University of Wisconsin Stevens Point - Horizon / Iris Yearbook (Stevens Point, WI)

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IRAN — AFGHANISTAN — DRAFT REGISTRATION Crisis Courts the Campus i 4 Mi) 9th .. November 4th. 1979. the United Stale embassy loci led in Trhenn. Iren. «i sciaed b Ireniin student, protesting the decision of Jimmy Carter to admit thr former shah of Iran to a U.S. hospital for cancer treatment. Thr Iranian government. under the direction of revolutionary religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini, did not move to aecurr re leave of the captured Amervcanv although the railed hah entered the US. on what Prev idem Carter deaenbed aa a humanitarian basis. Held u hostage. in the embassy acre fifty U.S. prrvonnel including embavay official., secretaries. and military security guard At the Point campua. opinion, on the embassy takeover varvrd. While the book More void t-vhirt depicting Khomeini centered u ilhin a rifle ughl. a number of MudenU marched peacefully outside the university renter. The group carried signs indicating empathy with Iran' charge of nceaaive US. intervention in pavl Iranian governmental affaire, particularly in connection with the former Shah' regime. Many undent a bo participated in a nation ide mailing of Chrtuma card to the hovtage a a demonuration of support During thr week that followed, neither US. attempt at negotiation with the forming Iranian government nor mounting pressure on Iran from international bodtr . US. allies, or President Carter’ impoved sanction effected a release of the American. Whilr thousand, of passionate Iranian, marched in the Ureet outside the US. emba »y m Teheran, the Soviet Union simultaneously plunged mihury force, deep into nearby Afghanistan, iceking to reinforce the deteriorating pro-Marti l government. The Soviet move brought immediate condemnations from a number of countries. including the US. A a sign of American disapproval. President Carter called for a complete withdrawal of the Soviet forces or warned that the US. would boycott the Oly mpsc Came scheduled to be held in Moscow this wanner. Sanction againu the Soviets were aUo imposed. and Carter called for a registration of both male and Irmale for the draft a. a further signal to the USS R. Reaction at UWSP wa» swift. In the ensuing weeks, students organised anti draft groups, placed protest posters around the campus, and demonstrated oulttdr the gymnasiums during visit of I960 presidential candidate According to a Pointer lurvey of 100 person . 58% were opposed to a draft, with about Zl% saying they would nor icrve. On the morning of April 25th. student awoke to thr astonishing newt that a 'taring US. rescue mission •etretly mounted from within Iran had failed. The bodies of eight US. erv icemen lay amid wreckage on the Iranian dessert about 550 mile from Teheran following the explosion of a hebroptrr during a refueling operation. Ironically, a withdrawal had already been ordered by the President of the United Stale due to numerou equipment malfunctions which precluded the Terr Kan stage of the operation. A late-mght repoet of thr disaster flooded Stevens Point television set . Secretary of Slate Cyrus Vance tendered hi resignation — an action he had planned upon learning of the President's decision to proceed with the mission against his advice. In the day that followed. Point student evpressed wide ranges of reaction to the rescue failure. Though there was both support and opposition to the President’» decision, many MudenU felt stunned by the unevpeeled tragedy. On May 6th. studrnu were invited lo mend a rally for a Peaceful Settlement in Iran. Over 200 people pthered at the sundial to hear speeches, listen to music, and rvrhangr opinion in the scorching sunlight of an unseasonably hot spring day. After day of negotiation , during which lime the remains of the US. servicemen were subjected to leietited display. Iran turned the bodies of the American over to neutral parties for return lo the US. And now. families of the fifty hostage wait through the 188th day of their captivity w ith the know ledge that their loved one have been dispersed across Iran lo preclude any future U.S. rescue attempt. But for the families of eight other American ... husbands, ions and fathers are coming home — lo Arlington — in line for Memorial Day. — Nancy Brucker 26

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Things that go drunk in the night. .. HALLOWEEN AT POINT A hairy ballerina? Human beings encased in beer cans? A couple who are really cards? Come on now — It could ONLY be Halloween at Point. When the Great Pumpkin rises over central Wisconsin’s pumpkin patches, Stevens Point is filled with ghostics and goblins and things that go drunk in the night. Days before spook-nite the concourse is brimming with pumpkin sellers hawking their big orange wares ... Students scurry about, dragging the bits and pieces of beWITCHING costumes ... Parties are planned on a larger-than-life scale sure to enchant ghoulish guests and give landlords Excedrin headaches clear through 'til Christmas. It’s Point’s special brand of Halloween — Where ELSE could friends trick or treat for beer on the square? 25

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rallied 1 Iranian student Majid Bagha. who spoke at the rally, said: U.S. Government must admit what it has done to my country .. 2 Students gather at the sundial for the ''Peaceful Settlement rally. 3 A UWSP student and English Professor James Misscy hold up a rally banner. 4 The bookstore displays a t-shirt available for purchase by those with less peaceful sentiments. 5 Joe Cyran discusses draft registration with a reporter from CBS channel 7 news. 6 Students demonstrate against the draft during the visit of presidential candidate George Bush. 'WHAT If V .'iWW