Editorial
Call for Contra aid
misguided request
In his weekly radio address on Saturday. President
Reagan called on Congress for an increase in military aid for
tile anti-Sandinista rebels, known as Contras.
Although no formal budget has yet been proposed, the
Keegan administration is seeking about $H<l million for the
Contras for an 18-month period that would extend the aid
two months into the next administration.
Reagan based his request on an increase in public sup
port for the Contras, asserting support is growing
"dramatically as the American people learn the facts about
Nicaragua."
Recent polls, however, show that American sentiment
toward providing military aid to the (lontras has changed lit
tle even after the testimony of Lt. fail Oliver North for ex
ample, according to a July 16 New York Fimes-CBS News
nationwide telephone poll. 51 percent of 655 adults opposed
aid to the rel»els while :tfi percent approved it
Contrasted to an earlier Times-CBS poll in January. 60
percent opposed and 28 percent favored aid to the Contras.
Americans still are opposed vehemently to contra aid, and
Reagan should take into consideration the public s opinion.
Americans should not be swayed in support of the Con
tras by the rhetoric of Reagan and North because their asser
tions about the Contras in most cases are not fact, but fallacy.
In Reagan's radio address, for example, lie accused the
Sandinista government of attempting to subvert the
democracies of Central America. Reagan continually has ac
cused the Sandinistas of exporting revolution to its
neighbors. The Nicaragua government, however, has ceased
supplying the left-wing guerrillas fighting the HI Salvadoran
government with military equipment.
A fact not disclosed by the Reagan administration is the
Contras consistently attack and murder civilian non
combatants. In the Contra's latest attack July 16. they
murdered time! children and a pregnant woman.
President Reagan's appeal for more Contra aid is a
misguided foreign policy request that should tie denied by
Imth the ('ongress and the public.
University, concerts:
efficient bedfellows
The only thing better than an outdoor Grateful
Dead Boh Dylan concert is an outdoor Grateful Dead/Bob
Dylan concert that is run well. The Athletic Department
deserves a slap on the back for a job well done.
With more than 4().iMHi concert-goers, the University
had its hands full on Sunday afternoon. The logistical pro
blem of herding all the Dead and Dylan faithfuls into Autzen
Stadium was a hurdle the University and others involved
handled admirably.
By providing a campground, the University remedied
what would have been a monumental headache. Traffic to
and from the concert was predictably slow; however, the
traffic jam would have been worse had there not been camp
ing space available.
Security, while initially thorough, was flexible enough
to allow everyone in by the time the show started. And once
the concert tiegan. the security staff remained in the
background and let Deadheads and neo-Deadheads have a
good time.
Moreover, the addition of the White Bird Clinic booth,
as well as an outdoor sprinkler system, was a saving grace
for those who had too much partying, too much heat or a lit
tle too much of both.
Smooth was the theme of the day. So smooth, in fact, we
encourage and await additional comparable events.
Bm* •+*> ■ J5*w9r
AIEEEE... PIT BULL!!!"
Commentary
Dead and Dylan revive memories
More than 40,00(1 people
packet! Autzen Stadium on
Sunday for the "be-in” of the
summer, and the Grateful Dead
and Boh Dylan did not disap
point. playing a five-plus hour
marathon show that left fans
screaming for mure.
Commentary By
Aaron Knox
The audience, fully docked
out in the mandatory regalia of
the Summer of Love, danced
and swayed to the electric jug
Uind Unit of the Dead for two
extended sets. Dylan then stroll
ed out and uncorked a sizzling
hour-long set of his own, remin
ding everyone present the
weary troubador still has some
fire in his veins.
Intermingled with the strands
of jerry Garcia's hypnotic guitar
were the sounds and smells of
another time The sweet smoke
of marijuana, the acrid sweat of
thousands of gyrating bodies,
the pungency of hard liquor and
happy whisps of hippie-talk
wafted up into the clear blue
sky and lent that "only with the
Dead" ambience to the
proceedings.
The weatherman had
threatened rain, hut Mother
Nature and the Dead seem to
have a secret pact that ensures
sun-drenched skies. The sun
broke through for good at aUiut
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2:15 and the [load walked
onstage at nearly 2:30.
When the show finished some
five-and-a-half hours later, the
skies were still smiling and so
were the faces of the obviously
satisfied crowd as it wandered
slowly through the legions of
full-time Deadheads hawking
their wares, which ranged from
tye-dye T-shirts to little wads of
yarn that barely prevented the
transaction of funds from being
an out-and-out handout.
The music took a little longer
to find its rhythm than the fans,
many of whom had withstood
two hours in line while security
personnel took painstaking
aims to keep glass containers
and cameras—but not necessari
ly drugs—out of the stadium.
The Dead struggled through
problems with the equipment
on their first set. which was
puncuated by long breaks bet
ween tunes and a grating har
monic that pierced through the
final third of the set like a jet
plane preparing for takeoff
A short break solved the pro
blems and rejuvenated the
band, and they performed a
seamless second sot that played
like one continuos medley. C.ar
cia and Co., were at their acid
soaked best, pouring through
Cream's "Spoonful.” "Playin'
in the liand" and "Truckin'"
with a precision-like grace that
periodically gave way to the
spaced-out sounds of a serious
intergalactic journey.
When Dylan took the stage at
around t» p.m., the crowd was
sun-drunk hut expectant. The
Hob Dylan who played with
font Petty last summer in
Portland was distant and
unintelligible, and looked every
bit like a man performing his
swan song. This Dylan was
different.
The Dylan who took the stage
Sunday was razor-sharp and
energized. Although the lyrics
were still murky, they were
vastly superior to his mumhl-’
ings of a year ago. And Dylan
worked his guitar like an axe.
mowing through the steady
backlieat provided by the Dead
and snarling where Garcia's
sang. Sticking with a repetoire
of familiar older tunes, Dylan
gave them new punch and
energy. He even smiled. Twice.
Those accustomed to setting the
moniker of lost hope across his
face had to be heartened by this
uncommon display of en
thusiasm. OP Hob even got into
a battle of dueling guitars with
Garcia that had both musicians
grimacing with effort.
From the beginning of "Mag
gie's Farm” to the climax of
"All Along the Watchtower"
Dylan attacked the chords and
the lyrics with a conviction
rarely seen, and which remind
ed everyone just why Dylan was
considered the premier
spokesman for an angry genera
tion a couple of generations
ago.
Unfortunately, as Garcia in
toned near the end of the second
set. “that silver locomotive is
gone, and nothing's going to br
ing it back.” Skywriters com
peted for space hawking the
Grateful Dead's new album
'Dead in the Dark." and calling
for the impeachment of Presi
dent Reagan. Eyes that may
have been altered by
hallucinogens were masked
with Vuarnet sunglasses, and a
girl selling acid had exact
change for a $10 bill.
Even the encore, which
brought out the musicians for
rollicking renditions of the
Dead's new single. "Touch of
Gray” and Dylan’s classic "All
Along the Watchtower." was
pun; business. The band walked
back onstage on cue. played a
pair'of songs, and walked off,
never acknowledging the
crowd.
Even that perfunctory exit
could not. however, dampen
the enthusiasm of the* gathered
masses. That was assured by the
time Dylan smoked through
"Rainy Day Women • 12 and
35". singing "everybody must
get stoned." Everybody did. at
least in spirit, on this magical
day in July when the only re
quirement for a good time was
faith