opinion
End the agony
and bury Nixon
Former President Richard Nixon is once again back in
the public eye and apparently has gained some measure of
respect. Will the American people ever see the end of Nixon
in the media? He really ought to be buried in the back of the
newspaper, among the obituaries.
But, Nixon, who resigned his presidency after disgracing
that office, can still make headlines. When Nixon goes
abroad — settles a suit — moves to New York — comments on
issues — sells his apartment — attends Sadat’s funeral — he’s
in the papers Nixon can be considered, in the most perverse
sense, to be a 'media darling.”
Even the Emerald is not immune from using Nixon to
attract reader attention The Oliphant editorial cartoon
Monday was a satirization of Nixon in the guise of Lawrence
of Arabia — only Pat Oliphant captioned the picture 'Nixon of
Arabia.” Oliphant, like columnist Art Buchwald, consider
themselves fortunate to have had Nixon “to kick around ”
The latest Nixon headlines, prior to his attending of
Sadat's funeral, concern Duke University’s move to set up a
repository on its campus for Nixon’s presidential papers —
and a startling revelation that Nixon, while president, dis
cussed using Teamster ‘‘thugs’’ to assault anti-war
demonstrators
Duke University, directed by its President Terry Sanford,
deemed to establish a Richard Nixon Library “primarily as a
research facility ” But the possibility that Nixon will
negotiate to have Duke University build a memorial (which is
what more honorable ex-presidents libraries have become)
is likely.
What could be more insulting than a memorial — library
or otherwise — for Nixon? Certainly much of the material
would have “gaps.” Nixon would surely demand to edit
specific Watergate items. Nor would he include the cir
cumstances surrounding his resignation Nixon continues to
gloss over the truth of his presidency.
Nixon believes history will vindicate his presidency He
points to his precedent-setting SALT II and detente Nixon
also points with pride to ending the Vietnam war and opening
of relations with China These events Nixon believes will be
enough to reserve him an honored place in history.
Yet, opening relations with China was long overdue —
and quite a strategic ploy in relations with the Soviet Union.
As for Nixon claiming credit for ending the Vietnam War,
anyone who saw the scenes of the fall of Saigon on television
will agree that was not an end — that was a retreat
SALT II and detente have been the conservative’s
nightmare for years
And there s Watergate
Nixon, according to published reports, doesn’t perceive
Watergate in the same way most Americans do He says he
agonized over it, admitting only to have made a ‘ mistake .”
Not once has Nixon said he commited criminal acts and
disgraced the presidency worldwide
Has Nixon ever apologized7
Had he apologized he might have gained some respect
and eventual forgiveness from the American people The
other Watergate figures have served time in prison, in effect,
paid their debt to society But Nixon’s pardon from former
President Ford was absolute and unconditional.
The other horrendous event in the never-ending Nixon
saga is a New York Times transcript of a tape that has Nixon
enthusiastically endorstng an H R Haldeman suggestion to
recruit Teamster Union ’’thugs” to physically assault anti
war demonstrators
The conversation took place May 5, 1971, and shows
Nixon angry over demonstrators in Washington D C.. He
discusses the idea to, as he phrases it, "go in and knock their
(the demonstrators) heads off.”
"Sure,” Haldeman replies “Murderers the regular
strikebuster-types and all that and then they’re gonna
beat the (deleted) out of some of these people And, uh, and
hope they really hurt 'em You know smash some noses ”
The tape, recently used as evidence in the trial of 1,200
demonstrators arrested on the steps of the Capitol May 5,
1971, is no longer revelant in terms of criminal prosecution,
though it clearly shows Haldeman and Nixon authorizing
criminal acts. The statute of limitations has expired on
Haldeman, and Nixon was pardoned
For Duke University to construct a Nixon Library (i.e
memorial) is ludicrous Nixon was doubtless one of the worst
presidents this country has ever had He was totally bereft of
ethics, morality, and integrity The "achievements” on which
he believes history will absolve him are questionable at best
It’s time to push Nixon into obscurity — to bury him That
can be taken figuratively or otherwise
tAAOGW
'WRL.rtWDYOU LIKE IMIS’ 'FWSWUtt TOSIPENT OF THE UNITED STWES, GREETINGS.'.
letters
Wonder
I wonder how it would be if the
principles espoused now by
Pres Olum and others
regarding removal of Pacific
Northwest Resource Center
were applied to the ROTC
program?
Andy Thompson
University counseling center
Cooperation
Campus Security's recent
announcement to confiscate
(steal) unregistered bicycles
has caused a bit of a stir for
campus bike commuters The
method Campus Security has
chosen to force bikers to com
ply with registration rules might
cause a few unexpected
ramifications
First of all, the relationship
between students and Campus
Security should be a
partnership with both sides
working to keep the campus a
safe place Cutting students'
bicycle cables (and in this way
destroying students’ personal
property) is going to make
Campus Security an ogre to be
watched out for, not a partner to
be cooperated with
Secondly, cutting someone's
five dollar cable, (in addition to
charging a two-dollar impound
fee, and forcing bikers to put a
two-dollar sticker on their bike)
could initiate some pretty hos
tile feelings Is Campus Security
ready to deal with irate students
with nine dollars less in their
pockets?
Rules are rules and Campus
Security's intentions may be
good, but the “cutting spree"
they have chosen to undertake
to enforce these rules is
ridiculous and intolerable The
method proposed in an Emerald
editorial — locking bikes where
they stand — is a much more
feasible and intelligent method
of enforcing bike registration
rules without the problems
which could occur as a result of
destroying an individual’s
personal property
By locking unregistered bikes
instead of confiscating them, we
bikers may be assured that
Campus Security and local bike
thieves are not in cahoots We
can also be assured of the
whereabouts of our bicycles,
thus eliminating the possibility
of Campus Security mistaken
ly selling a confiscated bike
for $4
A final note bikers may have
their personal identification
number or driver's license
number engraved in their
bicycle This engraving (unlike
little green stickers) is not easily
scraped off or painted over
Tim Schmidt
Junior, pre-health
Weaseling
The fascinating issue of dis
crimination by security
agencies against gay people
has slithered forth again This is
a classic example of catch-22 If
you are gay, and everyone
knows it, you obviously are not a
security risk because you can't
be blackmailed using your life
style as the lever Yet, if you are
known to be gay, the FBI and
other agencies won't hire you,
for you are assumed to be
subject to blackmail based on
your lifestyle!
The University should either
apply its rules honestly, by
keeping all discriminating
agencies from recruiting on
campus, or toss that rule
completely and allow agencies
with all sorts of policies to
recruit After all. isn’t the free
exchange of ideas — even
reprehensible ones — part of the
function of a university?
The University should not set
a policy, then waffle and weasel
around when the policy seems
temporarily inconvenient Either
enforce the rules honestly, or
toss them. In this case, I
recommend the latter
Alan Contreras
Senior, political science
PTA beat
I was pleased to see the
Emerald show an interest in
fraternal matters by sending a
reporter to the Interfraternal
Council tribunal hearing last
Tuesday
Until I saw the story the next
day by Dane Claussen
At no time did I ever contend
the wording was ambiguous on
an invitation sent to a rush guest
by my fraternity I did comment
on the wording for a certain
Interfraternal Council
Constitutional provision, and an
invitation was a piece of
evidence in the hearing, but
these are worlds apart from
what was quoted in the story
Not really even close
Claussen never personally
interviewed me, and all the
quotes in the story were taken
from a dialogue between the
tribunal members and myself
To be sure, better discretion
was needed on what quotes to
include in the article, and I feel
the quotations that were used
were put in a context attempting
to damage my own and the
Interfraternal's credibility
Altogether it was a very poor
effort at reporting, lacking
professionalism and indicating
a very lazy journalistic effort
Just the type of writing that
could earn a writer a lifetime
PTA or School board beat
Todd Ruberg
Senior, consulting psychology
Registered?
Why does Campus Security
say, " the action (cutting
chains of unregistered bikes,
impounding them and fining
owners) is necessary to get all
bikes registered???" In my
experience all I got for $2 was
an ugly sticker that I was glad to
be rid of when my bike was
stolen — never to be found
If Campus Security offered
specific data on the
effectiveness of the registration
system and/or abolished the $2
fee, I would be more compelled
to comply Until then, I’ll do
more than "get upset," if I find
someone from Campus Security
with my new bike I admit this
seems hostile, but in the Old
West they hung horse thieves
Chris Bollweg
Junior, art
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