The Iola Register
Monday, March 11, 2013
~ Journalism that makes a difference
Legislators resist open government By DOUG ANSTAETT public scrutiny. Most of us are fed up No, they want more. with the doldrums of winThey’ve floated bills that ter, so why not celebrate the would allow them to get sunshine that comes with together during “chance” the advent of spring by meetings at social events also celebrating Sunshine and discuss the public’s Week. business. What is Sunshine Week? Under one bill, if they It’s an annual observance were invited to a wedding — this year it’s March 10 to and took advantage of the 16 — that has as its goal pro- situation to discuss busimotion of a dialogue about ness, they wouldn’t be the importance of open breaking the Kansas Open government and freedom Meetings Act. After all, the of information. “central purpose” of the Is the fact that Sunshine get-together is to celebrate Week is set smack dab in with the bride and groom. the middle of the Kansas Under another, KOMA legislative session happen- would not be broken even if stance — or providence? a majority of a public body Anyone who has observed discussed pending legislathe recent behavior of some tion behind closed doors, public ofas long ficials in as their our state convercould be sations excused Legislators have float- d i d n ’ t for lean- ed bills that would allow rise to the ing tolevel of ward the them to get together during delibera“chance” meetings at so- tion. latter. A f t e r cial events and discuss the That’s all, we’ve a far cry public’s business had more from what than our KOMA reshare this quires tosession of day. blatant atIn othtempts to close the curtains er words, they already have at the Statehouse. the gold mine, but they Legislators, who have want to give the public the more freedom than any oth- shaft. er elected officials in KanThe problem is, these sas, want even more. bills would free up all pubIt’s not enough that they lic bodies to do the same can “legally” caucus their — city commissions and entire party delegation be- councils, county commishind closed doors. sions, school boards and all It’s not enough that they the rest who are covered by can meet in small groups KOMA. out of the public’s view and Is this any way to run a discuss the public’s busi- government? ness — just so long as they Not if you’re interested assemble just one less than in the sunshine illuminata majority of a committee’s ing your service as a public membership in the same official. room. If, however, you prefer to It’s not enough that they operate in the dark, it’s the can be wined and dined by perfect prescription … for lobbyists, who can bend disaster. their ears for hours, most Anstaett is executive diof the time without any rector of the Kansas Press
A look back in time 20 Years Ago Week of March 10, 1993
Bob Johnson, Register reporter, has returned from a trip with other reporters, Kansas politicians and National Guard officers to Costa Rica, where Army and Air National Guard troops are doing humanitarian aid projects. Kansas National Guardsmen, members of the 891st Engineers, are constructing a school building there. ***** City Administrator Rich Olson resigned Tuesday so that he could accept the city manager’s position in Liberal. Olson has been Iola’s administrator five years. He was the first city administrator after commissioners decided
to change to the commissionadministrator form of government, which assigns dayto-day operation of the city to the administrator. ***** TOPEKA (AP) — Raye Sprague, who operates a sow operation in Allen County, testified at the House Economic Development Committee on Tuesday against a bill that would allow corporate dairy and hog farms in the state. The Senate has passed the bill. Sprague said corporate operations encourage overproduction and lower prices for farmers. “Independent producers spend money in the community, buy inputs from local dealers and are rooted here,” she said.
Nuclear power the energy for peace Since those fateful two days in August 1945, when hell dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, I have been wondering what is going to happen now that the nuclear genie is out of the bottle. We know in the sense of nuclear proliferation, the genie has spread markedly. But use of nuclear weapons hasn’t happened.
Bill Roy
But, as one who recalls August 1945, I have thought the use of a nuclear weapon in anger is inevitable—unless we build and use weapons that exceed atomic or hydrogen bombs in destructive power, then we’ll just skip the nuclear step in self-destruction. Parenthetically, I have always believed President Harry S. Truman had to use the two nuclear weapons we had. With those (by today’s standards) modest weapons in hand, there was no way he could justify the loss of the tens or hundreds of thousands of American and allied lives had he had chosen a frontal attack on the islands, rather than the bombs. And, if the Japanese had fulfilled their pledge to fight to the death, their loss of life could easily have surpassed 150 to 250 thousand who died from the bombs immediately and in the near aftermath. There are still those who believe the bombs should not have been used. Many contend effective traditional bombings and fire-bombing had already brought the Japanese to the verge of surrender — apparently ignoring that the Japanese surrendered only after experiencing a second bombing. I also contend that the destruction caused by these relatively small atomic bombs
made unthinkable the use of more and bigger nuclear bombs we have today. “Unthinkable” except for the religious fanatics and other mentally imbalanced people who have earned the name “suicide bombers.” Their state of mind is such they would like to kill as many infidels or other enemies as possible as demonstrated by killing nearly 3,000 Americans on 9/11/2001, a number frighteningly similar the deaths at Pearl Harbor on 12/07/1941. Yet, the palpable fear that followed the atomic bombing of Japan seems to have dissipated. The 73 percent of Americans who told Gallup pollsters in 1947 that they believed World War III “likely” have either died off or suc-
from president to president, and day to day. South Africa decided it was better off without a bomb, and disassembled its six bombs in 1992-1995. President F. W. de Klerk must be listed high among 20th century heroes. He ended South Africa’s racial apartheid without a blood bath, something that appeared impossible before he released Nelson Mandela from prison, February 1990. And he nearly simultaneously took his nation out of the nuclear weapons club. The nation of 51 million, of whom nearly 80 percent are black, expects to use nuclear power for energy, not war. South Africa stands out as one among many. The victorious nations of World War II
... (T)he destruction caused by these relatively small atomic bombs made unthinkable the use of more and bigger nuclear bombs we have today.
cumbed to fear-fatigue, or recognized an international restraint to war the I haven’t noticed. The nuclear club continues to get bigger with Iran’s stop and go approach causing current problems. Which frames the question: “Would you rather be the citizen of a small nation that certainly cannot defend an attack by bigger, more heavily armed adversaries, or of a nation with nuclear weapons which could rain massive nuclear destruction in a mode not unlike the Soviet-American standoff appropriately named MAD, Mutually Assured Destruction.” Under the still-operative September 2002 Bush Doctrine, our country will attack those whose intention, we believe, is to attack us or its neighbors. But, are the world’s 177 nations less likely or more likely to be attacked if they are nuclear-armed? The answer may well change
— U.S., U.K., France, U.S.S.R., and China — were the first five nuclear armed nations. But thousands of warheads have bounced around among many nations. NATO shared weapons for handling and delivery purposes with Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Turkey, and later Canada and Greece. When the Soviet Union came apart there were scores of weapons in Belarus, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. Israel made its own 150 or so nuclear bombs, as did Pakistan and its next-door adversary India. Yet, we are nearly 68 years out and miraculously none of these weapons have fallen into the hands of Osama bin Laden or other terrorists or pseudonationalists. But, neither Paul Harvey nor I will know the rest of the story. Dr. Roy may be reached at wirroy@aol.com
The Iola Register
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