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Show Page 4 The Thunderbird Monday October 14 , 1985 Ronald Reagans action reaffirms nations faith By now everyone has heard of the dramatic action taken by the U.S. government when it appeared that the terrorist hijackers who murdered an American citizen last week were going to get off scot free four American jets intercepted an Egyptian plane carrying the terrorists and forced it to land at a NATO base. And by now everyone has had ample opportunity to cheer President Ronald Reagan for making this difficult, but absolutely necessary, decision. It probably wasnt a very easy decision to make, but it was a good one and it deserves praise. And more than that, the action was timely. American public opinion was getting weary of a president who talked tough but failed, time and again, to back up his words with anything approaching concrete action. The only action we had seen, before last weeks interception, was the invasion of Grenada and that was like Goliath slapping a fly. While it is true that a truly great superpower is one that can control itself, and its rilitary machine, in times of crisis, our handling of the war against terrorism has seemed, in the past, less than convincing. And it is a war, as surely as any conflict this nation has engaged in during the past two centuries. We didnt start the war, and we surely dont want it, but it has been thrust upon us and we have no option but to fight it. That may sound bloodthirsty, but it is a fact to ignore it would be virtual suicide for our democratic ideals. The difficult part is yet to come. It is easy, now, to bask in the pride all Americans should feel following the interception. But later, when the terrorists strike again as they surely will, and this time the United States is more likely to be the direct target that is when our intestinal fortitude will be truly tested. Through this all while our enemies and allies alike are screaming that we committed piracy when we intercepted that plane; while the Yugoslavs decline to extradite the man who apparently masterminded the whole affair (and, in so doing, violate international treaties); while the Egyptians rant and rave in the streets; and while the terrorists gear up for their next mindless assault against innocent civilians we can, at the very least, be proud that we are a nation of laws, and that we stand for justice. More than that, we can be proud that we are also capable of actually doing something to assure justice for those who have, in the past, murdered with incredible impunity. This war may be a long one, but at least we are no longer closing our eyes to it. (be Cbunderbird rnl Ml ni.NT N1S ANM II Ol SOUTHERN VOLUME 80, NUMBER Editor Doug Christensen Copy Editor Ken Roherts Photo Editors James Howells Derek Miller ITAII STATE UOLLEGE 3 Senior Staff Writers Kris Johnson Kon Kontogiannis Production Manager Kelli Foy Advertising Designer Gavin McNeil Advertising Representatives Kellie Jensen Sports Editor Stan Kontogiannis Entertainment Editor Tyler Jensen Laura Wearing Assistant to the Editors Annette Grooms Faculty Adviser Larry Baker The Thunderhird is published each Monday of the academic year by and for the student bixJv of Southern Utah State College and is not affiliated in any manner whatsoever with the Colleges department of communication. The views and opinions expressed in The Thunderhird are the opinions of the publications individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the institution, faculty, staff or student body in general. The unsigned editorial directly above is the opinion of The Thunderbird as a single entity. Letters to the editor must be typed and include the name, student number (if from a student) and phone number. Only the name will be printed. Nantes will not be withheld under any circumstances and the editor reserves the right to edit letters for length and to preclude libel. Letters must be submitted by mxn Friday for inclusion in the following weeks edition. The Thunderhird: editorial and advertising offices at 529 West 200 South, Cedar City, Mail at SUSC Box 9184, Cedar City, UT 84720 (801) UT 77. Letters South African sanctions are criticized TO THE EDITOR: thriving, There are many students on this campus that are upset about the practice of apartheid in South Africa. And well they should. It is strongly ingrained in our moral character that humans deserve basic inalienable rights. One of which is the right of life. I, for one, am not convinced that economic sanctions against the South African economy will improve the human rights situation of its black masses. Indeed it is just those actions that will, I fear, force the collapse of the present government and economic society. Thats what we want, isnt it? South Africa has been a strong, Ethiopia, country with the black highest immigration of any African Zimbabwe. nation. It s standard of living for its black population has been on the increase and is one of the highest in Africa today. Indeed more blacks in South Africa have cars than do Soviets in Russia. Many experts believe that left to its own growing economic strength apartheid will die of it s own worthless weight naturally, without outside interference, within five years. With economic collapse the government will surely fall to one of two waring black communist groups. There is no question in my mind but that with their takeover either group will follow in the steps of it s sister countries: Angola, ' Mozambique and That is, large portions of their people will lose their rights to speech, assemble, protest, or even the right to leave the country. Indeed there will be hundreds of thousands that will lose that most fundamental of all the rights of man... life itself. Students, before acting in any and matter, consider the long-tershort-teralternatives. Is it better to feel good about punishing an obviously immoral act? Or should we avoid having to worry about the future butchers of South Africa by helping the blacks continue their economic climb out of apartheid? Anthony R. Ford Intramurals succumb to irrationality TO THE EDITOR: Once again, the intramural program has succumbed to the winds of irrationality, and students who love volleyball are asked to tolerate this mutation of the sport. Only at Southern Utah State do people play volleyball without one of the key elements: the spike. Men are disallowed spiking in intramural volleyball only for the fact that, as Coach Kingsford We. are not like announced, The SUSC everybody else. version of volleyball permits only women to spike in front of the 10 line. Using this type of reasoning, in coed intramural basketball, men should be limited to shoot 17 jump shots, thus allowing women to drive the hoop, and protecting players against any injuries which might occur were a man to drive. Why not encourage a better understanding of the game, instead of a lower level of play? The United. States. .Volleyball . Association promotes the only difference between coed and same-se- x matches be the requirements that (1) the ball must be touched by a woman if the play consists of more than one contact for that team, (2) in some instances the height of the net be altered, and (3) each team is allowed two men to block spikes, thus enabling a man to come from the back row to the front row in some rotations. (continued on page 5) |