Editorial
Proposed drug tests
defy Constitution
The Reagan witchhunts continue. During his early years
in Hollywood, Ronald Reagan helped lead the search for
“Communists*' in the movie industry. As California's gover
nor, he clamped down on “Hippies” in the anti-war move
ment. Now, through a presidential commission, Reagan is
striving to purge drug users from the American workplace.
The President’s Commission on Organized Crime
released a report Monday, which said the federal govern
ment should test all of its employees for drug use, and it said
the tests should be expanded to private employers that
receive federal contracts. In addition, it urged that all
private employers test their employees.
A violation of civil rights? Guilty until proven inno
cent? Which employees would be tested? The issue is not
the protection of American society against drug abusers.
Once again, the issue is the protection of the U.S. Constitu
tion from Ronald Reagan’s abuses.
Certainly, drug abuse is a problem in American culture.
Minors drink liquor and smoke marijuana, doctors and
lawyers abuse cocaine, and our professional athletes are
regularly fined and admitted to alcohol treatment centers.
Yes, chemical abuse poses a major problem, but anyone
designing a program to combat the problem must respect the
Constitution. Mandatory drug testing does not.
The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution protects
Americans against unreasonsable search and seizure unless
probable cause exists that a crime has been committed. Man
datory' drug testing for all employees assumes that crimes
have been committed. Such a plan tramples the guarantees
provided in the Fourth Amendment.
Throughout American history we have all been taught
that the American legal system presumes people charged
with crimes are innocent until proven guilty. But the com
mission's plan assumes everyone is guilty of drug use.
Professionals who regularly administer such tests say
the results are not always accurate. Nevertheless, if the
government and private industry adopt the testing plan, a
positive test result could cost the tests’ takers their jobs.
Finally, we are told that all federal employees would be
open to such testing. But as was the case with Reagan's pro
posed lie-detector tests for federal officials. Reagan would
undoubtedly exempt his chief aides from such testing. And
that’s ironic when you consider that cabinet officals are on
duty 24 hours a day. Yet, Reagan and other cabinet members
admit to drinking cocktails and wine before or after dinner, a
clear violation of the commission’s concept.
Rather than coordinating another Reagan attack on the
Constitution, the presidential commission should have
developed a plan to implement anti-drug abuse programs
thoughout the nations’ school systems. Rather than curtail
ing funds for such education programs — federal spending
on drug-abuse education and prevention programs has
decreased by 5 percent since 1982 — the commission should
have proposed a sizable budget increase for national drug
abuse programs. Instead, we get a typical Reagan response
— call the -:ops.
Throughout hi, political career. Reagan has shown little
respect for the U.S. Constitution, California's Constitution,
and any other rules or regulations that might impede his
programs. He preaches the virtues of the American system,
the value of the Fill of Rights, the beauty of our constitu
tional system, but he has always been one of the first to
stamp on American political values when it’s to his own ad
vantage. There you go again. Mr. President.
r
Oregon Daily
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Letters
Get it straight
p. Why is it the topics'on rapt!
are constantly mired in a
paradox of beliefs? With the
avalanche of publicly held rape
panels, rape-related newsprint
and rape “experts.” |t would
seem that someone could net
the stories straight.
Rape is a major topic in each
day’s Emerald, yet each day its
meaning is fogged. One day we
are told rape is not a sexual
crime, but a violent..’ anger;
filled act. Then, Karen Kane of
the Rape Crisis Nslwork opines
that men are spurred, to rape
because "women. .. .act • in a
sexual manner. .’, ” This is.. a .
blatant contradiction'of beliefs:
The Rape Crisis Network and ,
the Women’s Task Force" a re on
a crusade- to educate the pop!it:’
•in the levity and pauses bf.rape.
If. they are to/do^ so‘.properly. :
they, ouglit to get”, their defini
tions coordinated’. •
. Alan; F. Knelling"
English
'Hi dden ’ t a x
. Take a closer look .at your
telephone’hill. Ever-’notice ”3
percent U.S. Excise Tax”.? This
■govern ment-im nosed tax —
a.k.a. U.S. War pr Military Tax
Itegan with World War I. and .
has since fluctuated with
military "needs." During
VVVVIi. local calls were taxed 15,
percent. long-distance.. . 25 ■
percent.
. All, telephone companies in
Americ a act as agents for the In
ternal Revenue Service. They,;
. collect the :i percent tax you pay .,
and turn the monies oyer to the.
iks. •:..
Don't mu'nmir.;:'irs..su.i h..a'v.
small amount . .1”. '•
Accumulated telephone -tax*•
money collec ted' (and * IRS-..
channeled • into"’-the general'
•• fund) amounts tp nearly '-$2
billion each-'year! A figure, that '
. Is . now ballooning due ; to
AT&T's divestiture , with- its
■ resulting higher Incaf phone,
rales. , ... ".. . . , .'
. If you object to.this "hidden*!
.' tax. ydii can,'refilse to pay. it '
"f ind out h«w to,‘do this hy cim-.
■. lading your local'group (one of
;• many related.coalitions nation
•/wide) the Military Tax
Registers. * '
The; group plans an open-to
~ the-public workshop early
March.
Kay Wells
Kugene
Stop rebel aid
President Keegan's new cam
paign for $100 million in
military and other aid to the
Contras raises an important
question: What is really hap
pening in Nicaragua? For
answers, we can turn to at least
two reliable sources
Amnesty International is a
non-partisan organization that
monitors countries around the
world and strives to accurately
report human rights violations
Its recent newsletter reports
Amnesty is appealing to the
governnment of Honduras on
behalf of several Nicaraguan
teachers that are being held
prisoner in Honduras hv the
Contras.
These teachers are a part of
the Nicaraguan Ministry of
KduturtJon’s'Adult Wtehfcy I'ru
gr.tm C)itf‘ feacfinr, . who
escaped. .reports- that. her. col
leagues have' bee.n raped anil
■ tortured.-The nvwtlellnr further
.states (here arc persistent
; reports of non-combatant
r ivilians being abducted and
held-at.Contra base.t afnps . .. ;
. .-A-second source is-.the many
■credibles|»eakors wliirliaye bn
• furiid this - university: Most
...notable is former '(’I A employee
joh.n Stock well. who personally
r Visited Nicaragua In. his lec
time he recounted occurrences
ol Contra fon.es torturing., rap
ing and killing Nicaraguan
‘ civilians in the forced presence
•of their families
/ • The picture that emerge* js a
. griiir-pue indeed.. In ail .attempt
- ‘tii divert brow • Jill -apparently
. popular ■gwyernreent." the
-•Reagan administration is sup
porting a military force that is
i.ohimiltihg brutal atria ilies
against civilians.
I challenge anyone who
tielioves in human freedom and
dignity to justify the support of
such Inhuman activities And I
encourage all who share mv
disappointment and disgust to
actively oppose all support ot
the Contras
Ken larders
Knglish
Fund paper
The Oregon Commentator
will b«! going up on a student
l»allot .to.'"aid" the Incidental
Fee Committee in its decision
whether or not to continue fun
ding. This is a dangerous prece
dent that erodes the foundation
of liberal thought.
The (Commentator is. admit
tedly. a reactionary, right-wing
sheet and no more than one
third of the student body agrees
with the opinions expressed
therein at any one time. Is this a
reason to attempt to silence it? If
we decide that the only
politically correct views are
those expressed by the majority,
we will be opening ourselves up
for direct repression of dissen
ting views.