North Carolina Newspapers

6The Daily Tar HeelMonday, November 21, 1983 latlg Olar 1 91st year of editorial freedom Kerry DeRochi, Editor. Alison Davis, Managing Editor CHARLES ElLMAKF.R, Associate Editor FRANK BRUM, Associate Editor mi KELLY SIMMONS, University Editor KYLE MARSHALL, State and National Editor Michael DeSisti, Sports Editor Melissa Moore, News Editor Michael Toole, City Editor KAREN FISHER, Features Editor Jeff Grove, Am Editor CHARLES W. LeDFORD, Photography Editor The Day After Sunday night ABC television broadcast The Day After, a ZVi-hour glimpse at nuclear war. In showing the aftereffects of a nuclear attack on Kansas City, it offered no advice, no solutions, no reassuring words. It simply mocked the idea of surviving such a catastrophe. Before its broadcast, The Day After was hailed as a milestone in televi sion history. Like Roots and Holocaust, it was produced to illuminate the darker side of human nature mankind's ability for self-destruction. Yet, unlike other docu-dramas, The Day After was not based on past fact, but on future projection. It was educational only in that it clared to openly admit the possibility of a nuclear holocaust. The controversy surrounding the movie stemmed less from its own political nature than from the tuning of its broadcast. This month has shown a frightening deterioration of U.S. negotiations with the Soviet Union about arms reduction proposals; this week, the 20th anniversary of the death of the president who vividly demonstrated how easily confrontations between the superpowers can occur. For it was John F. Kennedy who outfaced the Soviets during the Cuban Missile Crisis. To counter its political implications, ABC repeatedly stated the pro gram's impartiality. The movie avoided pointing a finger at the nation responsible for the first bomb. Yet proponents of the nuclear freeze cited the horrific devastation of nuclear war as reason for an immediate arms reduction. And opponents, such as Jerry Falwell of the Moral Majority, demanded equal time. Which cause the program will, ultimately serve is problematic. What is important is that, through its broadcast on free na tional television, it has forced Americans to face a volatile issue. As a character in the movie said, we've known about the bomb for 40 years, but no one was interested. Hiroshima was half a globe away and the end of destruction, not its beginning. The Day After portrayed the launching of nuclear missiles as the inevitable byproduct of global con frontation. The Day After did not tell us anything we didn't already know. We'd imagined the mushroom-shaped cloud, the devastating radiation, the charred flesh, the vast ruin. Instead, the program questioned whether we had a plausible policy to prevent it. We've based our defense on the theory of deterrence a supposedly rational assessment and matching of the "enemy" and its power. Is that a realistic strategy? , Instead of counting bombs in terms of parity, we must count human lives destroyed by them. The Day After injected emotion into an issue previously confined to closed-door bargaining sessions between the superpowers. It demonstrated the ultimate irrationality of nuclear war. Can we realistically expect world leaders to act rationally in a time of crisis? Can we base the safety of civilization on the assumption that the enemy will be deterred, that vast computer networks will never err? These questions have been raised before. But putting them into a fic tional framework on free national television made millions of Americans consider them. The Day After will not go down in history as the final statement on nuclear war. But it may have made a small step in prevent ing it. THE Daily Crossword by Marga ret V. Judah ACROSS 1 Courage 5 Roto feature 10 Thing to go out on 14 Lieutenant 15 Painter's need 16 Biblical twin 17 Not guilty, e.g. 18 Hand or band 19 Chinese dynasty 20 Tailor 22 Rolling 24 Emit 25 Coat or collar 26 Kind of oil 29 Pilgrim father 33 Was indis posed 34 Phobias 35 "Norma " 38 Top banana 37 Phylum division 38 Seamen 39 Tread the boards 40 Top social group 41 Move crab wise 42 Pettifog gers 44 Most mature 45 Coup d' Saturday's Puzzle Solved: "ELM (T R T 5 HRT R F F P 'sTCTSTu T 3" "" g T T "ih TTeTo rt rttt r rx r; a M"XTTCjTTT"TFFF5" I0IP1E1NI jSIKIIl I M T 5 IS HIT UL 112183 46 Chef's needs 47 Pearl producer 50 Jazz fans 54 Like a per fectionist 55 Zola 57 Stage direction 58 Lawyer's concern 59 Banker's favorite 60 Marathon 61 Gaelic 62 Lock of hair 63 Merganser DOWN 1 Blanks 2 Vex 3 Fantasy 4 Truckdriver 5 Vex 6 Abhorred 7 Glacial ridges 8 Perfection rating 9 Senior citizens 10 Adeingre- , dients 11 The fat the fire 12 Neck hair 13 Jitter and litter 21 Wearing pumps 23 Pulls 25 Obliterate 26 Madrid houses 27 Alphabet letter 28 Bluish-gray 29 Defeats 30 Play the market 31 Noblemen 32 Adjust 34 Make eyes 37 Most lucid 38 Gambler's contacts 40 Major follower 41 Models 43 Furniture purchase 44 Rodeo performers 46 Bridge supports 47 Fairytale opener 48 Longevity unit 49 Impudence 50 Busy place 51 Student's concern 52. Wedding symbol 53 Mulligan's dish 56 Impair 1 12 13 14 I 5 16 n p T3 10 111 T2" 13 TT" : "J T5 76 TT" TT" "" " 75 " TS " " if" TT" 23" Jl " " 25 : zQzrp zr - " vruryr W " " " " T" """"" """"" """"" """"" 35"" " " " ' UT "" " """ 37 " " "" " """"" 38"" " .p . - , , . 12 tfm - - - - " '"' "' is : sr rnrnr " ir - - srnsrisr . '55 if : 1 17" " "- ar - irr W - 1 1983 Tribune Company Syndicate, Inc. All Rights Reserved : : '.' ' 112183 Understanding U . S . relations By JONG-PYO KIM No other American president has had as fragile a rela tionship with South Korea as Ronald Reagan. His regressive policy toward the Soviet Union coincides with the interests of the ruling elite of Korea. The Reagan ad ministration has no choice but to support the unpopular military rejgime that seems to be the only anti-communist group in the unstable Korean political spectrum. But this "security above all" policy will be detrimental to both countries. ' Both governments agree that it is essential for Korea to establish a democratic system in order to cope with North Korean threats. But the real problem is how to achieve this. Internally, the'present regime in Korea takes a path of a security-first-and-freedom-later policy. They believe that as long as North Korea is a threat to the survival of South Korea, Korean people must sacrifice everything for their national security. This view has been supported by the older generations who experienced the tragic Korean war. More recently, the Soviet downing of Korean Air Lines' Flight 007 and the North Korean bombing and kill ing of senior officials in Burma has intensified the existing hard-line policy toward anti-government groups in Korean politics. These anti-government forces are not yet effectively unified enough to topple the present regime. However, the radical voices. come from both university students and the religious community. They are also complaining about American myopic support of the military regime. As a result, the United States has ignored the people's desire to have a democratic form of government. The anti American mood is growing in universities. Students' anti government and anti-American demonstrations tend to be more radicalized. Every semester, universities have ex perienced fierce confrontations and fighting between students and paramilitary forces. 4 ' Even though the present regime has enough resources to neutralize these challenges and the rate of student par ticipation in anti-government demonstrations is not high, there is a potential danger in Korea in the possible escala tion of using force by paramilitary forces. If something should happen, during the fighting, a student rally could easily become volatile or develop into a mass revolt. In fact, the Kwangju accident in 1980 stemmed from the local police failure to stabilize peacefully one of these stu dent rallies. It took hundreds of student and citizen lives. The United States has two interests in Korea: withdrawal of its 40,000 troops and human rights. The precondition to the troop withdrawal is that Korea have a ; capability to repel North Korean aggression. The strong army by itself cannot guarantee national security. Without strong civilian support, the general will to fight against North Korea will decrease. The present regime knows this well and is trying to take a step of gradual freedom in politics. Whether the human rights conditions in South Korea have improved or not, President Chun made it clear in public that he intends to obey the "one-term-only" restriction and do his best for the peaceful transfer of political power, which has never hap pened in the 30-year history of the Republic; But even if this miracle happens, it is assumed that the very next president will come from the military. Therefore, the military will continue to dominate Korean politics. This will be a step backward from the goal of democracy, because a military-supported candidate has very little chance of winning in the case of the direct elec tion a case that is now significantly violated by the con trolled indirect presidential election. Without systematic change in political structure from street to national level, it's very hard to achieve the goal of national ; reconciliation. But there is little sign of reorganization of the political structure. It will take far more time than everybody expects. In this context, the withdrawal of American troops from South Korea will be a disaster not only for two nations, but also for neighbor ing powers in East Asia. Without stable democratic government in Korea, the U.S. troops should stay there; The impending issues between Seoul and Washington, are the problems of trade and Rev. Moon's Unification church. The Reagan administration has tried to. lift trade barriers in U.S. markets for Korean exports. This is a' mixed blessing. The major Korean export items such as textiles, television sets and steel products have been con trolled by the strict quota system. Reagan's trade policy following the security consideration can lead to the dampening of the international competitive power of the Korean economy. American consumers buy goods on the basis of quality and cost, not because that product is made by anti-communist allies. This market distortion by political consideration might be good for the Korean economy in the short term, but in the long term it will be detrimental to Korean industry. In order to enhance the international competitive power, they should take a risk of introducing new technology and spurring efficiency in stead of depending on low wages or uncertain political motivations. Politics and trade should separate each other as much as possible, because their underlying rules security and efficiency are quite different from each other. For the same reason, politics and religion also should be separated. Free riding on Reagan's "cold war" rhetoric against the Soviet Union, the Unification church tries to sell its image to the new conservative groups in the United States. It looks quite impressive. Some high-ranking Korean officials feel a temptation to use the church's organizational and financial resources for its security con siderations. But this should be avoided for the good rela tions of both nations. Actually, the Unification church organized anti-Soviet rallies in many U.S. cities after the KAL accident, in cluding one in Raleigh. Many Korean residents in North Carolina did participate in this. But they felt angry, or at least uncomfortable, after learning of the church's in volvement. Local journalists asked questions about the Koreans' relations with the Unification church and im pure alien motivation of the rally. Had it not been for the church's involvement, the anti-Soviet rally would have at tracted more Americans who shared the same feelings against the Soviet brutality. There is very little room for the common interests between the universal value of religion and the national security of South Korea. The more independent each is, the better it is for both of them. Frankly, the two' nations have overcome many obstacles during the past years and will continue to con solidate partnerships across the Pacific. I believe the basis of U.S.-Korean relations should be mutual understanding through the continuous exchange of different opinions, not the floppy motivation of Reagan's security-above-all policy. Jong-pyo Kim is a graduate student in political science from South Korea. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Pro-life spokesman misses focus of issue To the editor: I can't imagine what made me expect in telligent treatment of the abortion issue in connection with Human Rights Week, because that's certainly not what was rendered. Just what was the reader sup posed to gain from Bill Riedy's column "Perspective on Abortion" (DTH, Nov. 17)? A woman who has had not one but three abortions is now trying to deny others that choice. She even tries to place the blame for her experiences on others, who supposedly forced her into having the abortions. This only confirms what I have suspected for some time that those who fear their convictions andor consciences are not strong enough to keep them from actions they morally oppose wish to pro tect jthemselves by legislating legal reper cussions in the hope that fines or jail terms would be more effective deterrents. How much easier it is to legislate away tempta tion than to be forced to make a decision based solely on one's own beliefs. It's also a lot easier to keep your daughter or the girl down the street from having an abor tion by making it illegal than by trying to point out why it is supposedly wrong and letting her make her own decision. The idea that a woman should for her own protection, no less be denied the choice to obtain an abortion is a worse form of exploitation than- those Turner perceives. Just because she was unable or , unwilling to take responsibility for her own actions does not mean that all women are as pliable or helpless as she was. People have to be allowed to make their own mistakes, keeping in mind that what is a mistake for one person may not be for another. Turner says she has finally turned her life around with the help of God. Perhaps she would never have come to God if she hadn't lived through those ex periences. Would she deny other women the same opportunity she had to find religion? I wonder how Turner would feel about abortion if she was now the mother of three unwanted children. Indeed, what kind of mother would she have been if she was no more in control of her life than ap pears from the article? I can sympathize with those who believe that abortion is murder and whose goal is to save human life, but I have no sym pathy with those who refuse to take responsibility for their own decisions con cerning morality and try to deny others the opportunity to take responsibility for theirs. Turner should focus on educating women, not only about problems associated with abortion, but about sex uality. She herself had to be pathetically ignorant to find herself in the situations she described. Education would go a lot Randomization isn t further in preventing such tragic ex periences than outlawing abortion. M.L. Jones Hibbard Drive K To the editor: "A randomized process will be in effect in two years time," said Wayne Kuncl, director of University housing. Once again the administration hears the call of the students and is answering the students' wishes. Wrong. The randomization pro cess Kuncl is referring to entails giving a random number to the student's applica tion but does not include suspending the freedom of choice in housing, which is the main point of randomization. The problem with Kuncl's proposed policy is that it is "limited" randomiza tion. This limited randomization will perpetuate the problem students are trying to resolve because relatively few blacks will be cut off from the support system that now exists on South Campus. In taking on this policy, the University needs to create a support system on North Campus as well. The intended strategy will not achieve this. What we have at this University is the chance to be socially, educationally and culturally enlightened. Administering a policy that will do the job only partially is not the answer. To make something right you have to do it right. Student Government is sponsoring a forum on housing integration in 100 Hamilton Hall at 7:30 p.m. today. Chuck Massey Morrison Thoughtless endorsements To the editor: Several weeks ago, I tried to urge several friends to vote in the local elections being held in Carrboro. Two fellow student friends did. The others chose not to exer cise their civic privileges. They stated that, after the DTH endorsements, they were quite confused as to who to vote for and instead of taking the chance of voting for the wrong person(s), it was better not to vote at all. One friend, thoroughly exas perated, called me the day of the DTH en dorsement of Jim White and his conser vative cronies and asked how students could expect to have a voice in local government when our own newspaper was supporting the very people who had, in the past, tried to block our right to vote. I, like David Griffiths ("Misinformed," DTH, Nov. 8) tried to come up with some defendable reason why the current DTH editor could turn her back on the tradition of endorsing candidates who believe in stu dent rights and representation. I believe the editor, Kerry DeRochi, said to herself, "Well, it's that time of year for another DTH endorsement; let's go with the can didates I have heard the most about. The ABC has publicity and a loud group of supporters; I'll endorse them." Sometimes the DTH has not endorsed at all in local elections. That situation almost happened in the 1981 Carrboro elections between ABC and Carrboro Community Coalition candidates. Finally, after talking with the candidates and receiving past and present campaign literature, the DTH editor, Jim Hummel, endorsed the CCC candidates. Basing an endorsement, as DeRochi did, on one reporter covering Carrboro or on a group that talks with money and narrow mindedness, only makes matters worse for student participation.- 1 suggest that in the future the DTH do its homework and examine all the facts, present and past. Only then can a student newspaper encourage UNC students to become aware of and involved in their local government. Sonya J. Lewis Former member, Carrboro Planning Board Editor's note: The DTH endorsements in this year's local elections were based on interviews with the candidates and review ing past and present campaign literature. Mi J , .1.1 ' -I'U it v-5l zMh .vr-o4 iL & THIS 1SNT YHff I HAP IN MINP WHEN VOU SAIP WE RE Blind patriotism breeds contempt To the editor: Donna Lynn Pleasants' letter "U.S. not perfect, but. . ." (DTH, Nov. 16) typifies the ignorance, insensitivity and arrogance that has spurred anti Americanism around the world. Her supercilious appraisal of domestic and international relations is the sorry pro duct of the media's self-congratulatory image of America as the "land of the free, home of the brave." The United States has skillfully created a romantic image of itself as guarantor of individual rights and defender of freedom, thanks to its ex tensive dissemination of propaganda at home and abroad. It is an image that is undeniably attractive and powerful, so much so, indeed, that it cunningly ob fuscates the considerable injustice and suffering taking place under its um-. . brella. Thousands of potential visitors to the "land of the free" are forbidden entrance by the immigration authorities because they are gay," leftist, of the "wrong" color or, more topically, in- :' :-' " " '. To the editor:' ' ' - Hallelujah! America has found its savior and her name is Donna Lynn Pleasants! This letter is offered as my humble expression of gratitude for Pleasants' letter "U.S. not perfect, but ..." (DTH, Nov. 16). To be sure, I had thought I was the only one left who still weeps upon hearing Kate Smith sing "God Bless America." Thank goodness I am not alone. Yes, I share Pleasants' patriotic outrage at those who dare-to criticize our country. And . I must add my voice to her battle cry, "If you don't like America, get the heck out of here!" Too bad Pleasants wasn't around ' for the civil rights movement in the '60s. Maybe she could have helped organize the deportation of all those . black people whining about racism, unemployment and poverty. I mean, who asked them to come over here in the first place? It's a crying shame America was volved with the peace movement. At home, the plight of the poor, elderly and other minorities, whom Pleasants so readily dismisses, remains unaltered by the government's callous disregard. Compared to other countries, the situation is, perhaps, , no better or worse. The point is not to compare. As exponents of so-called "freedom," "equality" and "democracy," Americans have a duty not to pat themselves on the back and wallow in nationalistic pride but to challenge and struggle for the achievement of the goals they are so keen to boast about as already theirs. Americans must listen to criticisms such as Kakkar's and learn from them. Attitudes such as Pleasants' seriously impede any pro gress toward the realization of the dreams upon which this country was founded. J.C. Thomson Brookside Apartments without her leadership during the In dustrial Revolution. All those im migrants snivelling about working con ditions in the sweatshops! I can hear Pleasants now the Voice of Democracy echoing through the land "Hey, either kiss the ground or KISS OFF!" No, I am no longer afraid that America is without patriotic guidance.. I only wish there were more out there like Pleasants, eager to speak out in an intelligent, analytical and compas sionate manner. Darn it, Pleasants is right this situation has gotten out of hand! Down with social and political protest! Down with traitors to the American Way! . Let's hear it for blind, mindless patriotism! Pick up your flags or pack your bags! God Bless America! We are the Chosen People! Susan Freedman Chapel Hill TAKIM61 A CRUISE TO EUROPE