editorial
Making a mistake
in the Philippines
The administration of President Ronald Reagan has re
quested that Congress approve a sharp increase in military
and economic aid to the Philippine government of Ferdi
nand Marcos. The reason given for this increase in aid (a
total of $275 million, up 20 percent from last year) comes
from reports that the communist insurgency battling the
Marcos government is gaining strength.
Reagan’s request for military aid comes at a time when
support for Marcos among the Filipino people has hit an all
time low. Anti-Marcos street demonstrations are com
monplace. The assassination of opposition leader Benigno
Aquino in 1983 brought most of the moderate politicians in
to the strong anti-Marcos coalition. It is clear that Marcos
days in power are numbered.
Where does the United States stand in the changing
political winds of the Philippines? Just as with the Shah of
Iran and Somoza in Nicaragua, the U.S. government is mak
ing a last ditch effort to keep Marcos in power. The people of
the Philippines, however, have warned the Reagan ad
ministration that as long as Marcos remains in power, the
chances of democracy are slim. Opposition members have
repeatedly called for an end to U.S. support of the Marcos
regime. But Reagan has declared that support of Marcos is
essential to prevent a communist takeover of that country.
Filipino opposition leaders, however, say that it is U.S. sup
port of the Marcos dictatorship that is strengthening the
communist insurgency. According to Charita Planas, a
Filipino exile living in Washington D.C., “ As long as the
United States continues to support Marcos then the Filipino
people will turn to the Left.”
The United States must not make the same mistake in
the Philippines that it made in Iran and Nicaragua. Con
tinued support of the Marcos government ignores the real
issues behind the growing anti-Marcos movement. It is not
communism that has led to the strong opposition to Marcos,
it is economic injustice and political repression carried out
during more than a decade of brutal martial law. A revolu
tion is inevitable in the Philippines as long as the United
States continues to stand behind the Marcos dictatorship. As
Planas pointed out when she visited the University last
year,‘‘The best way for America to protect its national in
terests is to make friends. You lose friends when you sup
port dictators like Marcos.”
New kind of drug raises
some interesting questions
Neuropharmacologicals are coming. That’s right, the
age of “thought drugs” is upon us. These new drugs will be
able to target specific sites of the brain and generate specific
behaviors — such as improved memory — in people. Accor
ding to Dr. Herman Weingartener, chief of cognitive studies
at the National Institute of Mental Health, “We are sitting on
a revolution that rivals quantum physics in the 1920’s.”
Marketed in pill form, these new drugs will be designed
to enhance learning and memory. Pharmaceutical com
panies have shown excitement about the potential for such
drugs. The Washington Post reports that, “Drugs like these
will sell all over the world.” Of course there are some in
teresting questions. For example, will University students
be barred from taking such drugs before exams? If so, will
students be forced to submit to urinalysis tests? Should pro
fessionals in competitive mental situations be allowed to
turn to drugs to boost cognitive productivity? Of even
greater concern is what the development of “thought drugs”
might lead to. Ever heard of mind control?
Oregon doily . a
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“JUMP!" //
letters
Stepping-up
In response to Shasta Hatter’s
letter (ODE, March 6) concern
ing ROTC: Shasta has decided
to only scratch the surface of the
ROTC program, rather than
honestly research.
Cadets are ideally assigned
according to a synthesis of the
Army’s prerequisites and of
your personal goals. If a student
receives a branch other than
those which he/she preferred,
then there is a re-submittal pro
cess to pursue. It is very
seldom, however, that you do
not receive any of the top four
branches you have applied to. If
you wish to receive a reserve
forces commission (which
trains one weekend per month
and for a two week period an
nually), you can select any unit
• that corresponds with your
preferred branch.
ROTC does not emphasize
technical skills as a priority,
just as literature does not re
quire a mere vocabulary of
words or phrases. ROTC, like
all educational organizations,
emphasizes the gradual
stepping-up from a basic
knowledge (tool-gathering) to
an advanced analytical stage
comprising leadership,
management, and the use of
available mental and physical
tools toward a goal (conceptual
blockbusting).
The objective of the ROTC
program is, in all, the develop
ment of a student into an ac
complished individual in or
outside of the duties of an of
ficer. ROTC provides you with
the tools to progressively pur
sue these goals in life. You help
your country, and you help
yourself.
P.S. The financial support
isn’t bad either.
Stephen Hansen
Architecture/ROTC
Totally false
I wish to address a point that
was made in the new issue of
the ASUO publication “Off the
Record,” a point that grossly
misrepresented the
philosophical standpoint that is
held by the Oregon Student
Public Interest Research Group.
Randy Choy, the author of the
article on student activism, mis
quoted our state board chairper
son as saying that OSPIRG is
“anti-Reagan” in the area of en
vironmental issues. This
“quote” implies that OSPIRG
takes part in partisan politics, a
conclusion that is totally false.
As a member of OSPIRG’s state
board, I resent the implication
that we are a partisan group.
When the issues we work on are
chosen, each one is examined
closely to make certain that they
will have widespread support
and that the changes that an
issue may bring about will help
a broad cross-section of con
sumers, regardless of individual
political viewpoints.
Furthermore, contrasting
OSPIRG with a self-admitted
partisan student organization
strengthens the false implica
tion that OSPIRG is partisan.
We approach issues with the
thought that all citizens who
rent homes, pay utility bills, or
want to live in a clean state will
be helped. Because we have
members from all parts of the
political spectrum, we are able
to maintain a good balance and
can address issues that are
widely accepted and beneficial.
I would ask that when repor
ting about a group, that group’s
policies should be clearly
understood and printed correct
ly. Misrepresentation can only
lead to misunderstanding, both
of which are unnecessary and
uncalled for.
Jeffrey Bissonnette
OSPIRG
Pinko-infested
Congratulations Kim Mackey!
It is pleasing to see that there
are still a few exceptionally
logical thinkers on this pinko
infested campus. While 1 do
agree with the principles
behind attempts to end the horr
rific system of apartheid. 1 also
question the rationale behind
divestment. Any social
psychologist will tell you that .
one of the primary factors in
strengthening a group's
cohesiveness is a percieved
threat from outside forces. The
Afrikaaner extremists are a
tenacious group, increasingly
united by the divestment" cam
paign. It is ironic that their
resolve to maintain apartheid is
drawing renewed energy from
the very attempts to end it.
Proponents of divestment are
quick to point out that their ac
tions will only hurt a “few
million" of the 22 million
blacks in South Africa. This at
titude corrodes the basic values
of the altruistic anti-apartheid
movement which they claim to
be part of. Can’t they take off
their blinders and face the fact
that the recent riots lacked the
participation of one group of
blacks — those employed by
American companies; those
who are being given equal pay
and opportunity only because of
American investment?
Finally, let’s not clothe
ourselves in the fuzzy coat of
“pseudo-altruism” by boycot
ting movies made by South
African companies. If you
refuse to watch “The Gods Must
Be Crazy” then you must also
refuse to work on l.B.M. com
puters, drive G.M. cars, and
store food in G.E. refrigerators.
After all, using these items also
symbolizes “support” for apar
theid. Or does it?
Tony Morris
A non-racist
South African
Thursday, March 14, 1985