Ithaca College Digital Commons @ IC The thI acan, 1987-88 The thI acan: 1980/81 to 1989/90 3-3-1988 The thI acan, 1988-03-03 Ithaca College Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.ithaca.edu/ithacan_1987-88 Recommended Citation Ithaca College, "The thI acan, 1988-03-03" (1988). The Ithacan, 1987-88. 18. http://digitalcommons.ithaca.edu/ithacan_1987-88/18 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the The thI acan: 1980/81 to 1989/90 at Digital Commons @ IC. It has been accepted for inclusion in The thI acan, 1987-88 by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ IC. ,, Bureau of Concerts ... The Skin of Our Teeth Baseball preview ... page 6 p~ge 8 page 13 THE The Newspaper For '.fhe Ithaca College Community Issue 18 · March 3, 1988 Hoffman, Liddy debate role of CIA BY BOB DELANEY telligence agency with clandestine ministration that he believes illustrate Watergate conspirator G. Gordon operations, or "covert ops." the destruction of the U.S. economic Liddy and social activist Abbie Hoff­ "Our options [without intelligence] base, and the CIA's service to the elite man, political foes for over two are limited to two, both equally ex­ of America, neglecting the national decades, argued their views before a treme. The first, don't do anything majority. large, and often hostile audience at the and let our national interests go down­ "We happen to be the largest deb­ Emerson Suites last Wednesday, Feb. the drain. Option two: Go to war. No tor nation in the world, and have the 25. one wants to do that, because we all highest trade deficits in our history. The debate, which was the seventh can recognize how terribly costly that Supply Side Reagonomics has not between Hoffman and Liddy in the it is in terms of human lives and worked," Hoffman said. past three years, dealt with the ques­ treasure. Therefore, we have the Cen­ Hoffman argued that Reagan's tion, "Has the CIA gone too far?" tral Intelligence Agency," Liddy said. policies have destroyed the middle but also resulted in the discussion of Hoffman criticized the CIA as an class, increased the number of a variety of issues. agency for the "super rich," protec­ billionaires and doubled the number The tone for the debate was set ear­ ting "trans world corporations." He of homeless and those living under the ly on in both the manner and dress of cited figures during the Reagan ad- poverty line. "You measure a the opponents: Hoffman entered the see Debate page 4 auditorium wearing corduroy pants and cowboy boots, waving his mid­ Pre-debate press conference dle fingers to the audience in a mock salute, while Liddy sat expressionless and unemotional at his desk, the The Student Activities Board room in the Union was buzzing with lights posture he carried throughout the and cameras last Wednesday as pens were clicking on clipboards in anticipa­ debate. tion of the arrival of two of the most extreme and prominent political figures Hoffman attacked Liddy and the of the last 20 years. · covert actions of the CIA for what he G. Gordon Liddy, President Nixon's right hand man during the Watergate called a "history of murder and Scandal, was the first to arrive. Liddy, who has been on TV numerous times, assassination" coupled with the fact including an appearance on the series the A-Team, was not as large as he that the CIA is not accountable to the seemed on stage, or during the debate. His eyes scanned the press conference American public. mechanically as he brushed down his navy blue three-piece suit. He took a Hoffman conceded that intelligence seat at the desk and asked, "So where's Abbie?" gathering is an important element in Abbie Hoffman, political activist, most well-known for his "ban the bomb" maintaining national security, but activities and his vehement anti-Vietnam opinions, strolled in, looking slightly criticized many of the CIA's activities daz.ed and disheveled. He wore a down jacket and had a backpack slung over that he found unrelated and un­ his shoulder. He looked up into one of the lights, winced, and pretended necessary to national security. to be faint. He cited several examples, in­ They sat side by side, ironically seated with Hoffman on the right and Liddy cluding the imprisonment of labor on the left. leaders in Chile, the corruption of The Ithaca College appearance was to be the last of seven debates at which elections in Australia, and the release the two have clashed. Liddy expected that they would probably meet again; of information to South Korean secret Hoffman was more adamant that they wouldn't. CONFLICT: Abbie Hoffman attacked G. Gordon liddy last Wednes­ police that led to the assassination of The first question of the press conference was directed to Liddy about day night, calling co-vert CIA tactics unfair and murderous. Liddy a student leader in that country. "I whether he supported obtaining assassins from the Mafia for CIA use. Lid­ countered that and said that the CIA is necessary for national interests. thought America was supposed to dy responded by saying that he would rather leave the killing to professionals.'' .. stand for more than that," Hoffman The questions were then turned toward Hoffman, one of which was why said. he was against the CIA. He responded by using the Bay of Pigs affair as Liddy addressed the audience an example of how the CIA misinformed President Kennedy about the Social consciousness regarding the importance of the CIA, popular revolt that would have supposedly aided liberating forces that would calling it the "eyes and ears of our na­ be sent there. tion, without which we are blind and Liddy reacted, saying that Castro's foot soldiers had begun to surrender, raised on IC- campus deaf." taking off their uniforms, boring them and then running to the American BY TOM FLANNAGAN potential problems with our environ­ "We are not living here in a con­ troops. He said that the U.S. could have won if the troops didn't pull out "I think it's great that Ithaca Col­ ment. Confer said that within 40 vent. The world is a very bad place so soon. lege is becoming more socially and years, oil supplies will be gone. Also with bad people doing nasty things," Other topics were covered in the press conference that were the main issues politically conscious," says freshman discussed was Pre•:..ient Ronald Liddy said. He claimed that the Soviet of the debate, such as: CIA Recruitment on campus, CIA support of govern­ English major Brian Wojehowski, .Reagan's short term environmental Union has the largest and most heavi­ ment coups, the pros and cons of CIA reconaissance, and CIA collabora­ concerning last week's Social planning which overlqoks future ly funded intelligence network in the tion with large corporations. Awareness Week,. implications. world in the KGB, and the United Hoffman's strong point was that the CIA members are not "cops of the Issues addressed during the week . Next, Cornell employee Robin States' only option is to "counter with world," and that CIA covert operations in countries like Chile, Iran, and included the homeless, the environ­ Messing spoke on the Strategic intelligence of its own [CIA]." Australia were for the interests of an oligarchy of wealthy Americans, not ment, the Reagan Administration's Defense Initiative. Messing informed Liddy cautioned about the conse­ the people. Liddy said that American people only see the unsuccessful CIA Strategic Defense Initiative, non­ see Social page 3 quences of n~t having an active in- missions, not the ones that succeed._ Seth Grossman violence, and government oppression in Cuba and the Soviet Union. "There was a good turnout in everything," Student Government INF treaty negotiator says United Sky diver president Harvey Epstein says. "Because of Social Awareness ·States is coming out of _Cold War Week, I became more aware of the BY LIZ MESQUITA zold said. are just about out of people who have injured important issues that involve Thomas Etzold, a participant in "Since the second World War, the cognizance of World War II ex- everyone," sophomore management INF negotiations and an international United States has had a straight for- perience first hand." Because of this, Junior Anne Cooney smashed in­ . major Mark Simens says. · arms control expert, spoke to Ithaca ward challenge to build a democratic Etzold believes that new cultural at- to a silo during a sky-diving jump Many other students felt the same College students last Thursday night bureau and to the extent possible, a titudes will be created. Sunday. She is now listed in stable _way. "It ·csotjal Awareness Week] on superpower relations in the 1980s. more democratic Asia under the He also thinks that it is important condition, according to a Tompkins was a good idea because Ithaca Col­ Now that the 20th century is winding shadow of the Soviets," Etzold said. to look at other countries in order to County Hospital spokesperson. lege is definitely not a politically or down to its last decade, Etzold ques- He believes, however, thatnovl, 43 establish policy. "In Europe, the~ Cooney had jumped 15 times socially active campus," Steve . tions whether the Cold War is finally years after the war, United . States pie openly refuse to accept the U.S. before before the accident, she says . Reynolds, a junior TV/radio major over. regional priority role is changing and interpretation of the nature and inten- Hospital spokespersan says Cooney says. Etzold believes that United States therefore so should its challenge.