opinions
editorial opinion
Of nuclear war and sewers
When the nuclear freeze
movement reached Centre County
it was partially thwarted by sew
ers.
In August, the Centre County
Commissioners passed a resolution
that urged the Unite,d States and
the Soviet Union to freeze the test
ing, production and deployment of
nuclear weapons. The proponents
of a nuclear freeze, however, had
proposed that the issue be put on a
referendum in the Nov. 2 elections.
The resolution, although showing
the commissioners' concern about
the nuclear buildup, does not hold
as much weight as a ballot referen
dum would have. Such a referen
dum probably would have passed if
it were placed on the ballot, Jeffrey
M. Bower, chairman of . the com
missioners, said.
Why then did the commissioners
refuse to place a referendum on the
ballot? Because under state stat
ute, most county commissioners
are forbidden to place a referen
dum on the ballot unless it will
directly affect their future actions.
Therefore, under state law and
some legal precedents, if the com
missioners found they faced a prob
lem with the sewers in Centre
reader opinion 1 the palestinian dilemma
Pathetic attempt
If the circumstances hadn't been so serious,
I might have'been able to laugh off Professor
Feuchtwang's pathetic attempt to justify
Zionist/Israeli intransigent attitudes toward
the Palestinian people that are so troubling to
a rapidly growing number of Americans
concerned with recent Mid-East calamities.
(I would have used "holocaust," but it's been
taken.)
Last Wednesday evening was the time
designated for an ecumenical memorial serv
ice for the recent massacre of Palestinians.
Following the dignified candlelight gathering
in front of Old Main, the solemn group of
Americans and foreign students proceeded to
Kern Graduate Building to view a film on
Palestine. • '
There they were met by Feuchtwang and
his little band of groupies who were scurrying
around the lobby pushing handout sheets to
passersby with the fanatic zeal of airport
Moonies. I saw one irritated American girl
brush past them saying, "This is not the time
nor place for another Jewish pity-party. Do
they need another Hitler to remind them
when to back off? They're so blinded by hate
that they don't even realize when they're
wrong."
I replied that this certainly wasn't the time
or place, but that the agitators were not
representative of the Jews that they be
longed to a radical Zionist political faction.
Feuchtwang is a professor in the physical
science department, who, for many years,
has been volatilely vocal on behalf of the
Zionist viewpoint. But they do themselves and
Judaism a disservice by furthering their
bottled-up bigotry and hatred, and by follow-
A different kind of battle rages at Penn State
By ARTHUR GOLDSCHMIDT JR
Associate Profesior of History
Lebanon is not the only battlefield for the
Arab-Israeli conflict; another is the. cam
puses of America's colleges and universi
ties. Ideally, the struggle for the minds of
articulate young (or older) Americans
should be fought with well-chosen words,
posters, slides and movies. Sadly, it some
times turns into a shouting contest, a scuffle
or something worse. Anonymous threats are
made by telephone. Posters are ripped
down. Lectures are disrupted. Students are
hindered in therzprogress to meetings, or in
the distribution of their propaganda. This is
happening on many of America's campuses.
Has Happy Valley been spared? Sorry, it
hasn't.
Many readers of The Daily Collegian may
have been puzzled by accounts of local
Arab-Jewish confrontations, angry letters
and op-ed articles. Even though I may not
be able to shine a beam of truth through the
fog of propaganda, let alone to prescribe
ways of stopping the supporters of the two
sides from unfair or coercive tactics, my
position as chairman of the Middle East
Studies Committee demands that I take
action.
The Middle East conflict is between two
national movements that have arisen during
the last century. One is called Zionism, the
ideology stating that the Jews constitute a
nation and that they must gather together to
establish a Jewish state. In a sense, Zionism
County, they could place a referen
dum on the ballot asking voters
about possible solutions. But if they
find themselves facing a social
issue that affects their constitu
ents, they are powerless to initiate
a referendum.
And because Centre County is not
a home=rule county like Erie Coun
ty or Philadelphia County, its com
missioners are strictly limited in
what actions they can take.
' It seems rather ironic that duly
elected government officials can
not ask 'voters' opinions on one of
the most significant social issues of
the decade.
Bower said he . favors allowing
commissioners the authority to de
cide if something should be made a
referendum, but, he said, state
officials have not taken much ac
tion on that in recent years even
though such a change has been
proposed several times:
As a new Legislature comes into
office after the elections, it should
consider passing legislation that
would allow counties to choose ref
erendum issues. 'Because some so
cial issues like a nuclear freeze
—might someday be more impor
tant than sewers.
ing sheep-like, a pitiful remnant of the terror
istic Stern gang mentality that was
responsible for many more massacres of
Palestinians in previous years of the struggle
for a land. This band of butchers was even an
embarrassment to the Israeli government, as
the Feuchtwang mentality should be an em
barrassment to the Jewish community here.
As a professor of physics, you should be
well aware of the natural laws of mass and
saturation; and as a member of the human
species, you should be even more aware of the
consequential law of genocide.
If you wish to debate publicly, name the
time and the place.
Larry Kassab, graduate-speech communica
tions
Sept. 23
Step down
I have long been an admirer and supporter
of the people of Israel; the way they stick
together and hold to their beliefs in the face of
overwhelming odds is something I wish I
could see more often in this country. Howev
er, the invasion of Lebanon made me serious
ly question my feelings toward Israel.
I stuck to my feelings, though, because I
realize that I do not have all the information
that the leaders of Israel have to justify the
attack and I also understand how our media
and press can easily manipulate public opin
ion one way or another.
My admiration of Israel was suddenly shat
tered Wednesday night when NBC news
showed the Israeli military command post in
achieved its goal when Israel was formed in
1948.
But because of on-going Arab opposition,
Israel and its supporters have had to keep
fighting to assure Israel's continued exis
tence. Not all Jews are Zionists; some argue
that Judaism is a religion, not the basis for
an ideology. Some Christians are Zionists,
owing to religious belief, a sincere desire to
help the Jewish people, or an idea that
Israel's existence serves their own political
interests.
Oi\ the other side is Arab nationalism, the
ideology, that calls on all the Arabic-speak
ing peoples of the Middle East and North
Africa to work together to assure their
freedom from outside domination. In a
sense, Arab nationalism achieved its goal as
some twenty Arabic-speaking countries won
their independence between 1918 and 1971.
forum
But because Israel was set up in the
former British mandate of Palestine,
against the wishes of that country's Arab
majority, Arab nationalists, too, must fight
on until the whole Arab homeland is free
from foreign rule.- The Palestinian Arabs,
displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war,
want to go back to Palestine and establish a
sovereign Arab state in place of Israel.
Recurrent wars in 1948-49, 1956, 1967, 1969-
.S\
Collegian
Monday, Sept. 27,1J82 ©1962 Collegian Inc
Phil Gutis
Editpr
the top floor of a high rise building in Beirut
directly overlooking one of the Palestinian
camps where the massacre of innocent wom
en and children took place. Nothing will ever
convince me that the experienced senior
Israeli military officers in that building did
not know what was going on outside. I have
rarely been so angered as I was at that scene.
This has changed my opinion of Israel 180
degrees.
I would like to see our president and Con
gress immediately recall our ambassador
from Israel and cease all weapons shimp
ments to that country. It also disturbs me to
see that Menachem Begin's coalition has
defeated an inquiry motion in their Parlia
ment. I believe that the time has come for us
to stand up to the militant leaders of Israel
and not resume normal relations with that
country until Prime Minister Menachem Be
gin and Defense Minister Ariel Sharon have
stepped down.
Clifford C. Wilson, 10th-earth sciences
Sept. 24
Right to exist
I read with interest the letter printed in
Thursday's Daily Collegian entitled Need for
Action. The one-sided view of the Middle East
conflict taken by the writer deserves a coun
terpoint, for a one-sided view of such a
complex issue is too narrow a perspective.
It's true that the massacre by Lebanese
Christians (not Israelis, as the writer im
plies) was a moral and political disgrace,
70, 1973, and now 1982 have deepened the
suffering, the bitterness and the determin
ation of both sides.
The United States' government recog
nized and supports the State of Israel, cre
ated as the result of a United Nations
General Assembly decision in 1947 to parti
tion what had been the British mandate of
Palestine. It wants Israel's borders to be"
determined by negotiations with its Arab
neighbors. Arab refugees willing to live at
peace with their neighbors should be allow
ed by Israel to return to the homes and lands
they left in 1948, or receive financial com
pensation.
The lands taken by Israel in the 1967 war
(the West Bank of the Jordan, the Golan
Heights and the Gaza. Strip) should be
restored to Arab sovereignty - , as the Sinai
has now reverted to Egypt under the 1978-79
Camp David treaty. Jerusalem should be
internationalized. In practice, the State De
partment tilts more toward the Arab side,
while Congress and often the White House
have favored Israel's intrests.
Until recently, most Americans supported
Israel and even its 15-year occupation of the
Arab lands it took in 1967. But the current
war in Lebanon, ' which has led to Israel's
occupation of the southern half of the coun
try and even Beirut, has shaken this sup
port.
The massacres of the Lebanese and Pales
tinian civilians in the West Beirut refugee
camps of Sabra and Shatila have aroused
most Americans, whether elected officials
or citizens. The murders were probably
Paul Rudoy
Business Manager
committed by the Christian Lebanese, an
gered by the bombing of the Phalangist
party headquarters and the consequent
death of Lebanon's president-elect, Bashir
Gemayel. But Israeli •troops had occupied
west Beirut and were, at least, responsible
to preserve order, yet some accounts, say
that they assisted the massacres. Today,
American support for Israel is eroding.
Penn State, as one of the largest universi
ties in the nation, cannot hide from this
struggle. Almost 10 percent of its students
are Jewish (not all, of course, are reli
giously observant) ; a smaller but hardly
insubstantial proportion are Muslim. I
would guess that several hundred come
from Arab countries or are Arab Ameri
cans. Many other students and faculty have
strong ties with either Israel or the Arabs.
They demand, and deserve, opportunities to
voice their feelings.
Indeed, Penn State has organized groups
to accommodate this need. Religiously ob
servant Jews have the Hillel Foundation.
Supporters of Israel, Gentile as well as
Jewish, have Yachad as a Zionist student
group. Faculty and staff may join the Amer
ican Professors for Peace in the Middle
East, seeking peace between Israel and its
Arab neighbors.
The Organization of Arab Students serves
the needs of students coming from Arabic
speaking countries; it sometimes invites
non-Arabs to attend its dinners and other
functions. The new Penn State Association
for Palestine calls people's attention to the
The Daily Collegian's editorial opinion •is
determined by its Board of Opinion, with the
editor holding final responsibility. Opinions
expressed on the editorial pages are not
necessarily those of The Daily Collegian,
Collegian Inc. or The Pennsylvania State
University. Collegian Inc., publishers of The
Daily Collegian and related publications, is a
separate corporate institution from Penn
State.
which ought to lead to Israel Defense Minister
Sharon's resignation. Also, in hindsight, the
occupation of west Beirut by Israel has pro
ven to be a wrong move indeed. Israel has not
been guiltless by a long shot.
However, Mr. Vilardo's comments only
serve in highlighting these recent misfor
tunes, and do not accurately represent the
overall scope of current events and actual
Israeli goals.
How can anyone actually believe that the
Israeli people advocate the Palestinian kill
ings after their own personal history of being
the victims of such atrocities throughout
World War II (which lasted years, not days).
Such killings are senseless anywhere. Who
remembers new stories within the past de
cade that read: "Bus hijacked in Israel, some
shot; PLO claims responsibility?" Doesn't
anybody remember Munich anymore? All
anyone cares to see now is Yassir Arafat
saying, "Look what they've done to our chil
dren."
Whereas Israeli citizens have expressed
outrage and shame for their beloved country
of late, I don't reacll reading about Palestin
ian regrets after their artillery blasted into
northern Israeli settlements.
Does the world honestly believe that Israel
condones, let alone participates in, mur
dering with reckless abandon? Is it not true
that this same nation, rightfully or worngful
ly, managed to destroy an Iraqi nuclear
facility with just one on-ground casualty?
It is this sort of precision in which Israel
takes pride, which led to the PLO strategy of
making them look bad by hiding among
The Daily Collegian
..YOU DID 13E1111E
YOURSELF IN
TIFAREIM COURSE,
MY PRIM IC's
FRIEND?
4 \
a\~~.~
A little delay
Kathleen A. Pavelko's reader
representative column, usually
appearing on Monday, will appear
tomorrow. The column will exam
ine newspaper's news, judgement
and how it affects readers.
civilians and coaxing them to shell those
positions during the invasion into Lebanon.
Mr. Vilardo also claims that Israel has no
need to stay in southern Lebanon now the the
PLO has withdrawn. Forgetting the 2,000 PLO II
remnant troops for a moment (which Mr.
Vilardo conveniently did), there's a country
called Syria that currently has troops in the
Bekaa Valley, who are anti-Israel and who
are just asking for a conflict with Israel (as if
there weren't enough problems in Lebanon).
As for the reference to the Jewish lobby's
influence in Washington: When it comes to
international affairs of this magnitude I doubt
that they exert too much influence on "Rea
gan's policies at this particular time. The
primary reason the United States backs Is
rael is they are the only pro-Western ally
we've got down there.
Finally, there is no way that Israel will
allow the Palestinians a homeland on the
West Bank, a people whose officials • are on .
record as vowing "to push Israel into the sea"
, and exuding anti-Semitism to the max. The
Nazis almost succeeded in their aim, and as a e,
lesson, Jews will never permit anybody a
second chance.
To allow these people to share the land and
Jerusalem would be foolish, just as naive a
move as allowing the Lebanese Christians
into the Palestinian camps. Fighting won't
get the PLO anywere against Israel and U.S.
weaponry, diplomacy might. Simply recog-g
nizing Israel's right to exist would be a start.
David Glassman, 7th-history
Sept. 23
plight of the Palestinians and their demand
for national self-determination.
The Middle East Cultures Club (often
called MECCA) tries to serve all members
of the University community interested in
the Middle East, regardless of religion,
nationality or political opinions. It has spon
sored field trips, movies, belly-dande con
certs and dinners, and can serve as a
neutral forum for political discussions.
But Penn Staters must show that they can
examine the Arab-Israeli conflict in a ma
ture and rational way. We all have the right
to speak, passionately and (we hope) per
suasively. We may all dissent from views
that we abhor. But, no matter how strongly
we feel that we are right and our enemies
are wrong, we don't have the right to stop
them from speaking.
When partisans of a Jewish Israel or of an
Arab Palestine have violated each other's
rights by dirty tricks, threats, or physical
violence, I expect most Penn Staters to
condemn these acts. If they continue to mar,
our community, I will denounce them and
will support legal or disciplinary measures
against those students or faculty members
who me force or stealth to supress public
discussion and persuasion.
To paraphrase an Arabic proverb, God
gave man two ears and only one mouth, so
that he would listen more often than he
spoke. Are you willing to hear?
Arthur. Goldschmidt spent the academic
year 1981-82 as a Fulbright Research Pro
fessor at Cairo University.
Monday, Sept. 27
~;~
_~--~
UNIVERSITY CALENDAR
Monday, September 27
Drop deadline.
Preregistration deadline for Winter Term.
T.V.'Quarterback, noon, Kern Lobby.
Penn State Aikido Club, 6:30 p.m., IM Wrestling Room.
College of Business Administration Undergraduate Student Council,
committee chairman sign-ups, 7 p.m. Room 305 HUB.
Lamb Fellowship meeting, 7 p.m., Room 302 Willard.
Penn State Singers meeting, 7 p.m., Room 111 Chambers.
Student Foundation for the Performing Arts meeting, 7:30 p.m., Room
227 HUB.
Students for Reproductive Rights meeting, 7:30 p.m., Room 111 Sackett
Tonight at the. Brewery
THE TREND
Suzie Wong Egg Rolls Nightly
10.2
,rlkß WC'
.!..OP,TICIAN
19 E.2eaver 238-7281
Large s - eection of frames
One day service on most prescriptions
Lovir,, reasonable prices
Plus Special Gift Item:
PENN STATE EYE GLASS CASE
L .i
Alert consumers spot the bargains in Collegian ads.
MANCHESTER
PROGRAM
Study Mass Communication
at University of Manchester,
England
Information oil Penn State's Mass
Communication Study Abroad Program
Tuesday 7pm 258 Willard
SPAGHETTI BUFFET
ALL YOU CAN EAT 3.50/PERSON
INCLUDES 7-845 PM
MINIMUM COVER CHARGE
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CENTRE HALL
-WELCOMES YOU TO.THE OPENING OF ITS FIRST
24 HOUR AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINE
THE TIRELESS TELLER ,
AT OUR 611 UNIVERSITY DRIVE, STATE COLLEGE, PA. OFFICE
•
CHECKING ACCOUNT SERVICES CHARGES
1. Checking accounts with balances of more than $lOO.OO No
Service Charges
2.Checking.accounts with balances of less than $lOO.OO and
less than 10 checks are written in one month No Service
Charges.
3.Checking accounts with balances of less than $lOO.OO and
more than 10 checks written in one month $2.00 Service
• Charge
4. Business/account services charges are the same as regular
checking account services charges.
s.'W . e have no per item charge for deposits or withdrawals
•
Passbook Savings no minimum balance and interest is
computed day of deposit to day of withdrawal.
611 UNIVERSITY DRIVE 219 N. PENNA. AVE,
STATE COLLEGE, PA. CENTRE HALL, PA.
Monday, Tuesday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Thursday 9:00 to 4:00 9;00 to 3:00
• BANKING Wednesday 9:00 to 1:00 Thursday 9:00 to 12:00
HOURS Friday 9:00 to 6:00 Friday 9:00 to 7:30
Saturday Drive-In Windows
9:00 to 12:00
v NNWERNSM V V ',A SQVVV?V v•%.-
The Sisters of Phi Mu
*0 Proudly Announce Their Fa 111982 Pledge Class
CJ op
Kristen Blair
Dawn Budd
Jennifer Cassidy
Theresa Coene
Margaret Decker
Marianne Goddard
Cynthia Hanrahan
Joni Hendei . son
Carolyn Jabbour
Sonia Jarko
Cynthia Klos
Karen Kotowski
Becky Lehman
Lisa Lyles
. Welcome Back Cynthia Watts
GW U 154
a 0 0
4 G J 4 4 4 4 4 mawassantwousros
The Daily Collegian Monday, Sept. 27, 1982-9
Nancy Matthews
Marcy McCormick
Chrissie McElroy
Maureen McKenna
Angela Moore
Yvonne Miller
Bobbie Jo Possney
Elyse Rhoads
Lisa Shelton
Angela Shutty
Lynn Solomon
Susan Travers
Laura Wick
Kimberly Wright
and