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Viewpoint The Battalion Thursday Texas A&M University July 2, 1981 Group warns of moral decay Dear America. Our unique birth was just over 200 years ago. As one nation under God, we have grown to be one of the mightiest and greatest nations in history — a land of un precedented liberty and opportunity for all. Our country has survived many assualts upon it; since defeating the powerful Brit ish army in 1776 until today, we’ve always found the courage to defend ourselves. But now we seem to be facing another crisis more serious, one that has graver con sequences than ever before. Recently, for mer President Ford warned that, “America is in serious trouble. ” A well-known retired general is reported to have said, “It is possi ble that America could have less than 1,000 days of freedom left. ” Hundreds of national leaders including politicians, military men, economic advi sors, and ministers are issuing the same grave warning: We are facing the deepest crisis in our histroy. Our crisis is more threatening because it is an internal problem — not the threat of a visible enemy, but a moral crisis in our own lives. Alexis di Tocqueville, the famous French historian and statesman, visited our country during the early 1800s in order to search out the reason for our greatness. He went to the schools, the economic centers, the shipyards, and the halls of Congress; but it wasn’t until he went to our churches and heard their pulpits aflame with right eousness, that he understood the secret of our nation’s power and genius. He con cluded that, “America is great because America is good; and if America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” God puts it this way: “Righteousness ex alts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34) Any student of our history will acknow ledge that we have become great because of Reader’s Forum the blessings of God. Since the landing of the Pilgrims as the first settlers, our nation has acknowledged Almighty God and seen, as Abraham Lincoln said, “that those na tions only are blessed whose God is the Lord.” But today, we in America have turned away from the God who has blessed us so. As a result of rejecting God’s truth and opting for the modern philosophies of our time, we are reaping the judgment of God. What are our sins? Public acceptance of adultery, sexual immorality, homosexual ity, drunkenness, drug abuse, disrespect for authority, the murder of over 1 million unborn babies each year, greed and mate rialism are but a few. What are the results of these sins? An economic crisis, a loss of respect in the eyes of the world, the highest divorce rate in the history of the world, the generation gap, children’s lives burnt out on drugs and alcohol, venereal disease at epidemic rates — and worst of all, a God who is angry and about to judge our nation. No nation in history has sinned against God to the degree that our nation has and escaped His judgement. We will not prove to be the first nation to lift itself up in pride against the Lord and not experience the condsequences of such sin. What must we do? need most is a spiritual revival. Millions of our people must turn from their sinful ways and trust in our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. We must pray and seek to do the right thing that will honor God in every circumstance. Our nation is only as strong as its people. Individually we must each have a right relationship with God. Even though God wants to bless us, our sins and rebellion have caused a separation from Him. Jeusus Christ paid the penalty for our sin when He died on the cross, shedding His precious blood to pay the eternal death penalty we each deserve. In Christ, the barrier of our sin is taken away, giving us confident access to God the Father, and opening up a new relationship with Him that is impossible to have outside of Christ. As an individual created in the image of God, we can receive Jesus Christ by simply repenting of our sinful, rebellious attitude toward Him and willfully submit ting to his rightful authority of our lives. He will come in, forgive and lead us in the most abundant live possible. The problems in our great nation are pri marily spiritual, and will not be solved until we once again honor God. What about you fellow American? Why not be a part of the solution to our nation’s problems by en trusting your life to Jesus Christ right now as both your Saviour and Master. It will make a lasting difference both now and for eternity. Americans for a Renewed Nation Larry Winkler, spokesman America, we re too young to die, and it’s not too late for us to be saved. What we Editor’s note: Americans for a Renewed Nation is a group of citizens in the Bryan- College Station area. The opinions ex pressed in this column are soley those of the author. The editor welcomes all view points for publication on the editorial page. Reagan woos the opposition By HELEN THOMAS United Press Internationa] WASHINGTON — “Come on in the wa ter’s fine,” says President Reagan in invit ing Democratic congressmen to defect from their party and join the ranks of the Repub licans. Reagan made the remark in an address to the California Taxpayers’ Association in re ferring to a report that Democratic National Chairman Charles Manatt had indicated he would like to purge Rep. Phil Gramm, D- Texas, a strong Reagan supporter and co author of his federal spending cuts, from the party ranks. Aides say that Reagan was not kidding, that he means it and would welcome any newcomers to the GOP. The president noted that he had been a long time Demo crat before he saw the light. As for whether there would be an active drive to recruit the Democrats who have been voting along with Republican col leagues on major budget and economic issues,' Reagan’s chief lobbyist. Max Friedersdorf, says these lawmakers are “philosophically and idealogically in tune with the president’s thinking” on spending cuts, lower taxes and national defense. “So there’s a meeting of minds there and whether or not they would change parties, there’s always that speculation, ” he told re porters. “I don’t think anybody can sit here in June of 1981 and predict what’s going to happen on that. ” But he added, “Obviously, if we would win the House or get very close next year, it would be an attractive thing for some of those folks to think about, but I would hesi tate to guess at this point what would hap pen with regard to that.” More important at the moment, Friedersdorf said, is that Reagan now thinks he has a “very established coalition” within the House, made up of Republican and Democratic supporters who will push through his programs. At the same time, another top Reagan aide says he would be “very surprised” if the Democratic leadership kicked out members who are voting with the presi dent. the small society by Brickman Tf^fJLY A NATI^M/ - M£>T. F^L- |2|^M The Battalion U S P S 045 360 MEMBER LETTERS POLICY Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Coneress Editor Angelique Copeland Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in City Editor Jane G. Brust length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. The Photo Editor Greg Gammon editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and Sports Editor Ritchie Priddy length, but will make every effort to maintain the author’s Focus Editor Cathy Saathoff intent. Each letter must also be signed, show the address News Editors Marilyn Faulkenberry, and phone number of the writer. Greg Gammon, Venita McCellon Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, and are Staff Writers . . . . . Bernie Fette, Kathy O’Connell, n °t subject to the same length constraints as letters. Denise Richter Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The Cartoonist Scott McCullar Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. EDITORIAL POLICY The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting newspaper The Battalion is published Tuesday, Wednesday and operated as a community service to Texas A&M University Thursday during Texas A&M’s summer semesters. Mail and Bryan-College Station. Opinions expressed in The Bat- subscriptions are $16.75 per semester, $33.25 per school talion are those of the editor or the author, and do not year and $35 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&A1 Universi- request. ty administrators or faculty members, or of the Board of Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Build- Regents. ing, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory' newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography classes United Press International is entitled exclusively to the within the Department of Communications. use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it. Questions or comments concerning any editorial matter Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. should be directed to the editor. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. “What we really have seen here . is the mainstream of American political thinking shift more towards the center,” he said. “And I think to punish Democrats for following the best interests of their districts and for following the best interests of the American people would be a terrible thing to happen,” he said, “and I really don’t think it’s going to happen.” Reagan is confident that he has enough Democratic support now to pass his 25 per cent, 33month tax cut bill. But he is leaving nothing to chance, and plans to be on the telephone again courting the more reluc tant legislators who have been enticed to his side of the fence again. Reagan aides, meantime, say that he has learned a lot since his days as governor of California. They say he was “aloof” in Sac ramento and often at sword’s point with the California legislators, paying them no mind, and hardly in a mood to woo them. But since he became president, Reagan has gone out of his way to soften up the opposition and to butter up lawmakers. He has not been aloof when it comes to listen ing to their concerns or to their special in terests. His aides like to point out that politics is the art of compromise, and they do not believe a bit of horse trading here and there should be verboten when the stakes are so high. Rarely are the names of the congressmen Reagan telephones disclosed when he is wooing their votes. Most of the time he has focused on Southerners who are closer to his political persuasion. The president obviously has made some promises, and a major pledge is not to cam paign against a Democratic supporter. Reagan says he could not do that in “good conscience. ” Whether the Democrats who are buying his programs are ready to jump ship is not yet known. But the remainder of the con gressional session may tell the story, and as far as Reagan is concerned the honeymoon is still on. IU( Voting Rights Act is definitely needed Fhe grc ; is inc gian iputer Te x a it Stat ncies t Di, fie Dat By DAVID S. BRODER ATLANTA — On June 15, President Reagan wrote Attorney General William French Smith a carefully phrased letter asking for a full Justice Department review of the merits of extending or altering the Voting Rights Acts of 1965, key provisions of which are due to expire next year. That law, as the President said in his letter to Smith, "has made a massive contri bution to the achievement of full constitu tional and political equality” for blacks and Hispanics by facilitating their registration, voting and seeking public office. But as the President also noted, there is controversy about parts of the law, especial ly those which require states and localities with a history of voting discrimination to obtain the Justice Department’s prior approval of any changes in their voting pro cedures, from the location of a polling-place to the redrawing of district lines. That controversy has divided Reagan’s own Republican Party. Some Republicans favor a straight extension of the law as it stands. Others seek to remove the regional onus by making the same pre-clearance re quirements apply nationwide. And still others seek to make it easier for the covered areas to “bail out” of federal supervision by demonstrating their recent adherence to non-discriminatory practices. Reagan s letter was a device for buying time before the administration has to de clare itself in the congressional hearings already under way. He asked for a report by October 1, but encouraged Smith to consult with “concerned citizen groups” and public officials “whose thoughtful views will con tribute to the development of a just and sound administration position.” One source of that kind of advice can be found upstairs from the loan company, on the third floor of a ramshackle building in downtown Atlanta, where the Voter Educa tion Project (VEP) has its headquarters. Formed three years before the Selma-to- Montgomery march spurred President Johnson to ask Gongress to pass the Voting Rights Act, the foundation-financed group has been involved in more than 1,700 local voting-registration drives. It probably has accumulated more experience in this field than any other organization. Bob Flanagan, the sad-eyed civil rights activist who came to VEP after 12 years as Georgia field director of the National Asso ciation for the Advancement of Colored People, has a very simple response to the question Reagan raised with his attorney general. “We’ve got a lot of work to do still,” he told a visitor the other day. “We’re operat ing under handicaps, even with the act. Without the Act, it would be impossible. ” The gains are impressive. As Geraldine ;d on t Thompson, executive director of VEil he ei the House subcommittee consideroartmei issue last week, black registration sterjto l creased 11-fold in Mississippi, att ers more than doubled in several othe: 1 , 11 since the Act went into effect. Them Ir moi .hines. of black elected officials in the jumped from 100 to 2,400. But as 0- e noted, the gap between black and ty also < registration across the South is jusUiputers today as it was in 1965. And at nokn to,” office do blacks approximate their sThe ce the population fess”^ Those who see one-time segrea '* , \ before blacl d senators campaigning neiore macs s w ith ences, hiring black aides and backside the r black officials find it easy to think thfen pe lem has been solved and Voting Rigkk is dor can be honorably retired. /ersitie But the folks .it VEP know 1980 — last year — in the DeKalbCjyooo a part of th Atlanta metropolitan areaiany of officials decided that they would haulers coi borhood voter-registration drives. ^ on ot contest in court, the county agreed! r own, mit the rule to the Justice Depart! 10 co: under the Voting Rights Act. Justice’ Y 11 ? 1 it was improper. p , rol>le ie to us In Alapaha, Ga., soon after thefirslace.” 1 was elected to the town council in 19’ntains s election system, the registration pemote j and the schedule of filing fees were/ - telep] vised in ways that would redued®®. * or chances of that happening again. T% n (Y][ tice Department, using the Votingf s Act, vetoed the changes. the TV How could these and similar incute in \ be happening in Georgia, almost lO'V Depi after Jimmy Carter stood on the stepsY ne tc state capitol and declared the daysof?™^ 1 ” 115 mination were over? “That was J' mn, ' 0ne t ji )1 K ter talking, ” Flanagan said, “but aLjj n ^ other folks still don’t want to see bl^missjo, public office.” nd the : Confirmation comes from the office^ 6 ot ^ the hall, where Laughlin McDonal? ant “ gional director of the American Civil t ties Union, works. McDonald notei his group has been engaged for thf yuear in a lawsuit against the boardof cation of Sumter County, Ga., < famous alumnus, ironically enough,is my Carter. The suit challenges theko 1973 decision to switch from district! large elections — a favorite device fori ing the black vote and preventing mi« communities form gaining represent on such boards. Just two months ago, Gen. Smith was given authority to vene in the case, now expected to co« early trial. In the offices on the third floor, it* not take from now until October 1 tod whether the Voting Rights Act is needed. They know the answer is f Warped By Scott McCullat N<