Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 25, 2006)
4 Commentary Student Poll: Are you registered to vote? “Yes, because it’s a social obli gation. If we don’t use our voice, we basically have to shut up and take it” Chris Hindun “I am reg istered to vote, but my politi cal views are in the middle of the road, so I could go either way.” Criss Hargis Clackamas Pri Voting system, Don't vote? politicians scandalous Then stop complaini 11 The Clackamas Print Britteny Hoffman Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2006 Does voting really matter . Nicholas Delzell “Yes, because I want to vote for governor, and be a part of politics.” The In America’s funked up voting system, voting isn’t worth the time and thought. Growing up watching America’s excellent coverage of president and part-time playa- Bill Clinton’s scan dal, voting became irrelevant. This is not blatant disrespect to our great democracy and America as a whole. I actually understand why a citizen would vote. I’m in favor of other people voting - not me! Creating controversy and wasting time seem to be a politician’s forte, and when voting season kicks into high gear, there is no telling what politicians will do and say in adver tisements to slander their adversary. As a sports writer, I can truly say that, out of all the messed up things my beloved Trail Blazers players have done, they have never put out a smear advertisement campaign against their opposition. Too many young bucks let their parents and their parent’s beliefs over shadow their own. What I’m saying here is, Republicans generally pass on their principles to their children, and Democrats do the same. The DMV will push voter reg istration on people who just want a license, and activists will set up certain sets of people to push voter registration and voting on people ... however, no one takes into account that a person who helps voters register may also tty to get him or her to lean a certain way. Independents are where things go firm gravy to mold, as they can’t vote in primary elections. This is not only an unfair advantage to the two main political parties, but a thunderous cuff to independents who want to back Republicans or Democrats, depend ing on who is running. Voting creates scandal and makes it almost impossible to connect with others whose opinions differ. This gets especially strong on certain polit ical issues. I’m not about to bring up a scandal here, but I got a few ideas to buff up the voting system. First, make all potential voters take a voter pamphlet aptitude test, and raise the legal voting age to 21 again. Second, break up the brainless idea that Independents can’t vote in our primaries. Third, paint the White House ... we won’t go there. And fourth, make Nic King, and all this voting debate will wash away immediately. laura Cameron The Clackamas Print “Vote or shut up.” That’s one of my absolute ly favorite bumper stickers. It perfectly encapsulates my feel ings regarding voting: those who choose not to vote don’t get to complain about the results of the election. Until recently, I always assumed people didn’t vote because they were too lazy. It seemed odd - especially here in Oregon, where the ballot comes in the mail and just has to be mailed back, no physical effort involved - but hey, different strokes, right? Turns out I was wrong. Many people these days don’t vote because they claim it doesn’t mat ter. If there were a literary tech nique for conveying stupefied silence, it would appear here. How can anyone feel that vot ing doesn’t matter? Were they not paying attention in their American History class when the teacher covered the Revolutionary War? One of the founding principles of this nation is the right to vote. Of course, they have a j With the millions of peop the United States, how’s on« more or less going to matter' The individual vote ma matter. But start adding up individual non-votes, and turn into quite a chunk of n tial change. In the 2004 election, it estimated that only 17 pt of eligible 18 to 25-yed voted. Younger generation generally more liberal than parents - had they voted, ine the impact the other 8i cent would have caused! might not be in office now.! Republicans might not have trol of Congress. Most of those 83 percent vote because they thought! vote wouldn’t matter. Voting does matter, folks, is why I will vote in every tion I can until my dying day hey, don’t take my word I Go back and ask the signers Declaration of Independenci ones who pledged their live tunes and sacred honor to th ation of a country where th zens decide what course to The ones who lost their livt families to create that nation “I am regis tered to vote because ...without individual participation in voting matters, democracy fails.” Dusty Ragsdale Forrest Scrutton “No, because I’m under 18 years old. I do plan to register when 1 turn 18 so that I could participate in tire next election.” ‘Tart of it is a sense of obliga tion, that it’s something I should do. But 1 also like to think that my one vote can make a dif ference.” Golda Kamerman This week's poll compiled by Alexandria Vallelunga and Jeff Sorensen Photo Illustrations by Adam J. Manley Clackamas Print Letters to the editor ‘Cdnspiracy Corner’ sparks controversy over 9/1 I am actually very disappointed that there isn’t a section in the newspaper for “letters to the edi tor.” I would love to be able to comment, so that the entire college could read, on the article printed in regards to the conspiracy theories ... this time relating to 9/11. It’s kind of ironic that there is an article on teachers being biased, and then there is a small blurb on how the Clackamas Print is also an unbiased paper, when in feet I find it very conservative, Republican and biased beyond belief (except, of course, for the lengthy sports pages ... are we still in high school?). I think that since you are reaching an entire school with these biased articles, that there should at least be a sec tion within the paper for those of us who do not agree with the opin ions of the writers. All students within the Clackamas institution should be able to hear from all sides of the story, especially if the writers within the paper cannot give them that. To revisit my initial reasons for writing, I have just moved here from the east coast. While the twin towers were hit, I lived one hour north. One year previously, I had lived in Brooklyn, across the east river from the towers. I find it fascinating how “impacted” peoples’ lives have been out here from that “feteful day.” Most of the people that I know, that have lived and still live in NYC, hardly think about 9/11 as much as Oregonians do. And their lives have been more impacted than most of the state of Oregon put together. Fear is hot a control factor for them ... They live there. If you took a survey, an unbiased gen eral survey, I think you would find that most people within that area would they themselves be some what [sic] of conspiracy theories regarding 9/11. A friend of mine, who lived in the < y, had a brother in the Army, stationed in Nebraska at the time (a huge weapons center of ours). The night before 9/11, his brother called him and warned him to go out of town. He couldn’t tell him why. He shouldn’t have even made the phone call. How could that so easily be tossed out the window as an attachment to an exagger ated conspiracy theory? Did the U.S A. mastermind the whole 9/11 catastrophes? Saying that would almost be laughable ... but did the president or his “yes-men” or officials in his cabinet know about what might happen (98% chance)? Was there enough evidence for us to have been on a high alert within the governmental agencies (screw all this media crap about “terror alert colors”)? Probably. And, to base part of an article on findings from a “9/11 commission report”... how many times are we going to facilitate the astronomical lies of the government? How unbi ased could a commissioned report from the government to other gov ernmental agencies be?!?! Don’t we have CIA and! and other forms of “secret sen that are essentially invisible i of the government, that have k people? Previous governmental p: dents in Iran that we have k and replaced just to facilitate USA and big business = pl knowledge. There’s more to this gov ment than anyone would ki but to label all conspiracy theo as heretics ... well, that’s d right ridiculous. Most of our j famous scientists, artists, phil phers, geniuses were at one j in time heretics .... What does tell you? --Rebecca Jane, CCC studfl To send a letter to the edit e-mail it io chiefed@clackam edu, or drop it off at The /M office, Roger Rook 135. 1
