About The Red and Black (Athens, Ga.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1979)
P»K» < The Red ami Black, Thursday, May 3. 1979 ‘Perceptions Registration is not needed Cancel contract with ATS I ln a move of questionable logic, the House Armed Services subcommittee on military per- • sonnel voted Monday to require | military registration for all males who become 18 on or after Jan. 1,1979. The proposal, a part i of legislation authorizing wea pons purchases and establishing military strength ceilings, must still be approved by the full committee before ii can see action on the floor. The measure is designed to register males who become 18 immediately after the 1980 elections. The proponents of the measure haven’t forgotten that the draft age is the voting age, and they don’t dare threaten eligible voters with the prospect of military service in Uganda. Such a move would be political suicide, and they know it. The reasoning behind the registration for military service is to speed up the induction process if the government was ever forced to reincarnate the draft in the event of war or some national emergency. The pro posal would also instruct the President to make recommenda tions as to what type of draft is needed, how the registration should be handled and whether women should be required to register. The same subcommittee bare ly rejected a proposal by a Mississippi Democrat to draft about 200,000 men a year into the Army reserves. Supporters of the reserve draft believe it would encourage more and more young people to enlist in the armed services. Yet, some people claim that the volunteer Army is failing. Admittedly, the volunteer Army is not meeting its goal of new recruits. What they don’t tell you is that reenlistement is up beyond expectation, making up for the deficiency in new recruit rosters. Many staunch supporters of the country’s military power are alarmed that the strength of the military is falling far below its draft-time brawn. It seems to them that the only way to regain that once-glorious reign of military superiority is to rein stitute the draft, by almost sneaking it past the noses of the country. Already the protestors have banded together to prepare for the battle against the proposals. They carried signs reminiscent of the anti-draft and draft-card burning days on the Capitol steps, and even into a House office building. The protestors claim the revival of military registration is simply a step toward resuming the draft, and all indication is that they are right. Those people who argue that a resumption of draft registration is merely a precautionary measure and not cause for alarm aren’t fooling anybody. The only imaginable reason to register draftable men is in preparation for a new draft, something our country does not need and should not stand for. Bill Krueger It’s time for the University to cancel its contract with the Athens Transit System As most students know, the University contracts with ATS to provide unlimited ridership for students. In return. ATS receives $70,000 a year from the University, which boils down to $3 a year from each student It sounds like a nice deal For $1 a quarter (taken out of the student activity fee) students can ride the city buses to their hearts desire. Hill Krueger is a former campus editor for The Red and Black But unfortunately not enough students ride the buses to merit forking out $70,000 a year for the "service." The plan is ideal for the small number of students who ride the buses. But the greater majority of the students, who do not ride the buses, are losing a good chunk of money which could be put to better use. ATS obviously needs the contract with the University. The $70,000 in University money makes up about 18 percent of the total $384,000 budget ATS has had a history of financial woes. To lose almost 20 percent of its budget would be a fatal blow. The bus system is already having to make cutbacks in the area it serves because it cannot afford to provide the amount of service it has been. ATS Director Jerry Mooney said in tnis paper recently that “If the contract were withdrawn, it would cause us to make major budget changes, which would mean route and schedule changes to adjust to loss of revenue." It's tough to say we should cut our contract with ATS. realizing the effect it could have on the system. But the current contract favors only the city and leaves the students on the short end of the stick. The $70,000 that is syphoned into ATS annually could be put to much better use in student clubs or organizations. When people are constantly crying for more money, why waste such a significant portion of money for the benefit of an insignificant portion of students. There is so much that could be done with that $70,000 that is being wasted by the University supporting a struggling bus system. Students are calling for better lighting on campus, but the reply is always "there is not enough money.” Intra murals need more money Last year Impression magazine was not funded, partially due to budgetary restraints And with all these needs, we continue to pour student money into ATS. Students who use ATS regularly can pay the fare like other Athens residents do There is no reason students who don’t ride the bus should pay for those few who do. Even those students who ride the buses are not totally pleased Many complain that the buses don't run frequently enough or are not conducive to their class schedule. Tuesday night the Athens city council approved the $70,000 contract with the University for next year, so it is too late to do anything now But University officials should think twice next year before renewing the contract with ATS Letters ‘ Students need right to influence ’ Cambodia, Uganda are exceptions Jack Straus TO THE EDITOR: Friday, May 4 is the ninth anniversary of the murder of four students at Kent State University It was our govern ment's reaction to students trying to influence the system Last year the Board of Regents reacted to students trying to influence tne system by implementing a policy to prevent students from addressing Board meet ings Preventing the democratic system from functioning properly, as Nixon did four days before the demonstration at Kent State by ordering the invasion of Cambodia against the will of the American people, the Board policy created a crisis The crisis culminated in police severely injuring several students from Atlanta Junior College and arresting 24 of them last summer Members of the Free Speech Task Force are involved in litigation challeng ing the constitutionality of the speaking policy The free exchange of information is vital to the proper function of our government—from the University to the President of the United States—and it is urgently needed to prevent the develop ment of crises like Kent State and Atlanta Junior We want to secure constitutional rights, especially the rights to free speech and to petition our government, and we encourage the Athens community to speak out about the activities of their government To those ends we are sponsoring the May 4 Memorial Students Rights Festival on Legion Field this Friday There will be informative speakers on constitutional rights in the University community including Gene Guerrero, Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia Other speakers will consider the Equal Rights Amendment, irresponsible nuclear development, and environmental issues Notable local musicians will perform throughout the afternoon and around sunset there will be a memorial for the students who were murdered on May 4th nine years ago There is a lot of activity in Athens to make government aware of our needs The May 4 Memorial Festival will be an excellent opportunity for people to learn about the problems that face them, what is being done, and how to get involved DAVID SHELLEDY To whom is freedom owed? TO THE EDITOR: This is a rebuttal to an article by Professor Richard H. Timberlake,Jr , (Red and Black. May 1, 1979). The security of our nation is dependent upon the success of its soldiers, and it is to our soldiers that we owe our appreciation Two centuries ago a small group of dedicated idealists pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor in dedication to a document separating 13 colonies from the most powerful nation in the world to form a new nation. The Declaration of Independence is over 200 years old. but what is its real meaning, to whom does America owe her freedom, and what must be done to insure the future freedom of the United States 0 Imagine, if you will, a bleak frozen dirty encampment where thousands of poorly trained, ill-equipped men are gathered, huddled together in small groups for warmth against the bitter cold. Members of their group die daily of starvation, exposure and a variety of untreated diseases Are these men prisoners or slaves? No. not at all. they could lay down their arms at any time and be guaranteed medical care, warmth and food. Why then do these men so stubbornly accept and endure such hardships' 1 These were the brave men of Valley Forge who rallied together for a common cause, a dram of freedom, a desire to worship as they see fit and the right to speak out against oppression and injustice without fear of persecution. The mothers, fathers and sweethearts of America have sent their young men to the battlefields around the world to answer this call America has sent a cross section which personified our nation. The rich, poor, middle class, the scholar, the high school dropout, the urban boy and the farm boy of all races and creeds Some went to return, others to carry the scars of battle for a lifetime and still others to the judgement seat of God Whether a draftee or a volunteer the American soldier is the single most important figure in obtaining and main taining the freedom of our country My friend, without the blood of the soldier to pay for it. and without the people of the United States being willing to put on the uniform of this country. "America" would have become nothing but words scribbled on a piece of old parchment, a dead dream SGM LEMUEL E. MORRIS l S. Arm) ‘Citizens have obligations 1 TO THE EDITOR: On May 1. The Red and Black printed a letter written by Professor Richard H Timber lane opposing reactivation of the selective service system In his letter. Professor Timberlake refers to conscrip tion as violating an individual's basic constitutional rights The U S. Constitu tion clearly states in Article 1. Section 8. that our government has the right to raise and equip an army. In addition to understanding these governmental rights, a citizen should realize a moral obligation to serve his nation by a form of civil service Too often men and women demand the privileges of being Americans with no thought of fulfilling any public responsibilities. Professor Timberlake insinuates that the pending legislation is being railroad ed through Congress. This is significant since .a recent ABC Harris Poll indicates that two percent of the American public feels the same as Timberlake's "coalition of militarist, political opportunists, and liberal do-gooders." The professor's vague reference to an unspecified war seems to equate conscription to a form of slavery. This is a blatant insult to the American soldiers who gave their lives in five previous major conflicts throughtout the world. These Americans were not slaves—they were free men and heroes. Finally. Professor Timberlake argues that governments using conscription to supplement their armed forces have had national economics undermined. For some reason, the professor seems to have overlooked the country of Switzerland which has one of the highest standards of living in the world. Switzerland also has universal male conscription. The letter's final paragraph refers to a draft as being a "threat" to the "lives, careers, and freedoms" of America’s youth. Professor Timberlake should realize the much stronger danger to our personal liberties presented by the threat of foreign aggression CHARLES W. ROBINSON. JR. PLAUDY M. MEADOWS. Ill ‘The fault is in the game 1 TO THE EDITOR: Mr David Cousart's complaint about the University golf course (Red and Black. April 26) is misdirected. He should fault his game His letter identifies him as a golfer who apparently cannot strike the ball from a lie on early spring common bermuda grass so as to hold the green One of his problems may well be that he is used to playing on bluegrass. Unfortunately, the golf course super intendents of private, semi-private, municipal, public, resort and other golf courses in this country are plagued by such unfounded criticism from self-pro claimed experts' of his kind all the time Such people don't know (but think they do* the basic principles of turf manage ment. I point out that I have no connnection whatsoever with the University golf course and haven't played it or visited it in two years but my advice to Mr. Cousart is to play any golf course as he finds it and adjust his game to it. If he does he’ll enjoy the game a whole lot more! GEORGE M. KOZELNICKY Asst. Prof, of Turfgrass Diseases & Genetics Last Tuesday. April 24. marked the commemoration of one of the most infamous violations of human rights ever recorded - the Holocaust Thirty-four years ago six million Jews and five million others were murdered in Nazi death camps. Even today the mere mention of names such as Dachau, Buchenwald, and Auschwitz send tremors through those who understand the magnitude of the horrors that took place there. Jack Straus is a second year law student In observance of International Holo caust Commemoration Day, President Carter delivered a speech in the Capitol Rotunda He remarked that "the world must never permit such events ever to occur again. To truly commemorate the victims of the Holocaust we must harness the outrage of our memories to banish all human oppression from the world." These are grand words which set forth a lofty goal. But now we must ask ourselves it we have made progress in achieving that goal, and if not. what we can do to reach it. It is my contention that we have quite a long way to go During Carter’s own administration two massive human rights violations went virtually unchallenged the carnage in Cambodia and Uganda No one really knows how many people died in Cambodia - the most conservative estimates claim that the Pol Pot regime was responsible for 1,000.000 deaths As for Uganda, Amnesty International estimates that up to 300,000 deaths occurred under the bloody reign of Idi Amin. We did very little to discourage both atrocities. But what could we have done? Military intervention would not have been practical and we had no economic leverage in either country. Of course we should have refrained from backing Pnempenh's appeal for international help in repulsing Hanoi. In the long run it's probably good that Vietnam ousted Pol Pot. And we should have been more supportive of Tanzania's reprisal against Idi Amin That conflict drained up to $1,000,000 a day from Dar es Salaam’s economy, one of the 25 poorest in the world. However, there is really little we could have done America just doesn't have the international leverage that it once had and it is doubtful that we will ever have that again. The world is changing. The nations are becoming more interlocked and a new international order is being formed. What we need now is a leadership that can find America’s place within that order and give us credibility abroad as a nation with clearly defined policies. We must also encourage more freedom and adherence to human rights through whatever means we now have available Expansion of trade by encouraging more experts will give us an economic weapon that increases our ability to take action against repression. The Senate should heed Carter’s admonition to ratify the International Treaty on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide And we must continue to speak out against all forms of oppression wherever found As we ail know, a treaty will not prevent another Holocaust And raising our voices will probably not discourage the Hitlers, the Pol Pots, and the Idi Amins - history teaches us to expect them in any generation But we’ve still got to try. If we don’t, these words of Martin Niemoeller on the Hitler regime will surely return to each of us: "In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up.” in Red and ‘BlacK Entertainment editor Ben FugiM *p«rtv editor Norm Reilly Photo editor Hal Brook* VGA To4a* coordinator Melon King Graphic designer Wayne E Nail ■Ysatstant . lam editor i Bobby Byrd Cindy Jackaon \**i*tant (My editor* Seth Cohen Vincent Pa pouter., taatataat feature* editor Kn* Young Aaatataat apart* editor Frank Malloy Andy Cook Aaotatant photo editor Talbot Nunnally Staff Editor Hope Dtugouma Elective editor Cathy M Lewi* General naatier Ed Stamper Advertising manager Charles Kuaaeil (spy editor* Scott Jacob* Gary Pout W met on Skinner Campus editor Justin Gttln CMy editor Bnan O Shea Foeiarao editor Tanuny Saved* editorial a»*i»ta*t Joel Andre** Advertising representative* Greg Griffith. Donna Peavey. Donna Hatchford. Mitzi Saul. Brenda Shell. Linda Spikes Liz Wilson <1a»»ified advertising manager Sharon Gtllooly Production manager Kenny York Graphic coordinator Frank Lee The Ked and Block student nentpaper of ike InJvrraMy of Georgia Athena. I* published Tuesday through f rMav ntth the exception of r lamina I too period* aod holiday> and primed hy Wilke* Publishing ( ompanv lar Washington Georgia Second claa* postage t* paid in Athena Poet Office. Athens Genrgta M*ai pinion* expressed in The Ked and Black other than unsigned editor to I* are the opinions of the nr Hers of signed 4 oturrns or cartoonists and are eat necessarily those of the Calx realty Administration the Board *f Kegents or The Ked and Black State national and international aena ia The Red aad Black is from the wire* of l ailed Press International The entire content* of The Red and Black are copyright 1171. The Red aad Black newspaper Ul right* reserved Subscript>«o rale H |I7M per year Information available at hoalaesa offices '*04 MS-MM. 1 (he right to edit letters far length Letters policy Letter* will oe printed as space permit* The Red aad Block r and libelous material Letters moat a be typed, double-spaced. wbM apace line. * —'* * W. ... -M yarn aam. in pci., for * a be limited to M lines. a be addressed To tbe editor. The Red aad Black M Journalt*m Whew vubmtUiag column* lotto* tetter policy ntth length held loinTbaes * Contacts News contribution* are accepted hy telephone < anti MS-Mtl at the edkortnl s. l aiverstty of Georgia metrics concerning advertising .tumid he made at the " - Correspondence shonM he addressed to the appropriate editor at am V*?!" *?'. Georgia. Athena Geaagte MM 1 . Cat*realty of
