opinion
Solomon smiles as
court reviews law
Why is Rep. Gerald Solomon, R-N.Y., smiling?
The author of the law bearing his name is smiling
because it appears the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn a
district court ruling and declare the draft registration com
pliance statute constitutional.
"I'm certainly smiling," Solomon said after listening to
arguments in a lawsuit brought by six college students in
Minnesota.
justice William Brennan, at one point, said he did not
understand why the students maintained they were
"compelled" to incriminate themselves by signing the com
pliance form. The lawyer for the students, William Keppel,
replied the "compulsion stems from their need.”
Keppel went on to argue the law infringed on the
students' constitutional right to avoid self-incrimination and
punishes them before they have been found guilty of
disobeying any Selective Service rules. Last June a judge in
Minnesota agreed with the students' arguments and struck
down the statute.
But on the government's side, Solicitor General of the
United States Rex Lee, argued the district court decision
should be overturned because the statute does not result in
any actual punishment for those who refuse to register, but
only denies them "a noncontractual federal benefit."
Lee said the purpose of Solomon's law was to ensure
more students complied with draft registration laws, not to
penalize those who object to registration.
Apparently the statute has been very successful. Lee told
the court that the number of students who have registered
for the draft has increased dramatically. He said only 3 per
cent of those eligible had failed to registered. This is down
from the 7 percent who did not register for the draft last year.
Lee argued the law did not force students to incriminate
themselves because they are not compelled to apply for
federal aid nor to inform the government about their draft
registration status. Rounding out his arguments Lee used a
classic double negative. "It's not a crime not to apply for stu
dent aid," he said.
Keppel reminded the justices that upholding the
Solomon law could have far-reaching implications on other
government programs and benefits.
"Government.. .will be able to force people to swear or
certify that they have committed no crimes in order to
receive government benefits," Keppel said. As an example
Keppel predicted people who want to get a driver's license
could be forced to sign a form certifying they have never
smoked marijuana.
The coercive aspect of Smilin' Solomon's statute is part
of what we deplore. However, the fact that economically
disadvantaged students who would normally be unable to
pay their college costs may be denied federal aid because of
their religious or moral beliefs is unconscionable. Solomon's
Amendment creates gender and wealth distinctions whith
have no relationship to federal financial aid provisions.
Solomon will continue to smile — it looks fairly certain
the Supreme Court will rule in the registration compliance
statute. Solomon can wave the flag claiming "without the law
there's discrimination against all 11 million patriotic
Americans who have registered," but educational opportuni
ty and patriotism don't seem the same to us.
So who cares?
They're just bums
There's cause for hope and perhaps a reason to rejoice —
The Department of Housing and Urban Development said
Tuesday that there are only 350,000 homeless people in this
country, not the millions estimated by some (cheesy,
undependable, probably Democratic, fly-by-night) non
governmental organizations.
It is so reassuring to know that in this mighty nation of
ours, a nation that can spend billions upon billions on
military defense, only a paltry 350,000 people wander
America's streets destitute.
We are certainly overjoyed that these 350,000 homeless
aren't among those who aren't hungry in this country. Ap
parently hunger isn't a very widespread problem either.
!t was just pansy liberal sour grapes that prompted Rep.
Barney Frank, D-Mass. to say the government was "trying to
define the homeless out of existence., .because they (HUD)
don't want to spend money on the problem."
If the number of homeless is so small the government is
right to just let 'em rot in the rain. Short of a Swiftian modest
proposal, the government should do nothing about its in
digent citizens — except maybe adjust the statistics.
all ikying To <#r me' i know you're au our mRBf m<ftHGTo<%rW<Kst'..'
letters
Safe with us
Photo by Ken Kromer. I don't
know when or where those
words first appeared. I do know
that they appeared four years
ago this month on the posters
proclaiming my suitability for
the ASUO presidency. He was a
lighthearted freshman photo
enthusiast then, and just
wanted a chance to practice his
craft. In the intervening years he
practiced it very well indeed.
More importantly, he shared his
zest for being a person with all
who came in contact with him.
His example served to let me
smile in the rain and live glad to
be living.
A few weeks ago he
photographed us as we counted
ballots. I said a brief hello, made
some humorous comment, then
went back to counting. The next
week he is dead. Death is that
simple. Bob Dylan said the rest
better than I ever could:
"May God bless and keep you
always,
May your wishes all come
true,
May you always do for others,
And let others do for you.
May you build a ladder to the
stars
And climb on every rung,
And may you stay forever
young.”
Good-bye, Ken. You are safe
with us.
Alan Contreras
law
Nutty-marvy
I have confirmed, commuting
from classes, that the campus
squirrel community has suf
fered a drastic depopulation.
The extinction possibility stems
not from the ever-present
budget cuts, but correlates with
the obvious influx of non-local
transients (presuming that tran
sients may possess locale).
Last weekend I had the unfor
tunate pleasure of witnessing
three transients stalk and cap
ture a bewildered squirrel.
These Cro-Magnon like
creatures proceeded to
decapitate and skin the
harmless animal. I stood in
amazement. Predictably the ro
dent was skewered, barbecued
and devoured in no mannerly
fashion.
I prefer squirrels to transients;
they don't pester one for small
change, nor do they scour trash
bins in search of that elusive
returnable bottle. Yes, I under
stand that the trickle down
theory has yet to sprinkle on all
castes of the American society.
Nevertheless, this type of
famished human behavior
jeopardizes the active growth of
the campus squirrel population.
Bruce Bedortha
senior, international studies
Sadness, loss
I said maybe six words to Ken
Kromer before his death Mon
day. But I knew him. I feel a
tremendous loss and sadness,
words — inadequate.
Last February, Kromer, on
assignment, met with several
tired but enthusiastic nuclear
protestors at 2 a.m. at the
Growers' Market. We all
sacrificed sleep to drive to
Portland to try to stop the White
(or Death) train which carried
nuclear warheads to Bangor
Washington. We all held hands
and gave each other our
strength and energy. I im
mediately identified with
Kromer and sensed his spirit.
Kromer was with us the whole
way. He wasn't there just as a
photographer. He ate, talked,
lacked sleep, prayed and held
hands with us. He wasn't there
just physically, but in spirit as
well; and his spirit was essential
in the unifying chain of all in
volved. His photos held all this
life and spirit.
And Cod. When we saw the
train coming towards us in the
distance and we sat in horror
and excitement, knowing what
this train meant death, clut
ching each other, not knowing
if this huge white monster
would stop — Kromer was there.
As a journalist, and even
more, a human, I was thrilled to
see Kromer putting his whole
self into an "assignment." He
became a big part of me. In
spiration and truth.
I know all about objectivity in
journalism. There is no such
thing as objectivity when it
comes to total destruction of all
life — the nuclear arms race.
Kromer knew that. He knew
about life.
I long to see his love of life in
others.
Shannon Kelley
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