~-Commentary
Billy Graham: the prophet gagged
By GARY WILLS
“Where are the demonstrations against
alcohol?” Well, maybe there should be
some. Booze kills and injures almost as
terribly as war does. But those opening
words were spoken by Billy Graham, in
Washington for the inauguration, arrived
to bless his good friend Dick in a “non
political” religious service held the day
after the President renewed his oath.
There was plenty of booze flowing over the
weekend; but Dr. Graham was not
seriously making an assault on this
practice. He was not doing anything
serious except undercutting the
seriousness of the war.
He was using the booze issue—just as he
uses traffic problems: Who demonstrates
against automobiles? (Answer: con
servationists, Mayor Lindsay, and Ralph
Nader.) Just as he uses the Mideast
situation — Syria, he claims, reported
more civilian casualties than Hanoi over
the Christmas period (but it didn’t); and
who demonstrates against Israel? (An
swer: pro-Arab hijackers and terrorists.)
The force of Graham’s words is to
reduce the gravity of war, even as he
emphasizes the evil of (say) pornography.
His logic, such as it is, would lead rather to
bombing 42nd Street than to any halt in our
bombing of Hand. His tactic is always the
reductive parallel. You want me to attack
the war — shall I attack alcohd and
automobiles and every evil? (Well, if
that’s the cost, why nd?)
This tactic was used over and over as
Graham, who has refused to talk of the
war through most of its course, finally did
talk about it — enough to explain why he
does nd like to talk about it. liiis was in an
inaugural interview with the New York
“Times” religion editor. The reductive
parallels were worked to death — as when
he said he could nd “take sides" on this
war, or “I would be forced to take sides in
every war in the world.”
I know it is hard to overestimate the
Rev. Bill’s influence. But I think he has
actually accomplished that. Most people
have their own stake in their own wars.
Ms. Meir is not likely to call Billy in for a
blessing on her tanks. Even Russia and
China might hesitate, while exchanging
toasts with us, at the step of exchanging
preachers (Mao’s book for Billy’s bible).
Even among Christian nations, Billy might
find himself dispensable. Spain and Italy
are largely anticlerical, but at least they
like to be anticlerical against their own
clerics.
But grant the Rev. Doctor his revery.
Imagine all the capitals of the world
clamoring for his oratory as they gird for
battle. Since he tells us his prayings are
non-political, why not pray as readily for
Hanoi’s rulers as for ours? He seeks
converts impartially in all nations; why
not bless their rulers as impartially?
Breakfasting in state houses should not
compromise a non-political missionary
like our Bill.
Does he confine himself to one ruler at a
time because he is more deeply involved
with America, despite his ecumenical
roamings? If so, then that deeper in
volvement gives him a deeper obligation to
this country — and not as a mere
celebrator of our land. Our Towns already
have their chambers of commerce. God
did not need to send us a new Jeremiah to
announce the GNP’s growth.
And if Billy has anything to say about the
morality of war, I don’t think he has to
worry about summonses from other
capitals. Quite the opposite. Real prophets
are thrown out of countries, not called into
them. He would And himself in less
demand, not more, if he had anything
important to say about religion — which is,
perhaps, the reason he avoids saying any
such thing.
f*
Letters
At the games
Gee whiz, Roger Wyatt seems to be
against Cliff Zukin. And Mr. Zukin is
obviously opposed to Mr. Bonner. But who
is Roger Wyatt; for that matter who are
these guys Zukin and Bonner9
Investigation reveals Mr. Zukin and Mr.
Bonner to be rivals for the exalted office of
president of the ASUO Senate, and Mr.
Wyatt, who is no longer affiliated with the
Senate, has suddenly found himself on
some apparently important committee
thanks to some help from what’s-his
name.
Now everyone is moderately perturbed
at everyone else Does this mean Cliffie or
Bobbie will take his ball and go home?
Unfortunately I rather doubt it. We will
continue to be inundated with letters
berating and denouncing the opposition.
It is apparent to me that this farce is
merely an action to keep these peoples
names alive and in print so they will be
remembered at the next election. They
definitely wish to be re-elected (“ASUO
Senator” looks pretty good on a job
resume) but this mud-slinging is not the
way to go about it. All this succeeds at is
lowering the credence of me office in the
eyes of the students.
The logical way to achieve notice would
be to assign diligently one’s self to his
duties of office.
How about it guys? Would you like to cut
the games and get to work?
Eric V. Ramsing
Architecture
Deserved chance
It has been recently disclosed that the
child care operation of the Associated
Students of the University of Oregon will
soon be drastically cut, if not altogether
killed, as a result of our President’s trying
to maintain a false economy that allows
spending money for war while ignoring
pressing domestic needs. Although the
child care center will continue to operate,
about two-thirds of the children, those
whose two parents are both going to
school, will be ineligible.
Meanwhile, Senate President Jason Boe
has promised legislation in Salem to
provide for the continued adequate
funding of this program, a move which the
Register-Guard in Eugene applauds.
Senator Boe says we must provide these
parents with every opportunity to better
themselves financially. While I agree with
this position, I see the problem as being a
much deeper one.
If one ot the two parents has to quit
school to take care of the child, it will, in
almost every case, De tne mother. While
motherhood is, indeed, an honorable and
important position in the American
culture, it is only temporary. It must be
recognizee tnat women must develop other
areas of their lives, specifically, through
education.
If we, as a society, continue to en
courage, and indeed to force women into
ignoring all aspects of life not directly
related to the task of raising children and
silently serving the wishes of arrogant
husbands, we will most certainly see more
generations of women discarded in middle
age when the mother role tapers off.
We will continue to see uneducated,
untrained and unskilled women, too old to
perform their role in society and yet too
young for the nursing home, who will join
the swelling ranks of superfluous
American human resources at a time in
their lives when they have so much more
to offer themselves, their families and
society.
These are my reasons for supporting
Senator Boe’s proposed legislation con
cerning the funding of child care centers.
Women have a great deal to contribute to
our world .... All we have to do is give
them an equal chance-a chance that is
much deserved and even more overdue.
Michael Henry Scholl
895 E. 24th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon
Half-time jobs
Not knowing a particular group who is
interested in promoting the idea of half
time professional (or other, for that
matter) jobs, I’m addressing this letter to
anyone who has helpful suggestions.
^ Although I haven’t seen any studies to
Election letters policy
The Emerald will print one (1) letter
from, one (1) letter for and one (1) letter
against each candidate running for office
during regularly scheduled ASUO primary
and general elections.
All letters must be typed, double or
triple spaced, dated and signed in ink.
Signatures must have accompanying
address information. Letters exceeding
250 words in length will not be run.
All letters intended for publication
before the winter term primary election
must be submitted no later than 3 p.m.
Feb. 9, 1973. Letters intended for
publication before the general election
must be submitted no later than 3 p.m.
Feb. 16.
The Emerald will choose letters for and
against candidates on the basis of date
submitted.
Candidates with questions regarding the
policy are asked to contact the Emerald,
301 Allen Hall, 686-3712. -
back it up, my impression is that many
graduates would like part-time jobs (with
part-time salaries) instead of giving a full
commitment of energy to a desk, in
stitution, boss or whatever. Several ad
vantages immediately come to mind:
happier employees, enough time for the
development of interests related and not
related to one’s job, more jobs available,
simpler lifestyles (part-time people would
have less money with which to complicate
their lives), more productive work hours
(presumably, even Friday afternoons
would be worthwhile), and so on.
The only objection I’ve heard of is in
creased administrative costs, but surely
computerized bookkeping has minimized
that hassle. I would think that the
Placement Office could develop these
ideas, and certainly departments culd
consider them when hiring.
Margaret Crowley
Unclassified student
342-2028
Punching it out
I applaud David Novick’s dramatic and
revealing farewell to the senate in his
letter last Friday.
David urges students, “to work toward
the creation of a campus political system
that has no tinge of the urban but
adolescent version of a grade B western
that prevails today.”
If student government exists as such,
David perceives himself to be John Wayne
punching it out with the villians.
Tom Bonner
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