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