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Show Editorials Foram The Constitution: freedom for whom? by Laura Reeves Candles were lit and hundreds of thousands turned out in their red, white and blue finery two weeks ago as the United States celebrated the 200th anniversary of the United States Constitution. In a part of the world, thousands of hungry, weary refugees protested the massacre at Sabra and Shatilla. This bloodbath, which occurred five years ago, resulted in the death of approximately 6000 Palestinian men, women and children. They were civilians slain by American guns, bombs, and planes. Artillery to be used by Israel in Editor of people Jennifer Killian Managing Editor far-remov- ed Ginny Gale Business Manager Julie Fullmer self-defen- se Advertising Manager Laura Reeves , are dying in an endless war between Iraq and Iran. Dozens are held in captivity, their abductors egged on by American acquiesence to previous demands for itary armaments. Photo Director Karla Joost . only. Close by, thousands ' J Contributing Writers Cara Cahoon Karen Charnholm Tawn M. Dewey Myriam Hernandez Tricia Martinez Lou Perkins mil- Far to the south and west, American-funde- d guerilla fighters raid peasant farms in Nicaragua, murdering the people and wrecking their homes. President Ronald Reagan, on Sept. 18, called our Constitution, The triumph of human free dom." What he forgot to add was. ..or human freedom. The Constitution stands for the freedom and equality of all people. Whether we have achieved this within our own border is debatable, but at the same time, the United States is busy supporting groups who practice oppression of people, and even outright terrorism in many instances. As we sat in our comfortable homes during the celebration of the Constitution, a boy threw a rock at an Israeli soldier in the Balata refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The boy was shot and killed. Since the United States is sending $1.8 billion in military aid to Israeli this year alone, the boy was gun, held likely killed by an American-mad- e American in an soldier army. a supported by The Congressional hearings were barely over as the Constitutional celebrations began. Lt. Col. Oliver North and the United States Constitution were praised in the same breath by thousands of people nationwide. North and his fellow conspirators took individual action in selling arms to a recognized hostile country, and allegedly used the accrued benefits to supd port a rebel faction trying to topple an consaid Unfortunately, government. spirators seem reluctant to take individual responsibility for said action. They have given ld estab-Mishe- new meaning to. the term, Pass the buck! Somehow, it seems ironic that the same people who celebrate the Constitutions libertygiving birthday can call North a hero. Here in Utah about 70 percent of the population feel North is a hero; yet he blatantly flouted every tenent of the Constitution's division of power.. One man making a decision for a whole country: Have 200 years changed the meaning of democracy? Is this to be the new standard of the United the person of the United States of States? America, in order to forrti a more perfect world-wid- e union. ..of the person and for the is what North has done. This person..! At this time, which should be our finest moment, our image around the world, of the democratic nation, is fading. Our level of humanity is slipping. Unelected individuals are making national decisions. In Iran, the occupied West Bank, and Nicaragua, that we know of anyway, American weapons and funds are being used to oppress and kill women and children. all-goo- d Instead of educating our children, feeding our hungry, and housing our homeless, we are sending bombs to other nations to blow up the hungry, homeless children in their countries. Erick Scheen Kristie Sowards Normalee Spackmn Randy Sullivant r--1 - - Faculty Adviseh : ; Scott Cairns The Forum of Westminster College of Salt Lake City will be published and distributed approximately every other Monday throughout the academic year by the Associated Students of Westminster College. The newspapers address is 1840 South 1300 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84105. The Forum is an award-winnin- g member of the Rocky Mountain Collegiate" Press Association.' Typesetting and printing by Hof-fin- e Printing, 55 East Malvern, Salt Lake City, Utah 84115. The Forum welcomes letters from students and other readers. Submissions must be signed and include the authors telephone number (telephone numbers will be used only to verify the authenticity of letters). Submissions must also avoid the use of profanity and libel. Lengths may not exceed three typed, double-space- d pages with lines 50 character spaces wide. Deliver letters directly to the Forum office (under the door if necessary) in the basement of Shaw Center by 3 p.m. on Tuesday one week before the date of publication, or mail them to the Forum office at the above address. Please be concise and to the point in your letters. Opinions expressed on the Forum editorial pages are those of the writers and are not to be construed as the opinions of the Associated Students of West- minster College or of the college administration, faculty or staff. Oct. 6, 1987 Issue 3 Forum 7 |