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Conference gives students national view
“The window of vulnerability" — what a clas
sic non sequitur. This latest phrase-mongering by
NATO politicians and media mucky-mucks is
supposed to demonstrate the perilous position of
western nations in their vigilant stand against
“The Red Menace” and the “Yellow Peril.” The
implication is that — according to Pres Ronald
Reagan — ‘We must close the window of vulner
ability. "
To achieve this Reagan has proposed
spending $1.5 trillion on military weapons, re
search and personnel by 1985. How that money
will be spent is almost as incomprehensible as the
enormity of the sum. It is difficult to conceive of
defense budgets that run into the hundreds of
billions of dollars, let alone a budget escalating to
one-and-a-half-trillion dollars.
The National Security Conference, which
began last night, may help to explain some of
Reagan’s motives in spending $1.5 trillion on
defense. And with both sides of the defense
question being addressed by speakers, that “win
dow” may be opened to let in some light and fresh
air.
The Associated Students of the University of
Oregon, along with the University Veterans As
sociation and the Incidental Fee Committee were
the prime movers in setting-up the National
Security Conference As far back as October,
1981 the Incidental Fee Committee allocated more
than $7,000 and extended a loan of $3,000 to fund
the conference. This is money well-spent.
The conference extends through Saturday
and will feature speakers and topics that may
prove more than just a little informative to students
concerned with the draft and neo-militarism
Today at noon the subject of military man
power will be discussed by Major General Cocklin,
Charles Moskos, and Barry Lynn. They will be
exploring the alleged deficiencies in the military
force structure with regard to an all-volunteer
force. The draft, and draft registration, areas of
personal concern for students, will be discussed
at this session.
That phenomenal $1.5 trillion Reagan wants
for defense will no doubt be the central argument
in a discussion of the economics of military
spending The effects of defense spending on the
economy, and whether such proposed increases
wifi enhance or endanger national security will be
discussed.
A forum that assesses the Soviet threat, as to
the global geo-political intentions of the CCCP
and whether the Reagan administration's re
sponse is appropriate, will also be held today.
The conference will run all Saturday with
programs on the impact of strategic technology
on defense decision-making, international securi
ty asistance, and nuclear war deterrence and
world response to U.S.-U.S S.R strategic policies
The world is again tense with the military
moves of the superpowers Peace marchers are
filling the streets in Europe It's as if history has
gone through a cycle. Reagan s “window of vul
nerability'' is a posture that doesn't sit well with
many people. The National Security Conference
will provide students not so much with answers,
but with the opportunity to understand the im
plications of Reagan's defense proposals and the
positions of those opposing this neo-militarism
There is much fog on the window of credibility
Time waste
We have always assumed that
the purpose of an IFC budget
hearing is to exchange informa
tion and serve as a give and take
between the IFC and the organ
ization seeking funds.
On Monday, Feb 15 at 5:20
(make that 5:45), the Forensic
program learned not to assume
The forensic budget hearing
was not a process of exchange
or a give and take, however, it
was a waste of time
It was a waste because one of
the oldest, most respected pro
grams on campus was disman
tled beyond repair. It was a
waste of time since the IFC
(Karsten Rasmussen) had al
ready reached a decision before
the hearing and once in that
room, no hearing was done
This predisposition allowed for
the true attainment of due
process for which we are eter
nally grateful.
Forensics requested $9,700,
and increase of 19 percent over
last years budget of $8,177, and
received $5,344 This 40 per
cent cut, even lower than the
ASUO recommendation, is akin
to having five kids and telling
two of them that they won't be
eating next year Are we asking
for sympathy? You bet damn
well we are
How the IFC could so reck
lessly cripple a program estab
lished before the turn of the
century and currently ranked in
the nation's top 2 percent is
incomprehensible
The reason for our disbelief is
that we expected a cut, not a
mortal wound based on
previous biases and miscon
ceptions.
It was apparent, observing the
lack of questioning and discus
sion by the committee, that they
had already reached a funding
decision Rasmussen even
remarked, "You all know where
I stand," which we hope is not
on the IFC next year
The lack of consideration, re
spect and funding that forensics
received appalls and frightens
us, as it should the University as
a whole
Rick Poulin
rhetoric and communication
Lori Lieberman
pre-journalism
Disturbed
David Thomas' letter Feb 5
should hit home to every
student on this campus I'm in
different about the misman
agement of the post office, but I
am seriously disturbed that my
tuition is being used to fund the
gay people's group here on
campus
Let’s cut the niceties I like to
call a fag a fag I am disgusted
that my hard-earned money is
spent to keep some fag in Va
seline I find homosexuality
repugnant, and it really burns
me to be forced to support that
which I am morally opposed
On a similiar line, the ASUO
has actually published where
the money goes' in the Emerald
Again, I am sickened by what I
see There is a special interest
group for everyone except white
heterosexual males Now that’s
inequity I have to pay so that
minorities can get together and
call attention to their differ
ences, and whine and moan
about how rough they have it
Special interest groups based
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on race, such as the Black
Student Union, the Chinese
Student Association and the
Native American Student Union,
serve no purpose other than to
demonstrate how really differ
ent these people are from the
rest of the student population
Black women must be excep
tionally hardcore cases since
they have both the Black
Student Union and the Ethnic
Women's Alliance, not to men
tion the multitude of women
women's groups to help them
out
I guess I wouldn't be com
plaining so much if there was a
White Male's Student Union
Then the rest of you could know
that I am really different and
truly a member of an oppressed
group of people If any of you
white males out there have ever
tried to get a job with the U S
government, you'll know what I
mean
And what is the Muslim
Student Association? Aren't
there laws against the state
paying for religion? And if not.
why isn't there a catholic or
protestant student association
funded by the ASUO?
There is really no need to go
further The point is this: the
students at the University are
supporting special interest
groups which may serve a
useful purpose But, should we
be funding those groups which
detract from our campus and
which serve no useful purpose9
I think not
Michael Patrick Lysne
business student
Bottleneck
The computer and informa
tion science students are ex
periencing a bottleneck of their
own doing A programmer can
not rely on having computer
time available at the last minute
any more than they can rely on
their program to work the first
time
I can imagine the scene at the
computer center as students
hurriedly write programs as they
enter them at a terminal And
then spend hours debugging a
sloppily written program at a
terminal The organized
students; who started designing
the program when it was as
signed; who wrote the program
on paper and walked through its
logic before entering it on the
computer; who entered and
debugged their program weeks
ago, are the ones who complet
ed their lab on time
Increasing the computer
center's capacity to handle
peak loads (for last minute
students) will only encourage
poor programming habits I
don't feel sorry for them at all.
Jack Debrick
senior, computer science
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