Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Guest column AE Ky 31.T. SlltIE To mqny people one of the most dist urbing aspects 'of the Calley court martial and indeed of our whole foreign policy in Indochina, is the fear that Americans are losing their respect for human life. To some extent the war critics have a point, but too often these new-found scruples over morality imsue from a debator's tactic rather than sincere concern. Hefore you adjudge me a hopeless cynic, consider the following- Many of the same people who claim to stand in fear of ihe milit ary's disregard for human life, show no concern at all for the ant i-abortionists'- argument about the reverence for life. It's- not that ihey disagree with' anti abortionists' claim--they don't even recognize it. -Reverence for lire becomes an obsession only when they're hot on the trail of their own ideological pursuit. - As I don't have the space for elaboration, let us for purposes of discussion accept the pro-abortion sand that life begins as the infant actually leaves the mother's womb. Even if we concede this major point of contention, we are lert with- many serious doubts about the wisdom of legalizing abortion. A legitimate - concern remains, that the relatively innocent calls for abortion-on-demand, if heeded, will change to -cries for demand for-abortion. If our legislatures legalize abortions today, the argument goes, the stage will be set -for mandatory abortions tomorrow. - Today revisited - 'Ro - HvJ0IINGAs1 Columnist One must wonder about this thing that we call the "revolution." It seems more appropriate that we should call it an "inconvenience." For that's- what It is: an in convenience to the people that are against the so-called revolution. The people who seem to -be most ardently against the revolution are the powerful (the president, etc.,), the businessmen (ail those with their greedy little fingers in defense projects) and most im port antly, the workers (hardhats,' et c:.' Until'- these segments'- of our society' become involved in the revolution an inconvenience it will remain. And a game it will remain until 'the Jerry Rubins and Abbie Hloifmans throw away their little paint sets and their American flag shirts.' For what good do these Exa ____ ____ ____ ____9:O( First Day '8 Second Day 9:3 Third Day 3:____ Fourth Day9: Fifth Day 10:1 Sixth Day 1:1T Seventh Day 12:~ Eighth Day 1 :5 Ninth Day '. 12:2 ltiabort, Hut this move towards arbitrary delermination of who shoul4 live and who should not isn't limited to a few highly-placed individuals. Most people who favor abortion will. under pressure of the logic, also admit to favoring mercy killing. Kuthanasia, like abortion for abnormals. leads to problems of definition. Under what cir cumstances is it "moral" to put people out of their misery? When they can no longer live without the aid of artificial lungs and hearts'? Or when they suffer from a ter minal disease for which there is no cure and during which their suf fering will only increase? Or when they are starving Vietnamese peasants who have nothing to 'live for anyway? To me. the most disturbing a-pect of the present demand for legalized abortion is the fear that Americans are losing their respect for human life. Advocates of abortion dismiss the ,entire quest ion of the right of the fetus to live, arbitrarily defining the fetus non-human. And they further iore the possibility; the very real pomsibility; of the long-range consequences of abortion-on demand. 'These doubts should not -be discounted as silly fears of alar mists.- For indeed, some impatient souls have already begun calling for such governmental controls over an individual's most private activity: A few weeks ago a medical wolution2 matters of trivia do? Sure, they freak out some people. But let us not be so naive as to -believe that reAkling out people constitutes a revolution. Or is it possible that the left subculture wants a fun-and games revolution? If so Barnum and Hailey will be back in town soon. Kldridge Cleaver has banned all use or drugs by his fellow Pan thers. D)rugs are another aspect of the revolution that *one must wonder about. 'The use of drugs makes for one screwed up revolutionary. Cleaver said he wantsx cold. serious people involved in the movement. He doesn't want people that are so spaced out that they don't realize what is going on. In other words, the direction of the movement is good. But the means" is oft target. The people in Washington that tried to shut down the government had the right un schedi I A.M. viWF 8 Th 0 TTh .11:00 TThi _______ 6:30 TTh 5 MWF All Sections c 5 MWF -All Sections c ________ All Sections c 0 MWF All Sections c 5 MWF AlScin ~0 MWF 3:30 Tih ' 5 MWF 2:30 MWF 0 TTh 2:00 TTh ~0 MWF 5.00 TTh dixctor made the news by ad vocating federal legislation requiring mandatory abortions in cases where the child would be lx)rn with abnormalities. The doctor didn't specify what he meant by abnormal, but isn't it .ust possible that a legislature. say in Mississippi. could be elected that lelt all blacks are abnormal, and therefore should not be allowed to- reproduce? Or all Catholics? Or all Jews? (This is assuming of course that the legislation itself would define abnormality: It is more likely that it would establish a commission to regulate' and define, thereby cent ralizing the power even more.) Rtecently. Oonald Rumsfeld, a top Presidential advisor urged the lederal government to investigate the possibility -of limiting the size of families in order to- control population. While not specifically mentioning mandatory abortion, Mr. Humsreld certainly continued setting the stage for such an arrangement. ' May I suggest that those who are quick to condemn our efforts in Indochina and the U. S. military est ablishment for being callous and disrespectful towards human life. examine their own values on this matter first. If . the American people are losing their respect for human life, it .just may be, not because of the military, but rather because of the unquestioning adherence to popular issues like abortion by the Ritualistic Liberal opinion-makers in the civilian establishment. idea but went about it the wrong way. One does not shut down Washington by lying in the streets. bne shuts down the present government by remsoving it. Mass community action against the government removes the govern ment. The student movement alone may bring minor charges (15.000 troops are being brought home inst ead of only 10,000--indeed a lot accomplished. Come now.). The populace is the heart of America. let the movement stop kidding it selt. 'Turn toithe streets. Tlurn to 'he people that live, work and die in the st reets: the common people. the working class. T'he working class sees through the guise of the whole movement. Tlhey realize how farcical it is. 'The drugs. the war paint and the ar tit icialit y or being hip are not a revolution.. Lile 1:00 P.M. f English 101 and 102 if BIology 101 (Fall Sem.) f Bioloy 102 (Sp. Sem.) f Foreign Language 101, 102 f Psycholog 101 and 102 IMU @ Young America Corp. / 1304 As Total birtl BY AtIM Ilt I11OPPE 'olumnist Ihe League for Total Birth ('ontrol. a militant do-good group, has taken a vigorous stand against one of the gravest threats the world faces today -- natural disasters. I'he League. as everyone knows. contends that while birth control can solve some of the problems of the human race. only totat birth control can solve all of the problems of the human race. And in ao single generation, too. What - stimulated League members to -take a dire look at natural disasters was a report from Corpus Christi.:Texas. bsast August. as the Associated Press put it. "Hurricane Celia swept through 'orpus Christi. disrupting telephone service and electricity -anti hring d b..rinn mn! of the area's activities to -a standstill." Kxactly nine months later. the Associated Press said. the birth rate more than doubled. This report from Corpus Christi was received with great interest by the league's research director. lIr. Homer T. Pettibone, author of 'The Greatest Force for Birth ('ont rot Television" and other wvorks. Hie has long sought legislation Garr THE GAME COCK is published tri-week and weekly during the summer semesi holidays and exam periods. Change of ad< other mail items shoutd'be sent to Draw scription rates are $7 per year or $3 per fa summer sessions. Bulk copies are $6 g received $39,000 from The student activiti subscription to the paper. Offices of THE of the Russell House on the University car 777-4220. Second class postage paid GAME COCK is pubtished by the Unive expressed herein do not necessarily rel student body or the staff. Aes~Edir-Ne... .. .. ... Meegn -mr .. . .. .. . Asiee Mngn ........r...... .. .. Aest. spr se caeten-M...... serear .. . . .... ... IF I (M Df hby Rd. / St. Louis, Mo. 1 control requiring at least one channel to televise professional football games around the clock. 'Tis, he feels. would curb the population explosion overnight. Admittedly. power failures of up to W minutes duration in the past have had little effect on the birth rate: "iis merely indicates." he said. "that the average male will pound on his silent television set for an hour and a half before saying. The hell with it - let's-go to bed' 'The interesting new factor in the 'orpus (1hristi disaster was the disruption of telephone service as well. Coupled with -the television backout. the ensuing boredom obviously proved more than even ihe least ardent couple could bear. "In ihe past." lr. Pettibone said ihought fully. "we have overlooked the role of the telephone in birth control. ('learly. when the husband has given up kicking the television set and suggested retiring. the wife has replied 'Just a minute. dear. I'm talking to mother on the telephone.' ''''Or1unately. by the time she's hung up. he has long since fallen asleep. Heaven only knows how many children yet unborn owe their condition to Ma Bell." (('nautinued on pag~e 32) iecock ly during the fall and spring semesters ers with the exception of University fress forms, subscription requests and Sr A. USC, Columbia, S.C. 29206. Sub II and spring semesters and $1 for both ier 100. THE GAMECOCK this year fund, entitling full-time students to a GAMECOCK are in Rooms 30 and 310 npus. Phones are 777-8178. 777-4249 and at Columbia, S.C. Although THE rsity, of South Carolina, the opinions present those of the University. the .. .. .. .. Chry- Manning . . . . . . .U. NUe schebee ..........sh Mmer . .. .. MaeerT. 9I Malt . . . . . . Hesagr