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