Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site decwrl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!zehntel!dual!amdcad!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-fremen!ryan From: ryan@fremen.DEC Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re:re:re: Closed Eyes to the raping of a nation (make it two) Message-ID: <97@decwrl.UUCP> Date: Thu, 29-Nov-84 18:46:35 EST Article-I.D.: decwrl.97 Posted: Thu Nov 29 18:46:35 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 1-Dec-84 19:47:52 EST Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP Organization: DEC Engineering Network Lines: 47 In response to orca!tekecs!dancs posting of November 27: You're correct in saying that we didn't "get" the Shah to kill his own people, but we do have to assume some responsibility for it - our silence and constant military support to the Shah's government implicitly condoned the way he conducted his government. Also, our failure to encourage moderate, responsible government in Iran is directly responsible for the rise of the Ayatollah, who never could have gained such power without the strength of the backlash against the atrocities of the Shah. Yes, "we" must accept some of the blame for what has happened in Iran. Again, regarding the death squads in El Salvador, our silence has implicitly condoned this. In El Salvador (as I have said before), I support our policies in general, but if there is to be lasting peace and true democracy in a country friendly to the United States, we must lean on Duarte to take strong action against both the right-wing and left-wing terrorists in his nation. Finally, you're correct that morally, we are in a position to complain about the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. The fact that our own policies sometimes fall short of what would be morally ideal does not mean we cannot speak out against such atrocities. As a matter of fact, this brings up something I've been wanting to flame about for the last week. The day after Thanksgiving, I heard Paul Harvey (who I previously had always enjoyed and respected) speak about the recent racial incidents in that white Chicago neighborhood. His conclusion: that while such things still happen in the United States, American citizens have no right to complain about South African apartheid!!! This outraged me tremendously; does he think we have to eliminate bigotry in our country completely before we can think of objecting to such tyranny? As I stated above, we have the right to object to such things regardless of how far we may be from attaining the ideals we're expressing ourselves. Besides, how can he compare the actions of a small group of private citizens with the government-sponsored subjugation (essentially slavery) of most of the citizens of a nation to a privileged minority and expect to be taken seriously by any intelligent (non-racist) listener? How? Why? The (*&^&*(.... Excuse me, but the English language lacks the words necessary to express my indignation... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! (A reaction which clearly astonished my 10-year-old brother, in the car with me at the time - for once, I hope he wasn't paying attention to the news). Mike