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tSSaS'StDDSDllS "The South's Most Controversial Collegiate Newspaper" GARY JOHNSON JOHNNY TURNER MEMBER Editor associate Editor CARL BROWN Business Manager LYNDON MAYES, Managing Editor Asst. Editors: John Tyler Hammett, Ron Childs Executive Editors: Tom Cauthorn, Bobby Phillips (Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the Cluster and should not be confused with news stpnes Signed columns and cartoons are the opinions of the authors end not the Cluster) National Priorities Are Your Business The allocation of federal monies la not a matter of public choice. Such decisions are nevertheless made in the name of The People, are enforced by the co-operation of The People, and are sanctioned by the silence (or the ignor ance) of The People. Moreover, it is The People who benefit from (or suffer for) such decisions. It is imperative that a responsible people inform themselves of how federal money is distributed. ITEM. More federal money is invested in “Defense" than in any other area. "Military- industrial complex" Is no figment of the radical imagination: its existence is home out by the facts. The Pentagon absorbs more than 50% of the federal budget, employs half of all civilians in government, helps support more than 100,000 companies, feeds one American in five. The scope of the Pentagon’s activity is ultimate ly justified by those who have a vested interest in its expansion on grounds that we must con tinue our military superiority over the Commun ist world. Perhaps this is why we have already 4500 deliverable nuclear weapons in the U. S., and another 7000 “tactical’’ nuclear weapons based in Europe. We thus have the nuclear capa city (not to mention the possibilities of our con ventional weapons, and the more unconven tional ones such as chemical weapons, etc.) to destroy the U.S.S.R. thirty times. (Russia can demolish the U. S. twenty times over). Never theless, a new additional means of "defense” has been devised: the ABM, which will cost $150 billion (plus another $500 billion for shelters for “the civilian population”). Another system, MIRV, is next in line. ($23 billion has been spent on missile systems planned, produced, deployed, and abandoned — Nike Ajax, Titan I, Atlas D series, E series, F series, etc.) As if this were not enough, it is a fact that Defense Dept, proposals run anywhere from 25% to 2,500% more than the estimates presented to Congress for approval. (Furthermore: in the past 15 years, more than $10 billion invested in military contracts subsequently cancelled.) ITEM. The space program has been another popular federal program (over 60% of the bud get of aerospace-oriented). The Apollo series, which resulted in two Americans walking on the moon (240,000 miles away), cost $24 billion. The Mariner program aiming at the exploration of Mars (60 million miles away) is costing $1.2 billion. ITEM. Another specific expense has been the From tho Editor White Conscience—Black Context Greeks Are Great Whitey . .. “Beyond the shsdow of a doubt, the Mercer Greek system is great The members, my brothers and sisters cannot be compared — the closeness, the warmth, and the love. The brotherhood existing among the brothers and the sisters is really incomparable. If one is a Greek, he has really made it. Listen, come here and look at our scrapbook and see the great men that have been frat men.” “Too, the fraternity presents the opportuni ties for one really to get to know people that you would ordinarily get to meet Although I hate some of my brothers' guts they’re basically nice boys. I mean I respect them. You ase I get to live with these type people so I really can’t avoid them.” “The symbol of what Greeks stand for is uncritixafaie. It is not a racist Institution. We ain’t got no gripes with the Colored people. We just really want to get along with you people. Anyway yail don’t want our Mowrttip, it seems to are that you would be satisfied with your own kind. The situation is ready not that had! My bast frisnd Is a colored girt. We don’t have any of this trouble I’ve beard you emn- plain about. We ase and treat each other as ""“A thought just struck me. The National Office sent a newsletter last week saying that a colored cat was pledged at I.U. So don’t that prove something. You sse, all you got to do .... Well too you must remember that every body wasn’t meant to be a Greek.” “You got to realise too that Its going to take time at Mercer. Now let’s be reahetic. This isn't something to happen overnight I’ve bean taught all my Ills that.... Plus I don't think that a colored guy or girl would really be satis- fled.” ’ " I '.- “WeU now that y’all ham formed A BSA, you really don’t need to be a Greek. This shows that you don’t want the Greek Ills. Now don’t it But we don’t have a clause fas our charter or a reason to reject Negroes if they detire to join. All they got to do is try. You sac that’s bean the trouble arou nd hare, we bean made to look as dstnoos and we’re not It hahapiy a matter of Black earning out to Rush and trying, I maun we realty can't make you!” “Anyway I don’t see what the problem h and the pipes you ttik about The 1 In" i the pipes you talk about The Mayo as are the boat situation and tiUpa they’ve ever THE MERCER CLUSTER • November 4.1RW • 2 Thou Shalt Not Kill, But Thou Mayest by Cal Gough funding of the war. Thirty billion American dollars are spent every year in Vietnam. With a local population of 20 million, that’s $1500 per person. The funding of peace has fared some what worse. In India, where the U. S. gives away or loans more money in foreign aid than In any other country in the world, we spend leas than 50« per person (total: $250 million). In fact, this year’s federal budget Is greater than the sum of all U. S. foreign aid (divided among almost 100 countries) since World War II. ITEM. Little financial attention is being given to the problems here at home either. In a country where only 50% of its children receive some form of higher education, there are still over 57 million students and only 2Vi million teachers. There are only 2400 colleges and uni versities (sites of 160 major disturbances and 300 minor ones in 1967-68) for a population of 200 million. Federal aid to education? $3.7 billion in a recent year — and funds are being cut back (Mercer alone lost about $130 thou sand in federal support this year). ITEM. Other major domestic problems, in terms of tax dollars, remain neglected. These in clude a host of urban problems (64% of the U. S. population — 127 million people — live in unplanned urban centers); health problems (30 million Americans — 20 of them white — live below subsistence level, 10 million are starving); and many others. Total federal spending on Health, Education, and Welfare per year? Fifty billion dollars. ITEM. A totalitarian government is based upon The People’s fear - made possible by their ignorance and their laziness. When will we realize the federal government is our govern ment, never to be detached from our moral sen sitivities and sanctified beyond the limits of critjeism? When will individuals take up the re- sponsbility necessary to authenticate self- government? Adlai Stevenson once said that “democracy is not self-executing. We have to make it work, we have to undsrrtindit.. . Not only eternal vigilance but unending self-exami nation must be the perennial price of liberty,— because the work of self-government never ceases.” It does not cease even at the ballot box. When Mercer students, their parents, and other people like them all over this country believe they can surrender their responsibility to polti- cians, they have in fact surrendered away their freedom. 1. Thou shalt not kill, unless thou wesnst a green headpiece; if thou wearuti one, thou mayest be a law unto thyself. 2. Thou shalt not kill, unless thou hast a com- mitment to humanity; but such a commitment I btndeth thee not to helping ex tend the life of a human. 13. Thou shalt not kill, unless thou hret a responsibility to the man of the farther eert; but this responsibility doth not oblige thee to regard as valuable the His of a man in the farther east. 14. Thou shalt not kill, unisas Childs thou art in the butinaas of spying out lands flowing with milk and jelly; but tf in the char left by that jelly thou dost take It upon thyself to spy, a law higher than that of the law of the Lord may be invoked and thou mayest kill whensoever it convanienceth thee. 5. Thou shalt not kill, but thou mayest “terrain- ate with extreme prejudice" the life of a man For Your Information by Ron Childs who ceuseth thy Ue detector to blip twice. 8. Thou shalt not Mil, but the law of the Lord la not to bo taken with high regard If R data truth thy wasting armies from pursuing their course. 7. Thou shalt not kill, but if thou kOlsat, let It not cause anger or waning within thy armed R Thou shalt not kill, but If thou Idllaet, thou shalt not admit that thou hast done so, nor tiiait thou acknowledge the part ex titan as of the victim; but thou mayest silaboo his widow with a reward of six thousand four hunfoed and seventy-two shekels. 9. Thou shalt not kill, but If thou HI last, take regard that thou undertakast “a wet disposal” of the body of the victim, and cover thou thh dead with < 10. Thou shalt not Mil, but if thou takaot In thine hand to kill, do not permit thy brothers to tastily against thee; bleated art thou if thou hart Rivers as a friend in high pieces. 11. Thou shalt not kill, but if thou kiiisst, aO shall be wall with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth if the Great King takoth it In his mind to befriend then, for the law of the Lord is secondary to the word of the Grunt King and of the commanders of his sundry hosts. Upon reading this article in The Christian Century one quickly notices the condemnation of the Oman Berets in relation to their alleged murder cate fas Vietnam. Aa was pointed out to Wastern-cuIture-in-a^Chris- thkjkm a poat injustice to the man now about the 720 of the Green Berets, for them fow man who were commanded to murder a civilian am no different from any other soldier in Vietnam who Is ordered to carry a rifle, both take ordsesand both kill. Americans Are In The Minority (This column is an attempt at Informing Cluster readers of various areas of national and international concern. -Editors) What does the Mercer student, supposedly steeped in tian-context, know about the 720 million people of China? of the half-billion people of India? of the 236 million Russians? of the 260 million of Latin America? Wili-hti liberal educa tion enable him to grasp the consequences of the fact that ..., there will be a billion people in China by 1980? ... there are mom people in India than in all of Latin America and Africa combined. ... our grandchildren win sham this planet with almost fifty billion people. Most people think living conditions are slow ly Improving for most people. Actually, condi tions are rapidly growing worse. Aside from nutritional considerations (mentioned in last week’s Cluster) and economic enslavement, the following should be noted Mercer Discardi Costly Catalogue Beginning this summer, there has bean some discussion on campus hi regard to Hamas's 1969-70 Catalogue. Pew people mw It, most thought that It never existed. But the catalogues did exist and ware available for about two days In the Ragtitrar’s office. Shortly thereafter they the Asian illiteracy rate is increasing. **** returned to the printer. Several sources (India, for example, has 76 million more 1111 ter- Wte contacted to discuss the IB-foted csta- atas now than when she gained her "Indepen- dance” in 1947.) Sousas in the Regtitser’s office disclosed ... 80%-86% of the tropical African popula- that the catalogues were rejected beeauae of the Uon Is illiterate. gnat number of errors In the Anal edition. The ... 60% of Latin Americans am illiterate; lam ■R° n g»*® Otaea errors was that lest than one-third “»T,sttn dmtrtran rtadmtv finW) changes In departmental pmgatre, uni grammar school; Ism than 1% finish collage. varsity pottetis asid prose duns, and la tuition ... There are more rhiiitnts in higher adueft- ooets were made too late to be included In the Uon in the U. S. and in the U. & S. R. than In all catalogues of Latin America. Africa, and Asia nut toeether Yet sources In the Admissions office would Illiteracy tiimt to be confused witMpar- «dd 7* another reason for the return of the ance, however. We Americans, who Inhabit only catalogues, La., the presentation and focaaat of 7% of the world’s land And constitute a msagac *•* etekmim was considered to be unrepse- 6% of its population, may be finding this out aentattve of Msroar’s student body, the hard way, too — unless we bertn resnondliw Along this Nne It was staled that the pis turns to the (acta that chmectertae foe Umofte ware contested to be la poor trete. not because great majority of people on this planet. of the high black student representation, but be- been In. In fact Mercer probably has the Most progressive situation anywhere in the South. I mean I just don't are the need for there un gracious criticisms. You’re trying to put the whole blame on us. I mean that just ain’t true.” “You see, you've got to give us time. I know you hats the wait and I understand that. But this wm just the way I wm brought up. My parents drillbd this In me all the way througi my childhood. You are it’s my parents. Don’t you understand.” “Usten man don’t misunderstand are, it’s not what you think. This fraternity flag banner, charter doan’t mean what you think It To realty knew what It meant, you get to be one of us. Do you understand wtut I’m saying? Give us a Uttie time and well mime around. Yoti know 1 bet the next twenty yearn wel be laugiing at this whole stupid thing. So let’s not gat uptight about- this thing. We ere ~ friends. Now do you cause of ganacal poor taste In partioutir to the catalogues’ anticipated msdMtree, 4$, prospective students and their parenti. But why would this audlrecs be oftondad? U R because the an (Manas would he mtfariy upper- Whatever the reasons, however, * ffam of am catalogues, tire foot Mstom wasted mosrey on foil writer oaptd not And out i by tire univentty. Neither the tdmtorinre nfflne nor the Brefoem office hod any hsfowmlton along this line. However, the R^rimr'a offina dtialntethat Op ict*o obet Involved hv mi Bmb , e certain portion of tka coat wfll be r (dim to errors on the pmt of the printer). Tim Aagrtnrs < Orel decision to I Arire •^LUmf IlMofa Its I dj rpHNMn niiiii, Mr. rooy I 1 Oof dm This has bom a recording This tape wtteatf Inn Mm reireulree iNire mretreMnn «Hnlmrean Qomici in Hr* minuni, ion pncvoini owiafuv yon have jut wRnaread is tire mantaay of the art of rhetoric. It gives you the other red of the is mu I now tor seven yearn. Thk typo < I cored yon amt why are tt The effort they nut me metier Warekthrtyoo wqsrthto