i&M®
Opinion
Thursday, February 27, 1992
The Battalion
Page 9
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The Battalion Editorial Board
DOUGLAS PILS, Editor-in-Chief
The
Battalion
BRIDGET HARROW, Managing Editor
BRIAN BONEY, Opinion Editor
JASON MORRIS, Night News Editor
MORGAN JUDAY, Night News Editor
MACK HARRISON, City Editor
KARL STOLLEIS, Photo Editor
SCOTT WUDEL, Sports Editor
ROB NEWBERRY, Lifestyles Editor
The following opinions are a consensus of The Battalion opinion staff and senior editors.
American shame
U.S. cannot forget Japanese internment
On Feb. 19,1942, President Franklin
D. Roosevelt signed an order to
remove Japanese-Americans living on
the West Coast from society.
Ironically, the anniversary came the
same week a young woman named
Kristy Yamaguchi won America's first
gold medal in women's figure skating
’ in nearly 20 years.
Unfortunately, there has been little
publicity on the 50th anniversary of
this immoral and cruel internment. But
Americans cannot forget how the
paranoia of war allowed innocent
Americans to be locked up.
Many Japanese-Americans remem
ber the horror of being forced from
their homes and livelihood into camps
scattered across the nation, for approx
imately 120,000 people were forced
into these remote concentration camps.
Some might argue that the order
was justified. National security was at
stake. Lt. Gen. John L. DeWitt, who at
the time was in charge of the Western
Defense Command explained, " A
Jap's a Jap." If that were the case, then
all Germans were Nazis and all
Italians are supported Mussolini. But
Americans of German or Italian
descent remained free because they
"looked American."
The Japanese-Americans were held
because of their racial background, not
because they did anything wrong or
even had different political views.
They were thrown into these camps
simply for being of Japanese descent
or birth. In fact, many Japanese-
Americans fought and died on the
fields of Europe fighting for the coun
try that had imprisoned their families
back home.
On Aug. 10,1988, America formally
apologized and awarded $20,000 to
each of the 60,000 known survivors. It
took over 46 years for the American
government to realize its mistake. In
addition, not all of the survivors have
been paid.
But Americans must remember this
shameful act if we should be involved
in war again.
The violent acts against Arab-
Americans that occurred during the
Persian Gulf War could have led to
calls for their internment had the war
gone on longer.
We must never forget how war
fever convinced this nation to
imprison its innocent citizens, and we
must never allow it to happen again.
<£WI the fzecodP
new Jep^ey
No barriers
Free trade agreement should go forward
Of pigs and men
If allusions to farm animals fit, chauvinists take pride in them
The free trade talks in Dallas
between representatives from the
United States, Canada and Mexico
have gone well, but they may not
come close to producing any tangible
results. This is unfortunate.
The United States could take a bold
step forward by working toward a
North American free trade pact.
Under this trade agreement, the
trade barriers between Mexico,
Canada and the United States would
be knocked down, permitting Mexican
products to better compete with other
foreign-made goods. Without an
agreement like this one, the United
States has little hope of remaining
competitive abroad. Japan and its
Asian neighbors and the European
Economic Community already present
themselves as formidable opponents
on the international trade front. These
countries are exerting their influence
on foreign markets, pulling in more
and more capital.
Last year's figures for U.S.-Mexico
trade topped $64 billion. Texas has
reaped a great deal of these profits,
saving the state from feeling the full
effects of a recession which has sent
most of the rest of the country reeling.
The agreement, once reached, may
open the doors toward finding solu
tions to some of the problems now
plaguing Texas. More money would
be pumped into the Mexican economy,
helping to alleviate some of the pover
ty and raising the standards of living
inside Mexico. In turn, this would help
solve many of Texas' own border
problems.
The United States and Canada have
had a free trade agreement for the past
three years which, among other things,
requires 50 percent of a car to be man
ufactured in the United States or
Canada in order to qualify for exemp
tion from import tariffs.
Unless an agreement between the
three parties is reached soon, it may
never become a reality. Both the
United States and Canada face upcom
ing presidential elections which may
result in a policy change, resigning the
free trade agreement to backburner
status.
If approved, this agreement may
provide some needed tonic for the
American economy that legislators
have been looking for. The United
States cannot afford to ignore such a
prospect.
M en are a phalocentric (the
male reproductive organ as a
symbol of generative power),
egotistical patriarchy. Men are pigs.
They are a bunch of animals. There is
only one thing on a man's mind at
one time, food or sex. The list goes on
and on. I am sure many of my fellow
members of the male gender have
heard many obscenities and curses
such as these. It is
utterly repugnant
to hear such lies
and demeaning
statements.
Yet I hear this
from some
women who are
very serious
about what men
are.
These are the
1990's and the
American man is
a sensitive and
compassionate person.
We only w'ant what is best for our
female counterparts. Men of the 90's
support and advocate equality
between sexes....
What a load of crock!
Stop oppressing your carnal feel
ings, men! Women have suppressed
us to long. Hire those beautiful secre
taries with no brains, make a pass to
your female employee or co-worker
and keep those wives bare-foot and
pregnant.
Let's not disappoint these chauvin
ist wenches.
If that's all women think of us,
then we should act like pigs. Its more
fun and less of a headache. Why
should we bother with everyone's
feelings or try to understand the
needs and wants of our companions
and mates? We only want to sleep,
eat, roll in the hay.., get under the
sheets.., and do the wild thing (I men
tion "it" three times because it is
more important then sleeping or eat
ing for men.)
In fact a popular comedian, Tim
Allen, of the television show, "Home
Improvement," says if we are pigs
then we should grunt like the pigs-
awgh, awghhhh!
You should never grunt oink, oink.
Put some feeling and manliness into
it fellow swine, awghhh!
What is the use of trying to
change? Everyone knows that famous
saying, "Men are always wrong and
never right," For example, you tell
your girlfriend that she is looking
great today and the next thing you
know, you are defending yourself for
not saying you thought she was nice.
She asks, "Why didn't you tell me
this yesterday? Was I fat before!?
Don't give me an attitude you pig!"
Face up to it my fellow swine, the
harder we try to understand and be
sensitive to their needs, the faster we
go down the tube.
Furthermore, since women have us
pegged down as a bunch of pigs, we
should just answer them in monosyl
labic grunts.
When your girlfriend asks what
you want to do just grunt, awgh! She
will know what you want then.
When you want to eat just grunt,
awgh! Your friends will understand
what want to eat.
Lastly, just grunt awghowdy to
your fellow swine. There really is no
need to say anything else. We are
after all just a bunch of dumb ani
mals.
On the other hand, if women con
sider us animals, why do they care to
know or acknowledge us? Perhaps
all women like to see those primal
carnal urges aroused. Women want
to see their men unleash that savage,
untamed and wild animal scream
...awgh, awgh, awghhhh! They want
to scream with us. In each women lies
a hidden sow.
We pigs know they love it and
crave it.
However I do not want to exagger
ate. Some women do not consider all
men pigs, they consider men pigs
only some of the time. In other words
some are pigs and others are partial
pigs. Its a like a comparison between
a ham to a side of bacon. For those
fellow swine who can not under
stand, its simple- awgh..awghhawgh-
awghhh! Get the picture.
Fellow swine let us not be wishy-
washy when it comes to our primal,
carnal feelings. Let us unite together
in the knowledge that we are and will
always be pigs! Together we are
stronger. There will be a day when
we grunt in unison and abolish the
propaganda of political correctness
and doing the right and moral thing.
Rise up fellow swine and grunt!
Grunt for your freedom, grunt for
your identity, awgh, awgh, awghhh!
Before some of you go on a "kill
the Arab" rampage, I was only jok
ing! But, you've got to admit there is
a little truth in what I said.
Think about it.
Ben-Musa is a sophomore
history and journalism major
Palestinians mar
international theme
This Monday I had a wonderful experience on
campus. 1 spent over 4 hours in the MSC at the
cultural exhibits that are part of international
week. I tasted coffee and dates from Saudi
Arabia, sweets from Brazil, and British short
bread. I had my hand painted in henna at the
Pakistan and Bangladesh booths, learned about
Islam, saw more varieties of Asian art than I
knew existed, and met fascinating people from
around the world. The only mar on this day of
cultural enlightenment was the Palestinians.
They used this opportunity to hand out their
usual twisted lies and propaganda against Israel.
The people in charge came and took away the
Palestinian's "literature" but it's a shame that
they had to play police because some people bla
tantly ignored the rules and intent of the day. I
was one of the people who set up the Israeli
booth, and we were very careful to adhere to the
rules. We had nothing political on our tables,
only exhibits dealing with Israeli culture (Moslem
and Christian included), agricultural advances,
etc.
I realize that there are differences between
peoples, but I was willing to put them aside to
spend the day it was supposed to be spent, learn
ing about other cultures. Most other people
understood this too as evidenced by the number
of Arab students who came by our table and by
my experiences as I visited their tables (the
Egyptians were especially nice.) It's a shame that
the Palestinians had to bring their hate into what
was otherwise a very unifying experience.
Sharon Sernik
Vet Student
Taxi driver used
excessive force
Check me if I'm wrong, but Charles Hollom
was found guilty of "excessive force" in appre
hending mugger Ocie McClure. Hollow drove
the bumper of two-ton automobile into McClure,
breaking his leg, and Hollow is "guilty only of
being a good law-abiding citizen"? Wake up! If
you break someone's leg with a car you've aimed
at them with the intention to physically hinder
their movement, that's excessive force.
I guess our friendly Los Angeles Police
Officers were just being "good law-abiding" offi
cers when apprehending Rodney King. Officers
of the law, empowered by the state to serve and
protect, can't beat up citizens but ordinary John
Does can? Or is excessive force only acceptable
during isolated instances of vigilante-like behav
ior from an almost invisible minority?
McClure's and King's actions were not right,
but does that instantly remove any civil liberties
or personal rights they may have? No. Citizens
shall not be deprived of the right to a fair trial
according to the constitutional guidelines struc
tured to provide due process of law. It's called
"criminal justice." Without it, the Los Angeles
police officers and Charles Hollom walk away —
something King and McClure couldn't and can't
do.
Excessive force is excessive force whether by a
public servant or by the population which they
serve. We should never stand for it or condone
it!
Gary P. Carroll
Class of'88
Feducia haters
( •
should relax
Every time I read a letter to the editor concern
ing Stacy Feducia's columns, I think to myself,
"Surely this is the last."
Then, much to my chagrin, it never fails that
one shows up several days later, wasting time on
the opinion page.
Come on, folks! Who really cares? In a world
with drug problems running rampant, family
violence, incredible diseases, racism that won't
stop and a hole in the sky, I think we should be
able to live with a couple of cracks about our
butts.
Please stop shoving this paranoid Edwin
Meese-style, wanna-be censorship on the people
who care about important issues. If you don't
like it, don't read it. That's what free speech is all
about.
Samuel Armstrong
Class of ‘95
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