Friday, September 13, 2002

F R I D A Y SEPTEMBER 13, 2002

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD Volume CXXXVII, No. 71

An independent newspaper serving the Brown community since 1891

www.browndailyherald.com

U.S. News drops Brown to No. 17 among schools in 2003 rankings

Adam Theriault / Herald

IN NEED OF REPAIR The space inside T.F. Green Hall is currently undergoing renovations to improve the facility for the many student groups that rely on it. See story, page 3.

A year later, Sept. 11 trauma remains

BY ELENA LESLEY

For some Americans, the psychological damage inflicted by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, loomed over everyday life long after the twin towers fell.

In the year following the attacks, tens of thousands of people in the New York area exhibited symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, said Murray Schwartz, who has worked with a “trauma group” sponsored by the American Psychoanalytic Association to gauge the attacks’ ONE YEAR AFTER SEVENTH IN A SERIES psychological impact.

Conducting interviews primarily with New Yorkers and Boston-area residents, the group determined that “the most traumatized were those closest to the events,” he said. “People have had flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety about going on planes.”

Schwartz, a professor of literature at Emerson College who has taught classes in Holocaust studies and psychoanalysis, said such responses to traumatic events are not unusual. Survivors of Hitler’s regime often exhibited similar symptoms of PTSD, he said.

“PTSD has been a concern throughout the 20th century,” he said. “It was called ‘shell shock’ after World War I — we didn’t develop a term for it until later.”

At Brown, mental disturbances experienced after the attacks were generally less severe than those confronted

by New Yorkers, said Kent Yrchik-Shoemaker, a counseling psychologist with the University’s Psychological Services.

In the immediate aftermath, Psych Services provided mostly practical assistance, helping students track down family and friends, he said.

“We didn’t have a lot of students that were traumatized to the point that it interrupted their routine for very long,” he said. “It was particularly hard for new students because they had had roughly a week on campus.”

He cited President Ruth Simmons’ University-wide

address that day as helpful to the Brown community.

“I think it was comforting to students to have people of different ages around,” he said. “Many (professors) were in college during Vietnam and had some perspective of experiencing loss when they were 18 or 19.”

Although Psych Services didn’t immediately experience an influx of students, some came in as the weeks and months wore on.

For many of those who had previously struggled with PTSD or generalized anxiety disorder, the attacks triggered a renewal or heightening of symptoms, YrchikShoemaker said.

Such trends held true outside of Brown as well. A study conducted by professors from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington showed that most Americans who fixated on contracting anthrax after the attacks had a history of hypochondrial tendencies, the American Psychological Association reported on its Web site.

Though many such psychological disturbances tapered off several months after the attacks, “cognitive dislocation” experienced by numerous Americans has endured, Schwartz said.

“People’s view of the world has been shaken by this, but it’s hard to measure,” he said.

Yrchik-Shoemaker said the time period around the attacks’ anniversary will likely trigger symptoms of PTSD, depression and generalized anxiety disorder for both those who have experienced these conditions before and those who have not.

“I’m a behaviorist, and all the cues are the same,” he said. “The weather’s the same, it’s the start of a new year, end of shopping period — familiar things that set the background for Sept. 11. People will probably wake up experiencing some kind of discomfort and sadness that they can’t quite put their finger on.”

Herald staff writer Elena Lesley ’04 is a news editor. She can be reached at elesley@browndailyherald.com.

Brown might be one of only eight schools in the elite Ivy League, but don’t tell U.S. News and World Report, which last night announced that Brown doesn’t belong in the top 15 schools for the second straight year.

Brown dropped to No. 17 in U.S. News and World Report’s controversial annual college rankings. Princeton ranked first, Harvard and Yale tied for second and five other schools tied for fourth. Cornell was the second lowest Ivy at No. 14.

Last year, Brown ranked No. 16 in the national universities section.

The magazine unveiled its 2003 rankings on its Web site last night.

Complete rankings and statistical information on each school are available in the magazine’s print edition, which is currently available in some parts of the country.

The magazine ranks schools based on peer assessment, freshman retention rate, graduation rate, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving rate, class size and other factors.

Brown graduated 94 percent of its students last year and had the fourth highest graduation rate, according to U.S. News and World Report.

In the liberal arts college section, Amherst College ranked first, and Swarthmore and Williams colleges tied for second.

— Herald staff reports

2003 U.S. News College Rankings

1 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 9 10 10 12 12 14 15 15 17 18 18 20

I N S I D E F R I D AY, S E P T E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 0 2 T.G. Green Hall will undergo extensive renovations beginning Oct. 1 page 3

Downtown international art festival celebrates jazz of the world page 3

Annual Fund sets record year raising over $17 million from alumni giving page 5

Princeton University Harvard University Yale University Cal. Institute of Tech.

Duke University Mass. Institute of Tech.

Stanford University University of Penn.

Dartmouth College Columbia University Northwestern University of Chicago Washington University Cornell University Johns Hopkins Rice University Brown University Emory University Notre Dame California-Berkeley

TO D AY ’ S F O R E C A S T Michael Rader ’95 says a study abroad experience — like his own in Israel — can change a life guest column,page 11

Men’s soccer team prepares to open season against U. of Michigan tonight sports,page 12

sunny high 79 low 58

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

THIS MORNING FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2002 · PAGE 2 A story of Eddie Ahn

W E AT H E R TODAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

High 79 Low 58 sunny

High 78 Low 55 partly cloudy

High 78 Low 56 rain

High 70 Low 53 cloudy GRAPHICS BY TED WU

Pornucopia Eli Swiney

CALENDAR SEMINAR — "Missing Voices: Trauma, Memory and Sovereign Power," Jenny Edkins, University of Wales. McKinney Conference Room, Watson Institute, noon.

LECTURE — "The Role of Equity Capital in Community Development," Julia Sass Rubin. Seminar Room, Taubman Center, noon.

SEMINAR — "Higher Order Properties of Bootstrap and Jackknife Bias Corrected Maximum Likelihood Estimators," Guido Kuersteiner, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Room 301, Robinson Hall, 4 p.m.

LECTURE — by artist Sue Coe for the opening reception of the exhibition "Commitment to the Struggle." Bell Gallery, 5:30 p.m.

Adam Comic Adam Theriault

SPORTS — Men’s soccer vs. Michigan. Stevenson Field, 7:30 p.m.

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 With 29 Across, time to avoid 67 Across 7 One of the 67 Across 15 Belgrade’s river 16 Rising notes?

17 11th century Italian theologian 18 Parsley family herb 19 Chukka boot fabrics 21 Metz moniker 22 Where-at link 25 __-Cat 26 Early 35mm cameras 29 See 1 Across 33 Short lab worker?

34 Caper 35 Acts unpredictably, as a stock price 37 Island strings 38 Abu __ 42 “Wide World of Sports” creator Arledge 44 Teacher’s handout 45 With 68 Across, one of the 67 Across 49 Cajoled 51 Fed. air-quality watchdog 52 Mother’s group?

53 Actress MacGraw 54 Eventually float to shore 57 Vietnam patrol boat 61 Cancún, for one 65 “Aha!” 66 Sobieski of “Joan of Arc” 67 7 Across and 45/68 Across, e.g.

68 See 45 Across DOWN 1 Govt. producttesting org.

2 Took off 3 Pols with jobs 4 Member’s payment 5 Embarrassed, maybe

6 Saudi’s neighbor 7 Highlands hill 8 Cap site 9 Mean in math class: Abbr.

10 Fair in math class?

11 About .62 mi.

12 Boxing strategy 13 Reynolds competitor 14 Saints and Angels 20 “Le Coq __”: 1909 opera 22 __-bitty 23 Logical beginning?

24 Board meeting VIP 26 Permit 27 Garfield (Oklahoma) County seat 28 Provoked scratching 30 Chest 31 Reserved, in a way 32 Boise-toBozeman dir.

36 Unique 37 Half of bi39 Fired

40 Naked 41 “__ old cowhand...”

43 Signed off on 45 Gave up 46 Some TVs 47 Grueling 48 Queasy feeling 49 Tribe for whom a sea is named 50 Three-time A.L. batting champ

54 Farmer’s cart 55 Courtroom figs.

56 Begged 58 It may need massaging 59 CD- __ 60 Numbered rd.

62 Munic. legislator 63 Formerly named 64 “__ Rosenkavalier”

Cup o’ Grace Graciela Clenmiller

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

ARTS & CULTURE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2002 · PAGE 3

International art Production workshop gets overhaul festival celebrates jazz downtown

BY JESSICA WEISBERG

BY CARLA BLUMENKRANZ

Rhode Island’s Convergence International Art Festival celebrates its 15th year this weekend with jazz and film festivals downtown.

Created in 1987 as a one-day event in Roger Williams Park, Convergence has become a three-week, statewide celebration of the arts, said Festival Director Bob Rizzo.

“I began it as a way to get people to travel around Roger Williams Park,” he said. “Now we’re doing pretty much the same thing with downtown Providence — using sculpture and performance to get people to go downtown and look at it in a different way.”

As its name implies, numerous cultures converge in an eclectic mix of art, film, theater and music at this year’s festival. Rizzo expects Convergence events -— held in Providence, Pawtucket and Newport — to attract about 150,000 visitors, he said. All events are free.

The festival kicked off Sept. 7 with a Chinese boat race on the Pawtucket River. It has also included performances of “Variation on Carmen,” a 15-minute version of the opera conceived by Maria Goyanes ’01, and outdoor sculpture exhibited downtown through Sept. 22.

This weekend, Convergence features a short film festival at the Cable Car Cinema and a two-day jazz fest.

Now in its sixth year, the film festival will feature 110 minutes of short films each night through Sunday, showing 15 films in all. Because the program’s four nights are similar, “if you come once, you see all the good stuff,” Director Lynn McCormack said.

The film festival is the only one in New England that

T.F. Green Hall, home to numerous student organizations including Production Workshop and the Coalition of Bands at Brown, will undergo extensive construction beginning Oct. 1.

Although the renovations will leave PW homeless for the current school year, PW board members are approaching the subsequent space challenges with creativity and enthusiasm.

During the construction, PW will move to Bigelow Lounge in Keeney Quad, temporarily dubbed “Bigelow Theater.” Bigelow’s low ceilings and wall-towall carpeting will limit the scale of future productions.

“Design elements will be toned down,” said PW board member Gabriel Kahane ’02. “There won’t be any towering sets, but that’s not what PW is about anyway.”

The board will explore other non-traditional theater spaces throughout campus and is considering a system of site-specific productions, meaning that performance locations will vary with each production.

“Performances will be held in the heart of campus, which will allow us to reach more members of the community,” said Gayle MacDonald ’04, a PW board member.

PW hopes to encourage more students to volunteer as temporary costume designers and lighting technicians, board members said.

“We’ll need just as many volunteers as we did in the past,” said Kahane.

When the University first disclosed the renovation see PW, page 6

see FESTIVAL, page 4

Adam Theriault / Herald

The interior space at Production Workshop, though uniquely decorated, is in need of much repair. It is slated for renovations beginning Oct. 1.

PAGE 4 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2002

Festival continued from page 3 accepts entries from across the country, which allows it to develop strong relationships with independent filmmaking communities on both coasts, McCormack said.

“I hope that this continues to grow, because I think it’s an important thing for New England,” she said. “As a filmmaker myself, I know that it’s really important to support the filmmakers who work alone in their studios, because they often have some of the most important things to say.”

The jazz festival, which begins tonight, features musicians from classical sitar player Kartik Seshadri to jazz vocalist Kendra Shank.

Other performers include the Caraher Brothers, originally from

Nashville but now based in Providence, and saxophonist Greg Abate.

As Shank said, “even though we’re all called jazz players, jazz is becoming a really broad term.” Her own group, the Kendra Shank Quartet, incorporates everything from word improvisation to French cabaret, she said.

Shank most looks forward to playing for new listeners, she said. After a year of playing at small clubs in New York City and on a national tour, performing for a larger audience outdoors will be “a little bit of a departure for me,” she said.

Shank will also enjoy the opportunity to give some festival patrons their first introduction to jazz, she said.

“Because the festival is free of charge, there will be a lot of people walking in who aren’t dyed-inthe-wool jazz fans,” she said. “And I think that’s great, to take them somewhere they haven’t been before.”

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD Herald staff writer Carla Blumenkranz ’05 edits the arts and culture section. She can be reached at cblumenkranz@browndailyherald.com.

Troy

QB Damon Huard may see some action off the bench.

continued from page 12

FALCONS over the Bears (-3) Unless “The Fridge” returns to Chicago, I will not be convinced that Jim Miller-Marty Booker is a Pro Bowl QB-WR combo.

looked sharp after returning to dunking over goal posts and not rims.

SAINTS over the Packers (+2) Simply put, the Packers should have lost last week. Two dropped touchdown passes by the Falcons let them come back and pull out the overtime win. Coming off their own OT win, the Saints should build on the momentum they gained from spoiling John Gruden’s Bucs debut and their “D” will creates hard times for Mr. Favre in the Big Easy.

JETS over the Patriots (-2) I will admit I am wrong and, without a doubt, I totally underestimated the Patriots — they proved me wrong by simply embarrassing the Steelers. But the Jets have yet to lose in the preseason or the regular season, and with their home opener coming right after Sept. 11, 2001, commemorations, New York should have extra motivation to unseat the defending division and Super Bowl champions. Plus, if Mo Lewis has his way,

Buccaneers over the RAVENS (-3.5) If the loss to the Panthers did not put the Ravens at rock bottom, being dominated by the Bucs at home should. I will chalk up last week’s Bucs loss to their being distracted by the Saintsations and hope that KJ gets “the damn ball” a lot.

PANTHERS over the Lions (-3) After winning their opener for the second straight season, trends would predict the Panthers to lose 15 straight games once again. However, those trends fail to factor in just how awful the Lions are. My résumé is comparable to Matt Millen’s when it comes to being qualified to run an NFL team. Apparently his NFL commentary on FOX was just too impressive for the Lions’ not to make him their general manager.

If the Lions do remain winless through Week 6, look for them to turn to Dennis Miller and see if

he is interested in coaching.

BROWNS over the Bengals (-4) I am sticking with my promise to pick against the Bengals every week unless they prove me otherwise. Making the Chargers’ offense look like the Rams did nothing to impress me, and since Cleveland should actually have won last week, look for Dwayne Rudd to take out his revenge on Cincy and make their quarterbacks comfortable with eating dirt … with the twins.

Titans over the COWBOYS (-3) The Cowboys lost to the expansion Texans, and the Titans came back to defeat the Eagles, a team a touchdown away from playing in the Super Bowl last year.

Giants over the RAMS (+12.5) One of these two teams, the last two to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, will open the season 0-2. With the “Greatest Show on Turf” back at home and turf, the Rams should be back in form this week.

SEAHAWKS over the Cardinals (-3.5) Trent Dilfer is back and he just does not lose. It is one of the mysteries of the modern world, like Lyle Lovett marrying Julia Roberts. The best option for the Cardinals for the rest of the season may be to try to figure out how to clone David Boston.

Buffalo over the VIKINGS (+4.5) Drew Bledsoe and Travis Henry looked like Pro Bowlers last week, and if the Bills’ special teams had not given up two kick-off returns for touchdowns to Chad Morton, they would actually be 1-0.

49ERS over the Broncos (-3.5) When your starting quarterback is almost benched in the third quarter when you have a lead, you might just be a redneck or the Denver Broncos. With another week to get in sync, the 49ers’ offense should fire on all cylinders, and Terrell Owens will have ample opportunity to taunt the other team.

CHARGERS over the Texans (-12.5) This game is interesting because it will be a comparative text to determine whether the Bengals are better than the expansion Texans. The new LT seems on his way to becoming a top NFL rusher, and Drew Brees is proving my theory that anyone named Drew makes a good quarterback.

Raiders over the STEELERS (+4) Rather than have two guys, Kordell Stewart and Antwaan Randle El, who can play several positions, maybe the Steelers should find one guy who can play quarterback well. I am almost tempted to play an over/under on how many interceptions Stewart will throw to Charles Woodson, but it just seems too easy.

REDSKINS over the Eagles (+3) The Eagles are the more talented team. The Eagles are quarterbacked by one of the top three signal-callers in the league. Yet the Redskins are coached by Steve Spurrier and, in the spotlight of Monday Night Football, I don’t see him losing. Last week the Cardinals only put up 23 points, because he thought letting them score quicker would give the offense more chances to score.

Joshua Troy ’04 hails from Stamford, Conn., and is a political science concentrator.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

CAMPUS NEWS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2002 · PAGE 5

New provost ready for big changes Annual Fund exceeds alumni giving goals for 2001-2002

BY JULIETTE WALLACK

Provost Robert Zimmer arrived on campus to meet and greet the University faculty just as President Ruth Simmons began a period of sweeping changes last spring.

Six months later, the task of renewing Brown’s academic program has fallen squarely at his feet.

Zimmer, previously a math professor and vice president for research and for the Argonne National Laboratory at the University of Chicago, is assisting with the implementation of Simmons’ Initiative for Academic Enrichment.

The East Coast native has years of experience in the administration of a research institution, which fits Simmons’ goal of expanding the graduate school and research opportunities.

Zimmer, who has a wife and three sons, lived in Chicago for the past 25 years. He told The Herald in February that Chicago is a “wonderful place.”

But Zimmer said he’s found a sentiment at Brown that he also noticed at the University of Chicago.

“One of the ways that Brown and Chicago are similar is that they’re both institutions where the faculty are deeply committed to the type of curriculum that the school has,” Zimmer said.

The University of Chicago is often rumored to have the hardest core curriculum in the country.

Zimmer said that though the curriculum is different, having faculty support the system creates “very exciting environments.

“In a certain way, they seem very different,” he said, “but if you just abstract up one level, the energy that faculty and students bring and the commitment to the kind of intellectual involvement are actually quite similar. They’re really assets for both of these places.”

Despite Brown’s assets, Zimmer said he has hopes for improvement over the next decade.

“I would say that in 10 years Brown should have more academic departments that have a very clear position of national prominence,” he said.

Zimmer said it’s “too early to say” which departments the University will focus on improving.

He said he hopes to work with faculty and administration to make changes “in a way that comports with the kind of open and challenging educational perspective that Brown has really come to embody. But I think the challenge for us will really be seeing these academic programs developed to true measure.”

Zimmer said there are ways to expand Brown’s research programs that will allow the University to “support faculty” to a greater extent. The appointment of Andries van Dam as vice president for research is “an important step because he … knows the University exceedingly well. He’s doing exactly the kinds of things that President Simmons and I want to see happening,” Zimmer said.

Zimmer said since his arrival, the level of enthusiasm

BY JONATHAN ELLIS

Ellen Bak / Herald

Provost Robert Zimmer comes to Brown from the University of Chicago with plans to enhance the University’s academic offerings and research opportunities. for Brown continues to impress him.

“I just think that in all parts of the community, from the college students to the faculty and alumni, there’s just a phenomenal commitment to the institution,” Zimmer said. “There’s very little in the way of finding people who are different and don’t care.”

With that energy, Zimmer said he hopes to make sure that “everybody’s ambitions for Brown are high enough.”

He said he thinks people sometimes have misconceptions that Brown’s resources are not as stellar as other institutions. But he said he wants members of the community to have “a continuing self-reflection and lack of complacency and real commitment to taking the enormous value that Brown has and making it better.”

During his short time at Brown, Simmer said he’s been “impressed” with the students, and he credited the open curriculum and broad perspective with giving students an uncommonly large amount of responsibility for “crafting their own education.”

That accountability, he said, instills in students “a personal maturity about what it is they’re doing.”

And with that comes the understanding that “what they’re doing combines with their natural talents. It creates a very nice environment.”

Herald staff writer Juliette Wallack ’05 covers faculty and administration. She can be reached at jwallack@browndailyherald.com.

Ratty extends hours to universal delight

BY CASSIE RAMIREZ

Students who dine at the Sharpe Refectory won’t have to rush through their meals, thanks to extended hours recently adopted by University Food Services.

The first day of classes ushered in a new set of Ratty hours. The dining establishment is now open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The Ratty used to open at 11 a.m. on Sunday and close between meals during the day.

The newly renovated Verney-Woolley Dining Hall is also now open an extra 15 minutes in the evening to “appease our Pembroke customers,” said UFS Assistant Director Claire Sidla.

Sidla said the changes to the Ratty hours came after requests from students over the years to extend the hours and make them continuous.

It took a lot of work to put the new hours into effect, including changing all of the schedules of UFS employees, Sidla said.

“We’re also trying new venues,” Sidla said. “Breakfast is now offered through lunchtime, and the deli food is offered through dinner.”

The Ratty now offers a soup and bread kiosk from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. From 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., students can get hot cereal or a bagel at that kiosk.

The Refectory is now open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. The Verney-Woolley Dining Hall isnow open an extra 15 minutes in the evening.

Sidla said she thinks the new hours will have a positive effect on students’ eating habits.

“It’s made a huge difference for me,” said Claire Cook ’04. “There’s less of a rush. It’s easier to make deliberate choices about what you’re getting instead of just grabbing what’s in front of you.”

“We want to see if something is popular and, if (it’s) not, try something else,” Sidla said. “For instance, we are offering omelets for breakfast. If that works, we want to get a kiosk and offer omelets all day.”

There are, however, no plans in the near future to extend hours at other UFS sites.

The Brown Annual Fund — the University’s primary fund for alumni giving — raised over $17 million this past fiscal year, beating last year’s total by 14.4 percent despite a difficult economic environment.

Over 22,000 donors contributed to the Brown Alumni Fund, a 16.5 percent increase over last year, Laura Freid, executive vice president for public affairs and University relations, wrote in an e-mail.

Over the same period — from July 1, 2001, to June 30, 2002 — the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 14 percent of its value. Many fundraising organizations that weren’t raising money for victims of last year’s terrorist attacks had difficulty getting donations after Sept. 11, 2001.

The BAF aimed to raise $17 million, “which was a very ambitious goal when it was set,” said Richard Spies, executive vice president for planning. “By virtue of the very difficult climate in which fundraising was going on, it became even more ambitious.

“We’ve been a little more conservative in setting the budget … and had allowed for some underachievement” due to the prevailing economic conditions, Spies said.

If the economy was in better shape, Brown would likely have raised even more money, Freid wrote.

Spies said many donors were excited about President Ruth Simmons’s proposals for academic enrichment. A large burst of donations came in the last three months of the fiscal year, around the time that word of Simmons’s plan began to spread to alumni.

“President Simmons articulated a plan with executable steps” to which alumni responded, said Lynne Fraser, director of annual leadership programs.

“The plan to add 100 new faculty is one of the most ambitious in higher education, and one that resonated with alumni,” Freid added.

Brown’s fundraising efforts may have exceeded those of peer institutions because of the new proposals, and the BAF is an important way alumni can show their support for Brown’s new leadership, Spies said.

However, the proposals for academic enrichment require a long-term commitment, he said. The challenge will be to continue building excitement around them and encourage alumni to continue supporting Simmons’ causes.

“That message can get through to people,” he said.

Other factors also helped the BAF achieve its goal, Fraser said.

She said Jerome Vascellaro, the volunteer BAF national chair, was instrumental in getting donations, and a $500,000 gift from the Joukowsky family encouraged other donors to give donations of $10,000 or more, Fraser said.

Parents pitched in $2.6 million, the highest parental giving in the Ivy League. And two-thirds of the members of the Class of 2002 made outright cash gifts totaling $56,000.

Even more important than the monetary contributions is the sense of participation and support for Brown from the fund’s donors, Spies said. “It says to the president that we’re on the right track,” he said.

“Alumni are very interested in Brown’s success,” Freid wrote. “You can think of it in terms of a stock they have invested in — the value of their degree improves every time Brown improves.”

Students are already seeing changes from the increased funds, Freid said. The University vastly improved its computer network, implemented the First Year Seminars Program and bolstered financial aid.

But the BAF’s recent success won’t immediately lead to more extensive improvements. “We have a pretty aggressive spending plan as it is,” Spies said. “The academic enrichment proposals push the envelope of our spending, so it’s nice to have some good news, which allows you to feel a little more confident about our abilsee FUND, page 6

PAGE 6 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2002

PW continued from page 3 plans, PW board members were upset and feared they would lose administrative control of T.F. Green, a privilege they have had since the 1960s.

“They told us they were going to take away our upstairs space and move other groups into the building,” MacDonald said. “We all freaked out.”

The board discussed the possibility of organizing sit-ins and demonstrations if renovation proposals were not altered.

“We designated two board members as liaisons to the administration,” MacDonald said. “They went into the meeting prepared for a fight. But then the administration changed its proposal entirely and gave us practically everything we were asking for.”

In addition to a new dance

Fund continued from page 5 ity to pay for all of that.

“I think the real challenge is to do even better, to have an even bigger increase from last year to this year,” Spies said.

BAF set a goal for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003, at $19 million, which would set another record, Fraser said.

BAF has grown rapidly over the past few years and has strong momentum heading

studio and soundproof rehearsal rooms, the renovations will make T.F. Green a more efficient rehearsal space. The electric room, which currently shares a small space on the second floor with the women’s dressing room, will move downstairs, meaning that future technicians will no longer have to lug heavy machinery up and down the narrow set of stairs.

“The soundproof rehearsal rooms will end schedule clashes between PW and COBAB,” Kahane said. “The space will be used much more efficiently.”

Many other groups use T.F. Green’s upstairs space for special events, such as concerts, art shows and readings. PW plans to assist these displaced campus groups by creating a grant system and providing technical assistance.

While they are making do with available resources, PW board members say they are frustrated about the renovation.

“The fact that they’re not touching our black box theater is frustrating,” Kahane said.

“Apparently, it wasn’t covered in the budget.”

Seniors who plan on directing during their final year at Brown will not be able to do so in the traditional black box theater.

“We’re also worried that freshmen may not get a sense of what PW is really about,” MacDonald said.

However, board members say they are excited to see improvements in T.F. Green after construction, especially for COBAB, which currently uses a run-down kitchen on the first floor of T.F. Green as rehearsal and performance space.

“Equus,” which will run from Sept. 20 to Sept. 23, is the last opportunity to see a performance in the theater for another year.

The first production in Bigelow Theater will open Oct. 25.

into this year’s campaign, she added.

Another $500,000 donation from the Joukowsky family will be used as matching funds for young alumni, and may build Brown’s donor base by encouraging recent graduates to give, Fraser said.

A much smaller fraction of Brown’s alumni body contributes to the annual fund than at peer institutions such as Dartmouth and Princeton, Spies said.

An increased number of donors might boost Brown’s flagging position in the U.S.

News and World Report’s Best Colleges rankings.

Alumni giving rates account for 5 percent of a school’s overall ranking.

In other promising news, Brown’s endowment had a positive return in the past fiscal year, Spies said.

Many peer institutions’ endowments lost money during the same period.

Dartmouth’s endowment suffered a 5.7 percent drop, and that college is planning to cut back spending by millions of dollars.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

WORLD & NATION FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2002 · PAGE 7

IN BRIEF Greenspan warns of looming deficits WASHINGTON (L.A. Times) — Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Thursday that the U.S. economy has borne up surprisingly well under the blows of terror attacks, a stock crash and a sharp retreat in business investment but faces a new threat in looming federal deficits.

Greenspan said Congress should extend federal spending controls that are widely credited with having helped produce four straight years of budget surplus, but are set to expire at the end of this month.

He sidestepped the politically charged question of whether the need for renewed fiscal restraint required undoing portions of President Bush’s 10-year, $1.6 trillion tax cut, which Congress approved last year. He also declined to speculate on the economic cost of a protracted war with Iraq.

Greenspan’s nearly exclusive focus on the budget in congressional testimony Thursday surprised some listeners, who had expected him to offer some account of the economy’s condition and a hint about whether the Fed plans further interest rate cuts any time soon.

But the central bank chairman only tipped his hat to the subject, saying “the economy appears to have withstood (recent) blows well, although the depressing effects still linger. ...”

Analysts said Greenspan’s minimal comments suggest that Fed policymakers are unlikely to change the central bank’s signal-sending federal funds rate at their Sept. 24 meeting. The rate is already at a 40-year low of 1.75 percent.

“They’re unlikely to act soon,” said Peter Kretzmer, an economist with Bank of America in New York.

Stock prices tumbled and bond prices rose in the wake of Greenspan’s testimony, as well as a United Nations speech on Iraq by the president and news that initial jobless claims have risen to a near-five month high of 426,000.

The Dow Jones industrial average tumbled 201.76 points, or 2.4 percent, to close at 8,379.41 while the broader Standard & Poor’s 500 Index dropped 22.55, or 2.5 percent, to 886.90, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index skidded 35.81, or 2.7 percent, to 1,279.64. The price of a bellwether 10-year U.S. Treasury note climbed, sending its market interest rate to a 39-year low 3.97 percent.

Agreement on bankruptcy bill imperiled by abortion standoff WASHINGTON (Washington Post) — Long-awaited legislation

to overhaul the nation’s bankruptcy laws, for which the credit card industry and other corporations have ardently fought, teetered toward collapse Thursday, when House leaders pulled it rather than risk angering Republican abortion opponents in an election season.

A compromise crafted in July seemed to have solved the bill’s problems, and House leaders tentatively had scheduled it for a vote Thursday. But several dozen GOP members strongly objected to a provision meant to keep anti-abortion activists from escaping court-ordered fines by declaring bankruptcy, and the leadership decided against a confrontation.

“I’m not sure we can pass it,” House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., said in an interview.

The standoff over the bill, which enjoys considerable bipartisan support in the House and Senate, reflects the rift between the GOP’s ideological, social-agenda wing and its more pragmatic, business-oriented wing.

The bill, whose passage seemed almost certain a few weeks ago, would trigger the biggest change to bankruptcy law in a quarter-century, making it more difficult for consumers to wipe out their debt. Credit card companies say it’s needed to curb abuses, but consumer advocates say it favors wealthy debtors at the expense of poorer ones.

The debate has been dominated in recent months by provisions aimed at protesters who block abortion clinics and then receive heavy court fines. Some activists have escaped such fines by declaring bankruptcy, and the bill includes provisions designed to curb the practice.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., an abortion-rights proponent, and Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., an abortion opponent, brokered a compromise in July, and many expected the bill to sail through both chambers before the August recess.

Bush challenges UN to confront Iraq UNITED NATIONS (Washington Post) — President Bush challenged the United Nations Thursday to stand up to Saddam Hussein, warning the world body that the United States is prepared to act alone if the Iraqi president fails to comply with U.N. resolutions demanding an end to his weapons development program.

The United States, Bush told representatives of nearly 200 nations gathered for the annual U.N. General Assembly, is ready to work with them “to meet our common challenge” of ending Iraq’s defiance of 10 years of U.N. demands.

“But the purposes of the United States should not be doubted,” Bush told hushed delegates in the cavernous assembly hall. Resolutions ordering Iraqi disarmament and other U.N. demands “will be enforced — or action will be unavoidable,” he said. “And a regime that has lost its legitimacy will also lose its power.”

In delivering one of the most anticipated speeches of his presidency, Bush issued his most forceful case yet on the threat posed by Saddam and the need to confront him. Although he offered little new evidence to back up his assertions, the president outlined a litany of complaints against the Iraqi government, including human rights abuses, links to terror, and an ambitious program to develop nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

Bush’s remarks were aimed at audiences abroad and at home. While seeking to address concerns by governments around the world that he was poised to launch a unilateral military campaign to topple the Iraqi leader, Bush also tried to shore up support in Congress for a resolution backing the use of force against Iraq.

His address set in motion what could be an accelerated timetable for action. With administration officials pressing for a vote in Congress by November, senior Bush advisers Thursday began negotiations on a new U.N. Security Council resolution on Iraq, possibly as early as next week.

Iraq immediately denounced Bush’s address as “lies” and said it was a pretext for invasion. But the overwhelming reaction among delegates who immediately broke into conversation as Bush left the hall, whether they agreed with Bush’s assessment of Saddam, was a sense of relief that the president had reaffirmed the legitimacy of the international body and that, for however brief a moment, the possibility of unilateral U.S. military action was off the table.

On Capitol Hill, reaction was largely favorable, and

leaders of both parties said the president had helped bolster his case for a congressional resolution.

Although Bush briefly reiterated his commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and said the United States would rejoin UNESCO, the U.N. organization it left 18 years ago, he spent most of his 20minute address on Iraq, including a recitation of list of past U.N. resolutions ordering Baghdad to end its weapons programs, stop repressing its own people and to end threats against its neighbors and all support for terrorists. After a “decade of defiance,” Bush said, the world was deceiving itself if it thought Saddam would suddenly decide on his own to comply.

“All the world now faces a test, and the United Nations a difficult and defining moment,” he said. “Are Security Council resolutions to be honored and enforced, or cast aside without consequence? Will the United Nations serve the purpose of its founding, or will it be irrelevant?”

In sweeping rhetoric and occasionally harsh tones, Bush reminded the General Assembly that the United Nations was founded after World War II to ensure that the world would “never again be destroyed by the will and wickedness of any man.”

The danger posed by Iraq’s pursuit of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, and the possibility he could supply them to terrorists such as those responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks, Bush said, was “exactly the kind of aggressive threat the United Nations was born to confront.”

Bush set no deadline for what he described as the Security Council’s “urgent duty.” But top administration officials outlined a rapid timetable for negotiations, beginning with a meeting that Secretary of State Colin Powell will hold Friday with his counterparts from Britain, Russia, France and China — the five permanent members of the Security Council — and Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Powell said in an interview after the speech that the administration expects one or more resolutions to be agreed to within “weeks and days,” rather than months.

In agreeing to work through the Security Council, Powell said, Bush had given the international community “what it has been asking for” and expected a quick response. “We start discussions tomorrow and they’ll take the weekend to report back to their capitals,” Powell said. “ ... Next week, we’ll talk about specific language ... This is not something we want to see protracted, bogged down.

We want to move quickly.”

Support for attack won’t come cheaply WASHINGTON (L.A. Times) — After struggling for months to talk other nations into helping oust Saddam Hussein, President Bush is beginning to use terms they might find easier to understand: Cash, weapons, business deals and favors.

Bush’s speech Thursday at the United Nations marked the start of intense behind-the-scenes negotiations to see what inducements will help convert countries that so far have been balking, at least publicly, at joining the antiHussein campaign.

U.S. officials expect the Turks to ask for weapons and debt relief, the Russians and French for access to Iraqi oilfield business, the Qataris for cash to build an air base, and the Jordanians for guarantees of oil and trade.

Officials expect many other countries to join the horse trading, and predict they won’t be shy.

“Countries in the Middle East take the bazaar approach,” said Danielle Pletka, a former Senate aide who now works at the American Enterprise Institute. “Once they know we want to buy ... the sky’s the limit.”

Said a senior congressional aide, “This is a great time to step forward and get something you want from the United States.”

The administration’s initial focus will be on members of the U.N. Security Council, notably Russia, France, and China, officials say. Their backing will be important soon, as the United States tries to convince the council to enforce resolutions demanding that Iraq abandon chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs.

But U.S. officials will also try to persuade many other countries in the Middle East and farther afield to cooperate with a military campaign, or at least to temper their opposition. The Pentagon still needs to win commitments from countries near Iraq for military bases and overflight rights.

The effort mirrors U.S. coalition-building before the

Persian Gulf War of 1991, and before the U.S. assault last fall on the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Yet this job promises to be considerably tougher, since many nations are skeptical of the need for war, and the United States doesn’t have access to the billions of dollars that Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and others contributed to the 1991 campaign.

“The horse trading will be much more difficult this time,” predicted Edward S. Walker Jr. a former assistant secretary of State for the Middle East who is now president of the Middle East Institute. “The price tag in some of the places which have nominally gone on record opposing an invasion might be quite steep.

“Part of what you’ve been seeing is people making a public display of opposition that will increase the price,” he said.

Most countries resent any suggestion that their support can be bought. These countries insist that such deals are needed simply to reduce the economic costs and political risks of cooperation.

Turkish officials, were furious last winter when former Clinton political guru Dick Morris declared on American TV that the United States had bought Turkey’s military cooperation over time by pressing for a rich International Monetary Fund loan program.

“They were outraged,” said Bulent Aliriza, a Turkish expert and former diplomat at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “It’s precisely the wrong image.”

Turkey’s strategic location and frequent cooperation have made it America’s most important military partner in the region. The Turks contend their participation this time would add a huge burden at a time when the country is trying to cope with crushing economic problems.

They are also deeply worried that war with Iraq might lead to an independent Kurdish state that would threaten their own eastern territory.

PAGE 8 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2002

McBride lays claim to victory in Florida But former Attorney General Janet Reno has yet to concede in the closely watched election for the right to challenge Jeb Bush MIAMI (Washington Post) — The

Florida Democratic Party’s longawaited campaign to unseat Republican Gov. Jeb Bush was in turmoil Thursday night, as political newcomer Bill McBride publicly claimed victory in Tuesday’s Democratic gubernatorial primary. But his chief rival, former Attorney General Janet Reno, refused to concede defeat until a review of vote totals in MiamiDade County is completed.

After hours of uncertainty, Reno campaign officials said Thursday night they could make no judgment about the outcome of the close election until they were satisfied that the vote totals from Reno’s home county were complete and accurate. “Until we know who won the election, and without having a full vote we will not know that, neither we nor anyone else can effectively move forward,” said Alan Greer, the campaign’s general counsel.

But about an hour after that statement, McBride appeared before supporters in Tampa and declared, “We won as you all know.” He added that he was proud to be the party’s nominee to challenge Bush and praised Reno, calling her a friend who had run strong campaign. “What we need to do now is unite and get together for the real business at hand,” he said.

With its strong overtones of the 2000 presidential election fiasco in Florida, even a brief delay in declaring an official winner and beginning the assault on Bush was exactly the nightmare Democratic officials had hoped to avert.

Apparently alluding to this, Greer said the decision to wait for verification of the vote in some Miami-Dade precincts “is something we incredibly regret. We want to get going, but we are where we are.”

Complete but unofficial returns showed McBride with 601,008 votes, or 44.5 percent, and Reno with 592,812 votes, or 43.9 percent. State Sen. Daryl Jones of Miami had 156,358 votes, or 11.6 percent.

McBride’s 8,196-vote margin left Reno about 1,500 votes short of making the race so close that it would trigger a provision of Florida law requiring an automatic machine recount of the votes.

Based on those returns, Florida Secretary of State Jim Smith, R, said earlier Thursday that it appeared that McBride had won and the state canvassing board ruled that there wouldn’t be a recount.

Bush, a member of the canvassing board, didn’t take part in that decision.

The Reno campaign responded by asking Miami-Dade election officials to recheck the vote totals in 81 precincts. “There’s some concern that in some precincts votes were not counted

correctly or completely,” said Reno campaign manager Mo Elleithee. “Until those questions are satisfied, we’re going to stay the course.”

The Reno campaign officials didn’t say they planned a legal challenge to the election, which was marred by malfunctioning voting machines and other problems, but that remained an option if Reno isn’t satisfied with the final results from MiamiDade County. Earlier Thursday McBride’s campaign manager, Robin Rorapaugh, warned that such a step “would distract from the Democratic message that Bush needs to be retired and I think it would be horribly divisive.”

Throughout the day McBride, a Tampa lawyer, anxiously awaited what his aides said was an expected concession call from Reno, which was to be followed by public statements by both Democratic candidates. “Our understanding is that (Reno) is prepared to be as helpful as she can be” in a general election campaign against Bush, a McBride aide said Thursday morning.

McBride had wanted Reno to concede before he claimed victory, and Thursday morning he postponed a news conference to give his rival more time. But by Thursday night, McBride apparently decided he could wait no longer.

Although McBride is making his first run for public office, as the former managing partner of the state’s largest law firm, he’s long been an important behindthe-scenes figure in Florida Democratic politics. Still, he began the campaign virtually unknown to the voting public and early polls showed him trailing Reno by as much as 40 points.

But in McBride, 57, a decorated Marine veteran of the Vietnam War, Florida Democratic leaders thought they had the candidate with the best chance of defeating Bush.

Polling data tended to support that assessment at the end of the primary campaign.

Geoff Garin, McBride’s pollster, argued that McBride was a much better general election candidate because he has a stronger appeal than Reno to the moderate swing voters who will decide the outcome in November.

“He matches up perfectly with Bush’s vulnerability as an incumbent,” Garin said McBride demonstrated his appeal to moderate to conservative Democrats in the pattern of his primary victory.

As expected, Reno won huge majorities in her South Florida base, the most liberal and heavily Democratic region of the state.

But McBride was able to offset this narrowly by running strongly in rural areas in the north and in rapidly growing central Florida.

To defeat Bush, however, McBride would have to win over large numbers of Reno and Jones supporters in the traditional South Florida Democratic stronghold, which was one reason that state party leaders were hoping for a quick Reno concession to help unify the party.

Mexico’s Fox sides with caution on Iraq MEXICO CITY (L.A. Times) — When President Bush telephoned Mexico this week to make his case for invading Iraq, he got a cordial non-commitment from his friend Vicente Fox and a firm “no” from ordinary Mexicans.

The Mexican president welcomed Bush’s decision to seek support from the U.N. Security Council. But he warned that Mexico’s vote there will depend on proof that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction. If Iraq bars U.N. weapons inspectors, Fox said he told Bush, Mexico will be guided only by “the need for consensus” among world leaders over what to do next.

“There was no commitment on my part to President Bush, absolutely none, to support this or that course of action,” Fox said in an interview.

Mexico’s Televisa network reported Tuesday’s call from the White House, then asked viewers whether Fox should support Bush in a war. Of the 42,356 callers that night, 82 percent said no. On Wednesday the Senate demanded that Mexico refrain from endorsing military force.

Iraq is becoming a new test of the Fox-Bush partnership and the closer ties they seek between two countries with a history of conflict and mistrust.

The partnership is already strained by Bush’s year-old war on terrorism, which has pushed aside Fox’s proposals to ease the flow of Mexican migrants into the United States.

Some aides to Fox say he would like to be more supportive of Bush on Iraq but cannot ignore public sentiment at home, where his popularity is an asset in struggles with an

opposition-led Congress.

Since U.S. forces seized half their country’s territory in the mid-19th century, Mexicans have been loath to back military actions elsewhere, especially by Americans. After the attack on the United States a year ago, it took Fox two weeks to come out in full support of Bush’s anti-terror campaign.

Mexico still displays aloofness from its superpower neighbor. Although Fox led a minute of silence Wednesday for the dead of Sept. 11, Mexico’s commemorations were smaller and more subdued than many in Europe.

Mexico was the only member country not represented by its president or foreign minister at a special Sept. 11 session of the 15-nation Security Council in New York.

Mexicans are only starting to debate Iraq. With one eye on the polls and one eye on a plan to revive talks on migration with Bush, Fox is speaking cautiously.

In two brief interviews this week, before and after Bush’s call, the Mexican leader downplayed their differences on Iraq.

But he acknowledged that Mexico’s higher profile on the world stage — it is one of 10 rotating members of the Security Council — carries the risk of friction with a neighbor on which it depends.

“Our position on Iraq right now is one of prudence, of reflection,” Fox said. He said he told Bush that French President Jacques Chirac’s proposal to give Iraq three weeks to readmit U.N. weapons inspectors “could open an important space for negotiations.”

Asked whether he could imagine Mexico voting for mili-

tary action in Iraq, Fox said: “We will see and decide in due time. ... What I can say now is that Mexico is always for the path of dialogue, for the path of negotiations, for the search for peace.”

Such ambiguity might be hard to sustain in light of Bush’s warning Thursday at the United Nations against the risks of extended diplomacy. Although Fox said Bush did not press him for a commitment, other U.S. officials have signaled an aggressive bid to get Mexico’s endorsement for ousting Hussein.

“The least we expect from Mexico is unconditional support,” the Mexican newspaper El Financiero, in a dispatch from Washington, quoted one unnamed administration official as saying. “We do not want obstructions or insinuations from Mexico.”

Fox insists he is committed to defensive steps against international terrorism and has proven it over the past year by helping tighten security along the U.S.-Mexican border. But at times, he told reporters last month, “the United States does not appreciate enough the fact that we’re partners.”

Bush’s focus on security has stalled Fox’s proposals to legalize the status of 3 million or more undocumented Mexicans in the United States and to expand a guest worker program there — a top priority of his administration.

As a result, Fox has complained of losing support at home for closer ties with Washington. After nurturing a back-slappingfriendship during their early months in office, he and Bush have met just once in the past year, in March.

Campaigns jeopardize social security overhaul WASHINGTON (Washington Post) —

White House officials this summer approved an election-year effort by Republicans to distance themselves from the term Social Security “privatization,” but White House allies now say the GOP’s counterattacks on the Social Security issue could set back President Bush’s efforts to reform the system.

With the stock market in a deep slump, officials from the National Republican Campaign Committee approached White House aides about a political push to distance the party from Social Security “privatization,” White House and NRCC aides said. The White House agreed, saying that the word did not accurately describe Bush’s proposals.

But GOP candidates have taken the issue several steps further, pledging to oppose any cuts in Social Security benefits or payroll tax increases and accusing Democrats of plotting both. Some Republicans have even said it is the Democrats who support “privatization.”

“The debate is in a dangerous spot, where people are getting locked in to statements that will set the whole game back,” said Peter Orszag, a Brookings Institution economist and opponent of partial privatization.

“Even when they weren’t locked

in, reform was hard. Now it’s just getting that much harder.”

A White House official involved in Social Security policy acknowledged the problem. “It is our view that we have two challenges, to advance our policy goals and to advance bipartisanship,” the official said.

Even an NRCC official conceded, there is “no question” the Social Security debate this campaign season will set back the cause of reform. But, the official said, Democratic attacks have given the GOP little choice but to turn the tables.

Under attack by Democrats, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, RW.Va., on Monday told reporters she is “opposed to putting Social Security funds in the stock market and investing it willy-nilly, like Russian roulette.”

And in perhaps the most remarkable switch, Rep. John Thune, R-S.D., running for Senate, accused his opponent, Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., of supporting Social Security privatization because he once spoke favorably of a Clinton administration proposal to invest some government surpluses in the stock market.

“Both sides are priming the public to be against anything that is real reform,” said Michael Tanner, who spearheads the Cato

Institute’s campaign for Social Security privatization. “They have done a good job making the debate that has to come more partisan, more contentious and less beneficial to the public.”

A more significant impediment to change could be a recent NRCC policy statement on Social Security that candidates have adopted. That statement separates House Republicans from the president and could foreclose serious efforts to keep Social Security solvent as the Baby Boom begins to retire, Social Security financing experts say.

The statement, issued Aug. 15, proclaims, “Republicans are opposed to privatization, and are opposed to any proposal that would cut benefits, raise taxes or raise the retirement age.”

In contrast, Bush has pledged to protect the benefits of workers “at or near retirement” precisely because his proposal would almost certainly have to cut guaranteed benefits for future retirees if it is to keep Social Security solvent, Social Security experts said.

A Social Security actuarial analysis attached to the presidential commission report shows that a middle-income worker retiring in 2022 would receive 94 percent of his currently scheduled benefit under the commission proposal with the broadest support.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2002 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD PAGE 9

Kashmir tensions rising again SRINAGAR, India (Washington Post) —

Barely three months after highlevel U.S. diplomacy headed off a possible war between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, the disputed Himalayan region is once again on the boil.

With a series of brazen and bloody attacks, Islamic militants have intensified their efforts to spoil state legislative elections in the Indian-held portion of Kashmir, killing 23 political activists and two candidates since Aug. 22, along with scores of others. The spike in violence has paralleled what Indian officials say is a sharp increase in incursions by Islamic militants across the Line of Control separating Indian and Pakistani forces in Kashmir.

In an interview Thursday, a senior Indian security official said as many as 200 militants may have infiltrated Indian-held Kashmir during August. Radio traffic between the militants and their commanders inside Pakistan also has surged, another official said.

Indian officials say the renewed activity points to a clear breach of the pledge made by Pakistan’s president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, in June to Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage to permanently halt the infiltrations by militants fighting to end Indian rule in mostly Muslim Kashmir.

Musharraf’s vow defused, at least temporarily, the immediate threat of war between the two nuclear-armed powers. But neither side has withdrawn its army from their common border, where hundreds of thousands of troops have been in a tense standoff since December. As the violence in Kashmir escalates, Indian officials have once again begun to hint at the possibility of a military response.

“We are at our wits’ end,” said

the senior Indian security official in Kashmir, where elections will be held on Sept. 16, Sept. 24 and Oct. 1. “Our patience may run out after the elections.”

Pakistani officials have publicly scorned the elections but say that they will do nothing to disrupt them and that Musharraf has honored his pledge to end the infiltrations. Speaking to the U.N. General Assembly in New York Thursday, the Pakistani leader said: “Elections under Indian occupation will be rigged.

They will not help peace. They may set it back, in fact.”

Musharraf denied Pakistan was fomenting unrest in Kashmir, accusing India of trying to “tarnish Pakistan with the brush of terrorism and drive a wedge between Pakistan and its coalition partners” in the international campaign against terrorism.

The struggle over Kashmir dates to 1947, when Britain quit the Indian subcontinent and left two new nations — India and Pakistan — in its place. At the time of independence, the region known as Jammu and Kashmir was ruled by a Hindu prince, who chose to accede to India.

But Pakistan has never recognized the legality of the accession. Formally, at least, it continues to insist that Kashmiris be allowed to determine their future in a referendum. But its broader goal, as the weaker party, is to leverage its position by involving outside powers in resolving the conflict. India contends that the matter can only be settled through direct bilateral negotiations — though not until Pakistan ends its support for what India calls “cross-border terrorism.”

A succession of militant attacks, including an assault on the Indian parliament last December, led to a massive Indian military deployment along the border, which Pakistan

answered in kind. After Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee threatened to launch a military response, and Pakistan upped the ante by testing ballistic missiles, senior U.S. and British officials converged on the region to counsel restraint.

The diplomatic offensive paid off, at least in the short term.

India responded to Musharraf’s pledge by withdrawing warships from Pakistan’s coast, among other things. At the same time, Vajpayee’s government insisted that any further warming of relations, including a resumption of talks on Kashmir, would depend on whether Pakistan refrained from interfering in the elections.

Indian officials say that in the weeks immediately after Musharraf’s pledge, the incursions did drop sharply, but have since begun to climb. They base their estimates on the number of militants killed along the Line of Control, assuming that four or five make it across for every one who does not. On that basis, they said, the slaying of 43 would-be infiltrators by Indian forces in August indicates about 200 militants crossed that month, up from an estimated 110 in July.

It is impossible to verify the Indian claims, which are routinely denied by Pakistani spokesmen in Islamabad. India has an obvious interest in rallying as much international pressure as possible on Musharraf to rein in the militants, who have long enjoyed close relations with the Pakistani military and intelligence services.

But the violence is real, and so is the frustration of Indian officials who had hoped the elections could prove a turning point.U.S. and British officials have also expressed support for the elections, describing them as a precursor to the eventual dialogue that Pakistan says it wants.

Afghanistan to get $180 million for road repair UNITED NATIONS (Washington Post) — President Bush announced

that Afghanistan will receive $180 million to repair its miserable roads, a central wish of Afghan leader Hamid Karzai, who told the U.N. General Assembly Thursday that the international community has failed to deliver on its promises of reconstruction help.

The money will come from the United States, Japan and Saudi Arabia, with the U.S. government contributing $80 million. As the administration scrambled to find the money this week, the State Department fought a White House effort to use cash already earmarked for existing humanitarian programs in Afghanistan, sources said.

In meetings outside the United Nations, Bush also conferred with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistani president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, telling Musharraf that Washington expects the Pakistani leader to take democratic steps after recent moves to consolidate power.

“If you don’t adhere to democracy, we’ll all have trouble,” Bush told Musharraf at the top of their meeting, according to a senior U.S. official who briefed reporters. Yet the official also said the administration, which is rely-

ing on Pakistan in its war against terrorism, also believes Musharraf needs time to build stability in the volatile region.

Musharraf, speaking earlier to the General Assembly’s opening session, accused the Indian government of “misusing” the war against terrorism to demonize Pakistan over the issue of disputed Kashmir province. He also said the upcoming elections in Indian-controlled Kashmir will be “rigged.”

“Terrorist acts must be condemned,” Musharraf said. “But acts of terrorism by individuals or groups cannot be the justification to outlaw the just struggle of a people for self-determination and liberation from colonial or foreign occupation. Nor can it justify state terrorism.”

Backed by the United States, India has been pressing Musharraf to stop Islamic militants from crossing into Kashmir.

This week, Indian External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said growing numbers of militants have been moving into Kashmir, reversing a decline that followed Pakistan’s pledge in June of a permanent end to infiltrations.

Sinha said in an interview with The Washington Post that India believes Pakistan is sponsoring terrorism and that Musharraf is banking on good relations with

the United States to temper any U.S. response. He asserted that the Bush administration is making a “very fundamental mistake” by not recognizing Pakistan’s role.

Bush’s pledge to Afghanistan comes as Congress and foreign governments alike increasingly question the depth of the U.S. commitment to help rebuild Afghanistan after years of war and totalitarian rule.

Bush’s vow to challenge the Iraqi regime has only heightened worries that Afghanistan will suffer if the U.S. government chooses to spread its resources more thinly.

At the United Nations, Karzai thanked U.N. countries for their contributions and listed a series of formidable accomplishments since the fall of the Taliban. But he called international support “insufficient” and said nations should honor $4.5 billion in pledges made last year at a Tokyo donor’s conference.

The House Appropriations Committee voted Thursday that Afghanistan should receive $300 million in funding during the next budget year, part of a $16.5 billion foreign aid package.

Lawmakers have complained that Bush advocated a Marshall Plan for Afghanistan, but has failed to fund it.

Putin defends plan to pursue Chechen rebels MOSCOW (Washington Post)

—

The two sides in the long-running war in Chechnya have moved in radically different directions in recent days as the Kremlin threatens to widen the conflict to neighboring Georgia while Chechen rebel leaders embrace a plan to end the fighting.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a letter to world leaders Thursday attempting to justify strikes against presumed Chechen rebel encampments in Georgia, modeling his rationale after that of President Bush on the same day the American leader sought international support for an attack on Iraq.

“If the Georgian leadership does not take concrete actions to destroy the (Chechen) terrorists, and bandit incursions continue from its territory, Russia will take appropriate measures to counteract the terrorist threat, in strict accordance with international law,” Putin wrote to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and the Security Council. Putin’s defense minister said a target list would be ready within days.

Chechen guerrillas have used the Pankisi Gorge in Georgia as a haven since the second war with Russia began in 1999, hiding out among thousands of civilian refugees who live there. U.S. officials have also asserted that a few dozen terrorists affiliated with al-Qaeda have moved to Pankisi, and the Pentagon recently dispatched U.S. Special Forces to train Georgian troops to fight them.

While Russia has rattled sabers before, Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze made it clear that he considered the latest Putin warning genuine. “When the president of such a big country makes threats, it’s serious,” he said as he opened an emergency session of his national security council Thursday afternoon.

Shevardnadze pointed the finger back at Russia, which he blamed for driving Chechen rebels over the border. “It was not we who created the Pankisi problem.”

The hardening stance by Moscow contrasts with recent overtures by Chechen leaders interested in launching peace negotiations with Russia. The official Internet site of the Chechen separatists in recent days posted a peace proposal brokered by prominent Russian politicians and American former diplomats that would grant their separatist republic autonomy but keep it as part of Russia.

So far, Putin has shown little interest in negotiating with Chechen militants and, if anything, has been increasingly aggressive as the international war on terrorism focused attention on Islamic extremism.

Authors of the peace plan said they hope to build domestic and foreign pressure on Putin to come to the bargaining table but have been discouraged by the latest escalation with Georgia.

“Do they want to explode the whole Caucasus?” asked Ruslan

Khasbulatov, a former Russian parliament speaker and a prime mover in the peace effort. “I don’t know why he needs to blame Shevardnadze.

The Kremlin itself created the problem for Georgia.”

The tension between Russia and Georgia has grown exponentially since midsummer and poses a potential distraction for the Bush administration as it seeks to rally world leaders against Saddam Hussein in Iraq, especially given the presence of U.S. troops in Georgia. In recent weeks, Russian aircraft repeatedly have crossed the Georgian border in pursuit of Chechen fighters; one bombing raid killed a Georgian shepherd; the Russians denied responsibility.

In response to Russian pressure, Shevardnadze sent 1,000 Interior Ministry troops into Pankisi to re-establish control last month, though only after giving enough notice so any renegade fighters could flee.

The Georgian troops set up checkpoints along the main road in the gorge and arrested a few men described as criminals and one Arab described as a possible terrorist, but the operation turned up no other known evidence of an al-Qaeda cell. Early indications suggest most Chechen militants have left Pankisi.

In his letter Thursday, Putin mocked the Georgian operation for failing to produce “concrete results.” Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said the military would soon identify potential Chechen bases within Georgia to strike unilaterally if the Georgians don’t satisfy Russian concerns.

The Georgian parliament, worried that the situation could spiral out of control, dispatched an appeal for help to the United Nations, NATO and other international organizations, saying Russia “has placed in front of Georgia the threat of aggression.”

Independent analysts described Putin’s threats as an attempt to shift responsibility.

“This is a piece of political theater,” said Fiona Hill, a specialist at the Brookings Institution in Washington. “Putin’s been under a lot of criticism because of the clear fact that the war in Chechnya is far from over,” she said. “This is a perfect way of deflecting attention away and saying, ‘Blame it all on Georgia.’”

The hostile rhetoric came when some U.S., Russian and Chechen figures have banded together to try to forge peace after three years of inconclusive warfare.

With the assistance of several European diplomats and the American Committee for Peace in Chechnya led by former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski, former secretary of state Alexander Haig and former diplomat Max Kampelman, a group of Russian and Chechen political leaders gathered in Liechtenstein last month to try to relaunch a peace effort that stalled last year.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

EDITORIAL/LETTERS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2002 · PAGE 10 S T A F F

E D I T O R I A L

Diamonds and coal A diamond to David Cicilline ’83, the winner of Tuesday’s Democratic mayoral primary. As Brown students, Cicilline’s victory makes us feel like our grandmothers do when we win awards or baseball games. We’re just proud. Good luck in the upcoming election, David.

Coal to Antonio’s. Shame on you for raising the price of a slice to $1.25. One dollar was so convenient. It was just like those Alf commercials with the chicken wings. Who has the extra 25 cents? (Remember when Coke cost only a nickel?) Change is obsolete!

A cubic zirconium to President Ruth Simmons’ big bowl of red and brown M&M’s. While the idea of having a bowl of such school-spirited candy in the president’s office sounds cool, we feel bad for the poor soul who had to separate the other colors. And where are these reject M&M’s that didn’t make it into the president’s office?

Coal to professors who order too few books for massive lecture classes. And another coal to Allegra for being too expensive and too slow. The new paneling on the exterior wall is cool, but we’re not paying you to provide a giant mirror on Waterman Street. All we want are nice, bound packets at a reasonable price.

A diamond to new campus Police Officer James Massey. Your positive attitude and passion for community policing are an inspiration to us all.

Coal to Dean of the College Paul Armstrong, who has broken it wide open with the new definition of “dead issues.” Dead meaning very much alive?

Coal to construction workers who descend from other dimensions to ply their trade — loudly — outside residences early in the morning. We don’t study for exams in your forklift … unless you want us to, big boy.

Coal to Leonard Nimoy. He left us wanting.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD EDITORIAL Beth Farnstrom, Editor-in-Chief Seth Kerschner, Editor-in-Chief David Rivello, Editor-in-Chief Will Hurwitz, Executive Editor Sheryl Shapiro, Executive Editor Andy Golodny, News Editor Elena Lesley, News Editor Brian Baskin, Campus Watch Editor Carla Blumenkranz, Arts & Culture Editor Stephanie Harris, Academic Watch Editor Juliette Wallack, Metro Editor Victoria Harris, Opinions Editor Sanders Kleinfeld, Opinions Editor PRODUCTION Marion Billings, Design Editor Bronwyn Bryant, Asst. Design Editor Julia Zuckerman, Copy Desk Chief Jonathan Skolnick, Copy Desk Chief Andrew Sheets, Graphics Editor Ellen Bak, Photography Editor Makini Chisolm-Straker,Asst.Photography Editor Allie Silverman, Asst.Photography Editor Brett Cohen, Systems Manager

BUSINESS Stacey Doynow, General Manager Jamie Wolosky, Executive Manager Jared Gerber, Associate Manager Angela Kim, Local Accounts Manager Hyebin Joo, Local Accounts Manager Moon-Suk Oh, University Accounts Manager Jan Vezikov, University Accounts Manager Eugene C. Cha, National Accounts Manager Joseph Laganas, National Accounts Manager Josh Miller, Classifieds Account Manager Elizabeth Tietz, Marketing Coordinator Shereen Kassam, Marketing Coordinator Tugba Erem, Marketing Coordinator Miguel Escobar, Subscriptions Manager Laurie-Ann Paliotti, Senior Advertising Rep. Kate Sparaco, Office Manager P O S T- M A G A Z I N E Kerry Miller, Editor-in-Chief Zach Frechette, Executive Editor Morgan Clendaniel, Film Editor Dan Poulson, Calendar Editor Alex Carnevale, Features Editor Theo Schell-Lambert, Music Editor SPORTS Joshua Troy, Sports Editor Nick Gourevitch, Asst. Sports Editor Jermaine Matheson, Asst. Sports Editor Alicia Mullin, Asst. Sports Editor Sean Peden, Asst. Sports Editor Emily Hunt, Sports Photography Editor Michelle Batoon, Sports Photography Editor

Adam Theriault, Marion Billings, Night Editor Marc Debush, Julia Zuckerman, Copy Editors Staff Writers Kathy Babcock, Brian Baskin, Jonathan Bloom, Carla Blumenkranz, Chris Byrnes, Jinhee Chung, Maria Di Mento, Nicholas Foley,Vinay Ganti, Neema Singh Guliani, Ari Gerstman, Andy Golodny, Daniel Gorfine, Nick Gourevitch, Stephanie Harris, Victoria Harris Maggie Haskins, Shara Hegde, Brian Herman, Shana Jalbert, Brent Lang, Elena Lesley, Jamay Liu, Jermaine Matheson, Kerry Miller, Kavita Mishra, Martin Mulkeen, Alicia Mullin, Crystal Z.Y. Ng, Ginny Nuckols, Juan Nunez, Sean Peden, Katie Roush, Caroline Rummel, Emir Senturk, Jen Sopchockchai, Anna Stubblefield, Jonathon Thompson, Joshua Troy, Juliette Wallack, Jesse Warren, Genan Zilkha, Julia Zuckerman Pagination Staff Bronwyn Bryant, Jessica Chan, Sam Cochran, Joshua Gootzeit, Michael Kingsley, Hana Kwan, Erika Litvin, Jessica Morrison, Stacy Wong Staff Photographers Josh Apte, Makini Chisolm-Straker, Allison Lauterbach, Maria Schriber, Allie Silverman, Vanessia Wu Copy Editors John Audett, Lanie Davis, Marc Debush, Daniel Jacobson, Sonya Tat

BEUL AH FARNSTROM

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Herald downplays Republican primary coverage in RI To the Editor: I found it very interesting, albeit not entirely surprising, that The Herald neglected to adequately cover the Rhode Island Republican gubernatorial election in Wednesday’s issue.

While it is news that David Cicilline ’83 won the Democratic mayoral primary in Providence, it is also news that two Brown graduates, Don Carcieri ’65 and James Bennett ’79, faced off in the Republican gubernatorial primary. The Herald failed to acknowledge that they were Brown alumni and gave very minimal coverage to their race. I do not know whether these omissions were merely poor reporting or whether they were intentional.

We all know that Cicilline falls into the old “liberal Brown” stereotype much more than Carcieri and Bennett. I hope that in the future The Herald gives balanced coverage to Brown alumni in the news whether or not they are conservative or liberal.

Dylan Brown ’03 Sept. 12

Grading system should emphasize learning over jobs To the Editor: The most interesting aspect of Andrei Muresiano’s advocacy of a change in grading policy (“Brown needs pluses and minuses in grading policy,” 9/12) is the implication of his argument. Muresiano’s primary concern is how Brown’s current grading policy hurts graduates’ abilities to gain fellowships, jobs or other positions in the current competitive market. “Brown students,” he says, “know ... that college work has consequences ... relating to job searches, happy parents and future plans.” The purpose of a college education is not to learn, as Muresiano points out, but to forge the road to future success by creating a convincing academic persona.

Herein lies the problem. We have created a culture that does not care how success is won, just that it is won. This creates hollow students whose prior-

ity is the grade not the enrichment.

If future success is what we are after, it seems intuitive to me that an academic culture that fosters such students is also a culture that fosters success.

Perhaps a change in our grading policy is needed. But such a change will amount to little if we do not first lay the foundations for a new academic culture. Simply adding pluses and minuses will not help us perform better in interviews. Learning to appreciate learning will.

Zachary Osofsky ’03 Sept. 12

Herald misrepresents union vote status To the Editor:: The Herald’s story about unionization (“Across Ivies, union push spreads,” 9/12) contains dramatic errors and omissions. It is not known whether Brown graduate students voted to unionize. After the election last year, the votes were sealed and have not been counted pending the University’s appeal. Indeed, as has been previously reported by The Herald, At What Cost? — a group of graduate students opposed to unionization under the United Auto Workers — has predicted that the union lost the election.

The Herald further reports: “2,200 graduate students at Cornell announced that they will decide whether to unionize by the end of October.” This is simply false. Rather, a group of Cornell grad students filed for representation. All that is known for sure at Cornell is that 30 percent of the eligible grad students signed union cards. Just like at Brown, the UAW’s efforts at Cornell are meeting with stiff opposition from many grad students, and not just the administration as The Herald implies.

The Herald also fails to report on the extensive campaign waged by anti-union students at Columbia.

While many graduate students across the Ivies support unionization, many others do not.

To present the unionization debate as simply a battle between grad students and university administrations is a gross misrepresentation of reality.

Lennart Erickson GS Sept. 12

CO M M E N TA RY P O L I C Y The staff editorial is the majority opinion of the editorial board of The Brown Daily Herald. The editorial viewpoint does not necessarily reflect the views of The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. Columns and letters reflect the opinions of their authors only.

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

OPINIONS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2002 · PAGE 11

Optimism is necessary to transform a nation Following Sept. 11, we must realize that modern liberalism cannot restore the United States to glory AFTER THE DEMISE OF THE SOVIET UNION, mism, epitomized by journalist Lincoln Time magazine published an article posing Steffens, who exclaimed, “I have been over the question: “Can the Right Survive into the future and it works!” after visiting Success?” The real issue, however, rested communist Russia in 1919.

Modern liberalism never recovered its not in the future of a particular political movement in the United States, but in momentum after the Reagan Revolution.

While prominent conservawhether the United States itself tives continue to advocate a could survive success. The positive agenda for the future United States’ status as the — such as Newt Gingrich’s world’s only superpower also vision of an “opportunity socimade it the world’s biggest tarety” competing in the global get. The end of conflict also market — modern liberals destabilized a sense of U.S. have become increasingly destiny. Americans had won a afflicted with a pathological 50-year contest — now what? obsession with the past. When The unprecedented terrors of David Horowitz suggested that Sept. 11, 2001, painfully reinthe slavery reparations cruforced this insecurity. As we STEPHEN BEALE sade did not sufficiently mark the one-year anniversary RIGHT WORDS address the present-day needs of that infamous day, it is of black Americans, a group of appropriate to begin forging a students at this campus new U.S. destiny in a world recoiled with horror at transformed.

Almost a half-century ago, one observer Horowitz’s “racist revisionism.” The exploexplained the importance of a “faith in the sion of campus radicalism revealed the future” in transforming a nation. The suc- impact of multiculturalism on student sencess of Ronald Reagan exemplifies this sibilities. Indeed, from Christopher insight. In 1977, Reagan spoke to the Columbus to Christmas, and from American Conservative Union, assuring Shakespeare to the slave-owning Founding his audience, “I have seen the conservative Fathers, leftist intellectuals have engaged in future and it works.” This prediction deconstructing Western culture with a diaclashed with the prevailing wisdom, which bolical diligence. Susan Sontag conveyed viewed the Republican Party as “weaker . . the uncompromising radicalism of this . than any other major party in the U.S. movement when she declared, “The truth is since the Civil War.” Reagan’s sunny opti- that Mozart, Pascal, Boolean Algebra, mism won the day, and four years later, Shakespeare, Parliamentary government, “liberalism” became a dirty word as the baroque churches, Newton, the emancipaconservative revolution rolled into tion of women, Kant, Marx and Balanchine Washington, D.C., and won the Cold War. ballets don’t redeem what this particular It will take a similar inspirational vision of civilization has wrought upon the world.”

This same attitude has infected mainthe future to win this new “war on terrorstream liberalism. When President Clinton ism.”

Reagan’s articulation of a conservative embarked on his pilgrimage to Africa, he vision of the future was important because promptly apologized for slavery, and after it challenged the left’s monopoly on opti- Sept. 11, Clinton shamelessly blamed the crusades for terrorism. This “Blame America First” instinct operates throughout Stephen Beale ’04 is a classics concentrathe Democratic Party. As the November tor from Wheaton, Ill. This is his fifth elections approached, the second most semester as a Herald columnist.

influential Democrat, Al Gore, penned an editorial advising Democrats in the wake of stock market scandals to campaign for the poor against the rich. In his own presidential campaign, Gore painted a picture of United States populated by drug-deprived grandmothers and starving schoolchildren.

Gone is the optimism of Democrats like Kennedy, who famously exhorted Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”

This problem with modern liberalism results from what one of my friends has described as a culture that celebrates the victim, not the hero. From the economy to crime to health care, the first question liberals ask is: “Where is the victim?” When a potential incident of racial profiling occurred on this campus last year, radical student groups instinctively attempted to find the victim. Taking the side of the disadvantaged is commendable, but focusing on the evils of oppression does not ameliorate the situation. Thus, as an ideology, liberalism no longer empowers individuals; rather, it engenders a victimization complex that incarcerates people in their misery, real or imagined, and breeds feelings of discontent.

This dynamic displayed itself at Brown during the Horowitz ad controversy. Instead of responding to Horowitz’s argument, students reacted as victims and emotional outbursts became the norm.

Clearly, modern liberalism is unequal to the task of restoring United States after Sept.

11, 2001, leaving the challenge to conservatism. Unfortunately, the only vision that President Bush has offered Americans is the specter of an indefinite “war on terrorism.”

After exterminating al-Qaeda, Bush promises to attack the “axis of evil,” which includes Iraq, Iran and North Korea. And now Syria and Saudi Arabia have been added to the register of nations on the “axis of evil” by the Wall Street Journal editorial page.

What we are fighting for is equally unclear. Bush’s speeches recycle the rhetoric of the Cold War, celebrating America as

an arsenal for democracy and defender of freedom. Yet the Cold War was an age of ideological conflict. The “new world disorder” threatens far more than just liberal democracy. Instead, we are entering a truly postmodern age, in which definitions disintegrate and boundaries are erased. As an academic movement, postmodernism represents the intellectual anarchy that followed the implosion of modernism, with its dogmatic emphasis on the autonomy of human reason. In postmodernism, truth becomes a “mobile army of metaphors,” and relativism and tolerance comprise the new creed. This decay of absolutes and standards extends far beyond academia and into the sphere of international political culture, as the legitimacy of the Western state system is assaulted from the bottom and the top. Emerging world government structures and multinational corporations override the authority of states, while transnational organizations such as alQaeda diminish the relevance of the state as an actor. As global political organizations erode state sovereignty, Third World immigration into the West disrupts the cultural unity inherent in the “nation-state.” The reaction of the intellectuals reflects the turbulence of the times. Some, like Samuel P. Huntington, prophesy an apocalyptic clash of civilizations, while others dread a “coming world anarchy.”

Thus, whereas United States was a beacon of freedom during the Cold War, now it must be a bastion of Western civilization as Europe submerges in waves of Muslim immigration from Third World countries.

The words of Dr. Joseph Warren, a Founding Father from New England, communicate a vision of the U.S. future relevant to our postmodern times: “Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of. … On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important questions upon which rests the happiness and the liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves.” Now we also must act worthy of the times and our heritage.

For the love of Israel: quenching a thirst for Zion The life-changing experience of a pilgrimage to Israel should not be abrogated out of fear THE CURRENT TWO-YEAR SPATE OF Palestinian terror attacks has had a devastating effect on Israeli society. In addition to over 500 murdered (ten times the World Trade Center toll on a per capita basis), thousands more have been maimed physically or emotionally, and the nation’s economy is in shambles.

While Israel’s plight deserves our somber consideration, this column focuses on another concern: the impact of the terror in Israel on diaspora Jewish communities.

Just a few years ago, “overseas” enrollment at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem numbered in the thousands, most of them Jewish young adults eager to experience Israel and delve into their heritage on their junior year abroad. Today the number has dropped to just a few hundred. Enrollment at other institutions, from Hebrew language courses, to travel and archaeology programs, to religious seminaries is also down dramatically. The effect on the American Jewish community is likely to be profound.

The leadership ranks of the U.S. Jewish community are filled disproportionately by graduates of programs in Israel. It is not hard to understand why. The Jewish Bible and prayerbook are filled with a thirst for Zion that has sustained the Jewish people for millennia. For Michael Rader ’95 is a former Herald columnist.

a Jew to experience first-hand the beauty of Jerusalem, the awe of the Western Wall and the miraculous rebirth of the spoken Hebrew language in a sovereign Jewish State after 2,000 years of exile, is inspiring and miraculous.

My own journey took me to Israel a year after graduating from Brown. In the summer of 1996, I arrived in Jerusalem and began an intensive Hebrew language program (ulpan) at Hebrew University. This experience alone changed my life. One of the reasons I chose to study in Israel was a deep desire to learn “my” language. I was troubled (and embarrassed) at my inability to understand the prayers I said in the synagogue or to converse with the Israelis I met at Brown. I had grown frustrated with the need to rely on translations when studying the central texts of my faith and national heritage.

I needed to reclaim these as my own, by learning the language of my people.

Once I began the ulpan, the motivation to learn expanded rapidly to include other aspects, including plain old fun. Only a few of the students in my class were American. The rest hailed from Mexico, France, Russia and a host of other places. Our only common language was Hebrew, and to socialize we had to use it. Besides making new friends, of course, I was also polishing the language skills needed to go about important daily business like finding an apartment, ordering in a restaurant or bargaining at the shuk (market).

Over the course of the year, I continued my

Hebrew studies and made a conscious effort to spend time with Hebrew speakers. I was thrilled when I realized, the following spring, that my best friends spoke almost no English.

I applied my new language skills to my studies at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, where I immersed myself in ancient biblical and rabbinic texts. The joy of connecting to thousands of years of my history through the Torah, the Mishnah, the Talmud and commentaries both old and new was remarkable. Not surprisingly, rather than quenching my thirst for knowledge, it whetted my appetite for more. The year of intensive text study brought my understanding of my heritage — and myself — to a far higher level, and laid a foundation of learning that will serve me well for the rest of my life.

My story is not unique. Two years ago, hopes for peace seemed bright, and thousands of young American Jews (among them, dozens of Brown students) were streaming to Israel to study, work and grow — just as I and so many others did before them. Then, at Camp David in the summer of 2000, the Palestinian leadership tragically rejected peace (again). Two years of sustained terror attacks have followed, and the flow of Jews to Israel has slowed to a trickle. This is, of course, bad for Israel but perhaps worse for the diaspora.

Jews are taught to look both inward and outward, loving klal yisrael (the full spectrum of the Jewish people), and serving as a “Light

unto the Nations.” But to love another, one must come to understand both the other party and oneself. And to serve as a “light” for others, one must possess the proper fuel to sustain the flame. In short, both require a deep understanding of one’s own heritage and place in the world. There is no better (or even comparable) place for a Jew to acquire this than Israel.

Israel is and always has been the geographical and spiritual center of the Jewish people, and there will never be a substitute for it. While traveling to Israel today unquestionably presents a degree of physical danger (although, post-Sept. 11, 2001, it is hard to say that this danger is more severe in Israel than anywhere else), staying behind is frought with spiritual risk and the prospect of a great potential unfulfilled. This is the dilemma facing Brown students planning to study or travel abroad.

Jewish tradition teaches us that, although we pray for miracles, we are not permitted to rely on them. Although we must trust in God, we must nevertheless act as though we alone are responsible for our fate.

During this penitential period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we hope and pray the next year will be better — that, in the words of our sages, the merit we muster will convince the Almighty to “rescind the terrible decree” against us. In the meantime, we must be the masters of our own fate, making courageous decisions that will help to shape ourselves, our people and the entire world.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

SPORTS FRIDAY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2002 · PAGE 12

Just another big M. soccer to host annual tournament week in the NFL

BY NICK GOUREVITCH

WHILE THE FIRST WEEK OF THE NFL SEASON was filled with upsets, stellar performances and disappointments, no moment was more shocking than the end of the Cleveland Browns-Kansas City Chiefs game.

The finish consisted of Dwayne Rudd throwing his helmet after he incorrectly thought he recorded a gameending sack, receiving a 15yard penalty as a result, and in JOSHUA turn setting up Morten TROY Anderson to kick a game-winSPREADING THE LOVE ning field goal for the Chiefs with no time left on the clock.

Although incidents such as this usually end up with players blaming officials or dodging responsibility, Rudd responded by saying, “I was totally wrong for what I did. … It deserved a 15-yard penalty.” He did not demand a search for the real helmet-thrower or blame the media for unfairly portraying him as violent or reckless. Instead, he stepped up and admitted that he did something stupid and wrong. He even went as far as to say that he now owed something to his coaches, teammates and fans and that he would try to make it up to everyone by playing harder and smarter this Sunday.

Even though most fans, players and (I hope) officials realize that Rudd’s actions did not violate the spirit of the rule — to prevent players from throwing their helmet out of anger or celebration during the course of the game — Rudd accepted the call and did not try to defend his actions. If more athletes took responsibility for their actions, they might not face an uphill battle against a stereotype of being spoiled, overpaid and immature. Instances such as this make it possible to recognize athletes for not only being talented, but also for demonstrating good character.

As for this week’s picks, as usual they are against the spread, as provided by the Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. I actually started out 8-3 last week, before losing all of Sunday’s afternoon games, the Sunday night game and the Monday night game. Also, please remember they are for recreational purposes only. Only a monkey throwing darts at a wall can really predict the winners. (Home team in CAPS) Last week (including SF-NYG) – 8-8 Season – 8-8 Lock of the Week – 1-0 COLTS over the Dolphins (-2.5) Sure, the Dolphins put up 49 points last week, and Ricky Williams and Robert Edwards both found the end zone, but it was against the Lions. Plus, this is a chance for Payton Manning to actually win a meaningful game for the first time in his career (he still turns white when anyone mentions the University of Florida) and for Tony Dungy to actually show that he can turn the Colts’ defense around. Either Manning, Dungy and the Colts prove themselves this week against their former AFC East rival or it could be a disappointing season.

CHIEFS over the Jaguars (-4) The number-one useless stat of the season so far: Priest Holmes is on pace for 64 touchdowns. After stealing a win last week, the Chiefs should actually earn one this week with the help of Holmes and Tony Gonzales, who see TROY, page 4

SCHEDULE Friday, Sept. 13 Men’s Soccer v. Michigan, 7:30 p.m.; Stevenson Field Women’s Soccer v. Fairfield, 4:00 p.m.; Cape Cod, Mass.

Men’s Water Polo v. MIT, 8:00 p.m.; Cambridge, Mass.

Women’s Volleyball v. Syracuse, 7:00 p.m.; Syracuse, N.Y.

Saturday, Sept. 14 Men’s and Women’s Track v. Harvard; Franklin Park, Mass.

Women’s Golf, Dartmouth Invitational; Hanover, N.H. Men’s Water Polo, Harvard Invitational; Cambridge, Mass.

Women’s Volleyball v. Buffalo, 11:00 a.m.; v. Colgate, 5:00 p.m.; Syracuse, N.Y. Field Hockey v. Dartmouth; 12:00 p.m.; Hanover, N.H.

Sunday, Sept. 15 Men’s Soccer v. North Carolina, 1:30 p.m.; Stevenson Field Women’s Soccer v. Colgate, 2:00 p.m.; Cape Cod, Mass.

Field Hockey v. Vermont, 1:00 p.m.; Hanover, N.H. Men’s Water Polo, Harvard Invitational; Cambridge, Mass.

Women’s Golf, Dartmouth Invitational; Hanover, N.H.

The men’s soccer team will kick off its season tonight at 7:30 p.m. against the University of Michigan, as part of the annual Adidas/Brown Soccer Classic at Stevenson Field. Bruno will face defending national champion University of North Carolina at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The two big-name opponents will provide the Bears with an early challenge for this year’s squad, which will feature a more youthful lineup than in years past.

“To be able to open your season comparing yourself to what the best was from last year gives us a little something to strive for, and is a great measuring stick for what it is that we have ahead of us,” said Head Coach Mike Noonan.

Brown is coming off back-to-back Ivy League Championships and is one of the more storied programs at the University, with 16 Ivy titles and 18 NCAA tournament appearances to its name.

In Michigan, the Bears will face a school whose men’s soccer program is entering just its third year of existence.

But that does not mean the Wolverines should be taken lightly. Last year, they finished with a 3-3 record in the Big Ten, one of the nation’s top soccer conferences, and they add to their roster a top-ranked recruiting class.

“Michigan doesn’t do anything athletically half-way,” Noonan said. “They’ve got some very talented players that make up an explosive team.”

The eighth-ranked Tar Heels come to College Hill as defending NCAA champs. They defeated Indiana University in the finals and compiled a 21-4 record over the course of last season.

“North Carolina is a school with a deep athletic tradition,” Noonan said. “They are very well coached and have some great athletes on their team.”

Both opponents come in with a few games under their belts. Michigan is 2-1, opening the season with a lost against UC-Santa Barbara, but then erupted for eight goals in their shutout win over IUPUIndianapolis last weekend. North Carolina won their first three games before being upset by Davidson a week ago.

The Bears know they are at a slight disadvantage, as their opponents have had more time to gel as a team.

However, they welcome the challenge of facing such strong competition in their openers.

“We know we are going to make mistakes, as these are our first games,” said Co-captain Adom Crew ’04. “But hopefully we can play well so we can gain some confidence for the weeks to come.”

The Bears’ only game experience this season outside

Herald

The men’s soccer team will kick off its season tonight against the University of Michigan in a much-anticipated game. of practice came in a scrimmage against Division III opponent Connecticut College, which they won 4-0.

Unlike in years past, Brown was not able to schedule a Division I school for a pre-tournament match or scrimmage, because the Ivy League sports calendar was pushed back one week.

“The calendar has limited us in our preparation time, for sure, but we are ready to play someone else,” Noonan said. “It gets stale when you kick each other around for two and a half weeks.”

Yale University will also participate in this weekend’s tournament, playing North Carolina on Friday and Michigan on Sunday. Both games will kick off two and a half hours before Brown’s respective matches.

This will be the fifth time Brown has hosted the Soccer Classic since its inception in 1997. Last season’s tournament was cancelled due to the events of Sept. 11.

Nick Gourevitch ’03 is an assistant sports editor and covers men’s soccer. He can be reached at ngourevitch@browndailyherald.com.

Heritage at the heart of title fight for De La Hoya LOS ANGELES (L.A. Times) — Fernando Vargas long has fancied himself a favorite of Mexican fight fans, the very same crowd that has been hesitant to embrace Oscar De La Hoya fully.

But Vargas recently pressed the issue, asserting that Mexicans are united in his corner for Saturday’s superwelterweight title fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

The reason, Vargas says, is that fight fans recognize him as the “real Mexican” of the two fighters—which by his description is one who still has rough edges and rubs elbows with many of the same blue-collar, working-class friends with whom he grew up.

De La Hoya, Vargas claims, has drifted too far from his roots and has become disconnected with his heritage.

“I’m proud of being a Mexican,” Vargas said. “I fight like a warrior like Mexicans do. People are attracted to me and dig me because of my pride.”

Vargas enjoys portraying himself as a representative of the immigrant underdog while mocking De La Hoya’s “Golden Boy” image, complete with model good looks, singing career and a stable full of celebrity friends.

De La Hoya has shot back, saying Vargas’ description of a Mexican sounds to him like that of a gang banger.

“What is ‘being a Mexican?’ “ De La Hoya said. “I don’t know what that means. ... I want to progress and do better, contribute to the community. What’s wrong with that?

“What he says is insulting to a lot of hard-working people. What? You’ve got to dress like a thug, surround yourself with bad people and talk like that? That is degrading. That is not what the Mexican people are about.”

As for Mexican fight fans, many seem to be rolling

their eyes and calling absurd the notion that either of the fighters — Vargas born in Oxnard; De La Hoya in East Los Angeles — is any more “Mexican” than the other. Both represented their home country — the United States — in the Olympics.

But to others, such as Richard T. Rodriguez, assistant professor of Chicano Studies at California State University, Los Angeles, the issue is a serious one. He said any talk of ethnic authenticity is destructive.

“It further divides our community, pits one against the other,” Rodriguez said. “Why do we need to authenticate people? Why even pose the question, ‘Who is the real Mexican?’ There’s no such thing as a real Mexican.

To answer that would just perpetuate a stereotype and alienates people who don’t fit that criteria.”

Rodriguez said De La Hoya has been victimized by his own efforts to blend U.S. and Mexican cultures. As a result, he is not fully accepted by either group.

Francisco Ceja, a Cal graduate who has been teaching history at Los Angeles Roosevelt High School, his alma mater, for eight years, says his students often have a misguided view on what it means to be proud of their heritage, but will look to role models in sports.

“It’s silly, but I hear that discussion come up with my students,” Ceja said. “They say Vargas is more ‘down’— in touch with his roots. Then I’ll ask, ‘What does it mean to be down? What does it mean to be Mexican? Can you be clean cut? Do you have to be one of the homies?’

They can’t give me a real answer.”

This is not the first time a fight has divided members of the same ethnic or racial group.

Against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and heated race relations, Muhammad Ali characterized Joe Frazier as the “white man’s champion” and repeatedly called him an Uncle Tom before their first fight, in 1971.