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THE PILOT-Soatfaem Pines, North Candlna Wednesday, May 27, 1981 The Fantastic Imbroglio The Public Speaking The Middle East (Continued From Page 3-B) BY DR. CHARLES W. LOWRY On May 15 I spoke, by special request of President Eugene Reichstetter, to the Rotary (3ub of Southern Pines on the con tinuing, unending crisis of the Middle East. I was bold enough to predict that there would not be war this round. Neither the Jews of Israel nor the Syrians want war, and the respective leaders of these two States are alike in being on the hot seat politically. Both are motivated in consequence to practice brinkmanship. When I say “War” I mean hot war, the outbreak of all-out hostilities,' the continuation, paraphrasing von Qausewitz, of policy by other and extreme means. War of course is going on- -war between Israel and the excluded and embittered native Palestinians, assisted by most of the surrounding Arab states but only to a limited extent. The ongoing affair, ac cordingly, is a “cold war,” a guerrilla enterprise, a protracted political struggle utilizing the methods and in struments of terror. The danger is an explosion which will engulf the whole area in flames, with unpredictable consequences. The first necessity is un derstanding-grasping clearly the elements of the situation in their fantastic complexity. I doubt whether history records a condition as tangled and in tricately knotted as the Middle East is in our time. One wonders whether it can be unraveled and straightened out. But miracles do happen. An war Sadat’s conversion to peace and his brave, bold journey to Jerusalem were an instance of the unpredictabie, of the seemingly miraculous in history. The first factual element in the Middle Eastern situation is a nation-state of three and a half million people, armed to the teeth, with three years of miiitary service required of all males and two years of all females-the Sparta of the 20th century. This is an occupying power. It sits on a million and a quarter ^Palestinian Arabs in the area commonly called the West Bank ’iai'id Gaza* ‘ but 'invaridbly referred to by the Prime Minister of this nation as Judea and Samaria. This country has an enormous debt, slightly larger per capita than that of the U.S.A., and an inflation rate currently of 130 percent. Two thousand of its citizens are leaving every month. This is Israel, which after 2000 years became again a State-on May 14, 1948. There is a second basic, component element in the fan tastic imbroglio we are con sidering. It is a displaced or occupied nation of three and a half million Arabs either bom in Paiestine or born to Palestinian parents-a people curiously resembling the Jews in energy, intellectual ambition, and business acumen. I was told in 1975 by a 20 year- old Palestinian youth in Jordan that his father had been wont to wake him up as a schobl boy at four in the morning to study. And the shops in Amman, capital of a backward country, are a sight to behoid. It is said that these Arabs, scattered around and often huddled in refugee camps, have more Ph. D.’s relatively than Israel. Such is the people known as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs. A third factor is the great body of surrounding or territorial Arabs, numbering at least 80 million. If Algeria and Libya are counted, the figure is 100 million. In religion this people is solidly and, one might say, fun- damentalistically Muslim or Islamic. A fourth and ironic factor is oil or black gold. The Arabs are believed, or were believed, to sit on three-fifths of the oil of the planet. And this oil is close to the surface and easUy extracted, which accounts for its steady flow by tanker to the ends of the earth. It is an Arabian Nights tale, if there ever was one. A fifth element in this story- wouid it were only a fairy tale!- is the tragic predicament of Lebanon. This country only six years ago was the Switzerland of the Middle East, an oasis of stabiiity and calm. It collapsed suddenly, like the one4iorse shay of American folklore, and presents today a condition as seemingly hopeless and more sanguinary than North Ireland. There are striking resem blances in the two situations. The more prosperous Christian party corresponds to the Protestant Irish minority. The Muslim majority is comparable to the (Catholic Irish. The Syrian troops. 22,000 of them, posted to keep order, suggest the .British soldiers, wi&out which there would certainly be open civil war in Ireland. Finally, and without parallel, unless it be the IRA (which does suggest the PIX)), there is the cancer in Lebanon which may be fatal"the 400,000 Palestinians which include the aggressive, irredentist guerrilla leaders who live for revenge and to keep alive the weapon of terror. The sixth and last factor in this crazy quilt is the role of the two super-powers, the U.S.A. and the U.S.S.R. The role of the first, ourselves, is too well known to require comment. I can never forget the remark to me of a young Palestinian in Jordan; “Israel is the child of America, as I am my father’s son.” The U.S.S.R. has long been meddling and maneuvering in the strategic and oil-rich Middle East, with limited success to date. A factor here is religion. Islam is more elemental and vehement in opposition to atheism than modern Christianity. Egypt has never allowed a Commi^st party legal status. Saudi Arabia has wiQiin its borders no Communist mission of any kind. Syria next to South Yemen remains the power most in league with the Soviet Union. The Syrians regard this as a marriage of necessity and think they have a comfortable margin of safety. The Soviets want trouble intensified in that troubled area, and are giving their clients, the Syrians, a loose rope. Herein lies the danger, along with Israeli soisitivity and security complex. Nevertheless, I do not an ticipate a fifth Israeli'Arab war at this time. The Syrians, deep as is their bitterness toward Israel, are not in a position to have a showdown. Begin has an election coming up. The Israelis moreover, like the Egyptians following the 1973 war, are tired of fighting and dying. There is a strong peace party in the country, including many war veterans. It should not be forgotten that Israel, up to a point, is a democratic country, with varied into-ests, parties, and passions. It is not entirely without a con science in relation to the Arabs. If Shimon Peres should come to power in June with his Labour Party, there could be a definite shift of policy, witl) a move toward pacification and ac commodation of the Arabs. Peres, a very different type from Begin, is on record as favoring a negotiated withdrawal from most of the West Bank. Abba Eban, the number three Labourite and the most eloquent voice in Israel, has spoken against continuing “to exercise coercive rule” over a million and a quarter Arabs against their will. Peres’ (dan calls for reunion with Jordan of 80 percent of the West Bank Arabs and 70 percent of the territory. Jordan is not responsive to this, holding that all the territory including East Jerusalem is rightfully hers. I believe that Peres is moving in the ri^t direction. But it may be necessary to go ahead without Jordan, offering autonomy and eventual independence to most of the West Bank (with federation with Israel if desired). There is no other possibility for a Palestinian state; and only this can sifdion off the bitter emotions and dai^erous irredentism of the Palestinians. They have been unjustly treated by a clever and victorious Israel. But it is a fait accompli and there can at this date be no restoration of the status quo ante. It is much like our treatment of the Indians and Mexicans. We cannot undo history, but it is good that in our time we show diat we have a national con science. The Palestinian problem remains the nub of the Middle East crisis; and the West Bank offers the only feasible solution and start of a healing process. Israel’s interest and possibly ultimate survival hinge on vision and action in this direction. traffic accidents each year had alcohol in their blood at the time of the accident. 500,000 disabling injuries are suffered in cra;^es involving problem linkers. 34,800 or more than half of . the 60,000 nonJiighway accidental deaths are alcohol involved. 11,000 death certificates an nually list alcoholism or alcoholic psychoses as cause. 2,000,000 (approximate) arrests each year for public drunkenness-40 percent of all non4raffic arrests. $21,700,000,000-latest dnnual eiqpenditiu^ by Americans for alcoholic beverages according to the Distilled Spirits Institute. $15 billion annual economic drain because of alcoholism-in lost work time, health and welfare costs, property damages etc. 15 percent (approximate) of the 400,000 patients in state mental hospitals are under treatment for the (x-oblem of alcoholism. Over half the states report alcoholism the most hrequent diagnosis for first admissions to state hospitals. One third of all suicides are alcohol-related. One half of aQ homicides are alcohol^'elated. Steady increase in the number of alcoholics admitted to state hosi^tals. 10-12 year decrease in life expectancy of every alcoholic. Impossible to estimate human suffering related to alcoholism, from broken homes, deserted families and problems of (^ildren of alcoholic parents. (Statistics used above are based on material in a statement by Vernon E. Wilson, M.D., before the Senate Subconunittee on Alcoholism and Narcotics, March 18,1971. Dr. Wilson is the Administrator of Health Services and Mental Health Ad ministration, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare.- From The American Issue. Kind of hard to get real excited about Moore County’s jx-ofits from booze when you see 10-year old figures such as these. They’re no doubt worse now. John Nicodemus Southern Pines. Law And Order Proposal The Fayetteville Times Sen. Charles Vickery, EMJrange, has challenged North Carolina to lend substance to the yearning for law-and-order that is so much discussed these days. Vickery has sponsored a bill that would do everything but prohibit private ownership of handguns. This measure would ban the Saturday Night Special, ti^ten the requirements for obtaining handgun permits, and set up a statewide handgun registration system. Bold stuff, by any American standard. No, it would not solve the homicide problem. No, it would not stop people from sawing off the barrels and shortening the stocks of rifles and shotguns. No, it would not do away with the thousands of handguns already manufactured and sold. No, it would not stop a determined criminal from getting his hands on a gun. No, it would not keep people from clubbing one another to death with tire irons and pop bottles. But it would save lives. Variety Vacationland Side Effect Moreover, it would do so without triggering another dreary debate over the constitutionality of gun control. By no stretch of the imagination does the Second Amendment guarantee anyone the right to pack a Saturday Night Special. In North Carolina, most murders are committ^ with firearms, and the firearm more often than not is a handgun. At least 70 percent of the victims loiow their assailants, and it is therefore reasonable to assume that many of these are crimes of passion, conunitted by people never expected to b^me criminals. But why confine the discussion to murder? Accidents are just as lethal. Every few days we read that a child has been killed while playing with a handgun kept in the home “for protection,” or that some sportsman has accidentally shot himself or someone else. If guns can be kept out of the hands of just a few of these people, lives will be saved. Ihe public is said to be unready for an outright ban. But everyone would ben^t fi'om the apfwoach of Vickery’s bill in the General Assembly. To the Editor: Doctor to patient: How did the medicine I gave you woric out? Patient: It had a very bad side effect. Doctor: What was that? Patient: It gave me a very bad case of ambition, and I started to clean out the garage. S. Edgar Walters Pinehurst Budget Time- The Chapel Hill Newspaper The best slogan that has ever been used to advertise North Carolina is “Variety Vacationland.’ It came into vogue at a time when the vacation season in North Carolina only lasted for about three months, from early June until Labor Day. Almost all of the homes built for vacationers at the beach or in the mountains were considered summer homes and nothing more. There was no thought of either heating or air conditioning. The very rich might spend a few months in mid-winter in Pinehurst or Southern Pines, but for the aver age North Carolinian and the thousands of others who had discovered the Tar Heel state as the mecca for the perfect vacation, those summer months were about it. “Variety Vacationland” is no longer in vogue as the proper way to advertise North Carolina these days, but there have never been two more powerful words used together to advertise living here or vacationing here. The new houses and con(k>miniums at the seashore and the mountains are now constructed for year-round living. Skiing on man-made snow or the God-given variety is available for thousands of skiers. Hundreds of golf courses are kept open the year round-not so many in the western part of the state, but from Greensboro to the coast you will find them in abundance. Instead of waiting until June, many people are now taking their vacations in the spring of the year whOe just as many wait until after Lalwr Day. North Carolina has become a year-round “Variety Vacationland,” and all of us are better off for it having come to pass. To the Editor: Oh, it’s budget time again in fair Moore County. Citizens, come alive! The fur is about to Qy, the tempers are about to flare, and the people will once again be the ones to suffer the consequences, imless they hold their commissioners to their campaign promises. I seem to remember, in those pre-election days, candidates promising “no raise in taxes.” They claimed they would keep the tax rate at $.50 on every $100 worth of property valuation. It is time now for citizens to find out which commissioners are still owed their trust. So many times, after the election is over, and the voters have left the ballot box for home, secure in the knowledge that their elected officials will keep their promises, those elected officials forget the platform they ran on. The Moore County budget is just about to be conceived. There is an ugly rumor circulating in the back ro»ns that a certain Republican commissioner wants to raise taxes. We certainly hope that is a nasty, abusive lie, but we doubt it very seriously. Every citizen should noake their wishes known to their conunissioners right now, and toen watch carefully. My old conservative Daddy alwa3rs used to say “Don’t ever call a snake by his name; There ain’t no use toyto’ to hang him. Just give him enot^ rope, daughter, and he’ll hang him^lf.” Barbara Richie Marsh Southern Pines businessmen. Their only concern is profit, and a big profit at that! If a dnig dealer can buy cheap and sell dear, so much the better for him or her. Perhaps this accounts for the explosion of PCP, or Angel Dust, on the “Drug Scene.” Certainly, the ease of manufacturing PCP and its low cost make it attrac tive to illegal dnig dealers. Thou^ only a small segment of abusers pr^er PCP as a “drug of choice,” PCP often is what other abusers are unknowingly using. Recent lab tests made on “street drug” samples show that drugs sold as cocaine, amphetemines, qualadues, barbiturates, “THC,” “LSD,” and mescaline all con tained large amounts of PCP. Producing (me pure dose of LSD costs about $3.50. A dose of PCP costs much less to make. It’s pretty easy to see how much more profit can be made by sell ing this drug. And, when the facts aiwut PCP are added to this for mula, it becomes even clearer. CSiemically, PCP is 1- (1 phen- cyclohexyl) piperidine hydrochloride, or phencyclidine. This group of chemicals contains some thirty analogs (similar compounds) and there may be as many as 120 variations of PCP. It is easily concocted by anyone with a knowledge of basic chemistry, and the ingredients are readUy available. One of the great problems with the kind of “kitchen labs” that produce il legal PCP is the absence of any quality or purity control mechanisms. U that isn’t bad enough, read on: PCP was originally develop^ as an anesthetic to be used in surgery. But bizzare side effects were observed in a great number of patients. These ^ects includ ed parancxa, hallucinations, delu sions, and the fear of dying. With large doses, nausea, confusion, and convulsions were observed. PCP was taken off the market for human use because of the effects, which sometimes, lasted for years after the dose was given. PCP was later approved for use as a veterinary (Inig only. In the late 60’s, PCP first ap peared on the “street” drug scene. There, it received the PCP for PeaCe Pill, because the drug was reported to give the illusion of peace. PCP did not live up to its name. Drug users were not prepared for PCP’s bizzare ef fects. PCP disappeared from ttie West (kast, resurfacing in New York Qty as “hog.” In the early 70’s, PCP staged a comeback. Times had changed. The same bizzare effects that had turned off earlier users attracted a new generation of users. PCP began to spread, both as a mas querade drug and preferred drug. By 1978, the national media began to recognize PCP abuse. Recent episodes on prime time T.V. series testify to toe fact that PCP is a major drug problem. The effects of PCT* use are well documented. PCP does live up to its bad reputation. We, in toe drug abuse treatment field, view PCP as toe most dangerous and unpredictable drug of all. Case after case of deaths and psychoses have been asso(nated with PCP use. Death or psychosis are fintd terms. PCP, or Angel Dust, can truly be called the “nightmare drug.” 'Ihe economics of PCP make it difficult to avoid, if you use “street drugs.” PCP is made into a powder or liquid, and in tablets of any shape or color. It is used to increase toe patency of mari juana, as well as sprinkled on parsley leaves and smoked. Any one dose can be that “bad trq)” of all “bad trips.” If you want further information about PCP or any drug contact your local Substance Abuse Counselor at toe Sandhills Center for Mental Health, Mental Retar dation, and Substance Abuse. The telephone number is 29&4853. May is Mental Health Month. Your support of Sandhills Center’s programs and services is needed and most welcome. Chuck Meek Senior Counselor Pinehurst Passing a law declaring abortion murder is also repugnant. In our present state of devolution a vote on such a law would require that we decide to vote for abortions performed by competent physicians or for abortions performed by quacks. At present far too many of our people find themselves in rituations where abortion may be the best solution. Certainly the best solution is that our people acquire self-discipline and knowledge. For toe most part toe Moral Majority appears to be composed of older people who have forgotten their youth. At this time a law declaring abortion murder would send the wealthy to foreign countries and toe poor to quacks. If Jesus had believed that all abortions are bad he would have declared His knowledge. He despised toe self-righteousness and hypocrisy of toe Pharisees and s^d so in no uncertain terms. Do we have Pharisees in our midst today? The Swedes interest me. Probably they are toe world’s most intelligent and humane people. Their crime-rate is one-tenth ours. Yet they have clinics where abortions are performed upon r^uest. They appear to be trying to make laws (concerning sex relations that conform wito human nature. If they are successful they will have performed a great blessing for mankind. Let us have children that are happy and beautiful. Let us not descend to a Bangladesh. Our legislators should pass toe laws adrised by our great Chief Justice. Larkin Hundley Marianne, Fla., Rt. 3 well.” The educators cry, “It’s for our children. Shouldn’t we give them the best.” But even this week a young couple wito four children are forced to leave their home because of unchecked inflation. I am not sure who was responsible for toe Department of Education’s presentation, but I’m angerad that someone ^ven 'so much public trust, and educated enough to know what they were doing, would try and sell us and our childi^eh into an over tax state leading to socialism. One of the Freedom Fighters. Richard B. Taylor Pinebluff. stand behind our elected officials as they try to straighten out toe mess we have made and return to us our individual freedoms. Bessie C. Kelly Southern Pines. Moore County Library Parker Commended social health mental of toe Education Budget To toe Elditor: Most pr(^rty owners I hope are aware of toe effect our county budget has on taxes. Attending toe conunissioners’ meeting on May 18 was eye opening. Different departments were presenting conservative bu(]gets, toe same or even less than last year’s, then, like a dark cloud, the Department of Education presented their “minimal needs.’’ As most papers recorded their request was 44 percent more than last year’s budget, including 13 new salaries, and three new vans, wito no expectation in student poptdation growth! One of toe understatements of the year, I quote “Someone didn’t do their homework very To toe Editor: I would like to highly connmend Conunissioner Tony Parker on the content of and si^it behind his recent letter pertaining to budget matters in Moore County. Because many people will, of necessity, be affected by a cutback in county, state or government spending, his position is not a popular one. We have practically destroyed a generation of people wito give away programs that lead them to believe that a government program or a government handout is toe only answer to getting along in this world. We have taken away so much responsibility from the in dividual that many individuals no longer feel they should have any responsibility. When all of {xograms, all of programs, all of health luograms, educational {vograms, etcetera, etcetera, have been funded to toe point of bankruptcy for America; when all of toe Commissions and all of toe Committees, all of toe foreign aid {x-ograms, all toe Social Security programs, all toe Senior (Stizens (X'Ograms and all toe rules for governing our lives and our homes have been set up, so that supposedly all forms of suffering have b^ eliminated for toe human race, there will still be untold needs in every area-untold hunger, unmet (toysical needs, unmet spiritual needs, and unmet emotional needs among thousands upon thousands of people who have not met toe requirements to receive the government handouts. The Bible tells us that we will always have toe poor-and of course this can mean poor in sfMt, poor in mind, poor in body or poor in this world’s goods, so the government will never be successful in “playing God.” Let’s accept the hardships and The following is a list of new books received this week by toe Moore County Public Library, a member of toe Sandhill Regional Library System. They are available at toe Moore County Public Library and Bookmobile in Carthage. Adult Books Burton H. Hobson, Coin Collec ting As a Hobby; Kent Kelly, Abortion: The American Holocaust; Judith L. Klinger, The Foo(i Inflation Fighter’s Handbook; George McRobie, Small Is Possible; Jeraldine Saunders, Hypoglycemia: The Disease Your Doctor Won’t Treat; SC Anal, Analog’s Golden Anniversary Anthology; Phillip Finch, Texas Dawn; John Mac Donald, Free Fall In Crimson. Market To Open June 2 Farmers Tuesday, The Moore County Market will open on June 2. The location will be toe same location on W. Pennsylvania Ave. in Southern Pines as in previous years. The hours of operation will be from 9-5 on Tuesday and Wednes day, 9-6 on Thursday and Friday, 8-2 on Saturday. Vendors will have an oppor tunity to rent seasonal spaces this, year. Vendors interested in rented seasonal spaces should be at toe Farmers Market at 500 West Pennsylvania Avenue in Southern Pines on Friday, May 29 at JO o’clock., n , , , , ^E.Tv ^ker has-b^ employed ‘ as manager of toe Market. The rules and regulations have been revised by toe Farmers Market Advisory Conunittee which was appointed by toe Moore County Board of County Conunissioners. For a copy of the rules and regulations, contact toe Moore County Extension Office. METAL BUIU^NO SYSTEMS^ N.C. INC GanmrmI Confrocfon An Authorized Mitchell® Dealer ^ Metal Building Systems BUILDINGS Metal Building Systems MITCHELL ENGINEERING COMPANY Division of The Ceco Corporation Call The Metal Building Specialists NOME OFFICE RAUIGH OFFICE Sanfoid 77M219 Raleigh 834-5204 Jerry Hocutt, Pres. M.A. Bush, V.P. (Not To Bo Confusod With Motol Building Constructors, Inc.) Repugnant Law ‘Angel Dust* ATCAMPLEJEUNE Marine Staff Sgt. Nathaniel E. Balsley, son of Lorenzo V. and Palmer C. Balsley of New York Ave., Southern Pines, has reported for duty wito Head quarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, located at toe Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune. To toe Editor: One of toe uglier sides to toe problem of di^ abuse is toe purely economic one. Drugs aren’t usually given away like balloons at a shoe store, but are sold for money. The people who deal in drugs are far from model To toe Editor: With only brief periods when we used good sense we have been spending beyond our means for mEuiy years. The election of Reagan appeared to give us an unprecedented opportunity to stop inflation. But at a time when we must increase spading for defense we won’t stop inflation by taking from toe poor and giving to the rich. And at a time when crime is destroying our nation it seems asinine to make more criminals. National Prohibition should have tai^t that it does not pay to make laws that a large percentage of our people will not stq>port. I do not know of a person vtoo likes the idea of abortion. Certainly it is repugnant to me. smithBORO I FURNITURE COMPANY Our butinun It tuUing dittinctiv*, fin* gucllty, n«m« brund furnitur* at a large ditcount for coth. Wa hav* 40.000 square feet of display area fiHed with over three-fourths of a million dollars worth of good furniture. We invite you to visit our store end see for yourself, one of the largest selections of good quality furniture by well known manufacturers in this eree. Ask your neighbors about our prices, the fine quality, good service and reliability for which we ore well known. A FINE QUALITY FURNITURE PRICES Is Our Business. ksKricM sf MartiMliRc Misr ■artsl«M|tr ■nsett ICffllMldt IhcksMtii Sktp Irsdy Irstliill Ctsteiy ClKiic Clyde ftanw CratboM Crtust Ciclyi>t Bi«k Calinet Miic Flair Listed below ore tome of the brands we sell. IMfiway ScktsIficM Stariay SfatiN Staam t F«tcr Stifftl Maadaocraft Matiaaal ML hn Mt Faaasybaaia Rana Riaillicliaty Nittiaiar laaa la-Z-lay Liak-Ta^ Twylt Slaart Thayar-Caaia Tkaiaasyilla Cilkai data Cardan's Crataly Natkaua Raakla-llaim Nanry-liak NiiMaad Naata Jupff CjNiitt RayCity la^aaid NeNs Mite Willianis Yaaaf-Niakle ms s—a — SusniMnfi* Slfanatky Saaiter Cakinat TeHCity Opun: Monday, Wodnosdoy, and Friday t a.m.-9 p.m. Tuatday, Thursday, and Saturday B a.m.-6 p.m. $490 Yadkin Road-867-2176 FayettevQle
The Pilot (Southern Pines, N.C.)
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May 27, 1981, edition 1
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