Show A funny thing happened on the way to the forum x A TE almost had a debate WE Y V this quarter As you may have noticed the Horizon has recently begun a tradition of sponsoring forums forum s such as the drug debate last quarter and the debate on n the Olympics during fall quarter This spring we had planned to bring two groups together to discuss the building of Trident nuclear missile parts at Hercules' Hercules plant in Magna Ideally we would have liked Hercules and US U.S. Navy representatives to discuss the rationale for building the missile parts and the missiles missile's strategic importance to our nations nation's defense That viewpoint viewpoint viewpoint view view- point would have been challenged challenged challenged chal chal- by peace activists with organizations like the Utah Peace Test who see the production of missile parts and the missile itself as an expensive expensive expensive ex ex- pensive and overly-lethal overly weapon which threatens all humanity not just our enemies The Horizon contacted Dave Hercules public information officer who indicated he was not only willing but eager to participate participate par par- in a forum at pending authorization from his company Individuals Individuals Individuals In In- from Utah Peace Test were also anxious to par par- As a formality we wrote a aletter aletter aletter letter to Hercules requesting that they participate in our debate and establishing a date Dave called back singing a totally different different different dif dif- ferent tune As defense contractors contractors contractors con con- tractors said Hercules representatives wouldn't really be qualified to debate national policy and he referred us to the US U.S. Navy After working our way through a virtual labyrinth of Navy personnel Horizon Horizon- Horizon staf staffers staffers staf staf- fers finally ended up talking to a public information officer officer officer of of- in Washington DC D.C. At first she expressed interest and tried to be of help but later her tone changed dramatically She said that the Navy could only speak about weapons already on its bases not parts of weapons being produced somewhere else such as parts being produced by Hercules She suggested that we go back to Hercules She also hinted that high level meetings were taking place in Washington DC D.C. and that now was not a good time to discuss existing defense policies Choose another topic she snapped when we continued to ask for more information I In frustration ti on we contacted contacted contacted con con- Congressman Wayne Owens Owens' office to seek his in in- His assistant offered offered offered of of- to have Owens' Owens participate in our forum in inthe inthe inthe the place of Hercules or US U.S. choose a more the of road topic such as the peace dividend or defense budget reductions In changing the topic it virtually wiped out any hope remaining to hold a debate specifically about the manufacture of missile parts at Hercules Nevertheless we decided Bedded to ask Congressman Owens to appear by himself to cover the topics his aide had suggested He agreed to appear and the Horizon went to great lengths to promote his appearance We had reserved space on the front page for an interview interview interview inter inter- view between Horizon news editor Todd and Congressman Owens Unfortunately Unfortunately Unfortunately the interview never took place despite numerous assurances from Owens' Owens office office office of of- fice that a call from Owens would be coming After four days we made other plans for the front page The final straw came when on our deadline Owens' Owens office called to cancel his appearance citing medical reasons So that's why we almost had a debate this quarter The Horizon is disappointed that ideas which should be in the marketplace are effectively being avoided by individuals who dont don't wish to take responsibility National defense is a topic that affects us all and being informed is isI I |