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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 6, 1977)
Page 2 Viewpoint The Battalion Texas A&M University June 6, 1977 Monday lost in a cloud of morality Getting By DAVID S. BRODER WASHINGTON — In his classic study of American foreign policy, “In Defense of the National Interest,” Hans J. Morgenthau wrote that "the illusion that a nation can escape, if it wants to, from power politics into a realm where action is guided by moral principles rather than by considerations of power is deeply rooted in the American mind. That reminder is needed now, when the leading voices of the new administration are joined in an effort to persuade the pub lic that we are emerging from the dark night of Henry Kissinger’s diplomatic duplicity into the bright new day of Jimmy Garter’s international morality. A re-emphasis on moral principles as the root of international policy was both necessary and proper after the massive cynicism created in the American public by the contorted rationalizations success ive Presidents used to defend the foredoomed American intervention in In dochina. Carter sensed that need and the prom ise to give the nation a foreign policy “that can make us proud again” was a central element in his successful campaign for the presidency. He has reiterated that intention as Pres ident. In his commencement address at Notre Dame University last Sunday, Car ter pledged “a new American foreign pol icy. . . based on constant decency in its values and on optimism in its historical vi sion.” The first plank of that policy, Carter said, would be “America’s commitment to human rights as a fundamental tenet of our foreign policy.” Carter’s “human rights” foreign policy is the spiritual descendant of Woodrow Wil son’s crusade to “make the world safe for democracy” and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s espousal of “the four freedoms. ” That is neither condemning nor praising it. It is simply to identify it with what Morgenthau correctly called the recurring American impulse to lift foreign policy be yond the crass constraints of power politics and onto the lofty plain of high moral prin ciple. But as the earlier examples of Wilson and Roosevelt remind us, a heavy dose of moralism can lead a President either to the ruin or the redemption of his realistic aspirations in the international arena. The lesson has not been lost on Carter. In his Notre Dame speech he said, “I understand fully the limits of moral sua sion.” He rejected any suggestion that “we can conduct our foreign policy by rigid moral maxims.” Clearly, Secretary of State Vance understands both the importance and the inherent limitations of the moral element of foreign policy. His law day address on human rights, delivered at the University of Georgia a month ago, is an exceptionally balanced and careful exposition of the ways in which American principles can be applied to the variety of real-world situa tions. Less reassuring, by far, was the inter view which Carter’s national security ad viser, Zbigniew Brzezinski, gave the magazine U.S. News and World Report last week. It is full of sweeping generaliza tions about “stages of history,” and “histor ical irrelevance” and marked by a disdain for that which is merely “expedient.” If the tone of his memos to the Presi dent is like that of public comments, one must fear that Brzezinski feeds the senti mental and moralistic tendencies in Car ter’s own thinking. The main concern at the moment, how ever, is not the battle for the President’s mind, but the need to discipline our own thinking. To the extent that the heavy dose of moralism now being prescribed from Washington makes Americans “feel very good” about the country’s foreign pol icy (to use Vice President Mondale’s phrase), we are likely to be lulled into forgetting that while moral principles can provide a base for our foreign policy, they are not in themselves, a policy. They become a policy only when they are applied to the practical problems of international affairs, as Vance said in a manner that not only reflects the values of our country but protects its interests as well. There is no inherent conflict between values and interests; but policy can be fat ally flawed when either is ignored. As a people, we are all too prone to gasp in admiration of a President’s exposition of moral principles, and to fail to judge whether he has grasped the hard nettle of the problem. Uncomfortable as it is to recall, it was not too long ago that we allowed Lyndon Johnson to justify the American interven tion in Vietnam on the argument that we were bringing the concept of one man-one vote to the Mekong Delta. History shows that the more our leaders talk of moral principle, the more impor tant it is that we ask how the transaction will affect America’s national interest. (c) 1977, The Washington Post Nixon’s law By LEE ROY LESCHPER Richard M. Nixon seems well on his way to setting a marathon record for non stop explanations. His most recent at tempt to “set the record straight” ap peared Saturday in an article Nixon sub mitted to the Washington Star. Nixon wrote the article as an explana tion for a statement he made during the third David Frost television interviews. During that interview Nixon had said of illegal wiretap and mail opening, “when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal. The struggling-for-respect ex-president says in his article that the president must have some latitude in adapting law to his own interpretation of what’s best for the country. The president, he says, must be able (o.exercise his judgement in national emergencies. He must be independent. Nixon cites as historical proof Lincoln’s extra-constitutional use of power in 1864 and Jefferson’s power-play to complete the Louisiana Purchase. He likens their ac tions to his own plan for illegal surveil lance of anti-war demonstrators. But here he stretches his rhetoric too far. It seems ironic to have Richard Nixon interpreting the law. Somewhat like Ghengis Khan discussing social reform. This man was forced out of office for se vere abuses of the power the presidency holds. Not for the “emergency actions to meet emergency situations” or the execu tion of laws “in a manner faithful to the nation’s vital interests” that Nixon prop oses. For attempts to manage power and politics for his own benefit, without regard for the laws or people of this country. But because of who he is and was, Nixon has received a ready-and-waiting soapbox on television and in the other media. He has been paid handsomely to try to explain coast-to-coast that he’s really not such a bad fellow after all. He hasn’t convinced us yet. He has taught us something about pres idential independence and power. The president must have the power and free dom to act decisively and freely when the country needs strong leadership. But Nixon is the best or worst example we could have of what can happen with too strong and independent a president. Readers’ forum Guest viewpoints, in addi tion to Letters to the Editor, are welcome. All pieces sub mitted to Readers’ forum should be: • Typed triple space • Limited to 60 characters per line • Limited to 100 lines “NOW I’M NOT SAYING IT WON’T WORK, I JUST THINK YOU OUGHT TO STUDY SOME TOO, IN CASE IT DOESN’T!” Readers forum Gay rights: A Constitutional issue By MICHAEL J. GARRETT The question of gay rights has been de bated in and out of the courts of the United States for almost a decade. Tomor row the issue will be put before the voters of Miami and Dade County, Florida. There is no question that the vote, the first of its kind in a major American city, is of utmost importance to the movement for the human and constitutionial rights of gay people. It is extremely unfortunate, how ever, that the issue has been obscured by the rhetoric of Anita Bryant and her sup porters. The issue in Dade County arose in January, 1977, when the Dade County Metropolitan Commission passed an ordi nance prohibiting discrimination against gays in housing and employment. Similar ordinances already exist in forty cities and counties across the nation. Ms. Bryant, however, claiming she had a mision from God, gathered, enough signatures to force a public referrendum on the ordinance. The primary issue in Dade County, as in the Cay Student Services lawsuit here, and most other gay rights battles is the protection and enforcement of the con stitutional rights of gay people. The issue is not homosexuality, morality, God or personal conviction. As citizens of the United States gay people are entitled to the same rights the Constitution accords to blacks, women and all other minorities. The freedom on which this country was founded is not subject to the approval of the masses of an individual’s lifestyle. Tetters Logic faulty Editor: This letter is in response to the United Press International article, “Judge’s rape opinion draws school outcry” (Battalion, May 30). His opinion that rape of a woman is how a man “reacts to it normally” is an appallingly stupid statement. He blames the 16-year-old’s crime on his response “to the permissiveness of the times and provocative outfits women were wearing. ” If that’s the judge’s logic then stealing, murder and any other crime could be blamed on a response to some influence that proved a greater tempta tion than a person’s will power could re sist. The punishment should fit the crime and rape is a crime. Throughout the course of her national campaign Ms. Bryant has consistently avoided the issue of constitutional rights and instead waged a campaign that is glar ingly lacking in logic and frought with emotion. Even the name of her anti-gay organization — Save Our Children, Inc. — smacks of irrational publicity hype. According to Ms. Bryant, her major ob jection is that the ordinance would pro hibit discrimination against gay teachers. It is her opinion that an openly gay teacher would “recruit” or at least influence stu dents into a gay lifestyle. In no logical way can this contention be proven or even ac cepted. If Ms. Bryant and her followers are concerned that gay teachers would molest school children, then she should be reminded that the vast majority of sexual child abuse cases involve heterosexuals and over half of these cases are incestuous. Another frequently cited objection is that gay teachers would be unacceptable “role models” for students. Although the causes of homosexuality are far from being fully known, many experts believe that sexual preference is established by the age of four or five. It is doubtful that an openly gay teacher would have much effect on a student except, perhaps, to encourage a better understanding of people. Even if one refuses to accept that a gay teacher would not incite homosexuality the issue of teachers as role models brings up several important questions. What is an acceptable role model? Are divorced people, liberated women, Jews and un married persons acceptable? Who is to de termine what is and is not acceptable? Another of Ms. Bryant’s objections is that homosexuality is a sin; a depravity upon which God looks with disgust. Ms. Bryant is, of course, entitled to her be liefs, but personal religious convictions have no place in determining the laws of our nation. Freedom of religion dictates that any person may accept or reject any religious belief and places on all citizens the responsibility not to impose their per sonal religious and moral beliefs on others. The doctrine of separation of church and state reinforces the fact that our laws must not be determined by the religious convic tions of any person or group. Perhaps the most unfortunate aspect to Ms. Bryant’s crusade is that her unin formed, emotional cries have received so much support. It is disgraceful that in a nation of democracy and freedom, gays in Miami, here at A&M and all over the nation must wage costly legal and political battles to gain those rights the Constitu tion accords them. It would seem that after 200 years we would have learned the true meaning of the words “liberty and justice for all.” Michael Garrett is a senior environmental design student and member of the Gay Student Services Organization. Top of the News State Briscoe criticized Rep. Dan Kubiak, D-Rockdale, criticized the legislature and Gov. Dolph Briscoe for not calling a special session to pass a school finance bill until most members agree to the measure. “With a priority issue like school finance which affects every citizen in Texas, how in the devil can legislators come back to the capitol with their minds made up for them by someone else, ” Kubiak said. Last week, Briscoe said he would not call a special session unless at least two-thirds of the lawmakers agree beforehand to pass the bill. Crackdown of foreign students Nation Doctor grounds Betty Ford Former First Lady Betty Ford has been grounded by arthritis. Mrs. Ford, 59, was ordered by her doctors to cancel all travel plans for several months. She must stay at her desert home in Palm Springs where the dry climate eases her problem. Space shuttle delayed A malfunction in a machine about the size of a breadbox has forced the delay of the first manned flight test of the Space Shuttle. NASA officials said the problem is a leak in a fuel pump seal in an auxiliary power unit. No nudes, especially good nudes Eight tiny and “deceptive” pictures of a fine-art photographer in the nude brought down the house and closed the show. Jane Wenger, a Chicago photographer, used small angled shots which showed her body but not her face, in an art exhibit last week. But the exhibit officials threw out the exhibition for nudity. “They’re very unusual and decptive at first glance,” said one of the officials, “but on close examination you don’t have to guess.” Gag rule ‘premature’ says judge The judge in the Roman Polanski trial ruled Friday that a gag order to prevent publicity of the movie director’s trial for the drugging and rape of a 13-year-old girl was not warranted. The judge said such a ruling would be premature. Polanski directed such films as “Chinatown” and “The Tenant . Chain store stops porno sale Officials of a national discount chain said a million-dollar gamble to remove itself from the “word war over pornography by discontinu ing the sale of sex-oriented magazines was paying off. “We re hearing from that great silent majority and they approve, said Norman McMillan, marketing vice president for the Target Stores Division of the Dayton Hudson Corp. McMillan said that they were not setting themsevles up as moralists, but that they were risking a million-dollar business to get out of the word war over pornography. Court overturns Louisiana law The Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 today that a state may not make the death penalty mandatory for the murder of an on-duty police officer. The majority said the Louisiana law under which Harry Roberts was sentenced to death for the fatal shooting of officer Dennis Mclnerney at Mardi Gras day in New Orleans in 1974 constitutes “cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Constitution. World Pandas mate, earth moves Two giant pandas presented to Japan by China in 1972 succumbed to the magic of spring and mated Saturday. And the earth moved. The mating took place between 7:39 and 8:39 a. m. in Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo. A mild earthquake shook the Tokyo area during the same period. Zookeepers would not confirm there was a connection be tween the two events. The Battalion Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or of the writer of the article and are not neces sarily those of the University administration itt the Board of Regents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self- supporting enterprise operated by students as a uni versity and community newspaper. Editorial policy is determined by the editor. LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and are subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit such letters and does not guarantee to publish any letter. Each letter must be signed, show the address of the writer and list a telephone number for verification. Address correspondence to Letters to the Editor, The Battalion, Room 216, Reed McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77843. Represented nationally by National Educational Advertising Services, Inc., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday from September through May except during exam and holiday periods and the summer, when it is published on Mondays and Wednesdays. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per school year; $35.00 per full year. All subscriptions subject to 5% sales tax. Advertising rates furnished® request. Address: The Battalion, Room 216, McDonald Building, College Station, Texas 77f$ United Press International is entitled exclusively® the use for reproduction of all news dispatches cre^ ited to it. Rights of reproduction of all other matW herein reserved. Second-Class postage paid at Coll# Station, TX 77843. MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Lee Roy LeschperJ r News Editor Marie Homeytf City Editor Rusty Campus Editor Glenna Whitley Sports Editor Paul McCi*^ Copy Editors Sandy Russ*' Edith Chena^ Reporters Toumonava Mull® 5 Julie Speights, Sarah E. White, Mary Becker Photographers Steve CoWe- Betsy Kellf' Student Publications Board: Bob G. Roficn- Chairman; Joe Arredondo; Tom Dawsey; Dr. Gtf! Halter; Dr. John W. Hanna; Dr. Charles McCatuflfc Dr. Clinton A. Phillips; Jerri Ward. Director of Sir dent Publications: Gael L. Cooper. A state representative, upset by the actions of Iranian students in Corsicana, wants legislators to consider ways of cracking down on protests by visiting foreign students. Rep. Clay Smothers, D-Dallas, said if the legislature meets in special session this summer it should consider measures “that would enable local law enforcement agencies to secure their areas against the dangers of visiting foreign students.” His remarks responded to last Tuesday’s arrests of 49 Iranians who were demonstrating at Navarro County Junior College in protest of an English language proficiency exam. iairs, licker ound; juare. ic a foi on am erime uarter tion u exas c allo\ lanufa nprov irougl: ackagi ienera “Incr ion’s b )r. Do cads, lew tec Then lediun nth no ivities ontrac othey erent j ou ge naxim ) peratic The i et the ninimi “Wh compu nanage Dr. Ph take th ■omput eprese model, the con tivities The would < compui scribe c Process into a e an indu out the comp “The me layi new ar Produc Thoma: 'ng at 1 e mo’ bon of can be fte nat Whe exas i >ce is Texas is insul 'The 1 L( —Katherine Wood