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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (March 30, 1993)
EDITORIAL Aid to Russia is in best interest of U.S. America’s future lies in the hands of a president who must overcome a hostile congress and a disquieted pop ulace in order to promote his agenda for e< onornic, recov ery. But his name isn't Hill. Russian Federation President Boris Yeltsin is the man of the hour. and. as much as America's future hinges on his ability to act. so to does his future depend upon America. Yeltsin's presidency is undergoing perhaps its darkest hour as holdover communist apparatchiks are attempt ing to thwart his freo-market reforms and remove him from power. If Yeltsin were to be removed, he would likely be replaced uy « cumniu* nist puppet dictator who would ensure Rus sia's power and wealth remained in the hands of those who have so successfully raped the country for the past 70 years. To be certain. Yeltsin is not the poster child for capitalism. Yet he is one of a few men in Russia who not only possess some unaersianaing oi inns market economics, but also knows how to roll the loaded dice of Russian politics, Yeltsin has survived the most recent attempts at removal primarily because he still commands the sup port of the Russian people, but that support is dwindling along with Russia's economy and may vanish by year's end. The United States con take a significant step toward ensuring Yeltsin's survival and boosting Russia's eco nomic recovery with a substantive aid package. The most basic argument in favor of aid is that a short-term investment now will be less expensive than the long torm expense of a renewed Cold War. But throwing money at Russia is not the answer. Rather, freeing up credit to Russian businessmen, pro viding advanced production technology and technical and professional support are among the more important requirements for any aid package. Currently. Russia has no legitimate banking system that can support businesses, and Russian production methods are grossly Inefficient and outdated. But America should bv no moans attempt to turn Russia into USA East. Although Russians have been looking intently at the West as a model on which to build, they should take heed of Western deficiencies and loarn from our mistakes. onon^ Emerald The Oregon l>*iy Emerald rs pubtehed Oath, Monday through Friday durmg the school yaar and Tuesday and Thursday during the unw By me Oagon Darty Emerald Publishing Co me at me Uruvervty ot Oegon E ugene. Oregon the Emerald operates independently ot the Un-varsity enth oh ices at SuSa 300 ot the Ert> Memonai llmon and is a member o< the associated Press the trueraU >» p"»ale property the uniawlui removal or use ot papers « prosecutable Editor. Pat Matach Newe Editor Jake Berg Freelance Editor Hope Reason Editor tel Edtlor Martin tuner Editor tel Editor Rivers Janssen Graphic* Editor Je« Paslay Sports Editor Dave Charbonneeu Entertainment Editor 1 r*ya Horn Supplements Editor CaPey Anderson Night Editor: Chester ASen Associate Editors: Tammy Baiey Stixt*''! Oovernmenlr'Aclnor es, Data'yn Trappe Commwaty CoPaen Pohug. isgher £duration arxm News Suit Scott Andre Chester A: en Matt Bender Justm Brown. Sarah Clar* Meg OedoAm Amy Devenpon Jen EHrson. Amanda Fern* Anthony Forney Teresa Ftuntsmgw Lisa Mau- Rebecca Me-'!' Steve Mim*. T.lhn. MueUe- Tr.sia Noel E»en Shaw, ties Studemcsa Mar on Suitor. Mxheie thompso** Aguiar. Amy Van Tuyl. Todd WArams Qeneral Manager: Judy R-«J Production Manager ASctieie Ross Advertising: Tom leech Sharon V« Sales Menage's Shawn Berven. cWe Manage J*te Irola Teresa lsac«t“e Ph lrp Johnson II. Chris Kanott Jeremy Mason. Van V O’Bryan It. CeSian Oh. Rithaer TruS Ange Windham. Brian yvinrmerm Classified BeeSy Me-cha-n AAtnager Barry lagan Sharon Sauve Distribution Brandon Anderson. t*o Msmnrurg. Graham S-mpson Business halhy Carbone. Supervisor AxJy ConnoPy Production: Ingrd Wh-to P-odU-lwn CoordnaAv Anstme Granger Dee McCobb Stacy Mrtch«8 Jenn-ler Roland. Jenn.le- South Nasrsroom ___JA«S1t DtspUy Advertising .J4*-J7tl Business Olhca .—. M*-MT2 Classified Advertising.... 34A-4M3 4JCM AwD TWE COUfiT S4CS Tf^-VftPO P&VW.TV. - OPINION Rough sailing back into the U.S. eople going to Mexico are always warned alwnit "the X. water." but coining back from that country Saturday. 1 found U S waters to be much more unfriendly. Initially after getting off of mv first flight Saturday at the Los Angeles airport, everything was fine The first stop was to get my passport and customs card stamped, and the only difficult thing about that was waiting tn line. "Welcome back, sir." an agent said, stamping my documents. Wow, that was probably the first time 1 had ever been addressed us such outside of a restaurant. I almost felt like giv ing him a tip; it felt so good to be track. A short walk later. I saw my two items of luggage circling the carousel. This seemed like it was going to go pretty fast. Smooth sailing. That's when 1 met the Hoover Dam. in the form of an overiiear ing. overbellied customs agent. Meeting him was worse than my one day of Montezuma's Revenge — but both wore part of equally bad waters. While looking around for the person I was supposed to give my customs declaration card. I walked by her. The guard in question, who resembled Dis ney's Sheriff of Nottingham, ver bailv signaled me to give my card to the woman, who soon returned it to me. She witnessed, smiling from her stool, a session of "20 Ques tions.” Sheriff of Nottingham: "How long were you Mexico?" Cowering me: "A week." Sheriff: "Are you traveling alone?" Me: "Yes." Sheriff; '‘What was the pur pose of your trip?" Mo: "Pleasure.” Sheriff; "What's your occupa tion?" Me: "Student." Sheriff: "Where do you attend school?" Mo "The University of Ore Kon." Sheriff: "What do you study?” Me: "Journalism." Sheriff: "Please step to the yellow lino." Great, at least 1 wouldn't have to deal with that guy again, right? Well, meet a woman who is the equivalent of the Sheriffs little sister, who. though appear ing much more friendly, ran me through the same line of ques tioning. She even asked me if I packed my own bogs and if that meant that everything that was in there should he there. Little Sister also gave my hugs a thorough check. My sleeping, dirty underwear and toiletries hags all received inspection. When she was done — with my items randomly laying all over the counter — she politely informed me in her monotone voice and manner that I was welcome to put my things hack in my hags The sleeping hag. which had been packed tightly . took forever to get hack into its duffle bag. Although I realize that the agents were just doing their jobs, they did not have to do it in such an unfriendly manner. During my check, a young Mexican man had been receiv ing the same treatment, hut appearing not to know the Eng lish language well, he was going along with it. 1 felt bad for him because his country had treated me so much letter. After all, the customs agent that met me upon my arrival in Mexico City a week before (with me wearing the same outfit, car rying the same luggage and walking right by the same per son I was supposed to hand the Mexicans, in general, could teach the U.S. people a lot about manners. card lo as in Los Angeles) allowed me to pass freely through, with instructions (in Spanish 1 didn't understand) to press the button for the green light. 1 didn't, but it went unno ticed, and 1 went on my merry way. l.ooking back, this showed me that there are two ways to do such a job: be a jerk (the Ameri can way) or be cool (the Mexi can way) I saw in that instance, and in others, that Mexicans, in general, could teach the U.S. people a lot about manners. A little common sense would have lieen nice. too. Why would I attempt to sneak any con trolled substances (such as drugs or alcohol) through a fed eral checkpoint when 1 could more easily find anything I wanted in Eugene? After asking a young Mexican woman I met what she thought of the United States, she responded with the three words (English version) "modern.'' “technological" and "liberal." She added that many Mexicans believed that views of her peo ple in the United States were of "slow-minded," "lazy" people. If "slow-minded" and "lazy" mean being more friendly and more sensible than a "modern" and "liberal" country thut has rude and insensible customs agents with inflated egos, then someone start a fund-raiser for my ticket back to Mexico City. My liags are packed — and noth ing's illegal about them. Welcome back sir. Yeah, thanks. lake Berg is the news editor of the Evnemld.