<Dte ^Vlew* - journal
Qorto&na.
PRESS
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER association
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LOUIS H. FOCLEMAN. JR Publisher
PAUL DICKSON Editor
HENRY L. BLUE Production Supervisor
?ILL LINDAU Associate Editor
MRS. PAUL DICKSON Society Editor
SAM C. MORRIS Coatribattaf Editor
Secoad Class Postage at Rat ford, N.C.
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THURSDAY. JULY 29, 1982
Judging the sides
People like average Americans, .far from the scene of the
lsraeli-PLO conflict and only generally informed of the issues of the
conflict have a hard time making a judgment.
Israel has come in for widescale denunciation for invading
Lebanon to try to wipe out the Palestinian Liberation Organization
force. The Israelis specifically have been condemned for killing
innocent men, women and children who got in the way in the effort
to destroy the PLO guerillas.
On the other hand, the Israel sympathizers can point to the long
years of periodic murders by PLO forces of similarly innocent Israeli
men, women and children in raids on Israel. These murders are even
more attrocious since most if not all the raids were made on civilian
targets ? civilian buses, for example. The murders also include the
killings of the Israeli athletes in their residences in Munich in the
1972 Olympics.
Then, too, there was the murder of the Israeli diplomat -- in
Europe -- a murder which apparently was the last straw for the
Israelis. The invasion of Lebanon started soon after.
The American sitting in judgment can see the Israeli attack as an
effort to end once and for all,the years-long series of PLO attacks on
Israel communities.
The same American, on the other hand -? as one Raeford man did
-- can see the Israeli push as an attack aimed at a homeless people
trying only to recover country they once owned and from which they
were driven from illegally, by force, years ago. The attack is likened
to the campaign of American troops of the 1800s against attacking
Indians trying to get back their homeland.
On the other hand, also, the American sitting thousands of miles
from the scene can see the criticism of the Israeli killing of the
innocents in Lebanon as unfair. The reason the innocents were killed,
by the bombings and stittttngs Is the PLO forces dug themselves into
residential areas; to get to them, the Israels had to bomb and shell
these civilian areas.
Yet the same observer can say the criticism is justified: this is a
case of the end justifying the means. By the same logic, harrassed
British troops in Ireland could shell and bomb, with justification,
the residential and business sections in which the IRA killers are
lodged, and with the same resulting destruction of innocent lives.
Going back also to World War II, Americans. British and
German forces bombed each other's cities, killing innocents by the
thousands, unintentionally, because the bombing was necessary to
cripple the war industries which were established in the cities.
In Vietnam, also, American forces killed innocents unintention
ally in attacking communities harboring Viet Cong forces.
But to the civilized person with even the minimum moral
standards who places the highest possible value on life, the end never
justifies the means which slaughter.
On that basis, the distant observer can support neither the PLO
nor the Israelis in their methods, though he can sympathize with
their dreams, of security on the one hand and a permanent
homeland on the other.
Thus the situation demands the participation of another neutral
party to substitute the slaughter with negotiation as the means to the
ends.
--BL
Cancel gym; let 'em jog
Sen. William Proxmire (D-Wis.) wants to scrap plans to build a
million-dollar gymnasium for Senators in the new Hart Senate Office
Building. After all, Congress already has two.
One for the House includes a pool, basketball nets, paddleball
court, exercise equipment, steam and sauna baths, sunlamps and
seven professionals, including a masseur.
Why should taxpayers pay for yet another? Indeed, why should
taxpayers pay a dime towards keeping members of Congress fit?
They already have 560,662-a-year salaries, cut-rate dining rooms,
generous pension and health plans, free mailing, parking and
haircuts. Let them follow Proxmire's example and jog to work.
?New York Port
;k
Puppy Creel
Philosopher
'I wonder if he likes borsch ? *
It's a Small World
By Bill Lindau
Television can be helpful to your
health.
A guy we knew had a few spells
of dizziness he couldn't explain, till
he saw a rerun of an episode of
"The Love Boat." In that one.
Capt. Stubing was struck a couple
of times by the dizzies after being
out partying. He thought sure they
were caused by the same thing that
killed a close friend.
An examination by the ship's
doctor (played by good ole Ted
Kopel) showed, however, he had an
infection of the inner ear. which
controls balance. Doc speculated
on the cause of the infection, till he
spotted a vase full of roses the
captain had been given from the
funeral display for his friend. .
It turned out the captain was
allergic to the roses, and this was
the cause of the inner ear infection
which made him dizzy.
Our friend was struck by enlight
enment soon after watching the
show. The only difference was he
still doesn't know what allergy is
causing the dizzies. He does know
that whatever it is it's gone for the
time being at least, as he hasn't
been staggering at all the past
several weeks.
Except when he trips over Fred.
Or Nanny. Or Lulu.
* * *
The fashions of the 1920s for
men are back, at least on the golf
course. A television scene of the
British Open Golf Championship
round July 17 m Scotland shows a
golfer playing in knickers and long
socks. Old pictures of Bobby Jones
and Gene Sarazen show them
wearing the same costume in
tournaments 60 years ago.
For those too young to know
what knickers are. they're pants
with fairly wide legs that are
secured below the knee and bloused
over the fastening. The socks come
above the knee.
Besides golfers, adults wore them
for leisure, and boys wore them for
school and for social and church
affairs.
What else isn't new?
? * ?
A guy who's opposed to the
women's ERA and supports the
federal tobacco program can ex
plain his position with this line
from Rudyard Kipling:
"A woman is only a woman, but
a good cigar is a smoke."
? ? *
U.S. Sen. William Proxmire of
Wisconsin, "founder" of the Gol
den Fleece Award, for people who
get government money for frivolous
reasons, twitted the government
last week for planning to build a $1
million gym in the new Senate
office building. Proxmire, who
keeps in shape by exercising regu
larly but not at the taxpayers'
expense, wants the plans cancelled.
I'lie New York Post (see editorial
reprint) agrees with him and
suggests the senators go jogging,
like Proxmire. instead. The Post
points out that Congress already
has two gyms.
I'll go a step farther. Instead of
going in for all that exertion at the
taxpayers' expense, the senators
rooting for the new gym ought to
buy that low-cal hair tonic a guy
told us about 30 years ago.
It's for fatheads.
Even if they bought it at the
taxpayers' expense, it wouldn't cost
the taxpayers nearly as much as a
SI million gym.
The Upper Room
Dear editor:
According to a government eco
nomist in Washington, one thing
that's needed to whip the recession
is more confidence by consumers.
An encouraging sign, he said, is the
fact that the public took on SI.5
billion more in installment debt last
month than they paid off.
He sees that as a sign of mdre
confidence in the future, although
some would argue it's a sign more
people are having trouble making
ends meet.
Nonetheless, he insisted, still
more such spending confidence in
the future is needed.
I can tell him where to look for
some of that.
Judging from the way they're
Read Exodus 32:1-16
Thou hut been my help...My soul
clings to thee. ?Psalm 63:7-8
(RSV)
We hear a great deal about the
nearness of God, that God is with
us in every experience of life. But in
both the Bible and Christian
history there is also great concern
for the absence of God, those
experiences described as "the dark
night of the soul." For all of us
there are times when God seems
distant, away on the mountain
while we are wandering in the
desert.
A great danger confronts us in
the absence of God. When we no
longer "feel" close to God, we may
be tempted to make new gods out
spending money to get elected, I
don't know of any group with more
confidence in the future than this
year's crop of candidates, from
Governors on up to Congressmen,
or down, whichever way you want
to put it.
A man who'll collect and spend
anything from one million dollars
to ten million to get elected is
leading the way in showing confi
dence in the country's economic
future, or at least in his.
Big city news reporters have
caught on to this trend and now
calculate a candidate's standing in
a race by the amount of campaign
money he's railed. The one who
raises the most is mostly likely to
of the things that occupy our lives.
Like the Israelites, we may think
any god - even one of our own
making - is better than no god at
all.
The challenge of our faith, how
ever, is to remember God's cove
nant with us and believe God will
keep it. Moses dares to remember
God as the God of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, the God of the covenant
who delivered them out of Egypt.
Remembering God's goodness in
the past, Moses dares to claim
God's mercy for the present.
When we experience the ap
parent absence of God, we, too,
can cling to God's goodness in the
past, daring to trust God in the
present, even when we feel alone.
win, they say, but most reporters
have never studied economics and
don't know that all a big-spending
candidate is doing is showing
confidence in the future.
I'll show some confidence in the
future and buy a new tractor if
some candidate will let me in on the
secret of raising contributions for
the project. After all, getting me a
new tractor wouldn't be any less
helpful for the well-being of the
country than electing some of the
candidates now running. It's going
to be hard though to get contribu
tors interested. Farmers now con
stitute less than 3 percent of the
population, a minority so small it's
hardly worth bothering with.
Yours faithfully,
J.A.
??umiiiimimmiinnmimuM
CUFF BLUE ...
People & Issues
PEMBROKE...It was our
privilege to visit Pembroke State
University recently. While 1 had
visited there in past years, the
University has certainly made great
strides in becoming a university in
which the area and the State can be
proud.
Pembroke was founded after the
Civil War in 1887 as an Indian in
stitution, but is now attended by
all races. Pembroke State Universi
ty has become a well-rounded in
stitution with a $2 million Perfor
ming Arts Center, which is an
elegant part of the campus.
The Performing Arts Center,
with its majestic white stone walls,
great sheets of glass catching the
sun, manicured lawns and trees
marking its perimeter -? a monu
ment of style and good taste. It's a
Performing Arts Center that any
university would be proud to have.
Music, theatre, and dance come
alive within the walls of the
center's theatre, while painting,
sculpture, and special exhibits are
displayed in its stylish lobby.
The Performing Arts Center's
1,688 seats make it one of the
largest multi-purpose auditoriums
in the Mid-Atlantic, but no seat is
more than 100 feet from the stage.
The Stage itself has the capacity to
handle any event from the most in
timate solo to the largest, most
complicated ensemble.
The programs at The Center are
also an integral part of the educa
tional process at PSU. In addition
to performances by professional
artists of the highest caliber, the
Performing Arts Center is the site
of a variety of student plays and
musical productions. The Perfor
ming Arts Center is available to
many community organizations
for non-profit performances.
After an evening looking over
the campus and having dinner at
the Chancellor and Mrs. Givens'
residence on the campus a full
evening ended with attending the
drama, "Strike at the Wind,"
marked an occasion well spent.
TWO TERMS FOR GOVER
NOR?...! opposed changing the
State Constitution from one foux
year term for governor to two
four-year terms.
I am not saying anything against
Governor Hunt. He has made a
good governor, but had he not
made a good governor he still
might have been elected a second
time due to the very fact that
was governor, and the incumbem
has a head start!
1 would like to know how many
possible candidates for governor in
1984 would favor an amendment
to the State Constitution to repeal
the two-term gubernatorial amend
ment.
1 would think that if a governor
came out for the repeal of the two
term amendment that he could
lead the ticket -- everything else b^
ing equal.
It would be interesting to know
how our potential gubernatorial
candidates feel about the situation.
We would like to hear from
Republicans as well as Democrats.
BANKS...Accordingtothe Wall
Street Journal, "Trouble Banks
Multiply." The FDIC now counts
269 problem banks, both commer
cial and Savings, the highe^
number since 1979. Officials ex
pect the list to lengthen as the
recession continues to take a toll.
Some banks listed are rated pro
spects for failure -- possibly join
ing the 16 commercial banks that
have folded so far this year.
AMBASSADOR ... U.S. Am
bassador Arthur A. Hartmann
told Soviet television viewers
recently that the United States will
use nuclear weapons only if attach
ed. Ambassador Hartmann noted
in his four-minute address that
U.S. and Soviet diplomats began
strategic arms talks recently in
Geneva to "reduce the danger of
war." Peace-loving citizens
around the world certainly hope
that they succeed in their efforts to
avoid war.
SENATORS...Senators Gleni^
of Ohio and Ernest Hollings <W
South Carolina are favorite sons in
hopes that lightning will strike
them for president or vice presi
dent at the Democratic National
Convention in 1984. Keep your eye
on them. They might even get the
top spot!
Letters To The Editor
Editor, The News-Journal,
By their solid rejection of
Amendment #1 on June 29th. the
citizens of North Carolina have
spoken loud and clear for account
able and responsive government.
I want to express my thanks to
the more than 75% of the state's
voters who voted against Amend
ment #1. This could not have
happened without the leadership
and support of thousands of North
Carolinians.
I will be recommending that a
proposed constitutional amend
ment be introduced in the 1983
General Assembly to require that
constitutional amendments be
placed before the voters only in a
November general election when
the greatest number of people will
be voting.
1 will also propose legislation to
direct an appropriate public official
to set up procedures for explaining
to the voters the legal and far
reaching impact of proposed con
stitutional amendments. This will
enable the voters to fully under
stand the amendments before they
go to the polls.
The voters of this state have
reaffirmed Article I, Section 9.
North Carolina Constitution: "Fre
quent Elections. For redress of
grievances and for amending and
strengthening the laws, elections
shall be often held."
Sincerely yours,
Tom Gilmore, Chairman
Keep the Two-Year
Term Committee
Editor, The News-Journal,
This is an open letter to all the
so-called "pet lovers" of Hoke
County.
Do you have a cat or dog who
constantly spawns litter after litter
of unwanted kittens and puppies?
If your answer is "yes" then i ask
you - "Why haven't you had your
pet spayed or neutered, which you
can have done at a very small cost
by contacting the Hoke-Raeford
Humane Society?"
This organization, founded by
one of this area's most compassion
ate people, Mrs. Jack (Sheryl)
McGinnis, has had an extremely
poor response to its offer to have
- your animal spayed or neutered,
despite extensive advertising in The
Newt-JounnU. AH you have to do is
pick up your phone and dial
875-3283 or 875-8861; address: Rt.
4. Box 410-C. Raeford.
Do you watch TV at night and
hear the commentators tell you
about the poor, starving Haitians,
or El Salvadorians, etc., and does
that get you upset? Well, so it
should, but remember human be
ings, in this day and age do not
have to die of hunger or thirst or
freeze to death. We have progran^
to take care of these situations, b?
did you ever stop to think of this:
there is no Food Stamp program
for stray cats and dogs! There is no
program called "Aid to Dependent
Kittens" or "Aid to Dependent
Puppies"! Abandoned, starving
animals have no ticket of admission
to the Welfare office! ?
The cold, stark fact is that all
abandoned animals live a hideous
life until death mercifully clairw
them. Ask yourself: "Am 1 contri
buting to this horrible and sad
situation?
If any of you a ho read this have
ever dumped off an unwanted
animal in the woods, leaving it to
either freeze or starve to death,
then please do not consider yourself
a member of the human race and
don't go to church on Sunday a^
think you are a "good Christian!"
What you are is a callous, cruel and
uncaring hypocrite not fit to be in
the same company as the animal
you abandoned!
Cruel words, these, but no
crueler than your crime of not
having your pet altered!
Very truly yours,
Jack Letzgus
Route 4, Box 4100
Raeford, N.C.
875-8666