The Clackamas print., November 25, 1998, Page 2, Image 2

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Wednesday, November 25, 1998
Opinion
The CUckAMAs P rìnt
E d i T 0 R i A I
Smokers need a
place to light up
The signs are appearing all around campus: “No Smoking- Building
Entrance.” It's too bad that many kids, some of them underage, can be
often seen smoking beside these very signs.
Many people are arguing that it is a violation of their rights to have to
endure the cigarette smoke, but smokers argue that it violates their right to
do as they please (i.e., smoke) in public areas.
The problem here is that the smokers smoke in the only covered areas
on campus—right outside the doorways of our buildings. According to
Plant Services, this is also the primary air intake for all of the buildings on
campus, which means that all of the air that we breathe inside the buildings
has first been filtered through a haze of cigarette smoke. And there is the
problem, of course, that not many smokers use the sand urns that are
placed around campus.
On the other hand, it’s unfair to ask smokers to go out and brave the rain
and wind to support their habit.
So where is the solution to this problem? Before Gregory Forum was
opened, there was a “smoke shack,” a covered area with heat lamps and a
large number of sand urn ashtrays.
Ulis would be a good crusade for Associated Student Government to
champion—the reestablishment of a “smoke shack” on campus. ASG has
done a great job bringing back our game room, instituting a textbook grant
program, and planning student activities such as The Winter Festival.
The Clackamas Print urges you to contact ASG or college administra­
tors in support of a place smokers can call their own.
U.S.: A lot to answer for
Our entanglement, over the last
several years, in Iraq, to say noth­
ing of other locations worldwide,
should be cause for concern.
Whether our Founders were Chris­
tian, Deist, Enlightenment Human­
ist, or venture capitalist, it is at least
apparent that they built our nation
on principles of morality and justice
The AI tar of
In it, following an increasing esca­
lation of Arab terrorist bombings in
New York City, martial law is de­
clared on Brooklyn, where most
Arab immigrants in New York re­
side. The ensuing ethnic/religious
persecution crescendos to a brutal
climax by the movie’s end.
One fellow moviegoer demon­
strated his detachment
by claiming the events of
the movie “would never
happen that way in real
life.” And yet the film is
almost a mirror of our
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we should not lightly
abandon.
In the words of the
19th Century French
philosopher, Alexis
de
Toqueville,
“America is great be­
cause she is good, and when she
ceases to be good she shall cease to
be great.”
With at least 1 million Iraqis
dead—250 a day—at the hands of
U.N. sanctions against incoming
food and medicine, we, the U.N.’s
most influential member, have a lot
to answer for. Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright, in response to
Leslie Stahl’s question of whether
the death of half a million Iraqi chil­
dren is justifiable, replied, “This is
a very hard choice, but we think the
price is worth it.”
Yet how can Albright make this
statement? It is not her price to pay;
therefore it is not her decision to
make. Would we be willing to ask
the same question of an Iraqi peas­
ant woman who is burying her in­
fant? What would her answer be?
It is apparent that many Ameri­
cans don’t know, or perhaps even
care. The events are simply not real
to them; the casualties are mere
numbers, not than flesh and blood
people.
The moral numbing of America
toward these overseas tragedies (and
the danger this entails) was punctu­
ated recently in the film, The Siege.
-■-—■J Angeles, and American
citizens of Japanese descent
were herded into camps with
little regard for their individual
rights. It is a sure sign that a
' cautionary tale has failed in its
object when the hearer dis­
misses it as a mere fantasy.
The events taking place in
America in The Siege are similar
to events that take place in other
countries every day. And until
these concepts become real to us,
our guilt as citizens will remain.
When lives are at stake, ignorance
is no excuse.
Here may be a practical applica­
tion for an Absolute Principle. To
murder children is wrong—this
much most people will agree on.
But is this absolute, or is it merely
relative: it applies to American chil­
dren, but not to Iraqi?
These questions must be faced
before we can seriously deal with
issues of American foreign policy.
For while we may have not pulled
the triggers, as participants in the
democratic rulership of this nation,
we bear the responsibility.
A wise Man once asked, “What
does it profit a man, if he gain the
world, yet lose his soul?” This is a
question we can ask of ourselves as
a nation, as well as individuals.
Does might really make right, or are
there lines that we as rational, ethi­
cal people should not cross? I would
pray for the latter. I show you a more
excellent way.
Darris* 1 class "Life Changing"
I write this ode to the classes in
Political Science - to be precise,
to the P.S. class in U.S. Gov’t- be­
cause I want to let everyone know
what impact it has made in my life.
Dean Darris is the teacher. He is
L etter
to t I te
EdiTOR
dedicated and always ready to an­
swer his students’ questions, both
during and after class. He assists
and directs students in their search
for truth and excellence. The way
he teaches is remarkable and of
high academic level. He is ex­
tremely knowledgeable and very
diligent in explaining the underly­
ing causes and philosophies of cur­
rent government, political spec­
trum, and economics. He stimu­
lates questioning anything and ev­
erything; in short he teaches real
academics and real thinking!
I grew up in a climate where dis­
cussions on socialism, economics,
social values and civil liberties
were frequent and open. I learned
to choose my own life values quite
distinctly. Then during the next 20
some years, government and
economy seemed to redefine its
values and issues. Things became
less clear to the “commoner.” I still
stuck to my basic beliefs, but I was
no longer able to explain why. Real
debate seemed to be difficult to
initiate, especially in the USA.
This (P.S.) class opened my eyes
(again). This time I am learning (I
am still only a beginner) deeper
concepts, deeper meanings to na­
tional and global politics and eco­
nomics. I know now why I vote a
certain way or why I support cer­
tain political concepts. It is a life
changing experience. It is influenc­
ing my everyday life; the way I read
the newspapers and watch the
news, and the way I view the
greater world. It might define or
refine my next career steps and
main decisions in life, too.
In conclusion I wish to highly
recommend all political science
classes given my Mr. Darris to stu-
dents and staff alike. It will possi­
bly add deeper meaning to every­
thing you know and do. You will
finally come to understand why
“News” is reported the way it is,
why parties lose or gain votes, and
why the value of your money de­
pends on the actions of the Fed­
eral Reserve Board, etc. etc. Come
sense a touch of world class aca­
demics on your own campus! You
have a treasure in your midst.
Inger Easton
Educated in Europe, in The Neth­
erlands
P.S. student (1 st term)
Parent of a 3rd term PS Student
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