Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1968)
Viet Vet Draws Fire from Readers iUo tr.11 Y-v >1 Y M JJ W M. Ml Emerald Editor: Until last Friday there couldn’t be any doubt that Don Fitz was the master put-on artist of those who write to the Emerald. Who could have thought that his missives on the “deadly killer drug” mari juana and on the democratic political philosophy of Adolf Hitler as defended by the leader of Free Vietnam, Marshal Ky, would soon be surpassed? But Fitz must take second place now to Chaplain George Peirsall Murray, author of “Veteran Weary of War Critics.” What superb parody he offers, for example, of the paranoid “domino theory” in the state ment: “It’s an old truism that if we sit here smugly in our freedom, and not help others preserve theirs, we won’t have ours very long!” Or take the reference to Red Chinese soldiers fighting in South Vietnam which ridicules so well the American mania about “Red Chinese aggression.” Unfortunately many humor less University students will un doubtedly take the article ser iously and thereby make the exrtaordinary assumption that the Chaplain and his Viet-Vets sponsors could really believe such staff and regard them selves as the only ones qualified to discuss Vietnam. B. H. Barlow Graduate, Political Science * * * ‘Hysterical’ Vet Emerald Editor: Navy Chaplain George Piersafl Murray has announced he has had it with people like me; well I would like to announce that I have had it with people like him! Out of deference to those servicemen who have been physically and emotionally in volved in the war in Vietnam, I have never replied to any of the many letters from Vietnam servicemen and returned veter ans that appear regularly in our papers, rife with accusations and slanderous implications as to the character and morality of those of us who have been vocal ly opposed to our involvement in Vietnam. That venomous, hysterical missive of distorted garbage that appeared in your pages by a self-styled purveyor of Christ ian morality was too much for even the strongest stomach to take. I have no intention of even bothering to reply to any of the wild accusations and dis tortions so incredible as to ren der the use of the word "fact” as meaningless and empty, ex cept to sympathize with future congregations that will be bur dened with Chaplain Peirsall’s ultra-right wing ranting about the White Man’s Burden against - Jules Fi a wxuw-i^cvii-ixiL'axiiait? oi Communism. There is something that both ers me more. Many of us looked forward to the return of Viet nam veterans to this campus, and to their taking a position of leadership in exploring the is sues of the relation of our coun try to the desperate plight of the underdeveloped countries of the world, the growing militar ism both in our country and as our response to countries at tempting to throw off the yoke of centuries of exploitation by exclusive minorities, the ter rifying influence of the military to the point of threatening our most sacrosanct institutions, etc. It appears that with a few heartening exceptions, we were wrong in these expectations. Once again with a few excep tions, the veterans from Viet nam that I have met and talked to seem the least informed as to the background of our in volvement there and our foreign policy in general of almost any group of students on campus. More than that, their whole attitude toward the major social issues of the day, both foreign and domestic, seems to be one of disinterest or, if anything, hostility and conservatism. I am aware that Chaplain Peirsall’s letter was not written by one of the University Viet Vets, but if that sick-minded diatribe of a 19th century colonial mentality in any way reflects the views of the local chapter, it appears that the Uni versity doesn’t need to expect much in the way of reason and leadership from the Viet Vets. Buzz Willits Graduate Student Public Affairs ❖ sjs * Gospel vs. Guns Emerald Editor: Chaplain George Peirsall Mur ray, in his Vietnam article which appeared in last Friday’s Emerald, left the impression that all the real Christians are in favor of war. He cited many pragmatic arguments to support this viewpoint. He implied that if the Christians who oppose war could only see the good that our soldiers are doing and the terrible atrocities perpe trated by the Vietcong, that we woidd leap at the chance to spread Christ’s Gospel with a gun. I don’t think 1 would; the teachings of Christ have as much validity in Vietnam as they do here. Chaplain Murray’s Lord (and mine) said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” He also said, “Resist not evil, but overcome evil with good.” And again. He said, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you . . .” mniiiiniiiiiiimiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiniuiiaiiiimim i count mention \»erses throughout the Bible which ex press the same ideas. I don't think any of them are qualified with respect to which enemies we forgive, or when. I can't find any endorsement of Rev. Murray’s concept of war in the Bible. Rather, it seems to me, when we see the Vietcong mur dering and torturing fellow hu man beings, we must ", . . go forth therefore unto him with out the camp, bearing his re proach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.” This does not mean I condone communist atrocities at all. But I realize that a man who cuts off heads needs Christ in the worst way. I have no doubt that Rev. Murray’s beliefs are sincere. But so are mine, and I am also a Christian; therefore, I cannot accept (hat Rev. Murray is a spokesman for all Christians. Raymond C. Kelly Graduate, Chemistry War and Policy Emerald Editor: Let those critical of Senators McCarthy, Fulbright or others who dissent from present war policy, read the following sig nificant statement about w a r and policy from a government official not so long ago: "Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the com mon people don’t want war . . . but after all, it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it is always simple to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parlia ment, or a communist dictator ship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are be ing attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country.” — Hermann Goering German war criminal tried after World War II. Robert J. Sehaaf, Graduate Student, Remedial Education “Compulsion-Revulsion” Emerald Editor: In the April 17 issue of your paper, Mr. Larry Williamson has a poem published in the "Letters to the Editor” column. This poem is symptomatic of what we in the medical profes sion jokingly refer to as the "compulsion - revulsion” syn dorm.e It is characterized by unreasoning fear of the un known and by blindly lashing iniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiimiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiii *>ut at the existing institutions of society. My son Harry, who is an alumnus of Sigma Alpha Ep silon fraternity on your campus, sent me a copy of the Emerald containing Mr. Williamson's “letter.” I must say I was pro foundly shocked and saddened ■to learn that the young men and women of our society can be so callous and unfeeling. It is irrational to lose the power of discrimination. Without the ability to discrminate good from bad and useful from useless, all things may begin to seem equal, and society will disintegrate. As Harry likes to put it, it is ‘‘almost weird.” 1 hope that this short note will suggest the concern and dis appointment felt by many of the citizens of the state in the abraded condition of the intel lect which is aptly demonstrated by Mr. Williamson. We trust that he, and others like him, will not hesitate to seek profes sional guidance and counseling when afflicted by trauma of the sort he has indicated. Preston P. Fleer, M.D. (ret.) * « * Hear! Hear! Emerald Editor: Fashion issue timely, neces sary. Hear! Hear! Bravo! Fantastically well said. Let whoever wrote this article say more and be specific about in volvement. Tennis courts desperately need repair to facilitate the middle classes from USC? Blah. (I love tennis). What happened to books for the prison? Big Brother Pro gram? Robert Longanecker CASEA Librarian Brown’s Puppet Emerald Editor: Miss Brown (Ivory Tower Politics 4/30) doesn’t really want a responsive or responsible leader. She wants a puppet who will jump and jerk (i.e. ‘'re spond”) whenever she sticks him with the pin of her own narrow personal political con victions. Russell Sadler Chairman, ISCOHE Implemented Demands Emerald Editor: In light of the current trend toward incorporation of student opinion within every level of academic community, 1 feel that student demands concern ing curriculum revision should be implemented immediately. Articles, editorials, and letters appearing in the Emerald indi cate that the primary educa tional demands among students is that their courses be made relevant. The question is, rele vant to what ? lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllillllllMlllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllHtflllllHIIIIIIIIIIIIIllllllllllll After listening to approxi mately 720 speeches in which the student was required to se lect; and discuss a significant issue relevant to him and to his classmates, 1 have conclud ed that they are three and only three issues about which University of Oregon students feel any real concern — abor tion, sex, and marijuana. (The concern may arise in reverse order.) Therefore, I believe that all courses offered by the Univer sity should directly relate to one of these topics. The follow ing suggested course titles may provide useful guidelines. (1) Marijuana as Military Power: The Joint Chiefs of Staff. (2) Sex and German Verb Conjugations (or, alternately, Teutonic Conjugal Relation ships). (3) The Effects of Mari juana: Modern American Fic tion. (4) The Sexual History of Modern Europe (Seminar). (5) Methods of 17th-Century Chi nese Abortion (Lab). Innumera ble combinations are possible— for example, (fi) The Psycho logy of Post-Marijuana Abortion, and (7) The Economics of Ho mosexual Dope-Pushers. Under this system the in structor might even be allowed to wander onto topics of such questionable relevance as civ il rights (the Kernel- Commis sion: An Abortive Report?) and Vietnam (the Real Dope on Da Nang). Immediate incorporation of these suggestions should satis fy student expectations and prevent any further sleep-ins outside of class. Carol Taylor Instructor, Speech Around... (Continued (rout pii%e (5) 191 We are glad, Mr. Scran ton. that you brought up the subject of theievery. Now who are the "damn thieves?” "Out of a substandard income the Black man pays exorbitant prices for cheap goods; he must then pay more for his hous ing than Whites.” (Black Power Carmichael, Hamilton). Using such means as raising the prices on goods 200 to 300 per cent for poor quality merchandise, charging a high rate of inter est and raising the prices of food items on days welfare checks are issued the White merchant drains the ghetto of economic resources. Mr. Scran ton, who are the “damn thieves?” (10) You ask why all people including Blacks "move from the proximity of Black people.” My dear sir, who wants to live in a ghetto? Mr. Scranton, we would like to suggest that you come down from your dusty library shelf and TAKE A LOOK AROUND YOU. iiiitiiuiiininiiHHiiimiimiitHmuiiiniiuHiiHiiHiiiniiiuiiiiiiuiiiumiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiHB I HKV6 Five mem)T WRsmuTies. X ACT cm W-w mwnY WITH MY ■ FAWee AA' POMINKRIUS WITH MV HlKOMP / . R/RWTWU5 WITH MV £ AMP M5T N0M£ of mse m 60MALines is 8HLH K seam w mi ne ioovlp Be POMiueee m a)(TH w nrnep . .//A Fumrm WITH MY FATHFf? /k i stsmv wm mv husbwp !* m) mim m>$ee my (7AUSHTHR / ( sues vo WCH UV£ HC
