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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 1990)
Combined Germany holds much promise Tuesday's historic announcement of an eventual reunified Germany is probably the best indicator that the Cold War of the past 30 years is over. The two Germanies sprang out of post-World War II hysteria. The Allies, determined to forever end the German threat on the European continent, divided the conquered country* into four military sectors, con trolled by the United States. France. Britain and the Soviet Union. But as fears of communism grew, and the Allies re fused to give up their share of Berlin (which was deep in the Soviet sector), the coalition forged out of a com mon enemy broke apart The Soviet district became East Germany: the other three allies formed West Ger main The ensuing years saw central Europe become the dividing line between East and West The two coun tries lived in shadow of the superpowers. Experts agreed that if World War III started, it would most like Iv take place on German soil But with the democratization of Europe within the last year, East Germany and the rest of the bloc coun tries became free. Leaders of both East and West Ger many began to speak, at first cautiously, then openly, of eventual reunification. The other European countries gave guarded opin- * ions on reunification. A combined Germany would dominate the continent geographically, and have the ability to exert economic and political control over the rest of the countries. European leaders were leary of such a strong force in the European Economic Commu nity. But the accord reached Tuesday between the Unit ed States. France. Britain, the Soviet Union and the two Germanies opens the door for reunification. While the actual event is still some time off, that the two countries will combine seem* like a foregone conclu sion. The plan consists of two steps. In the first part. East and West German officials would hold a series of meetings to discuss the various difficulties reunifica tion would involve. The second step would see the for eign ministers of both countries meet with various world powers (including the four who helped draw up the proposal) to discuss the ramifications reunification involved, and the role the new Germany will play in European security. It's hard to find any problems in the plan. While some groups wanted instantaneous reunification, the six countries involved realized that was not a viable proposal. While both countries have strong cultural ties, many other bonds have been severed. For years. West Germans have been taught Fast Germans were traitors, and vice versa. Each harbors deep resent ments It will take a long time for both sides to get over the effects of the Cold War. There remain many barriers to overcome before for mal reunification is complete. Legal, economic, politi cal and security issues must be resolved. The eleven other members of the EEC,’ must decide what part a combined Germany will play in the organization. While the proposal has mostly gotten a favorable response, some groups have gone on record in opposi- j turn West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who has been the architect of the plan, has been accused by some members of the West German Parliament for be ing politically opportunistic. They say he is using the reunification issue as a prop for his steadily deteriorat ing power base. Politics may be behind some of Kohl's statements, but to charge him of such cynicism is too much. West Germany has always wanted a unified country (it's in their constitution) and chancellors in the past have brought up the subject only to face sharp rebukes from East German leaders. Kohl is only living up to this precedent, and should not be blamed for taking advan tage when the situation warrants it. East Germany will be holding its first free election on March 18. The reunification process will be set in motion right after that. From this end, there are no ob jections _Letters Policy letters to flit: editor must be limited to no more than 2oil words, legible. signed and the identification of tin- writer must he verified when the letter is submit ted __ Editorial— <5 VV\ ■* ...to -me COLOMBIAN DRUG SUMMIT 1 ^ oeoRQC wsh’s AHWMfre imam K I ■/jmftr I +J. *4 ImieL} (5) isJwnaitdi W & ■W &tK. AA^tLf ■ — »ijT' © jjutopuL a*.‘O' UUtrl, . 'uJj uo iw** -0 ~4u. &m- fnJ~Aufc ••• t __Letters_ Sign up Would whoever slnlc .1 lull "slop I hi • parking garage peli lion from my olfiee door kindly reve.il yourself <ind your re.i son? Shull sse assume sou sup port llie building of .1 garage:’ Let's talk about 1! not rip dossil petitions Those sslro signed on the door Iasi Thursdas and Friday (Peb H and >1) might want to sign again Anyone else op posed to the garage please come hs FIX’ l‘i and let vour voice he heard la't's proceed in a reasonable manner, folks, and stop this parking garage madness |e(l Harrison Knglish (>TI Dream world 1 'itlikt* rai e ur gender sexual pretereni r is .1 < oust ions choice r h<1 i«ttempts by homo sexuals organizations to link themselves In the < 1 v 1 i lights mmemon! is nothing short ol ileplorahle I ' S intelligent e and mill ti»r\ 01 gani/atunis have valid proved reasons tor refusing to einplm sell professed homo sexuals These convents 111 ( hole security (most spies in the Hritish and Ameruan gov eminent* have tended to he ho mosexuals) ami organization moral (a combat unit with a known homosexual shows a much lower ottu ien< \ rating) In short, this is ,1 rational s< reening process Neither the ( 11 A nor the mili tary is under any obligation to follow the Oregon Administra live Kules or any motion ot the University Student Senate These are federal agencies and an- subject to federal laws As a public si bool th.it receives fed eral money, the University has no right to bar these organiza tions from campus NYU and Princeton are pri vate schools: they can do am thing they want The Universi t\ must respond to tin- i itizens ot Oregon, and. despite what this isolated community may think, most Oregonians support a strong defense' and a good in ti'lliXiMicr gathering organiza 1 ion Maybe I he I'niversitv Stu dent Senate will wake up from the dream world, and, il it doesn't, maylre the CIA will take them to court Kric: Kckman Fugene Anonymous This tatter is addressed to our "Align and Tired" neighbor. You le)t a rather unexpected note on our door Tuesday and unfortunately. I know neither \ our name nor number I realize that living near a fra ternilv t.an he an interesting and sometimes trying experi eni e further. I realize that our a< tivities at times, are a hit loud and i (line ,i hit late The last thing th.it I want or need to have happen is to anger the people liv ing around us; this is never our intention I respei t vnui position and apprei iate vour com ern (’lease feel tree to contai t me at the chapter house in order to find a solution to the problem Michael Weaver Phi (.ultima Delta Misinforms In response to the T-shirt hanging in the ASUO office, which reads "See Did with lane. See Dick, with I'at, See Did with AIDS, Don't l>e a Dick " This T-shirt is probably meant to be a positive attempt AIDS awareness However it fails miserably; instead, it is a sexist portrayal of a life-threat ening virus Hec ause "I'at" is not a gen der spei ifii name, it leads one to assume that in our predomi nately heterosexual society that the name refers to a woman I Ins is offensive, because it im plies that woman are the lead ing cause of the spread of AIDS Statistically. women only pass the virus Jf» percent of the time, w here as men pass il 100 peri rnt tit the time dur ing intercourse. Tile T-shirt does not serve its purpose Instead of causing AIDS awareness, il misinforms the general publii who is vul nerable The T-shirt should clarify that anyone could catch or pass AIDS. The shirt blames women for AIDS, and portrays Dick as the victim. You don't have to be homosexual, you don't have to he a drug user, and you assuredly don't have to be a women to have AIDS Kvervone is a victim AIDS doesn't discriminate Nor should we Karbara Rodgers Speech-RCHM Bummer In response to all those writ mg letters saving tli.it .ujtoino bile drivers .ire .ill milirei 11\ 01 directly responsible tor the le cent oil spill, tli.il s It S I don't own .1 i ar ha\e never owned one although I was given a license ti years ago I do bike or take the bus To put the blame on drivers is unlair To all those who really want to protest this h\ not driving then you need to also not use plus tics or am other bvprodui t containing am cbemiials. he cause oil is the source of all petroi hemicais So maybe you all should move to leather, wool or fur, instead of polyester blends, but gee. that would probably hurt the animals {or you could go native, but that would hurt us), or switch to wood products in construction of appliances, but oops, that might hurt the trees Hummer. Oh. well, maybe you can just move in to the woods, hut then, that might hurt the animals who need their space (lee. life sucks; don’t you hate when that happens? Stop blaming car drivers tor all the problems, because guess where bike parts come from? (errick Juliette Chemistry O IT
