(News I Features
Thinking
Capsule
Brixton:
Forsaken
Child
by Paul Pittmen
Staff Writer
After having lived in West Lon
don for three months, having
seen Trafalger Square,
Westminster Abbey, the Tower of
London and the Houses of Parlia
ment and having tasted of the
British pomp and circumstance,
ranging from the Queen's Open
ing of Parliament to a church ser
vice led by the Archbishop of
Canterbury, a day's visit to Brix
ton serves to have a very humbl
ing effect. Like an abandoned!
child, Brixton lies on the east side'
of the Thames River.
To get to Brixton by the tube
(British Underground), one must
take the Victoria Line as far
south as possible. Stepping out
from the Brixton Underground
Station is like stepping out into
another world. Here, life moves
to the pace of a different beat'.
Everything which sits or moves
along its broken sidewalks and
filthy streets thumps from the
sound of reggae music. Surroun
ding the source of this rhythm,,
as if they depend on it for
sustenance, are many young
blacks who stand and watch.
Their faces, like the faces of
those who stand in a line nearly a
block long to buy meat from the
butcher, reflect feelings of
alienation, hopelessness, anger
and hostility. Messages painted
on the walls of the surrounding
delapidated buildings
reverberate with these sen
timents: "Riots not Jobs,"
"Youth Mania" and "God is
Dead, Are You?"
The current tumult in Israel
began on September 16th when
Lebanese Christian Phalangist
militia massacred hundreds of
Palestiniansin the Sabra and
Shatila refugee camps. A blue
ribbon Israeli investigative panel
recently released a report saying
that members the Israeli govern
ment bear "indirect responsibili
ty" for the killings. Prime
Minister Begin and former
Defense Minister Ariel Sharon
were accused in the report of not
acting decisively to prevent the
bloodshed, realizing as they did
the depth of the hatred between
the involved groups and the
Liberal Understanding
by John Cox
Staff Writer
In light of recent Mideast developments it is obvious to me that
the time has come for the US to alter its relationship with Israel. No
one can deny that Israel and its people have inherited a horrifying
legacy of persecution or that Israel is currently surrounded by hostile
nations, many of whom seem intent on destroying her very existence.
But nothing can excuse the blatant injustice bordering on terrorism
with which Begin has been carrying out his foreign policy.
Recent US administrations have been too supportive of Begin's ac
tions. President Reagan waited several weeks after the June 6 Israeli
invasion event to denounce the move, although he did eventually con
demn the action. But he has still not put enough muscle into bringing
the fighting to a close. The point is not that the Palestinians are right
and the Israelis wrong; no, the PLO is a terrorist organization and its
modus operandi has been despicable. The point is that the Israelis
have caused untol human suffering by invading and besieging Leban
non, and the US has done little to stop them. Curbing their military
adventurism is within our power, given Israel's great dependence on
the US.
Conservative Interpretation
by Bill Wilder
Staff Writer
In spite of recent Mideast developments it is obvious to me that the
U.S. needs to maintain a strong, healthy relationship with Israel. And
yet this opinion can stand alone-without the support of whatever other
sentiments one may hold concerning the historical Jewish people. It is
simply politically expedient.
How quickly America forgets her own painful lesson! It seems a
good number of these lessons spring from her inability to maintain a
consistent foreign policy. America is seen throughout much of the
world as the one nation with the so-called "woman's perogative" - the
right to change her mind - whether it be regarding Taiwan, Argentina
or the wheat embargo (whatever one's opinions may be on these
Alienation is bred not only in
Brixton but wherever there is
discontent, pride, anger, jealous
ly and discrimination.
London turns her majestic
head, unwilling to claim Brixton
as her own. Big Ben will continue
to strike every fifteen minutes of
the hour, on the hour, the Queen's
Guard continues to change ir
regardless of rain or shine, the
London banker and stockbroker
continue to scurry back and forth
manipulating interest rates and
buying and selling on margin, but
no one hears the cry of Brixton.
She is a tender box, waiting for
the careless match to set her on
fire.
The Facts
possibility of violence.
The panel called specifically
for the dismissal of Sharon. He
refused to leave voluntarily
however; he was finally forced
out of office by a 6-1 Cabinet vote.
Today he remains in the Cabinet
in an unspecified role.
Begin's relations with the U.S.
are an area of increasing concern
to analysts. The searing internal
controversy caused by the com
mission's decision has toughened
his stance in the current peace
negotiations. He continues to op
pose Reagan's proposal that
Israel withdraw from the West
Bank in order to arrange a settle-
ment with the Arabs, and he re
mains uncooperative in aiding
Reagan's efforts towards clear
ing Israel's 30,000 troops out of
Lebanon.
Lately a number of disturbing
incidents have occurred between
the various armed forces entren
ched in Lebanon. A U.S. Marine
confronted and halted 3 Israeli
tanks that were trying to pass an
American checkpoint in violation
of the peacekeeping agreements.
Several incidents between Israeli
and Lebanese forces have also
occurred, spurring the Lebanese
government to ban Israeli forces
from certain sections of the na
Moral causes, however, override all political concerns. If we choose
not to force the Israelis into acting with some degree of responsibility
in the world community, then we can at least discontinue or reduce our
support to them until they change their minds. Thousands of men,
women, and children were killed, wounded, or made homeless as a
result of the Israeli invasion; and our nation has the obligation to op
pose violence wherever it may occur and whoever may perpetrate it.
The guilt for the refugee massacre taints even the highest Israeli of
ficials, but Begin refuses to cooperate in any real sense with his own
investigative commission. He has merely removed Sharon from the
Defense Ministry, allowing him to remain in the Cabinet and continue
to influence Israeli policy. Begin has ignored the Panel's request that
his nation rethink its national goals and its responsibility to its
neighbors. He continues to be quite recalcitrant in the peace negotia
tions. As Sharon's replacement he appointed Moshe Arens, another
hardliner, who has opposed the ground-breaking Camp David Accords
with Egypt.
In short, it seems the US also has some blood on its hand in this latest
Mideast tragedy. The time has come for us to pull our 1200 Marines out
of Lebanon and get serious about searching for peace. Until Israel's
leadership has a change of heart, peace in the Mideast will elude us.
All involved parties must come to the negotiating table without
weapons and without intractable dogmatic stances.
issues, it is nevertheless, our image). However, the most pertinent
lesson in recent history comes from another country in the Middle
East, Iran. It was our yo-yo support of the Shah (said character is .
irrevelent here) that led to the overthrow of his government, the tak
ing of the hostages, and a subsequent free-fall in the U.S.'s world
prestige. It's simply a matter of sticking with those countries that con
sider us their friends (and sometimes we have to decide who's the bet
ter friend). Perhaps the trouble comes in choosing our friends.
This is not the case with Israel, our last friend in the Middle East.
Severing relations on the basis of occasional Israeli governmental in
eptness would plainly be a bit of governmental ineptness on our part.
What country in the Middle East, not to mention the world, would
qualify on these terms for our friendship? Would we always qualify for
theirs? In our relationship with Israel, we must toe the line, so to
speak, by exerting as much political pressure as possible to cause
them to act responsibly (which can be rather relative) while assuring
them of our continued friendship. Then perhaps the world may see us
as a friend worth having.
tion. In Southern Lebanon, the
Israeli-backed Arab forces of Ma
jor Saad Haddad continue to ex
pand their territory.
Begin's embattled coalition
defeated three Parliamentary no
confidence motions on February
16th. Since his reelection in 1981
Begin has faced 12 votes of no
confidence and survived them
all. And lastly, on the interna
tional front, U.S. Secretary of
State Shultz has expressed op
timism that Syria and Jordan will
soon begin cooperation in the
peace process.
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