The Independent-News, Volume 113, Number 18, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 1 October 1987 — Page 4

4

- THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS - OCTOBER 1. IM7

■ editorials!

SOy/: .. .- .. - ■■/• ■■ > V. .s ?^?<; POT POURRI The news of today has so many varied stories it keeps one busy trying to sort out one from another. However, in the various stories, there is much food for thought and much opportunity for each to form their own conclusions. Regardless of whether a person is pro or con on most of these subjects, it seems as if everyone of the big breaking stories has an element that is disturbing within the story. A little pot pourri of the news of today and some of the items contained within that are negative to us follows. Not only does one get tired of hearing many of these stories for week after week, but the great search to dig out the negative aspects far outnumber any effort to spread the good word. For the past period of time the Iranian situation in the Persian Gulf has topped the news. And now it has been forceably brought out that while the United States is acting completely anti-Iran in this issue and yet spending millions and millions of dollars with Iran on oil. In fact, Iran is the second largest supplier of oil to the United States. In Washington, a couple of headline news stories always are based on the negative points. The investigating committee for the appointment of Judge Robert Bork to the Supreme Court will always bring out any negative facts from the past. The same is true with Senator Biden, whose past of many years ago and fact that some speech writers has lifted quotes and comments from other persons in past years, has tagged his as almost a hardened criminal. The personal life of anyone in the spotlight is going to be scrutinized to the fullest extent just trying to find some “dirty laundry” somewhere in the past. Another story that gets more than its share of publicity is the pro football strike. How two factions can work as employer and employee so long and yet appear to be so hated towards each other surprises us. However, the most degrading and negative aspect of this is a couple of words that have been thrown around in the acquisitions have been the two terms “Scabs” and “Slaves”. We feel the players trying for employment due to the strike deserve better labels than scabs, after all most of these were in camp with the players just a few weeks ago. The other term of slaves, hardly fits someone in the field and pay classification the professional football players are. The longer this carries on, the more un-professional these players appear. It doesn’t say much for their supposed college education they got along the way, most of this at others expense as well. And there is of course, the coming city and town elections. We hope these in our area (and we include South Bend and Mishawaka in this) do not develop into negative campaigns, but can be run and carried out as positive efforts that are the real issues at hand. The good intentions and plans for the future mean so much more than the negative elements of the past. Maybe some do learn from experience along the way. On the positive side, isn’t it good to have the high school and college football seasons underway and the excitment of the pennant races in baseball at this time of year. And, oh yes, don’t forget we are entering the most beautiful time of the year in our area, the fall season that brings about not only the best in weather but also the most colorful and beautiful aspects of nature all around us. It is really fine to have such positive aspects around us day in and day out and what a relief from the negative items we have pounded down our throats. “Have a nice day” ... or did someone sav that before?

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“North And Bork” What do Lt. Colonel Oliver North and Federal Judge Robert Bork have in common? The answer is that their hard work for the country’s welfare has led them into kangaroo courts on Capitol Hill. Their inquisitors have been liberals suffering from a form of hysteria peculiar to their own breed. It makes them angry about many things, but very rarely angry about the good of our tryOne does not need to approve of everything that Colonel North did while working to free our hostages in the Middle East or promoting democracy in Central America to disapprove of the frenzied witch hunt against him. Similary, one does not have to agree with every opinion of Robert Bork to oppose the hypocritical conduct of his inquisitors on the Senate Judiciary Committee. The people will long remember the irony of Senator Joe Biden’s attack on the record of Judge Bork, compared to Biden's justification of his own tainted past. Less than two weeks ago, Senator Biden declared that his act of plagiarism in law school, which caused him to fail a course, was something he put behind him a quarter century ago. Less than a week ago, Senator Biden decided that, with other such personal indiscrietions revealed, he should pull out of this presidential campaign to concentrate on his campaign to defeat Judge Bork. At the same time, Senator Kennedy and his fellow liberal committee members were declaring that Judge Bork could never be forgiven for his academic writings of a quarter century ago, even if he has subsequently altered some of those legal opinions. The truth is that Judge Bork offends these arrogant politicians because he wishes to serve the Constitution in away they cannot stand. He believes that the Supreme Court should not make the law, but interpret it. Judge Bork is an imperfect man in an imperfect world, but he is supremely qualified for the Supreme Court, something the Senate itself testified to when it unanimously confirmed him to the Federal Court of Appeals less than six years ago. There is no excuse for the Senatorial hysteria now venting against him. I urge my fellow citizens of Indiana to join me in writing or telephoning Senators Lugar and Quayle and urge them to vote for confirmation of Judge Bork and help end the Congressional peresecution of fellow Americans who labor to keep our country great. People like Oliver North and Judge Bork. Where do your elected officials stand? Call them at 202-224-3121 and find out! Yours truly. Floyd Coates, R. R. 6, Box 317 Scottsburg, IN 47170 812-752-2292 “Gun Control Laws’’ The recent tragedy in a London suburb in which a man shot and killed 14 people is sad proof that strict gun laws do not and cannot stop determined criminals and crazed persons in any country from committing murderous acts. It is internationally acknowledged that England’s gun laws are among the most restrictive in the world. Automatic firearms only may be possessed with authority from the Home Secretary, while riflqs, pistols —for competition only — and shotguns with barrels of less than 24 inches require that a certificate be issued by a police chief only to persons who can show “good reason" for possession. Even long-barrelled shotguns require a certificate. While horrible incidents such as

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

the one that occured in Hungerford are rare in England, it is widely acknowledged that gun-related crime has been increasing over the past several years despite the country’s tough gun laws. According to former Chief Inspector Colin Greenwood of the Halifax, England, Constabulary, “The use of firearms in crime was very much less when there were no controls”. In fact, from 1969 to 1979 Great Britian's gunrelated crimes rose from 1,308 to 6,547, according to a report by the U. S. Library of Congress titled “Gun Control Laws In Foreign Countries”. A 1971 Cambridge University study of England’s gun laws suggested “abolishing or substantially reducing control”. Most scholars agree that English customs and culture are the determining factors in crime rates, not gun control. Another major factor in the low violent crime in the country is its system of jurisprudence. Criminals are swiftly and severly punished for their crimes. (Use of a gun in a burglary calls for imprisonment for life.) The answer to reducing violent crime and gun-related crime in the United States is tougher penalties for criminals. But our criminal justice system doesn’t seem to be doing the job. In many places in the United States — Texas, Oklahoma and the District of Columbia are among the leaders — hundreds of prisoners are being released from jail before serving their full terms because of overcrowding. Others are turning more and more to probation. Two recent cases of violence show the real problem in America: William Cruse, who in April shot and killed six people in Palm Bay, Florida, still is awaiting trial. Cruse probably will plead not guilty by reason of insanity, and may never serve time in prison; and a Virginia man who murdered a Virginia State Trooper and another man just last year could be eligible for parole in only seven months. There are approximately 20,000 gun laws in this country, yet violent crime continues to climb. And it is no coincidence that crime rates, which fell from 1980 to 1984 when the prison population was reaching an all-time high, now are on the rise as crowded prisons turn prisoners loose by the hundreds or refuse to accept new criminals. It’s a shame we have to be reminded of the truth by such a painful incident occuring so far away. It’s time we learned the lesson. To reduce the abuse of firearms, we must certainly and severly punish the abusers. No law can ever eliminate access to firearms to those intent on inflicting evil on good and decent people no matter where they live. J. Warren Cassidy, NRA Executive Vice President “Jadge Bork Will Rule Constitutionally” Many Democrats have strongly criticized Judge Robert Bork’s nomination. To my understanding, Judge Bork believes judges should interpret the Constitution the way the Founding Fathers intended, not reading into it their own personal beliefs, or adding “new rights” never intended by those who drafted it. These Democrats want judges who will continue ruling the liberal agenda into law. If their liberal federal judges were consistent, wouldn’t they rule having the Declaration of Independence in public schools unconstitutional since it recognizes a Creator, and that we have unalienable rights? According to the Constitution, Article 111, Section 1, Federal judges have only the right to handle cases arising under the Constitution, and hold office, while on good behavior. Judges ruling what they believe public social policies should

be into law, don't arise under the Constitution, or acting in good behavior. Also, Congress has Constitutional (impeachment) power over federal judges. Government and the majority of the people can become unjust and immoral, which would cause society changes. This is why our founding fathers didn’t want a democracy. They wanted a stability, in order to preserve liberty and justice. Therefore, they limited government and the majority, by the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. One Democratic U. S. Senator stated, Bork’s America would be one of back-alley abortions, segregation and censorship. Another one stated, it would set progress back 40 years. Apparently these Democrats call progress, killing millions of unborns, homosexuals gaining rights, curtailing Christianity, encouraging the lack of morals and values, resulting in epidemics of teenage pregnancies, drinking, drugs, pornography, homosexuality, AIDS, divorces, one-parent families. These social problems are costing our nation more than S2OO billion a year, and shattering millions of lives. Excessive social problems, and immorality will lead to losing our liberties, just as Communism would. We will need ever increasing taxes, ever increasing laws, to try to solve, control, or counteract ever increasing social problems. Chauncey L. Bennett, 72850 C.R. 23, New Paris. Ind. Phone (219) 831-2797 “A Special Thank You” Thank you to everyone that came to the Earth People Festival, held at Stuntz & Hochstetler Pines recently, and to those who brought so many good used clothes. Thanks to Bill Womego, a Potowatomi, from Oklahoma; to Sally Eickhorn, a Creek Indian, from Monticello; to Chief White Eagle, a Mohawk, his wife, Bobby Bear, an Ottowa, for their Sunday "Worshipping The Great Spirit” and their great Indian Council Circle Service. DeWayne Bull, 26, the son of Robert Left Hand, was killed in South Dakota just before they were ready to come with their Sioux entertainment. People near by brought them all that they had need of on that reservation. The clothes you brought will be put in Indian homes wherever needed. We thank the Federal Express and Pat Stratton, driver for Federal Express, who took the three-quarters ton of clothing to the Indian Relief Center, in Dowagiac, Michigan, where Sister Anna Jefferies will distribute them to any reservation wherever needed. Ervin Stuntz Thanks to you... it works... for ALL OF US Designate A Driver Keep friendships alive. Wbsn yaw fH tofetßer laclMlM driviaf. take asi driaklag. © MetSaArty C»»crf'