Young Americans

Waterside Havre de Grace beat out landlocked Westminster as the location for a new WB Television Network series set at a New England boarding school. "We're delighted," said Havre de Grace Mayor Philip J. Barker, whose town hadn't been mentioned among several possibilities, including Annapolis, Toronto and Charlotte, N.C. "The dark horse sometimes wins." He said the producers visited the Harford County town of about 13,000 the first week of April and were taken with the intersection of Congress Avenue and North Washington Street, which affords views of residential and business districts, and the Susquehanna River.

"High school without parents" -- that's what executive producer Steven Antin calls "Young Americans," the WB's new teen drama premiering Wednesday night. And as teen dramas go, this one about life at a prestigious boarding school has a lot going for it. Start with a great-looking cast. Would you expect less from the network of "Dawson's Creek" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"? There's an impressive soundtrack, too, featuring the Getaway People and their hit "Six Pacs." An up-tempo version of "Over the Rainbow" in the final moments of the hour -- as the star-crossed lovers look into each other's hearts and at a mountain of family history that seems to stand between them -- absolutely nails the emotional moment.

EVENTS IN the past few months have dissipated the aura of invincibility that once surrounded George Bush, and Democratic presidential contenders from Massachusetts to California are leading the chorus for his ouster.At this point, however, the president should be more concerned with the other voices that are joining that chorus -- those of the increasing number of Americans who have fallen prey to a faltering economy.It's not that Bush, who just a few months ago was riding an unprecedented wave of popularity in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf war, hasn't provided other reasons to ponder his ability to win re-election next year.

Naomi Kline of Baltimore learned the benefits of being able to act at a very young age. "I realized that when you fall asleep in the car, you get carried in," says Kline. "So I began to pretend to sleep in the car to get carried. That's when I first realized something could come from acting." It's been a while since her parents carried her in from the car, but Kline, now 18, is still acting - and reaping the benefits. This summer, that's included a prime guest-starring role in "Young Americans," a well-received new series airing on the WB network, that might turn into a permanent role this fall.

THREE U.S. SERVICEMEN are in Japanese custody, charged with the rape of a 12-year-old girl on Okinawa. It is not the first such atrocity; it will not be the last, given the tensions bound to arise when 27,000 young Americans are concentrated on an overseas island. U.S. bases sprawl over 20 percent of Okinawa's land area and are home to 60 percent of the U.S. forces stationed in Japan.These figures should be kept in mind in assessing the outrage that erupted after U.S. authorities waited 25 days before handing over the accused servicemen once they had been indicted.

I think it's fair to say that every white American knows another white American who is a bigot. The bigotry comes out in different ways - in conversation about politics, sports, crime, music, life in general. The bigot you know probably enjoys sharing a crude joke now and then, and these days you might receive an offensive e-mail from him, as I did last week. If you've been around this person enough over the years, you pretty much know what to expect. You don't expect this person to change.

WHAT LEGAL consequence befalls John Walker Lindh will properly be decided in a federal courthouse. But how the nation comes to terms with this puzzling young man is a more complex matter. He's a 20-year-old, middle-class kid who seems more confused than malevolent, more daffy than threatening. The accent he feigned when he was captured and the silly bravado he has exhibited since betray an immaturity that is eerily common among this country's young adults. And yet Mr. Lindh took up with a very dangerous enemy, and involved himself in a violent religious movement that took a staggering number of American lives.

It's not health insurance the American people want. What they truly want is for someone else to step forward to foot the bill. Their goal is to pay about $500 out of their own pockets every year, and then have someone else, either their employer or the taxpayers, be responsible for everything else. ... [A] recent survey revealed that young Americans would rather pay their cell phone bill than use that money to buy insurance. These young workers said that they will just wait to get health insurance until they get a job where it is included in a benefits package.

MIAMI -- Mary Joe Fernandez knew she had to grab the initiative and not let Monica Seles take the first crack at the ball. She knew if she hit anything short, she would be "a goner."She was gone last night in one hour and 10 minutes. It was Seles who took early command and spoiled Fernandez's bid to reach her first Lipton final, 6-1, 6-3, at the International Tennis Center before 8,832."She puts you on the defensive right away," Fernandez said. "I had my chances and didn't convert."Yesterday afternoon, Steffi Graf had chances to end her three-match losing streak against Gabriela Sabatini.

YES, Aug. 28, 1963, was a long time ago. I live in Washington now, more or less, and this is a very different country from what it was when, as a young reporter, I covered the great March on Washington for the Chicago Daily News.So, as we celebrate this 30th anniversary, perhaps we should ask: Where are we now?Well, the common "wisdom" has it that America has made no or at least very little progress on race. You can pick up almost any newspaper or magazine and hear about how young Americans think there is more racism and hatred than ever: that we have really gone backward.