2004_0305 ---------- Western Front 2004 March 05 - Page 1 ---------- ANCHORAGE AWAY Western men's basketball keeps playoffs in its picture Sports, Page 8 FOR PHYSIQUE SAKE Restaurants should serve healthier meals to children. Opinions, Page 10 THE RETURN OF THE CHRIST "The Passion" incites emotional reactions Accent, Page 7 Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington ISSUE 15 VOLUME 128 The Western Front FRIDAY MARCH 5, 2004 Unionized faculty advises Western Student forum tackles censorship, USA Patriot Act Ben Amold/The Westerri'Frbrit Barbara. Bowen, professor of English at City University of New York, fields questions from Western's faculty Thursday afternoon concerning the possibility of a faculty union. Huxley dean assumes lead of U.N. group By Kelseyanne Johnson The Western Front An international council named Huxley College of the Environment Dean Bradley Smith the president of the largest environmental organization in the world Monday. Smith will now lead the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which advises the United Nations on environmental policy. The union focuses on biological and ecological conservation efforts, Huxley associate professor John McLaughlin said. The union is trying to recruit more universities to form a network of students and conservation experts to share and access information, said. Keith Wheeler, director of the Conservation Learning Network for the union. At the end of March, Smith will travel to China to meet with deans about the union, Wheeler said. "When you sit down at a table with 10 different cultures, 10 different nationalities and 10 different perspectives and come to common grounds, it's a rush," Smith said. SEE Dean, PAGE 4 By Rob Morrell The Western Front . The United Faculty of Western Washington assembled a panel of professors and union leaders from throughout the nation who participated in a public forum addressing Western's ongoing faculty unionization process Thursday in the Viking Union. "These people are experts in " successful union activities from across the nation," said Steven Garfinkle, a member of the organizing committee" and Western history professor. "The question has been, 'Could we provide evidence of successful union activities?' That is what this panel is for." University representatives across the country , .from Temple i-University '; in -Philadelphia to California State University, attended the forum. They began by addressing the potential relationship between a union and the existing Faculty Senate. Garfinkle said the senate's lim- •• itedr strength facilitated the creation of a union with the power to collectively bargain a contract. A union would have the power of a unified faculty behind it, he said, in turn forcing the administration to respect professors' interests. "The faculty senate is only advisory," he said. "A union gives the faculty the ability to hold the university's feet to the fire." John Travis, a political science professor at Humboldt State University and president of the California Faculty Association, said it was important for unions to work closely with the senate. "There is.no fast, hard line dividing the responsibility of the academic senate and the union," Travis _said. "It's important to establish a working relationship with the academic senate because there's nothing that management and aciministrators like more than to play us against each other." Travis said the senate and union worked together on issues such as curriculum and workload decisions at his university. Barbara Bowen, president of the Professional Staff Congress and English professor at City University of New York, spoke about the potential accountability SEE Union PAGE 4 By Sarah Getchman The Western Front While many Western students believe the government should not be allowed to infringe on academic freedoms, others feel that a certain amount of censorship is necessary to maintain a community where no person feels unsafe, intimidated or offended. The Western Diversity Task Force brought students together in a civil debate forum Tuesday night to discuss how censorship and the USA Patriot Act affect the Western community. "(Students are) afraid of what could happen to their civil liberties/^ said Rachel Zommick, Associated Students vice president of legislative and community affairs. Zommick and Western senior Andrew Hu, a member, of the Western debate team, expressed alternate opinions and perspectives. Government censorship at Western "There are certain instances where something is offensive enough that it ought to be censored in the interest of the students," Hu said. This was the case when several students complained about a display at Western's annual Vagina Carnival that showed a woman's bare breast, Hu said. The university requested that the objectionable, material be removed or censored, he said. Event staff removed the display and the university planned to impose new guidelines for next year's Vagina Carnival. Students think of Western as a school that promotes intellectual and creative freedoms, Zommick said. Intalco donates thousands, assists regional businesses "Once you start restricting, it becomes the mentality," Zommick said. "The AS doesn't want to deter clubs and organizations from bringing up controversial issues or events." If the government chooses to censor materials at Western, it should do so in relation to the time, place and manner of the specific material, not the content, Hu said. The university must use these practical implementations of censorship to retain its reputation and support, he said. This past year, university officials asked faculty members to remove "No Iraq War" signs from their office windows, Hu said. The request was legitimate because Western employees work for the government on public property, which they should not use to express personal political views, he said. SEE Censorship, PAGE 4 By Amanda Woolley The Western Front The businesses of Sumas will receive an extra boost this year, thanks to Alcoa Intalco Works in Ferndale, which donated to Western Washington's Small Business Development Center. Intalco donated approximately $9,400 to the city of Sumas on Tuesday. The donation comes from Intalco's Business and Community Partnership Program, which gives part of the revenues back to the communities where Intalco and Bonneville Power Administration employees live. This is the second and final year of the program. Intalco donated approximately $1.75 million this year and in 2002 to the program, Intalco public relations spokeswoman Ricki Thompson said. "It was great for the allocation because of the five years of work we have been doing with the city of Sumas/' Center Director Tom Dorr said. "We are thankful for the recognition from the City Council for the strong partnership we have created." The center provides businesses SEE Sumas, PAGE 4 Amanda Woolley/The Western Front Western's Small Business Development Center received $7,500 from Inalco on Tuesday, amove that cemented local business partnerships, says Tom Dorr, director of the center. For news tips, call (360) 650-3162 or e-mail The Western Front at Sewesternfronteditor@yahoo.corn www.westernfrontonline.com Please recycle ---------- Western Front 2004 March 05 - Page 2 ---------- The Western Front • 2 NEWS March 5, 2004 COPS BOX | | j $ n ^ ^ iMotj^ oices Do you feel that you are informed enough about STDs to protect yourself? Compiled by Chris Taylor. Ryan Simpson Junior, accounting Adam Lafayette Senior, English Chad Beasley Junior, communication Yes, since I do not have sex, I don't have to worry about it. 99 No, when I had 55 seventh-grade sex education, it barely mentioned it. That would have been the prime time to do so. Yes, I was taught 99 about it at a young age from a number of different sources, from private school, church and strong family values. AP Wire news briefs STATE NEWS Stricter child-abduction penalties urged Activists sent hundreds of children's tennis shoes to the capital to urge state House leaders to pass a bill that will toughen punishments for child rape and molestation. The empty shoes represented the innocence and vulnerability of children, said Gig Harbor resident Jim Hines, whose neighbor's daughter was molested. The activists want increased prison time for offenders and to make the alternative sentencing program, which includes treatment and shortened jail time, harder for sex offenders to receive. House Democrats hope to pass a version of the bill. Wednesday. Some worry that families will be reluctant to report abuse if lawmakers eliminate the alternative sentencing. Weather delays search for small aircraft The search for a missing single-engine Cessna ran into delays Wednesday because of gusty winds and thick clouds on the west side of the Puget Sound. Only two Civil Air Patrol planes were able to take off from Bremerton on Wednesday because of the weather/but authorities expected 10 more to fly later if the weather improved, state Aviation Division officials said. The Cessna failed to return to Auburn on Sunday after a flight to Sequim. David Verstrate of Federal Way was the Cessna's pilot. Harold Bennett of Puyallup was the only passenger. NATIONAL NEWS Oregon governor questions legality of gay marriages Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski said he has doubts that the dry's involvement in handing out marriage licenses is legal. Kulongoski said he is in favor of civil unions but questions if the new policy is acceptable under the state marriage statute. When lawmakers wrote the statute, it was clear that it referred to a man and a woman. Four of Multnomah County's five commissioners disagreed with Kulongoski's reservations and said they gave the go ahead to marriage licenses after a legal review determined it would be unconstitutional to deny them. Oregon's Attorney General Hardy Meyers has the ability to take action against the county More than 150 gay couples showed up in Portland, Ore., for marriage licenses Wednesday. INTERNATIONAL NEWS French schools ban Islamic head dressings France is ready to make the ban of Islamic head scarves in public schools an official law. The French Senate approved the ban Wednesday with a vote of 276-20. The law is necessary to protect the French principle of secularism, President Jacques Chirac said. Chirac has 15 days to sign the law. The law will forbid religious apparel and everything that outwardly shows a student's religion. The law, the focus of which was to remove Islamic head scarves, will take effect in September. Al-Qaida claims innocence in Iraq bombings Al-Qaida supposedly released a letter denying responsibility for the bombing of a Shiite Muslim festival in Iraq that killed more than 140 people. The letter blamed U.S. troops for attacks on Karbala and Baghdad on Tuesday. It referred to Karbala as an "infidel city." A London newspaper received the letter in an e-mail and shared it with the Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt. The authenticity of the letter has yet to be verified. The Iraqi Governing Council said Tuesday's attacks injured 393 people and killed 271. U.S. officials said the death toll was 117. Compiled by Jelena Washington. AP Wire courtesy KUGS 89.3-FM. BBMSlllHHiRiHiiiBWiHi thing thoughtful to say; it is not for belligerent The Western Front is published twice weekly in fall, winter and spring; once a week in summer session. Address: The Western Front. Western Washington University, CH 110, Bellingham, WA 98225-9100. The Western Front is the official newspaper of Western Washington University, published by the Student Publications Council, and is mainly supported by advertising. Opinions and stories in the newspaper have no connection with advertis ing. News content is determined by student editors. Staff reporters are enrolled in a course in the Department of Journalism, but any student enrolled at Western may offer stories to the editors. Advertising inquiries should be directed to the business office in College Hall 07, or by phone to (360) 650-3161. Members of the Western community are entitled to a single free copy of each issue of The Western Front. WWU Official Announcements Deadline for announcements in this space is noon Friday for the Tuesday edition and noon Wednesday for the Friday edition. Announcements should be limited to 50 words, typewritten or legibly printed, and sent through campus mail to "Official Announcements," MS -9117, via fax to X/4343, or brought in person to Commissary 113F. DO NOT SEND ANNOUNCEMENTS DIRECTLY TO THE WESTERN FRONT. Phoned announcements will not be accepted. All announcements should be signed by originator. PLEASE POST INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS AND EXCHANGES HAS MOVED to Modular U located next to Environmental Health and Safety (old Public Safety Building) and the Outdoor Sculpture Stadium Piece. All contact information remains the same: phone X/3298,e-mail ipe@wwu.edu, Web site www.ac.wwu.edu/~ipewwu. STUDY IN COLOGNE, GERMANY with Peter Harder, College of Business and Education, spring quarter for $4,800. Open to all fields of study and is ideal for business majors and minors. German language background is not required. Application deadline is March 10. Contact International Programs and Exchanges, ipe@wwu.edu, X/3298. STUDENTS WHO EXPECT TO GRADUATE AT THE END OF SUMMER QUARTER must have a degree evaluation on file in the registrar's office, OM 230, by March 12. For information, call X/3240 or stop by OM 230. MATH PLACEMENT TEST (MPT). Registration not required. Students must bring photo identification, student number, Social Security number, and a No. 2 pencil. A $15 fee is payable in exact amount at test time. Allow 90 minutes. Testing is in OM 120 at 9 a.m. March 11 and 18, and 3 p.m. March 8 and 15. MILLER ANALOGIES TEST (MAT). Registration required in OM 120 or call X/3080; test not administered individually. A $42 fee is payable at test time. Test takes about V/z hours. Registration limited to 16. Testing is at 2 p.m. March 9 in OM 120 (those participating in the MAT research do not register for testing on this date). MILLER ANALOGIES RESEARCH TEST PROGRAM. The Testing Center offers first-time examinees an opportunity to participate in a research project. Participants will take two MATs back-to- back. One score will be posted as your official score. The $42 will be waived. For information and registration, stop by OM 120 or call X/3080. THE TUTORIAL AND ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER IS SEEKING a student with strong academic skills who enjoys working with people to be a study skills tutor 10 to 14 hours a week during spring quarter. Salary and other information is available in OM 387 oratwww.wwu.edu.depts/tutorialcenter/employment.htm. WEST-B. State-approved educator preparation program applicants and persons from other states seeking a Washington residency teaching certificate need a minimum passing score on basic skills assessment. Residency teaching certificate applicants who completed an educator preparation program outside Washington and have not passed WEST-B may be granted additional time. Testing: March 13, May 1. To register, see www.west.nesinc.com. TWO SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE TO PREMED STUDENTS: A Whatcom County Medical Society Scholarship, and the Dr. Ralph and Mrs. Eleanor Rinne Scholarship. Application deadline for both is April 15. Application and a full description for each are available in the Academic Advising Center, OM 380. SEVERAL SCHOLARSHIPS, RANGING FROM 1,000 to $3,000, are offered by the Alumni Association board of directors; some are renewable. Preference may be given to children or grandchildren of Western alumni. To request an application or to get more information, call X/3353. On-campus recruiting To sign up for an interview or for more information, stop by OM 280 or call X/3240. • Camp Sealth, April 14, • Enterprise Rent-A-Car, April 30, • Everett School District, April 20 and 29, • Mervyn's, April 30, • Newell Rubbermaid, April 14, • Walt Disney World, interviews for internships, April 13, • White River, Ariz., School District, K-12 teaching positions, April 14. ---------- Western Front 2004 March 05 - Page 3 ---------- March 5, 2004 NEWS The Western Front • 3 Bellingham police arrest woman in connection with store shooting By Zoe Fraley The Western Front After a five-week investigation, Bellingham Police Department officers arrested a woman Wednesday whom they suspect of robbing three stores Jan. 25. Police arrested Denise Daniels, 27, and booked her into Whatcom County Jail on Wednesday. Daniels made her initial court appearance Thursday. Written Zoe Fraley/The Western Front Giffords Corner co- owner Jong Min Park still has scars on his face and neck from a bullet's exit wound. charges will not be released until Friday or Monday, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Rosemary Kaholokula said. At the hearing, prosecutors charged Daniels with one count of second-degree assault, two counts of first- degree robbery, one count of attempted second-degree robbery and one count of possession of stolen property, Kaholokula said. Daniels also received a deadly weapon addition, which could add three to five years to her sentence, Kaholokula said. "We are so very happy to hear that she has been caught," said Sung Mun, co-owner of Giffords Corner, a supermarket on Elm Street, where Daniels allegedly shot her husband, Jong Min Park. Park said the suspect entered the store at 6:20 p.m. on Jan. 25 as he was sweeping the entry-way floor. All she said was "register" before shooting him in the jaw and fleeing without taking any money, Park said. Daniels also is accused of robbing the 7-Eleven on Lakeway Drive at 3:44 a.m. and the AM-PM Mini Market on Old Faifhaven Parkway at 4:53 a.m. earlier that day. The suspect allegedly committed both robberies with a gun. The suspect left each scene on foot with an undisclosed amount of money, according to the police report. Representatives from both stores declined to comment on Daniels' arrest. Kaylee Corbett, an eighth-grader at Whatcom Middle School and one of many children who makes a daily candy stop at Giffords, said she is glad police caught the suspect. "These people are like family," Corbett said. "My friends and I come here every day after school." Though the investigation took time, Mun said she always believed the suspect would be caught. She said she is thankful for the quick response from the police and the medical workers who helped her husband. Zoe Fraley/The Western Front Giffords Corner co-owner Sung Mun greets a Whatcom Middle School student Thursday. Authorities arrested Denise Daniels Wednesday in connection with a Jan. 25 shooting. "Both the crimes, and the fact that it was a female perpetrator, are unusual," Bellingham Police Lt. Craige Ambrose said. Investigators received many leads, but one tip they received Monday led them to Daniels, Ambrose said. Police found her on the Lummi reservation with a stolen laptop in her vehicle. The motivation for the robberies was to gather money to bail Daniels' husband out of jail, Ambrose said. Her bail was set at $100,000 at the Thursday hearing, Kaholokula said. Daniels' arraignment is scheduled for March 12 at the Whatcom County Superior Court. Tax break allows Alcoa Intalco Works to remain open By Bryan Sharick The Western Front After the Washington State Senate issued a tax-relief bill for the aluminum-smelter industry Tuesday, the Alcoa Intalco Works plant in Ferndale has a "fighting chance" to stay open until 2006, said Mike Tanchuk, president of the Northwest region for Intalco. The bill' could save the company $2 million to $3 million in business and 'occupation"taxes,"sales'ajad use taxgs ancf natural gas taxes, as well as contribute to the reopening of the Wenatchee plant, Tanchuk said. "The financial support, in terms of tax relief, is a good bridge until we can get tax rates down (for the Ferndale plant)," Tanchuk said. "The power rates have to change to stay open long-term." The tax breaks expire at the end of 2006, when the Bonneville Power Administration likely will lower energy rates, Tanchuk said. Power rates account for 30 percent to 35 percent of costs for an aluminum plant, he said. The passage of this bill comes after a nearly identical bill passed through the Washington State House of Representatives Feb. 13. The House and Senate bills require the company to maintain.employment at a . min^vuno£.^percent of its'Jariuaryleveis in order to qualify for tax relief. The future of the Ferndale plant is still uncertain, Tanchuk said. The plant is important not only to Ferndale but to the entire county, Ferndale Mayor Jerry Landcastle said. 'The plant supports the community, and this is some security for the families," Landcastle said. "We're very pleased that the Senate and House have seen fit to support these issues." : Carl Ratcliff, who has worked at Intalco for approximately 30 years, said Intalco employees have attempted to remain positive despite the uncertainties. "Basically it gives (Ferndale Intalco employees) hope we're keeping our job for two more,years,".Ratcliff said. "There's about' 475 of us, .put'twere' trying, tomake a living, going day in and day out and usually not getting good news." Alcoa needs the BPA to be an economic advantage again, Tanchuk said. "Alcoa needs to continue to get BPA rates down in the short term and find ways to make the BPA an economic driver versus a drainer. Costs are out of control," Tanchuk said. The Intalco plant in Ferndale now has the highest power rates of any aluminum plant in the world/ Tanchuk said. Intalco employed approximately 1,000 people in 1999, but if it had continued to maintain that level of operation until now, the company would have incurred approximately $70 million in power costs that it could not afford, Tanchuk said. The plant operates at one-third of capacity, he said. The House still has decisions to make about the bill and the next step is for Gov. Gary Locke to sign it into law, Landcastle said. The bill must be finalized before the legislative session ends March 11, he said. ^ ^ • B i ::3lllSli:^^3^^^^^B iiii^^^B ll|l|§§l|§|f;S^^H^^^^» m^^^^^^H Zen Talk Coming Home: The Spiritual Path as a Journey of Return Zoketsu Norman Fischer Friday, March 5, .7 pm Fairhaven Library '•... www.be|li;righarnzen.orgp . 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And since 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, »nat better reason to alvaya use sunscreen, wear protective clothing; and use common sense. fAADl AMERICAN ACADEMVOF OERMATOLOG' ---------- Western Front 2004 March 05 - Page 4 ---------- The Western Front • 4 NEWS March 5, 2004 Censorship: Diversity task force debates freedom of speech and student records protection Continued from Page 1 "As educators, we can't in good faith pursue our jobs without questioning threats by the government," said Fairhaven professor Dan Larner, who is the primary author of the Faculty Senate resolution that recently passed to combat the Patriot Act. Specific zones are designated as free-speech areas, Zommick said. The zones do not block flows of traffic in Red Square. Although students must obtain permission from the AS before putting up posters on campus, the majority of requests receive approval, she said. "In order to be a scholar, you must literally be unafraid to inquire, ask questions and explore subjects," Larner said. "The cure for bad speech is more speech, not censorship." The USA Patriot Act and Academic Freedoms A line separating freedom and security is essential, but the Patriot Act has pushed that line further than ever before, Hu said. Groups throughout the country have proposed approximately 260 resolutions that oppose the Patriot Act, Larner said. President George W. Bush created the Patriot Act in response to terrorism because benign efforts will not eliminate it, Hu said. The AS took a stance against the Patriot Act because the act threatens the privacy of student records, Zommick said. Board members want to ensure that students are not only safe but protected, she said. Federal law requires the FBI to obtain a Federal Grand Jury subpoena before searching student records from federally funded institutions, said Jim Powers, resident FBI agent for the city of Bellingham. The FBI must also notify students if their records are being investigated, he said. Powers said the FBI has only requested private student records from Western one time in the past seven years—when former Western student Paul Revak threatened to bomb the U.S. Coast Guard station in Bellingham this spring. "Students do commit crimes ... and if it happens that it's a federal crime, we will need to obtain the records," Powers said. The FBI obtains private student records in the same way it did before the Patriot Act passed, Powers said. Agents must show a federal judge evidence that a student is breaking federal laws, is involved with hostile foreign government intelligence or is plotting terrorist activities, he said. The AS hope the civil debate will be the first of a series of debate forums at Western .addressing student freedoms, said Jesse Moore, AS vice president for diversity. "Civil means that you listen, and that's the key part," Moore said. "It's good to be passionate as long as you're not a punk about it — we're trying to be persuasive, not abrasive." No one should be afraid to express personal views, Moore said. Western students should protest censorship for this reason, he said. "Once you've given up rights in something, it's very hard to get them back," task force member Peter Fitzpatrick said. Dean: Colleges doubled to 140 Continued from Page 1 Smith was one of the founding members of the council, which appointed the first council president two years ago at the University of Southern California. Since then, the number of colleges and universities participating in the program has doubled to approximately 140, Smith said. The forum to discuss issues concerning the environment meets twice a year in Washington, D.C., where the council appointed Smith to his two-year term. "It's more a retreat where we can lock each other up for three days and talk and cbmplain," he said. \ One of Smith's main duties as president will be evaluating other colleges' and universities' environmental programs. Sum as: Funds to attrdct business Continued from Page 1 with one-on-one counseling, marketing research and access to capital funds and business plans. The organization provides the services free of charge to businesses in Sumas or to companies that are planning to move there. The SBDC works with all cities in Whatcom County, but only Sumas and Bellingham fund the group, Dorr said. Sumas had several options for distribution of the $9,400 from Intalco, Sumas Mayor Bob Brumley said. "The SBDC has been the one resource that has helped the community out in a tough economic time," Brumley said. "We have used them as a way to recruit business. Almost all of the retail stores have used the SBDC to help their business get by." Thompson said the city's allocation had to meet one of the four areas of excellence of Intalco: con- , servation aridjsi^taihability, global education and; workplace skills, safe and healthy children and families, and business and community partnership. The City Council appropriated approximately $1,900 for city repairs and $7,500 to the center, Brumley said. "The SBDC has helped our community become more self-reliant," Brumley said. The center has helped Sumas residents attain more self- reliance by attracting a large business to the community. Cedar Prime, a Canadian company that makes finger-joint cedar siding, expanded its business to Sumas with the help of the center, Brumley said. Canadian industrial companies maintain an active interest in expanding to Sumas. Cedar Prime employs 89 people and has become one of the largest employers in the county, Dorr said. Union: Democratic process vital Continued from Page 1 and effectiveness challenges that faced a union. "WWU has the advantage of being able to start totally fresh with a new structure and bylaws," Bowen said. "That's how you prevent administration from co-opting (union) leadership." She said establishing a strong democratic process within the union would help keep leaders accountable to the members. The panelists also addressed the impact unionization could have on the faculty pay scale. Morteza Daneshdoost, president of the faculty association and •a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the Carbondale campus of Southern Illinois University, encouraged Western faculty members to unionize and dismissed concern about potential elimination of bonuses and raises. "(If you form a union) you're not going to have everyone making the same amount of money and teaching the same number of classes," Daneshdoost said. "It's not a communist system." Sue Kaufman, a journalism professor at Eastern Illinois University and president of the United Professionals of Illinois, said pay scales in collectively bargained contracts that universities and faculty unions must continually tweak negotiated contracts to attract faculty in lucrative subjects like biology and law. Garfinkle said unionization and collective bargaining benefits all of the instructors at Western, not only those in competitive fields, such as business and math. "The goal is to make everyone's lives better," he said. "Western faculty has not done well economically in the last decade and a half. Campuses with collective bargaining do better with pay issues." §M§^0 "8 tff lt;w " gt; •muf ®r Design Jewelry Body Art For Your Sweetie With Jje eart In Historic Fairhaven, B'ham. (360)671-6655 Come for the big portions and good value at the corner bfState Ohio . . . Mbn.-Sat. 6am to 2pm, Sun 8arh to 2pm 734-8687 Are Your BRAKES making noise? We have a FREE brake inspection that you should get every 30,000 miles. 1 0 % discount with Student ID Prime Tune Brakes in Sunset Square 671 -2277 The EarncKi Income Tax Credit. - 7 You've earned i t . : /: Why not claim it? If you're working fcard just |o;rnake' ends meet and have one or more children living with you, you may qualify for the EfTC. Think of it as a reward for doing one of life's most beautiful, most important and most loving jobs. Visit our Web site or ask your tax preparer if you qualify. A message from .the internal Revenue Service. Hi littfiti l i m i t Stnrict Vwrijif t* pit strain first www. yeitowcabinQ.com l-800-TAXt-CAB WWU Student Service a Priority- N '" gt;• Computerized 24 Hour Dispatch DUI Prevention Services T* Hip Professional Drivers • ; -" Airport, Ahitrak, Airporter and Bus Student Charge Accounts Welcome B E L L I N G H AM 360-734-8294 (TAXI) 1-800-TAXI-CAB W/WESTERN STUDENT OR STAFF ID CARDS AT TIME OF PURCHASE. 117™ N SAMISH WAY ARBY'S ONLY NOT GOOD WITH OTHER COUPONS OR SALES ---------- Western Front 2004 March 05 - Page 5 ---------- ACCENT www.westernfrontonline.com March 4 Country band Boundary Bay Brewery and Bistro; 647- 5539; free Boundary Bay features the acclaimed acoustic band Quickdraw M'Graw playing a mixture of old-timey, bluegrass and country blues. The band features a guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, bass and vocals. The show starts at 6 p.m. March 5 Jazz ensemble concert Performing Arts Center; 650- 3132;free For live smooth jazz, head to the PAC. The jazz ensemble presents a free concert'starting at 8 p.m. March 6 Live music La Pinata Mexican Restaurant; 647-1101; $5 La Pinata features the bands Till Further Notice and Indy Nile followed by the headlining band Cast of Characters. The show begins at 9 p.m. March 12 Unusual band night The Factory Restaurant and Bar; 714-8154; $3 The factory presents ; Mercir,; Kuma and the hard-edge, punk-metal band Typical Ace. The show starts at 9 p.m. CompiledbyjelenaWashingtofir The Western Front March 5, 2004 • 5 been the most influential to your life? iBiiWMBiSlllil jojttdle0: | | i f m a | ^^ f§p|ar^s"$^^ ed by Aaron Mt Baker 'Planned Parenthood; Beliingham }J4.»U»J Mount Vernon 848.1744 ---------- Western Front 2004 March 05 - Page 6 ---------- The Western Front gt; 6 DECENT March 5, 2004 TheVfe The Red Light Stmg is the keyboar^^ wave, spastic, punk-rock band front Vancouver, J^G. With song titles like "I Wouldn't Touch ^ Penis Looks Big All Night Long," one might guess that concert-- goers at Saturday's show at the Give A Fuck Church oh I Street will either be thoroughly entertained or highly offended. The show starts at 7 p.m. and also features Seattle-area bands Hint Hint, The Fall of Troy and Bellingham's Aheille- The Red Light Sting is starting its West Coast tour with Hint Hint in Bellingham. Both bands will tour along the coast to play in the South By Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, Hint Hint drummer Jason Lajeunesse said. They will join other Northwest bands Pretty Girls Make Graves, The Catheters, Pedro The Lion and Bellingham's The Pale. . "The Red Light Sting are old friends of mine," Lajeunesse said. "We've played shows together but never gone on tour." Lajeunesse said Hint Hint's newer material is more artsy and spacey. The music has a lot more guitar and keyboard sounds, such as the clavinet and mellotron. "People put us into the dance-punk genre with our first EP," Lajeunesse said. "We kind of got pigeonholed into that. Those were just the first songs we wrote." Western sophomore Julie Shoun said she likes The Red Light Sting and Hint Hint because their music is experimental. "They are exploring new ground in music with the keyboards and having girls in their bands," S oun said. "Plus, both bands are really spastic in the way mey perform and sound/* The Fall of Troy will perform in Bellingham for the third time; It played at the GAF Church beforewith Lands Farmer East and once at Western. .v';, :^- gt; -^':-^;;^^^v.;-^-^:o.-;-'::;.; v _- ;;.";;"';":;^.:'--;^x;;-"-"^v;;y^:;i The Fall of Troy's progressive-rock sound is comparable tbi bands like The M '-The^riw-^ guitarist of ^ he! wasi ecstaticto meet tiie other bands and hang out with people from Bellingham. More people have been attending The ' F a l l of TrOy's shows lately gt;Erak said. "It's weird because, as opposed to four or five months ago, we were playing first or second, and now we are headlining shows," Erak said; "Venues are getting more full." ••:•;. Western senior Kelly Aiken, Ancme's vocalist and organizer of the show, said Saturday's con- " cert was supposed to be Ancille's CD release show, but because of delays with the artwork, the albums have not arrived from the press. . "We aren't holding it back or anything," Aiken said. "As soon as we get it, it's going to be out for everyone." Ancille will release its album "The Flash and Hum" in approximately three weeks through Bellingham's West of January Records. v.-• gt;;S;: Aiken originally planned to book the show at the Viking; Union Multipurpose Room through the Associated Student Productions Pop Music club, but he could not reserve the rqoirVfor '.that date; • : gt;;, fTneGAEC enough to h ^ Jrhate;"Sh6^ •band;and the Audience." ' • ...V^V-':v . gt; gt;:..-.' .:•;: : ! ' -^ The band The Red Liijht Sting rocks out in 2Q03; Photo courtesy of Hint Hint Hint Hint keyboardist Leona Marrs and drummer Jason Lajeunesse performing at the Sunset Tavern in Ballard. By Lauren Fior . The Western Front Local band Table Dancing With Betty will perform at 7 p.m. tonight in the Viking Union Multipurpose Room at its CD release show. The show also is the Associated Students club Loa Records' last show of the quarter. After approximately two years, Table Dancing With Betty's first full-length album is finished. Eric Sanford, trombone player and Western sophomore, said the album took the-b.and this long to complete because the members were busy with school and work. The title of the new album is "Skutz," which Sanford said they made up. The name is a mix of the phrases "ska music" and "gone nuts," Sanford said. Jake Waltier, trombone player and Western junior, said the time recording gave the band a chance to be more creative in the song-writing process than usual and think of new ideas, such as more harmonies. "When you play shows, and practice, it's fun, but the studio allows you to be more creative and play with the music," Waltier said. The band originated in Puyallup among friends who were inspired by ska band Reel Big Fish, Waltier said. Sanford said the idea of creating a band formed in the late '90s, but it did not have enough people to complete it "The band also includes • P h o t o courtesy of Loa Records' Greg Morgan-Christian Table Dancing With Betty sings to the crowd on vocals, Steve Chase on Nov. 14 at the Fairhaven Auditorium. guitar, Will Christison on bass, Matt Berkstresser on drums and Matt Crandell on baritone saxophone. Bo Stewart, a Loa Records member and Western senior, said Table Dancing With Betty played at Loa's first show in February 2003. Since then, the band has performed at four Loa-sponsored shows, Sanford said. Photo courtesy of Loa Records "It's great having The band Table Dancing With Betty plays on free shows on cam- May 2 at the Fairhaven Auditorium. pus," Waltier said. Waltier said Fairhaven Auditorium, where most of Loa's shows take place, is one of his favorite Bellingham venues. "We don't like playing bars very much because we have a large number of fans under 21," Waltier said. Stewart said he expects that approximately 150 people will attend the show. He said Table Dancing With Betty has a strong following in the Bellingham area. Stewart said this show was more hectic to plan than others because they did not have a venue right away. AS Productions Pop Music club called them a few days ago and said the VU Multipurpose room would be available because of the cancelation of another event, Stewart said. "(AS Pop Music) gave us money for the show, too," Stewart said. "They have leftover money from a few events that didn't work out." The show will include Bellingham band Typical Ace, Seattle band Mercir and Portland band Careen. Waz, a Buffalo, N.Y., band that has previously performed with musician Pete Yorn, also will perform. ---------- Western Front 2004 March 05 - Page 7 ---------- March 5, 2004 ACCENT The Western Front • 7 Lee Fehrenbacher/The Western Front A man enters a theater showing "The Passion of the Christ." By Lee Fehrenbacher The Western Front Breathless gasps and muffled sobs echoed through a sold-out theater on Feb. 25 as movie-goers watched gory images of whips lashing the back of Jesus Christ. While it was not the first movie about Christ's crucifixion, "The Passion of the Christ/' Mel Gibson's vision of the last 12 hours of Christ's life, portrays the grueling torture and incredible pain Jesus endured to an extent never before seen in cinema. Many viewers said the experience left them emotionally drained. "The part where (Jesus) is flogged shocked me a lot, to points where I'd be crying really hard, and then I'd be so often numbed to it that I couldn't cry — I'd still be really upset, but I couldn't cry anymore," Western junior Anne McNamara said. While the movie left many viewers awe-struck; on, opemngjught o;n. the 25th gt;, it has caused an array of heated emotions since. McNamara said the graphic portrayal of Jesus' persecution in the movie helped illustrate the magnitude of the original story. "The point, rather than all the violence, was to show that it was more like a triumph story," McNamara said. "He knew he had to do this, and he knew it was going to be painful, but he did it anyway. So even though it was really sad and hard to watch it happen, every step he took was like another victory for God." Robin Zemble, a Western freshman and cultural and religious affairs vice president of the local Jewish group Hillel, said the violence of the movie overshadowed everything. "I felt sick, honestly, and sick that that's the image (Mel Gibson) wanted to portray," Zemble said. "I don't think anyone can sit through two-and-a-half hours of intense violence like that and not feel sick to their stomachs and not feel affected by that in a negative way." Even before the movie hit theaters, controversy about the film's use of violence and possible anti- Semitic undertones were prevalent. As conversations about the nature of the film continue on television, in city halls, in churches and even in grocery store checkout aisles, "The Passion" is heating a stew of emotions. "I think everybody that views the movie is probably going to take different things away from it," said Mike Gatbunton, Catholic Campus Minister for the Shalom Center. The story begins in the Garden of Olives, where Jesus, played by Jim Caviezel, has gone to pray in the misty, early morning hours after the Last Supper, and follows the chain of events that led to his inevitable crucifixion. The movie's story begins at the end of Christ's story, and introduces none of the characters, assuming the audience already is familiar with them. Several short flashbacks, which provide a reprieve from the intense violence and gore, offer the only insights into Jesus' life and those around him. Gatbunton, who has seen the movie three times, said the focus for him was Jesus' relationship with his mother Mary, played by actress Maia Morgenstern, as seen through the flashbacks. One flashback • occurs as a whipped and beaten Jesus falls under the weight of the cross. As he falls, Mary remembers a time when Jesus fell as a child and she took him into her arms. For Zemble, however, the strength of .these flashbacks faltered under the weight of the brutality of the film. "I think a lot of people will be asking questions about the Bible, and I think that that's probably a good step-off since that's the goal, but I think a lot of people will be coming away from it feeling sad about Jesus, and I don't think that was the message," Zemble said. "I'm Jewish, so he's not my God, but the message of Jesus was of joy and happiness and of resurrection and not of death." Western freshman Tyler Smedley said the movie would give people a greater understanding of the Catholic mind-set. "I think (the movie) is a very powerful tool for evangelization, and I think it's also a good learning tool for people who don't maybe understand anything about the gospels and want to find out about it," Smedley said. "Maybe not from a religious standpoint but just in wondering, 'What do other people See in their religion?' " Zemble said she found the movie insulting to Jewish people. "I felt like they showed Jewish people as power hungry and opportunists and bloodthirsty, and I think that (Gibson) didn't give the whole story," Zemble said. "There was no context to the passion, it was just blood bath." In the movie, the Jewish leadership, led by the High Priest Caiaphas, played by Mattia Sbragia, demands the crucifixion of Jesus before Pontius Pilate, played by Hristo Shapov, and an angry mob. Rebekah Ross, a Western senior and Hillel programs coordinator, said anti- Semitism still is a prominent concern in Jewish communities. "Anti-Semitism is very much alive in this country as well as others, and myself and many other people I know have been treated poorly because people had very anti-Semitic views, and people are just afraid that this movie is going to nourish those attitudes," Ross said. While Ross, who has a Jewish and Catholic upbringing, said she thought the movie cast the Jewish people in a negative light, she said "The Passion" was one of the most powerful movies she has ever seen. She said that while she feared the movie could cause anger, violence and death from acts of hate, she hoped people of all religions could leave the movie with compassion for one another. "You don't have to believe in Jesus to be a compassionate person, and you don't have to believe in Jesus to be a good person," Ross said. "You don't have to believe the movie. It doesn't have to be a documentary in your eyes for you to be moved by it and for you to find the ability to change your actions." Ross said the violence added a realistic and humanistic appreciation for the pain Jesus suffered, especially compared to other violent movies such as "The Living Dead," which is bloody but less impactful. Rabbi Daniel Weiner of the Jewish Temple De Hirsch De Sinai in Seattle said the movie pushed anti-Semitic views, which have left many Jewish people worried they will have to explain themselves to people, who see the movie. : "While I recognize that'this will be a profoundly moving experience for some Christians, I am deeply troubled by the historically and scripturally inaccurate portrayal of the Jewish leadership and the Jewish people," Weiner said. Weiner said the portrayal of the Jewish leadership was overexaggerated. Gatbunton, Smedley and McNamara all said they did not think the movie portrayed any scenes of anti-Semitism. Gatbunton said he thought some of the more compassionate roles were those of Jewish characters. "One of the characters in the movie, Simon of Siren, who helps Jesus carry the cross, to me is one of the most heroic characters in the movie, and at one point, he clasps arms with Jesus as they carry the cross and also encourages him, you know, 'You're almost there,' and he's Jewish," Gatbunton said. It would be difficult for people who are unfamiliar with the story to draw a clear-cut distinction between Roman and Jewish, good and evil roles, Gatbunton said. The viewers who most likely would have concerns about the portrayal of those roles are people who are knowledgeable about different theologies, understand them on a deeper level and have experienced anti-Semitism, he said. Weiner said he thought Gibson's film applied a highly selective interpretation and defied long-established understandings between the Catholic and Jewish faiths — namely that the blame for Jesus' death does not fall on one group but on all people in the world. Ross said that only a small portion of the Jewish population of the time, the Temple Council, was responsible for Jesus' death and that it was not right to blame the entire group. Gatbunton said people should not view "The Passion" as completely historically accurate, although he thinks it is one of the most accurate movies about Jesus' life to come put. "This movie isn't meant to be a historical theological movie," Gatbunton said. "It's (Gibson's) vision of what the passion was." While interpretations of the movie vary widely between Catholic and Jewish faiths, Gatbunton and Weiner said open communication between the two religions is vital in sustaining a healthy relationship. And while their opinions of the movie differed, both said they were concerned about the effect the movie would have in the Middle East and Europe, where anti-Semitism is more prevalent. "As some of the Jewish leaders have said, as Christians, we see a different movie," Gatbunton said. "But I think it's important for people to listen to the criticisms from the Jewish community and understand where they come from and " where the fears come from, keep communicating, keep things open and understand each other's viewpoints." ---------- Western Front 2004 March 05 - Page 8 ---------- SPORTS www.westernfrontonline.com The Western Front March 5, 2004 • 8 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SOFTBALL Win secures school-record seventh-straight 20-win season V i m r a o o UO defeat s^nt Mark's College 68-64 Thursday in Lacey. Western will Vikings to play five GNAC foes in tourney Western's Softball team will play eight games this weekend at the Viking men weather late Seawolves surge By Caitlin Unsell The Western Front Capturing the team's 400th win and keeping their postseason hopes alive, the Western men's basketball players sent the University of Alaska Anchorage away with an 87-80 defeat Thursday at Carver Gym. Anchorage senior forward Peter Bullock, a preseason All-American, was out early with foul trouble. Bullock played only eight minutes in the first half and 15 in the second. "That was crucial," Western senior guard Jason Burrell said. "Once we knew he was in foul trouble, we tried to attack him and put pressure on the team because we knew things would be easier that way." Western head coach Brad Jackson said Chris Taylor/The Western Front Western sophomore guard Grant Dykstra commits a charging foul while plowing into University of Alaska Anchorage senior forward Peter Bullock on Thursday in Carver Gym. Dykstra finished with 20 points. defensive intensity helped Western maintain its composure in a game crucial to its playoff hopes. "Emotionally, having a guy like (Bullock) on the bench was significant," Jackson said. With one home game remaining jn the season, the Vikings are ranked No. 10 in the NCAA Division II West Region. Western sophomore guard Grant Dykstra scored a team-high 21 points, including 8-8 shooting from the free-throw line, and Western freshman center Lukas Henne scored 13 points in his second start of the season. Henne collected three blocks and played a key role in keeping Bullock to 11 points. "Henne did an awesome job; he was blocking Bullock out of his mind," Western junior. forward... Craig Roosiendaal said. •••,:•;•.;. •-•.•-.••••"•' Though Western led the entire second half, Anchorage pulled to within two at 73-75 with 3:25 left to play. The Vikings extended its lead to six, but a three-pointer from Anchorage center Adam Fitt-Chappell, who led Anchorage with 28 points gt; leffethe score 81-78 with 48 seconds to go. A three-pointer from Roosendaal with 16 seconds remaining, however, killed any Anchorage comeback hopes. Roosendaal finished with 19 points, including four three-pointers. "The three was huge," Jackson said. "We set it up on the timeout and executed perfectly." Anchorage and Western were even with 27 total rebounds, and both teams received significant contributions from the bench — 19 points for Western and 13 for Anchorage. . Burrell started the game despite the fact that he missed the past two because of a groin injury. Burrell said he was not yet completely healthy. "I had to stay warmed up the whole time, and the trainers had me sit a certain way on the bench so I wouldn't get stiff," Burrell said. The Vikings will play the University of Alaska Fairbanks for the final home game of the regular season Saturday It will be the last home game for Burrell and Western senior guard Stefan Dickason. Box score fBu^r||2Ss^^ llfalsfOpi®^ il.fef^^®l^ife,1i^mi^fii Western: 44:; Fouled ^ u t ~ - hone. ] ^ 6 u n d s ^ :Mas^^ (Buigess 5)^; W0is^00im^^. . taT:ifG^:f#^ Westerh:24 lt;;^ BREWERY BISTRO of Heaven ^H^^^l HHHHI 1107 Railroad Ave 360.647.5593 www.bbaybrewery.com it pays to advertise in the Western Front E X T. 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Professional.Development@wwu.edu ExtendedEd.wwu.edu/ProfDev 405 32nd Street, Suite 209 650-3717 WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY Opening doors for you m ---------- Western Front 2004 March 05 - Page 9 ---------- March 5, 2004 SPORTS The Western Front • 9 Western men 'weight' for competition By Lee Fehrenbacher The Western Front The Wade King Student Recreation Center weight room became a field of competition "for 12 men Wednesday as Western students convened to determine who had the biggest "guns" at Western's first intramural weight-lifting tournament. "I'm entering to show all the ladies out there how tough I really am and show all the Lee Fehrenbacher/The Western Front Western freshman Vinh Huynh strains to straighten a dead lift. guys, too, that they really shouldn't mess with a guy like me," Western sophomore Scott Hylton said. "They'll see when I win." The competition consisted of the best of three lifts in the dead lift, the bench press and the squat. Hylton took first place in the 150- pound weight class but missed his personal goal of 235 pounds on the bench press by 10 pounds. He had a power-lift total — the highest sum of all three areas — of 885 pounds. Lifting a new maximum weight can be a precarious process, Hylton said. "I think every time I maxed, on bench anyway, I always go one arm up first and the other arm comes up after that, so it might be about seven or eight seconds before I get my bench up," Hylton said. Tyler Home, a Western senior and intramural supervisor, said the competition was one of many new tournaments, such as dodge ball and swimming, added to intramural competition this year after the completion of the recreation center. "It's just another opportunity for people who maybe don't play basketball or football or softball or usual intramural sports to get a chance to be an intramural champion," Home said. Western sophomore Adam Nelson, who competed in the 181- to 195-pound weight class, missed his power-lift total goal of 1,000 by 5 pounds. ' "When I drop the weight on myself, that's when I know I'm not doing any more," Nelson said. Mental preparation can determine whether a weight is lifted or dropped, Western senior Nick Wenzel said. "The best way to do it is to just go in with Lee Fehrenbacher/The Western Front Western senior Nick Wenzel fights to rise from a squatting position with more than 300 pounds of weight on his shoulders at Western's first intramural weight-lifting tournament Wednesday. a clear head," Wenzel said. "You want to make sure you're warmed up, got your blood flowing, but you definitely want to keep a clear head, and don't ever think about not making it, or else you'll psyche yourself out." Western freshman Dustin Reiber said he had his mind set on a not-so-gold T-shirt. "I've had some past experience (in weight lifting), and I wanted to get myself a shirt," Reiber said. With a power-lift total of 1,175 pounds, Reiber placed first in the 165- to 180-pound weight class, winning one of the four coveted "Intramural Champion" T-shirts. For Western freshman Cody Franzen, the reward was the activity itself. "(It's) the self-satisfaction of being able to change your body and being able to see the results and help other people, and (the weight room) is just a fun place to be," Franzen said. Franzen placed first in the 181- to 195- pound weight class with a power-lift total of 1,340 pounds, and Western senior Cory Ford placed first in the 200-pound- and-above weight class with a power-lift total of 1,225. Jeff Crane, Western coordinator of intramural sports and sports clubs, said he was pleased with the turnout and is planning to organize another tournament next winter. For those who participated this year, the tournament offered a chance to compete as well as assess personal abilities. "I've spent a lot of time lifting this year, and I just wanted to see how well I could do," Nelson said. Having trouble getting yourGURs? (General U niversity Requirements) Worried about taking too long to finish your degree? Can't fit GUR classes into £11 El*NT 0 your schedule? W l B ^ l t w your Distance EdfStion pe options at WWU's partner. Skagit valley College offers affordable, transferable GUR courses like Psychology, English, History and Math through Distance Education or on-campus this spring ... designed to fit your busy schedule and your budget! IrWerWt-based courses are offered every quarter. See how we can save you Comes to Life time and money! Check our website for more info: www.skagit.edu Distance Education (360)416-7770 Counseling (360)416-7654 Skagit Valley WhereLearmng****"^^^ Alaska Fairbanks Free parking and shuttle service from the Fairhaven College parking lot to the front door of Carver Gym. For tickets, call 650-BLUE. FOOD PHARMACY j v l l i t mmm ---------- Western Front 2004 March 05 - Page 10 ---------- OPINIONS www.westernfrontonline.com State should seek alternatives to standard higher education Western's academic departments are cutting elective classes because of budget shortages. At the same time, Western is finishing construction on the new Communications Building and is in the planning stages for another academic building because of overcrowding. These two issues — overcrowding and a shrinking variety of classes — are a problem that Washington state lawmakers need to address by examining higher-education alternatives to the standard four-year, liberal arts degree. According to the January Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board document "Key Facts About Higher Education in Washington," state colleges and universities will need approximately 33,500 additional spaces for full-time students by 2010. The option of constructing more and more buildings to accommodate the influx of students while simultaneously deleting classes to fit the state's budget will not continue to be feasible. As elective classes on the periphery of degrees fall prey to the budgetary grim reaper, one four- year, liberal arts degree will look more and more like the next: a bland morass of the same general university requirements. This defeats the whole purpose of a liberal arts degree — diversity. A four- year degree in liberal arts is not the best option for everyone looking to continue their education past high school. A vocational or technical college more specifically tailored to certain interests would better serve some people. This is not some sort of elitist, "four-year, liberal arts universities are only for smart people" snobbery. It is not "smart" for people to slog through a wide variety of GURs when they know a specific degree from a technical college is what they want. This is particularly true when the average tuition at a public, four-year university in Washington state is $4,185 a year while the average tuition at a technical or community college is $1,982 a year, according to the HEC Board's "Key Facts" document. Another factor to consider is that the median salary for an electrician in Washington state is $51,700 while the median salary for a communication or business major working in retail sales management is $35,400, according to the America's Career InfoNet Web site. Some-studertts-frtay unk'•^At^y- pi^ iihg::k:^di€Mp^£ic^de^ree at a technical or vocational school, they will be unable to explore any variety to their education. Those students looking for a broader education, however, do not have to attend a technical school. By examining technical schools with an eye to making them more attractive and accessible to those who want to attend, Washington state can ensure that the liberal arts degree will remain a"possibility to ttibse students.. .f"; rK Frontlines are the opinion of The Western Front editorial board: Jeremy Edwards, Josh Dumond, Mugs Scherer, Cari Lyle, Jenny Zuvela, Ben. Arnold, Eric Berto, Paul Nicholas Carlson, Keith Boiling, Justin McCaughan, Jenny Maag, Matt DeVeau and Bonnie Coe. -,- . The Western Front Editor in Chief: Jeremy Edwards; Managing Editor: Josh Dumond; Head Copy Editor: Mugs Scherer; Copy Editors: Cari Lyle, Jenny Zuvela; Photo Editor: Ben Arnold; News Editors: Eric Berto, Paul Nicholas Carlson; Accent Editor: Keith Boiling; Features Editor: Justin McCaughan; Sports Editor: Jenny Maag; Opinions Editor: Matt DeVeau; Online Editor: Matt McDonald; Columnist: Wolfgang Deerkop; Cartoonists: Matt Haver, Reid Psaltis; Community Liaison: Bonnie Coe; Adviser: Lyle Harris; Business Manager: Alethea Macomber; Advertising Manager: Joel Hall. Staff Reporters: Jessica Alvarado, Aaron Apple, Heather Belcher, Charlotte Chandler, Wolfgang Deerkop, Melena Eaton, Lee- Fehrenbacher, Lauren Fior, Zoe Fraley, Sarah Getchman, Krissy Gochnour, Shanna Green, Tyler Hicks, Matt Hietala, Kelseyanne Johnson, Kaitlin King, Cailin Long, Lauren Miller, Rob Morrell, Porfirio Pena, Katie Scaief, Bryan Sharick, Chris Taylor, Caitlin Unsell, Gil Ventura, Jelena Washington and Amanda Woolley. And we quote: 'If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator'.' — President George W. Bush, 12/18/2000 The Western Front March 5, 2004 • 10 Children need healthy meals in restaurants Lajuren Fior COMMENTARY / . ;m this society, many worry that children will be kidnapped, swallow a Lego or play corrupting video games. Society should be concerned about the unhealthy food children eat at their favorite restaurants. While children might seem to have smaller appetites, the food major chain restaurants serve them can be just as fatty as regular, portions. Calories, saturated fat and salt fill most chil- , dren's meals, v According to a 2003 study by The Center for Science in the Public Interest, children's meals at" popular restaurants are increasing children's health risks. The results showed that eating basic children's meals at popular restaurants was increasing children's health risks. The study found that all of the reviewed meals came with a side of french fries. Applebee's Neighborhood Grill Bar, Denny's Restaurant and the Outback Steakhouse all feature high amounts of fat and sodium in their children's meals. Applebee's grilled cheese with fries has 900 calories, 44 grams of fat and 2,050 milligrams of sodium. This meal alone leaves little room for children to eat other food during the day without exceeding the 1,500-calorie-per-day limit that . the^.^LLS..,-; Department of Agriculture recommends for a "low-active" child. Parents might take their children to a sit-down restaurant to eat because they think the restaurant offers better options than fast food. Most restaurant owners, however, seem to believe that cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets should make up children's menus Research from the National Center for Health Statistics has shown, however, that children will eat the same amount of fat at McDonald's as they would at Denny's because the restaurants serve the same fried foods. Many sit-down restaurants SEE Food, PAGE 12 Americans ought to cherish their pseudo-freedoms Wolfgang Deerkop ON THE ROCKS Is America truly a nation of free citizens? Government thugs can wiretap your phone if they think you uttered the words "bomb," "bong" or "police brutality" in any conversation during the past five years. The government can imprison U.S. citizens indefinitely without charges just because some paper-pushing government official thinks they look suspiciously Arabic. Each and every one of the numerous armed conflicts the United States has entered since World War II has lacked an official declaration of war because every president since Franklin D. Roosevelt has conveniently overlooked Article I of the Constitution, which reads, "The Congress.shall have the power... to declare war." But wait, you say, Americans have plenty of freedoms. We have the freedom to become anything we want, provided we work hard enough for it and are fortunate enough to be born into new age, aristocratic families who can travel between winter condos in Vail, Colo., and summer homes in the Hamptons via private Learjets. We have hundreds of cable channels bringing the latest installments of "Who Wants to Marry a Drunken Soccer Hooligan?" and "Cannibal Survivor III." Whether we are in Moscow, Idaho, or Moscow, Russia, Americans are able to eat good, old-fashioned, ail-American McDonald's hamburgers. We think of ourselves as free individuals because we are better off than many others in the world. Consider the citizens of Turkmenistan, a small, arid nation in Central Asia that used SEE Freedoms, PAGE 11 ---------- Western Front 2004 March 05 - Page 11 ---------- The Western Front • 11 OPINIONS March 5, 2004 California court ruling reinforces a woman's right to birth control Freedoms: Americans should be glad they are not in Turkmenistan Katie Scaief COMMENTARY The California Supreme Court voted Monday to require Sacramento-based Catholic Charities, a nonprofit organization that employs and serves many people who are not Catholic; to include contracep-fives in its prescription drug coverage for employees. This was the correct decision because it supports the basic medical needs of women in the United States. A California law requires all insurance policies that cover prescription drugs to include oral contraception. Similar laws exist in 20 states, including Washington. Under the law, church employers can omit contraceptive coverage from their health-care plans. This exception exists under the basic assumption that church employees follow the beliefs of their church. If the church does not condone birth control, most of its members will not either. The exception is not an excuse, however, to impose religious beliefs on people of other faiths. Though religious organizations should have the right to safely express' and apply their beliefs within their organizations, they should not be able to demand that people of other faiths act in accordance with these beliefs. Catholic Charities provides nonreligious services for many people who are not Catholic, according to a March 1 article in the Los Angeles Daily News. Most of its employees belong to other faiths, according to the article. These employees have a constitutional right to make their own choices about health, regardless of Catholic doctrine. Birth control is a medication even though it does not treat a disease or condition. A woman's health depends on her ability to — control her body. Insurance policies that do not cover this medication place an unconstitutional control on the rights of women to make decisions about their own bodies. The California ruling is a progressive step for women's health care. Many states do not require insurance companies to cover contraceptive costs for patients. This means women have to pay for birth control on their own. Women spend approximately 68 percent more than men for out-of-pocket health-care costs, according io the National Women's Law Center's Web site. Much of this discrepancy results from a lack of birth-con- 'The California ruling is a progressive step for women's health care! trol funding, according to the center, which advocates for women and girls. Men and women contribute to the prevalence of unwanted pregnancy. They both benefit from birth control because it reduces unwanted pregnancies. By not providing coverage for this service, insurance companies place the cost of preventing pregnancy unequally onto women. Those who oppose the ruling say that Catholic Charities belongs to the category of churches exempt from the contraception requirement. They argue that the gov- — ernment should not have the power to decide which organizations qualify as churches. Some insurance companies argue that they should not have to cover the cost of contraceptives because the medication does not treat a disease or medical condition. They believe they are exempt from covering such preventive measures, even though these measures successfully reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies. Through this ruling, the California Supreme Court is not denying churches their basic rights of expression, nor is it forcing insurance companies to fund ineffective medication. The ruling protects the basic health rights of women. Continued from Page.10 to be a part of the USSR. The state-run press heavily censors the few fuzzy Russian television channels beamed into the nation, which means drooling over pay-per-view foxy- boxing matches is not an option. People measure wealth and stature not in the number of digits at the end of monthly bank statements but in the number of goats sold at the local bazaar. The biggest holiday besides the president's birthday is a celebration of the muskmelon. State officials described this relative of the watermelon as, "a godsend with a glorious history that goes back centuries." If the lack of "t and a" on the television, high goat-to-human ratio and national holidays revolving around fruit were not bad enough, Turkmenistan's President-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov is an authoritarian power monger. He has issued decrees forbidding young men from wearing long hair or growing beards, outlawed car radios and smoking in the street and ended all operas and ballet performances because he has deemed them unnecessary. The most bizarre edict came in 2002, when he renamed all of the months after himself, his mother and Turkmenian heroes from the medieval past. So revel in your freedoms as an American. , Dance and sing in the street while chain-smoking, as long you refrain from puffing a Cuban cigar and are within a designated smoking zone. Turn up 50 Cent on your way to the store, as long as the volume on your stereo is below the city ordinance. Most importantly, grow your hair and beard until they cascade below your waist. But just - remember to stay the hell away from country-western bars if you do because hicks hate Osama bin Laden look-alikes even more than words with three or more syllables. Just be happy that President George W Bush has been too busy trying to balance his taxes with his fingers and toes to change January to Dubya, October to Barbara and July to George Sr. The Western Front online We have the answers to all of life's pressing questions, such as: How many points docs a 3-poi,nt fichl-Lionl account for in a basketball name?" www.westernfrontonline.com Frederick Law Firm DEBORAH ANN FREDERICK, ATTORNEY AT LAW Counsel with caring Reasonable Rates* intelligent Inquiry •DUI -Jury Trials • Hit Run -Bench Trials •DWLs -Deferred • Assault Prosecutions PROVEN RESULTS AT TRIAL Call for a FREE consultation 961-0774(24/7) debfreder@aol.com GIRL with a PEARL ONION Whatcom County's Certified ORGANIC i Produce ^ Department FOOFCOOP 1220 N. Forest Street • Open 7 days a week • 8 a m - 9 pm Being struck by lightning is rare Having a disability is not. One in five Americans will acquire a disability in his or her lifetime. Please support the work of Easter Seals. 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Learn more about us at www.norwester.org. norwester@rockisland.com, 360-468-2225. ---------- Western Front 2004 March 05 - Page 12 ---------- March 5, 2004 OPINIONS The Western Front • 12 Haiti demonstrates why the United States should intervene early in foreign conflicts Porfirio Pena COMMENTARY The U.S. government waited too long to help defuse the rebellion against President Jean- Bertrand Aristide's government in Haiti. If the United States had provided support instead of ignoring the conflict, it would have required less monetary and military investments in the long run. After weeks of rebellion, Haitian rebels encroached upon the capital this past week, causing Aristide to resign and seek exile. Since the United States is the world's example of democracy, its government has a responsibility to defend democracy. This includes protecting the democracy of smaller countries such as Haiti. The rebels' method of armed subversion circumvents the democratic system. Haitians have worked to maintain this system since 1994, after U.S. troops helped reinstate Aristide, the first democratically elected president of Haiti. In 1991, rebel forces seized power in Haiti, shortly after Aristide's election. In recent events, the U.S. government should have provided troops at the first sign of trouble in order to ease Haiti through processes of impeachment and electing a new president. Instead, it waited until another hostile rebellion forced Aristide out of power. Without an active president, Haiti has the potential to erupt into chaos. Rebel leader Guy Philippe announced Tuesday that he is the new leader of Haiti, according to a Feb. 3 article in The New York Times. Former Haiti dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier, who ruled from 1971 until 1985, also indicated interest in returning; to Haiti, although he said he does not plan to seek the presidency, according to the article. This turmoil, with rog^e-forces competing for control of an already volatile country, has the potential to produce another dictatorship similar ; to;.; Afghanistan's Taliban rule or Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. The situation could continue producing violence and more bloodshed, much like Haiti's history has already seen. U.S. involvement as peacekeepers has become mandatory since the Haiti situation has .deteriorated to the point of potential anarchy. Gunfire erupted between Aristide supporters and rebels, according to The Times article. This likely could be the type of violence that will take place in weeks ahead. When the potential for conflict arises in a country within close proximity to the United States, such as Haiti, it would be detrimental to the United States' image and safety to ignore such a crisis. Since the U.S. government and the United Nations have not acted, in the end they may have to use more forces : than if they had acted more^quicikly. WitfipU.S. military forces already active in Iraq and Afghanistan, involvement in another conflict will further strain the military's budget and personnel. Some may argue that Aristide's brutality and bad leadership contributed to his demise and that the rebellion was bound to happen. Whether Aristide led his country well is not the issue. The U.S. government, along with other world governments, should have prevented the trouble in Haiti from reaching chaos. Now that the rebellion has become so volatile, the United States cannot continue to ignore it. It Will have to expend more resources into a situation that it could have prevented. Food: Restaurants must instill good eating habits in younger customers Continued from Page 10 offer meals that come with free soda refills and dessert. These default items can create unhealthy eating habits for children because they might begin to expect soda and dessert with dinner on a daily basis. The fatty foods children eat are causing them • to be in poor health. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2000, 15 percent of youths 6 to 19 were overweight. In 1980, 7 percent of youths in this age group were overweight. This increase has contributed to $117 billion spent annually on health care connected to Americans' obesity, according to a February MSNBC.com article. A reason for this surge in obesity among children may be related to the fact that more families have parents who both work full-time jobs. Many parents are busy and want to feed their children quickly and easily. If eating high-fat foods at restaurants could potentially put children's health in jeopardy, convenience should no longer be relevant. Sen. Tom Harkin, D- 'Instead of a side of fries, they should serve fresh fruit! Iowa, proposed a bill in February that would require restaurants to label menus with nutrition facts. Restaurants need to offer healthier food options for children. Instead of a side of fries, they should serve fresh fruit. They should offer entrees with more vegetables, such as a chil- _____ dren's salad. Most children probably have to eat it at home anyway. Red Lobster . recently began adding new, healthier items to its children's menu, such as fresh mahi-mahi and crab legs. These items act as alternatives to popcorn shrimp or fried fish and chips. Restaurants should promote free milk and juice refills for children as a healthier option to soda. Parents and restaurant owners throughout the country need to understand how unhealthy meals like cheeseburgers are for children. Growing health risks and obesity rates are proving that children's diets need to change. Too many baskets of fries are endangering the youth of the nation and enlarging their waist lines. MftKe /91/Uft 0RGM1IC/ LU RICRnT 1/ ft (HrHHL-ffiK MWrtft^TRSir RL/0 in m»HB9«r . mnwasr . 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