European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 17, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Loffi luring v a off Jinx ii w. A 7. \ a tuesday july 17,1990 a. A a a a a  7f a   Row anon the recent 8-to-l supreme court decision allowing Bible clubs to meet in Public school facilities has created fear and anger within millions of americans. Some see this As the beginning of the end of the Constitution s requirement for the separation of Church and state. Others foresee school auditoriums crowded every night by skinheads assailing jews Kun flux tans Man railing against Blacks and a Host of other extremist groups pretending that they have the endorsement of the school system and the state. Some see the leaders of crooked evangelistic schemes and dangerous Cults coming on campuses to recruit the Gullible. I Long have been a protector of the principle of separation of Church and state. But this supreme court decision is so steeped in fairness that it does not bother me a yet what i have objected to is a state a school Board a principal or a teacher telling school kids the they had to Pray to any god or that they had to listen to Bible readings by a teacher or a school guest or that they would be looked upon with favor if they joined the Bible club being set up by teacher Brown. The state and people paid and controlled by the state must keep absolute hands off the voluntary religious activities of students meaning that English teacher Sherry Pinix has no business being a faculty sponsor of the Bible club at the Northwest Rankin High schooling Jackson miss. Coaches and other school officials must not be founders and leaders of the various a a huddles of the Fellowship of Christian athletes. Basketball gymnasiums must not become centers for Money grubbing preachers. 1 think the supreme court reached a fair and pragmatic decision regarding school facilities that Are notoriously underused. Why  Black High schooners form a chapter of the National association for the advancement of coloured people a act and pay a modest amount to meet at their school some evenings they might lure some parents to the school which would be Good for everyone. Now suppose the klan the skinheads or the National association for the advancement of White people says we want to hire the school auditorium George f. Will. Next week if the group is organized and run by students it should have equal Access to school facilities. That is Freedom of expression which we Revere. I am not so naive that i Overlook the likelihood that religious zealots and sharpies across the land will try to take liberties and commit excesses that the recent supreme court decision never approved. We Wilt see teachers propagandizing Bible groups faculty members spreading school grounds with bibles and pamphlets religious broadcasters trying to get their taped sermons broadcast and football coaches telling a Christian athletes that they must Lead a team prayer before every game. Stopping these abuses will require vigilance. In fact the worst thing about this supreme court ruling is that it will Force the american civil liberties Union and writers such As Carl Rowan to spend More time and Money to ensure that this decision does not permit zealots to leap recklessly into that Divide which separates what churches and the state May do. No trickery or circumvention can be allowed to undermine the constitutional assertions As to where Church and state must forever remain apart. A North America Syndicate Hong Kong refugees would Benefit United states London a sir Percy Craddock has a problem. Or perhaps not. An old saying conveying cold Comfort is if you have no Choice you have no problems. Craddock a problem is Hong Kong concerning which Britain has few choices. In 1997, the Sun that you thought had already thoroughly set on the British Empire will set yet further when China takes control of Hong Kong. Militarily Hong Kong is indefensible. With that in mind and with appeasing China in fashion As it generally i Britain signed an agreement with Beijing in 1984. It contained one hard fact chinese control in 1997 a and much Mushy language about preserving Hong Kong s political and economic arrangements. But the Hope for a one nation two systems looks silly since Tiana men Square. There China a frightened Geron Toracy reacted with extreme violence against the communists ultimate Nightmare marxism a dream coalition of workers and students came into existence but was directed against communism. Beijing made a cold Clear eyed Choice for retention of Power and against what threatened retention a modernity. Modernity Means the rationality of an open society that respects markets. It Means capitalism which exists in Hong Kong in especially concentrated form. Capitalism rests on Confidence which is to say on social Sand. The 1984 agreement offers no firmer Protection than China a 1971 agreement with Tibet gave to that subsequently butchered country. Hong Kong is nervous and it makes China nervous. Craddock sits figuratively speaking in the Middle. He sits in no. 10 Downing St. Close to prime minister Thatcher in an office which with the addition of a few luxuries could be called spartan. It has no trappings of Power. But then regarding Hong Kong Britain has precious Little Power. However it has More than it has used. Since last Summers violent lurch by China away from liberalization some people have said the lurch should be grounds for declaring the 1984 agreement null and void. Craddock says that might be cathartic but would be Barren strategy. China will of course do what it wants with Hong Kong after 1997. So the trick a a the Indian rope trick of diplomacy a Craddock Calls it a is to encourage China to want to keep Hong Kong As it is a huge economic asset to China. Hong Kong must be valued by China for the fecundity of its capitalist Freedom. But should not frighten China by spreading the infection of Freedom. A neat trick that. Hong Kong is Woven into the fabric of life in South China. But 40 percent of Hong mongers Are refugees from communism which Means they Are informed and passionate anti communists. The government of Margaret Thatcher a the Iron lady of anti communism the Tribune of capitalist a a values a is offering the right to live in Britain to 50,000 Hong Kong households. That is a derisory number considering Hong Kong a population of 5.7 million ethnic chinese the attempted trick is keeping the exit door open for a few will encourage everyone to stay Calm and stay put. An argument waged Here fiercely by an honorable few is this considerations of Honor and prudence converge the right to live in Britain should be granted to the More than 3 million Hong mongers holding British passports. Providing a potential exit for multitudes is the Way to prevent panic and thereby preserve Hong Kong As a vibrant society that China will want to respect. And if China will not respect it Honor requires Britain to protect the people who live on the land Britain cannot defend As it did the islands of the 2,000 Falk Landers. Britain a responsibility is particularly deep because Hong Kong is the one Colony that never asked for and cannot Hope for Independence. Unfortunately immigration is an Issue without romantic resonance in Britain which has no tradition As a melting pot and is increasingly uncomfortable As a social mosaic. In recent general elections the conservative party has stood against Large scale immigration. The labor party that tireless denounced of racism practices it by offering no leadership on behalf of non White immigrants. Britain would be invigorated by a Large infusion of energetic Hong mongers who vilify the values a industriousness Thrift family education a that Thatcher preaches. Hong mongers could become the most talented refugees since the jews who fled Europe in the 1930s. Canada Australia and the United states benefited from 200,000 Hong Kong refugees in the 1980s. Britain exporter of impeccably Anglo Saxon soccer louts does not want to be leavened by asian Talent. The United states should know belter. It should Load a trans Pacific cargo plane with . Passports. The United states currently takes 5,000 immigrants from Hong Kong per year. We and Hong Kong would Benefit from revising the ceiling adding three zeros. That would work either to ensure Hong Kong a future or enhance ours. To Washington Post writers group the opinions expressed in the columns and cartoons on this Page represent those of the authors and Are in no Way to be considered As representing the views of the stars and stripes or the United states government