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<