Editorial
False-war scenario
sends a sour signal
Preparing for nuclear war sounds frightening, apocalyp
tic and even ridiculous. The Northwest will be doing exactly
that beginning the first week of March.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has “in
vited” Oregon. Idaho, and in April, Washington and Alaska
to participate in a compulsory federal program that will test
the ability of these states to deal with the effects of a full
blown nuclear war.
The faults to this plan are numerous, and its sole merit
is negligible.
Phil Cogan, a FEMA regional spokesperson in
Washington state, explained that the plan is a communica
tion exercise — simply a preparedness measure designed to
increase readiness-reporting by local governments concern
ing the movement of resources to shelters, as well as
simulating communication with local and state represen
tatives before, during and after incoming warheads drop
from the sky. Hut this reasoning presupposes nuclear war is
survivable, an unlikely proposition at best.
Another questionable aspect of the hypothetical nuclear
war scenario is the heavy-handed, coercive way in which
the federal government is implementing the exercise. It has
tied state participation to states’ emergency management
planning funds. Oregon receives $1.5 million annually from
the federal government to help in dealing with natural and
man-made disasters. If the state were to refuse participation,
these funds would be cut off.
Contrary to what FEMA representatives say, this puts
nuclear war on a higher priority than re-occurring, “real
life” disasters. States supposedly have the option not to par
ticipate. Yet by threatening to pull emergency planning aid.
the federal government is mandating states’ attendance in
their hypothetical nuclear war scheme.
Moreover, if a state were to balk at the program for
whatever reason — and there are many — the federal govern
ment would be withholding funds for regions in real need. A
state would be made to suffer for not playing war games with
the government.
No state ever has been refused federal funding for not
participating in the exercise. However, after Florida opted
out of its obligation to participate last year, without federal
repercussions, congress declared states had to play along.
The most disturbing aspect of the program, however, is
the message it sends to the Soviet Union or any other nation
that could conceive of taking on the United States in a
thermo-nuclear volley. The issue is one of posturing versus
preparedness.
Most of the events leading up to the hypothetical
nuclear war entail a one-sided series of events with the
Soviets, of course, playing the heavy and the United States
as the victim of wanton Soviet aggression: the Soviets are
blamed with building a submarine base in the arctic, the
Soviets make moves to invade Iranian oil fields, the Soviets
shoot down a U.S. military transport plane, etc.
This sort of role-playing cannot be beneficial for super
power understanding. Participating in peace is incompati
ble with preparing for war. It’s evident our government,
through this emergency planning exercise, practices the
latter.
\..Ya'know, this reminds me of a
humorous anecdote
Letters
Magic Wand
I received a poison pen letter
the other day from the Collec
tions Office at Oregon Hall. 1
owe them approximately $800;
$800 from last term, and $500
for this term. I also received a
Pell Grant voucher for $472
which 1 wanted to apply toward
my account. 1 was not allowed
to do so, hence the reason for
this letter.
Apparently, one must pay all
previously accumulated debts
(i.e. last term's tuituion) before
one can pay current amounts
due (payment, that is, in Pell
Grant voucher form). This is
how I see it: I owe the Universi
ty $800 and I have $472 to apply
toward that debt. Not only is the
University rejecting my money,
but they are also charging me
five dollars per day until I do
pay them. They are also telling
me that I can’t get credit for my
classes this term because of my
indebtedness.
1 have been running around
in circles in search of some
logical explanation, and I have
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yet to find one. I owe the
University money, I offer the
University money, and they
don’t take it. What is a
reasonable person to do?
Should I wave my magic money
wand (doesn’t every college stu
dent have one?), and magically
produce $800? 1 am, of course,
being facetious, and 1 am
laughing. I am laughing at the
University, however, not with
it.
Jennifer Hancock
Student
Advice
In response to Blake Sliter’s
letter of Jan. 28;
UNBELIEVABLE! Simply
unbelievable! Mr. Sliter, I see
you’re at it again.. An Andy
Rooney you’re not. A consumer
advocate gives the public
FACTS on important issues,
sort of like a middleman giving
constructive advice. But what
you’re doing, ONCE AGAIN, is
stating untruths aimed directly
toward the Greek system. Being
a political science major, I’d
think you would have more im
portant things to do with your
time, like for instance, observ
ing and executing what our
politicians are doing. Oh! I’m so
sorry for not noticing that you
are doing just that.
You see Mr. Sliter, the Greek
system will not allow the Lamb
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 style. Let
ters to the editor should be turn
ed into the Emerald office. Suite
300. EMU.
da Chi Fraternity (not frat) to
use the swimming pool as a
rush tactic to get rushees to join
their fraternity, as you have im
plied. The pool can be used by
any member or pledge of the
Greek system here at the
University. My point here is to
tell you to get your facts straight
and not assume what happens
in the Greek system before you
continue “advocating” more
misinformation to the public.
I’m sorry to say it is people
like you, Mr. Sliter, who cloud
other’s views about the Greek
system and mislead them into
darkness. I pity those who
believe and follow your ad
vocacies. Have a good week and
I’ll see you in the funny pages.
M. W. Olenivich
Physics, Bio-Chem
Abortion
In studying the arguments us
ed to promote abortion, many
inconsistencies become ap
parent. One of the finest exposi
tions of the weakness of the so
called “feminist” position was
made by pro-life feminist
Rosemary Bottcher. Those who
feel that women are somehow
“liberated” by killing their
children should ponder her
words:
“Pro-abortion feminists re
sent the discrimination against
a whole class of humans
because they happen to be
female, yet they themselves
discriminate against a whole
class of humans because they
happen to be very young. They
resent that the value of a woman
is determined by whether some
man wants her, yet they declare
that the value of an unborn
child is determined by whether
some woman wants him. They
resent that women have been
‘‘owned’ ’ by their
mothers
Jeff Hoyt
Accounting