Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (May 12, 2004)
CûMMENTÆîy 4 • T he C lackamas P rint ■ Iraqi abuse shocks America New photos disgrace nation, military ing, however, is the occasional included presence of smil ing faces and thumbs-up from gleeful soldiers, apparent ly taking pride in their accomplishments. Several Americans now face court martial in response to these allegations. According to www.worldrevolu- tion.org, the charges include assault, cruelty and mal ' The abuse of detained Iraqi prisoners by their treatment, dereliction of duty and indecent acts with American captors is nothing short of atrocious. These another person. Some even face being relieved of their soldiers were put in a position of trust, and that trust was commands. horribly betrayed. To shrug one’s shoulders and say that The repercussions of these soldiers’ actions go far “these things happen in war” is not only irresponsible, it beyond the chain of command, however. To the sol is an insult to other members of the armed forces who diers on the street in Iraq, the ones who are actually try show moral courage under these circumstances. ing to help the Iraqi people in the midst of this tempest, The photos broadcast by “60 Minutes II” last month these images mean increased resistance from extremists showed Iraqi prisoners being physically and sexually as they are used for propaganda. abused. The images described by CBS are both horrify To other soldiers providing care to Iraqi prisoners, ing and inexplicable, no matter what excuse comes forth giving them much-needed food and medical- attention, as the investigation continues. In one instance, a man these images mean heightened hostility from the pris stands upon a box with his head in a bag and his hands oners, unnecessarily putting their lives at more risk. connected to wires as he is threatened with electrocution. To the intelligence community, which is trying to get A different picture shows naked prisoners piled into a information from these prisoners, these images mean pyramid with slurs written across their bodies. In anoth shattered trust and obliterated lines of communication. er, prisoners are bound to the ground and left to bake in To the U.S. military, -these images mean not only the Iraqi sun. One more shows nude prisoners with bags shame and dishonor, but also a throwback to the idea over their heads posing aS if performing fellatio. The of a soldier aS inhuman. images are as obscene as they are disturbing. “We’re appalled,” said Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt of What makes these photographs even more horrify the allegations. “These are our fellow soldiers, these are the people we work with every day, they represent us, and they let their fellow soldiers down. If we can’t hold ourselves up ,as an example of how to treat people with dignity and respect, we can’t ask that other nations do [the same] to our sol diers.” To America, the political ramifica tions are significant. “They have not just lost the hearts and minds of Iraqis,” said Abdel-Bari Atwan, editor of the Arab newspaper Al Quds Al Arabi, “but all the third world and the Arab countries.” It would be incorrect to attribute too much negativity to the publishing of the photographs, however. Some hope to sponsor censorship by saying that making the photographs public did more harm than good. This downplays the individual responsibil ity of the soldiers themselves. The investigations into prisoner abuse had been ongoing since last year. - The pictures were merely the proof, Photos of Iraqi prisoners being abused by U.S. soldiers were and ignoring them would have been published this month, sparking national controversy. far more dangerous. Hilliary Ferguson & James Tombe ^|^^J^T he C lackamas _P rint Biodiesel offers clean alternative fuel Soon people all over America will be able to purge their oil- soaked consciences of Haliburton and Chevron, in favrir of some thing a little less ...:prehistpric. Rather than funning diesel engines on dead dinosaurs, we will be able to fuel up at the local McDonald’s—on cooking oil. If the future is now, then “biodiesel” technology is the way of the future. The process is relatively simple: oils, fats and greases react with alcohol to create a biodegrad able, dean-burning compound with a high cetane number that is known as biodiesd. It can run any diesel engine without much modification According to the Department of chemicals as .carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, Energy (DE), biodiesel has a high sd^pne-forriiing cetane number (as high as 64). The hazardous diesel particulate, acid cetane number is the performance rain-causing 'sulfur dioxide and rating of diesel fiiel, referring to the lifecycle carbon dioxide. Because of this, it also allows amount of cetane in the fuel. Translation: the higher the number regulated fleets who run on the better, and biodiesel is an effi biodiesel to be awarded Energy cient fuel source In addition, it Policy Act (EPAct) credits just for works to dissolve and remove sédi running on the fuel! Could this be ment built up fuel tanks, making if a why everyone froth school districts to the U.S. military has been fueling self-cleaning fuel. Most commonly, it is mixed with up with this alternative source? regular diesel to form “B20,” a Even the rich and famous are join compound which is 20 percent ing the crowd.' On his latest tour in biodiesd, although it can be used support of his album “Greendale,” straight in the form of B100. One rocker Neil Young converted his of tbe downsides, however, to using eight diesel semis to run on it. What could be better for the pure B100, is that it can'cause rub ber to fail in vehicles manufactured economy? Unlike fossil fuels, which before 1994 because of its solvent are imported from places like Saudi qualities (engine conversion kits are Arabia or Iraq, or drilled from the wilderness, biodiesel can be made available on the Internet). The DE found that biodiesel with a variety of organic oils, one of has many benefits over other fuel the most popular and efficient supplies. It’s easy to use and can be being soybean oil. Farmers right phased in and out. Little to no here in the U.S. would be paid to engine modification is required produce these crops that would and can be switched with normal now be in even higher demand, let diesel from time to time as easily ting everybody win (except maybe as‘someone switches from premi the big oil companies, unless they um to regular. It is efficient due to learn to adjust quickly). Most importandy, biodiesel is its high cetane number and much safer due to its high flash point here, now. Unlike other alternative (148 degrees Celsius, compared to fuel sources, there is no need to wait 53 for normal diesel). Also, due to for the proper research. Biodiesel is its lubrication superiority, it helps being used every day and is openly encouraged in some places. prolong engine life. So' what excuse is left? Even if In addition, it is obviously cleaner and renewable, the only biodiesel is not the answer to all alternative diesel fuel that reduces fuel-related problems, it will pro greenhouse gases in the atmos vide a perfect springboard into phere. So using it will not only not alternative fuel sources and finally produce leSs smog, but according liberating ourselves from the to Pacific Biodiesel, biodiesel will dinosaur-droppings we shove down combat it by counteracting such our fuel tanks every day. The Print endorses Murphy /I student government preside! For the current ASG presidential elections, The Print is cl ing to endorse candidate Rian Murphy and would advise I Clackamas students to do the same. The . reasons for en< him are numerous but most are centralized around Murphy rience with the CCC student government. During his first year at CCC, Murphy served in the positi Legislative Senator for the student government, proving his to be involved in his college. This year, he served as Ca Activities Officer, a quite different role from that which he s the previous year. Now Murphy is seeking election for President of ASG in to “represent my friends and the students of Clad Community College” in addition to “[being] involved wit! representation and betterment of CCC, as well as Comm Colleges across the nation.”- The Print believes that because of this, Murphy leads the petition in experience and drive, as well as a connection wii student body that would enable him to best fill the role of President. ASG election voting will be held today and tomorrgl CC140. We encourage all students to come out and vote fori candidate of choice. Student takes offense to editors comma tary reguarding Bush’s "fetus defense’ (Regarding the op-ed in tbe April21, 2004 schoolpaper Ipi Ben Mams.) The editorial was tided “Fetus defense attacks choice»” In it, Maras attempts to per suade the campus audience that ilic Bush administration is taking away the , “right - to chose.” Maras starts outby’say-r ing he will not mention ihc war, then he does mention the war. not realizing that , those who have served like myself and those who; are serving “Volunteered.” That’s right folks they and I made a choice, fully understanding that' we may be called .on to fight and die 'wL I f Then Mr. Maras gives us a hypothetical situation of a scared teenage girl going to an abortion clinic, saying she can gets an abortion and is now able to go on with “her life.” How nSW < hii .tow live without a care in the world. (I course, we won’t mention t psychological trauma tl young woman has-' to live w (forever)/'. Now keeping on top regarding the “unborn victii of violence act.” Let’s take t young teenage woman,Mei's! she wants to keep the baby as she walks down the stn she is mugged and the attacl shoots her in the belly. Rush to the hospital, the mother si ylves.bfjt her unborn baby di Under' the old laws, the oi crimes committed were assa and robbery. Now under t “unborn victims of violcn .c 1” tin muggcr Would bc f; ing murder charges. W] Because this woman had ded ed to exercise ‘her right choose, and she chose life. I Daniel Hunter, CCC Student, Backpack dragger strikes back at Once .again, tbe proof o m the pudding that- the. pefois' mightier than the sword. lead? fy|t speak" for the others, iSfy please accept this -as one man’s opinion. 1 feel- • bad' chough being forced to pull around one of those “gidie” type headache makers without the nd of an honest, unbiased staff writer now bringing more attention t< > me than i h. >•. ||||gy wheels do. Believe me, I will contfouCfo?' do mv best to follow the smooth narrow paths that fin ished concrete al I <irds. But then again,- you probably do not uto' tthai 1 m i sp< i king of since you obviously have two good legs..Getting a locket might help me to illeviate the irksome noise ol my wheeled I crutch, but that would mean not being able to - take 'the, much- appreciated shortcuts to'save on the pain that I experience- from “having” to go to school. If I were riot at school and I was -not allowed to park in the Crip * I Print Zone, I guess that would all« me to return to-' -my Unit Journeyman position so that could pay .ever-increasing taa to afford you more poison il your pen ’ I 1 will feye you with tt thought: “When your beard gJ as long as mingjmd you ha walked'^-kna^y miles as I, w will, learn fo appreciate the dl ference between ignorance aa stupidity.' 1 can only assuti dut, with v hat education I hJ attempted to impart) th you will be no longer be ign rant, without thought of mil ¡and-ofoers’ plight. Withedd tion, you arc no longer ignord and being stupid is a chok Once you' are educated, ¡q choqse to forsake that educ riofi, then you know what hal pens.” Thank you for your time a] consideration of all who f -under the wings of the A.Dd Ken Wells- ' CCC Student ■ri Got something on your mind?1 1 E-mail letters to chiefed@clackamas.edu or bring the: on a floppy disk to RR135 by this Friday at 1 p.m. Pl< include your name and limit all letters to no more th: 200 words. Submissions become property of The Clackamas Print and subject to editing on the grounds of length, clarity, content grammar.
