MONDAY APRIL 11, 2005 Vol. 126, No. 70
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INSIDE
STUDENT LIFE T H E I N D E P E N D E N T N E W S PA P E R O F WA S H I N G T O N U N I V E R S I T Y I N S T. L O U I S S I N C E 1 8 7 8
SWA to sit down with Univ. Council n John Edwards endorses sit-in, thanks protesters By Sarah Kliff Senior News Editor
The bookstore getting you down? It could be worse. Johnny Chang explains in today’s editorial cartoon.
PAGE 5 What do love, war, and picnics have in common? Here’s a hint: you can read about all of them in today’s Scene.
PAGE 10
With the recent endorsement of John Edwards, the Student Worker Alliance (SWA) will voice its demands for a living wage directly to Chancellor Mark Wrighton today. SWA secured today’s two meetings with the chancellor after storming his office Friday afternoon. Edwards, the former Democratic vice-presidential nominee, personally called SWA media contact Ojiugo Uzoma yesterday afternoon to notify the protesters of his support and thank them for their actions. Edwards learned of the sit-in through his involvement in the Service Employees International Union. The chancellor granted protesters access to the University Council meeting late Friday afternoon when four students refused to leave his office until he did so. Steve Givens, assistant to the chancellor, initially dismissed the protesters’ demands for a meeting with the chancellor but revised his statement when protesters made it clear that they would not leave the chancellor’s office. “There is no time,” Givens originally told protesters. “He hasn’t had 30 minutes all week long to spend on another meeting. He’s up at four o’clock in the morning and goes to bed at 11. He’s just not there.” Givens continued to explain that Wrighton was out of town and could not arrange a meeting at the time. SWA reasserted their demands, noting that they would not leave until they had
Managing Editor
PAGE 6 Roman Goldstein may no longer be senior Forum editor, but he still has a lot to say. Read what he and others think about the fight for a living wage in today’s Forum.
PAGE 5
When Aaron Keyak learned he had been listed last on the ballot for Student Union’s Arts & Sciences Senate election, he expected the placement to work against him. But as an incumbent senator with a strong record running against nine other candidates for eight total positions, he didn’t expect it to cost him re-election. Yet when the results came in, Keyak, a sophomore, was one of the two incumbents not elected. The other was sophomore Jeff Zove, who also boasts a record of involvement. Zove was listed second to last on the ballot, right below Keyak. SU officials agreed that such results indicate apathy on the part of voters. “It’s disappointing,” said Keyak. Speaking of Zove’s experience and past performance, he added, “It’s really a shame, and I can’t rationalize how Jeff lost without considering the ballot order.” SU Election Commissioner Andrew Benard, a freshman, organized and oversaw the elections. He explained that the ordering of candidates on the ballot was randomized and that candidates were made aware of their ballot position before the campaign period. He acknowledged the tendency for uninformed voters to select the candidates
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INDEX 1-3 News 4-5 Forum 6 Sports 8 Classifieds 7, 9-10 Scene
listed first, but he suggested that effective campaigning could overcome a disadvantageous ballot position. “The reason that Aaron Keyak and Jeff Zove didn’t win re-election is possibly a combination of their location on the ballot and the amount of campaigning that was
See SENATE, page 2
GLBTQA formal draws large crowd in first year By Helen Rhee Staff Reporter
WEATHER FORECAST
See SWA, page 3
Incumbent SU senators lose recent election By David Tabor
You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen the Bears play baseball. Read all about it in Sports.
secured a meeting with the chancellor. “We are unwilling to leave this office until we get a meeting with the chancellor immediately after the University Council meeting,” said protester Danielle Christmas. “If you need to cancel an appointment then that’s not a problem, because we’ve been trying to get on the calendar for months. Fortunately, we’re all tuition-paying students and we take priority just as other people do.” After 10 minutes of back and forth between the two parties, Givens contacted Wrighton by phone. In a discussion with Danielle Christmas, Wrighton granted two protesters admission to the University Council meeting. SWA also gained a private meeting with the chancellor this afternoon. Sophomore Joe Thomas, one of the students sitting in, attributed their success in gaining a meeting to their success with the sit-in. “I think the reason Givens was so freaked out was because he knows we’re capable of showing up in an office and not leaving,” said Thomas at SWA’s Friday afternoon rally. “I don’t think they understood that [last] Monday, but I think now they have figured it out.” The Monday morning University Council meeting will serve as a forum for the University’s senior leadership to listen to SWA’s demands. John Klein, executive vice-chancellor for administration, will deliver the presentation. “They’re our students and I think they will
Gayla, the University’s fi rst gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender formal, attracted a crowd of over 200 and fi lled MacMillan Café with attendees dancing, eating and spilling out into the adjoining courtyard to enjoy the cool night air. Jen Durham, one of the co-organizers of the event, remarked that the event was a great success. Durham, along with other organizers, have been planning Gayla since last October. “We probably have sold about 200 to 250 tickets. It looks great inside,” said Durham. “The decorations, food and the DJ—everything looks great. People are really excited to be here.” Several people expressed great appreciation by yelling out the words such as “amazing, great, wonderful and thank you” to those who have given them the opportunity to attend such an event. Durham, a member of a sorority, has attended many formals in the past and said that she felt most comfortable this weekend. Most organizers agreed that they accomplished their aim of providing an open and comfortable environment. “I just feel like people are more comfort-
STUDENT LIFE
able where I can be myself. I am in sorority where it is very heterosexual. But that is how they are,” said Durham. Martin Varghese, president of Outlaw, a gay-lesbian association at the School of Law, drew similar comparisons between Gayla and other formals. The formal reminded him of past experiences when he attended formals with girls before coming out of the closet. Upon learning about the event hosted by the undergraduates, he was defi nitely enthusiastic to come and support the event. “It’s like high school Homecoming,” said Varghese. Senior Daria Pelech, co-director of Safe Zones, was fi rst wary about not having enough allies attending the event, but as Macmillian Café began to fi ll, her worry was diminished. “I am really happy to see that we got such diverse crowd of people. We have gay, lesbians, bi, trans, allies, freshmen, senior, graduate school students and social workers all here to have fun,” said Pelech. The preparations for the event also included support from various community organizations. Community members donated many of the decorations, including the flowers and table sets. The live flowers placed
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DAVID BRODY | STUDENT LIFE
Sophomore SWA protester Nikhil Kothegal speaks to a crowd of supporters at SWA’s noon rally on Friday.
Campuses across country demand workers’ rights By Laura Geggel News Editor While civil disobedience may not be a common occurrence on the Washington University campus, the Student Worker Alliance’s (SWA) week-long occupation of the admissions office fits into a growing group of students voicing their demands through such strategies. Lasting from dozens of hours to nearly a month, student protests at universities across the country have focused attention on worker’s wages through varying tactics. The most recent protest occurred this past March when 20 students at Georgetown went on a nine-day hunger strike. “We were set up in a tent in the middle of the main campus plaza,” said Georgetown senior Liam Stack, one of the leaders of the Living Wage Coalition. Stack stressed how the enormous amount of outside support helped localize attention on Georgetown’s current payroll policy. “One day we had the president of the D.C. metro counsel of the AFL-CIO and the national secretary treasurer of the AFL-CIO came to our rally to give a speech,” said Stack. “After the rally, the speakers, along with over a hundred students, went to the president’s office to try to persuade him to implement a living wage. [We were] chanting and dancing—kind of a ruckus-ness,” Stack said. Georgetown President John DeGioia and Senior VicePresident Spiros Dimolitsas immediately canceled the meeting and would not leave their offices, but then one of the AFL-CIO leaders made a move that they could not ignore. “He got on a megaphone and announced that if Georgetown didn’t commit to a living wage by midnight the next night, then he and other leaders from the AFL-CIO nationally would go on hunger strikes with us,” Stack recalled. Union calls went out to as far as Boston and New York.
See ACTIVISM, page 3
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREAS JENINGA | THE HOYA
Students at Georgetown University staged a hunger strike on March 18 in the campus’s Red Square as part of their campaign to gain a living wage for university workers. Editor: editor@studlife.com News: news@studlife.com Calendar: calendar@studlife.com
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2 STUDENT LIFE | NEWS
News Editor / Sarah Kliff / news@studlife.com
MONDAY | APRIL 11, 2005
LOCAL
INTERNATIONAL
Sex boutique owner fights against Missouri billboard law
Iraqi president projects two-year timeframe for U.S. exit
John Haltom, owner of the Johnny Vegas Lingerie Boutique chain, is suing the state of Missouri to overturn a new law that prohibits the use of billboards advertising sexually-oriented material within one mile of state highways. He has claimed that the law violates First Amendment rights. Haltom recently won a legal battle against the city of Alton, Mo., which opposed the recent opening of one of his stores. The city’s historic preservation committee attempted to prevent the store’s opening by citing the business’s violation of a limit on garish colors, but failed to do so when the issue was brought to court.
the WUrld Compiled by the News Staff
CAMPUS Music department presents concert on women’s health This Tuesday, April 12, the Washington University Department of Music is presenting “A Concert on Women’s Mental Health,” featuring texts by Emily Dickinson and Sylvia Plath. Several vocalists in the music program will also perform, including mezzo soprano Deborah Stinson, who will sing three songs Aaron Copeland wrote in response to Dickinson’s poetry. The concert, free and open to the public, will take place at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum in Steinberg Hall at 8 p.m.
GAYLA n FROM PAGE 1
www.ucollege.wustl.edu/summersc
on each table were donated by a local lesbian florist couple. According to Durham, the Gayla committee may donate the money raised from the event to a nonprofit organization. So far, they estimate that the event raised $700-$750 from the event. “We are thinking about donating to a GLBTQ community center in St. Louis, but we haven’t made any decisions yet,” said Durham. Many people who attended the event expressed great hope that it would continue next year, including Durham. “We are seniors, but we hope that it will happen again.” Many universities throughout the nation have already hosted similar galas on their campuses. Cornell and Kansas State both hosted drag balls last year. Senior Andrew Ross, former president of Spectrum Alliance, noted that this could be a great start to a new University tradition. “Because I have always wanted gay formal to happen in this University for four years, I am thrilled that it fi nally happened,” said Ross. “Everyone is being super friendly, everyone is having great time. It’s a great mix of people: people I know, people I don’t know.”
Lightman speaks on the intersection of physics and literature Alan Lightman, physicist and best-selling author of “Einstein’s Dreams” will be lecturing this Wednesday at 11 a.m. in Graham Chapel. Lightman, who is Adjunct Professor of Humanities at MIT, has also written five other books and conducted research in areas of gravitation theory, the structure and behavior of accretion disks, stellar dynamics, radiative processes and relativistic plasmas. Lightman will have a question and answer session Wednesday afternoon from 3:00-4:00 p.m. in Hurst Lounge on the second floor of Duncker, where he will most likely discuss his double disciplinary life in both literature and physics.
SENATE n FROM PAGE 1 done by them and the other candidates in the race,” said Benard. Benard explained that the SU Constitutional Council is considering revising the balloting process, randomizing the order of every ballot so that no candidate is given preference. In the past, logistical difficulties with the WebSTAC voting system have prevented this technique from being used. SU President David Ader noted that both senators had contributed greatly to SU over the past year. “They’ve been two of our most active senators,” Ader said. Keyak and Zove were two of this year’s five finalists for Senator of the Year. Keyak organized and ran the recent Digital Expo, which introduced students to the music downloading services that SU might purchase for them. Zove, who served as chair of the Food Committee and was once Student Union’s Senator of the Month, was noted for his work organizing the Taco Bell student surveys. Ader acknowledged a tendency for students to vote for the first candidates listed on a ballot, perhaps without being familiar with the candidates. He said that the issue of voter apathy continues to be a significant concern as Student Union works to ensure the fairness of elections. In e-mail correspondence with sophomore Tommy Honton, who expressed concern to Ader over the fairness of the election, Ader wrote, “We believe the true problem is voter apathy, lack
Did you have a problem "getting a grip" in class this year?
of information regarding SU and SU’s abilities and a lack of effort by SU to get students involved in its own elections.” “It’s a problem we have to deal with, and we’re constantly trying to improve,” said Ader. SU takes several steps to promote its elections and encourage students to become informed about the candidates, Ader explained. This year SU sent emails to students and bought advertisements in Student Life to remind them of the upcoming elections. Ader explained that Zove would be appointed to a vacant seat and thus might be able to serve in next year’s Senate. Keyak, however, may not be as fortunate. Zove said that while he had no complaints about how the election had been run, he hopes that the system itself is reconsidered. “I think the whole process needs to be re-evaluated,” said Zove. “It’s clear that there’s a correlation between the order of a candidate on the ballot and the number of votes.”
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Jalal Talabani, the recently elected president of Iraq, projected that his country would be able to develop the infrastructure to secure domestic order within two years. Currently, some 140,000 U.S. troops aid in that process. While Talabani acknowledged that the removal of U.S. forces from Iraq could depend on factors other than military self-sufficiency, he said his country is working to establish its own military forces as quickly as possible. On Saturday, several thousand protesters gathered in Iraq to call for the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq in a series of demonstrations that marked the two-year anniversary of the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime. U.S. officials have repeatedly announced they will not place a deadline on the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq.
Pilgrims crowd Roman churches to mourn Pope A series of daily masses continue in the period of mourning in Rome over the loss of Pope John Paul II. Millions of faithful journeyed to Rome for the Friday funeral of the Pope, which was viewed on television by tens of millions. More than 100,000 mourners gathered in St. Peter’s Square. Cardinals remain silent about the selection process of the new pope, which will soon be underway.
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MONDAY | APRIL 11, 2005
Three WU students elected to national positions in AMSA By Troy Rumans Contributing Reporter The American Medical Student Association recently elected three Washington University School of Medicine students to prominent positions, including national president. Leana S. Wen was elected president, Kao-Ping Chua was hired to be a Jack Rutledge Fellow and Andrew Reininke has been elected as an associate regional trustee for the association’s annual convention. The American Medical Student Association (AMSA) is a 50,000-plus strong organization devoted to the concerns of medical students and advancing the situation of health care in the United States today. Currently, it primarily focuses on lobbying the U.S. government to provide healthcare coverage for uninsured Americans. Wen noted that this mission influenced her involvement in the organization. “What drove me to the medical profession was AMSA. … I wanted to help on the personal level, but I also wanted to help on the global level. AMSA does that,” Wen said. Wen has been a student of the University for four years and an avid AMSA member for over seven. She plans on combining a profession in gynecology with clinical health policy. She recently took a year off from medical school to research sickle cell anemia in African communities. In order to fulfi ll her duties as president of the AMSA, Wen will leave today for a oneyear stay in Washington, D.C. Her duties while in office include lobbying on behalf of AMSA members, leading the organization in everyday affairs, and acting as a spokesperson on behalf of the association to the public. Its focus on improving care for patients is what drew Wen to the AMSA. “We do not fight for ourselves,” Wen said. “We fight for our patients. We are trying to come to a solution that is tangible, not only for the patients, but for the medical staff as well.”
Chua feels much the same way. His position as a Jack Rutledge Fellow entails working in the Washington D.C. area for the next year promoting the association’s goal of universal healthcare. This has been a passionate interest of Chua’s for some time. “When I went into medicine, it didn’t have anything to do with social justice. I was interested in an academic career… but I think I’ve seen too much injustice going through medical school because of medical insurance. I saw too much waste of life. … When I heard about this fellowship, I thought this would be my chance to fight for something I strongly believe in,” Chua said. Chua also strongly concurs with the AMSA view of putting patients fi rst. Another key focus of the AMSA lies in training future leaders of medical society. The leadership skills that the organization fosters commonly transmit into real life. “The big thing is that we train future physician leaders,” said Chua. “Many have served in government positions and are current deans in medical schools. They got their opportunities because of AMSA.” In a recent medical school press release, Dr. Larry Shapiro, executive vice chancellor for medical affairs and dean of the School of Medicine, said the school is privileged to educate “the most academically gifted and broadly talented medical students in America." "Our mission is to graduate future leaders in biological sciences and medicine. It is therefore quite gratifying to see so many of our students playing a leadership role on a national scene with this important medical organization," Shapiro said. This has been a major accomplishment for the University. The last major position within AMSA fi lled by someone from the University was over 20 years ago. As a result, having three students elected to the AMSA this year represents a marked change, considering there has not been
SWA n FROM PAGE 1 present their demands rationally,” said James McLeod, dean of students and a member of University Council. “My assumption is they want to make themselves seem presentable and rational.” After the issue is presented in the University Council, a decision is reached either by the entire council or by the chancellor. McLeod did not foresee a conclusion to this issue coming out of today’s meeting. “I never make predictions, but my opinion is that it generally takes further information and de-
liberation,” said McLeod. “[The University Council meeting] is more of a discussion.” Although the SWA members will not be able to participate in the meeting, Thomas thinks that observing how the University presents their demands will be beneficial to the protesters’ efforts. “It’s useful to know how our information is presented and what reactions it is getting,” said Thomas.
DAVID BRODY | STUDENT LIFE
Sophomore SWA member Nikhil Kothegal, right, confronts Assistant to the Chancellor Steve Givens, left, in the Chancellor’s office on Friday. Givens was visibly frazzled and annoyed when Kothegal and three other SWA members came into the office and refused to leave until they received an appointment with Chancellor Wrighton.
ACTIVISM n FROM PAGE 1 “We started to get feedback from different people we’d never even heard of before say they were going to join the hunger strike.” About two hours before the midnight deadline, Georgetown sent out a mass e-mail to all of the faculty, staff and students announcing that they would pay a living wage to their workers. Their new “Just Employment Policy” states that all workers will receive a living wage by 2006. Successful civil disobedience at Stanford and Harvard preceded the Georgetown victory. Students at Stanford, through a week-long hunger strike in spring of 2003, created a committee that focused on a living wage and a campuswide fair labor code of conduct. Stanford senior Anna Mumford, one of the six fasters, said that while some may have seen the hunger strike as extreme, many later came to support their actions. “One of the major criticisms was, ‘Oh, this is just a radical group of students doing this on their own.’ [But] when people came out and saw that there were workers out there on their lunch breaks doing work to support the fast, [people] realized that it wasn’t just about the students, it was a community thing,” Mumford said. When the University approved for the creation of a committee that would assess the living wage problem, they deviated from the student’s original plans for who would serve as decision makers. “We’d agreed for the arrangement of this committee, like how many students, how many workers, [but] we didn’t specify who would pick which people sat on this committee,” said Mumford. “[It] ended up being really flawed.”
To the dismay of the Stanford Labor Action Coalition, Stanford University avoided placing any students who were involved in labor organizations or workers who earned low wages to sit on the committee. Although the committee did address some of the living wage problems, the Stanford administration has yet to commit to the contents of the presidential advisory committee’s report. “We haven’t won anything really concrete; right now we’re trying to figure out how are we going to mobilize campus support for another sort of radical action to impress the University to actually implement what the advisory committee recommended,” Mumford said. In spring of 2001 the Progressive Student Labor Movement (PSLM) at Harvard held a sit-in that supported a living wage for all of the university’s employees that lasted 21 days. PSLM’s 46 members ran into problems when campus police at fi rst stopped food supply from outside supporters. The police relented when 20 dining hall workers chanting “Living Wage,” arrived with pizza dinners. Other notable supporters were American historian and Harvard professor Howard Zinn, as well as Massachusetts Senator and Harvard alum Ted Kennedy. By mid-May, Harvard had agreed to form a committee consisting of union workers, students, faculty and administrators who would examine the cost of living in the Boston area and create guidelines for subcontracting and benefits.
-With additional reporting by Mandy Silver
STUDENT LIFE | NEWS
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4 STUDENT LIFE | FORUM
Forum Editor / Molly Antos / forum@studlife.com
FORUM
MONDAY | APRIL 11, 2005
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS Write a letter to the editor letters@studlife.com or Campus Box 1039 Submit an opinion column forum@studlife.com or Campus Box 1039
STAFF EDITORIAL
Force-feeding us ‘legal’ P2P
R
esTech, on behalf of Washington University, hosted a digital media expo last Thursday at which several “legal” downloading services were present, hawking their wares to students. The event was presented to us as a way to discover the various legal options we have as students to download music, and as a way for ResTech to gauge student interest in having the university partner with one of these services in order to offer campus-wide music and movie downloading. After the expo, there was also an hour-long question-and-answer session with legal representatives from the record industry, movie industry, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Washington University General Counsel. ResTech is to be lauded for arranging both of these events, if their real intent was to further copyright discussion among students. However, after observing both events, what has become clear
is that their underlying purpose was not to “discuss” copyright with us, but rather to force-feed it to us. The fact remains that no matter how much the industry may wish to deny it, the legality or illegality of file sharing is in question. There is no defi nitive answer as to what constitutes infringing activity. For example, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which is the RIAA’s legal weapon-ofchoice, has been ruled by a D.C. federal appeals court to be not applicable to file sharing. In RIAA vs. Verizon, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsburg wrote, “In any event, not only is the statute [the DMCA] clear (albeit complex), the legislative history of the DMCA betrays no awareness whatsoever that Internet users might be able directly to exchange files containing copyrighted works. That is not surprising; P2P software was ‘not even a glimmer in anyone’s eye when
the DMCA was enacted.’” That is only one counter-example to the industry’s argument that new file downloading services are the only legal P2P services. There are many more. However, none of these, including the “fair use doctrine,” was talked about at the expo (fair use was discussed at the panel). Instead, students were given only one point of view: the industry’s. Before you even entered the expo, you were offered to take a “Copyright Quiz,” which asked various questions about copyright and what you may believe to be legal. Once inside, you were bombarded with pitches and flyers arguing the industry’s definition of file-sharing legality—one that you can imagine isn’t unbiased. The services offered by vendors were promoted with terms like “legitimate” and “legal.” At the question-and-answer session, Jonathan Whitehead, a online-piracy lawyer from the RIAA, said that the
RIAA represents 90% of the industry’s “legitimate sound recordings.” At this same Q&A session, several questions were raised about fair-use, which garnered a “well, that’s a difficult topic” response, and as such the questions went unanswered, even from the EFF representative. This is not to say that the University shouldn’t have put on these events; in fact, it would have been worse not to have them. However, if the University wants to really solicit its students in its decision-making, it should provide multiple points of view. Where were representatives from Bit Torrent, or eDonkey? How about lawyers from Grokster? Why weren’t we given flyers about the legal status of file sharing as it exists in the courts right now? These are only some of the questions the University failed to address. We hope that future events bring more diversity in point of view.
KRT CAMPUS | EDITORIAL CARTOON
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Correction: STEVE SACK | KRT CAMPUS
In Friday, April 8’s news story “Workers afraid to speak out,” a statement that workers were fired after a 1998 living wage rally was misattributed to SWA leader Ojiugo Uzoma. Student Life regrets the error.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Keep the riff-raff out of libraries Dear Editor: Re: “Stranger than Fiction: Nudity & Mischief in Olin Library,” [Apr. 8, 2005]. I read the article with great pleasure. As an employee of the Kopolow Business Library, we too get our fair share of depraved individuals and oddballs in the library. I could go into all kinds of detail about the disturbances that these people cause. Recently, an entire squad of WUPD came to the library looking for a “suspicious person” who turned out to be someone not affi liated with the University. In my experience, the vast majority of these individuals do nothing but cause trouble, engage in rude interactions with library staff and/or use up a disproportionate amount of library resources. I seriously encourage the University to restrict the use of the University library system to only those affi liated in some way with the University. The general public can always use the public libraries in the area, which are actually meant to benefit the public, rather than disturb students and misuse resources at Wash U. -Jayanth Iyengar Class of 2007
Lack of info on living wage Dear Editor: The central issue in the campaign for the living wage, in my mind, is a lack of information. Clearly, there must be two arguable sides to the dispute if our good Chancellor Wrighton would reject implementing a living wage while the task force that he constructed of administration, faculty and students would unanimously recommend accepting it. As a friend of mine argued recently, he has “faith in people” and cannot accept the idea that Wrighton, a known philanthropist, would callously refuse aid to struggling employees. Could SWA be simplifying the Chancellor’s responses to their requests? Perhaps, but I’ve read as many primary documents as I can fi nd and it seems like SWA has been handing out massive amounts of information on their position while I have yet to hear a peep out of the Chancellor in his defense other than that the issue is “complex” and other such banalities. This does not mean I believe the Chancellor to be an
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evil appropriator of human rights, but I hope he soon realizes that his avoidance of the issue itself makes it easier to underline the business aspect of his job and increasingly difficult to defend him and his seeming dismissal of the SWA. Whether I agree with the protesters and their methods or not, if his students take something this seriously, I think Wrighton has a duty to respect their views and in the least give them some valid reasons if he disagrees with them. I should hope that the protest itself is not purely motivated by the adrenaline “energy” of protesting. In light of the fact that the Chancellor has told them that they will negotiate after the sit-in is through, it seems like the situation has somewhat defaulted to a struggle for the upper hand in these negotiations; SWA is trying to ensure actual results by forcing negotiations on their terms, while the Chancellor tries to wait it out so that other groups don’t start thinking that protesting is a great way to make things happen. -Ruth Poland Class of 2008
David Brody Brian Sotak Laura Geggel, Brad Nelson Mandy Silver Zach Goodwin, Daniel Milstein, Jeff Stepp, Brian Schroeder Adam Summerville, Jordan Deam Kristin McGrath, Sarah Klein Scott Kaufman-Ross Pam Buzzetta, Oliver Hulland,
Free market not a moral decisionmaker Dear Editor: Re: “Not poor; not earning a living wage” [Apr. 8, 2005]. While I’m curious about the details of Steven Hoffman’s fi nancial situation (whether his parents are cosigning any loans, whether he’s supporting a family of three as assumed in the $9.79/hour + benefits fi gure), my main argument with him is the status of the free market. While he apparently sees it and any results stemming from it as an unmitigated moral good, I see it as a tool, and the best one we’ve got. However, like any tool, it can be used wisely or poorly, and we can all think of examples from the history of this country (slavery, robberbaron industrialism) where it was used poorly. Our responsibility as citizens is to set the boundaries where this tool is to be used, and SWA and I think those boundaries should not include keeping working families in poverty. Finally, the attacks made in the last paragraph of this
David Hartstein
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letter are completely antithetical to the spirit of free and open debate, as well as completely unsupported. Though perhaps Hoffman did not have the benefit of the article “Workers afraid to speak out” that appeared in the same issue as his letter, it should be clear that SWA is concerned with helping those that cannot help themselves out of fear for their livelihood. -Tim Lewandowski Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
Families need a living wage Dear Editor: Re: “Not poor; not earning a living wage” [Apr. 8, 2005]. I am a single mother who supports her daughter on student loans, welfare and my work-study job. I agree that workers on campus don’t make enough money to live above the poverty line. Hoffman said that the unskilled labor on campus should not get “infl ated wages.” I ask him: do you know what it costs to raise a family?
I understand that economics are important, but what about the standard of living? Do you know what it is like to live on welfare? I know we are not a perfect world, but we can, and should, try to make a difference. Hoffman pointed out that these student activists were the “privileged, emotional, protected members of society.” I personally have no problem with them fi ghting the fi ght. I would love to be out there making my voice heard, but I cannot afford to miss work. A lot of the campus employees have families. I would like to see if Hoffman could be so up front with criticism if he really knew what it was like to see a cupboard bare or an eviction notice. I think it is good to see students try and make a difference. We should be proud of them for standing up for something. We pay a small fortune to attend this privileged school; shouldn’t the workers get something? After all, they are what keep the campus running. - Corrine Edwards Class of 2005
Copyright 2005 Washington University Student Media, Inc. (WUSMI). Student Life is the financially and editorially independent, student-run newspaper serving the Washington University community. First copy of each publication is free; all additional copies are 50 cents. Subscriptions may be purchased for $80.00 by calling (314) 935-6713. Student Life is a publication of WUSMI and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the Washington University administration, faculty or students. All Student Life articles, photos and graphics are the property of WUSMI and may not be reproduced or published without the express written consent of the General Manager. Pictures and graphics printed in Student Life are available for purchase; e-mail editor@studlife.com for more information. Student Life reserves the right to edit all submissions for style, grammar, length and accuracy. The intent of submissions will not be altered. Student Life reserves the right not to publish all submissions. If you’d like to place an ad, please contact the Advertising Department at (314) 935-6713. If you wish to report an error or request a clarification, e-mail editor@studlife.com.
Forum Editor / Molly Antos / forum@studlife.com
MONDAY | APRIL 11, 2005
STUDENT LIFE | FORUM
5
Love of one’s neighbor and the living wage By Gregg Keithley Op-ed solicitation
F
or many members of SWA, the Brookings Hall “occupation” is motivated by a real desire to help the truly sorrowful situation that many workers at Washington University are in. There can be no doubt that $7.50 per hour (the lowest starting wage for subcontracted works at the University) is not very much money, and there can be no doubt that it is hard to make ends meet on such an income. In talking to some of the members of SWA, I have noticed that a genuine love of one’s neighbor has motivated them to support the living wage. My confusion with SWA, particularly this past week, is that, if helping the poor is really the motivation, it seems as if there are more urgent battles to fight. I have recently joined the St. Vincent de Paul Society, a Catholic charitable organization. This group deals face to face with people in the St. Louis area to provide them with
money for food, electricity, running water and gas. The Society does not actually provide money for overdue rent, because money is stretched too thin as it is trying to pay for people who cannot afford these even greater necessities. Many of the people who apply for help from the Society are in truly destitute situations: one woman is a single mother with three children, one of which is severely disabled. She has to choose between working so she can feed her family or staying home to take care of her disabled child, who would be in grave danger if let alone. Until the Society provided money for a table, the family had to eat off of the floor because the mother could not afford furniture. If someone, holding two fulltime jobs paying around $8 per hour each, were to apply to the Society for help, they would almost certainly be denied. There are just that many other, more destitute cases of poverty in the area. My question, then, is: if SWA really wants to help the poor, why are they focusing on the people who,
comparatively, are much better off than many others in the area? I had the opportunity to pose this question to two SWA members and neither was able to give me an adequate response. One member told me that she was not sure whether the living wage movement was really the best possible means to helping the poor but that she wanted to do something. I truly appreciated her honesty and lack of ideological commitment to any particular cause. I also hope that SWA would not offer a cityor state-wide living wage as a solution to this problem. While this op-ed is not about economics, any genuine research into whether or not a law-mandated living wage would actually help the poor would inevitably conclude that it would in fact hurt them. There is as much consensus about this in scholarly economics as there is about anything. Finally, I would like to say a few brief comments about the attitude SWA has exhibited towards the administration. The actions of SWA,
as well as their explicit comments, indicate that they think that the University is evil and greedy for failing to give the workers a living wage. The University is fully within its rights, morally, to offer its workers whatever wage they will accept. Whatever it offers to them beyond this market minimum is done out of charity and benevolence (or at least political pressures). They no more deserve this public outcry than you or I do for spending $250 on a mp3 player when there are people who have to beg to have heating during the winter. The University does not deserve the vitriol that has been cast at it. It truly makes one wonder (and perhaps this should serve as a piece of marketing advice for SWA) whether or not the bulk of SWA is really motivated by love of their neighbor, since they seem to be capable of so publicly and straightforwardly hating other human beings. Gregg is a sophomore in Arts & Sciences. He can be reached via e-mail at gwkeithl@wustl.edu.
Living wage hurts Latino workers HOW ‘BOUT IT? By Roman Goldstein Op-ed submission
T
he Student Worker Alliance is concerned with the welfare of the worst-off on campus. I share this concern, but have grave doubts about the consequences of their living wage campaign. In fact, the campaign will hurt the worst-off of the worst-off—the Latino migrant workers on campus. Compared to most students, campus workers have it bad. They earn wages that few students would be willing to accept, except perhaps as a summer or entry-level job. And the wages—$8 per hour, according to SWA estimates—are not enough to keep family breadwinners above the federal poverty line. Using the St. Louis aldermen’s figures, a living wage—the wage needed to keep a family above the poverty line—in St. Louis would be $9.79 per hour with full benefits. But the concept of the poverty line is problematic. For example, the poverty line for a family of four is $19,350, according to 2005 statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That’s what the federal government says it annually costs a family of four to live in the continental U.S. Given that the poverty line for a single person is $9,570, a Mexican migrant worker earning $19,350 sends roughly $10,000 per year back to his family in Mexico, or $833 per month. According to Mexican government statistics, only 11 percent of Mexicans earn $600 or more per month in their home country. So far from a living wage, SWA wants to make
migrant workers economic elites in their home country. That’s a good thing. I’m a big fan of redistributive justice (pejoratively known as “tax the rich, feed the poor”), and I especially believe in that on an international scale: Americans have a duty to help poor nations. But a living wage at Wash U will keep money in the country, rather than allowing it to go to developing nations. Compared with much of the developing world, America’s working class is wealthy, so a true commitment to helping the worst-off would mean helping the developing world, not the American working class. SWA’s proposal will do the exact opposite of that by costing migrant workers their jobs at the University. The workers are here on H-2B visas, which are fairly difficult to get approved (only 66,000 are authorized per year). Among other requirements, an American employer can only hire migrants on H-2B visas if he cannot fi nd Americans able and willing to do the work. That means he has to advertise the positions in local newspapers, talk to unions and have his failed efforts certified by the federal Department of Labor. At current wage levels, no American wants the migrants’ jobs. If all service workers get living wages, you better believe Americans will take those jobs; $9.79 an hour plus full benefits is much better than Wal-Mart or other retail jobs. And since H-2B visas are only seasonal, when an American takes a migrant worker’s job, the migrant worker loses the ability to work in the U.S. for far more than he could earn in his native country. Thus, the migrant’s family loses a
great source of income, while workingclass Americans benefit from higher wages. Living wage, then, is a transfer of wealth from the world’s worst-off to America’s working class, which is well off compared to developing nations. Migrant workers at Wash U can’t afford a living wage, so SWA should be looking for other ways to improve their lives. First and foremost, migrants need help learning English so as to be employable in many American jobs. Also, subsidized wire transfers would help the workers send more money back to their struggling families. Third, the University could increase pay, but not so much that Americans want migrant workers’ jobs. Finally, providing them with legal assistance with immigration procedures would be truly helpful; our nationally renowned clinical program at the law school doesn’t have an immigration law clinic. My parents fled anti-Semitism and economic despair in Argentina, virtually starting over from nothing in the U.S. The Holy Grail for my parents was not joining a union or getting a pay raise, but getting a green card. If SWA really wanted to help the worst-off at Wash U, they would push the University to sponsor migrant workers for permanent residency (it would be difficult, admittedly). That, and not a living wage, would be a huge boon to the Latino workers on campus. Roman is a senior in Arts & Sciences. He can be reached via e-mail at rgoldstein@wustl.edu.
Capitalistic patriotism You see them everywhere, but mostly on the backs and sides of people’s automobiles. I’m talking about those yellow or red, white and blue ribbons that say “Support Our Troops.” Ask an owner why he or she sports such a display, and he or she will likely reply, “Because it’s patriotic.” Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t get it. Since when has patriotism become a commercialized, blanket authorization of policy? Am I part of a generation on which patriotism is lost? Are we too young to understand “the price of freedom?” Think about it: we’ve never grown up in a world where war was anything other than a “conflict”: two Iraqs and an Afghanistan, neither of which could be considered anything like World War II and Vietnam. We’ve never practiced hiding under our desks for fear the Japanese would bombard us. We’ve never built bomb shelters for fear the Soviets would nuke us. Sure, we might have bought duct tape and plastic tarpaulin, or stocked up on bottled water, but has the colored alert system ever really worried anyone? The only “air-raid” sirens I’ve ever heard are the monthly tests of St. Louis’ tornado-alert
Jeff Stepp
system. As such, we’ve grown up in divisive political society that asks us to choose right or left. We’ve become cynics and skeptics, impatiently waiting to pounce on and devour Bush’s next policy endorsement, or Hilary Clinton’s next campaign move. So is it no surprise for me to snicker when I see a ribbon? Iraq has become almost a joke in and of itself; Bush and Congress (both Democrats and Republicans) have made such utter gaffes and errors in their treatment of Iraq that almost no one, except the most politically submissive, can take the Iraq situation seriously. The daily mounting death tolls are no longer news, and we are sadly no longer affected by them. Also, consider that you can purchase a ribbon on the Internet for about $2, from sites such as mybargainbin.com and savesucash.com, the proceeds from which don’t actually go to the troops, but to these companies’ wallets. If you really wanted to support your troops, you’d lobby Congress to bring them home, to increase their pay, to reunite them with their families and to provide them with the necessary equipment to avoid being killed. So stick a ribbon on the back of your car if you wish, but recognize that supporting the troops doesn’t mean supporting the war. Am I part of a lost generation, a foolish generation, a generation too young? Maybe I am. But I’d rather be lost, foolish and living than be smart, complacent and dying in a misguided war. ***
To those of you who are familiar with my work, hello again. To those who aren’t, hello. To those who are and who aren’t, I want to say that I’m very excited to be one of your Forum editors for the next year. If you haven’t already, run for the hills. The first thing I realize about this position is that a Forum editor is only that: an editor. I will write a weekly column, but the bulk of Forum is built around you, the reader, and your thoughts. Please contribute as much as you want; I will read everything, and publish as much as I can. I have my own opinions on issues, but those will in no way influence the material I publish. The only rules I will go by are these: the piece must be thoughtful, tasteful, wellwritten and within the 500-700 word limit. Our email address is forrum@studlife.com. You can email your pieces there anytime, though you must get them in by Friday night for Monday publication. What will I write about in my weekly column? I will try to have a good mix of opinions on Washington University issues, St. Louis issues and national issues. I have a keen interest in politics, so that will often be at the heart of my columns. I hope to spark informed debate about many topics, and as such no issue is too controversial and no person or institution is exempt from question. Not even Democrats. Jeff is a junior in Arts & Sciences. He can be reached via e-mail at forum@studlife.com.
JOHNNY CHANG | EDITORIAL CARTOON
- compiled by Roman Goldstein
MATCH: WRIGHTON VS. SWA
WINNER: Unknown The Wage War escalated with the Annexation of Admissions, but Wrighton is MIA.
MATCH: NANETTE TARBOUNI OF ADMISSIONS VS. JOE THOMAS OF SWA
WINNER: Tarbouni Give Thomas credit for taking up the challenge, but he seemed on the defensive the whole bout.
MATCH: CATHOLICISM VS. CAPITALISM
WINNER: Capitalism Archbishop John Foley said that as Catholics get wealthier, they become stingier. Money is more important than mass, seemingly.
MATCH: CLOCKY VS. TRADITIONAL ALARM CLOCKS
WINNER: Clocky It’s an alarm clock that moves when you hit snooze. There’s no excuse to oversleep the alarm now.
MATCH: L.A. VS. MIAMI
WINNER: Miami Economists expect housing prices in L.A. to fizzle, while Miami’s real estate prices will continue to surge.
The pirate’s life for me
By John Hewitt
Op-ed Submission
A
few days ago, our fair university was beset upon by a plague of wandering salesmen, as you well may know. They came with a singular purpose; to represent their corporate overlords to an ignorant and vulnerable population of young citizens. As a rule, we children are woefully ignorant of the laws set forth by our founding fathers to protect our artists and inventors, who are the vanguard of our Republic. Britney Spears! Evanescence! Eminem! Bennifer Anniston! Snoop Dogg! They are in danger of being wiped out like an isolated tribe on a tiny island in the Indian Ocean by a colossal tidal wave of vile piracy summoned by an international conspiracy of nihilist nerds. But this is not why our university seeks to lead us from the dangers of the criminal and frivolous disregard of copyright law. The welfare of our nation’s artists, strangely enough, does not seem to be the primary concern of our Ministry of Technology. Instead, there appears to be a genuine wish to protect students from being set upon by the righteous fists of the law. Call it materialist self-interest if you will – no university wishes to have its name in the newspaper for having one of its students arrested as a pirate – but I’ll call it institutional love. However, the data-mongers who visited us last Thursday at the Digital Expo have no such love for our little polity. The university is our Internet Service Provider (ISP), and it is small compared to the great ones that service the rest of the Republic. While it is difficult for the legal departments representing the record labels and movie companies to strong-arm national ISPs to conform to their specifications, it is a simple matter to intimidate small providers to do so. With concerns of limited bandwidth added to the mix, a situation like ours results. Our network has crippled functionality that would be unacceptable for any public ISP. Most file-sharing programs are disabled, which limits the amount of copyrighted material passing illegally through the system. As a consequence, online media distributors have special opportunities for profit from small, heavily regulated ISPs run by universities because they are exposed to less competition from the black market. You can see this reflected by subscription-based vendors. Some offer files that will no longer be usable once the consumer closes their individual subscription with the company. They give discounts for colleges who wish to make bulk purchases of accounts for their students. It’s not a bad scam, but it’s one that’s a raw deal for the University and its students, especially after students graduate. I would not want to be roped into continually paying a subscription fee so that I could maintain possession of music that I have purchased. I can understand renting an apartment, but I don’t quite grasp the need to rent music or movies, especially when more permanent options are easily available on the marketplace. I will not support the contracting of any legal downloading service that will result in my paying additional fees to the University. Consumer habits should be a matter of individual choice, and no student should be required to pay extra for any such service just to use the school’s ISP. I make no objection to the growth of legal file sharing on campus, but don’t force me to be part of the whole business. I made my decision years ago. The pirate’s life is for me. John is a freshman in Arts & Sciences. He can be reached via e-mail at jkhewitt@wustl.edu.
6 STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS
Sports Editor / Justin Davidson / sports@studlife.com
Bears baseball extends winning streak to 11 games
PORTS S
By Andrew Nackman and Justin Davidson Sports Staff
• COMPILED AND EDITED BY HARRY KANG AND JUSTIN DAVIDSON • DESIGNED BY ANNA DINNDORF
BASEBALL
MEN’S TENNIS
Last Games: Wash U 14, Westminster 2
Last Meet: Wash U 4, Lindenwood 3
Team Notes: Sophomore Brent Buffa improved to 8-0 for the season. Buffa pitched a complete game, allowing eight hits while striking out four. Junior Ryan Corning cranked a solo home run in the third inning. In the eighth inning, the Bears scored six runs to put the game away for good.
Team Notes: The Bears recorded their ninth win of the season with a dramatic victory over Lindenwood. The Bears swept the three doubles matches. The Bears have now won eight straight matches.
Did You Know? The Bears have now won 11 straight games. Next Game: The Bears are scheduled to host MacMurray College on April 11 at 2 p.m.
MONDAY | APRIL 11, 2005
Next Meet: The Bears will square off against University of Missouri-St. Louis on Wednesday, Apr. 13 at 4 p.m. National Ranking: No. 13
TRACK AND FIELD
Last weekend, the Washington University varsity baseball team played back-to-back doubleheaders against Knox College and swept the four-game series. The team dominated Saturday’s games, winning 12-4 and 15-2, and persevered in Sunday’s contests, winning 8-7 and 4- 0. In the first game of the series against Knox, sophomore Brent Buffa picked up his team-leading seventh win, limiting the opponent to two earned runs. The hitting stars were shortstop and co-captain junior Ryan Corning, who went three-for-three and scored three times, and third baseman junior Sam Hahn, who collected three hits including two doubles; catcher junior Alan Germano aided in the effort by going two-for-three with two RBIs on the day. In the second game of the series, a 15-2 win, sophomore Andy Shields pitched six strong innings for the win while striking out eight. The bats got going early as the team
a complete game shutout. He struck out five and gave up four hits. Hahn went two–forthree in the win. Germano hit an RBI triple and senior Michael Lobosco went one-for-one with a double and an RBI sacrifice bunt. Looking ahead, Wash U travels to Maryville University for a doubleheader on Tuesday. On Wednesday they visit Illinois College in Jacksonville, Ill., and on Thursday they take on Westminster College in Fulton, Mo. Sitting at 24-4, the team hopes to continue their strong play and extend their eight-game winning streak. On Tuesday, April 5, the Bears took on Maryville University and extended their win streak to 10 games with 11-2 and 12-4 wins, respectively, in their doubleheader. In the first game, McPheeters pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on six hits, while striking out seven. Corning went two-fortwo, driving in an RBI while scoring two runs. In game two, junior Jim Haley also pitched a complete game for the Bears, allowing only one earned run on eight hits. Hahn knocked in two RBIs and scored three runs in his onefor-two effort, while drawing three walks.
Last Meets: The women’s squad finished third and the men’s squad finished second at the WU Select Invitational. Team Notes: Senior Hallie Hutchens won both the 100-meter and the 400-meter hurdle events. Sophomore Delaina Martin finished fourth in the shotput and freshman Allyson Heard finished sixth in the hammer throw. On the men’s side, senior Lance Moen finished first in the 400-meter dash. Junior Jimmy Centella finished third in the 800-meter race. Next Meet: Wash U is set to participate in the North Central Quad in Naperville, Ill., this Saturday, April 16.
SOFTBALL Last Games: Wash U swept Fontbonne University by the scores of 1-0 and 1-0. PAM BUZZETTA | STUDENT LIFE
Team Notes: Junior slugger Monica Hanono blasted a game-winning home run in the bottom of the fourth inning of the second game. Sophomore Laurel Sagartz picked up both of the wins for the Bears, improving her season record to 15-1. The Bears have not allowed an earned run in the last 11 games, which amounts to a total of 70.1 innings. Did You Know? The Bears are only two wins away from tying their team record of wins in a season (33). Next Game: The Bears are scheduled to travel to Greenville, Ill., to square off against Greenville College on Friday, April 15 at 4 p.m. National Ranking: No. 2
WOMEN’S TENNIS Last Meet: Wash U placed fourth at the Midwest Invitational.
Sophomore Andy Shields takes a swing against Knox College on April 3. Over the Bears’ (27-4) 11-game win streak, Shields has hit .428, while scoring 12 runs and knocking in 15 RBIs. scored 11 runs in the first three innings. Shields also delivered at the plate, driving in four, while Dan Rieck and three RBIs. Sunday’s doubleheader was a much more competitive, exciting set of games. In the first game, Knox College led 7-2 after five innings, but a four-run sixth inning, capped off by a three-run home run by Shields, brought the Bears within one run. Down 7- 6, the team tied the score in the seventh inning, and won in the bottom of the tenth on a game-winning RBI single by sophomore David Kramer. The true heroes of this game were sophomore Dan McPheeters and junior Chris Lange, both pitching out of the bullpen. After an uncharacteristically poor start by junior Kent Wallace, in which he gave up all seven runs in 4 2/3 innings, McPheeters and Lange combined to shut down Knox for the final 5 1/3 innings. Lange went the final four innings, limiting the opponent to only three base runners, and picked up his first win of the season. In the final game, co-captain senior Jason Ortwerth shut down the Knox bats, pitching
The squad then faced off against Westminister College on Thursday, April 7, and successfully extended their win streak to 11 with a 14-2 pouncing of Westminister. Buffa earned his team-best eighth win of the season, extending his season record to a perfect 8- 0, while giving up eight hits and fanning four batters in the effort. The offensive production was a team effort on the day, with seven Bears all getting at least one hit. The day belonged to Shields, though, as he knocked in four RBIs while going two-forthree and scoring three runs. Corning and junior first basemen Bryan Brown both went two-for-five on the day with two runs scored a piece. On Monday, April 11, the Bears (27-4) play a home game against MacMurray College, whom the squad defeated 14-3 on March 31. Gametime is slated for 2 p.m.
Team Notes: After winning the first match against Carthage College by the score of 5-4, the Bears suffered defeats to Gustavus Adolphus and Denison to place fourth. Next Meet: The Bears will participate in the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships from April 15 to April 17 in Waltham, Mass., hosted by Brandeis University National Ranking: No. 16
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Scene Editor / Sarah Baicker / scene@studlife.com
MONDAY | APRIL 11, 2005
By Allie Wieczorek
I
to college,” said Semertzides.
Semertzides also felt a sense of duty to serve his country, because he felt, “Why should only the poor, underprivileged kids have to do it?” Despite his mother’s resistance, Semertzides signed up for combat duty for two years—the minimum period allowed. Under the impression that he was going to Egypt, he took a vacation before he was supposed to leave. Then he got some surprising news. “Everyone’s like ‘Dude, we’re going to Iraq,’” said Semertzides. “But we didn’t believe it until the next day when the officials told us.” Because they had a month to get ready, the physical preparation was much less strenuous than it could have been. They worked long days and did a lot of urban training. “We didn’t do anything extreme like in We Were Soldiers or anything,” Semertzides said. “Whenever they could, they gave us time off.” When the soldiers got to Iraq, everything was much more intense. They spent time learning about raids and how to adapt to the heat. “You can’t really train for that crap even though the army tries and tries and tries,” Semertzides said. Semertzides’ platoon’s main job was to carry out 24-hour shifts guarding bridges, key routes and places from which the Army was often attacked. Although they often rode around on the Hum-Vs, a lot of patrols had to be done on foot. “You just sweat your ass off,” Semertzides said. “It’s pretty grueling. You come back just exhausted and dehydrated.” And showers were had to come by. After a few weeks of not showering at all, the soldiers began taking what they called “field showers,” wiping baby wipes all over their bodies. Or they would pour canteens on each other. People sometimes bathed in the Euphrates River, and they once saw the Iraqi water trucks filling up with the Euphrates water. Eventually, shower trailers were brought in for the troops. Semertzides and his platoon slept inside old, dilapidated buildings of an old Iraqi air force base with nothing covering the windows. Because of all of the vehicles moving around outside, they would often wake up coughing from the dust that covered them. “There were 30 cots of sweaty, sticky, smelly guys who hadn’t showered in weeks in one room,” Semertzides said. Despite the awful conditions, the close quarters helped the troops become close. “You’re there so long, and you just get miserable and start to hate life,” Semertzides said. “Contrary to popular belief, we bitch a lot. The Joes were a really close, really tight group and I still talk to a lot of them today.” When Semertzides wasn’t fighting or working shifts, he got to have a little bit of fun. He enjoyed working out, playing cards, watching movies, playing horseshoes and smoking the Cuban cigars the troops bought from the Iraqis. He also kept a journal, or at least he tried. “Life got so monotonous,” he said, “[My journal] goes up to a certain point and just stops.” At first, when Semertzides’ troop was in Fallujah, he didn’t talk to his parents for a month. He wrote letters, but they took at least two weeks to go each way. Eventually AT&T phone trailers were brought in, but the soldiers were charged a lot of money to make calls. According to Semertzides, talking to friends and family and thinking about coming back to a bedroom “is really what keeps you going and keeps you motivated.” There are also some things about his experience in Iraq that Semertzides misses and will continue to miss. “I miss swimming in Saddam Hussein’s pool and urinating on his palace,” Semertzides said. In Baghdad, Semertzides’ troops lived in the guard towers of Saddam’s palace. “We went in there all the time and played with stuff,” Semertzides said. When Saddam was captured, Semertzides’ platoon was on one of their 24-hour missions. Before that day they were told that “Superman” (the code name for Saddam) had been captured. When it actually happened, no one in his platoon believed the news. The next day, the whole troop was terrified because they saw and heard gunshots everywhere. However, it was a celebration and not a fire fight. Of course, Semertzides’ experience in Iraq was not all fun and games. “We
7
By Erin Fults
n the wee hours of one sweltering night in Iraq, a platoon of infantry soldiers encountered one of the most terrifying predators they had seen yet: a ferocious rabid dog. Among these petrified soldiers stood 20year-old Alex Semertzides, now a freshman at Wash U. Semertzides and his troop were on night patrol that night, passing through a residential area and trying to stay as silent as possible when the little beast suddenly charged at them. The soldier closest to the rabid dog was Sergeant L.—the one who took the most heat from the other guys. “We were always making fun of him,” Semertzides said, and described “Sergeant L.” (a nickname) as the brown-noser of the group who “always tried to impress the higher-ups.” As the rabid dog got dangerously close to the troop, Sgt. L. had no choice but to shoot it. “When it’s like three feet away, the guy shoots it…and he misses,” Semertzides said. Another day, after a two-hour fire fight, Semertzides heard a voice over the radio asking if anyone got hurt. They were told they’d had once casualty. After all of the soldier’s faces froze and hearts stopped beating, they heard, “Sergeant L. got bit by this dog…” Needless to say, Sgt. L. never lived that night down. Just three years ago, Semertzides was senior in high school, recently accepted early decision with a partial scholarship to Wash U. But before his college career began, Semertzides realized going straight to school wasn’t in the cards for him. “I felt like I wasn’t ready to come “I wanted to do something else first.”
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hey are easily spotted on campus, their fatigues and uniforms contrasting the common college garb. They wake up every morning at hours that seem ridiculous to the rest of us, and manage to put in hours of exhaustive physical training, all the while attending classes and involving themselves in extracurricular activities. They are the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) students. While easily singled out amid the rest of the student body, Wash U ROTC students—along with other students from 11 St. Louis area schools—form a cohesive unit charged with serving their country. When ROTC students graduate, they are required to spend a minimum of four years in the armed forces. This means that many of the Wash U students who applied to the program expecting four years of non-combat service will likely be sent to serve in the war soon after they graduate. They will likely see Iraq. Students in the ROTC are aware that many of their peers are against the war, and they certainly have opinions of their own. However, due to a ROTC-imposed regulation, they are not permitted to discuss any of their own opinions with the press, a restriction they are dedicated to obeying. “Being on a college campus, there will of course be differentiating opinions,” said Cadet Brian Donovan, a St. Louis University student and ROTC member. “Being human, though, is about developing your own opinion. We can all have opinions, but when you get orders, you do it. We’re soldiers and that’s what we do. Too many people, though, misinterpret a military unit on campus as ‘training people to kill and fight.’ People need to learn more about the program before they make assumptions.” Though even in spite of differing thoughts and opinions of the military and the current war in Iraq, ROTC students and leaders have found Wash U a supportive environment for the program. “Most students are very supportive and Wash U has been great,” said Capt. Brian Mackenzie, assistant professor of military science. Washington University is a host school for the ROTC program and houses the Academy on its campus. Students come here to train and gain skills necessary for becoming an officer in the military; participation in the program allows students to enter the military as second lieutenants. This battalion of participating schools contributes to a diversified environment in the program with around 80 enrolled cadets, one-third of which are Wash U students. ROTC is a serious commitment. “We expect high-caliber students,” said Mackenzie. “Our students excel in academics and must meet the physically and mentally demanding requirements of the program.” ROTC cadets lead a rigorous schedule, satisfying college class requirements and training. “We’re all crunched for time,” said Donovan. “Even though we’re soldiers, we’re still mostly college students. Being a soldier is what I want more than anything else, though, so I’m going to make it work.” “There’s a misconception that ROTC is only basic training when its emphasis is really on leadership development,” said Lt. Col. Thomas Wilson, professor of military science. “We give students leadership opportunities they normally can’t receive. ROTC promotes good citizenship and expands the opportunity for soldiers to become officers in the army.” “The wonderful thing is that these students will have a job right away and are out there serving,” said Maj. Kim Moros, civil affairs and admissions officer. “And many students use the program as a stepping stone to future involvement in government agencies because they are looking for this kind of experience and leadership.” However, with active duty on the horizon, government jobs are not an option for ROTC graduates for a number of years. Because of the current war, the ROTC cadets must be ready to enlist and be well trained to serve, either in Iraq or at any number of United States bases around the world. “We’re ready for anything,” said Donovan. “Whatever my country asks of me, I’m prepared to serve.”
lost four friends, four really good guys,” he said.
“One man was about to retire and had three kids.” And though he was never injured, Semertzides also almost lost his best friend. Now that he’s in college, Semertzides feels like the war is not going on. “When it comes up on the news, I change the channel,” he said. “It feels weird to think about where I was a year ago—sitting in the desert dreaming about what I’m doing now.” It’s still not guaranteed that he won’t go back. The two years he served were only part of his active duty. He is now in what are called the inactive reserves, which he says means that if he’s needed, he might get called back. For Semertzides coming home was surreal. “Like two days before we were in the middle of Kuwait, in the middle of the desert and the next second we’re in a bar in Austin,” he said. “It was disorienting, even before I started drinking.”
DESIGN BY GEORGE LAI
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF WWW.ARMY.MIL
8 STUDENT LIFE | CLASSIFIEDS
MONDAY | APRIL 11, 2005
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--SUMMER HELP -Apartment leasing/ clerical, or maintenance/ clean-up/fix-up for W.U. area apartment management company. 725 -5757. FULL-TIME NANNY NEEDED for summer work. $500 per week. Interested? Call 314909-9333. GET PAID FOR YOUR OPINIONS! Earn $15 -125 and more per survey! w w w.money for sur veys .com READY FOR EXCITING opportunity? Great locations, great concept. Join San Sai Japanese Grill for position in sushi, grill or cashier. Full and part time available. Flexible to fit your schedule. Webster, Kirkwood, Clayton locations. Please call 314821-1221 for information. SUMMER BABYSITTER NEEDED Monday, Wednesday, Friday for three kids in Clayton area. Must have car. Call 725 -8062. WANNA MAKE GREAT money? Do you provide great customer service? Student Life is currently hiring reps to call on local and university clients. Light sales, mostly client service oriented. Freshman & sophomores preferred. Email resume to advertising@studlife.com
BEAUTIFUL FOUR BEDROOM 3.5 bathroom, furnished or unfurnished. 4131 Shenandoah. $1795 month. 314- 662- 0471 NEWLY RENOVATED, SPACIOUS one bedroom apartments. Hardwood floors, washer/dryer, dishwasher. No pets. Non - smokers only. Manager on premises. Near campus. $600/month. 3691016. CLAYTON, U. CITY Loop, CWE and Dogtown. Beautiful studios, 1, 2 bedrooms. Quiet buildings. $350 -$750. Call 725 -5757. STUDIOS, ONE & TWO Bedroom apartments for rent from $375, $475, and $595 respectively. Ten minutes from Washington University. Free heat, hot water and cooking gas. Apartments include 24 hour laundry, covered parking, elevator, ample closets, dishwasher, A/C, and W/W carpeting. Short term lease and furnished units available. One block from metro, bus-line, restaurants and shopping. Please call (314)421-5511.
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FOR RENT: 1 BEDROOM available June 1st. $475 includes heat. 6321 Southwood Clayton. 314-997-7267. CWE SPACIOUS 1 BEDROOM. Hardwood floors. Dishwasher. Laundry in building. Walk to bars, restaurants, movie theater. Available immediately. $680/ month (or best offer). 314302- 6443.
FOR SUBLET (MID-MAY to mid-August): One bedroom at the Chase Park Plaza. Includes ALL utilities, high speed internet, premium cable, and membership to St. Louis Workout (in building). The building has a movie theater, restaurants, martini bar, outdoor pool! E-mail: jnvogel @ wulaw.wustl.edu FOR SUBLET: AVAIL May 1 - Mid Aug: 2 bed/ 2 bath apt off Wydown before Hanley. $600/mo. 1 car garage, kitchen appliances, coin laundry, on the red line, unfurnished. like@olin.wustl.edu. SUMMER SUBLET AVAILABLE! One bedroom, furnished, under $400 a month, on corner of Forsyth and Big Bend. Please contact me at egbasch@artsci.wustl.edu if interested. SUMMER SUBLET: UNIVERSITY Drive. 3 bedroom, fully furnished, central air, dishwasher, washer/dryer, cable/wireless internet, utilities paid. Available mid-May to mid-August. Contact 314255 -2165 or jklevy@ artsci.wustl.edu
1 BEDROOM+ATTACHED STUDY/SUNROOM Available in large 2 bedroom Apt. Short walk to campus, shuttle, free laundry, U. City Loop, $400/mo, 725 -1028. ROOMMATE NEEDED FROM April 9th. Off Midland and Tulane. Walking Distance to WU and U. City Schnucks. On Greenline shuttle route. Spacious Spanish style split house. Hardwood floors, fireplace, fully furnished, brand-new appliances, cheap utilities. Male or female. $400/mo. Contact me on 314-973-8932 or gboyle@hotmail.com.
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. DOGTOWN HOME–CLOSE to campus. Two bedroom dogtown home. $123,500. Great location close to campus. Hardwood floors, new kitchen, new A/C, new heating, new roof, etc. Call Stacey at 517-2934. Check out the listing at: http:// www.realtor.com/ p r o p / 1 0 4 5 4 5 0 6 17 HOUSE FOR SALE on the Hill - 2Br/1Ba, central air, wood flooring, all appliances included, www.realtor.com/ P r o p / 10 4 5 4 9 3 2 0 9
HARDLY USED STIGA Ping Pong table: in perfect condition, comes with paddles and balls, bought for $300.00 recently, will sell for $100.00 OBO. Contact Will: wjmohanj@wustl.edu or 301-379-7063. PRINTER FOR SALE: only used once! HewlettParkard Deskjet 695C, $25 OBO. Contact Casey: ceherrfo@wustl.edu or 3743895.
AUTOS 1997 TOYOTA TERCEL (BLUE): 4 cyl., dual airbags, AM/FM CD player, very good condition. 122,xxx miles. $1500. Call 314-962-8416 or kal@library.wustl.edu CAR FOR SALE: ‘93 Saturn SL2, 16700 miles, $1,100. For test driving, call 314-935 3591.
ADULT NOVELTIES, TOYS, cards, ballons, more. Host a Toy Party. Call for details. Heffalumps, 387 N. Euclid 63108. Phone: 314-3610544, Fax: 314-361-2911. EXPERIENCE HYPNOSIS FOR Free Improve test results, memory and recall. Break or create any habit. Or just for BIG FUN. Call for details 1-877-876 -9334.
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Your Horoscope for Monday, April 11, 2005 By Linda C. Black, Tribune Media Services Today’s Birthday (04-11-05). A foreign connection can be your link to greater wealth this year. Go for the old instead of the new, and don’t spend more than you’ll make.
Cancer (June 22-July 22) Today is a 6. You may feel like you’ve been fighting the whole world, but that’s not the case. You’ve been making very important converts to your cause.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is a 7. Even though you’re busy, there’s time for a romantic moment. A word from the heart changes everything. But don’t say it unless you mean it.
To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is an 8. The forces that slow you down are actually to your benefit. Self-restraint is like the emergency brake _ a worthwhile safety device.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is a 7. You’re being pushed to make up your mind, and it’s an important decision. Should you allow love and luxury into your life? Certainly.
Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is a 7. Turn down an expensive outing with friends, you can’t afford it yet. Spend more of what you’ve gained on strengthening your infrastructure.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is a 7. Be watching for a bargain, you could find a very sweet deal. Wonderful things come via catalogs and the Internet, all from the privacy of your own home.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is a 7. Discover another valuable item buried in the mess. The task is difficult, but you can be assured that the rewards are great.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 6. Telling the truth, even to yourself, is a skill that takes some practice. When you get used to it, you won’t settle for anything else. Meanwhile, keep at it.
Gemini (May 21-June 21) Today is a 7. You’ll find more ways to save money as you go through your stack of stuff. Don’t be ashamed to cash in the coupons or recyclables, it’s cool.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 6. After conferring with your partner, start drawing up your shopping list. Cut expenses by increasing your labor output.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is a 6. You have a tendency to come up with schemes that are a little hard to substantiate. Here’s your chance to prove you know what you’re talking about. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is a 5. Accept the gifts that come your way graciously. You’d rather be the one who gives, but either position has merit. Be generous with your abundance. (c) 2005, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC. Distributed by Knight Ridder-Tribune Information Services.
Scene Editor / Sarah Baicker / scene@studlife.com
MONDAY | APRIL 11, 2005
By Rachel Brockway
T
he daughter of a romance novelist, I grew up with a strong notion of romance. Throughout high school, I dated a few guys, who all took me out and met my parents and kissed me after the second rendezvous. Then I came to Washington University. What the hell happened? Let me tell you about the new fashion romance. First of all, it’s entirely inadequate. I’m not quite sure if this ‘new fashion’ is across the board at colleges and universities, but unfortunately, it has made its home at Wash U. There are defining features of this type of relationships. To begin, there is no second date first kiss. You know, the queasy stomach, uncomfortable but entirely exhilarating moment when you know he’s leaning in. Instead there
is the drunken hook up. In the morning you flip in. over because of your pounding headache only Dating at Wash U is practically nonexistent. to discover a definitely not good looking man A good friend of mine dated a Wash U boy for (because, hey, this is Wash U) snoring in your five months, in which time she did not go on one actual “date” with bed. Somehow he seemed good looking him. Not even one. last night and his They were together utterance “damn, through Christmas you’re hot” seemed and into Valentine’s Day. He offered to so sweet and sincere. But in the morning get Chinese take things appear in a out and watch a totally different movie. Whatever light. And the sad AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS happened to the old-fashioned thing is, he probably clichés of roses at the door and getting dolled feels the same way. After the hook up, you may never see him up for one night of bliss? This lack of dating is again, except perhaps for at the occasional definitely not an isolated incidence. Many of my house party where you duck into the bathroom friends have “dated” guys when no dating was while he rounds the bend. Or you might chase involved. Somehow in their Neanderthal minds him around, only to find that the harder you look bringing their significant other Bear’s Den and the scarcer he becomes. On the bright side, you grumbling “I’m low on points now” merits an might just find out you actually like this person overemphasized smile and a huge thank you kiss. you carelessly hooked up with. However rarely, Yeah, right. it does happen. You might even date him. This is And Wash U isn’t the only university where where the second part of ‘new romance’ comes this type of relationship lurks. In fact, this
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relationship style seems to be across the board, yet I would speculate that Wash U is worse than most. I mean come on, some of these boys never even touched a girl before college and now they are “adequate catches.” The concept is so foreign and miraculous to them that they are willing to blow their stuff on the first girl without sideburns that drunkenly stumbles over them. And since the guys are so damned popular at this unattractive little school, they take advantage of the no effort hook ups and no effort relationships. Call me old fashioned, but I cannot wait for the day when someone picks me up in his car, drives me to a restaurant that costs more than $5.99 for a value meal (oh joy!), and asks to kiss me goodnight. Yes, I am aware that I’m delusional.
CAMPUS SPOTLIGHT BIG GAY PICNIC The rainbows might have been made out of construction paper, but the sunshine, flowers and hugs were very real at Friday’s Big Gay Picnic in Bowles Plaza. Part of Spectrum Alliance’s Pride Week, the Big Gay Picnic brought together members and supporters of the GLBTQ (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning) community. “It’s a time to celebrate,” said sophomore Tom Giarla, President of Spectrum Alliance. “It’s the end of Pride Week, which is all about GLBT awareness and getting the word out. We’ve got a big cake that says, ‘Thank you, Allies,’ and we just want to be visible and proud.” The weather seemed happy to oblige with Giarla’s wishes. “We’re just here to celebrate the gayness of the world, and look how beautiful the weather is!” said junior Jeanne Seeley, a member of the Spectrum executive board, holding the picnic’s guest of honor, her dog Rosie, in her arms. Rainbow colored herself because she had helped Spectrum paint the underpass that morning, Rosie is “gender neutral.” “She’s not female or male, she’s just Rosie,” said Seeley. “I don’t think she should have to be defined by her physical gender.” Also in attendance were members of Outright, a group that promotes discussion of GLBTQ issues through events like the national Day of Silence, which will take place on campus this Wednesday. Frisbees bearing the message “Fruity?”
By Kristin McGrath were on sale for a small donation, and junior Dan Covich was on hand to help potential customers find the Frisbee that best matched their outfit. “We’ve had a good turnout,” said Covich. “A lot of people have been asking questions and people are definitely interested. One person who just stopped by was asking us about transgender housing, AIDS, the GLBT community— pretty much all the important things that people don’t usually ask about often enough.” Fitted with a rainbow ribbon, Rosie was dispatched to greet visitors with an order to “go spread the love.” She trotted to the fountain, where the founders of a certain Facebook group “Kissing Girls” were basking in the sun. The group, which is now over 50 members strong, promotes awareness for the LBQ (lesbian, bisexual, questioning) community. “The Kissing Girls group has brought a lot of people together,” said group cofounder, sophomore Brittany Scott. “We’ve thrown parties. Lots of people have attended, and a lot of those people had just come out. It’s a way to show people on campus that there are others like them out there.” Freshman Betsy Rubinstein also emphasized the need for an increased presence of the GLBTQ campus community. “I think that, for people already within the community, [the GLBTQ community] is very accessible,” said Rubinstein. “But
By Jonah Glick Remember when you used to be younger and thought that if you dig a hole in the ground you’d eventually get to China? Well, that’s what it feels like here in Hong Kong. Here’s my best attempt to explain the craziness that is Hong Kong… The major differences between Hong Kong and the United States: 1. Language. It seems obvious, but with Cantonese, if you don’t know the language, it sounds like they are speaking gibberish. At least when someone is speaking a European language you can often decipher part of the meaning, but with Cantonese you have absolutely no hope. 2. Construction. There are literally buildings
unless you’re purposely seeking it out, it can be hard to find. Also, some people don’t realize that you don’t have to be gay to come to these events. It’s all about diversity, and everyone is welcome.” Students from Saint Louis University also dropped by the picnic. As members of SLU’s Rainbow Alliance, they hope to build connections between the GLBTQ communities on campuses throughout the area. Following the picnic, members of Spectrum “spread the love” across campus, bringing rainbow ribbons and Rosie over to the SWA protestors. “We want to show that we support them and also get their support,” said senior Melissa Madden. “Both the issues we’re representing are very important issues on this campus right now, so it’s good for us all to work together.” While Spectrum members tied on orange arm bands and protestors pinned on rainbow ribbons, Rosie became a true “dog of solidarity,” greeting prospective students in the Admissions Office decked out in her rainbow colors and new orange solidarity band. Senior Danielle Christmas who had been sitting in for five days, was thrilled to get a few encouraging kisses from Rosie. “[The visit from Spectrum] was outstanding,” said Christmas. “Even though we’re in here, life is going on outside. And Rosie is the epicenter of these two very important causes.”
under construction on every single street corner. It’s really unbelievable. Walking through Hong Kong you will see an incomprehensible number of buildings being built. 3. Population density. Most large American cities have a significant downtown area with a few million people and extensive suburbs. In Hong Kong, the whole city is densely populated, probably more so than Manhattan. Only seven million people live in Hong Kong, but everyone is packed into a tiny area. Almost every building is at least 30 or 40 stories high, and even though my university is on the outskirts of the city, buildings under construction next door are to be 50 stories high. It’s like seeing the St. Louis skyline every few blocks. 4. Bamboo. Instead of metal scaffolding, they use bamboo to build buildings here. It looks really
sketchy, but I’ve been assured that it’s safe. 5. Poor use of English. Apparently it’s cool to have any kind of clothing that has English writing on it, even such poorly translated shirts as those that say, “Monday is only a number.” 6. Pollution. It’s really bad—actually it’s terrible. In the mornings I can’t see more than a few blocks because it’s too hazy from the pollution. Occasionally you’ll see people wearing doctor-like masks to avoid the pollution. 7. Paying a restaurant bill. In every place I’ve ever been in the United States, a waiter or waitress brings you the bill and comes back a few minutes later to pick it up. In Hong Kong, the waiter will actually wait next to you while you sort out the bill. It gets really annoying when it takes a few minutes
My hometown By Sarah Ulrey
and Aaron Seligman
to divide up the bill because the waiter will be literally looking over your shoulder. 8. Cleaning up after a meal. When you get food in a fast-food restaurant in the United States, you typically throw out the garbage when you’re done eating. However, in Hong Kong they have people running around collecting people’s trash. Don’t ever try to throw out your trash at McDonalds here or you’ll have a small Chinese guy running to you at full speed to take your tray. 9. Unnecessary number of workers. I think they feel bad for having so many people in China, so they hire people to do everything. I’m fine with having someone mop the floors or take out the garbage, but here they have way too many people to do the job. It’s as if they hire a floor mopper for each floor of a building to literally mop the same few feet of floor all day long.
Name: Holly Rockweiler Age: 19 Major: Biomedical engineering Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin Population: 209,166
Politically, would you describe Madison as very liberal, extremely liberal, ridiculously liberal or radical? I’d say uber-liberal. I had no idea there was another side until I came to school.
I love cheese. I thought I was lactose intolerant for like, a month, and I seriously cried. Ask my roommates. I feel like that’s a sin to be from Wisconsin and be lactose intolerant.
Where are good date places in Madison? I went on a date to the Great Outdoor Games this summer. I still have the number one, Dodge, “grab life by the horns” foam finger in my suite right now.
Why didn’t you go to UW? It was in my backyard. And I wanted to see what the Midwest has to offer.
What are some special ways to prepare cheese? One of my favorites is fresh cheese curds from the farmers’ market.
If you’re thirsty in Madison, where would you go? I would go to the bubbler and you’d better not budge me while I’m in line.
What dances or types of music are popular in Wisconsin? The Polka! It’s our official state dance.
What events did you witness? It was the final day: so it was the culmination relay event. One person would scale a giant tree with toe spikes, there was team sawing through a log and another person used an axe and chopped through a log.
Pardon? Budging is what everyone else calls cutting. The bubbler is a water fountain.
Does that come complete with accordion music and fat men and women eating bratwursts? Of course! Bratwursts are a very Madison food. And on Friday nights it’s fish fries. Every restaurant will have one. I never knew that was weird until I came here.
Do you like cheese?
Was there a lot of flannel? A lot of flannel and a lot of mullets. Last question--finish my sentence: When you say Wisconsin… You’ve said it all.
10 STUDENT LIFE | SCENE
Scene Editor / Sarah Baicker/ scene@studlife.com
MONDAY | APRIL 11, 2005
WWW.ARMY.MIL
DENIZ ORAN
BY SARAH KLEIN
I
n 2003, bombs started exploding in Iraq. Since the war is all but entirely controlled by the United States, people living in Iraq’s neighboring countries have had little control over the conflict occurring so close to their homes. They’ve just had to stand by and watch the news. While Wash U students from the Middle East are worried by the situation in Iraq, they say, in general, that the war in Iraq does not pose an immediate threat to their homelands. It is the repercussions of such a war on the area that scare them the most. Deniz Oran, a sophomore, is from Turkey, which shares a border with Iraq. However, she is not so concerned with that area of her country, because it’s far away from her home in Istanbul. But the war in Iraq has troubled Turks nonetheless. “From a Turkish perspective, what worries me most is the safety of Turks in northern Iraq and the Turkish/ Kurdish problem there,” says Oran. The Kurds are an ethnic group without a homeland that has traditionally lived in southeastern Turkey, northern Iraq, Iran, and Syria. They have desired independence for a long time, and their dream homeland, Kurdistan—which actually existed for a short while due to the partitions of the Ottoman Empire after World War I—would encompass parts of Turkey. Oran says that Turkey is worried about Kurdish independence. “Turkey has been terrorized for more than thirty years by the PKK (the Kurdistan Workers’ Party),” she says. According to Oran, many Turks think that, as a result of the current conflict, Iraq could be divided into sovereign minorities, which would increase the Kurdish threat to Turkey.
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ther students with connections to Middle Eastern countries are not as preoccupied with the threat of invasion by minorities. Instead, they are concerned that the United States might lead another invasion. Junior Toni Zand, although he is not from Iran himself, has Iranian citizenship, speaks Farsi as his first language, and has lots of family in Iran. He considers himself very connected to the country. According to Zand, Iran has gotten a little taste of U.S. weaponry already as a result of the war in Iraq. A few stray American missiles that were meant for Iraq accidentally fell on the other side of the border in Iran. “How does such advanced technology miss by like 150, 200 miles?” Zand wants to know. To Zand, a purposeful invasion of Iran by the United States. is much more worrisome. In a State of the Union speech in 2002, President Bush included Iran in what he called the “Axis of Evil,” accusing the country of sponsoring terror. Although Iran has had a nuclear program for many years to generate power, Bush has recently stated that he believes Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons. “My main concern is, after the war in Iraq, whether the U.S. will come into Iran [in search of its nuclear weapons],” says Zand. “I pray every night that the U.S. doesn’t invade.” However, many Iranians would like the United States to invade. “The Iranian people are very pro-Bush because they don’t like the current [theocratic] government,” Zand says. He thinks this is a bad attitude. “I’m afraid of the death that would come from it,” he says. “I think that people in Iran need to do the revolution themselves. They stood up against the king before [in 1979]. I hope there’s revolution in Iran, but I don’t want it to be the U.S. that invades to do it.”
H
alim Hardan, a junior from Lebanon, considers the possible economic repercussions on the region a greater problem. “It kind of bothers me that there’s a war in Iraq, because it makes the area unstable, and this effects the economy of my country,” he says. The effects that continued conflict might cause on his country is also of concern to Hardan. “The [U.S.] administration does not have a plan for pulling out,” he says. “A civil war could occur. And once a civil war starts there it would never end, especially because of the variety of religions and ethnicities there.” According to Hardan, radicalism among religions of the region and the resulting dangers would affect the economy of Lebanon by decreasing foreign investment, such as investment in hotels. A big part of Lebanon’s economy is tourism, and, if the area is so unstable, Hardan believes Americans would be less likely to invest or come to Lebanon. Although not happy with America’s policy on Iraq, students from the Middle East have some positive views of America. Hardan thinks that it is a great country, with a great democracy and a great economy, but he thinks the United States needs to restore its credibility in the world. “The only way [the United States] can do that is by ending the current situation in Iraq and to stop interfering in other people’s business,” he says.
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