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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 28, 1983)
opinion_ It's a black comedy in European theater It's more than a little galling that Pres. Ronald Reagan has the affront to call himself the “Peacemaker" and yet has allowed the Soviets to walk out of the U.S.-Soviet arms talks in Geneva Switzerland with his irrational insistence on deploying the Per shing II and cruise missiles in Western Europe on schedule. In fairness to Reagan the Pershing II and cruise missile deployment was planned in 1979 under the administration of Pres. Jimmy Carter. Still, for a president who abhors all pro grams and policies by previous Democratic administrations Reagan has certainly taken Carter's missile deployment to heart. In fact, he's adhering to the letter to this Democratic plan. Reagan has renewed the arms race and put this country (and perhaps all of Western Europe) balancing before the precipice of nuclear war. The Soviets, matching Reagan's hardline approach, are also on the crumbling edge of the precipice. The Soviets are just as obsessed by this mad game as the Reagan government. Until the Pershing II and cruise missiles are in Western Europe it's all bluff and bluster. Why must Reagan conduct arms diplomacy as if it were a game of poker? Apparently the limited view of the art of diplomacy is to bluff on every hand and keep ine guns on me raoie. ine promem wun Keagan s poxer diplomacy is that it's a high stakes game with human lives being tossed into the pot. The way the U.S. and Soviets play there will be only one hand — and no winner. The Reagan administration, in its most recent statements, said it will deploy the missiles no matter what. The missiles are to strengthen NATO forces in Western Europe, but it may have the opposite effect. The people of Western Europe, loudly and in unprecedented masses, are demonstrating against the December deployment. Leaders of NATO countries consider the hundreds of thousands demonstrators an insignificant portion of the population. They're not, look for significant votes against the existing governments (specifically the government of West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl) the next time European coun tries go to the polls. The more sensible countries, seeing its own citizens in near revolt, are having second thoughts over its par ticipation in NATO. The Soviets have, as expected, countered the U.S.-prompted deployment. The madness is mutal, and not simply the purview of this country. Soviet Pres. Yuri Andropov, announcing the deployment of additional SS-20 missiles in East Germany and other Warsaw Pact nations, said the action was the direct result of the failure of the Geneva arms talks and the deployment of 572 intermediate-range missiles in NATO countries. Richard Ovinnikov, Soviet ambassador to the United Na tions, while betraying a hint of culpability, accused the U.S. of escalating the arms race. "We all have started on a new spiral of madness, of nuclear race," he said. "The preference of this (U.S.) administration was to start it in the hope that they can prevail over the Soviet Union." Not everyone in the Reagan administration has the steely eyes, nor icewater blood for this one-hand-to-the-death poker diplomacy. Fred Ikle, undersecretary of defense, said "What worries us is the buildup of theater nuclear forces in Europe. We don't know if they're going to just continue it (missile deploy ment) or accelerate it." The question is whether Reagan, in the flowing robes of his self-designated role as the "Peacemaker”, can indeed make peace. What became of Reagan's "zero option" plan or the re cent and widely touted (and equally mocked) "build-down" plan? Were these just throwaway lines in a script entitled "The Day Before"? Reagan has said his administration would do "everything we can" to bring the Soviets back to the bargaining table in Geneva. Has he really done everything? Reagan could induce the Soviets to return to the bargaining table if he'd order a postponement of the initial Pershing II deployment in December. The planned deployment is really a plan with more problems than solutions. Andropov has said negotiations could not be resumed until NATO reversed the missile deployment. A postponement, while not to be confused with a reversal, would show Reagan sincerely seeks to negotiate arms accords with the Soviets. But, if judging by the blustering and betting, the "Peacemaker" plays a warmonger's game. Oregon daily emerald Fhe Oregon Doty f mrriM it published Monday through Fri day enrepl during rum week and va« atmnt, by the Oregon Flatly fmerald Publishing Co., al the University ol Oregon, tugene. Off 77401 Fhe Fmerald operates independently of the University with offices on the third floor ol the Irb Memorial Union and is a member ol the Associated Press News and Ifftand Display Advertising and >useless Clesssdied Advertising Prods* Ives Crrrutatmn Mt4-I7ll MSA 4 141 A4A..II us-ttai AM-Aft I r*n*2 I fim >r Managing Idllor Nfws (dilor Assistant News (ditto tditonal Pi(r (ditto Photo (ditto Sports iditto Sidelines I ditto I nterlainmrnl (ditto Assistant I nlt-rtamment I ditto Night (ditto A too Mir Idtlon Highri (duration Departments and St boots Student Government Irttuftrt Puli Ik s ( i immunity (owral SUll Advertising Mmigi'i l lassilted Advertising Pttidut iooi Manager Controller Debbie Howlett Sandy lohnslont* I tank Shaw Brenda Ibtunlon ( on fernald Dave Kao Doug levy John Mealy Angela Allen Motgan Kim C arlson (rank Shaw Doug Nash Melissa Martin |im Moore loan Herman Brooks Daretl Mn hele Matassa Darlene Core Sally Otjar V it tuna Koth lean Ownbey letters Pro-life, ERA Unfortunately, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was brought to the floor of the House of Representatives under a rule that allowed no amendments and limited debate to only 40 minutes. It was hoped that by this device the questions of the ERA'S effect on abortion and abortion funding would not have to be addressed. These constraints significantly contributed to the defeat of the ERA. Under ERA, the courts would be likely to rule that denial of federal and state funding for a female only “medical procedure" (abor tion) is a form of "sex discrimina tion." If so, the ERA would in validate the Hyde Amendment and all state restrictions on abor tion funding. ERA could also in validate the few types of pro-life laws which the courts now regard as constitutional, such as "cons cience" laws, which protect medical personnel and institu tions from being compelled to participate in abortions. To prevent such disastrous results, Rep. lames Sensenbren ner (R-Wis.) proposed adding these words to the text of the ERA: "Provided, that nothing in this ar ticle (the ERA) shall be construed to grant or secure any right to abortion of the funding thereof." If this simple amendment had been adopted, the ERA would have no effect (positive or negative) on abortion law. Prominent pro-abortion, pro ERA organizations, such as the League of Women Voters and the National Organization for Women, are alarmed by the Sensenbrenner Amendment. Although they are claiming that there is no link between abortion and ERA, they were also applying strong pressure to representatives to vote against the Sensenbrenner Amendment. If there were really no fRA-abortion link, why would they oppose it? I feel that an understanding of ERA'S abortion link is necessary if we are eventually going to achieve equal rights for all women, in cluding unborn women. foe Hegarty Oregon right to life Don't ride Striking Greyhound Corp. workers' resistance to deep wage and benefit cuts deserves the sup port of the University community. Greyhound has refused binding arbitration, whereby a neutral third party would determine a fair settlement. In adopting their in transigent bargaining position, the parent company seeks to break the Amalgamated Transit Union which represents drivers, mechanics and bus terminal staff. Greyhound's assault on its own work force is becoming standard policy among our corporations, who sense weakness in organized labor, in part engineered by Reagan policies which shift wealth from poorer to well-off, from weak to strong. This trend pro mises an increasing polarization of our society; a richer, smaller elite and burgeoning impoverish ment of wage and salary earners. Your profession may be the next under attack. Support safe, fair bus service. Don't ride Greyhound. Paul Ferguson industrial relations Or what? Dear Brandon Shepard; Are you a complete dolt, or what? Don't you realize that student loans-have to be paid back, and that students are expected to earn allocated workstudy funds? Further, the majority of financial aid recipients are responsible in dividuals who use the oppor tunities provided by financial aid to further their education. The government of the United States is supposedly in favor of higher education for those in the popula tion who cannot otherwise afford it. For this reason they provide r financial aid to those individuals. You state that: when one asks a favor of the American people to loan one "free" money, one should be willing to do something in return, including placing oneself on call in case of a na tional emergency. I believe risking death for one's country is a hell of a big "favor." Tell you what, next time you ap ply for a new car loan, or a home loan we'll have you sign away your life, or perhaps your first born child. We could have you sign away your brain, but obviously that wouldn't do as much good now, would it? Ellen Menaker English Another Friday Friday night I watched the news Ex-Gen, er, Al Haig in Albany Veterans day breakfast and festivities in the rain. Yes sir. He likes the patriotism of the town. Yeah. Saturday late morning on the way to Portland I passed through Albany in the rain I could just smell the patriotism as I passed Wah Chang. Hey Honey, I lopked at my wife this is where they make zirconium to kill, deter, kill, deter, kill, deter tilt the populations slash people. In America we don't eat quiche we gonna die without boots on. Yeah. Yo Alex. I'm a vet too. Drug wars. Germany 77 through 79 Remember? Hell, I got scars. Hey sir. I tried to fight, waste and stupidity too but all I heard was "Don't make waves, jeoparodize rank.” No one made pancakes for me on Veterans day. Greg Brilowski senior, psychology, art letters policy The Emerald will attempt to print all letters containing fair comment on topics of interest to the University community. *° editor must be limited to 250 words, typed, sign er and the identification of the writer must be verified when the etter is turned in. The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length, style or content. Comment is an Emerald opinion feature submitted by members of the University community. "Comment" columns must be limited to 500 words and typed. Letters to the editor and "Comment" columns should be turned into the Emerald office. Suite 300, EMU. U__in 1QA1
