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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 17, 2001)
o sa mdav, September 17, 2001 Page 11 ida Closed book of educational opportunity n severe drougir :d the state. Smith, a spob iouth Florida ent District, sa: ntall \sas disc, eean because c. ated. a rainfall de ended the ( . ‘‘But if wei .hape and p< •ing water ha .* in trouble a Members of community wrong to allow politics to keep a library shut down \ By blv :kingj unds, hiey are :reatit g a raa kei ping America i youth from Having a opm rtunit to exq. I tnis monejl could community and the i! Clarenfce Thom, looking id the pain ison. ccntn i X w as 1 Is of It rHosW. CAMPBELL. music GELES controversy has arisen within the cb|n- munity of Savannah, Ga. >4$ anonyrnous philanthropist offered as rrjuch as iUlon to reopen the historical tmegie Library with the stip- atiin that all or part of the >rar would be named for ipftme Court Justice lure!ice Thomas. __^Bme citizens want to ailes southuev ocK this money- and the threat only t oBning of the library :cau ol differences in )inon with Thomas. However, e m eds of the children in this cbtnmunity toupd take precedent over personal politic^, r S IN BRIEF/^yi these children need is to have a librarv 'Ian critic: pe " ln ^ av;lilab ! e ‘ 0 them The Carnegie Library was started in 1906 by even African-American citizens whose chiT ren were not able to use the white libraries, hey; donated books and magazines from their om^s. In 1914, Andrew Carnegiefs foundation onied all the money needed to build a new uildmg and stock it with books and magazines, inct then, the library has been used by Iniri- reds of thousands of people over the years, teflding a young man named Clarence bonus. In 1997. the Carnegie Library had fall- n into such disrepair that it had to be closed. r^Biomas does not believe in some social pro- ram^ such as affirmative action, which some lemhers of the Savannah community believe re essential. Library board member Robert hooks was the most vocal member of the •pposition to receiving money to reopening the ibrJjry. “Clarence Thomas has never cared any- hing about the black folks and he made that r ery clear to us,” Brooks said. “He looks upon is race as Hitler looked upon the Jews and 1 all him Judas because he sold his people out." Citizens for Library Preservation founder athy Johnson believes that Brooks needs io lace his money where his mouth is. “If they ant to get mad about Clarence Thomas, then tey need to come up with the money.” £ W. John Mitchell, a member of the library .eering committee, agrees that opening the brary for the children is the most important ling. “I’m not crazy about Clarence Thomas’ olitics, but politics pale in comparison to what leaders of the pa^m'e BooBpf T. "W and striving to better himse t in that Mving the name oi Aomeon do not agjrte with more impc rtant tha future of your kids? In a per ect worlc Would pla<|e politic« over tl t needs (|f dten —they are Anterica’s tjuture. Because Brooks ipfluencel jo keep a liive not only hurt / rift e hd equal for thelChildren fcf this fcommu lity as a whole.” said h< was inspi'ed by mgs of plominentl black mngm, >rary. fsomeonei whose Politics yiii the , no one the chi and his supporters use tin library f om ope ting, the/ ihe comnunity, bdt Ameri is a whole. He is p omotina racial division by calling thje Cameg e Library a “blact. library Brooks hjas only p pmoted more racial strife by his inflammato y comrr|ejnts aboi|t|ciaren<| ipomas Brookj&jhas gon i as far £S saying tiiat “the founders bf the Caniegie w ] uld jump jup in tjheir gravds and d£t ce in hojl’s fire tnr the re^tj df eternity in prefermce to having Jijdtice n t rom. I s Times even tl if 1 ud Dyl sten to! v albui Thomas’ name atttc hed to p lything <H something so dtlar and cbstly.” T founders of the Carnegie Library, in Andrew Carnegie, would v j nt nothi tjhan to allow children of ai|y race tc educated. His comfclients d tfie community. Ail<|i unfor Ifeks to help the children. Andrew Carnegne spent earned fortune to ^pen libr country. He did tha so chi Wren eve would bdable to tjecome ehucated mote a better tomoiirow. If that libra closed one day loriger thanlit has to the memoty of Andrew Caqr egie and an won le. e 1960s k cs and to 1 gimifli s fallen Mi critics id Ian said h •gative res; ned Sunk an't worn that.” Dyia is has been iams was as booed. ambers eleven people whoHvorked will be d|iecrated UnforAmately, r community have Thomas, but of the libr; underprivi opportunity to lean | any pint uding I more I ecome [ nothing hb serve |; nately. Ho even j uch of ies aerd p open the library! the Sasjdnnah {Justice imeanini srespectei lined the ren wil By bloj cheating a racial riff hnd keel fiom having an eqi £ 1 oppor Thai \i\gricult lual they a| ng Ameflca’s yoiftji inity to eft cel. \Campbt ljournalism maj\\: AMEYBHAN • THE BATTALION EDITORIAL Texas AdrM University— Celebrating 125 Years THE BATTALION EDITORIAL BOARD Brady Creel Mariano Castillo Cayla Carr Jonathan Jones Rolando Garcia Editor in Chief Managing Editor Opinion Editor Opinion Editor News Editor Remember This Generation Result of retaliation today is ours to inherit tomorrow The evil acts of terror last Tuesday are a defining moment for our generation. Much like the Kennedy assassination was for our parents, students across campus and the nation will vividly remember where they were when news of the events first reached them. The emotions of the aftermath that are sometimes so difficult to express. As a war seems inevitable, likely there will be more anger and frustration. Regardless, now is the time for this gener ation of America's leaders to protect the center of the world’s freedom and demo cratic ideals. We must demand that the deci sions being made exude the necessary measures of justice, temperance and intelli gence toward those who must be eliminated from the face of the earth. There must also be compassion toward those who are unfor tunately close in proximity to the aggressors. The consequences of the actions of America’s current leaders will fall upon this generation, as ours will be the one to cross the finish line of whatever initiatives are undertaken in the coming weeks and months. We must accept no less than pru dence and wisdom from those entrusted to protect and defend the most impressive bea con of freedom the world has ever known. As has been stated so many times before, this is a new world: the fully justified paranoia of Israel has touched the United States. This country is, in fact, vulnerable; it is prey to the attacks of a cowardly type of warfare, one so difficult to counter. Our nation is at war against the shadowy figures of Islamic extremism. The The consequences of the actions of America’s current leaders will fall upon this generation. implications of this for the future of the world are large and unimaginable. Make no mistake, there are many across the globe who hate America and all that it stands for. As the conflict begins, our gen eration should begin to ponder the sacri fices that will be necessary. A sense of self lessness and duty to country, similar to that of the generation that conquered fas cism, Nazism and communism, is required to conquer a more cowardly, but no less evil and barbaric enemy. An assault upon and extermination of Osama bin Laden is a proper start, but will not eliminate the poison he represents. The steel of America’s resolve is indeed strong, and those who sponsor and support his type of heinous activity should be severely punished. The past week has seen hearten ing and uplifting togetherness as the American people, Congress and our allies abroad rally behind President Bush. At the same time, the actions this gov ernment will soon undertake affect our generation the most, for we will come of age in a time dominated by unfortunate yet unavoidable suspicion directed toward our fellow man. Students should pray for and support those elected to protect their free doms and the military prepared to defend it with their own lives. But their decisions cannot fall outside the bounds of public scrutiny. The new world that is shaped by the resolve and retaliation of today is ours to inherit tomorrow. YVvYVYvVtvVVV