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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 25, 1986)
US, Britain have short memories in terms of political histories By Stan Nelson 04 IlM IjamM The United States and Croat Britain, are both preoccupied-with their histories, yet they represent their histories in entirely different ways in the media, said Daniel Snowman, chief producer of the British Broadcasting Cor poration’s educational radio documentaries and features. . ■ .. Snowman is on a= three-week speaking engagement in Washington D.C. and Oregon, and he spoke at the University on Monday. People have very short memories in both the United States and Britain and talk about re cent political events, such as Reagan and the Iran arms dealings, as though there were no long historical background. Snowman said The geographic area of interest also is very limited, he said. “(American) history is very much more based on the great innovators, the spectacular changes,” Snowman said. Creal emphasis is placed on the nation's independence and Con stitution dates, as well as the revolutionary figures who participated in the change, he said. “(America) is the land where change is much valued." Snowman said. The British also are preoccupied with history, though their history is much longer. “A lot of the emphasis is on the great con tinuities. There isn't a moment of revolution; there isn't a moment the British body policy began; there isn't a single document in which the British Constitution was invented," Snowman said. "The great figures are very often those who managed to beat off invasion of one kind or another." he added. A shortfall of both the British and II.S. media is the lack of reportage in certain parts of the world, notably the war between Iran and Iraq. "That is a vast, horrendous war that has gone on for seven years. Very little (has been) reported because 1 suppose even the most hor rific wars are not of interest unless you are ac tually losing your own fellows in them." he said. More often than not. particular regions are reported as a result of current political con troversy and international relations than ac tually what is going on in that nation, he said "The nature of our politics, both Keaganite and Thatcherite politics, is the world is seen in East/West terms largely, and free world/communist terms.” he said. British and U.S. leaders, both re-elected to office, represent a state of mind their consti tuents support. Snowman said. While media representatives are not always supportive of the government's actions, they still follow the government’s agenda, he said. The media give attention to the Third World, yet it is the catastrophies and disasters that are reported. Snowman said. There are geographical and historical reasons for some nation’s poverty, and this is what needs to be included in the reportage of the situation, he said. Ffcota by BabM* U Daniel Snowman of the BBC discusses the role of media and differences in British and American histories. ‘i do nol think the job of the mass media is constantly to make people feel guilty or br ing up things they do not know about — they are not the pulpit, they are not the ser monizers: they are in part reflecting and writing the agenda society considers impor tant." he said. While the U.S.'s history is much shorter than Britain's, it depends upon how the term history is defined. Snowman said. The United States holds the longest con tinuous constitutional system in the world. U.S. history is long by those standards, he said. "Because the history is shorter, things, not very long ago by British standards, can be very exciting in American terms," he said. The United States is a relatively young nation, and the early pioneers am hot too long gone to be directly contacted. Snowman said. The British have the royal family as a link to the past, and "it gives a sense of continuity with the past to an era of radical and rather frightening change." Snowman said In his work. Snowman selects high interest topics for BBC educational programs and then probes behind what is t>eing covered in an attempt to broaden the audience s perspective as much as possible, he said The BBC is Britain's lorgest broadcast net work with 2t>.00t) employees and an annual budget of $1.5 billion. The relative independence between the BBC and the government, coupled with the fact that the BBC receives no income from advertising, gives the corporation a large degree of editorial freedom, he said. The American Studies program. Honors College and International Services sponsored Snowman's visit with additional support from the Visiting Scholars fund. Coupons in the Emerald save you money. Check every page, every day. It pays. Looking for the Far Side? You’ll find it ONLY in Spectrum EVERY THURSDAY! FUO=s BOOKSTORE Lowest Prices on Photo Developing GUARANTEED 11th 4 Kincaid MF 7 »S 10 SAT 1000400 m on Report shows expenditures for weapons still growing By Shawn Wirt/ Of Ik* EawraM With A«mmiatod Pm* report* World military expenditures for weapons of $‘KX> billion in I98B contradict the spirit of the United Nation's International ; Year of Peace, according to local peace groups. . Military expenditures have risen from $810 billion last year, according to an indepen-, dent report released Monday by Ruth leger Sivard. former chief of the economics division of the II.S. Anns Control and Disar mament Agency. ' “Thu! means peace is on the minds of iimiiv bill not in tin minds of leaders."'said John Ex lino of Citizens" Action for lasting Security. “It tells the activist community they have a lot more work to In* done. I’art of that work will be to continue efforts aimed at eliminating nuclear power. Ex line said. "The nuclear power movement is directly tier! to the nuclear weapons industry, liy attacking one you're attacking the other." he said. The U.S. spent approximately $2B8 billion for weapons while the Soviet Union spent approx imately $237 billion, according to the report. The U.S. also ranks first in arms exports, military technology, military bases world-wide, nuclear reac tors. and nuclear warheads and bombs. "There's no way we can ever achieve peace and continuously build up more and more weapons." said Steve kasner, spokesman for the Student Campaign for Disarmament. Hut Marry llance of the Defense Kducation Committee said the increase in military ex pendilures is not incompatible with peace. "A stronger defense posture and preparedness posture will promote peace." Dance said "During the Carter ad ministration we didn't spend very much of our national in come on defense. We're just cat ching up now." he said. A logical cause-effect rela tionship can la* determined tad HALLEY'S COMET ALLArtfl BROS. COffeC 40< (toi.) 50< (12<w ) rnre »*t a naif Am«m from th* UO Saotalw* ween the increase in military expenditures and world hostilities, "considering we're building Star Wars, and con sidering the war in Central America is being escalated, and considering we still have a president in office who hasn't got an arms control agree ment;" kasner said. . "If you look at the areas of the world most torn by war. those are the areas where money is be ing spent on weapons.” Kasner said: The $‘100' billion represents about ti percent of world gross national product. Some of that money should be rechanneled into health, education and employment opportunities, said Leslie II r o c k e I b a n k . ‘That means peace is on the minds of many but not in the minds of leaders. It tells the activist community they have a lot more work to be done. ’ — John Exline spokeswoman for Clergy and Uiily Concerned. “We have io ask for dial back. II needs lo come out of (he money planned, for • these destructive forces. she said. The report was sponsored by the Arms Control Association, The Rockefeller Foundation and other private groups. BOOKSTORE Get the Word! Microsoil WORD s8840 Student WORD PERFECT $75°° * Up IP MS oM MtfioioM loNupt H> vtwPonlt faculty «|pfl and dopattmont* of IP* U of O o«i» 13th A Kmc«d M f / 305 30 SAT 10 004 00 —MW poppi/ GRILL HOUSE Lunch • Dinner Open 11:00am — 2:00am k. 1225 Alder St. • 343-9661