• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1982-09-02_Vol47_No02_03

Editor-la!- Western Carolinian/September 2, 1982 3 UL Perceptions «14q mUUon by Larry Hardin dead" There are a number of problems facing this planet that must be dealt with. World hunger, human rights, water shortages are but a few of these problems. However, the one problem facing the world today that must bcd-altwith immediately is the nuclear arms race. One of Murphy's I aws states that it it can happen it will It we have nuclear armaments around, sooner or later someone will feel there is no other choice but to use these weapons (How about the PLC).' It they had any nuclear capacity do you think they would have left Beirut') At the moment, the I SA has over 9.200 strategic- nuclear warheads on missies, submarines, and aircraft that can strike the USSR from long-range Added to this number, the US has another 22,000 short range weapons with nuclcai wai-hcads I his totals up to more than 31,000 nukes, plus the three additional warheads we aie producing each and every day- How powerful are these armaments? I he fire powei ot these nuclcai weapons is equal to approximately eight billion tons ol INI. I his number alone is larger than our imagination can deal with, let alone the amount of destruction this ligure represents. Another way of looking at this is to say that we have equal to 600,000 atom bombs ol the tvpc that fell Hiroshima (Which was a 13 Kiloton bomb or 13.000 tons of I NT). The USSR has somewhere around 21,000 nuclear weapons and it has been estimated by the National Security Council that we could get about 113 million of their people in an all-out-nuclear war. However, the way the war woiks is both sides have to take there licks and ours would be to the tune of 140 million of our people- dead. And if anyone thinks that any normal life would just go on after such an event they have not done any thinking about this matter. To start with over three- fourths of our economy would also be gone*Another factor is that the quality ol life would be reduced to the middle ages; some of our candy-butt folks would not My Line survive that life-style alone. Although this would be a conflict between the I and the USSR, there are serious questions as to how the rest of the world would survive our madness or mistake. It is this madness or the mistake lactor which has brought us close to nuclear war many more times than any of us care to think about or neneve There are fifteen (that can be counted) times the US has almost pushed the world into nuclear warfare using situations live ot these times were misreading! ol the radar, seven were when our government contemplated using these weapons on purpose. Add to this the fact that our early warning systems have gone oil tour times, telling us the USSR had attacked, and that four times this led to actions ol standby alert in which we were read) to retaliate. Former president Lord estimated by 1985 that at least 40 countries will have nukes. It just "don't count" how big or "how much you got" w hen it comes to nukes It does frighten me to think about thugs like those in Libya with a nuclear warhead at their disposal Or some ot the terrorist groups that could put a nuke in New York and hold this entire nation at bay while making outrageous demands tor our country and government. NC) NUKES is the only real national security we can hope to have in the world we live in today. NO NUKES is the only sane conclusion 1 can come to, if there is to be a tree country on this planet like the I S Second thought: There are some that think 1 am some sort of commie, because ot my anti-nuclear position. 1 wonder if the individuals who think this (and write about it on walls and doors) realize 1 am a Viet Nam vet and have in all probiblity done more for this country other than call others names. Oh well, what can I expect of children, and misguided children at that. by Charles Sosnik In as much as a student's main function is to study, the student sometimes tails to make a clear cut distinction between his campus duties and his college education as a whole However, students who assume that then college education consists wholly ot classes and books are making a mistake which will rob them ol a supenoi college education Classes and studying aie only a fractional pan ol a student's education. A student must get in\ olved with hisoi hei community to receive the lull benefit ot an education I hcie are enough clubs anil organizations in Cullowhee to justify activity to even the most difficult to please studentI xamples ol this range from the English Club to the Society lor Creative Anachronism. A student should seek out an organization ot his liking and asscit himself. Valuable leadership skills can be learned through the holding ot a club office. Students should also seek part time employment. Employment teaches disciplines that will absolutely be needed in the working world. Classes, clubs, and part- time employment will no doubt keep a student very busy but maybe not busy enough. Students also need to become involved in the community socially and politically. I his is all part ot a college education. 1 he- college years are the most educationally valuable ol a persons life, rhese first tew "adult" years are crucial lor preparing a person for financial independence and working world values. Sitting in a dorm room or apartment for 4 or 5 years studying and partying is not the way to get a good education. Students should get involved. Ihev should assert themselves. Things worth getting arc rarely easy to obtain. An education is no exception. Senate Comments by Charles Bonnell As the new Nice President, I would like to start this week's column off with a word of welcome. I hope your summer was enjoyable, and you're looking forward to an exciting school year. I believe student government has somethinv to offer each of you. In the past, the Carolinian has bad a Senate reporter. I hough the reporter has done an adequate job, an impersonal point of view has been taken tovvatd reporting the news I don't mean to criticize how tins matter has been taken in the past. In the coming months, I hope to not only report the news at the Student Senate, but to explain how this news came about, and what it will mean to WCL students. I hope this column will bettei lamialiari/c WCL students with the I egislative Branch ot the Student Government .Association. As president of the Student Senate. I led I am qualified to w i itc such an article. 1 he Senate w ill slat I its official meeting on Sept. 7 at 5 p.m. in the Catamount room on the 2nd floor of the I ( I would like to remind all students interested in running foi dorm senator positions that tiling notices are available in the SCiA. You have until Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. to submit a form to the president ot the elections committee (that's me). Elections will be on Sept. 10 from 6 - 9 p.m. Please feel tree to stop by if you have any questions. Charles Bonnell Home address CONFUSED EYE CONTACT HOMETOWN PAINTER'S RAT UNSHAVEM FACE TO APPEAR OLDER DRESS SUrT,BUTH7H-00h«l And izod shirts SCHOOL necessities: spEEDys PIZZA 6UDWEISER 6-P4CtC TEin-BOcfcS,SCHEDU(.E,IDME/ll. TlOfT, ORIENTATION MATFJMLS, e*-<jlRLFRiENtf5 PICTURE WCU SHIRT BOU&HT WHILE AT SUMHEP. ORIENTATION t)ft. ft )r FORGOT RIGHT SHOE AS EXCUSE ^ fo TO SO HOME FIRST WEEKEND WJ WBfEWO ca»cut««' Actually muam on sipewuc Mr. Freshman Cartoon by Tony Colt ,,' M\t. n"" " Yp Viewpoint by Jim Buchanan Picture, if you will, the following scenario: Refugees from the Bay of Pigs fiasco begin launching terrorist tactics against the Castro regime, one barely 20 years old, using Miami, Florida, as a base. The attacks increase in depravity as the years go by, and the Castro regime is finally compelled to use force to end them. In case you haven't figured it out by now, yes, I am drawing a comparison to the PLO in Beruit. There are, of course, some obvious differences. Israel is older than Cuba. Miami is strong enough to drive out any unwanted terrorists. But in the eyes of the world, Cuba would have justification, and the residents of Miami would get what was coming to them. The PLO, in case no one remembers (our working press, in particular), are terrorists who thrive on publicity. They have violated the Olympic games with a hideous slaughter of a national athletic team, killed hundreds of innocent civilians in Israel and abroad, and are primarily responsible for the bloodshed in Beruit. I do not condone the cluster bombing of a heavily populated city. But when a terrorist organization hides behind civilians and shoots, surely they expect the fire to be returned. Throughout the Beruit debacle, there have been numerous reports aired on the history of past Israeli military movements into other countries. I have, however, not seen any reports on the total number of innocents slain or crippled in the PLO's campaign of terror. The PLO is sworn to the destruction of Israel. In the process of doing so. they may insure their own destruction as well. What really galled me into writing this editorial in the current attitude ol the PLO. Claiming victory because the pleas of other nations is like saying we won the Vietnam war. And after all the bloodshed, Arafat takes a heroes exit from Lebanon. In the PLO's eyes, 1 guess it was a victory. They managed to get more people killed and more publicity than they've had in ages.' ITIDRE LETTERS— Dear Editor, I appreciate the opportunity to explain my feelings in regard to the controversy over the administration violating the Umstead Act. First of all. 1 solidly support WCU and any attempt it may make toward progress. I have lived the majority of my life within walking distance of the campus, have been employed by the university, graduated from the university, and feed my family by running a business that survives primarily because of the University Community. I am not fighting the University, but I am deeply concerned that its top administrators have chosen to violate the intent of a well conceived law and that supposedly responisble community leaders condone this action. Two months ago the administration could have stoppedlhis controversy before it made news by agreeing to operate within the law. and we would have all been better off. This thing has already hurt me in more ways than I care to mention, but I will not back off as long as I feel that such a basic freedom is in jepordy. I will try to respect every person's opinion, and only ask that before you speak out on the issue that you 11 consider the long term ramifications of illegal government competition against the free enterprise system. Too many people in too many countries have already learned the hard way that the free enterprise system works best for consumers in the long run. If you agree that there may be some reason for concern then contact the top administrator on campus or a member of the WCU Board of Trustees and ask them why they refuse to meet with concerned citizens. If you don't agree with my position, I welcome any opportunity to listen to your opinion. Let's get this thing settled. Sincerely, Mike Clark Ed. Note: I cannot agree more fully with your last statement. Dear Editor, I am prompted to write this letter in the hope of setting the record straight concerning my part in the Controversy Flairs article in the August 24 issue of the Western Carolinian. I have had no contact nor do 1 have any connection with the Committee of Concerned Citizens now questioning the University over possible violations of the I mstead Act. I have attended no meetings, public or private, pertaining to this matter. When I was interviewed early this summer by the Carolinian reporter, I first told the young man I had no comment. However, I reconsidered when he said "All I want is the truth." He had sought me out, not I him. I was also worried that if I did not tell the truth, there was no telling what untruths could develop should the situation become heated. Things have changed since 1977. At that time I seemed to be the only one concerned about my plight with the bookstore. But even back then, 1 felt that my advisary was not Western Carolina University,but the store manager. I survived. I suppose that he has a nice job elsewhere. The point that I want to stress is that I have always acknowledged the importance of the University to the area, and supported WCU as a contributor to many campus groups and causes, current member and and Past-President of the Big Cat Club and a long-time member of the Alumni Association Board Of Directors. I am just very sorry that my name had to become involved in such a mess. Yours Truly, David M. Ravburn From Starboard by Lee Cheek F.C.A. The Fellowship of Christian Atheletes is beginning its first full year of Fellowship and activity on the campus of WCU. The program is designed to confront atheletes and coaches, and through them, the youth and the nation, with the challenge and adventure of following Christ. Membership is open to anyone interested in this challenge. Activities for the year include many Bible study and recreational functions. The next meeting will he held Wednesday, Sept. 8 at 8:30 p.m. in room 21 of Reid Gym. Everyone is welcome! Our Ambassador to the United Nations spends a lot of time (and rightfully so!) explaining the difference between authoritrian and totalitarian regimes. This type of conceptual frame work could also apply to our educational systems of today. Gone are the "good old days" of the middle ages and universities where students picked their own professors and served as their own administrators. Ambassador Kirkpatrick's point is, in essence, that the totalitarian regimes are just that, "total" and usually total repression, (with a capital "R" usually)! Sucn a totalitarian situation is emerging today at Western. It involves one of the most critical and viable elements of the university community— our fraternities. Being a "fraternity man" myself. I realize the need for some type of rapport with the university's administration. However, the situation as of now is one of total dominance and control. What the "administration" is exhibiting is ex cathedra judgements that stand like messages in the stone. What brings this point so poignantly home is when the administration begins to regulate when a fraternity can have a party. That is only topped by a "formal rush" that is actually a totalitarian rush. Telling an individual when he can party would be like me telling the administration every morning which building they would have to work in. (Not such a bad idea except I would be engaging in the ultimate hypocrisy!) The w orrisome aspect of this fiasco is the willingness of our fraternity leaders to follow their administration— given instructions. Some even defend these measures as helping the "general good" of the university; however, in actuality they may prove to be the end of the fraternity system as we now know it. James Madison once wrote that. "People get the kind of government they deserve " If the leaders of our greek community don't let their voices be heard, we as a university community as a whole, we may all be in trouble.

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1982-09-02
  • Date digitized: 2018-11-19
• Extent
  • Dimension: 15" x 11.5"
  • Pages: 16 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1982-09-02_Vol47_No02
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library