfect things. All that we can continued on page 25
The Portland Spectator portlandspectator.com 21 SUMMER 2003
First Things First Continued from page 19
“no taxation without representation.” tional as the typical left-wing reaction – tion, and above all, don’t rush elections. Herein lies the Middle East’s problem. ‘they hate us because we’re oppressing Realistically, though, there is only so Zakaria dismisses speculation about them.’ Zakaria refuses to give in to any much that the U.S. can do without Islamic tendencies toward authoritarian- political propaganda or rhetoric: he appearing to manipulate the Iraqi gov- ism – in his view, the dismal situation in looks at the phenomenon itself, rather ernment – the success of liberal democ- most Middle Eastern nations is caused than attempting to fit the phenomenon racy in Iraq depends primarily upon the by their overwhelming reliance on oil. into his own system of values. Iraqi people. He reminds us that the Arab lands were The Middle East is having a hard time While much of The Future of Freedom home to the earliest and most advanced adjusting to globalization; modernity is is devoted to the rest of the world’s prob- civilizations in the world, and even forty often regarded as a threat to Arabic reli- lems with self-government, in the last or fifty years ago, many Middle-Eastern portion of the book, the author turns to countries seemed very promising. But the negative effects of democracy upon the glowing future was just an illusion. the United States. Zakaria is unapolo- The progressive-minded governments getic for this seemingly heretical and quickly degenerated into tyrannical dic- unpatriotic standpoint – he believes that tatorships, simply because rulers had lit- the decentralization of power in the U.S. tle responsibility toward their con- government since the 1960’s has led to stituents – they could just amass armies the current domination of factions, lob- and palaces from oil funds rather than bies, and interest groups, resulting in a taxes. Arabic regimes don’t have to be steady decline of the government’s cred- concerned with a thriving economy, Fareed Zakaria ibility. Also, democratization has often since they do not depend on their citi- led to the ‘marketization’ of American zens to generate wealth. Zakaria writes, gion and national traditions. This tur- culture, causing long-standing cultural “Easy money means little economic or bulence is aggravated by the region’s values to be replaced with ploys for pop- political modernization … History “massive youth bulge” – a dispropor- ularity (i.e. ‘reality television’). shows that a government’s need to tax tionate percentage of the population Zakaria’s advice for America is much its people forces it to become more consists of people 25 or younger. the same is it is for the rest of the plan- responsive and representative if its peo- (Historically, nations with an irregularly et: put your trust in delegation. The cur- ple.” Therefore, Islamic fundamentalism large amount of youth have consistently rent obsession with polls and referen- is largely the reaction of the populace been prone to upheaval and violence.) dums has left politicians doing little against decadent, Western-influenced Add to this the Arab humiliation over more than pandering to the public, rulers. The Arab world sees the West Israel’s military success, and you have a rather than leading it. and its godless governmental institu- lethal mix of fear, wounded pride, and a Government should return to a system tions as the cause of their plight, since population composed of combustible where the power of the people is put in “each path followed – socialism, secular- youth – the perfect ‘breeding ground’ check along with other governing insti- ism, nationalism – has turned into a for terrorists. tutions – instead of treating the whim of dead end.” Middle-Eastern rulers, in It is obviously in the United States’ the people as the will of God. turn, fear the power of the fundamental- best interest to curtail radical Islamic The outlook for democracy is still pos- ist Islamic revolution, and tend to yield anti-Americanism – not only through itive, according to Zakaria, as long as it to the momentum of the radical move- military action, but also by helping the is regulated and controlled. But if ment; by avoiding confrontation, they Middle East become a genuinely free allowed to run rampant, as it often is, seek to preserve and legitimize their and prosperous region. There is an excel- majority government may discredit own unstable authority. (The Saudi lent opportunity of doing that in Iraq itself and lead to totalitarianism or anar- Royal Family is a prime example of this right now, but the U.S. also runs the risk chy. For the good of constitutional liber- dynamic.) of being too hasty or overbearing. alism, the rule of law and individual The Future of Freedom offers an excep- Although the process will be long and rights must be a priority even if democ- tionally objective perspective on Muslim complicated, the basic guidelines are racy is thereby restricted – the future of rage and terrorism. The typical right- simple: de-emphasize dependence on oil, freedom depends on it. wing reaction – ‘they hate us because strengthen the free market system, cre- we’re free’ – is just as simplistic and irra- ate a balanced and operational constitu- 22 portlandspectator.com The Portland Spectator SUMMER 2003 EDITOR’S REPORT A Right-Wing Conspiracy is Born The Portland Spectator Fall 2001 - Spring 2003. BY NAPOLEON LINARDATOS
I should clarify from the beginning that bring ideas to campus that are excluded Oregon commentator people. So the neither the president, the FBI, the CIA in the academy and mainstream media. only major question is if there are peo- nor any other government played any When I came to PSU just a few weeks ple who would like to work on that. role in the founding and funding of the after September 11th I was disturbed by Since you are with the college republi- Spectator (unless you count a brief the conspicuous anti-conservatism of cans you could inquire if anyone is inter- encounter with Dick Cheney). The same both the Vanguard and the Rearguard. ested. A student conservative/libertari- should be said about multinational cor- Sometimes it was just plain anti- an magazine could have a significant porations and what have you. As sur- Americanism. Although the Rearguard impact. We would be the only alterna- prising as it may sound to some on cam- was fulfilling its tive source of information. For students pus, there are people out there who it is much easier to pick up a free believe in different ideas; not for per- magazine than to come to a col- sonal but because, as we state in our lege republicans meeting. And mission statement: individual liber- since the magazine will be com- ty, limited government, free mar- pletely independent of college ket economy and free trade, the republicans or any other political rule of law will produce a bet- party, we can express ourselves ter society. freely.” We were not born with a specif- Shortly after, I drafted a busi- ic ideological disposition. ness plan and Tom McShane cre- Sometime ago I was an orthodox ated a web forum where we would Marxist. My personal slippery slope discuss ideas and the progress of to the abyss of conservatism started the tasks each one had to under- with my conversion from an orthodox take. The forum was titled VRWC, Marxist into a Trotskyist, then socialist, standing for Vast Right-Wing then social democrat, then new democ- Conspiracy. Myself, Nathan Sackett rat, till I ended up where I am today. and Shahriyar Smith contacted Jud Joey Coon, the new editor-in-chief, Randall of the Publications Board of voted for Ralph Nader in the last presi- PSU some time later. After many meet- dential elections. Not to make a joke of ings with the Publication Board and the it, but he really believed in Nader’s posi- Student Fee Committee the first issue tions. (I was for Bill Bradley) In the came out on the February 2002. Since Spectator, we paraphrase Churchill’s mission, the Vanguard had no excuse to then we have published another 13 saying about age and politics: If you are not have even a single conservative issues, participated in three debates and 20 and you are not liberal you have no columnist. So mid-October I sent an brought to campus two speakers. heart; two years later, if you are not con- email to Matthew Hebebrand, chairman In all this time he had our good and servative you have no brains. of the College Republicans. I was very bad moments. But for all of us who had If I am not mistaken, Churchill used hesitant. From my experience with the a greater involvement with the the ages of 20 and 50. Being in the mod- College Democrats at the University of Spectator I think this one year and a half ern university probably had a lot to do Oregon, party groups on campus tend to has been a different experience altogeth- with our speedy conversion. In our first be very bureaucratic, timid and conven- er. A sense that we are involved in some- editorial we stated that “These days tional in their approach to campus thing greater than ourselves, fighting many things happen in campuses across activism. forces much stronger than we are but America, indefensible things, which are On the other hand the College winning nevertheless. A sense of being a defended in the name of high-sounding Republicans were the only group on small part of a tacit revolution that words. Diversity, inclusion, justice, campus where I could find people to set hopefully will transform American poli- compassion and so on, are used to hide up a conservative journal. In my email tics for decades to come. Good times. divisive and disastrous policies. Beneath to Hebebrand I said, “I don't know if the cloud of this rhetoric, one would find there is a conservative/libertarian stu- a very persistent and partisan effort to dent publication at PSU. To my knowl- exclude ideas that really challenge the edge there is none. I could find fundamental beliefs of the educational financiers to cover the costs of the pub- establishment.” lication. For advise about technical stuff The Spectator’s mission has been to and otherwise we could turn to the
The Portland Spectator portlandspectator.com 23 SUMMER 2003
Grand Theft Paranoia Continued from page 8
The Rating Pending symbol is to be used rating of mature. Opponents also neglect the charts each time the latest version is for advertisements of not yet released to mention eight out of every ten games released and continues to get banned in games where the ESRB has not been able sold are purchased by adults and games countries worldwide. The biggest issue to establish the appropriate final rating. typically cost anywhere from forty to with the Grand Theft Auto series is that Statistically, according to the Senate sixty dollars so children do not always the sole purpose of the game is to com- Committee on Government Affairs, over have the easiest amount of access. Since mit horrific crimes. In the latest version, sixty percent of video game players are the voluntary use of the ESRB’s rating Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, characters above the age of 18 and barely over half system six years ago, the video game can find prostitutes and “visit” them. are male. The argument that teenage industry in collaboration with the ESRB During a “visit” with a prostitute in these boys are the primary users of video has been described by the Federal Trade games, the players life is increased while games is inaccurate. Second, those Commission as “the most comprehen- the money supply is drained while the against violent video games claim that a sive rating system of any it has studied”. car they are in rocks back and forth while majority of video games are violent. This There are anomalies though and the sys- moans are emitted through the players is again inaccurate, as seventy percent of tem isn’t always perfect. Perhaps the entertainment system. After the prosti- video games sold are rated “E for most violent video game series of all continued on page 25 Everyone” and only nine percent carry a time, Grand Theft Auto, continues to top The Right Against the War Continued from page 12
John Birch Society, who gave the right should no longer have the privilege tence,” such variety of thought should Republican Party such a bad reputation. of being represented under the banner of not be allowed under our (conservative) What is needed now is a modern-day mainstream conservatism. While we on roof-not just because of the electoral dis- house cleaning. After September 11, the right should -as Russell Kirk pointed aster such an accommodation would those who have been so audaciously out- have “an affection for the proliferat- bring, but out of first principles. Let us anti-American and anti-Israeli on the ing variety and mystery of human exis- say good riddance, and move on. .
The Jayson Blair Affair Continued from page 13 human dumbness and distrust. Using whether people in charge know what a guy or going out of your way to exhibit the world's most formidable newspaper they're doing. Exactly: Acres of research social and political virtues fundamental- to level charges of racism at whole sec- on employee satisfaction have accumu- ly unrelated to the job. It means seeing tors of the economy based on flimsy evi- lated down the years to show that more things as they are and acting effectively. dence doesn't necessarily help. than pay and promotions and luscious Newspapering is a business where that At a staff meeting on the Blair fiasco, bennies, what makes for a happy organi- skill should be especially cherished. employees reportedly belabored man- zation is confidence that higher-ups are agement not about whether racial making good decisions. Holman W. Jenkins Jr. is a member of the edi- torial board of The Wall Street Journal where favoritism played a role -- but about This doesn't mean being a sweetheart of this article was first published.
The Making of a Caricature Continued from page 15
ideas for Hitler, but he was bland com- would have been more chilling. But we seems desperate and self-serving. It pared to the real-life libertine “Putzi” were given the usual flashes of swastikas also edges on racism by purporting to Hanfstaengl. He, like most and exaggerated drama. This amounted explain how Hitler was able to control other aspects of the movie, seemed to a string of familiar images. the Germans, but never really doing so. drained of color. Even some of the background music It seems like time to stop singling out If the producers were aiming for an “it sounded like a reworking of Beethoven’s the Germans for their susceptibility, to could happen here!” response, they Piano Concerto no.5, “Emperor.” learn instead of making tenuous and could have portrayed the human side of Network television should be a place to irrelevant connections. Hitler, perhaps the vegetarian, animal- freely express opinions, but to use it as a loving, gun-controlling Hitler, which stage to put across political insinuations
24 portlandspectator.com The Portland Spectator The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter. Sir Winston Churchill
Join the Spectator and guide the masses in the right direction
The Conservative Mind Continued from page 21 political and intellectual continuity for what we still retain will not suffice in time. The individual is foolish, but the two centuries, while the radical parties this age. A conservatism of instinct species is wise; and so the thinking con- that detested tradition have dissolved must be reinforced by a conservatism of servative appeals to what Chesterton successively, adhering to no common thought and imagination.” Kirk saw the called ‘the democracy of the dead.’ principal among them except hostility conservative as a poet; one who not only Against the hubris of the ruthless inno- to whatever is established.” fights against, but for, something – a vator, the conservative of imagination While beaten, a tradition of conser- spiritual and political warrior. “Nothing pronounces cupid’s curse: They that do vatism still endures - but must respond is but thinking makes it so. If men of change old love for new, pray gods they to the change necessity demands: “Mere affairs can rise to the summons of the change for worse.” unthinking negative opposition to the poets, the norms of culture and politics current of events, clutching in despair at may endure despite the follies of the
Field of Economic Dreams Continued from page 10
payer-funded stadium elixir. In essence, fessional sports—or a possible negative nents should thus be able to easily corral the substitution effect is “we can do this effect.” Sports economist Robert Baade the private money of private investors to or that, but not both.” In sum, people studied 48 metropolitan statistical areas build a private stadium to show how who would attend a baseball game in (MSAs) over a 30-year period. Baade right they are. Portland would have less money to found, “of the32 MSAs where there was spend on other local and regional goods a change in the number of sports teams, -Matt Roehr, CFA, is an associate of and services—fewer movies, trips to the 30 MSAsshowed no significant relation- Cascade Policy Institute, and a principal beach, skiing and so forth. ship between the presence of the teams at Northwest Investment Counselors, More realistic economic analyses exam- and real,trend-adjusted, per-capita per- LLC in Lake Oswego. Kurt T. Weber is ine actual changes in the economy re- sonal income growth.” vicepresident of Cascade Policy sulting from the presence of stadiums, Proponents of Major League Baseball in Institute, a Portland, Oregon think arenas, and sports teams. Keating Portland claim there is broad-based sup- tank. warns,the results of such studies “show port for, and many benefits to be gained no positive economic impact from pro- from, such a venture. Great! Propo-
Grand Theft Paranoia Continued from page 24 tute is done, the player can proceed to one way or another. Playing violent interest of the child. Basically, as video kill the prostitute (weapons of choice are video games does not cause aggression games become ever more realistic and either a bat or chainsaw) and get the and as technology progresses, so will the popular, parents need to be much more spent money back. level of violence and the realism found in proactive and responsible in raising their Video games are not going to go away games. All parents need to do is be a lit- children and atrocities like Columbine anytime soon. It is said one in three tle bit more responsible and proactive may be prevented or at least not blamed American households own a Playstation and if their kid is nine years old and has on entertainment like Quake and Grand 2 and add in the computer and products a Mature rated game on their Christmas Theft Auto. from Nintendo and Microsoft, most or Birthday list, the parent may do their Americans have access to video games in job and question what is in the best
The Portland Spectator portlandspectator.com 25 SUMMER 2003 LETTERS Spectator’s absurdities, hypocrisy and wealthy neoconservative connections To The Editor: the environment is capitalism and there “whole freedom of speech thing” I suggest As a practitioner of Robert Anton Wilson’s should be less of it. Linardatos offers no he buy a one-way ticket to Singapore and philosophy that one should seek informa- criticism of the methodology behind any of enjoy trying to write obscenity laden drivel tion from outside one’s “reality tunnel,” or these tomes nor any argument against about pop culture from there. belief system, in order to keep one intellec- their conclusions, they are merely wrong Your magazine did have some strong tually honest, I appreciate your showcase for defying his sacred cows of capitalism points. I am glad to see that you are not so of conservative thought as made possible and the traditional family. Is this not the wedded to the Republican Party as to not by the Scaife, Coors etc. largesse called The same knee-jerk thinking that he accuses goose Rick Santorum for his homophobic College Network. The left-for-left’s sake the “left” of demonstrating? Moreover, to blather. Your piece on the “Becoming a “ANTI!” crowd deserves a good ribbing and my ears, this sounds an awful lot like the Nation” exhibit at the Portland Art an active counter point. That said you May victimized whining that your page six edi- Museum was perfect and a grand slap at 2003 issue of The Portland Spectator con- torial accuses the “left” of participating in. the foolish, me gotsta’ protest, left. As a tained numerous absurdities and plain Speaking of which, that editorial was an man with a BA in American History, I am hypocrisy that I feel demanded this letter. archetype of another right-wing intellectu- anxious to see it. Right-wing journalism (most of it funded al fallacy: literal-mindedness. Indeed, the Your involvement in a Scaife-funded neo- by Mr. Mellon-Scaife) tense to simplify government is not actively censoring its con journalism group is a gilded choice. issues by identifying various sacred cows: citizens. However, publicly chastising Bill Ahead of you are tremendous riches, the patriotism, capitalism the traditional fami- Maher and having Bush’s corporate spon- likes of which few leftists could ever attain, ly and the general American Way (whatev- sors suggest that people should not buy as you feed from the trough of numerous er that means); and the attacks the sup- Dixie Chick’s paraphernalia indicates that right-wing think tanks. So long as you con- posed, but non-existent, “left” consensus there is a price to be paid by people who say tinue to “ditto” the party-line you will have that shockingly doesn’t adhere to these things that are not “patriotic;” patriotism no problem having an easy entrée into the apple pie virtues. Mr. Linardatos’ essay being defined not as “love of one’s country” “mainstream media,” dominated as it is by “Politics and Activism at PSU’ admonishes but agreement with Bush’s foreign policy. right wing interests. Before jumping from PSU’s general education courses for Your laughing at “the culture of fear” is fur- college and into your pot of gold I suggest including Stephanie Coontz’s “The Way We ther undermined by Sean H. Boggs’ juve- that you try to “keep it real” and take a gan- Really Are,” Barbara Ehrenreich’s “Nickel nile, semi-coherent diatribe towards the der at something outside of your reality and Dimed” and “The Study for Ecological Dixie Chicks in which he writes “This tunnel. “Blinded by the Right,” by David Democracy.” (No author listed) Coontz’s whole freedom of speech thing has gone Brock is an excellent choice. Even better, book is bad because it talks about the new too far. We cannot allow people to say try “Prometheus Rising” by Robert Anton reality of single-parent and homosexual whatever they feel and whatever time they Wilson, himself. families. Ehrenreich’s point of view is ille- feel it. (sic) We should not have the right to Sincerely, gitimate because she is a “political essayist, say anything.” It’s hard to tell if he is being Daniel J. Spear social critic and … a socialist.” “Ecological ironic, because the only point he makes in P.S. Don’t try to pigeonhole me. I am not the Democracy” is a no no because a reviewer his piece is the Dixie Chicks suck. fist-waving leftist stereotype you probably have said that the book claims the problem with However, if Mr. Boggs truly doesn’t like the in your head.
Wish You Were There I was recently at PSU and picked up a organizer/participant of the student strike the years have gone on. bunch of mags and papers to see what was in may, 1970, which ended in the park Too bad a publication like yours wasn't going on. To my shock I noticed your pub- blocks riot. I was also chairman of the uni- around when I was there. Of course it was lication was conservative. It is a great pub- versity speaker's committee during most of a different time and different issues. How lication and very well written and edited. the 4 years and brought in no end of left often does your magazine come out? Keep I graduated from PSU in 1972. I was wing speakers. I then moved to Chicago to up the good work. chairman of students for a democratic soci- organize the masses. Needless to say I ety during my 4 years there and was an have become libertarian-conservative as Doug Nelson
Good Work Dear Editor, I was deeply impressed at the thought and accountable for their events, words and care that went into producing your actions by both the student media, PSU I am not a conservative nor a liberal. I am magazine, a magazine that has been so des- staff or the City of Portland. someone interested in the truth perately needed on the ultraliberal PSU Hopefully your magazine will continue to and have longed for many years for a news- campus as well as in Portland in general. be a shining, balanced and honest star in paper or magazine that would hold to some I am tired of the pseudo-intellectual the clouded and muddled sky of lies, misdi- moral and ethical values. "Chomsky worshiping" liberal bias so rection and left leaning bias, so obvious in I recently picked up a copy of your May pervasive in Portland stemming from pub- Portland's "indie" media. 2003 issue while waiting for my girlfriend licly funded campus organizations and to meet me after her "Globalization" their inherently Marxist advisors. Best wishes, evening class. I am tired of these groups not being held Kyle Aarons
26 portlandspectator.com The Portland Spectator SUMMER 2003 HEALTHY BODY SICK MIND BY SEAN H. BOGGS
Summer Time
Well, school is almost out you edu- tain where I will discuss David Lunch if society is bullshit. I am raging against cated fucks, and you know what movies and drink coffee with a whole the man unless that man gives me some that means… bunch of other fuckers like me while we fucking weed. are all wearing black. I will ignore what my parents have to …you do know what that means, right? Summer only comes once a year moth- say about my lifestyle because they are Well, fuck, neither do I. I guess way too controlling. I we are just gonna have to wing hate my fucking parents it from here on out. Let’s party, even if they are paying and I mean party with a capital for my college education PAR. and/or rent. I’m gonna get so wasted man I will buy a lizard and on so much shit it is gonna be name it “Marijuana” so great. I am gonna smoke some that I will always have weed, drink some vodka and something to laugh at. I then try to shove the end of a will invite friends over rake up my ass. Oh, it’s gonna and we will shoot some be good. shit and chase the lizard I cannot wait until summer around with a fishing hits man. pole and some peanuts. I am gonna swim, and get girls I am gonna sit in one to fuck me and then ditch them spot for three consecu- in my great attempt at seeming tive days and just jerk cool to my friends and become off until I pass out. a player to my peers. I am I am gonna buy a shit- gonna get so fucking tan I’ll be load of porn and learn ethnic. I am gonna dye my hair new and freaky things to blonde because it is the only do to a woman and to way to have fun and then I am myself. I will sell my gonna get a tribal tattoo some- body for drugs and strip where on my arms to show peo- my clothes off for even ple that not only I am a white more. suburban mommy’s boy, but we live in a erfucker. I will watch the time pass while using a tribe too. I ain’t wasting it this year. beer bong in a hot tub. I will sneak into I cannot wait to shave and wax my I am gonna fix my car up and drive movies and yell “fire” every time there is entire fucking body so that I will look down Sunset at speeds up to and includ- a joke. I will smoke some coke while extra sexy when I am naked and nobody ing 140 miles per fucking hour. I will run telling my boss to fuck off and then burn else is around. from the cops and I will stash my crack his fucking house down and piss on the I cannot wait to go to work and impress and I will jump some fences and end up ashes. all the femininas. I will strut my shit and on Cops. I will try to seduce a 14-year old whom make them buy me dinner. And then I I ain’t gonna study anything or even I think is at least 20, but will quickly will bring them home and fuck them so read a fucking magazine. School is over learn my lesson when I unbuckle her hard they’ll be worried that I am preg- with bitch and I am gonna make damn pants and find out that she has a fucking nant, oh it is gonna be good. well sure that my brain will forget every- dick and I get chased out of his house by I’m gonna get so drunk on drugs and so thing that I paid money for to learn. his mother. high on beer that I will think that I am a I will protest anything with the words Oh, man. I am gonna get so trashed and magical ninja from outer space who will “George Bush” in them. I will be against fucked up that I will have wished that I destroy anything that moves with my anything that is against what I am actually passed my classes last term so magic shoe laces and then I will eat any- against. I will give bums spare change that I didn’t have to go to fucking sum- thing that starts with the letters L or B and maybe help an old woman cross the mer school. Damn. and then fly off to my enchanted moun- street. I will do my part for society even
The Portland Spectator portlandspectator.com 27 SATIRE
National Edition “All the News Oregon: Cloudy, sunny That We Make Up” with showers and partly rainy but sunny in ten minute intervals.
MONDAY, JULY 24, 2003 NEW TAX-CUT NEW STUDY SHOWS TO STARVE ELDERLY, WOMEN, CHILDREN HIGH CORRELATION AND PEOPLE OF COLOR OF CANCER AND Wealthy, white, heterosexual males CONSERVATIVE IDEAS to benefit the most Re-education camps a way to better health BY HOWELL RAINES
In a moment of unparallel meanness BY JAYSON BLAIR and gross greed the U.S. Congress A new study by the non-partisan issue of Revolution. The offices of passed the most devastating tax cuts in Progressive Research Institute (PRI) PRI, located in downtown San the history of mankind. According to the proves that people with conserva- Francisco overlooking green pas- non-partisan Progressive Research tives ideas are 68 percent more like- tures and tobacco fields and just a Institute (located in downtown San ly to suffer from cancer. The PRI, few blocks from the Empire State Francisco overlooking green pastures and which is based in San Francisco, Building serve as the intellectual tobacco fields and just a few blocks from published the study in the June bastion of the continued page 24 the Empire State Building) millions of women, elderly, children and people of color will starve to death. Many see a neo-conservative plot behind the recent French President admonishes the United States tax-cuts. Already in a 1998 issue of the on tape for role in international affairs Weekly Standard Paul Wolfowitz speculat- BY GERALD BOYD ed that tax-cuts would “liberate the econ- omy from a possible downturn.” In a tape that mysteriously sur- Democratic candidates for the presiden- faced in the offices of the Al Jazeera cy found the tax-cuts appalling. Dennis Network, French president Jacques Kucinich said that the tax-cuts prove his Chirac declared a “fatwa culturel“ case for “immediate socialism” while Joe against the United States. Lieberman said that the tax-cuts ruined No one yet has verified if the tape his Sabbath. John Kerry said they are is a genuine one. Nevertheless, the “un sentier très dangereux” and then timing appears critical when the added “ils sont contre une certaine idée powers of Civilisation européenne de l'Amérique.” prepare against the “McDonalds’ hordes”
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