Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 1982)
Is the president paranoid? Or is he using a scare tactic to undermine support for the nuclear freeze movement? We had paranoia in the 1950s Sen Joe McCarthy waved lists of supposed communists in the state department The United States was subject to months of paranoia and Con gressional hearings to ferret out the commies in government That should have been enough of a trial of freedom of speech and political affiliation for one century But it wasn't In the 1960s we saw scare tactics This" administration used the FBI to harass U S citizens protesting the Vietnam war Time has shown that concern over U S foreign policy — not communist infiltration — fueled the anti-war movement Reagan alienates himself and divides the nation again with remarks like “foreign agents" back the nuclear freeze movement Reagan believes that a hard line and a strong military are the only ways to negotiate with the Soviet Union To him the United States has few options The president would be better served if he questioned his sources of information about the nuclear freeze movement He would benefit by discussion with the propon ents of the nuclear freeze movement — whether he accepts their ideas or not If there exists such a "solid base of information (the FBI) furnished to the White House quite some time ago," as an FBI spokesman recently said, then let s see it Let the nuclear freeze initiators, such as Oregon Senator Mark Hatfield and 4th District Congressman Jim Weaver see who is duping them. If the FBI knows of treasonous activity, they are obligat ed to investigate it If, however, Reagan and other military and federal personnel are using their position to scare would-be sup porters of the movement or color the constitutional right to support a cause and voice it, then the president better beware The nation has been down this road before and the instigators have been ousted opinion Presidential paranoia joan nylond suitable for comment Lech Walesa, recently released Solidarity leader, said he is ready to negotiate with the Polish government "not with me on my knees, but a fair, proper agreement " An impossible, but wonderful, thought Walesa, incarcerated since last April in a supposed govern ment hunting lodge, cannot negotiate fairly with a govern ment that has no sense of justice — that does not weigh equally the sides of labor and government monopoly A government whose very exis tences is based on the Red Army hovering at the border and totalitarian control of commun ication A “proper agreement" is unforeseeable in light of the eight months of improper nego tiations — negotiations in the street which have forced Solidarity underground and in stilled the fear of reprisal "Break my will, then I'll agree'' is the most inhumane of tortures — the Polish government resorts to such methods. They know killing Walesa would have fueled Solidarity, producing a martyr and perhaps civil war Even the Poles, an unusually strong people, have a threshhold on how much poli tical activism they can engage under conditions of depression and Polish winter The government waited for the national spirit to weaken and Brezhnev's death to be announced to let Walesa out Walesa will be able to help further the Polish workers by using his trump cards, internal Polish government fear of the Soviet Union under Andropov and public support The Polish government takes a risk in let ting him out, that is, unless he is "on his knees " Any reversals by Walesa on the aims of Solidarity, should be weighed in the light of eight months of brain washing and will-breaking If it appears that the new Walesa is collaborating with the Polish authorities, it is not the same man who led Solidarity Regardless, Walesa deserves world respect for his sheer ability to "stick it out," as the Polish underground papers said 1 Oregon daily _ - emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald is published Monday through Friday except during exam week and vacations, by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co at the University of Oregon Eugene OR 97403 The Emerald operates independently of the University with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union and is a member of the Associated Press Newt and Editorial SHe-SS11 Display Advertising and Butsness Mt-3712 Classified Advertising §8«-4343 Production Mft-4381 Circulation •••-§511 Editor Harry E Steve Managing Editor News Editor Assistant News Editor Editorial Page Editor Photo Editor Sports Editor Associate Sports Editor Entertainment Editor Night Editor Associate Editors Higher Education Departments and Schools Student Government Features Politics Community General Staff Advertising Manager Classified Advertising Production Manager Controller John Healy Marian Green Cort Fern eld Joan Nyiand Bob Baker Mike Riplinger Paul Oan/er Jonathan Stegle Debbie Hewlett Debbie Mowlett Sandy Johnstone Richard Burr Sean Meyers Mm -help MatA*fta David Brown Darlene Gore SaMy Ot|Af Victoria Koch Jean Ownbey miss kO-^t OHUlCT ' ...This. UCWW6R SHOULD NOT, IN ANY WAV, BE CONSTRUED AS A CHANGE OP ZOORXICY ' 1 letters Misquoted In the Friday Emerald I was misquoted in the following manner: I absolutely do believe, and feel others should also believe, that the Soviet Union is a totally totalitarian state. I do not un derstand how I was quoted as having said the opposite Perhaps this stems from a mis understanding or was taken out of context I by no means ruled out the chances of Andropov becoming Brezhnev's successor On the contrary, I maintained that, unfortunately for the citizens of the USSR and us, he is the most likely person to be appointed (at least in the short-run). I also said that his appointment to this po sition would be a disaster to any human rights considerations in the Soviet Union That was why I said I foresaw the Soviets appointing a more conservative leader Aside from these two minor discrepancies, I would like to commend the reporter for com posing a rather good article I recognize the difficulty inherent in integrating the statements of two different individuals into one coherent article Ronald Wlxman professor, geography Editor's note: Professor Wixman was wrongly attributed as saying that "People in the West ought to stop thinking of the Soviet Union as a totally totalitarian system " The quote is that of Prof Joseph Fiszman Grow up Retorting the letter on jug glers in the Nov 11 Emerald, I would first like to ask Joan Nyland why such a blatantly fascist letter was printed Secondly. I would like to ask Scott how he would respond it he were to have some snob nosed petite bourgeoisie come up to him and say "get a job you taggot " I think Scott might get a good taste of his own redneck-neo-tascism if he were cognizant enough to acknow ledge the insult Thirdly, what possible job opening can there be for a journalist who uses run-on sen tences, is bigoted, and is sexist and narrow-minded. Really Scott, grow up Richard Silverman On reality I know I'll feel better if I hear tjiat journalism junior is major ing in the study and practice of libel His assertions regarding the appearance, character and skill of the jugglers practicing on carhpus are only slightly less ludicrous than his accusation of physical assault. What the fuck does he mean when he writes, "One of those no-good jugglers threw it at me THREW IT AT HIM1? Why? Why would a paclfist-wimp hippie-drain-on-society faggot-long-hair-juggler throw a club at a student who aspires to inform the world of reality? Love, man Hilary Anthony Corrections R Carl Cole's letter entitled No Communist" in the Nov 11 Emerald had a typing error The Register-Guard ads, referred to by Cole, were printed on Nov 1, a day before the election Another error occured in Kyle DeBord s letter Against grain The last sentence should have read, "A draft resister does as much to preserve our way of life' or defend freedom in the western world as any U S Marine," letters policy The Emerald will attempt to print all letters containing fair comment on topics of interest to the University community Letters to the editor must be limited to 250 words, signed and the identification of the writer must be verified when the letter is turned in to the Emerald office The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length, style or content "Your turn" is an Emerald opinion feature submitted by members of fhe University community Your turns" must be limited to 500 words and typed This editorial column will not be edited by the staff, but selection will be based on appro priateness letters to the editor and "Your turns' should be turned into the Emerald office, Suite 300 EMU Unsigned editorials appearing in the Emerald are based upon the majority opinion of the editorial board
