Viewpoints
Middle East situation calls for clear voice
We at DBJ believe that it is time for President Clinton and other world
leaders to firmly put a foot down about the Israeli/Palestinian problem.
Trying to appease Yasser Arafat and the numerous radical groups which he
condones has failed in the past and will fail in the future. These are
people who are unwilling to compromise.
The U.S. needs to come down clearly and forcefully on the side of Israel,
whose leaders have made more than an honest attempt to solve the crisis. The
U.S., the U.N., and other leading lights need to stop worrying about
offending Arab states and do what is right. Wishy-washy diplomacy is at the
root of this problem to begin with. We should refuse to listen to
Palestinian issues until they either oust Arafat or demand that he negotiate
in good faith. It isn't that they don't have some legitimate issues, but
until they rein themselves in, denounce rioting, terrorism, and threats,
they can claim no legitimacy among nations of good faith who are struggling
to solve this problem.

The Delta's real edge
 We here at the DBJ have been pleased to have presented our "Delta's Edge"
series in conjunction with WABG-TV 6 of Greenville. Not only has this
unprecedented collaborative effort been an huge success, it has also brought
us in touch with many new businesses and friends on the edge of our
coverage. Their stories have been inspiring.
 It should be noted that, as the "Delta's Edge" focuses have shown, our
region is truly a progressive, innovative, and productive engine in the
state of Mississippi. Our coverage has been merely a mirror of the
outstanding work being done in communities like Grenada, Batesville, Yazoo
City, Vicksburg, and other towns throughout the Delta and just beyond. It
our belief that the Mississippi Delta is undoubtedly on the verge of
something economically heretofore unseen in our state. And it will be our
pleasure to continue to cover the progress being made by Delta businesses,
industries, and civic leaders everyday. For it is these people, and their
employees, that give the Delta it's real "edge."

Are term limits the answer?
 In this election month, the idea of political tenure limitation is once
again a hot topic. While we at the DBJ appreciate participation in the
electoral process, including debate about said process, we wonder why so
much attention is given to term limits instead of ideas.
In essence, term limits, if successful, can only keep a certain office
holder from returning to that office after so many years. Would this really
be efficacious? What if that term-limited politician is replaced by someone
with the same exact positions on the issues? Will democracy be better served
just by a different face, or are fresh ideas really what is needed?
Term limits certainly need to be discussed and examined. However, while
"throwing the bums out" may get rid of career politicians, the political
philosophy behind them will probably stay in place. Perhaps this is where
real limits are needed.

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