Editorial
The ‘paper curtain'
is American folly
Since 1952. the MoCarnm-Walter Act he* formed the
basts for current U S uamigration laws Enacted during the
height of the Gold War and passed by Congress over Presi
dent Truman's veto, this law sets down 33 reasons why cer
tain individuals may be denied entry to American shores
While these reasons woe originally designed to protect
the public, many of them are discriminatory and many in
dividuals are often barred from entering the United States
for political reasons as a means to limit public debate
Soy of the more questionable reasons exclude aliens
who: are deemed by the State Department to be "feeble
minded. ’ have a physical delect., or disability, those
coming to the United Stales to engage in immoral sex acts
fhomosexuality falls under this category), anarchists and
communists
Moreover, many political “undesirables" fall under the
ubiquitous heading of those who "might engage in activities
prejudicial to the public interest or endanger the welfare,
safety, or security erf the United States."
In 1983 Hispanic writer Hortens la Ailende was exclud
ed from coming to the United States under this provision
She had been invited by several universities to speak out
against oppression of I he Chilean dictatorship — but her ap
plication for a visa coincidentally came at a tune when the
United States was considering resuming arms sales to that
nation
Every administration since Eisenhower s has used the
provisions set forth in the Mot tartan-Walter Act to exclude
certain individuals because of their political beliefs But the
Reagan administration, which considers its own foreign
policy interests a criterion for entry to the United /states,
tops the list in exclusions designed to limit public debate,
especially that concerning its Central American policies
This conflicts with the original congressional intent,
which was to bar entry of espionage agents, saboteurs, and
active revolutionaries. I>ast year alone. 27 people were
denied entry to the United States on the basis of ideological
considerations
Dozens of spokespersons opposing the administration's
policies have been denied entry to the United States since
1981. preventing them from keeping speaking engagements,
testifying at congressional hearings or lecturing at
universities.
Under the current administration Efran Mondragon, a
contra defector. Nicaraguan Intenor Minister Tomas Borge.
and even the right-wing El Salvadoran Roberto d'Aubuisson
have been denied entry because of their conflicting views.
Other excludable* include such famed Nobel laureates -
as Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes. English novelist Craham
Greene. South African dissident poet Dennis Brutus, and
Spanish filmmaker Luis Bunuel,
The State Department maintains perhaps the largest
blacklist in the world, containing some 40.000 names — in
effect supporting a "paper curtain’* around the United
States.
Hodding Carter 111. former assistant secretary of state
under fimmy Carter, summed up this practice well. **.. the
Russians have made it hard for Nobel laureates to get out of
the Soviet Union. We have made it hard for Nobel laureates
to get into the United States ”
Much to its discredit, the United States is the only
Western democracy that excludes foreign citizens on
ideological grounds This is a disturbing paradox — once in
side our borders, freedom of expression is not only tolerated
but encouraged.
Go Mi Wm prmmamnt wav* had anothar auccaastul Star War* *aat...”
Letters
A thank you
I would like to thank the
water* of lone t county lor their
generous support an Ns*. 4
I would like to thank the hun
dreds of volunteers who helped
out tm rm campaign I am con
vinced thesr grass roots effort*
of canvassing, putting up
law nsign* and pbonmg voters
were the deciding factors in this
race.
I look forward to serv ing you
in Congress beginning the find
of the year My c ongressional
office will open in mid-|anuar>
It wifi be staffed by people
dedicated to solving your pro
blems with the federal
bureaucracy
You con count on me to make
regular visits hack to Oregon
and hold frequent town
meetings throughout the
District In addition. I will have
an active staff who will travel to
all the amas of the District to
help constituents
Again, thank you for the
honor of electing me as your
next U S Representative I will
work hard to fulfill your trust.
Peter Drfazie
Represent at i ve-elect
4th Congressional District
Angry letter
I am glad that my angry letter
on Oct 31 has inspired such
passionate responses from sup
porters of the “ALF.” My pur
Oregon Daily
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pose was to flush out their
views for public display by in
sulting them Here, I present the
same points with fewer emo
tional trappings
The implied threat ("You will
end up in a cage ") amplified by
the editor's heading “Beware.”
is simply a dramatic way to
state the fact that society will
put vandals in (ail. A jail term
can accomplish something if it
makes the (ailed look silly.
A (ail term for vandalism does
nothing to stop cruelty to
animals, it merely degrades the
cause. We see these actions: a
microscope is smashed, a mess
is made, and blind white rabbits
are dumped by the road in
winter. This violence and
stupidity, justified by carefully
guarded ignorance, has the
same effect on the community
as the tantrum of a destructive
child It accomplishes nothing
toward the goal of halting ex
periments with animals.
"ALF " ers. with violence as
their banner, now have the
moral stature of muggers
My argument is the opposite
erf “leave it to the experts ':
become an expert in order to
halt what you see as “cruel and
unnecessary" research If you
want to have any effect, use
coherent argument as your tool.
A 250-word letter is not the
proper place for a discussion of
biology Science is not "mysti
que ” It is accessible to anyone
who wishes to take the time to
study it. Scientists are human
beings, with pets and concerns
)ust like everyone else.
Correction
Our editorial of Nov. 11
concerning the science
buildings' ground
breaking erroneously
reported that $100 million
had been contributed
from private sources to
the protect.
Federal and private
sources have contributed
over $100 million to the
state education system in
general since June of
1985. including funds for
the science buildings.
We apologize for any
misunderstanding we
may have caused
Actually, there are more im
portant causes.
Mark Grimes
Molecular biology
New religion
If anyone doubted that
science is our new religion, the
Emerald has verified it. The
editorial of Oct. 30 admonishes
that “sometimes the point of
research is not clear to
laymen." (i.e., non-clergy) and
assures us that “there is no un
necessary animal research go
ing on at the University.”
Haven’t we heard almost
identical phrases before in a
religious context? Every distur
bing part of life has at some time
been rationalized as "part of
God's plan,” which we carfnot
understand (but “we will
understand it belter by and by.”
according to the hymn). Now
vivisection is justified in a like
manner.
Notice: The purposes of the
deities (animal researchers) are
so arcane that laymen (even
university students) cannot
fathom them; the work is so
"critical” that no one dare
question it (to wonder about the
suffering imposed on helpless
creatures); the temple
(laboratory) is so sacred that
outsiders are not permitted to
observe or tell what goes on
inside.
Truly, Jehovah has been sup
planted by the Holy Animal
Researchers, and the Emerald
editors are their priests.
lillian Stanley
Eugene
Stryper
The Nov. ll article
"Subliminal messages sway
thoughts" made a good point,
but it also made a common
mistake. The Christian band
mentioned is not "Stripper,”
but rather "Stryper." The name
refers to Isaiah 53:5. which says
"By His stripes (39 lashes on
the back) we are healed."
By the way. why did the
editors include quotations
around the word Christian? It's
not a slang word
Madrane Reeser
freshman. English