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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 30, 1982)
I Deny MX toy box How the Congress could deny the president his new Wyoming-based toy box is beyond the ken of the Emer ald Vet, there are some concerned defense-oriented Con gressmen who actually have the unmitigated audacity to fight our commander-in-chief on the truly lethal dense pack MX But a look at the defense capabilities of the weapon will assure the most skeptical that this weapon is based on the deafest of defense plans The MX is based on the profound fear of a nuclear first-strike attack on the United States by the Soviets The greatness of the $35 billion little set of explosives depends on a fratricide theory — they nuke one pack of our bombs, but can't get them all in one fell swoop Their radioactive mist is so thick that they deflect their own second or third cluster of bombs giving the MX time to deploy. The fratricide theory also assumes that our dense pack of bombs — kind of a six-pack of bombs stored in a 14 by 1 5 mile block of silos — will be able to get through the radioac tive stuff and counterattack Opponents of the MX mention that the dense pack missiles could be destroyed by one big bomb developed by 1990 But in their infinite wisdom the military strategists have an answer: The Soviets are cheap They will not spend money on a bomb big enough to take out the rectangle of densely packed MX's. And if that isn't enough insurance, the weapons tinkers could eventually build an anti-ballistic missile that would explode any Whooper Soviet bomb The ABM’s would break our SALT agreement to “limit" ABM usage, but gosh were talking about a system that assumes a first strike MX’s are better than the Minutemen because they can be moved — loaded on trucks and discharged from them The Congress already considered the “Peace train" MX under Carter — nobody wanted it rumbling through their land Now the President wants a “Peacekeeper.” What logic defies installing an easily-moveable-temporari ly-permanent set of bombs that presuppose a nuclear war so that we never have one? The Emerald understands. However, we support the Congressional clear-thinkers who ask that our defense budget be scrutinized Even funds for conventional warfare or aid to the personnel in the armed forces would be better than this continued saga of escalation before negotiation Ultimately, the president should consider giving up the toy box and consider arms reductions. But that definitely is above the Emerald's ken opinion letters Love letter This is an open love letter to everyone connected with the University Theatre production of "Oh, What a Lovely War!" It was a marvelous production of the play, superior to the film version The juxtaposition of monstrous and horrifying World War I experience with a com bination of dance, farce, music hall routines, poignant scenes and bitter comedy came as a shock to older people in the audience, but to a Saturday Night Live generation, it seemed very effective I’d love to see the theatre jammed with students We laughed, caught our breaths, even came close to tears during this fine and imaginative production Thanks to eveyone, in particular those incredibly fine singers Barbara Nlcholls Counselor for Student Athletes || letters Butchered By now I am quite accus tomed to being misquoted by Emerald interviewers, although I still wish they would employ a tape recorder or at least learn to use shorthand when interview ing I am less accustomed to but not very concerned about my utterances (for a change accurately reported) being attributed to my good friend Ron Wixman; although the quote ran contra to his own "absolute beliefs,” I felt it makes him at least look good — so why not? (Emerald, Nov 12 and 15) Neither am I bothered by having my picture (taken by your very talented Dave Kao) appear in reverse (Nov 12) or being described as "a professor of Russian" (Nov 18); the Rus sian language is, after all, very beautiful and I love Russian literature What really annoys me is having my jokes butchered (Nov 18) Once Stalin executed the stationmaster, engineer and conductor, they were obviously no longer available for "re education" by Khrushchev, or anyone else What Khrushchev did was "rehabilitate” the stationmas ter, engineer and conductor — posthumously, of course — but the train still did not move It is only at that point that Brezhnev stepped in to draw the blinds and pretend movement Unlike the train in the Soviet joke, the Emerald does move and fast — but, unfortunately, too often along some wayward tracks Joseph Flszman professor, political science No resolutions Speaking only for myself and not as a spokesperson for Students Opposed to Registra tion and the Draft (SORD), I would like to provide a few corrections in order to clarify what occurred at the Nov. 23 meeting reported in the Emerald The new group has made very few actual resolutions so far, because it is so new, and the goal is for unanimous agreement on permanent deci sions Your article gave the impression that some topics which were only debated were actually resolved No "vows" were taken as to opposition to the many war-related organiza tions your article quoted Those were not resolutions We are concentrating on simple logis tics and organization of a student groups at this stage, and those "vows" we felt were premature, though later they will be debated again A particularly important mis understanding on the part of your reporter was the statement that "some members opposed having to abide by University rules " That was never an issue at the meeting for one moment The discussion was of the pos sibility of University control im pinging on the goals of the group to organize its admin istration and activities along the equitable lines we have adopt ed. Our affiliation with the University as a student group was not postponed After our third organizational meeting today, we will apply as a student group The more members we have, the happier we will be One last correction must be made Our third meeting and the last one for this term will be held in Room 112 EMU, not the room your article said It will be held today at 7 00 pm and anyone interested is urged to come help tie things together It is a fine, enthusiastic group Molly Wtdmer Eugmno Human factor If you support the use of United States soldiers in other nations' conflicts then maybe you should think about who would and wouldn't be drafted into a war Homosexuals, drug addicts, members of anti-American groups and the like are currently exempt from military service They stay home if war breaks out. Also exempt are those with mental and physical problems. Instead our country sends its healthy, intelligent and patriotic young men to die on foreign battlefields. In nature the strong survive to raise posterity, but in the human world the strong are chosen to be blasted away Remember, for every young man of that group killed that's one less father who would have passed on desirable traits to another generation Besides sacrificing men of that category, now some "champions of equality" want to place young women in the ranks as well I see no better way to accelerate the depletion of the cream of the crop of a nation Whose side are pro-draft, pro-war types on anyway? Each war has sapped this country's strength not only economically, but socially and genetically as well Each war this century has taken heavy toll on the finest products of our culture nearly every two decades Such a weeding out process will be disasterous for our civilization s strength in the longrun Think about it Extinction is forever and when a young person is killed in combat that's the end of that potential family line Are our national interests best served in fighting in some foreign war or protecting our greatest resource — our people? Lori Parkman 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 ot 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 ot the Associated Press News and Editorial MS- 4511 Display Advertising and Butanes* 614 3712 Classified Advertising 6*6 4343 Production 666 4381 Circulation SS6-S411 Editor Marry Esleve Managing Editor News Editor Assistant News Editor Editorial Page Editor Photo Editor vSports Editor Associate Sports Editor Entertainment Editor Night Editor Associate Editor* Higher Education Departments and Schools Student Government Eeatures Politics Community General Staff Advertising Manager Classified Advertising Production Manager Controller John Mealy Marian Green Com Eernaid Joan Nytand Bob Baker Mike Riplinger Paul Dan/er Jonathan Siegle Dane c Janssen Debbie Mowlett Sandy Johnstone Richard Burr Sean Meyers Michele Matassa David Brown Darlene Gore Sally Oijar Victoria Koch Jean Ownbey 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 mutt be limited to 250 words, typed, 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 the 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. 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