Union University - Lest We Forget Yearbook (Jackson, TN)

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National News Pope Visits United States Stockmarket Crash Of 1987 For nearly five years the stock market had made dra- matic gains, setting records for miraculous increases. It was termed as being a very bullish market. Thousands of people were making tons of money. The market topped at over 2700 points, the highest mark reached ever! October 19. 1987, put a halt to all of the merry money mak- ing. An event took place that will surely be remembered and talked about for many years to come. The New York Stock Ex- change made the greatest de- cline in history. Falling nearly 200 points more than the crash of 1929. the market fell 508 points. What did the crash mean to the economy? If government played its cards right, it could be beneficial. Many people now bought securities, trea- sury bonds, and mutual funds. No longer were people looking for a high risk, get-rich-quick stock. They wanted low risk, long-term investments. The re- cession that followed the 1929 crash need not happen again. If everyone starts talking re- cession, and the public reacts as if a recession is coming, then one will occur. Govern- ment must be careful not to lead the public to believe a re- cession is coming. Now is the time when government must be strong. Although it seems that the bear is running freely throughout the market, many investment firms forsee a strong economy to continue. Expected lower interest rates, and increases in government spending will help settle the shaky market. The bull will be back! Everyone knew that Pope John Paul ll ' s sec- ond visit to the United States was not going to be easy. A growing problem between the American Catholics was the major reason for this visit. Once re- garded as among the most committed fol- lowers, many American Catholics today feel they have the right to choose the elements of their faith and ignore those they disagree with. Major disagree- ments ranged from abortion to women priests. The Pope met this challenge by not scold- ing his followers with harsh words, but rather by offering blessings and warm homilies. He also chose to follow the advice of American bishops by avoiding confrontational speeches.

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In an effort to keep the Persian Gulf open to naviga- tion, the United States began in July to escort vessels to protect them from Iran. In September the U.S. Navy blew up an Iranian ship that was placing mines in the Gulf. Several mines were confiscated. U.S. Navy Makes Presence Known During October for the first time in the Persian Gulf, Iranian and American gunners aimed their weapons at each other and pulled the triggers. Iranian speedboats, which fired first, missed an unarmed U.S. Army observation helicopter. Two U.S. gunship choppers reacted sink- ing one of the attacking boats and setting two others on fire. Although hardly a major clash, the exchange in the gulf plum- meted the hostilities even closer toward a real but undeclared state of limited war. This climaxed a series of bluffs and threats from Iranian naval forces in the wake of the seizure of the Iran Ajr, which was dis- abled by U.S. helicopters as it was laying mines. Previously ev- eryone thought that Iran would not dare to attack American ships. Now it appears that we were headed for a confrontation. The U.S. retaliation and the Iranian strike abruptly changed the profile of the gulf confronta- tion. Suddenly it looked less like a protective operation, in which U.S. warships would quietly go about keeping American-flagged Kuwaiti oil tankers out of harm ' s way, and more like a direct face- off between the two nations. This situation could easily have got- ten out of control. Our govern- ment stated that it did not seek any further confrontation with Iran, but we would meet any mil- itary actions with stronger coun- termeasures. President Reagan stated it more bluntly. We ' re not going to have a war with Iran. They ' re not that stupid. But. how far must we go to have peace in our world? Is it too far?

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In the six years since Americans first heard of a mysterious immunity-robbing disease from which no one recovers. AIDS has killed nearly 25.000 Americans. Millions of dollars have poured into medical re- search and President Reagan has pro- claimed the plague Public Health Enemy No. . AIDS: Public Health Enemy No. 1 1987 was only the beginning of a panic over a disease about which little is known and for which there is no known cure. AIDS — acquired immune defi- ciency syndrome — took Ameri- ca by surprise and forced Ameri- cans to seek more knowledge to protect themselves. AIDS statistics are staggering. Only six years after Americans first heard the term AIDS , 2 million people have become in- fected with it. The number of deaths which this will lead to is expected to be larger than the death toll of the Vietnam War and to make the Ethiopian fam- ine look like a picnic. The AIDS virus is also compared to the Black Death that killed a fourth of Europe ' s population in the 14th century. The HIV virus is only the first of many viruses that can infect people and lower their immune system. As many as 10 million people are infected with the HIV virus. Predictions include 500.000-3 million new cases be- tween 1986-1991. and by 1991. 50- 100 million people will be in- fected with the HIV virus. It is also predicted that cancer will be recognized as a complication of the HIV infection. Within the next 5 years. 3 million AIDS vic- tims will be dead or dying, and it is possible that America will be devoting 2% of its GNP to care for AIDs patients. 66% of AIDS cases are found in homosexuals. Behind every AIDS patient, there are about 100 hidden sources with the HIV virus. Within 5 years. 2 major shifts in the AIDS virus are predicted: 80% of all AIDS cases will be found outside New York and California, and it will be trans- mitted more and more by hetero- sexual contact. There is only one way that society will live in peace until a cure or vaccine is found, if ever. That is for each person to decide whether his or her sexual conduct is a danger to the life of another, and then act accordingly.