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Show Sept. 28, 1!)7:5 Signpost Page 9 FALL FASHION Coats and Jackets V by Dave Midget News Editor "You think you can walk on water with your books. Well, the world can get by just fine without them. Look where they got you, in slime up to your lip. If I stir the slime with my little finger, you'll drown! " Farhenheit 451 Ray Bradbury, 1950 Simon and Schuster, New York So the world can get by just fine without books? If you live in Chile, then this is the philosophy you've been hearing for the last three weeks. Yes, today we have a situation in Chile where books are being burned because of the ideas that they can put into someone's head. For over three weeks since the violent overthrow of Marxist President Salvador Allende by a military coup, the people of Chile are unable to feel safe in their homes. It is now accepted government policy for soldiers to enter private homes and search for "bad books." Bad books When found the "bad books," which may or may not contain Marxist thoughts and philosophies, are piled up and burned. The owners of these books? Many are hauled off to prison or concentration camps as dangerous "radicals." Perhaps the current leaders of Chile believe that if you destroy the "bad books'' containing Marxist philosophies then they will also have done away with the idea of Marxism. Maybe but it seems very, very doubtful. As so often happens in a country where a military coup or revolution . takes place, the - party in power quickly outlaws the opposition and thereby prohibits them from gaining power through the democratic process. The only recourse they have left is counter-revolution. Although many complaints can be directed at the late Allende government, -it cannot be said that after he won his election in 1 970 he outlawed the opposition. "Outside the law" Yet the new President of Chile, General Augusto Pinochet has stated that political parties are now "outside the law." Looking back, maybe Allende should have. He would probably still be alive today if he had. With all the new and dramatic changes that have occured in Chile over the last three to four weeks, one wonders how the Unied States government views this new government.You remember the United States, the country which shook with horror when the true terror of the Nazi regime was brought to light. The United States, its government along with the other victors in World War II, sentenced Germans to die for "war crimes" committed in their concentration camps and torture chambers.The United States, whose government became involved in a long and disastrous war in Southeast Asia because we opposed the overthrow of a democratically elected government.The United States, the leader of the free world." America's reaction How has the United States reacted to this military coup? Despite the brutality and ruthless policies of the Pinochet government, despite the reported mass executions of political opponents, despite the burning of books and the outlawing of political parties, despite the violent overthrow of a democratically elected government Despite all of these occurences the United States government has just extended FRIENDLY diplomatic relations with the new Government ! Now surely the reason for our sudden friendship couldn't be traced to the report that the new military ' government is, once again going to allow foreign powers to invest in their copper mines. Or could it? J jU v t"r' I I 1 ) ' t . IS ! 1 . ' " i IMS.! ttin - ! i -i : , , t c I , j. '- imi .n .T.. i VrJJMLVif jj rort lout Skppiftf Cnttf - LytM I nv G n Daily lOom to7p.m. V" fllZr rll Z Cf At 36th & Harrison fflONE 3994151 . No Additional Cost LJ TO ALL WEBER STATE COLLEGE STUDENTS, Oil EVERYTHING BUT SALES AND SPECIALS. Prescriptions Film and Film Developing Health Foods and Natural Vitamins Available Skin Care Products Open from 9 am to 9 pm m . |
