Letters
2_________
Opinion
WEdwEsdAy, N ovemòer 15, 2000
All signed letters to the editor should be 500 words or les
considered for publication if submitted by 1 pm the Fri
publication. Letters to the Editor are subject to editing. W
right to not publish any letter.
Students react strongly to election fiasco
“Long, messed up, screwed up,
and shitty.”
That’s the
omeghekamas
studontgke
edF^nthey
were as! ml
fley thought this
leag^Fesidential elections were
*ing.
count of ballots. A few students
said the recounting should stop
with Florida and there shouldn’t be
any further legal action.
Several students thought one or
the other
77te Print
surveyed 66
people yes-
terday, most
of them on
the Oregon
City cam-
On the contrary
Steve
_ _ Nielsen
; •
-
_
News Editor
most all of
them students.
Students felt that the elections
were “a hoax,” “a joke,” “crazy,” “ri
diculous” and “terrible.” One stu
dent was embarrassed and another
felt alienated by the current fiasco.
Other students thought the elec
tions had gone “straight to hell” and
“down the toilet.”
Many students thought that there
shouldn’t have been a recount of
Florida, that they should have
counted it right the first time, and
that they should stick to the first
candidate was acting poorly and
one student said “Get it over with
now!”
When asked if we should do
away with the Electoral College,
44% of students said we should,
33% said we should keep it, 7%
said maybe, and 13% suspended
judgement. Most of those who
wanted to keep the Electoral Col
lege believed that the founding fa
thers knew what they were doing
when they created it and that we
should leave it.
When asked who they voted for
34% said Bush, 27% said Gore, 6%
said Nader, and 28% either couldn’t
or didn’t vote. Two out of three,
who would have voted if they
could have, would have voted for
Bush.
Some commonly proposed solu
tions were standardized ballots and
a universal collection time so me
dia could not report the election
results of one state before the polls
of another closed.
In all, it’s obvious from this small
sample of Clackamas students that
most are not happy with the way
things are going. Many students
suggested changes in the current
system including getting rid of the
Electoral College.
I feel much the same way. As I
watched the news last night, and
wondered if this new threat of re
counts in other states was just a
political strategy to raise public
tinue, watching our American pro
outcry enough to halt what is
cess being dragged through this
happening in Florida. It’s work muck of bureaucracy and partisan
ing with me. Nothing horrifies me
strategy. Neither candidate is look
more than having to watch this con-
ing good to me anymore.
Letters
g
Thomas Paine was professional el
now find 78% of the land that they Kheirabadi. You shared your pas
possessed in the 1940’s in the sion and your soul with us. This
hands of Israelis. The people he was hard for you and many of us
spoke for have now lived in exile really appreciate your gift.
and/or bereft of power for over fifty
I have flown airplanes vulner
years.
able to hijacking worldwide and I
Dr. Epstein, while not success lost my job because a Pan Am air
fully justifying this occupation plane was blown up by terrorism
based on a situation that existed related to this issue. A friend’s wife
around 2,000 years ago, communi was killed on a Boeing707 in Rome
cated the strength, the determina and an old Air Force buddy barely
tion, and the “this is a survival is escaped that incident alive. I was
sue to us and we would readily die only one or two flights ahead of
for it” attitude of his own culture. the 747 that was hijacked in
Witnessing Dr. Epstein’s feelings Karachi—several died there. Ac
of isolation, frustration, defensive cordingly, I have been following
ness, and determination during the this question with acute interest
debate gave me a heretofore-ab- for decades. This event was the
sent insight into the Israeli mindset. single most valuable, germane, in
While the debate’s attendees formative experience I have here
could not realistically be able to tofore witnessed.
offer the optimum solution to the
A great big thanks to the Social
dilemma in the Middle East from Science Department for sponsor
what we learned there, we certainly ing this wonderful event.
gained extremely valuable insight
Related to this, I was disap
into the problem.
pointed to hear both presidential
Unlike the pabulum-like formu candidates, during the debates,
laic presentations of most daily TV declare their support for Israel.
news broadcasts, this was the real Shouldn’t they have declared
thing. Wow! Thank you CCC and their support for justice! As the
thank you Dr. Epstein and Dr. bumper sticker says: “If you want
peace, then work for justice.”
Correction:
In our last edition, the editorial titled "ASG Hosts Information Lun
cheon" should have credited CCC Student Ambassad6rs for hosting
the event.
Duane Schambron,
CCC student
I hesitate to criticize student mas Paine was a profe!
work that appears in the Clacka newspaper editor and pamp I
mas Print, but I must offer a correc and his famous revolutionai S
tion to one of your recent editorial phlet, Common Sense, was
comments. In your issue of 8 No and published in cooperatig
vember 2000 you stated: “Publica two of Philadelphia’s leadin |
tions like The Clackamas Counter lectuals, Dr. Benjamin Ru!
may appear to be crude and hast Benjamin Franklin. Hisg
ily done, but amateur pamphlets agree that the publication ol
written by Thomas Paine and other mon Sense was a critical!
revolutionary writers spread ideas leading to the Declaration op
that kicked off the American Revo pendence, and rank Thomas®
lution.” The notion that the Ameri among the leading journag
can Revolution was instigated by American history.
amateurs and rabble rousers is one
of many myths about American Jackie Flowers, Ph.D.
history. Much to the contrary, Tho- History Instructor
¡o.
Smokers urged to speak out for rig!
I recently learned the Associ
ated Student Government is try
ing to prohibit smoking on our
college campus. I was shocked
and outraged. Just recently a law
was passed that prohibited people
from smoking in restaurants. That
means the restaurant patrons and
the employees who work there are
now forced to smoke outside,
sometimes in unsafe areas and in
the late hours of the evening. I
wonder why so many people were
unaware that ASG is trying to
pass a rule like this, and if people
know, why don’t they fight back?
Diana Scrivncr (x2447)
Feature Co-Editor:
Jim Spickclmicr'
Staff:
Maggie Jirasck
Amanda Gosscr
Chris Lundgren
Corinne Rupp
Dana Palmer
Elena Boryska
Jenny Chavez
Licsl Muggli
Matt Shcmpcrt
Michael Choc
Shannon Rccabarcn
Wes Fawcett
Feature Co-Editor:
Tam Oliver
A & E Editor:
Mandy Good
Copy/Opinion Editor:
Sandy Lupo
Sports Editor:
Jason Lin gel
News Editor
* Sieve Nielson
Photo Editor:
Secretary:
Mike Pollock
Business Manager:
Jo Anne Gale
Advisor:
Scott Creson (x2578)
Now that they have takeg
our right to smoke in restag
they want to stop the smokj
campus too. I implore the stg
to defend their rights, becag
Americans we are given th®
to speak out for what we bg
If we just sit back and let g
decide for us, we will soon g
our rights stripped away. I a
lenge you to speak up and to I
out for what you believe
the voices and opinions wef
are silenced forever.
Audra Sykes
1
The Clackamas Print aims to report the!
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Editor-in-Chief:
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r<
the
to
Epstein, Kheirabadi share
passion and soul with students at debate
Regarding the November 2 de
bate on campus concerning the
Israeli/Palestinian crisis in the
Middle East, I must respectfully
but strongly disagree with
Corinne Rupp’s analysis of the
event and its value to us. The pas
sionate and acrimonious exchange
that we witnessed yielded a vis
ceral insight into the intensity of
emotions shared by both of the
major protagonists.
The Middle East crisis has been
smoldering and erupting since
1948. Both the Israelis and the Pal
estinians, like almost all citizens of
this country, have no other home
land in this universe to which they
can return, pledge allegiance, and
be welcomed. We should be able
to empathize powerfully with both
sides.
When confrcr .ed by an adver
sary that wanu. all of one’s land
and also claims fidelity to, and the
unique sanction of, a vengeful
God, (and I think that this de
scribes both sides), “Houston, we
have a problem.”
Dr. Kheirabadi helped me to feel
the plight of the Palestinians, who
e
What do we do about tlsi
cal squabbling and wranglir I
dealing with now? What I
founding fathers do in 177(|
Linda Vogt (x2310)
3
c
in an honest, unbiased, professional ma
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