6 OPINION Page 4 Friday, January 17, 1986 The Michigan Daily the 31d143an tat1 Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan Balancing Yin and Yang 0 Vol. XCVI, No. 76 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board Double standard PRESIDENT Reagan is incon- sistent in trying to force a Libyan change of policy while refusing to apply the same stan- dard to the government of South Africa, whose violations of human rights and practice of state terrorism elicit American con- nivance. The motivation behind Reagan's hypocrisy is obvious. While the United States holds negligible in- vestments in Libya, its South African investments are substan- tial. It costs little to impose san- ctions against Libya, but depriving South Africa of monetary support is a proverbial pain in the pocket- book. Indeed, by supporting South Africa American investors reap considerable profits. However, such profit is dirty money, earned in a nation whose subjugation of human beings deserves the contempt of every nation that professes to stand for human rights. Under no circum- stances should the United States support a country that violates these rights. Proponents of "constructive engagement" argue that American investment is precisely that in- fluence which the United States should employ to effect change in South Africa. However, American firms, like all corporations, are in the business of maximizing profit, and benefit from cheap labor and uninterrupted production, both of which depend on the perpetuation of the status quo. These businesses are unwilling to support significant change at the risk of their own profits. The only hope for constructive change in South Africa lies in the withdrawal of economic support. Some argue that foreign cor- porations would simply fill the void left by the American pullout. However, South Africa's status as a pariah among the nations indicates that a vacuum left by American divestment will remain just that. The world is full of markets, many of them lucrative, and firms worldwide do not depend on the South Africa market, and for largely political reasons will not replace American investments there. In short, constructive engagement does not work; con- structive disengagement does. Reagan himself believes this asser- tion, as he has demonstrated by boycotting Libya and urging allies to follow suit. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine Reagan praising Italy for retaining Libyan investments in the hope that such "constructive engagement" will influence Khadafy to change. By Leslie Eringaard According to Albert Einstein, "the unleashed power of the atom has changed everything except our way of thinking. Thus we are drifting toward a catastrophe beyond conception." Most people find it relatively easy enough to shut out the horrible possibility of nuclear annihilation so as to go on with their daily lives. Only sometimes does the fear sink in: in night- mares, or flashes or recognition from bits of speeches or newspaper articles. To shut out the reality of the possible holocaust is ac- tually necessary to be able to function adequately. We must attend to the details of living - striving for a promotion, finishing a term paper, buying garbage bags or preparing a little kid's lunch. Nuclear weapons have become the focal 'point of a political game - Democrats against Republicans, Americans against the Russians. We fight over philosophies and strategies as easily as we move pawns on a chess board. But the game has stakes that are too high. In order to survive, we have to evolve - leave behind the macho G.I. Joe and Rambo mentality that little boys are inundated with as they are growing up; the history lessons which concentrate on heroic battles and conquering foreign lands. To evolve we must incorporate the stereotypical "masculine" and "feminine" qualities into all people. People in this Leslie Eringaard is a graduate student in the School of Social Work. society are so divided into either male/aggressive/assertive/domineering personalities or female/dependent/warm and nurturing ones. What we need is an evolution of character which will allow masculine and feminine strengths to be fully integrated and celebrated in each in- dividual. The world seems to be progressing, slowly, in this direction. Women are gaining rights and recognition and many men are developing and valuing their nurturant qualities. Some women have become astronauts and vice presidential candidates, while men are writing articles on parenting for monthly magazines. However, for every step forward (as the saying goes), there is a half step back. Lately there has been a proliferation of "pro-family" sentiment which threatens to "keep women in their place." Under Reagan, the country has become more reac- tionary. It is frightening that some people have become laissez-faire about the gains feminism has made, for more than a few would like to der:y them. We must vigilantly fight for the equal rights and humanity of all human beings and not allow any gains to be lost in hiring practices, equal pay and even equal monies devoted to boys and girls spor- ts teams. Today, there is a strong trend toward "patriotism," which, to some people is synonymous with a strong defense, the heroism of the Rambo character and the concepts of Star Wars and getting "tough on terrorism." I wish to assert that the notion of this kind of patriotism-militarism is out- dated. With an evolution of our values and beliefs, our national "egos" won't be so wounded or threatened if the Russians seem to spend more money on their military budget or "steal" secrets from the United States. This evolution of our way of thinking may be incomprehensible to us at the moment, but it is necessary if we - as a species - are to survive. Perhaps the solution will simply amount to not "attending" to the problem. Things that people worry about and become ob- sessed over are given a certain energy that often makes the problem worse. A behavior modification theory asserts that attending to a child's misbehavior - even with a frown or a hand slap - often maintains or worsens that behavior. Ignoring the behavior - after an initial increase in the misbehavior - will make the undesired behavior "extinguish." "Not attending" to the problem of a possible nuclear holocaust might consist of not giving energy to the cold war between capitalism and communism, or the insane race to dominate other countries with our political philosophies. (Not attending to the problem does not mean being oblivious to it - one can note it, but not give energy to it).,, As Albert Einstein implies, a revolutionary change in the thoughts and beliefs of human beings is the only way to eliminate the threat of a nuclear war. J believe that the change will come with an in- tegration of the traditional male and female qualities in all people - especially high ranking political leaders and figureheads - and the centering of our attention on other worthwhile goals and priorities, which will take away the energy we've been devoting to the buildup of the nuclear arms race. 6 0 Wasserman SIRP-N1s YOUR 9eacTioM To SoUTfl- AND ARR2~2T c: 1WDPE-PS o ._ /I V~~LIDSome ACTIo0NAY NF.CEs.4Qv tN ORPD 2 To CU2 V\IlA-NCr= " .' "" 1 .. Boycott Shell BOYCOTTING THE Shell Oil Company is just one more positive step in the effort to cut ties with South Africa. Without significant oil reserves of its own, South Africa depends on imports, and a Western effort to cut oil sales could pressure Pretoria toward reform of its apartheid system. Shell is formidable target. Alone it has an estimated $400 million in- vested in South Africa and has a lot more to spend on public relations than all the anti-apartheid groups put together. Still, all corporations are in- dividually vulnerable at the bottom line - profit. The AFL-CIO, National Organization of Women (NOW) and Black anti-apartheid activists are unanimous in their call for the Shell Oil boycott. Together, labor, women and Blacks represent significant pur- chasing power at the gas pumps. Shell Oil has responded to the boycott call by saying that only Shell gas stations owners will get hurt. However, this neglects the fact that Shell needs the retailers to sell its product and that the boycott extends to Shell credit cards and products, such as pest control strips. If only because American Shell spokespeople said they did not know what Shell was doing in South Africa, the American subsidiary of the Dutch and British owned Royal Dutch Shell has opened itself to charges of insensitivity. For example, American Shell representatives said they did not know anything about Shell's firing of 86 unionized coal-miners in South Africa, who went on strike to protest harassment and dangerous mining conditions. The Shell Oil boycott deserves support because of the company's oil sales to the South African military and police, but it should not be considered a cure-all. In- deed, there are too many cor- porations and banks tied to apar- theid for boycotts alone to change the system. The movement to cut cultural, academic, political, military and economic ties to South Africa does well to shift tactics occasionally in order to educate the public about apartheid. The time has come to target individual corporations for selective boycotts. - -- -FARM TRACTORS 0 I I If Ssr-ATo ET1 CAUSF of I V/IOLENCE kc IX 2 4 K J O I' D l ,N CW\NC "TO CoRIZPXCT TVIR ON MIcTALZSS LETTERS: Daily misunderstands Social Secunty CROP- DUST N G To the Daily: I was disturbed by the amount of misunderstanding of the Social Security system that was exhibited in the editorial "Future protection" (1/10/86). Worry is expressed in the editorial that when the current workers reach retirement there may not be money for them. To the contrary, some actuaries are now worrying that over the next 30 years the trust fund for the Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) System may become too large. The Medicare System may, however, need reforms, as were accomplished for OASDI in 1983. The possible shortage of workers in the twenty-first cen- tury has interesting opportunities for eliminating unemployment, increasing productivity, and benefit. Benefits are not tax exempt. For higher income beneficiaries, up to one-half of their Social Security benefits have been taxable following the 1983 Amen- dments. Those Amendments also provided for a gradual increase to 67 of the minimum age for unreduced benefits. Immediate national problems are nuclear genocide, and the solvency of Medicare. When those problems are solved, one can be more serious about the future of OASDI. In the mean- while, I would be glad to refer the Michigan Daily editors to sources of fuller information concerning the Social Security System than Nesbitt is the Director of the Education and Fund. Research Actuarial Research they appear to have now. Cecil J. Nesbitt January 14 King symbolized peace and love AIRCRAFT- Ji- - $POT RFLES To the Editor: Today is Martin Luther King Day, a national holiday. To many, this day may just sym- bolize another day off from school or the office, but this day's significance entails much, much more. Dr. Martin Luther King dedicated his life to the service of this violent world. Although Dr. King was most famous for his protests of in- justices toward Black' Americans, he also spoke out on other human rights violations. Twenty years ago, Dr. King spoke out against the injustices in South Africa. He reproached the volvement in Vietnam and in Central America. In each of these areas, King saw a repression of basic human rights, and because of his convictions, felt compelled to bring them to the public's at- tention which he did in an effec- tive and eloquent manner. So, on this, the fifty-seventh nnn3a tv f T lr lnt c %.4 4&-AGRICULTURIE ADISSRS -