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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 8, 1987)
Editorial New missile treaty good place to start Today’s summit bet wean President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev. if successful, could be the first step toward not only large-scale reductions in nuclear weapons but also a new era in superpower relations. However, as the proposed INK treaty covers only 3 or 4 pen ent of the U.S. and Soviet nuclear < apability. the treaty is largely a symbolic one. Nevertheless, it is a crucial first step toward nuclear disarmament and could lead to a more substantial treaty in the future. The treaty also represents a rejuvenated relationship between the I 'nited States and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union’s new spirit of glasnost coupled with Reagan's cur rent enthusiasm about meeting with Gorbachev has facilitated a certain rapport between the superpowers. Such a rapport eventually could reconcile tension between the Hast and West. Furthermore, the Reagan administration’s relentless ef fort to achieve a nuclear treaty, although it may he motivated by politic s rather than peace, should Ire commended. Every effort should be? made by members of the* Senate, including Oregon's Hob Packwood and Mark Hatfield, to ratify the treaty, which could benefit the United States and its European allies. The question that arises, then, is this: Will the INK trea ty reduce the threat of nuclear war and increase interna tional stability? Some military strategists argue the warheads act as a deterrent to a nuclear strike, because nothing short of mutual destruction would result in the? event of a nuclear ex change. The weapons, they claim, reduce the* risk of war These strategists claim intermediate-range missiles are necessary to protect Western Europe from Soviet aggression and to maintain a balance of power, especially considering the Warsaw Pact's advantage in conventional forces of ap proximately two to one. Although those concerns are reasonable, the treaty nevertheless should be implemented while the U S. con siders measures to strengthen NATO’s conventional forces in Europe to reduce the military disparity there But strengthening NATO's conventional forces in Europe will prove costly in the long run; therefore, the U S administration also should seek a treaty to reduce not only nuclear weapons but also conventional forces to a commen surate level in Europe The INF treaty alone probably will reduce stability and increase the threat of war; however, if it leads to further reductions in nuclear weapons and a congenial relationship between the superpowers, then the treaty will serve to strengthen peace. Moreover, the present treaty eliminating intermediate forces from Europe coupled with an asymmetrical reduction of conventional forces through negotiations in the near future would increase stability in Europe. But for the period directly following the signing of the treaty, special emphasis should focus on verifying the im plementation of the treaty. Adherence to the treaty s provi sions will prove a decisive factor in future negotiations over nuclear disarmament. The INF treaty should be signed and implemented and then negotiations should proceed cautiously toward massive cuts in conventional forces and strategic nuclear weapons. fpMECN MAN.CXXT ptm m get hip td €WS<SM_. „H3£.WA£ AFU»Cl~ Letters Preservation The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is located in the nor theast corner of Alaska The coastal plain is the most biologically productive part of the refuge. It is the last unspoil ed area of its kind in the Nor thern Hemisphere. The coastal plain is a national treasure com monly referred to as ‘‘America's Serengeti Plain." The coastal plain is in peril! The oil industry wants to drill for oil in the coastal plain and the Department of Interior has recommended that the entire area bo opened up for full oil and gas leasing Oil exploration and development on the coastal plain will be destructive to the ecosystem and aesthetically nauseating The potential oil recovery does not warrant the exploita tion of such a pristine treasure According to the Department of the Interior then* is less than a one in five chance that commer cially producible oil will tie found If any oil is found, the mean prediction is that only :t.2 billion barrels will be economically recoverable Americans use more than .'t.2 billion barrels of oil in seven months. Oregon Daily Emerald P O K..X t|<». t-UKrnr. I >1 rWM,n V401 The Oregon Daily Emerald is published Monday through Friday except during exam week and vacations by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co. at the University of Oregon. Eugene, Oregon The Emerald operates independently ol the University with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union and is a member of the Associated Press The Emerald is private property The unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable by law General Staff Advertising Director Production Manager Classified Manager Assistant to the Publisher Susan Thalan Michele Ross Kelli Mason Jean Ownbey Advertising Sales Kick Mart; Salas Manager Tan Boring. Gary Delossa. Tom Leach. Catherine Lil|a. Rick Mart;. Laura McKinney. Joann Nelson. Julie Paul. Barbara Roger*. Scott Thorklldson. Joan Wildermuth Narva and Editorial Duplay Advarllalng and Bualnaaa Claaaltlad Advarllalng lattar Partact Graphic a Production Circulation 886 5511 888-3712 688 4343 888 5511 888 4381 686 5511 Editor Managing Editor Nows Editor Editorial Pago Editors Sports Editor Photo Editor Graphic Design Editor Special Issues Editor Entertainment Sports Segment Editor Night Editor Stanley Nelson Scott Maben Carolyn lamberson Angela Munii Steven Hoemsch Aaron Knon Shu Shing Chen Lorraine Rath Kelly Kortekaas H C Hutto Andrew LaMar Associate Edllort Community Higher Education Administration Student Qovernment Activities Features Stephen Maher Michael Drummond Will Holbert Kelly Kortekaas Reporters: Betsy Clayton. Paula Green, Frale do Gu/man Craig Hams, Gary Henley. Andrew LaMar, Jett Morgan. In grid Petersen. Cami Swanson. Kelvin Wee Photographers: Sherlyn Biorkgren, Christophe Chabaudie, Andy Cnpe. Clltt Et/el. John Giustma, Bobbie Lo. Gregor Okorn. Andre Ranieri, Ted Shepler. Michael Templeton. Dan Wheeler Production. Sandra Daller I Ad Coordinator Kelly Alexandre. Ronwm Nicole Ashton. Virginia Baniaga. Laura Carhart. Eva Cohen. Stephanie Drynan. Dolores Fer rero. Shannon Gaither. Lisa Haggerty. Stephanie Holland. Deirdre Kelly. Eliot Knight. Chris Knox. Jung Lee. Bobbie Lo. James Mason. Ross Martin, Angela Muni*. Ted Shepler. Linda Sperling. Lisa Svanevik. Ingrid White Kelly Williams, Serena Williams, X Kang Xle Wo must look towards conser vation and alternative energy sources to meet our future energy needs. It simply is not worth despoiling America’s most spectacular wildlife refuge fur a quick fix. Tell Congress to preserve the coastal plain of the Arctic Na tional Wildlife Refuge as wilderness. Jeff Kndish Survival ('.enter Show respect I was dismayed by the unwar ranted charge of homophobia made against a respected Native American student leader, Harry Hintsala. who also is ASUO Minority Affairs Coordinator, ami by the one-sided treatment the issue intitially received in the pages of the Oregon Daily Emerald (Nov. 27. 29 and 30) Hopefully this regrettable af fair is now being resolved through mediation. As a con tribution to this process I believe that GALA. as well as the campus Indian community, might profit by reflet ting on the humane way that gay people are treated in traditional Indian culture. Non-Indians who are unfamiliar with this custom might wish to consult the ex cellent work by Walter 1.. Williams. "The Spirit and the Flesh" (Beacon Press, 1986). Usually, the only instances of homophobia that exist in Indian communities occur among those individuals who have been acculturated to white prejudices. 1 believe that Hintsala and the Indian students on campus deserve to be treated with more respect and sensitivity for their ethnic traditions than has been the case in this unfortunate affair. Steve Talbot Ph. D. Agitated 1 read the Nov. 23 ODE Street wise opinions about labeling convicted sex offenders and I was greatly agitated by the remarks of three students against it. Do they know that child molesters are never “rehabilitated?” That they never lose their urge to molest children? My infant daughter was severely abused by tny mother's last husband, yet he walks free today. Labeling this man for what he's done (and still cau do) is the least society can do I would prefer castration and a brand 3-inches across his forehead. Hecki Kennedy Records clerk, Registrar's Office Pave the way Farmers elect farmers, (makers elect bankers to their respective Ixiards. Educators, on the other hand, gnash their teeth because the governor ap points political hacks to super vise them Granted, a university gets public funds and is responsible therefore to more constituen cies. Aren't the subsidies given farmers also public funds? This makes one wonder how far the system of appointing board members from outside those running the institutions can lx- explained by the latter's dependence on special interests with clout and how far by anti intellectualism The latter was not too long ago the bane of this nation and expressed itself in the contemp tuous designation of "egghead" former-governor Atiyeh, and those he appointed probably believe professors are incapable of running their institutions A constitutional change let ting the faculties of the various institutions elect a majority of the board is urgently needed. What a wonderful challenge for social-minded students to pave the way for such change! A. E. Brettauer Eugene
