opinion_
The 'Baby Doctor'
fights war anxieties
Dr. Benjamin Spock, noted pediatrician and co-chairman of
the National Committee for a Safe Nuclear Policy, reminded a
sparse weekend crowd in the EMU Ballroom of the everpresent
anxiety of nuclear war that we live with during "The Nuclear
Age."
He didn't need to remind people.
The threat, the tension of nuclear war, is omnipresent. It's
ironic that these nuclear weapons, which are designed to be a
deterrent to war for either side, not only threaten them, but also
threaten us.
The "Baby Doctor," as Spock has been known for more than
three decades, was concerned with the anxieties of the children.
He said their anxiety was not so much for their own lives, but for
the lives of their parents in the event of a nuclear war.
Weapons, whether defensively or offensively, are deployed
to protect a nation and ensure it's security for future genera
tions. It's more irony then that the children, the most innocent
of all, in Spock's estimation suffer the most anxiety for this
security.
Spock contends that the nuclear war anxiety, suffered in
silence through childhood, spoils a child's optimism. Optimism
turns sour and becomes cynicism in young adults. He supported
this by saying more than half the population of this country
believes there will be a nuclear war by the year 2,000.
There's no way to ascertain whether there will be a nuclear
war in the next 17 years. The prospect is horrid. No one will be
happily shouting "I told you so" on the mounds of smoking
cinders.
But Spock's views on popular cynicism must be tempered
with the realization that there are those who are dedicated to
freezing the buildup of nuclear weapons, dedicated to
eliminating missiles in Europe, and dedicated to reducing the
stockpiles of nuclear weapons.
This isn't cynicism — this is activism. Unfortunately, the site
of this activism isn't predominantly here in the United States,
nor in the Soviet Union, it's in Europe.
Still speaking to parents, Spock encouraged them to write to
the leaders of the nuclear powers. He especially encouraged
them to have their children write. Spock believes children's let
ters to leaders carry more weight and do more good. No one can
doubt the pathos of a child's plea for nuclear disarmament.
Perhaps this is so — if one recalls Samantha Smith's letter to
Soviet President Yuri Andropov and the subsequent invitation to
her to tour the Soviet Union. Smith asked Andropov to help pre
vent a nuclear war. Smith's letter must have been prompted by
the anxiety Spock spoke of — yet, instead of reacting with silent
cynicism, she expressed her anxiety in a letter.
Spock is an uncanny observer of our times. Then again, he
has the most unique vantage point. Spock is arguably the most
influential figure in the rearing of the present generation of
Americans. His theories on child-rearing were pervasive and
readily accepted by millions of parents. The children reared by
Spock's methods are now rearing children of their own.
The "Baby Doctor" has expanded his practice, now he's ex
amining the nuclear sickness of the world. As we did the
decades before, we should listen and follow his advice.
Anti-nuclear activists
more active in Europe
For the last three years European anti-nuclear activists have
engaged in the most visible and strident demonstrations. Often
the demonstrations became pitched battles with police.
West Germany was the scene Saturday of 30,000
demonstrators protesting the planned deployment of NATO
missiles in Europe.
The anti-nuclear protests in Europe beg a comparison with
political activism in the United States during the Vietnam war.
The fervor is the same — as is the determination to voice (loudly
and enmasse) opposition to the government's policy. In this in
stance it's NATO's missile deployment.
However, comparisons end there. Anti-nuclear activism in this
country is more a cause for shame than pride. The movement
here is ill-organized, ill-prepared, and largely infested with a in
active malaise notorious to this country in the '80s. Those NATO
missiles are not being deployed in the U.S. — so who cares?
While we dread sloganeering as much as anybody, involvement
is the key.
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4
2
letters
Marital law?
I'm burning with desire (as no
doubt is the entire academic com
munity, along with any other
Emerald devotees) for intimate
details (and how did this ever slip
by me in the past?) on "Philip
pines Pres. Marcos imposed
marital law in 1963" — as well as
the rest of your notice Oct. 12 cor
recting this statement to "The im
position of marital law actually oc
curred in September of 1972."
However, and if (unhappily) this
proves to be "martial" law —
forget it.
Kay Wells
Astonishing
One statement made in Tom
Visoky's Comments article is
simply astonishing — namely that
life in Cambodia under the Viet
namese occupation is "hardly
much better" than during the
reign of the Khmer Rouge. Really?
Have the Vietnamese exter
minated another 30 percent of the
remaining population since they
drove out the Khmer butchers?
I understand that Phnom Penn
has revived from the ghost town
of 1978 to become a bustling city
once more. The Buddhist temples
which the Red Cambodians con
verted to charnal houses have
been reopened for worship under
the new regime. What's my
source for these claims? That com
mie rag, The Wall Street Journal.
Mark Davis
biology graduate
Area of concern
In a recent edition of the
Emerald you published a short ar
ticle about our Outdoor Leader
ship Certificate Program. We ap
preciate the article, however,
there are two points that need
clarification. The article strongly
implied that the program would
soon constitute a minor in
Physical Education. While the pro
gram may at some point be con
sidered as a component of such a
minor, we have not made any
decisions as to what sets of
courses might eventually con
stitute minor programs in Physical
Education. The program or any
part thereof is open to any student
at the University wanting to
develop the skills and knowledge
necessary for personal or profes
sional leadership of outdoor ac
tivities. A certificate will be award
ed to those who successfully com
plete the program.
Our second area of concern was
with regard to the quote from me
that our outings “an intense ex
perience” spent "running like
mad." Out of context that is
highly misleading. Our outings
are designed to convey as much
information and provide as much
skills training as possible. While
we do "go for it," it simply isn't
possible to "run like mad" and
teach at the same time. Safety and
the need to focus on skills require
a modest pace on most outings.
The nature of our terrain and
weather are such that even begin
ning level outings occassionally
turn into epic ventures, but inten
tional pursuit of physically
rigorous and/or technically
demanding adventure is limited to
our more advanced classes. The
program offers enjpyable and ex
citing opportunities for any
reasonably fit student.
lim Blanchard
coord., outdoor pursuits program
Really bothered
Every Fall the Emerald and the
Creek community make a big
stink about what the other is do
ing to make University life less ap
pealing. I'm going to make my
contribution by telling everybody
about the things that bother me
more than anything either could
say or print about the other.
First, it really bothers me that
my roommate's girlfriend uses so
much toilet paper when she
comes over. It's always clogging
the toilet. Second, the Ant Motel
that I bought “where ants check
in but never check out" doesn't
work and we still have ants. Just
the other day I found a bunch of
dead ants floating around in my
cereal. Third, the woman in the
upstairs apartment always wakes
me up in the morning with her 10
minute jazzercize routine. And
finally, Armageddon really has me
worried.
Christopher Anderson
junior; economics, philosophy
On the house
I applaud Pres. Paul Olum's
stand on alcohol in Autzen
Stadium. He showed fine judge
ment by reversing a very hastily
made, and irresponsible decision,
which would have allowed the
sale of alcohol in Autzen.
His decision is a good one
because he kept the University
out of the tavern business, set the
safety of the community above
the desire to pad a shamefully
underfunded Athletic Department
budget, and ensured that
students would continue to sneak
in their own hooch, and not pay
the inflated prices the concession
stands were going to charge for
the proposed wine and beer.
As concerning my feeling about
drinking in the Stadium Club, I
think it's fine. At ten grand a pop,
I'd let them drink all they want.
Money doesn't come easy in
Oregon, and if these big money
doners wants to throw that kind of
cash down to sit through an
Oregon football game, then I say
"buy that man a drink!"
In fact, I hear the boys up in the
Stadium Club have to buy their
own drinks; that's no way to treat
a donor. For $10,000 (or con
siderably less) they can come over
to my house, sit in the best seats,
and watch any game they wish.
And the drinks will be on the
house.
Henry Hosfield
--,
Oregon daily . .
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Jean Ownbey
Monday, October 17; 1983