The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 08, 1991, Page 3, Image 3
Wisdom
America should get act together
to grab golden opportunities
The Soviet Union could be sliding into chaos, yet the United
States does nothing. Sound familiar? Two weeks ago, the U.S. had
an historic opportunity to topple Saddam Hussein and install a favorable
government in Iraq. For whatever reason, the U.S. elected
not to. Once again, America goes half-way toward achieving our
goals.
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in Europe and Asia, which set the stage for the establishment of
the Axis powers. In 1945, we vanquished Germany, but allowed
the Soviet Union to take its place as Europe's regional hegemonist.
In 1953, we gave up in Korea and allowed it to be divided
permanently. In 1973, we abandoned our ally in South Vietnam,
after years of indecisive, but horribly costly, military action to defend
it.
Some thought we had passed a watershed by our quick, decisive
action in the Persian Gulf. Our post-war fence-sitting proves that
we haven't changed our ways. By not showing the political will to
back the rebels against Saddam, the U.S. is once again the superpower
that couldn't. One Bush administration official told NBC
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be, at maximum, 250 to 300 words long. The writer must include full name, professional
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circumstance.
News, "we dropped the ball; this tarnished our victory.
We have another chance to do something in the USSR before it
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might succeed the decrepit Gorbachev regime, we do nothing.
Secretary of State Baker refused to meet popular Russian president
Boris Yeltsin on his trip to Moscow. This is amazingly stupid,
considering Yeltsin could be the Soviet leader within the year.
The United States is in a unique position to affect world history.
We have "dropped the ball" once in Iraq. Hopefully, we will be
more intelligent in our handling of the Soviet Union.
ITEM: IN THE U.S., ONE CHILP IN 8 GOES H'JNGRY
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^ CPs
Animals shou
As president of Students for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals (SETA), I was quite
amused at Dr. Francis Abel's recent article criticizing
our organization and a letter we sent to
all Columbia faculty. I was even more amused
that he and his colleagues felt so threatened that
they sent out flyers, bordering on the immature,
to try and discredit us. As of this printing, some
researchers are trying to censor our language.
Though Dr. Abel's accusations are many,
they are essentially unfounded. Furthermore, he
offers little or no evidence in support of his cri
ticism. For instance, in response to SETA's
claim that more than over 19,000 animals are
being abused, maimed and killed in 36 different
experiments, Dr. Abel simply says, "These
statements are so untrue ..Unless we have
been lied to, they are very true.
The 19,000+ figure was obtained directly
from USC's media relations department, and
the number of experiments, as well as the
amount of awards, was found through the Freedom
of Information Act Now, the real figures
may be higher, perhaps partly because of private
funding of which the public has no
knowledge.
As for SETA's allegations that USC vivisectors
pocket $135,000 a year from animal research
? we stand corrected. We should have
said, "The average USC vivisector was
awarded $135,000. . ." Considering USC vivisectors
received just under $5 million in grants
this year, I wonder where remaining monies
went after operating costs and salaries were
paid? The fact of the matter is the "grant game"
is a lucrative one for all, except for the animal.
Nonetheless, SETA is not against non<jm/raz/-based
research. On the contrary, one of
our aims is to encourage prospective researchers,
and seasoned ones as well, to put their talents
into finding alternatives to animal use. At
present, there are many excellent alternatives
for a variety of instruction and research, but
more is needed. We believe human beings (and
researchers) are extremely resourceful creatures
when they have to be or when they are forced
to be.
I agree with Dr. Abel that students are interested
in a realistic view of the world. But is it
realistic to think that social, feeling animals are
T I'TTIT D C TT\ n
L/E 1 1 E/I\u 1 \ J J
I ...,
God does not unS;
- in his lettt
tolerate sins Christians
have a lol
To the editor: know we
This letter is in response to Mr. not ?. W01
Miller's letter on April 3 regarding (luestlpn (
the "Anti-Homo" week fliers, etc. con^mitme
Miller stated that he was alarmed Pr?jessing
at the blatant prejudice and hatred a c
on this campus when it comes to , a
homosexuals. be?ins
I cannot deny there are those on hearls an(
^ this campus who have much hatred arr .ow
toward homosexuals, but some- w ,at 1S r
thing disturbs me even more. I am lun
! more disturbed that there is such a a" "ving
looseness in morality at this th ugh 1
school, and that so many people sPint- r&
seem to accept homosexuality as ?"1 thos?
normal behavior. chan?e
I am even more alarmed that Pr?tess jp
people say the Bible doesn't con- am. .
demn homosexual behavior. I can- ^ sPult
not justify the actions or the atti- wrong, ai
tudes of those who seemingly hate c"an&cs in
homosexuals, but I must admit it is at
a shame to see homosexuality as *?ns a. ^
an accepted form of behavior on , ,m in
this campus. J*1 s 1
As a born-again Christian, I feel Most h?r
homosexuality is not moral, and where th<
the Bible clearly states it isn't. cf|an8e? a
Miller stated he was no biblical ^ claim
scholar . .. obviously not! The homosexui
Bible clearly states homosexuality ^
is wrong, in l conntmans o:y it hatr.H
says the "unrighteous will not inherit
the kingdom of God . . .
neither fornicators, nor idolators, . ,
not adulterers, nor homosexuals, in;
nor sodomites..." must
It seems pretty clear to me. I cannot loJ
don't think this passage can in any . omanJ
way justify homosexual behavior. ^
In case Miller is still skeptical ab- u a e
out whether or not the Bible con- God ne
demns homosexuality, he can refer one, but 1
to Romans 1:27, or 1 Corinthians sin, and ti
6:18 to see that men were created right. In c
for women, and women for men. ference, N
Anything else is not part of God's up Psalm
plan (remember Sodom and mosexuals
Gomorrah). what they
And please spare me, Mr. clearly no
Miller, with your bleeding liberal is clear at
science stance on what the Bible havior sh<
is, and that passages from the mosexuals
Bible can be interpreted many their actio
ways, etc. You sound too much ful. Sounc
4 like the religion professors at this Miller, bei
Id not be used
CATHERINE FRISCH
Guest Columnist
happy isolated in steel cages? Is it realistic to
think human needs are more important than
non-human ones? Moreover, is it right to perform
experiments on non-human animals that
we would call criminal to be performed on
ourselves? Think about it because this is the
reality.
I also believe, perhaps unlike Dr. Abel, that
most people desire a moral, just society. But,
where is morality when researchers take a pregnant
rat and keep her intoxicated so they can
study the detormmes or aenciencies ot ner. alcoholic
offspring? I find it terribly irresponsible
that our government spends millions of taxpayei
dollars to fund such useless and inhumane research
when the same money could go to programs
that help human victims of alcohol and
drug abuse. Logically, one must ask why researchers
are studying rats when there are thousands
of human subjects available in the real
world.
Additionally, if Dr. Abel as a physician and
parent, does not find it acceptable to equate a
rat with a boy, then why would he find it acceptable
as a researcher? Don't researchers try
desperately to extrapolate findings in rats to humans
every day? The point is this: either animals
are like us, in which case it would be immoral
to experiment on them, or they aren't like
us, in which case experimentation would be ridiculous.
You can't have it both ways.
While it is true that mice and rats compose
more than 90 percent of the animals used at
USC, it is also true that they aren't protected
under AAALAC or the Animal Welfare Act (although
in reality no animal is). Therefore, these
sentient creatures can be legally subjected to
whatever Frankensteinian manipulations one
can think up. I am no less outraged or.more
comforted knowing USC researchers experiment
and kill more rats or mice per year than
any other animal.
It's senseless to quibble with vivisectors abrHE
EDITOR
calling.
point Miller brings up
?r is that there are many Sports broadcasting
who are homosexuals. I
of trouble with this. I Gllll lOOb
are saved by grace, and
rks, but I would have to mnHlfv tl
Dne's sincerity in their U
nt to Christ if they are To the
,'? i yet This letter is in res,
Jearly sinful lifestyle. Lieu,s A ri, 3 lener
person accepts Christ, en[iUed ,.?un con[rol,
to do a work in our T .. ...
neu oDviousiy com
I begins to change us, liefs t0 interpret
us what is wrong and 0f Rights as p
ight. Trusting in him American citizens by
ling away from our sin, jjeu would take the l
a holy and righteous life int0 any introductoi
he power of his holy government textbool
ally have to wonder ab- probably be surprise*
who have no desire to the Second Amendi
sir sexual behavior yet Constitution has moi
be Christians. does the molested, adi
from perfect, yet God's sjon adhered to by the
convicts me of what is Instead of citin
id helps me to make Amendment as provid
my life. I'm not saying teed right to our owi
ire those who are Christ- should have quotec
lod has yet to deal with amendment verbatim,
at area of their lives, but Amendment to the U
easonable about this. tion states "a well-rej
nosexuals are happy tia, being necessary tt
iy are, and wouldn't of a free state, the rig!
nd many homosexuals pje t0 j^p and bear
to be Christians believe not t>e infringed." 1
il activity is OK. wep as Lieu fail to in
first 13 words of
ller, I cannot justify the Amendment whenevei
ome feel toward ho- the amendment as a
, nor do I condone it. As ^e right to keep and
we must love every- hope this informatu
uding our enemy. But we COme as too much o
sin. Uod in his holiness u /
i ,t , anyone, but most peoi
* upon sin. He hates it. do nQl bel^
2:9 says to abhor what |a[cd militia.
Ve must love the person, ,f u js n?)t obvious
le sin* already, I do not bel
ver calls us to hate any- has the right to own
fie calls us to flee from ever, as long as our gc
o hate that which is not tows people to posses
ase you need another ie- will be an incredible
Ir. Miller, you may look strict regulations re
97:10. I do not hate ho- ownership of such d(
, Mr. Miller, but I hate mechanisms,
are doing, because it is H?w many "accide
t of God, and the Bible 11131 matter intentional
lout what our sexual be- result from the use c
Duld be. I pray for ho- g?ing to take before tl
that they would see that this country unite and
ns are immoral and sin- possession of guns be
Is harsh, doesn't it? Mr.
ing a Christian is no easy Criminal j
by humans
out animal pain. They are either desensitized to
the suffering they inflict or they're in denial. If
vivisection were like going to the dentist, as Dr.
Abel suggests, then why aren't they using human
beings? After all, the study of man is man.
Furthermore, if researchers have nothing to
hide, then why is their "work" shrouded in secrecy?
Why can't the public sit in on a "dog lab"
and judge for themselves whether it is reasonable
or not to experiment on pound animals, or
any animal for that matter?
At least Dr. Abel spares us the excuse that he
experiments on animals to save human (rather,,
children's) lives. If researchers truly cared about
the public's health, they would be pushing
prevention. Recent studies have conclusively
linked red meat consumption to cancer, heart
disease and strokes.
You would think physicians and researchers
would be scrambling to throw out 1he animal
carcasses in their freezers and warn the public
to stop eating meat. Instead, they search desperately
for cures, all the while leading the
public to believe the next medical miracle is
one animal experiment away!
Relying on animals for our use is just not
I wise. Their flesh is killing us, they make unreli
l able research "models," and in the wild their future
is uncertain. The world is ever-changing,
' and SETA believes man's future in it is reliant
on how well we treat our animals. Our movement
is fueled by a deep desire to see justice
for all, and therefore, we believe it is ethically
wrong to use animals for food, clothing, entertainment
or experiments.
We realize there is much animal abuse in
areas other than research and we do our best to
address them. But I personally find it unconscionable
that researchers feel they have a moral
right to shock, burn, poison and paralyze a host
, of animals because elsewhere in the country 6
billion are being killed for food and 20 million
are being euthanized in pounds. Regardless of
what others do, researchers must be held accountable
for their actions. They may rest assured
we will not keep silent until justice has
been served.
Jon Noetzel Man wronged
? sophomore ,
bv newspaper
yists
To the editor:
mth Having just read a copy of the
March 29, 1991 edition of your
newspaper, I feel that out of fairponse
to Eric ness to an excellent man who
to the editor served with me during my tenure
not needed." as U.S. Secretary of Education, I
forms his be- must respond,
ation of the In a very difficult situation,
irovided for Manuel Justiz served with great
the NRA. If distinction as Director of the Naime
to delve tional Institute of Education. He
y American was not an "ousted federal offik:,
he would cial" as the article states; he res1
to see that igned to return to the academic
nent to the world and was under no pressure
*e to it than to leave. To verify, please check
altera ted ver- with former Secretary William J.
NRA. Bennett, who responded previously
g the 2nd to allegations that Justiz had been
ing a guaran- fired by him.
n guns, Lieu The Department of Education
1 the entire Inspector General issued a report
The Second outlining a minor and somewhat
.S. Constitu- technical report of Justiz' use of
gulated Mili- travel funds and the WATS long
} the security distance telephone system during
it of the peo- the illness of his father. He could
' arms, shall not make a personal phone call
'hp hJR A oc \i/hil#? nn Hntv anrl ncr>H fhp. WATS
corporate the line to call about his father and
the Second subsequently reimbursed the
they invoke government
guarantee of Justiz had accumulated 51,000
bear arms. I miles of personal travel and 9,000
Dn does not of government-related travel that
f a shock to was used for an airline ticket,
pie who own Rules about use of government
; to a well- travel miles were promulgated AFTER
he used these miles. He paid
to everyone the government for that portion of
lieve anyone his travel that related to use of the
guns. How- government mileage.
>vernmental- Justiz was a dedicated public
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a guild, uiuw ovi Taut, tyuu yvuiaui uaiu ui mo
necessity for job, and your article, in my view,
garding the does him a great injustice. In order
iath-inducing to let both sides of an issue be discussed,
and out of fairness to Jus:ntal,"
or for tiz and his career, I hope you will
killings, that let your readers know of the above
>f guns, is it facts.
le citizens of Terrel H. Bell
I demand the U.S. Secretary of Education,
abolished? 1981-85
David Tarr Editor's note: This letter could not
ustice junior be verified.