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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 1998)
T he CkckAMAs Opinion P rint Clackamas students uninformed on world issues BRAD ZIMMERMAN Co-Editor-In-Chief In this global community, what happens anywhere will, at some time, have an effect on your life. Brad Zimmerman Co-Editor-in - Chief As a regular listener of KOPB and a semi-irregular reader of The Orego nian I tend to stay fairly well informed of what’s going on in the world around me. The majority of students at Clacka mas, however, do not seem to be as well informed. This was brought to my attention when I recently proposed some questions to be ask for this week’s opinion poll. The question was something like, “Do you feel that sanctions against Iraq should have a set deadline?” The question was brought up as to whether the majority of students would be informed enough to answer this question. That’s pretty pathetic, even with this being a community college. However, I’ll give kudos where they’re due. Most of the staff and a minority of students seem to be clued up on world events. Though that is not their job and most likely does not directly assist them in their job, it’s important to stay informed of what’s going on outside the United State’s borders—and they realize that. There are several major reasons why it is to your benefit to stay informed of what is going on outside of the US. The first is money. Your job. Nearly everyone will be affected by the current monetary devaluation in Asia. Sure, some stuff will be cheaper—much cheaper. But this could also easily affect your own job, if it has anything to do with comput ers, the auto industry or agriculture. Because these areas are all major ex ports for Asian economies, if it’s cheaper to ship them across the Pa cific and sell them at prices below that of your current employer... well, how long do you think you’ll stay employed in a business that can’t compete? The second reason is foreign policy. Your elected officials, at the very least, get their news from CNN. Sometimes they get their news from the Pentagon or the CIA, but these are about as trust worthy as CNN. A perfect example: the brewing clamor over Iraq. The Senate and Congress are nearly unani mous in their support for military ac tion in Iraq. Why ? one asks. So they can flex some muscle? So they can show off some new weapons? So they can kiss the collective butts of their constituents? In reality, it’s all of those reasons—and none of them are very good. Sure, there is a problem in Iraq, and it needs to be taken care of. But mili tary force is not the solution. That problem is that the United States and some of its allies believe Iraq is still a threat to other countries around it. The United Nations agrees. That’s why they’ve been doing inspections and destroying potential and actual weap ons of war. The final reason is basically the same reason you’re going to commu nity college: to become a well-rounded and generally knowledgeable person. In this global community, what hap pens anywhere will, at some time, have an effect on your life. The world is simply too interconnected for Ameri cans to just pay attention to the local news. Excellent sources for local and in ternational news include KBOO (90.7 FM) and KOPB (91.5 FM), The Or egonian, The Wall Street Journal and www.msnbc.com (the Microsoft and NBC joint broadcast venture). And, if you’re tired of reading the real news, try checking out www.theonion.com for some well-written satire. Question: Do you think the United States should bomb Iraq if Iraq doesn’t live up to its promise, or should the United States wait for a peaceful solution? Ray Coller, student Lisa Funderburg, student Esther Keller, bookstore staff Josh Putman, student “I’m kind of tom between both. I don’t like hurting anyone, but in one way I feel we should have taken care of the problem a long time ago be cause of the things that [Hussein] does, about sending our boys back with a bunch of problems. How much power can one person have, you know. I’d like to see him be able to work it out without violence, but I don’t think it’s possible.” “I don’t think we should bomb them. The people who live there, it’s not their fault what Saddam Hussein does, and they’re bomb ing innocent people.” “No, absolutely no bombing. That is absolutely unnecessary. I just don’t want our boys over there. It’s not going to solve the problems. Let the ones who want the war go over there and fight them. Leave our kids at home. That’s the way I feel about it.” “I believe that Saddam will not live up to his promise and solution. I think he’s proven this already with his actions. I think that the best so lution is to try and end it as peace fully as possible, but I think the only real solution is to take care of Saddam Hussein, be that killing him, be that putting him in prison, somewhere taking him out of power.” The Clackamas Print Staff Because your health is important... 19600 S. Molalla Ave. Oregon City, OR 97045 (503) 657-6958 ext. 2309 cccprint@clackamas.cc.or.us If you: Co-Editors-in-Chief: Christina Mueller Copy Editor: Mike Garcia Advisor: (ext. 2576) Brad Zimmerman Photo Editor: Timothy Bell Linda Vogt Feature Editor: Joel P. Shempert Co-A&E-Editors: Jared Bezzant Sports Editor: John Thorbum Alex Mahan Business Manger: Mairin-Anne Moore Cartoonist: Mark Hoffman Secretary: JoAnne Gale (ext. 2578) Staff Writers and Production: Laura Armstrong, Kristina Brooks, Adam Crum, Kim Harney, Toni McMichael, Jeremy Stallwood, and Robert Schoenberg. The Clackamas Print aims to report the news in an honest, unbiased, professional manner. The opinions expressed in The Clackamas Print do not necessarily reflect those of the student body, college administration, its faculty or The Clackamas Print advertisers. Products and services advertised in The Clackamas Print are not necessarily endorsed by anyone associated with The Clackamas Print. The advertising rate is $4.75 per column inch. All signed letters to the editor should be 300 words or less and will be considered for publication if submitted by 1 p.m. the Friday prior to publication. The Clackamas Print is a weekly publication and is distributed every Wednesday except during finals week. • Are 40 or older... • Lack health insurance or have limited benefits... • Have a total monthly income of no more than $1,644 + $567 for each additional person... You may be eligible for a FREE Women's Health Check and Mammogram! Call Chris at (503)557-6446 Clackamas County Breast and Cervical Health Program Paid for by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Susan G. Komen Foundation Wednesday, February 25, 1998
