SDSU hosts ROTC trainees Elisse Miller
THURSDAY February 9, 2012 Volume 97, Issue 71 W W W.T H E D A I LYA Z T E C . C O M
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SDSU’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT N E W S PA P E R SINCE 1913
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Last Thursday, San Diego State became the figurative classroom for future soldiers. SDSU had the honor of hosting a drill and ceremony training operation for the SDSU Army ROTC. ENS field became a landscape filled with future servicemen and women. The approximately 170 cadets involved in the program are divided into four companies: Alpha and Bravo from SDSU, Delta from University of San Diego and Echo from Point Loma Nazarene University. The segmentation allows for a more hands-on learning experience between the leading cadre, officers assigned to the program and the ROTC pupils. The training cadets range from freshmen to graduate students, and are an increasingly diverse group. The basic military techniques practiced serve as a useful tool to graduating seniors whose skills will soon be tested at the Leader Development and Assessment Course. The holler of chants such as “They put me on a silver jet, that I know I won’t forget; they put me in a barber chair, I turned around and had no hair,” sung out by husky voices kept the atmosphere light and fun instead of strenuous. This mood carried into the drill competition, when at the end of the session the different companies were pinned against each other. SDSU’s Alpha Company took the title along with a respectable streamer for its company flag. Because of SDSU’s military friendly environment, this will not be the last these fields see of these dedicated students.
FOOD & DRINK
Top Chef finalist serves urban cowboy bites at La Mesa eatery.
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ELISSE MILLER, STAFF WRITER
Suicide bombing motives explored Ana Ceballos staff writer “How many people in this room think that under no circumstance they would become a suicide bomber?” Dr. Dipak Gupta, former director of the International Security and Conflict Resolution program and political science professor, said. This greeting engaged San Diego State students and faculty members attending the discussion titled “Dying for a Cause: The Rationality of Suicide Bombers” at
the International Student Center Speaker Forum series. “Marines’ urination on Talibans — an abnormal action, yet when under a certain amount of stress and hopeless situations their rationality may be altered into making reckless decisions,” Gupta said. “These responses can also be caused by the extreme pressure in group manners.” Throughout the lecture, Gupta drew a parallel between the United States military and suicide bombers, arguing that the military wanted to do something for its country, just as a suicide bomber would want to
protect his or her community by annihilating who they believe is a suspected threat. According to Gupta, altruism makes us true human beings, always looking to better our communities; it is the reason why functioning cities and communities exist, yet altruism can take a perverse form if it hurts innocent civilians. “I think American soldiers enter war assuming there is a risk to be killed, yet our rationality is not to kill but to save lives,” a military science junior who preferred not to be named said. “That’s our main goal,
to fight until we die and not to die to hopefully end the fight.” “Soldiers do mean things to defend their country, forgetting that they are fighting for a cause and not against the civilians personally,” Direncan Ugurlu, a Turkish exchange student, said.” Also, when fighting against terrorism, blaming the entire community should not be done.” “If your community or close family was in great danger and you had to make a decision, you would do anything to protect them, including possibly becoming a suicide bomber yourself,” Gupta said.
Planned Parenthood refinanced Senior VP at Susan G. Komen steps down after backlash Elisse Miller staff writer For the past five years, breast cancer awareness charity group Susan G. Komen for the Cure has given a financial grant to Planned Parenthood. Such funds go toward mammograms, breast exams and education and treatment of breast cancer for women who
cannot afford treatment in a doctor’s office. Thus far, 170,000 breast exams and 6,400 mammograms have been performed thanks to the contributions. On Tuesday, the charity announced it would not renew its grant with Planned Parenthood, citing the recent investigation about how the program utilizes its federal funding is not something the charity wants to be associated with. However, many see a potential ulterior motive to its giving freeze. Last April, Karen Handel was selected as the new Senior Vice President of Public Policy for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. This came shortly after a failed attempt to run as the
Republican Party nomination for Georgia’s governor. During her short campaign, she made such statements as, “First, let me be clear, since I am pro-life, I do not support the mission of Planned Parenthood.” Observers to this situation hypothesized Handel halted the donations because she opposes Planned Parenthood. Hundreds of people wrote to the charity group via Twitter and Facebook, openly criticizing its decision. The organization’s website was even hacked late Tuesday night, when a banner’s words were changed from “Help us get 26.2 or 13.1 miles closer to a world without
breast cancer,” to “Help us run over poor women on our way to the bank.” On Wednesday, Feb. 2, Planned Parenthood received approximately $400,000 in random donations instead of the typical daily intake of $100 to $200. The united voice of displeasure was not ignored. Last Thursday, Susan G. Komen for the Cure stated it would return to monetarily contributing to Planned Parenthood. Handel resigned from her position on the morning of Feb. 7 with a letter alluding to the fact she left solely because she did not wish to support Planned Parenthood in any form.
SPORTS SDSU begins the season with hopes of making another NCAA tournament appearance.
2012 GRAMMY’S
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Having so much experience at the park, I have grown to learn there are good ways and bad ways to do Disneyland. B A C K PA G E
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W E AT H E R : SUNNY HIGH: 76 LOW: 50 SUNSET: 5:30PM