European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 12, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 columns Jim Fain the stars and stripes Bush must move quickly to help Gorbachev the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe opens any number of opportunities the Bush administration seems unable to grasp. Whether Mikhail Gorbachev can sur Vic is problematic. The economic Deba Cle of the som i Union has strained the tolerance of us people to the crisis Point. Unless Gorbachev can begin to deliver food and consumer goods soon no amount of dem Crali action or prestige abroad will save him. Indeed his continuance now seems based in part on the absence of a plausible alternative. No credible Leader wants to inherit his Misen. Should his shaky Empire slip into chaos a military coup in the name of stability would be the Likely outcome. There s always someone available on horseback. Given such uncertainly is the Bush team right to sit Back and wait making Little gestures of approval but avoiding any commitment beyond a push for conventional arms agreement no. Even though our capacity to help is marginal at Best. The Chance of Bury ing the superpower conflict and shedding the Cost of huge armies and Buck Rogers  ipod nov demands that we do what we can. \ list of immediate initiatives that might work includes a multinational Effort to pump development Loans into Eastern Europe along with emergency Relief. Immediate lifting of Trade barriers against the soviet Union and granting of most fax red Nalion status. Encouragement of commercial ties and technical help to All the Iron curtain countries that will accept them. Accelerated cutbacks in . Arms programs linked with a crash Effort to tie Down verifiable disarmament agreements on conventional strategic chemical and biological weapons. Squab bling in . Bureaucracies stalls this process far More than most americans Realie. 1 resident Bush needs to bang Heads and create urgency. Immediate Steps to strengthen the peacekeeping functions of the United Ellen Goodman the Wax with Testate of our Union nations. The Gorbachev Era offers an unprecedented Opportunity to Vitalise International agencies. There has been no movement whatever in this area. Unless we act quickly the . Will be for Ever irrelevant. Americans became frustrated because the soviet veto for Sears blocked realistic programs. That s no longer True but the onus lingers. Many of Bush s troops arc cold War veterans As is virtually the entire . Policy establishment. Democratic As Well As Republican. They seem disoriented at the absence of an enemy. It was a Sim Pler world when we could define what Ever happened in the Ero sum game of superpower standoff what benefited Russia harmed us and vice versa. Now the old warriors Muse what if and fear to lend a hand to the transformation of Eastern Europe on the Hazard a counterrevolution could wipe it All away. It could of course and All themore reason for movement both to tic Down whatever mutually beneficial agreements arc possible and to help even at the margins increase the Chance democracy and Freedom can endure in a Region so Long enslaved. Whatever his motives. Gorbachev is a Man of extraordinary political Talent and a consummate realist which May Bethe same thing. He is a transformer the kind of figure history adores. He May fall on his face but no one who believes free Dom is a necessity for human fulfil Mentis justified in standing aside while there s a Chance to keep him afloat. Co. News ser tc4 1990 the year love was Erad cafe of in America our history books Tell us now that 1990 was the year our forebears celebrated the last Valentine s Day by then the very idea of a National Holiday for the Celebration of love had become an anachronism a holdout from the Days of sex. Drugs and Rock v Roll. Certain members of Congress had never approved of a Day and there was talk through the late 80s of withholding funds from any museum that harboured images of naked children under the pseudonym cupid. At the very least parents groups believed stores should Mark Valentine cards with parental warnings. But the final blow was the commission report completed that year on love. Not surprisingly the commis Sion concluded that love caused what the experts la bleed an altered state of  that phrase had a Clear and ominous meaning for the stay straight 90s. Love was a substance and americans were Abus cars. The symptoms were common nationwide and alarming people who fell in love the commission determined had trouble concentrating. They were often distracted found daydreaming or staring into space exhibiting a condition known As Blind  Many experienced loss of appetite elevated heart rates a certain High color to the face an effect that was easily identifiable to the naked Eye. The health implications of what the commission dubbed love abuse were worrisome but so were the financial ones. Lovers it estimated Cost the Gnu Mil Lions of dollars a year in lost productivity since this unchecked emotion took precedence Over say strata giving hostile takeovers. In contrast the commission pointed to the japanese who did not officially Cele brate love with a National Holiday. Need the commis Sion say More there had Long been concerns about love in Ameri Ca. Half a Century earlier a generation had questioned the subliminal messages even in the old standards such As love is sweeping the country and i can t give you anything but love  but this time the Woodstock generation which had outgrown worn out or Given up All sorts of sub stances As they entered Middle age were the ones who turned their attention toward love. They searched for its telltale signs among their vulnerable children. Who could not worry about something that made people High thai produced ecstasy before the 90s, As students of history know love had been a noun or a verb. But by this time love was increasingly used As an adjective As in love addict and love  people in love described themselves As hooked on each other. Indeed love created dependency or worse yet co dependency. This was the subject of Many Best Sellers during the Pivotal Winter of 1989-90. By the 21st Century it would become routine for americans to introduce themselves by their name their gender and their 12-Slep support program i my name is Alice and i m in  but even in 1990, millions had already formed associations based on their addictions the Way their ancestors had conic to Gether by ethnic origin. No less an authority than Erica Jong a former Pusher of Lover potions had turned to writing about recovery. Abstinence was going around. All of this Laid the groundwork for acceptance of the commission s recommendations in 1990. The heavy scientific evidence of a love epidemic required action. The supreme court approved random love testing for the workplace. Funding was set up for programs for people who wanted to free themselves of others. Educators were instructed to teach the Young the risks of love. Romeo and Juliet was banned. And in that atmosphere Valentine s Day could no longer be Toler ated. Today americans now Date their Long climb Back from falling into love to thai last Valentine s Day. The final and most debilitating excess the most widespread High was brought Down to Earth. Love came under control. Occasionally to this Day there is a report of some couple found together faces flushed but it is almost always after aerobics. Indeed although recovery is never Complete it can be said that at last in the Post Valentine Era we have nearly accomplished that wonderful goal of moderation in All things except mis cry. Thanks to our ancestors of 1990, we live in a love free America. Tow Bottini Oiom a Nap co Juny the opinions expressed in he columns and cartoons on this Page represent those of the authors and Are in no Way to be considered a representing the views of the stars and stripes or the United slates government