THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 30, 1994 TAG: 9408300006
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 44 lines
I have read the streams of letters in support of Oliver North. And I have met the man. Of him there is not much of an impression to recall, but of his colorful history there is much to remember and ponder. If history be any judge, then let us ponder long and well.
For me, who took the oath upon entering military service, it is not easy to forget that I swore to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States, a textual expression of the moral and ethical principles upon which our way of life, our law and our philosophy as a nation rests. It is from this living document that we, as citizens, draw inference in the conduct of our daily affairs. Mr. North betrayed his oath and the high principles he swore to give his life in defense of. He betrayed us all.
Mr. North chose to ignore his voluntary oath to that document and its universal principles. In doing so, he dishonored himself, the fighting men beside whom he claimed to stand in belief as well as person, the officer corps and his nation. He instead acceded to the wishes of the head of state at that time.
Wishes, not orders - an important distinction, because as orders they would have been illegal, disobeyable and reportable. The Reagan administration went fishing for a man of questionable moral character to conduct an illegal operation and caught a willing fish.
At Nuremberg, nearly all the officers and officials of the German state innocently claimed to have been simply following orders. North, too, claimed to have simply been following orders. He conveniently fails to recall (nor desires attention drawn to) the fact that those orders were, as already stated, illegal. Seemingly, this is not an issue over which he has - or ever has claimed to have - suffered pangs of conscience.
Columnist George Will, I believe, proclaimed North to be a lachrymose liar. That North now runs for public office and can muster credible support is a sad commentary upon our times and of our nation as a whole.
ROCKLYN FAHER
Virginia Beach, Aug. 21, 1994 by CNB