Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1977-1989 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 1985)
Monologue U.S. has no sway with S. Africa By Thad Kreisher Of The Print How often does another country’s government make any major change at the request of the United States? Not very often. As a matter fact, I can’t remember even one such incident. Yet our President, Ronald Reagan, maintains that by talking to the South Africari government we can pur- suade them to abolish apartheid. Talk is cheap. Cheaper still when one is dealing with South Africa. Our government can talk until they drop dead and it still wouldn’t change a thing. President Botha’s regime has already shown that world opi nion means nothing to them. They have repeatedly scoffed at the American people’s proposals of boycotts and divestments. They have arrogantly refused to make any but the most trivial of changes in their policy of apartheid. They continue to flaunt their oppressive tactics in the face of the world despite international protest. Despite the many atrocities that the South African government displays, our govern ment holds fast to a program of “construc tive engagement.” Reagan claims that this approach has already caused signifigant ad vances to be made towords the end of apar theid. He is vague, however, as to just what advances have been made. What proof can he offer that the blaçks in South Africa are any better off than when he began his policy of constructive engagement? Indeed, what proof does he have to show that constructive engagement has made any signifigant change at all? Prptests across the country show America’s opposition to both constructive engagement and apartheid. According to Newsweek Magazine, within the govern ment, members of Reagan’s own political party have signed resolutions to back economic sanctions against South Africa unless serious steps are taken to end apar theid. South Africa’s policy of oppressing the black majority to maintain the rule of the white minority is a facist tactic reminicent of Hitler’s Germany. Their government makes a habit of stating that they will not give in to outside pressure or economic -sanctions. This may be true, and perhaps our govern ment can do nothing to force the South Africans to end apartheid. However, that js no excuse for the United States to supporf their discriminatory prac tices. The blacks in that land are forced to live in shanties.on so-called “homelands”. According to Time Magazine, these homelands constitute about thirteen percent of all of South Africa, and are the most desolate regions of the country. In contrast, the white population inhabits 83 percent of the land and live in comfortable, modern ac comodations. The black educationalsystem, although it pósesses more students, récieves only one fifth of the financing granted to white schools. U.S. News and World Report states that in this setting, many American companies, including Mobil, Citicorp, and I.B.M., operate. They claim that if they were to pull out, it would only hurt the black population more. However, these companies are direct ly responsible for only a very small percen tage of black employment. The United States should not aid ‘ the economy of a nation that willingly denies the rights of a vast majority of O citizens. Nor should we stand idly by and do nothing. The South African government has said before that outside pressure and economic sanctions will not affect it, but would it maintain that opinion if they were imposed? By refusing to instate economic sanctions upon South Africa, our government is in ef fect supporting the very thing they claim„to abhor. ‘I knew it all along" Bhagwan, other ‘Reds’ lose it all By Fritz Wenzel Editor in Cheif I’m not absolutely sure about some things in life, but one thing I am positive about is- that everyone hates the type of person that says he knew something was going to hap pen after the fact. And one thing is for cer tain; you would never find me doing that myself. Usually. In a normal setting. It’s just that I knew these things were going to happen so far ahead of the time they did that if I would have said something when I first discovered I knew, they would have shipped me off to Dammasch. The first thing I knew was going to hap pen was that the Kansas City Royals were going to win the World Series. I knew that when they won the pennant, though I had not seen them play all year to that point. First of all, they have George Brett. Whether you like him or not, just having him there to bat is a real lift to the team. At the plate he looks like a modern day Babe Ruth. He doesn’t just want to get a hit, he wants to puncture the atmosphere with the ball. Look out, Space Shuttle! Second, The Royals have the best uniforms. Theirs look like the baseball uniforms of old. In fact, it was because the Royals were so much more comfortable, and not because of the questionable calls that got Andujar so upset in the bottom of the fifth Sunday night. There were times between pitches this last week when I envisioned Boog Powell sneer ing back at a weary pitcher, or Mickey Man tle ripping a single to left, things I saw on Saturday morning years ago, obscured by the early morning mist of time, but still drip ping with reality. The Series really brings the American childhood out in the minds of men. The other thing I knew would happen is the capture of the Bhagwan. But then, I claim no special privilege on that one. Almost everyone I talked to about the Ra- jneeshees has said something like “they will get theirs someday.” Often people would add “even if I have to give it to them myself.” The Oregonian reported that the Bhagwan was indicted Thursday, but Ra- jneesh wasn’t waiting around to greet the warrant-carrying sheriff at his door. In stead, he simply had a sudden craving for warmer waters, sand and salty air, instead of water in a tin cup, making, sand and eating saltines. The Bhagwan went for it all when he went for the South Seas, but he now finds himself up a creek without a Rolls. Where is Sheela when you need her. Clackamas Community College Page 2 ' ■ . ......... .. ' 11(A) 87.34. D50 Illuminant, 2 degree observer Density ' 1 ' ' " ..Si’.«