editorial
Refection of freeze
an unfortunate move
Let’s not be foolish and pretend that all Soviet offers to
achieve arms control are based upon some high
humanitarian principle. They are not. Yet, the fact remains
that we live in a world with enough nuclear weapons to
destroy life on earth a hundred times over. Given this reality
and the urgency of halting the arms race, it is indeed disap
pointing that President Ronald Reagan immediately rejected
the idea behind Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s
unilateral freeze on the deployment of Soviet medium-range
nuclear missiles. • .
The reason given by the Reagan administration is that if
the United States agrees to join the freeze, then the Soviets
will be left with nuclear superiority. Sound familiar? That’s
because this is the same reason Reagan has used since 1980
to justify a continuous nuclear weapons build-up.
It could be argued that the Soviet announcement to
freeze the deployment of medium-range SS-20 missiles at
current levels is meaningless because they contain three
warheads each compared to the single-warhead Pershing
and Cruise missiles. But this does not take into account ad
ditional missiles aimed at Russia from U.S. submarines and
bombers in Europe, which in turn doesn’t take into account
Soviet missiles in Asia, which doesn’t take into account
British and French missiles aimed at Moscow and so on and
so forth.
It is clear that the Soviet freeze on medium-range
missiles will not make Europe or the rest of the world any
safer from a nuclear holocaust. But it will (at least temporari
ly) halt the deployment of new medium-range missiles. In a
world faced with a massive nuclear overkill capacity, a halt
on the deployment of any nuclear missile should be viewed
as a starting point out of the current nuclear madness we all
live with. Yet, in its haste to reject the Soviet freeze in
itiative, the Reagan administration missed this all-too
important point. Reagan was too busy calling the Soviet
move “propaganda” and “meaningless” to consider that
maybe, just maybe, the United States ought to accept this
freeze initiative and then challenge the Soviets to a more
substantial reduction of nuclear weapons.
Perhaps such a commitment towards world peace is too
much to ask of Reagan. As a president, his political legacy is
built upon promoting a nuclear weapons build-up: the MX,
the Stealth Bomber, the B-l Bomber, the Pershing II and the
Cruise represent just a few. In Reagan’s view, nuclear
missiles are the real “Peacekeepers” on earth and the people
who support a freeze on nuclear weapons, well, they’re just
dupes of Soviet propaganda.
Enlistment goes down
and a draft comes up
Not since 1979 has recruitment for the U.S. Armed Ser
vices been so low. In fact, after a four year upward swing in
military enlistment, things took a dive in 1984. It is enough
of a dive to get the Department of Defense nervous. And
when the D.O.D. gets nervous about declining enlistment it
takes action. That’s right folks, the word is out: America
needs a new military draft.
Gen. Bernard W. Rogers, commander of American
forces in Europe, and Lawrence J. Korb, Assistant Secretary
of Defense for Manpower, told Congress last week that a
military draft is needed if America is going to be able to
maintain a strong defense. The draft is especially urgent
because low enlistment comes at a time when the Air Force,
Navy and Marines have stated their need for more “man
power” to operate new weapons. Where might those new
weapons be used? One good guess is Central America.
'SB? I IMP You This WOULD WORK
letters
Wfflp* 35S
AEREAW GORBACHEV WAN1S A SUMMIT."
A lot of nerve
Mr. Carlos Diaz must have a
hell of a lot of nerve writing a
degrading personal diatribe like
the one published under the ti
tle “AIDS strikes all” (ODE
April 3).
For those who didn’t read Mr.
Diaz’s article, his personal at
tack on a female writer contain
ed the comment “The next time
you decide to give a little head
or go for a roll in the hay, you
might consider the conse
quences.” Hey, maybe Mr. Diaz
gets off on such vile comments
but unless one personally
knows somebody’s sexual
habits they have absolutely no
right to imply anything about
them, even if the strategy might
have been an attempt to degrade
somebody so they'll look better
in comparison.
Mr. Diaz, quite a few people
have died from blood transfu
sions from homosexuals.
Homosexuals are nearly 1,000
times as likely as heterosexuals
to have the AIDS virus
(ATLV-3) in their blood. Some
research shows that AIDS may
even be transmitted by saliva.
But that’s really not my gripe
with the letter in question.
I would encourage the
Emerald to be more careful in
screening letters for publica
tion. But perhaps it’s best it was
printed. After all, if people like
Diaz must resort to such vulgar
comments to make a point then
readers will easily realize the
author must not have much of
an argument worth considering.
Michael Cross
History/Political Science
Oregon doily _ .
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Look elsewhere
Your April 3rd editorial,
“University Will lose if Reagan
Plan Wins,” expressed
Representative Mario Biaggi’s,
D-N.Y., fears that college and
university administrators are
not lobbying hard enough to
defeat President Reagan’s pro
posed cuts to student financial
aid programs. The ad
ministrators and students in
volved in trying to counter
President Reagan’s plan are lob
bying the wrong people.
We should begin to look away
from government for financial
support and look toward op
tions such as big business and
the individual to carry the load.
Our society is innovative and
has always been able to come up
with a better idea and make
changes when necessary. It’s
time to call to arms our talents
and find new ways for more
members of our society to
“earn" an education.
This change, of course, will
not happen overnight and in the
meantime, don’t worry, our
Government will still take care
of us.
Remember, the President had
to ask for 48 MX missies to get
21. He got less than 50 percent
of what he asked for. There will
be taxpayer-supplied financial
aid for a few more years. But,
why not get out of the rut of ex
pecting the government to give
it to us and invent a new way to
buy an education?
Jabe Leahy
Eugene
For Munion
I’m Ron Munion, a candidate
for SUAB position 4 (political
science/history/geography/
international studies). My goals
are: to deal with the immediate
problems of students, i.e., sup
port a tuition freeze and better
security on campus. And most
important, there should be
meaningful academic reforms to
ensure that the diploma we
receive means something in the
job market.
Now consider my opponent,
Donna Lawrence. 1 know and
like Donna, but I do not think
that she truly believes in diver
sity of thought. For example, on
the front page of the ODE (Nov.
29, 1984), Donna is pictured
holding hands with a group of
students who, in the words of
University President Paul
Olum, “...violated the princi- .
pie of freedom of speech,” with
their action against the Marine
recruiters.
As pointed out in the ODE
(Dec. 6, 1984), “...the distur
bance (that Donna was involved
in) violated Article 3 of the
Code of Student Conduct. The
article prohibits the intentional
disruption, obstruction, or in
terference ... of any activity
provided or sponsored by the
University.”
Donna believed she was
speaking up for injustice, but
actually, she was restricting the
freedom of choice of students
who believe in an alternate life
style.
The University is a learning
community where a diverse
group of thoughts exist. With
your help, the University will
not become a place where
academic freedom is restricted.
That is why I’m asking you to
vote for me, Ron Munion, for
SUAB position 4.
Ron Munion
Political Science
Endorsement?
As the ASUO elections ap
proach, candidates gather
assorted endorsements from any
and all organizations that they
can convince or contrive (let me
emphasize this). The campaign
material that is distributed often
exhibits the groups of organiza
tions that have endorsed the
various candidates.
One such ticket for ASUO
President, Kevin Lewis and
Ryne Jackson, advertise that
they have been endorsed by the
Association of MBA Executives.
Being an MBA student, I have
never heurd of this campus
organization. 1 belong to the
MBA Association, which is the
official representative body of
MBA students and an ASUO
recognized organization, and it
has not made any endorsements
at this time.
So we must ask ourselves:
Are these people lying by mak
ing up endorsements? Are they
trying to imply MBAA endorse
ment? What good is an off
campus (if it even is real) en
dorsement for a campus
election?
Dennis Renton
MBA Association
ThifrSday, April1 It, 1985