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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 5, 2004)
THE BATTALK Monday, July 5, 2004 NEWS IN BRIEF Bush: U.S. is safer with Saddam in prison CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Defending the war in Iraq, President Bush said on Independence Day that America is safer because Saddam Hussein is in a prison cell. “Our immediate task in battle- fronts like Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere is to capture or kill the terrorists ... so we do not have to face them here at home," Bush told a cheering crowd outside the West Virginia Capitol. An enthusi astic audience estimated by state capitol police at 6,500 people wav ing American flags chanted, “Four more years.” Regarding Saddam, the deposed Iraqi president, Bush said: “Because we acted, the dictator, the brutal tyrant, is sitting in a prison cell." Two Bush opponents, taken out of the crowd in restraints by police, said they were told they couldn’t be there because they were wearing shirts that said they opposed the president. Israeli helicopters strike Gaza Strip JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli attack helicopters fired three mis siles Sunday at a Palestinian metal workshop in the Jebaliya refugee camp, north of Gaza City, witness es said. Medics said three people were treated for minor injuries. Three more missiles were fired in a separate attack on another metal workshop in Gaza City. Hospital staff said three bystanders were wounded, none critically. The same building was the target of an air strike June 29, the day after a Palestinian rocket attack killed two Israelis in the border town of Sderot. The blast from the Sunday night Gaza City strike also knocked out a nearby electric transformer, plung ing part of the city into darkness, residents said. The Israeli army said Sunday’s raids were against targets used by the militant Islamic Hamas group “and other terror organizations" to manu facture rockets and other weapons. Rwandans share pain, hope on 10th anniversary of genocide KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) — Thousands of genocide survivors, soldiers, former rebels and farmers gathered at the national stadium for a somber ceremony Sunday mark ing the 10th anniversary since the fall of the extremist government that led Rwanda's 1994 genocide. Through poems and speeches, Rwandans recalled deep wounds but also took stock of how far the country had come since the dark days of the slaughter. “Our past was shaped by bad leadership that promoted discrimi nation. That is over,” President Paul Kagame told the assembled crowd in the Amahoro Stadium, where thousands of Tutsis sought refuge during the genocide. TICKETS ON SALE NOW! JULY 13 & 14 i 0P5|Pireed Arena ? » l-.l H A&M UNIVERSITY Tue. JULY 13 ★ 7:30 PM | 1 Wed. OPENING NIGHT JULY SAVE $5 ON TICKETS! . 3:30 PM’4 »'****"**» w **•«»*» 7:30 PM'* •KIDS UNDER 12 - SAVE $4.00 ON TICKETS! ^STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF - SAVE $&..00 ON TICKETS! 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Now signs are cropping up that the nation’s youngest young presidential race since 1972, when the voting age was dropped to'j in which turnout among the youngest voters topped 50 percent He agrees that the war in Iraq — and how it will affect their lit — is causing many teens to take notice. He also credits the voting campaigns that target young people, including one headed by MTV. Still others say teachers have helped inspired them adults are bucking another trend: They’re taking an interest in voting. “It’s important to us. What happens in this election is going to affect our genera tion,” says 18-year-old Katie Brew, who filled out a registration form shortly before graduating from Verona High School, just outside Madison. About to head to the University of Nebraska for her freshman year, Brew is most worried about the potential for a draft. Others say the threat of terrorism and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have motivated them to get involved. “We’ve been through things like 9-11 and the war on Iraq — all that junk. So we want to have a say,” says 18-year-old Mia Georgeson, another newly registered voter from Verona High who’s about to join the National Guard Aimy band as a percussionist. Recent surveys of youth — most often college students — have provided conflict ing data about the level of interest in the upcoming presidential election. Still, several experts who track youth movements believe change is afoot, particu larly among “millennials,” young adults bom after 1981 who are coming of age in the new millennium. Now no older than 22, they represent millions of potential new voters. Michael Wood, vice president of Teenage Research Unlimited, says the elec tion has been coming up frequently — and spontaneously — during his talks with Youngest voters In 2000 m of h shle had Since 1972, when the voting age was lowered to 18, 1992 was the only presidential election year in which turnout among the youngest voters topped 50 percent. Percentage of population age 18-24 that voted in presidential elections since 1972 60 percent SOURCE: Center for Information & AP Research on Civic Learning & Engagement young people who serve as advisers for the Illinois-based market research company. “I haven’t seen this much interest since 1992,” Wood says, refer ring to the first presidential election Bill Clinton won. It was the only That was the case for Dan Blessinj, recent high school graduate in Philadelpl— who took action after a teacher explaiiJ ls ^. to how young people have been increasing;_ iss less likely to vote. | } saic “It really did hit me then,” says Blesw°' n § to who registered via an education pro^-p rne( ^ * 1C called Student Voices. He and fellow il dents at the High School for CreativeiP- Performing Arts then had a pizza partvl persuade their peers to do the same. In Wisconsin alone, the nonpartiJ New Voters Project has already registerl more than 8,000 teens, including BrtJ Georgeson and dozens of other gradu: seniors at Verona High School. Caught during their final assembly, heard an enthusiastic pitch from 23-y old Jessy Tolkan, the New Voters Projec; Wisconsin coordinator. “Before you go off into the world! high school graduates, you can do one ly critical, important thing — you can ister to vote!” Tolkan shouted. The suggestion drew just a sin| “Woo!” from the back of the auditorium hardly a rousing response. But in a matter of minutes, nearly halfij the 310 Verona seniors registered andfilkj out cards that say “YES! I pledge tow on Nov. 2, 2004.” They also provided mail addresses and cell phone numbers! they could be reminded to vote this fall. Several other students said thej already registered. “It’s all part of a rising political tide,” says Scott Beale, a 28-yei old who interviewed hundreds of young people for his “Millennial Manifesto,” a look at youth interest in politics,activi^ and voting. Penatagon’s recall of veterans to duty doesn’t merit renewed draft, senator says By William C. Mann THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is forcing thousands of discharged sol diers back into the military, but that does not mean the United States needs to reinstate the draft, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said Sunday. “I can tell you the all-volunteer forces worked” when former President Nixon ended conscription during the Vietnam War, said Sen. John Warner, who was Nixon’s secretary of the Navy in 1973. Opposition to perceived inequities of the draft spawned much of the early opposition to that war, due largely to deferments that exempted students and some draft-eligible men with political connections. “We cannot bring back a draft now and make some young men and women go into uniform and not bring in a whole lot of others to do different tasks,” said Warner, R-Va., on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” The cost of benefits would be prohibi tive, he said. What has brought up the question again is the Pentagon’s order last week to recall to active duty 5,674 members of the Individual Ready Reserve, soldiers who have served specified tours of duty but have years remaining in their enlist ment contracts. After that announcement. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said, “If there was any doubt that this administration was conducting a pseudo-draft, this call-up should dispel that doubt.” Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has made similar complaints about the administration’s use of Reserves and National Guardsmen and a device called “stop loss,” which prevents sol diers from leaving when their obligations end. “They have effectively used a stop- loss policy as a backdoor draft,” Kerry said last month. Chief among administration opponents of a draft has been Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. In January 2003, three months before U.S. troops invaded Iraq, Rumsfeld strongly opposed legislation by Rep. Charles B. Rangel, D-N.Y., to abolish the Selective Service System and establish a system in which all Americans and legal permanent residents, age 18 to 26, would be subject to compulsory military or alter- for it at all,' native civilian service. “There is no need Rumsfeld said. He said draftees were of “no value,m advantage” to the military because the; served for such short periods of time. Hi later apologized to veterans after Rangel and other Democrats criticized his dial acterization. Millions of Americans have served compulsory military service during U.Si history. Under the Selective Service lam[ men still have to register within a montho!; their 18th birthday. Warner said the problem with ret statement of the draft is that it quickh would become “one of the most enoif mously expensive programs, where we'r: giving the GI Bill to military people am! to those who are brought in to perform other tasks.” Expanding the benefits of the GI Bill which helped with housing, medical ami educational expenses, to civilians force: into national service would be only he said. “You just can’t go out and equitabl) grab 5 percent of the young people am force them into uniform without makinj all of the young people begin to do some thing comparable,” he said. Robert Ros cle at his sh SOURC m We are America's #1 Brake Service Company for *9 S 979-764- BRYAN COLLEGE STATION Carkeeper Brakes 2715 S. Texas Ave. -Across from Wal-Mart corner of S. Texas Ave & Harvey Mitchell Pkwy 1 Year/12,000 Mile Warranty | Most Cars 9 99 Installation Extra Open Monday - Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm Lube, Oil & Filter Lifetime VSD Brakes Most Cars 'ftO 99 Engine Light On? 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Tenure gives college professors a lifetime guarantee of employment without fear of reprisal for speaking and researching controversial topics. Anita Levy, an official with the American Association of University Professors, said she was surprised at UNT’s rejection rate. “We are certainly concerned when we see a great number of denials at a university,” Levy in Sunday’s edition of the Denton Record-Chronicle. We are ceitainjy concerned when we see a great number of denials at a university. year, and denied only two of 33 candidates! year before. The rejections devastated some faculty me|| hers who must find jobs before their contractsal WASHI terminated next May. l>ciation,t “When you’re being told that you’re on Crat JohnK right track each year, that you '| i ts cairq doing everything you should IFP 6 the h doing, and more, and thenabrai new provost turns you down, we| something is wrong with t said Jacqueline Lambiase, am tant professor of journalism j UNT and one of the professoj denied tenure. Texas A&M typically New UNT provost Howard C. Johnson said the school faced a large number of tenure candidates for its size. President Norval Pohl said the denials could be a result of university administrators enforcing standards more aggressively than in the past. David Kesterson, Johnson’s predecessor, did not deny any of the 25 candidates for tenure last tenure to up to 5 percent of can: ^ ^ . , dates, while the University- American AssociaUorf of Texas denies up to 25 percent,.) an/lach University Professors official cia| s said. s ° advanc It would be very unusual lot lying bom to tell 40 percent of the faculty‘n Although to tenure at the point where they have submit 1 ' Ives with i packages,” said Karan Watson, Texas A<0 ^sedaRei Dean of Faculties and Associate Provost. “If®* of every The NEr ainly 0 f erything hoolvou d forces ing state djoining political Kerry, wl saw a large number of faculty being denied ah point, we would worry about the quality oftfl toring these faculty were given to prepare thet consideration for tenure.” Withe But cehisedi We unior I’yed meml
