Show Are we ready for a new era OR most of us as students at the F FOR happenings in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union are drastically changing the world we are familiar with Few of us were around to remember Europe before its division into East and West The Cold War has been a fact of life because that is all we have known We have become used to the threat of nuclear war and super-power super ten ten- sion Even those who can remember before that time have come to expect it Now as the Berlin Wall crumbles and millions millions millions mil mil- lions of East Germans cross the border daily to taste freedom and as Solidarity leaders struggle with the first non communist led government in Poland for 40 years we are faced with problems of our own How do we respond to these happenings As half a million people crowd together in a public square in Czechoslovakia demanding reform are we ready to change as well With the resignation of each hard line regime in Eastern Europe it is evident that tha a anew anew anew new era is on the horizon A very different world is is possible for the first time in decades Of course a reoccurrence of a style Square-style repression is possible in any of these countries though it seems unlikely The reforms being discussed in East Germany Poland Hungary and the Soviet Union might not succeed They might not be given the chance if more repressive factions of their governments regain power Even with these possibilities the chances ch for freedom and reform throughout the Eastern Bloc are at an apex The question becomes are we ready Are we ready to offer the moral social and economic support to help these countries out of communism and repression the stated goal of the NATO throughout the Cold War In the United States the need for a large overwhelming overwhelming overwhelming over over- whelming military force to protect against a combined Warsaw Pact becomes obsolete with current changes While not advocating doing away with our military might would it not seem practical to reduce it into a smaller more efficient force in connection with the realization of reforms in the Eastern Bloc We would then be in a position to better deal with the deficit and other economic and social social social so so- cial concerns Not all changes will be the same Mistrust hatred and other similar reactions must be replaced Attention could then be placed in more pressing world crises such as hunger the Middle East etc This new world would definitely be a better place to live in While agreeing with the need to be cautious and sure with each new development development development develop develop- ment we must also be ready to take the initiative initiative initiative in in- and help these beginnings become realities All these happenings eem somewhat distant distant distant dis dis- dis- dis tant to us here at but ut they represent the world we will inherit as as we move on into our chosen fields Change is not always easy but is always a part of life As students we must be prepared to help h lp t that at come about Are we ready Duane Adamson |