March 20, 2002
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Big Rapids Riverwalk set for construction
By Jessica Wortley
Ferris State Torch
A project that was initially thought about almost 30 years ago has finally gotten the support it needs to make its debut. The Big Rapids Riverwalk, a five-mile walkway along the Muskegon River which will be wheelchair accessible, is set for ground breaking in early June.
According to Lynne Scheible, chair of the Riverwalk Development Committee, the Riverwalk will be one of the only handicap- accessible river walkways in the midwest. The river walkway will run for five miles, between Northend Riverside Park to Highbanks Park, and include 20 fishing platforms.
“There is nothing like this,” Scheible said. “Fishing platforms will be designed so that the physically challenged have access to the river.”
The Riverwalk is being developed to help local and visiting persons who are physically challenged. Its design will meet certain therapeutic criteria to help persons develop their motor skills, get exercise, enhance mental and visual stimulation and improve balancing and strengthening. This will be accomplished by the use of fishing gear, self-propulsion along the walkways, animal watching, rowing, tubing and endurance standing.
Community support for the Riverwalk has been high, as it is seen as a huge benefit to the city.
It coincides with the city’s efforts to establish the area as a prime destination for recreation and fits in with the other local recreational activities such as the Rails-to-Trails, wildlife trails, wetlands river fishing and tubing. In addition, the city hopes the added Riverwalk will help generate more business such as restaurants, evening entertainment, game arcades and souvenir/gift shops.
The project will be completed in three phases. The first will connect between the river, Northend Riverside Park and Rails-to-Trails. The second phase will be between the Baldwin Street and Maple Street bridges; and the third will be between the Maple Street bridge and Highbanks Park, again connecting to Rails-to-Trails.
According to Scheible, the community has donated over $400,000 in cash and pledges towards the estimated $2 million needed to complete the project. The first phase will cost $1.1 million, which has been raised through $250,000 from the community and a state grant from the DNR.
Many local organizations are supportive of the Riverwalk. The City of Big Rapids will provide the architectural and engineering studies and will own and maintain the Riverwalk once it is constructed.
The Mecosta County Area Chamber of Commerce will organize and sponsor river festivals and activities, while the Mecosta County Community Foundation will provide philanthropy and act as the fiscal agent.
In addition, the Riverwalk Development Committee, headed by Dr. Jerry Conrad and Scheible, consists of 25 community members, including some Ferris staff members and administration.
Ferris is also providing some engineering, audio and visual expertise.
Jeremy Mishler, Ferris alumni director and committee member, said he has been “developing some concepts to help motivate Ferris students and student organizations.”
While no formal plans have been made, Mishler noted that a few student groups have expressed interest in hosting social events at the end of this semester or as part of Fall Welcome Week to generate student interest and support.
The Riverwalk idea was originally developed in the mid-1970s, but since the timing was not right for various reasons, the project was dumped.
Conrad brought it to life again with the formation of the development committee in January of 2001. Since then it has taken off and has been well received.
“Aren’t we lucky to live in an incredible community where people care enough about each other and the environment that they want to provide a service like the Riverwalk?” Scheible said.
For more information on the Riverwalk or to give support, call the Mecosta County Community Foundation at 796-3055, or visit the Riverwalk online at bigrapidsriverwalk.com (basic information obtained from the Riverwalk’s web page).
DPS offers free class for women on self-defense
By Amy McElmurray
Assistant News Editor
“I can’t believe more people don’t take this class - it’s free!!” exclaimed a female student completing the Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) course taught by the FSU Department of Public Safety.
RAD is a “program of realistic self-defense tactics and techniques. The RAD System is a comprehensive course for women that begins with awareness, prevention, risk education and avoidance, while progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training,” according to the DPS website.
The system is a 12-hour course taught by Officers Joy Beno and Jim Wing. This past session was on Sunday nights from 6 - 9 p.m. for four weeks.
“The course sounded interesting,” commented one of the five females who recently completed the program. “I feel a lot more confident.”
Officer Wing commented that the “techniques are coming natural for the women.
They are being very assertive. It is neat to see the confidence built from the first session to the last.”
Officers Beno and Wing became certified in RAD instruction three years ago at the University of Notre Dame. They teach the class several times a year, and have taught at least 35 students the basics of self-defense. The course is absolutely free to the entire community: student, faculty, staff and community members.
“We would like to run it as a class for credit,” commented Officer Beno.
According to Officer Beno, other universities are able to offer it as a credit course, and therefore have more students enroll in it.
One of the recent RAD students is a graduate of Ferris.
“I work midnights at the hospital. I’m the only one there in my department, so it is nice to know these defense moves,” she said. “I have to take the drunk patients to the x-ray department, and it used to scare me a lot. I feel a lot safer now that I’ve learned these moves.”
The first time the group meets, the students are given a manual and are instructed on techniques and complete some book work. The second and third meeting times are focused on techniques and practice. The fourth session incorporates everything in actual scenarios.
Each student must complete the scenarios and be able to escape the attacker.
Students wear some pads for protection, and the attacker is in a full padded suit for personal safety. Scenes are set up, such as being at an ATM machine at night or walking alone outside.
“We are hitting the attacker at 100 percent,” exclaimed one student.
The class also teaches avoidance techniques, such as not being alone at night and to always be on alert.
One tip offered by the students was that females should not rely on pepper spray to defend themselves.
It can be used as a distraction, but is not always reliable.
The RAD System is taught throughout the United States and Canada by certified instructors.
Once a women completes the 12-hour program, she can attend any other RAD training throughout her lifetime for free.
Some places charge up to $100 for the course, according to the officers. So the benefit of being able to refresh on the techniques for free is a great opportunity.
The RAD courses are set up for the average woman with no previous experience or background in physical training, according to the programs website, rad-systems.com The next class will be offered soon, with times to be announced.
If interested, call DPS and ask for Officer Wing, 591-5000.
“You can never learn too much self-defense,” said one of the females.
Ways to prevent medical errors
By Laura Chene
News Editor
This past Saturday marked the last day of Patient Safety Awareness Week, in which doctors and other members of the medical field provided consumers with tips on how to prevent medical errors.
Patient safety awareness week, held March 10-16, was initiated by the National Patient Safety Foundation to educate patients on how to reduce the rate of errors in the medical community.
During those few days, medical experts provide consumers with information regarding patient safety, medical errors and success stories.
In a press release, the Mecosta Co-unty General Hospital acknowledged the importance of knowing how to properly take prescription and over-the-counter medications.
MCGH’s Pharmacist Manager pointed out that taking old medicine is not safe.
“It’s not good to take out-of-date medicine,” Paul Sullivan, director of the health and counseling centers, agreed. “One of the things that happens there is they lose their potency.”
Sullivan also added, “Patients need to be aware of what they’re taking and what they’re getting.” Patients should not hesitate to ask their doctor any questions whatsoever. Sullivan said that the pharmacist at the Birkam Health Center makes sure to ask the patients to list the different medications they are taking.
Sullivan proceeded by saying that patients must maintain a good relationship with their doctors in order to prevent medical errors.
Although Sullivan was unfamiliar with the seriousness of medical errors on the collegiate level, he stated that on a national basis “it is quite an important issue.”
The following tips to prevent medical errors are taken directly from one of the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research’s (AHRQ) patient fact sheets:
1. The single, most important way you can help to prevent errors is to be an active member of your health care team.
2. Make sure that all of your doctors know about everything you are taking.
3. Make sure your doctor knows about any allergies and adverse reactions you have had to medicines.
4. When your doctor writes you a prescription, make sure you can read it.
5. Ask for information about your medicines in terms you can understand both when your medicines are prescribed and when you receive them.
6. If you have any questions about the directions on your medicine labels, ask.
7. Ask your pharmacist for the best device to measure your liquid medicine.
8. Ask for written information about the side effects your medicine could cause.
9. Learn about your condition and treatments by asking your doctor or nurse and by using other reliable sources.
Students help others explore Ferris
Laura Chene
News Editor
Beginning this fall, the student ambassador program will allow interested students to obtain a more in-depth look at the university by offering a chance to experience life in the residence halls and a sample of the classroom atmosphere.
Through the program five males and five female students will host interested students on Thursday nights. “Then they’re going to shadow their student ambassador in the classroom the next day,” Admissions Officer Tammy Wells said. High school students will be able “to see what the classroom is all about.”
“We think it will be a big hit,” Wells said. She, along with Admissions Officer Carrie Ziegler, came up with the idea for the program. They wanted to implement a program that would “utilize current students to sell Ferris a little more,” Wells said.
The proLargram offers benefits to both prospective students and current students. For example, staying overnight is cost effective to prospective students since they do not have to pay for a hotel room if they wish to stay overnight. “It would help them so they could actually stay on campus,” Wells said.
The program is being launched this fall as a pilot program, so the office will be able to see what works and what doesn’t, improve aspects of the program which may not carry out as expected and also work with the student ambassadors within that first year of the program’s initiation. “We’ll drop the pilot after the year . . .,” Wells said. Although only ten students will be selected, Wells noted that she hopes the program will grow over the years.
The student ambassadors will live in Hallisy hall. “We’ve got some rooms blocked off for them,” Wells said. Next year the office of admissions will be located in the new Timme Center for student services, which is located near Hallisy hall. “We can be a resource for the ambassadors and keep that communication going,” said.
“We’re real excited about it,” Wells said. “We both knew we wanted to start a student ambassador program, and every student ambassador program is very different.”
The two researched different schools and obtained feedback and tips. “We tried to gather a lot of information,” said.
Administrative members are also attracted to the idea. “We’ve gotten a lot of support,” Wells admitted.
Students must meet the following requirements in order to serve as an ambassador, according to the Admissions Office:
~ Have finished at least one semester at Ferris State University.
~ Be a full-time student.
~ Carry a minimum 2.5 grade point average.
~ Live in a residence halls.
~ Be a member of at least one registered student organization.
~ Possess moderate knowledge of the university’s history, student life and academic programs.
~ Have an outgoing personality, an abundance of school spirit and strong interpersonal skills.
According to the office of Admissions, some of the benefits the student ambassadors will receive include:
~ An annual $1,000 scholarship
~ A private room for the price of a double.
~ An annual $200 book voucher.
~ Special acknowledgment at graduation.
Interested students must apply no later than April 5 by 5:00 p.m. Applications are available in the Admissions Office in Prakken 101. For more information, contact Wells at 591-5447 or Ziegler at 591-3956.
“We’ll be accepting [applications] all the way to April,” Wells confirmed.
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Photo Courte sy of mudtruck.com
Junior Jesse Haines stands in front of his 1986 Toyota that has been entered in Fourwheeler Magazine’s 2002 Top Truck Challenge.
Trucks and mud all wrapped into one
By Heather Johnson
Ferris State Torch
Ferris State University student Jesse Haines has made a hobby of getting dirty. He has been rebuilding four-wheel drive trucks for just that purpose since he was 16.
Haines, a junior in Automotive Engineering, currently owns three off-road vehicles, all of which he has modified himself.
His first project was a 4-wheel drive Blazer he received when he was 16. Later, he began work on an ’89 Toyota that was a high school graduation present.
“I have been interested in working on trucks my whole life. I used to do model cars, and I watched monster trucks on TV,” Haines said.
Haines followed up his ’89 with an ’86 Toyota, and that success encouraged him to modify a ’48 Jeep Willys.
The entire project cost only $2500.00 and has helped him finish first in several Tough Truck competitions.
“Sometimes, it is more fun building them than driving them,” he said. “I like it when others see the work I’ve done and appreciate it.”
It was his friends who encouraged Haines to enter his favorite truck, an orange ’86 Toyota, in Fourwheeler Magazine’s 2002 Top Truck Challenge.
Readers from all over the country send in pictures of their trucks, and 70 are chosen to be featured in the April issue of the magazine.
Jesse’s truck is number 28 in this month’s issue, and readers are encouraged to vote for their favorite.
Ten winners will be picked by voters, and the winners travel to Hollister Hills, Calif. to participate in four days of contests including turning radius tests, rock crawling, hill climbs, towing and obstacle courses.
Haines is also the vice president of the campus High Performance Motorsport Student Organization, (HPMSO) which holds 4-wheeling competitions and general mud melees every year.
This year the HPMSO is holding their annual competition on April 20th with the location to be determined.
Anyone interested can check out mudtruk.com for more information, plus detailed specs about each of Jesse’s creations.
Is there a better system out?
By Matt Cherry
Assistant A&E Editor
Okay, let me start off by saying that if you read video game reviews, you’ve come across what the reviewers think about the Sony PlayStation 2, Microsoft’s XBox and the Nintendo Gamecube.
Well, now it’s my turn.
First, I’m going to do the Gamecube. Now I, like most old school gamers, remember when the only choices for video game systems were pretty much the Atari systems, and the Commodore 64.
Then Nintendo released their Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and the rest was history.
Since then, they’ve been the leaders in the field for excellence. And while the Gamecube (or GC) has a lot of cool features, I find it to be utterly lacking.
The system’s size is both a blessing and a curse. As such a small piece of hardware, the system is incredibly mobile. However, I have a hard time taking a machine seriously when my cats think it is a toy.
As for Nintendo’s first venture into the realm of the CD-type discs, it’s not bad. Unfortunately, its lack of DVD capability is a real downfall when compared to the PS2 and the XBox.
Another large problem with the GC is its lack of game depth. As of right now, there are a couple of good games (such as Super Smash Brothers Melee and Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II). However, there is also a game in which you can ride all of the Universal Studio Theme Park rides. Boring.
Graphically, the system can rock. That’s its major selling point. Well, that and the fact that this is a Nintendo game system.
Before long, the GC is supposed to have a patch cord so you can connect it with the Gameboy Advanced and play some cross- system games that way, along with a few other perks.
Basically, the GC could have been ten times better. Had Nintendo stuck to its own rigid gaming code, the system would be a real contender. For now, it’s in last place.
Of course, the announcement of Nintendo and Squaresoft getting back together promises some good games soon, so the fate of the Gamecube can still be saved.
I give the system an 8.5 out of the ten-point scale, thanks to the Squaresoft deal.
Next, there’s the Microsoft XBox. Now, like the GC, this system has a lot of good things going for it, and a lot of bad things going against it.
My major pet peeve about the system is its CPU. As in, its CPU is a regular PC processor. It’s even rumored (I couldn’t see anywhere that Microsoft has denied/approved it to be true) that Intel manufactures the CPU for the system.
Basically, in trying to make a home entertainment system, Microsoft has instead created a cheap home computer that can’t really be used for computing.
Another problem I have with it is the controller. Microsoft made it smaller than it originally was, but it’s still very big and blocky. It can be quite a challenge, and it’s easy to lose the buttons on this mountain of a controller.
Okay, with that out of the way, I can start talking about the good things about the XBox.
With a starting line-up (i.e. games released in the first six months) of games like Max Payne, Halo, Obi-Wan (I like any Star Wars game) and others, the XBox came out of the corner fighting.
Plus, this system has lined up what could be the god of RPG games, tentatively titled “Project: Ego.”
This will be the first (and hopefully not the last) of the true live action game. You start off the game as a 15-year-old whose parents have been murdered.
Will you go and avenge their death? Or will you stay in town, marry, have children and farm? It’s all up to you.
Also, Dead or Alive 3 isn’t too bad either.
All of these games’ strongest suit is their graphics. The XBox’s graphics are simply amazing. And so far their games are taking advantage of this fact.
My major pet peeve about the system is also one of its best points. Since the XBox pretty much uses a PC CPU, that makes programming games for the system a breeze.
We’ll probably see a lot of PC to XBox carts. However, knowing the history of these carted games, they probably won’t be as good as the original.
The XBox can also play DVD movies, which is always good.
If you leave off the bow, the XBox is a nice little package. However, it could have been better, and the controller is a real turn-off from the system.
It still gets second place here with a score of 9.1 out of the ten-point scale.
Finally, the champion according to me, the Sony PlayStation 2.
When Sony first released the PlayStation (or PSX), they set the bar for next-generation video gaming systems.
And even with some flaws, the PlayStation 2 (or PS2) continues on the tradition.
The PS2 has its first advantage with release dates. By the time the XBox and GC were released, the PS2 had been out for a while. So they already had great game publishers (such as Squaresoft and Acclaim) putting out games.
Plus, they were already tested in the field. With all three game systems being disc-systems, the PS2 has a previously-released disc-system, the PSX. The XBox is Microsoft’s first attempt at a video game system, and the GC is Nintendo’s first attempt at a disc-system.
Okay, so PS2 has seniority. They also have some kickin’ games to back them up.
Some of these games include Max Payne, Devil May Cry, Dynasty Warriors 3, Final Fantasy X, Metal Gear Solid 2, Gran Turismo and many, many more.
Like I said, the PS2 isn’t without its faults. With a self-made “emotion” chip for a CPU, the PS2 is the hardest system of the three to program for.
Of course, that hasn’t stopped publishers from making some killer games.
The graphics can be a bit more pixelated than the GC or XBox, but they’re still gorgeous.
The PS2 has seniority and superiority over the GC and the XBox. And that’s why it gets a 9.7 out of the ten-point scale.
So, as of right now, the PS2 is the clear winner. However as more and more features and games are released for all three systems, it’ll be interesting to see if PS2 will remain on top, or if one of the underdogs can come out to compete more.
Midterms week, good or bad?
By Karen Langolf
Ferris State Torch
If you are like most people, then you had to suffer through midterms the week before Spring Break. Why the heck do they call it Spring Break? Because after all the tests, quizzes and reports due, all the students need a break.
But, let’s not forget about the teachers who get these tests, quizzes and reports back from their 150 students. Spring Break to them means time to actually read and grade these things, and then, maybe, have them back to us the week after.
Yes, Spring Break is a relaxing time for most of the students who don’t have to work or do other annoying things that they came to Ferris to forget about.
While this college student went home to spend time with the family, other students went to Spain, had jobs to return to or stayed in town because of other demands.
But let’s not forget about the week preceding that wonderful time. That week of stress, pressure and insomniac hours of trying to cram all the information from the last seven weeks back into our heads.
So how did people do it? How did people “survive” the horror of what is now known as the Ferris State 168?
Studying: anytime and in every possible place imaginable. From the cloth-covered tables of Westview at 7 a.m. to the freezing cold sidewalks during a fire drill at 7 p.m., students were memorizing all formulas that might be on that test for the next day.
While some students over-studied, which put them into a shock from lack of sleep, other students decided to neglect their studies, figuring if they haven’t already learned the information then there wasn’t a likelihood of learning it in seven days’ time.
Amazingly enough, there were some students who managed to do just fine this week, like it was any other week in the semester. They are the students of teachers who find midterms distasteful because it makes them work harder too.
The instructors have a time period where they need to get their grades in for their classes, so these tests, quizzes, reports and so on must be graded and cumulated with all the other grades the student has gotten.
Now, if you were like those students who ended up falling asleep at their test due to insomnia studying, then here are a few tips on relaxing.
Number one: Chill. It is just one part of your grade. More than likely there are other parts to the grade than just this.
Number two: Most of the stuff you already learned before, so it is not likely that it is completely forgotten, just shoved back into the side-memory where all the other somewhat useless stuff goes.
Number three: Eat something. Facts prove that people can’t think as well on an empty stomach and there are food machines in every residence hall.
Number four: Get sleep each night: Even if it is only four hours of sleep, it is still better than none.
Number five: Do something fun to get your mind out of study mode at least once a day.
Go bowling, swimming, shoot pool, talk to your significant other or cook some food for your RA!
Then again, if you one of those students who completely blew this week off, then take this information into much consideration.
It is possible to learn the entire French alphabet in under five minutes. It is also possible to memorize sixteen vocabulary terms for Management 301 in under twenty minutes.
Don’t frizz out and don’t neglect your studies during any part of the semester.
Remember, it is not just the students who have it bad; the teachers have it 150 times worse!
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P hoto by Mike Termini, Photo Editor
The Bulldogs lost to Alaska Fairbanks in two consecutive games on the weekend of March 8-9. Friday’s score was 6-3, while Saturday’s finished 2-1.
Cold on Alaskan ice
By Chris Miller
Editor in Chief
The Ferris State University hockey team walked away from the best-of-three playoff series against the University of Alaska Fairbanks with two losses.
“It was disappointing losing both games,” head coach Bob Daniels said. “Our team played really well on Saturday night. It was one of the better games that we have played all year round.”
The Bulldogs, finishing 15-20-1 overall and 12-16-1 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), were defeated by Fairbanks (22-11-3 overall, 16-10-3 in the CCHA) 6-3 on March 8 and again 2-1 on March 9.
“It was a long trip out there, and it felt like we got nothing out of it,” freshman Derek Nesbitt said. “We walked away knowing that we could have easily won that series.”
Sophomores Brett Smith and Trevor Large combined to score all three goals for Ferris in Friday’s game. Large scored twice, and Smith’s was his fourth goal of the season. The three goals were all the Bulldogs could manage, however.
Freshman starting goalie Mike Brown played both games, saving a total of 30 shots in Friday’s game.
“Brown played fairly well. He has played well all year, but we could have helped him out better as a team, giving him the chance to win,” Nesbitt said.
In Saturday’s game, FSU’s leading goal scorer, junior Chris Kunitz returned to action after missing Friday’s game with a bruised knee.
“It would have helped having Kunitz for both games,” Daniels said. “I think it would have made a difference in the outcome from Saturday’s game. I give him credit for sticking it out during the second game.”
Scoring the only goal for Ferris in the 2-1 loss was sophomore Simon Mangos. It was his fifth goal on the season, shooting it past Alaska’s sophomore goalie Preston McKay. Nesbitt recorded the assist on the goal.
Brown, recently named to the CCHA’s All-Rookie Team, stopped 17 shots against the Nanooks. Along with Brown, freshman teammate Matt York made the CCHA team.
“Both York and Brown had incredible seasons,” Daniels said. “Nesbitt and (Jeff) Legue could have also been considered for that team.”
“This year went really fast. I can’t believe it’s over,” Nesbitt said about his season. “It was a huge positive experience to play for Ferris. I am glad to have the opportunity, and hopefully next year, the team will do better.”
More accolades were awarded to Bulldog players as Derrick McIver and Kristian Schroder both earned honorable mention on the CCHA All-Academic team.
Despite the playoff disappointment, Daniels feels the team has a lot of positive things that it can take from this season and put towards next year.
“This was a year of firsts for our team,” Daniels said. It was the first year that a Ferris player led the CCHA in scoring.
Senior Rob Collins finished the year first against CCHA opponents with 40 points and second in overall scoring with 48 total points. On the season, Collins tallied 15 goals and 33 assists.
He also put together 15 multiple-point games. Along with finishing tops in the CCHA, Collins finished third in the nation in assists per game.
Collins, from Kitchener, Ontario, was also the first FSU player to be named as a Hobey Baker Award finalist. The Hobey Baker Award is given out to the top college hockey player in the U.S.
“Collins has a great chance of receiving this award. Next year, if Kunitz keeps his scoring streak up, he could be also considered for the award,” Daniels said. “Kunitz will be returning to the team, but you never know with the NHL.”
Kunitz led the CCHA in total goals scored with 28. Both Kunitz and Collins were named to the CCHA All-Conference First Team.
Heading into next year, Daniels feels the recruits already signed will be able to replace seniors like Collins, a forward, and defensemen Chad McIver, Jason Basile and Schroder.
“We have already signed four incoming forwards to hopefully replace the leadership and scoring abilities of Collins,” Daniels said. “As for the defense, we have signed three players, but another is ready to go.”
“Playing their last game, the seniors kept their heads up. It will be tough to see them leave, however,” Nesbitt said.
Men’s basketball coach resigns
By Shannon Vesper
Ferris State Torch
Edgar Wilson, former men’s head basketball coach at Ferris State, resigned three weeks ago Thursday after six seasons at the helm of the Bulldogs.
Coach Wilson has had many achievements during his time at Ferris. Those achievements include a GLIAC Championship and an appearance in the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
“Coach Wilson met with the team last Thursday and announced that he’d be resigning. I think that it came as a surprise to most, if not all the team,” Tom Kirinovic, athletics director, said.
Assistant coach Cory Anderson, has been meeting with each of the players and has commented that the team is interested in who the coach will be next year.
The staff is pretty close and they care a lot for each other, which has been important in the decision that Wilson has made.
“The staff has been supportive of Edgar. They appreciate all the efforts he gave. They know that this has been a tough last couple of years for him and they’re just trying to be there to provide support as best they could and in anyway they could,” Kirinovic said.
One of the biggest effects of the resignation is the process of recruitment for the next season.
“It’s going to be a challenge now to recruit. Anytime you get behind in recruiting, the signing date is in mid-April, so without a head coach certain questions will be in a student’s mind is to who is going to be the coach, and what kind of style they’re going to play and what the coach will think of the player as an individual. The sooner we get a coach the better for us,” Kirinovic said.
“The goal I have is to have someone named in mid-April. That would give the players a feeling of who the individual is for the new season,” Kirinovic added.
The team will not know who the new coach will be until sometime in April.
The process of finding a new coach takes some time.
First the job will be posted, like any other spot on campus, which should create interest, and then resumes should be begin to pile up.
Kirinovic expects around 15 to 20 applicants to apply.
“We’ve certainly appreciated all the efforts he’s provided to our program over the six years he’s been here. He worked hard to create an environment for young men to grow and we’ve appreciated the work he has put in,” Kirinovic said.
Photo by M ike Termini, Photo Editor
Mark Dichiara (center left) and Matt Cole (far left) shake hands with members of Aquinas Saints team after their match, which FSU won 9-0 on Feb. 26.
Tennis season heats up
By Adam Gasper
Ferris State Torch
Spring break was anything but a break for the Lady Bulldog Tennis Team. The team traveled to Georgia to a play a total of six matches against the likes of Georgia College & State, Columbus State (Ga.), Armstrong Atlantic State (Ga.), Clayton College & State and Kennesaw State (Ga.).
A match with North Florida was postponed.
Each opponent was ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) NCAA Division II National Rankings. FSU (14-7 overall) is currently ranked 29th in the same poll.
The trip yielded only a single team victory, which came against Kennesaw State last Thursday. Jennifer Garvey, Barbora Jilkova and Suzanne Batten were all victorious in their singles matches. Garvey and Jilkova teamed up to dominate the top doubles position, winning 8-0.
They won all but one of their matches during the southern swing. Elena Blackman and Amanda Miller also won at the third and final doubles spot.
The 5-4 victory was the team’s first win since they opened the spring campaign with a win over Hope in February.
“We improved our play in each match on our trip,” head coach Dave Ramos, who already has a GLIAC Championship to brag about in his short career at Ferris, said. “The results finally showed it against Kennesaw State.”
The men’s team hosted Hillsdale College in the GLIAC season opener on March 7.
Jan Talian, the team’s top player, was out with a wrist injury, but it didn’t stop them from routing the Chargers, 9-0. “We did what we needed to do against Hillsdale,” head coach Paul Marcum, who will be leaving the team after this, his fourth and final season, said.
Martin Hoch stepped in at number one singles and rolled to a straight set victory. Francisco Valencia, Matt Cole, Jason Cole, Mark Dichiara and Ian Westermann all followed suit.
The Bulldogs dominated the doubles competition as well, winning every match by an 8-0 count.
The men’s team had a scheduled match against Northwood on Tuesday. They also travel to Western Michigan on Thursday, and take on Wayne State at the FSU Racquet and Fitness Center on Friday.
The women’s team will have a few weeks off before going on a regional road trip March 28-31.
Bulldog softball team ready to rumble
By Jason Nelson
Assistant Sports Editor
The Ferris State University Bulldogs softball team started its season during spring break.
While most students flocked to Cancun, the Bahamas, Cabo San Lucas or back home, the Bulldog softball team headed to Florida where they played 16 softball games in a single week.
Though the girls went 6-10 on the trip, the games helped bring the team together, according to junior outfielder Krista Johnson.
“Creating team chemistry is very important to the team, and I think we took a big step towards learning how each other plays,” Johnson said.
Johnson, who possesses a strong arm and speed, is battling with a number of capable freshmen who are all vying for an outfield postion. All the girls are extremely skilled, which should bode well for head coach Keri Becker.
According to the web page preview produced by the Ferris State Sports Information Department, Coach Becker said the team chemistry is already showcasing itself.
“We have a larger talent pool and ever since fall practice, I’ve been comfortable with our team chemistry... it’s been unbelievably good,” Becker said in the article.
“They possess that same winning mindset and drive,” Becker said. “We have a great group of skilled players who will do whatever it takes to be successful. The leadership on this year’s team runs deep in the ranks and everyone is on the same page.”
Johnson, who played center field last year, looks to help the team in whatever way she can. “I want to be a team leader, and continue to improve.”
Johnson said, “I am going to keep a positive outlook and be an asset for the team in whatever way that I can.”
Another key player for the Bulldogs this year will be ace pitcher Amanda Opbroek, who at times last year struggled with her control. According to Opbroek, that was one of the main things she worked on this summer.
“I worked on my pitching, and being able to throw any of the pitches I wanted when I wanted to throw them,” Opbroek said.
After the trip to Florida and the 16 games the team played, Opbroek has no doubts about the defense behind her.
“I feel very confident with the defense-if we hit well we will win a lot of games,” Opbroek said.
When not pitching, Opbroek will most likely patrol one of the outfield postions for the Bulldogs. Opbroek likes both postions but prefers pitching slightly more.
“I like the outfield, there is not as much pressure as pitching and I like that once in a while. But I also like having the pressure of pitching, so I would have to say I like pitching better,” Opbroek said.
Both Johnson and Opbroek have similar goals for the team, and they are careful not to set goals too lofty for such a young team.
A conference championship is one goal, along with improvement and success in the classroom. If the team continues to gel, there could be a surprise at the top of the GLIAC standings come May.
Photo by Mike Term ini, Photo Editor
Debbie Killips (#4) finished her basketball career at Ferris with 1,042 points, 322 steals and 429 assists, while also making two GLIAC All-Academic teams.
All-American Bulldogs named
Mike Potter
Sports Editor
Three Ferris State University women’s indoor track and field athletes earned All-America honors, and one women’s basketball player garnered an Academic All-America selection.
By placing among the top eight finishers at the 2002 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II National Indoor Track and Field Championships, held March 8-9 at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, Mass., seniors Morgan Buckner (Temperance/Bedford), Katie Chapman (Detroit/Cass Tech) and Tianna Kirkland (Flint/Kearsley) became the latest athletes to earn All-America awards.
Chapman placed third in the 800-meter run (2:09.30), breaking her own school record, and acquired Ferris’ highest national finish for an individual ever. She held the seventh-fastest time after the preliminary round (2:10.42), ahead of eight other competitors. She was also an All-America selection in both the indoor and outdoor 800-meter run for the 2001 season.
Kirkland finished fourth overall (46-11) out of 11 competitors in the shot put.
She broke her own school record, while making history as the first top-eight placing in women’s shot put for an FSU athlete.
Buckner broke yet another record while finishing eighth in the 60-meter hurdle (8.86) out of 11 runners. She had her best performance of the season in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championships, with a time of 8.74 in the same event.
Debbie Killips (Shelby) was the lone women’s basketball player from Ferris selected to the 2001-02 Verizon College Division Women’s Basketball Academic All-America Team. Of the schools included in the college division are all NCAA Division II and III schools, all National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) schools, plus Canadian colleges and universities.
Missouri Southern’s Katie Gariss, the All-America of the year, joins Killips on the team along with Texas A&M-Commerce’s Summer Sparnon, Fort Hays State’s Jamie Helman and Northern Michigan’s Leigh Dalton.
Killips is an applied biology major and has a cumulative grade point average of 3.92. She is a two-time member (1999-01) of the GLIAC All-Academic Team and is the women’s basketball program’s first Academic All-America selection.
The senior was named to the Verizon Academic All-District IV College Division Team for a second consecutive season as well as being a selection to the 2001-02 All-GLIAC North Division first-team.
March
Mike Potter
Sports Editor
With March Madness kicking into high gear, it’s time once again for the sports staff at the Torch to predict which teams we think will win the crown, and which will not.
Assistant Sports Editor Jason Nelson and I thought of a different way of doing it this year; instead of just coming out and stating who we think will be the champions, we are going to run the predictions in a point-counterpoint type fashion in two different columns. This way, it will be more fun because we will have to argue our points and back them up instead of just stating the obvious.
It’s easy to just fill out a bracket on your own and hope for the best, but publishing the predictions can be dangerous because everyone who reads the choices will know if you were wrong, plus they will know just how wrong you were.
I have changed some of my picks though for this article, as this is one of my worst years ever. With all of the opportunities for major upsets, like last year with Hampton, a 15-seed, beating Iowa State, a two-seed, there are no certainties in the month of March.
My colleague and I will be making our predictions from the Sweet 16 forward, since there was no Torch publication last week. We will be selecting our surprise/upset teams, the team that disappoints the most, the standout player, the Final Four and the national champion.
Well, here it goes:
My picks for the upset specials are Kent State making it all the way to the Elite Eight and nearly knocking off Duke. I didn’t even pick them to win their first round game against seventh-seed Oklahoma State, but now that they have won that game and beaten second-seed Alabama, they should roll until they get to Duke.
Another team that will “shock the world” will probably be Missouri. Although they were highly ranked earlier in the season, Quinn Snyder’s Tigers dropped off when it came to conference action, but they have definitely picked up their play for the tournament. The 12-seed has already taken out Miami (Fla.) and Ohio State, the five and four seeds respectively, and now they are set to take on the UCLA Bruins.
The team that will disappoint the bracketeers the most, besides Cincinnati, will be one-seed Kansas again. Roy Williams’ Jayhawks always seem to do great during the regular season and then flop when it really counts.
I think the player who has stood out the most with his play so far has been Trevor Huffman of Kent State. The senior has led his team back to the tournament, after winning the Mid-American Conference tournament last year and then defeating Indiana in the opening round of the NCAA tourney. Huffman has done all of this without the coach who led them there last year, Gary Waters, who happened to play at Ferris State from 1972-74.
The final four teams will be Illinois, Duke, Maryland and Missouri.
Illinois was a preseason top-five team and quickly fell as injuries piled up throughout the season. Now that they are healthy, they can easily compete for the title. With Frank Williams and Cory Bradford leading the way for this veteran team, they can only be stopped by the more experienced and more talented Maryland Terrapins.
Missouri’s road has taken a nice turn as they no longer have to face one-seed Cincinnati, thanks to UCLA. Kareem Rush is one of the most underrated players in the nation, but he will really have to start playing his absolute best to help his team get to the national semifinals.
Maryland should make it back to face Duke in the finals for their third matchup this season, after a regular season split. Juan Dixon and Lonny Baxter are two of the most dominant players in college basketball today, and with a bench as deep as the Pacific Ocean, they will cruise into the finals. And finally, the national champion will be Duke, of course. With their scare against the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, the Blue Devils will surely not overlook any of their upcoming opponents, although they will get a nice scare or two before they repeat.
Madness
Jason Nelson
Assistant Sports Editor
Is everyone else’s bracket as screwed up as mine? Seems like a perfectly good five dollar bill was tossed out the window as soon as Alabama and Ohio State choked.
Well there are only sixteen teams left to choose from, and my pick for the champion is still alive, along with my final four. Looking for upsets this week?
Don’t expect one.
Kent State’s Cinderella slipper is about to fall off, along with Southern Illinois’. When Maryland takes on Kentucky this week, expect a close game; however, Kentucky has a two-person team, and needs some help from their role players to even get a sniff of an upset.
With the tournament’s MVP so far being Tayshaun Prince, the Wildcats’ scoring prowess will be snuffed by the pressure defense the Terrapins can apply.
Connecticut, fresh off of an 11-game winning streak, will stomp Southern Illinois, while Kansas will get by Illinois handily.
The surprise Ducks of Oregon will make one of their few trips to the Elite Eight this year by edging out Texas.
UCLA, who I actually picked to beat Cincinnati will have its annual Jeckyl and Hyde performance against Missouri who will then lose to Oklahoma for the trip to the Final Four.
In Duke’s bracket it’s Duke and everybody else.
After trouncing the Hoosiers and dismantling whoever else is in that bracket the Devils’ luck will run out against a very athletic team from Oklahoma. On the other side of the bracket ,expect Maryland to get a scare from Connecticut and Caron Butler, their outstanding sophomore guard.
Kansas should be able to get by Oregon, which would make for an epic battle between two of college basketball’s elite programs. This was a tough pick, position by position.
However, I think it will be the play of Steve Blake and Chris Wilcox that will be the difference. If the Terrapins can hold Nick Collison and Drew Gooden to under 30 points and 15 rebounds combined, the Terrapins will cruise to the finals.
Maryland vs. Duke III. Most people would pick Duke, but...ah, let us not forget that in 90 percent of their games they have had no inside presence.
Carlos Boozer does not get the touches he deserves, and against a well-balanced team like Maryland, that will haunt them.
The run-and-gun the Devils use is great against most teams, but you have to figure that Maryland can trump them this time.
Watch for Juan Dixon to have a huge game in the finals and take home the Final Four MVP, as well as a National Championship.
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That’s what you get
By Brian VanSteenkiste
Opinions Editor
Everyone just got back from spring break, and I’m sure we’re all a little slow in getting back into the swing of things. You’re probably reading this on hump day, so at least the week’s half over. Anyway, I thought I’d go easy on the serious topics (there’s plenty of war in the following pages!) and start the section off by relating a parable of sorts.
Over break I visited the beautiful American south-west. For my inaugural trip, I flew in and out of Las Vegas.
On the night of my arrival, my traveling companions and I found ourselves ravenously hungry in sin city. To sustain ourselves, we went into the closest buffet, which happened to be the Palatium at Caesar’s Palace.
Here’s the scenario: we hadn’t eaten in about ten hours (even if you count the “tasty” airport snack) when we entered the dining area, so we knew we had some serious eating to do.
Add to this the $30 price tag for the Palatium, and the fact that the buffet closed in 20 minutes, and you have all the ingredients necessary for a reenactment of Fox’s Glutton Bowl.
As you can imagine, we got down to business. Four people carried seven plates back to the table filled with sustenance (including crab legs, shrimp of all types, lobsters, giant strawberries, etc.) and auxiliary runners were assigned to keep the party gorging.
Even with the above standard fare, we knew a copious amount of cuisine was required to fulfill our food-to-value ratio quota.
Unfortunately for him, Caesar’s buffet doesn’t provide self service beverages, and a host was selected to bring us drinks and clear the fallen soldiers (in this case empty plates) from our table.
But the plates weren’t quite empty and the gentleman bringing us drinks had to watch us “eat” too. I can’t speak for everyone’s techniques, but 20 minutes didn’t give me a lot of time for eating utensils.
Backing up for a minute, I’ll attempt to describe our waiter. He was an older man, perhaps in his mid-50s, dressed very well, with graying hair and gleaming white, perfectly straight teeth.
He was far too classy to be a waiter anywhere but Vegas, and I imagined him to be a table games’ dealer demoted for coming into work drunk.
Even though he constantly smiled and acted cordially, he couldn’t completely conceal his disgust. His clenched smile, swollen eyes and other telltale signs belied his true feelings. This dude was not stoked on our modus operandi or buffet etiquette.
I know everyone isn’t as foul as some can be (who, me?), but what did this guy expect? He’s working at a buffet with a Roman Theme, for goodness sake! He’s lucky I didn’t ask for directions to the vomitorium.
For those of you looking for a point to this article, refer to the previous paragraph.
You’re going to have a “bad time” if you go through life with unrealistic expectations. Hate war but you voted for baby Bush? Surprise! You’re having a bad time.
Like father like son; what’d you expect? Did you forget what capacity Presidential Cabinet Member and Retired General Colin Powell served in the first round of the Bush administration?
This same “bad time” applies to all other aspects of life as well. Do you have a lead foot and hate getting speeding tickets? You’re gonna have a “bad time.”
Do you want a good education from Ferris and have a thriving social scene? You might have a “bad time.”
Do you think fake tanning looks cool but you don’t want to get a carcinoma?
Well, my dear, you look like a leather purse, if you dyed your hair green you’d resemble a carrot and if you go through life with these two conflicting desires, you’re all set to have a “bad time.”
Life is a lot easier and more enjoyable if you have realistic expectations from it.
There’ll still be those Chesterfield-smoking old men who don’t develop any health problems until they’re 82, but people like that are the minority.
Y’all get the idea. Smokers die of emphysema, life-long alcoholics get liver cancer and crackheads and heroin addicts get whatever it is that kills their stupid behinds. If you act stupid, don’t be surprised by what you get.
A sense of Deja Vu
Mike Domerese
Ferris State Torch
Has anyone been paying attention lately to what is going on? I know you are probably tired of hearing the same old things like no peace in the Middle East, and the War on Terrorism, etc. Since that tragic September day, the news hasn’t been the same.
After careful consideration, President Bush declared the “War On Terrorism,” to seek out terrorist networks threaten our very freedom, as well as the freedom of others. America has once again become known as the number one big dog in the world; was there ever any doubt? With the help of the United Nations and even stranger new allies, life seemed to be getting back to normal. Then, Operation Anaconda went into full force.
However, lately this brave leader of our free world is making me a little nervous. With a new increase in military spending, Bush hopes to get our country back to the undisputed number one military power in the world. But this comes at an ugly and terrible cost: weapons of mass destruction. More importantly, nuclear weapons have once again become the subject of our national defense. Not since the tail end of the Cold War have they been more prevalent.
Last week, while many of you were out gallivanting around the countryside or basking in the sun and sucking down a few adult beverages, our beloved president announced that we are going to increase our nuclear arsenal. According to CNN, special documents were leaked to the press that revealed seven new targets for potential targets for U.S. nuclear strikes.
The countries that were named included Iran and Iraq (of course), along with North Korea, Libya, Syria, China and last but not least, Russia. My first question when I read this is what the hell is the Pentagon doing letting documents like this leak out into the public? Tensions around the globe are already high enough, let alone throwing something like this out.
It is my personal opinion that nobody, and I mean nobody, has big enough jewels to even think of pushing the shiny red button that launches a nuclear missile. Nobody will ever do it because of the fact that once one goes up, they all go up, and all life as we know it would end approximately 45 minutes later.
While I am a HUGE supporter of our number one man, his recent actions have made me a little nervous. CNN also reported that North Korea has said that it would be a grave mistake to even think about aiming any weapons of that sort in their direction. Which brings me to the point of the title of this article.
Are we experiencing a severe case of Déjà vu? To me, its seems as if we are getting ready to enter another so-called “Cold War.” For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Cold War, you must have been living under a rock or haven’t had your fill of history yet.
The brief Readers Digest version is that in the early 1960s, there was an increasing tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. Both countries basically kept stockpiling nuclear weapons and aiming them at each other, wondering who would flinch first. We came so close to actually engaging in nuclear war that it is terribly frightening.
The Soviets had brought missiles into Cuba and began setting up shop (so to speak) and aiming them obviously in our direction. This was known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. President Kennedy at the time continued to speak and negotiate with the Soviets, eventually getting them to pull back out of Cuba.
There have been many books written on this trying time, as well as an excellent film called “Thirteen Days.” I know it sounds somewhat boring, but its worth checking out, especially for you Kevin Costner fans out there.
With all that is going on right now, and contrary to some peoples’ beliefs, the globe is actually experiencing one of the most peaceful times ever. There’s a lot of communication going on amongst governments that had never really spoken until after the Sept. 11 attacks. I think we need to back up a little and not rock the boat so much.
We need to continue our peace efforts across the world and stay away from talk of nuclear missiles; that will only provoke the situation. I don’t want to see us wind up in a similiar situation to that of our parents, wondering if the world was going to end at a moments notice. Not to mention having strange-looking domes and holes in our front yards that just look completely out of place.
I voted for President Bush, and will continue to support him in his decision making, whether it makes me nervous or not. These are trying times right now and we are witnessing history being made. Stay tuned...
Honestly, “We’ll tell the American people the truth”
Omar Ha-Redeye
Ferris State Torch
Recent Gallup polls show that America is distrusted throughout many parts of the world. In response, the Pentagon has devised the brilliant idea of publicly proposing they spread disinformation in foreign media sources.
Which brings up a number of important questions. Did they think that foreign nationals abroad did not watch American TV? What is the purpose of disclosing such a covert operation for all to see?
Or is this prompted by a need to cover their back when official fabrications are exposed in the future? If so, how long have they been doing this, and who has the real story? At least this explains why there are so many contradictory stories, far too numerous to list entirely, found even in our allies’ media.
A German insurance company amazingly discovered that some of the computer hard drives in a WTC office were completely intact. The information the computers stored revealed that there had been a sharp increase of trading immediately prior to the attacks, suggesting someone had prior knowledge and was profiting from it.
While the plane’s black boxes were annihilated, Mohammed Atta’s undamaged passport was found atop a heap of rubble at ground zero. Despite assertions to the contrary, incriminating evidence is still scant in indicting any of the WTC suspects. Out of the thousand “detainees” held at Guantanamo Bay and in the United States, only one person has been indicted with any charges.
Civilian casualties in Afghanistan have already exceeded the death toll in New York, and officials themselves seem confused about the facts. American troops have gotten involved in conflicts with non-Taliban or Al-Qaida groups who are opposing the Afghan government. But no, we aren’t nation-building here.
At the end of January, U.S. forces supposedly captured dozens of Taliban fighters. Days later, investigative reporters on the ground forced the Pentagon to admit that they weren’t Taliban at all, and revealed the captives had been unnecessarily beaten.
According to Dan Rather, “reporters are potential adversaries who must be spoon-fed lies with the greatest care and precision.” Journalists on the ground are severely restricted in their movements. The unlikely victims of the war on terror have been objectivity and the truth.
When U.S. journalists attempted to visit the site of the January conflict, they were turned away at gunpoint. “This may be the first war where an American reporter is killed or garroted by a Green Beret for getting in the way,” John R. MacArthur, a publisher, and author of a Gulf War censorship book, said. But Americans soldiers aren’t the only ones showing hostility to the press.
Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl was investigating the connection between terrorism and the ISI, the Pakistani intelligence agency. Pearla suffered the same fate that hundreds of Pakistani reporters, attempting to do the same, have suffered for decades. Collin Powell claimed the ISI was entirely uninvolved, knowing full well they withheld information about Pearl’s death for a week from their own administration.
However, Pearl was not killed because he was an American. Eric Alterman said, “Daniel Pearl was not only a Jew but also an Israeli citizen, having two Israeli parents.” In addition to being a Zionist, his captors may have suspected he was a sayan, a Jew who holds loyalty to Israel above his own country and voluntarily assists the Mossad, the Israeli secret service.
And it is quite possible someone misled them to believe that. Yvonne Ridley, the British writer detained by the Taliban under the suspicion of being a spy, recently published a book on her experiences. She details how upon her return home, she found her apartment ransacked and documents were missing.
Among the missing personnel effects was a copy of her third husband’s Israeli passport, a Mossad ID, as well as a number of falsified and seemingly incriminating evidences. When told that these materials had been handed to the Taliban, Ridley’s response was, “Who the hell was trying to get me shot?” She suspects Western intelligence was attempting to escalate tensions by encouraging her execution.
Disinformation is not an innovative tool in combat. Thousands opf years ago, Author Sun Tzu stated in The Art of War, “All war is based in deception.” Richelieu, a French cardinal and statesman, wrote four hundred years ago that concealing true intentions, “is the art of kings.”
The Marine Corps Gazette itself states, “Psychological operations may become the dominant operational and strategic weapon in the form of media/information intervention… adversaries will be adept at manipulating the media to alter domestic and world opinion to the point where skillful use of psychological operations will sometimes preclude the commitment of combat forces. Television news may become a more powerful operational weapon than armored divisions.”
The problem is not with the tactics being used, but the denial of its existence and inhibition of the free press to discover the truth. Currently the Pentagon has recanted its position on developing a Department of Disinformation. But, is this just the newest piece of misleading reports, and do any of us really know what’s going on?
Resources
“Following the Sept. 11 money trail,” by Erik Kirschbaum The Toronto Star 12/18/2001
“War Means Never Having to Tell the Truth: The Return of Censorship” by Cynthia Cotts.
The Village Voice, 9/26 – 10/2, 2001
“The free flow of misinformation: The Pentagon’s silver lining may be bigger than the cloud” by Norman Solomon. Creator’s Syndicate, 3/01/02
“Powell rules out ISI’s link with kidnappers” Dawn Magazine, 3/4/02.
“The Missing Week” by Ron Moreau and Zahid Hussain. Newsweek, 3/ 11/01.
“There’s Much More To Daniel Pearl’s Murder Than Meets the Eye” by Nafisa Hoodbhoy. Washington Post, 3/10/02. B01
“Daniel Pearl and Anti-Semitism” by Matthew Rothschild. The Progressive, 3/1/02.
“Intelligence services wanted me killed, says journalist: Yvonne Ridley makes astonishing claim in book about her days of captivity with the Taliban” by Jo Dillon. The Independent. 12/9/01.
“In The Hands of the Taliban” by Yvonne Ridley. Robson Books.
“War Coverage Takes a Negative Turn: Civilian Deaths, Military Errors Become Focus as Reporters Revisit Bombing Sites” by Howard Kurtz Washington Post, 2/17/02. A14.
“Homeland Insecurity” by Douglas Valentine. Part Seven, Counterpunch. 11/8/01
“Broadcaster’s 9/11 Coverage Under Fire” by Sonia Verma. Toronto Star, 3/14/02. A13.
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0139/cotts.php
http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemId=12899
http://www.dawn.com/2002/03/04/top5.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64435-2002Mar9.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64435-2002Mar9.html
http://www.progressive.org/webex/wx030102.html
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/media/story.jsp?story=109164
Yvonne Ridley: In the Hands of the Taliban
Washington Post: 02/16/02
http://www.counterpunch.org/homeland7.html
The lesson of the Nazi defeat
Mircea-Ioan Cotosman
Ferris State Torch
Many might have thought that my last series of articles were rather firm, not allowing for much room of flexibility. Articles like “He who took America for granted,” “American wrath unleashed” and “The new American Taliban” display opportunities for discussion.
I stopped and thought, why was my position so unwavering? What made me think like that? So I went back in time and remembered my history lessons from back home in Romania. I remembered what my history teacher always said before the start of each class period: those who do not know that history are bound to repeat it!
In the late 1800’s and the beginning of the 20th century, the Monroe doctrine kept the United States uninvolved in world politics. What really put America on the map of the modern law was WWI, and even more so, WWII. The U.S. became involved with the war situation in Europe and across the world, helping the British, the French and their allies.
The decisive help with which the U.S. provided the Allies in Europe against the Nazi regime and Mr. Hitler was the turning point in the war, which brought victory to the Allies.
You might wonder how that relates to the war on terror and my attitude towards this issue. Well, it does connect, and I will try to bring to light the link I see between the attitude the U.S. had against he enemy then, and the attitude that the U.S. should have against the enemy now.
Let us imagine for a moment that people like Senator Daschle were in Congress of the 1940’s. Let us also imagine that those people thought that President Roosevelt was too popular and invented political or financial scandals. The President couldn’t have focused on the war against the Nazis and maybe, without the total, committed support of all the members of Congress, would have even lost the war.
President Roosevelt had the support of the people (they did vote him into the office three times), and the lawmakers also ended up standing behind the President.
There was ZERO tolerance for the Nazis and the Japanese. The attitude was firm and resolute and nobody said a word against the administration’s actions. Nobody thought too much money was spent on the war or that finding Hitler was too expensive and not worthy to pursue.
The same thing goes for the Taliban and Osama bin Laden. It is not just the terrorists, but all the terrorist networks in the world, whether they are linked to the Taliban or not.
The situation is simple: there is no difference between the Nazis and the terrorists, why should there be a difference in the way they are treated? There was no mercy shown then, there should be no mercy shown now!
In the same manner, televisions around the world have shown many times the images of the atrocities that the Nazi terrorists had committed in the concentration camps. People had to see what had happened so that they did not forget.
Documentaries of Sept.11 should be aired without any discussion. It is not too soon, but it could be too late. It is crucial that those images stay engraved in our minds forever and ever so that we constantly work at preventing anything even remotely similar from happening again.
We have learned many lessons from confrontations with the Nazi terrorists. We must learn from the victory also and how that was possible: a firm and resolute action, that did not spare anybody or anything.
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