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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 1985)
editorial Atomic age places existence in peril Forty years ago, a spectacular mushroom cloud formed over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The bomb did not discriminate. Children, the elderly, newlyweds, rich, poor; all types of people were ravaged, disfigured and killed. Tens of thousands of people died. The lucky ones died instantly, and the not-so-lucky ones died slowly and painfully. And at the same time, a dark, dismal cloud formed over the future of humankind. With the explosion of the atom bomb, humankind entered the nuclear age. And with each bomb that is built, and every dollar spent for nuclear research and development, the cloud grows darker. This knowledge places humans in peril shortly after the birth of humankind. If the chronology of the earth's history is mapped within one year's time, as was demonstrated by a calender designed by Carl Sagan in his book “The Dragons of Eden," the first human beings do not make a showing un til 10:30 p.m. December 31, the last day of the year. The birth of Christ occurs within the last four seconds of the year, and all of the United States’ history is enveloped in less than one second. Humans have barely made their entrance onto the universal stage, and already are facing the problem that will determine whether we will continue to exist or cease to exist. The control of nuclear knowledge involves more than whether our children or our grandchildren will live or die, though. As far as anyone knows, it may involve the ex istence of life itself. All life, intelligent or otherwise, that humans have come in contact with, originated on earth. The - instruments that continually monitor outer space radio noise for any sign of intelligent life, the probes designed to test for microbes on Mars: all have failed to discover even the faintest sign of life. The laughter of a child, the songs of birds-that greet the . sunrise, everything that lives may be unique to this one tiny speck of dust in the vast universe. Obliteration may silence ‘ the only voice the universe knows. That life thrives here, in the corner of the universe,, tucked away on the edge of one of a 100 billion galaxies, is an incomprehensible rarity. And we may squander it away on our political pride and national arrogance: ' What a shame it would be to.destroy this glimmer of magic, as soon as it has struggled into existence , fust as humans are fighting to live, the breath of life could be ex tinguished. All of the accomplishments that, we have suf fered for, all of our triumphs, our joys and our sorrows." could be gone. Our existence could be destroyed before we even understand it. And if life does exist elsewhere, it would be a. fathomless tragedy to have lived and died without the recognition of a single living soul. All of our knowledge and experience would be wasted But even after witnessing the horror of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, humans continue to hurtle themselves toward ex tinction. The world’s powers possess a destructive force capable of leveling all of the world’s cities many times over. The Geneva talks between the United States and the Soviet Union founder, the Reagan administration continues to fun-' nel billions of dollars into research for the Strategic Defense Initative, an effort to move the nuclear arms race into space, and even underdeveloped countries such as India are adding nuclear weapons to their arsenals. Monday, a bell tolled in Eugene at 4:15 p.m.. 40 years after the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Let the bell toll for peace and resistance against the arm’s race. Do not let it toll for humankind. letters Connection While the UO Resident Paul Olum maintains, that the State Board of Higher Education must divest its funds in South Africa, he chooses to turn his back on' the connection between South Africa and the proposed River front Research- Park. The con nection between classified •research/high tech., companies is an intimate one. IBM, for ex ample. supplies the computer works the white South African government uses to keep track . of its -24 million black citizens.. The U.S. also depends on South Africa for the majority, of the uranium used in American nuclear .warheads,. Who mines the uranium used in' making U.S. bombs? Certainly not the 4 million whites who rule that country. „ »• But there's another tie. that links high ^technology to apart-, heid. South African President Pjet'er -W. Botha was formerly trie i for pro-Nazi activities after World War ll.'IMs interesting to note that during World War II Paul Olum and other scientists worked on a classified project (the nuclear bomb) designed to end the reign of fascism. . Despite all this, the UO vice : president of research' stated that ° without .classified research, there would be ho Riverfront Park (Women's Press, |u: ly/Aug.. 1985). It appears to me that the "profit, over people" mentality prevails in Olum's of fice. And I intend to write a let ter to Carley Capital (the developer) expressing my op position to the Riverfront pro Oregon doily emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald is published on Tuesdays and Thursday during the summer session except during exam week and vacations by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co., at the University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 97403 The Emerald operates independently o* the Universi ty with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union and Is a member of the Associated Press The Emerald is private property The unlawful removal or use of papers Is prosecutable by law General Staff Advertising Director Production Manager Classified Advertising Assistant to the Publisher Susan Thelen Russell Steele Vince Adams Jean Ownbey Advertising Sales Tim Clevenger, Michael Gray. Nancy Nielsen, David Wood Production: Vince Adams, Kelly Cornyn, Slormi Dykes, Kathy Gallagher, Steve Gibbons. Kelly Neff, Michele Ross, Peg Solonika, Karen Stallwood, Colleen Tremaine, Steven Wail Page 2 Editor Managing Editor, News Editorial Page Editor Entertainment Editor Photo Editor Night Editor Associate Editors Administration Kirsten Bolin Higher Education. Community Scott McFetrtdge Student Activities Julie Freeman Features Marty Schwarzbauer Julie Shipper? Editor Diana Elliott Michelle Brence Shelia Landry Karen Stallwood Diana Elliott Reporters Sean Axmaker, Frale de Guzman, Linda Hahn. Kim Kaady, Barbara Shaw, Andrea Skufca News snd Editorial 666-5511 Display Advertising and Business 666 3712 Classified Advertising 6M-4343 Production 666-4381 Circulation 666-S511 feet. As a student at this IJriiv'er- * sity and a resident of Eugene. I do not support the Riverfront project and the sanctioning of racism in my.name'!!!. Sue Dockatader Eugene Free South Africa Movement Probability ■> In response to Tom Visqky's ’ letter (OD.K, Aug. 1) regarding a previous letter of mine-(ODE,. July 30):..in the-Lakota Sioux language one canriot conjugate the 'verb, "to think" into "she/he/they think(s)."Thls ac curately reflects the impossibili ty cl proving what isin another • person's mind. Although the idea of fixity and absoluteness are comforting to some people.' w.e live in a universe based-on probabilities. We.can assign a high pro bability to our assumptions of Hitler's thoughts about Jews, based on his actions and words. This does not constitute . ab solute proof,ebut belief beyond reasonable doubt is enough for conviction. A classic example of presum ed thoughts and actions that don't match is Ronald Reagan. The impression is that he really cares about kids. The actuality is that, due to his policies, babies in Detroit are dying at the same. rate as in the least developed nation in our hemisphere, Honduras. How does one prove what for if). Reagan thinks? Visoky asked what I think the study of history is. It is general ly an examination of the opi nions of white, male, ethnic Christians regarding a selection of confrontational events or of opinions of white, male, ethnic Christians ... Like the I-Ching, history has its uses, but its limitations should be noted and balanced with a healthy dose of personal wisdom. To extend the classic idea: Those ignorant of the ex cesses of the past are doomed to repeat them, those without wisdom are doomed to create the excesses of the future. lack Straton Graduate student Physics Thanks, but. Y. . . ■ . . . , . ■ * Frale .de Guzman’*,' article • • about the UO grounds' crew* ••• and maihteha’iue- workers tODE. July 25) was greatly ap-. . predated'. It highlighted* a group of employees .who make-a . . major contribution tp/thu-visual. '• ’ appearance of the •University. but who themselves remain largely.' “invisible" "to- most . members. of the-campus com-’ rnunity This attention has cer- ' talnly boon well, received by. these crew’s; hopefully, the story, will also encournge .cam pus users'. to show increased ri»spect for the grounds and buildings these workers maintain. . I do have two small quibbles though. First, even, though the. urticlfi quotes a variety, of. peo: pie. apparently no one stroke to any of the regular crew • . members oniy.totheiruuper . visors .and to. two.- student, employees.. We : might • have found out a lot mord about the work of these-crows; ff'W.e had: heard from the people who ac- . tually do it year-roundi Second.- *; . no mention was made that most of these, employees are' represented by-Oregon Public Employees Union and covered by a recently negotiated collet: - . tlve bargaining, agreement. Unions, it seems; are often rio' more."visible" to those outside them than, the workers they represent. .J C. * Thanks again for the story. It was good , to see all these employees' efforts recognized and praised. Kurt Wilcox Business Agent Oregon Public Employees Union Letters Policy The Emerald will attempt to print all letters containing fair comment on topics of interest to the University community. letters to the editor must be limited to 250 words, typed, signed and the identification of the writer must be verified when the letter Is turned In. The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length or stylo, let ters to the editor should be turn ed into the Emerald office. Suite 300, EMU. Tuesday. August 6. 1085
