SO / CHRONICLESn”ruthless terrorist organization determinednto rule the world.” It is anrootless evil identified with no particularncountry or ideology (though mostnof its leaders are obviously foreign). Itsnagents can spring up anywhere. Therenis a strong antidrug message present innthat many of Cobra’s schemes involventhe use of mind-control chemicals tonbend honest citizens to their will. Onenof Cobra’s leaders is even called “Dr.nMindbender.”nFor those who object to imaginarynevils when the U.S. already hasnenough real enemies, there is a Sovietncommando group that the Joes occasionallynbattle called the “OctobernGuard.” The Joes and the Guard dislikeneach other but sometimes arenforced to cooperate against Cobra.nHowever, the Guard invariablyndouble-crosses the Joes in the end. It isnthus possible to see the origins of thenCold War in these three-sided conflicts.nAlthough Cobra is a private conspiracynup against an arm of the U.S.nmilitary, the Joes must always fightnoutnumbered and outgunned. This isnthe standard predicament of heroes. Itnwouldn’t be a challenge otherwise.nHowever, Cobra constantly cripplesnitself Its leaders batde among themselvesnand will even sell each other outnto the Joes to gain some political advantagenwithin the Cobra hierarchy.nMany are mercenaries fighting onlynfor plunder and will cut and run at thenfirst sign of a reverse. In contrast, thenJoes are loyal to the flag and to eachnother. They are willing to die for theirncause. Again, the lesson being taughtnis obvious. Patriotism defeats factionnand self-interest. The children maynlearn this before the politicians do.nCobra is a better enemy for the actingnout of this morality play than would benthe October Guard or some othernclearly recognized foreign or ideologicalnfoe. It enables the Joes to confrontnand defeat elements that plague ournown political culture.nG.I. Joe portrays an idealized Americannresponse to national securitynthreats. Even the commander’s name.nGeneral “Hawk,” is symbolic. Thenlyrics of the television theme songnclaim that “Wherever there’s trouble,nG.I. Joe is there” and that “He neverngives up; he’ll stay til the fight’snwon”—statements that have not beenntrue since the Vietnam War. Indeed,nso pointed are the jabs that it is difficultnnot to believe in the existence of annactive cell of counterrevolutionarynelves in the workshop of Hasbro, Inc.,nthe toy company that produces G.I.nJoe. One episode of the cartoon seriesneven featured a reporter claiming thatnthere was no Cobra threat. Cobranbeing only an excuse to get morenmoney allocated to the military. Thenreporter’s research assistant turned outnto be a Cobra agent.nEuripides believed that “Couragencan be taught as a child is taught tonspeak.” So can other values and thenearlier in life the better. Earlier generationsnhad Hopalong Cassidy and RoynRogers, Gary Cooper and John Waynenat the Saturday matinee to providenexamples of heroes and lessons aboutnlaw and order. But the Western hasnlost its appeal in this “high-tech” age.nYet, after a decade of self-flagellationnand antiheroes in the I970’s, there is anneed for “a real American hero” to liftnthe spirits of the young. G.I. Joe helpsnmeet that need.nWilliam R. Hawkins is the economicsnconsultant to the U.S. Business andnIndustrial Council and a columnistnfor the USBIC Writer’s Syndicate.nLetter From thenLower Rightnby John Shelton ReednCovering Dixie Like the DewnTime for another round-up of Southernnnews you may not have seen. Let’snstart off slow, with this item from thenChapel Hill (NC) Newspaper, back innFebruary.nArnold D. Rollins of Rt. 5 Boxn372, Chapel Hill, reported anhit-and-run accident onnColumbia St. and RosemarynSt. at 11:30.nAccording to police reports,na pedestrian ran into the cornernof Rollins’ tow truck. Rollinsnsays he was heading north onnRosemary at about 20-25 mphnwhen a boy jumped out of ancar stopped at the intersectionnand ran into the fender of hisnnntruck.nRollins said that the victimndid not stop, but spun around,nfell, and then hopped awaynfrom the accident.nNo damage or injuries wasn[sic] reported.nI told you we do things differentlyndown here.n* * *nHow about this tidbit, from the Marseillesnof the South: The jury thatnacquitted Governor Edwards of Louisiananon fraud and racketeering chargesnstayed at the Avenue Plaza Hotel innNew Orleans. When they checkednout, according to the hotel’s owner,nthey took with them 24 towels, valuednat $200.n^ * H^nNext door in Mississippi, during archerynseason (which runs for about anmonth before the start of gun season)neven the use of crossbows is forbidden.nBut last year 4’3″ Kenneth Hodgenpointed out that the law has its, ah,ndrawbacks. Hodge’s arms are too shortnto draw a 28-inch arrow. Now, Mississippinhas seldom been on the cuttingnedge of equal-opportunity legislation,nbut state representative Will GreennPoindexter responded to Hodge’s complaintnwith a bill that would havenallowed dwarfs to use crossbows. Indon’t know if it passed or not, but Inthink it’s a great idea, and whilenthey’re at it they ought to ask them tonwear littie green suits.n^ * *nAnd speaking of wildlife: the floods ofn1986 in Jefferson County, Arkansas,nwere not without their silver lining.nAccording to the Arkansas Times, onenman whose home was submerged for anweekend strung a trotline across hisnfront yard and caught more than threenhundred fish.n* * *nThe same journal reported that a fillingnstation near Sheridan, when chidednabout a sign that read “Mechnic onnDuty,” changed it for one that saidn”Mechanick on Duty.” When told byna passing busybody that was wrong,ntoo, its proprietor replaced it with onenthat read: “Broke Cars Fixed.”n* * *nA Mississippi correspondent sends anmarvelous advertisement for SouthnCentral Bell. “KEEP UP A SOUTH-n