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Thursday, April ]2,2001 - Page 8 COMMENTARY Pro-Con: should the US continue to support Macedonia? Matt Hurff discusses the April 4, 2001. Brad Widner expresses how he .we expect America to step in and magically importance of designating support Other people he interviewed throughout feels the US should discontinue to solve these deep-rooted problems. What for Macedonia. . this article, both Slavs and ethnic Albanians, support Macedonia. makes us think that we have an answer to seemed somewhat optimistic about solve a problem that has existed so long? Imagine being in a place where sniper Macedonia's future. They also thought that The recent crisis in Macedonia has Hey let's face it. America isn't perfect. shots and mortar explosions could kill the some change needed to happen before things sparked my interest. I know there are a lot of I believe that we should first solve the prob- closest people to you at any moment. What could be resolved. Someone needs to step _ you out there who probably do not care about lems in America before we start solving these environment would you expect these hap- in and ensure that this will happen. politics nor do you care about America's for- international problems that don't concern our pening to occur in? I am not saying that the US should be eign policy. country too much. Look around ... America Certainly not in neighborhoods where working to resolve the problems in the But, I am one of those 12 percent of young has a great deal of concerns right here within families live and try to create a happy lives Balkans alone. However, I do not think that people that do take an active interest in poli- our borders. There are people living home- for their children; however, that is just the anything will be accomplished without some tics. Our country has reached the point where- less in the streets, people dying of horrible situation that has been occurring for the past initiative by the US, whether if! comes in most Americans especially young people do diseases, and children being gunned down decade in the Balkans. the form of peacekeepers in the region, or not care about politics. in our schools. The problems may beentireiy At this time, nations that were once part whether it involves merely bringing the lead- The United Nations decided to send different in nature, but nonetheless they ex- of Yugoslavia have been battling over reli- ers of the disputing factions together for peacekeeping troops to this area. Many of ist and we should try to use some of the gious and territorial reasons that have been peace talks. - these troops just happened to be American money we spend on foreign affairs to solve festering since the time of the Ottoman Em- By pulling peacekeepers out of the re- soldiers. . these problems first. pire. We have seen ethnic cleansing cour- gion, this resolution will not happen. Bush I feel that President Bush made the right Don't take me too seriously here. I'm tesy of Yugoslav President Slobodan has decided to shift to other issues such as executive decision withdrawing American not trying to come off as a conservative or Milosevic and the Yugoslavs along with China and Taiwan, along with the problems troops out of this hostile area. Why should ethnocentric jerk here, Ijust believe that our chaos in the towns and cities of this region in Korea because they are more significant we spend our American tax dollars to finance military and tax dollars should stay out of of the world. in the "big picture." military action where America has no juris- foreign affairs and focus more on domestic Now that the somewhat stable former- However, I feel that Macedonia should diction? issues. portion of Yugoslavia, Macedonia is now be part of the "big picture." The problems America is not the world's baby-sitter and I don't feel that we should become an iso- experiencing the same Slav versus ethnic there could' easily escalate into something doesn't have to try to settle every little dis- lationist country; just only take an active role Albanian problems that their neighbors. have, more damaging if allowed to intensify. pute that pops out all over the world. in foreign affairs that are absolutely neces- the United States has decided to pull out its While Milosevic was busy with his eth- Someone could say that there have been sary to our country's well being. support. nic cleansing, Macedonia was a large help problems in this area of the world before the Such issues would include saving the In fact, the Bush administration has de- to the European Union and NATO in trying Ottoman Empire, if this is true then how can lives of our airmen being held captive in cided to withdraw 750 peacekeepers from to solve the problem. Now, when Macedonia China, or preventing our US Embassies from Bosnia, even after the Secretary-General of needs assistance, can we really turn our Is there a topic being bombed by rogue terrorists. Well NATO asked for more support, especially for heads and ignore? that's alii have to say about that. Macedonia. Some people say we should not involve you would like to The problems in Macedonia- are rooted troops at all in this issue, and they might be -Brad Widner is a sophomore history ma- in the newly formed National Liberation right to a point. However, we must do some- see debated jor. Army, which consists of ethnic Albanians. thing, whether that means sending diplomats This group feels that it does not have equal to the region or, having peace talks. If this about in the rights as the Slavs in Macedonia. does not pan out and innocent people con- Is anyone These problems stem from the fact that, tinue to be harmed maybe sending troops Phoenix? "both [sides] project open-mindedness, yet would be the next step. • scratch beneath the surface of declared re- Ijustfeel as though it would be ashame If you would like to write or listening? spect for the other group and each contains to let democracy fail in a place that genu- submit a topic call BI Shorb a well of suspicion," according to Peter Finn inely seems to want democracy to work. Jeremy Keil tells encourages all of the Washington Post, who reported on the @410-756-2955for more info, students 10 voice their opinions in issues brewing in the war torn region on -Matt Hurff is a sophomore English major. order to get someone to listen. ADD as a result of a competitive nature. During my three years on this campus Amy Bittinger expresses why she level, I was handling the stress well. 'had to more to put on my college applies- the issue which seems to pop up most in on is food service the pages of the Phoenix feels individuals possess In order to compete for admission into tion. But, I didn't care much about the pur- this campus. So many people' seem to dis- characteristics of ADD. college, or for a job in the work force, you poses of the organizations. like the situation, yet nothing seems to get have to show that you are better than the In college, I participated in so much be- done. In a recent issue of U.S. News and World competition. So many people have outstand- cause I wanted the various experiences. I am There are only a handful of people, in- Report the editors wrote a one-page com- ing transcripts, making it difficult for col- glad I did for the most part, because I learned cluding myself. who raise this issue. how- mentary asking the question: "Does America leges and employers to evaluate based on a great deal. I learned, most importantly, that ever. I think if a few more people com- have ADD?" that. So, colleges and employers will look I could handle a lot. However, I do contrib- plained about this issue something might The commentary suggests that due to the at specific skills and experiences. Because ute part of that to professors and fellow class- get done. In fact. 1 think if a few more information overdrive that individuals are one may not know what a college or em- mates for being so helpful and flexible. I will people complain about any issue, some- more prone to ADD-like characteristics. ployer is seeking. some people try every- slow down, eventually, when I think that I thing about that issue may get done. Well, I think that expectations and the thing that they can. am satisfied with where I am. I have had over two dozen people come need to be competitive have lead to people A friend of mine, a student at James .Once I got a job for after graduation, up to me and tell me they agree with my being constantly preoccupied. Madison University, had a coach for her club senioritis kicked in. Now, I only do what I articles. They think it is ridiculous that the I may not have gotten into Western Mary- lacrosse team who is a volunteer. The posi- want. 1 have stopped participation in most of college is forcing us to pay for meals we landCollegeiflwasn'tagood my activities. I am taking don't use. Yet when I ask them if they are ::;;ins:~:~\~t~~:;t~p;~~I: It was no longer good enough to be a good ~~!~t~:~~~~~~~r'::w~~~ going to complain they say, "no, my opin- matter." ion doesn't year, working a job, and par- student, I had to be a good student while is a great feeling. If only half of those people would acru- ~~~~~~!~~~~~::~us extra- 'participating in numerous activities, IB:~::et~!ts;a:~lo~~nf~ ally pick up the phone and complain, I think would get changed. something It was no longer good graduate school to move up So stop complaining to your friends. enough to be a good student. I had to be a tion was an opportunity for the person who the ladder at work. I will be participating in Stop grumbling to yourself. Start writing good student while participating in numer- fills it to get something to put on his or her other activities to satisfy my interests such napkin notes. Stan writing suggestions in ous activities. resume. as keeping statistics for local sports teams and the box outside of Academic Affairs. Start Nothing changed in college. I quickly In the case of this person, he was work- taking music lessons. a renegade campus-wide phone list. filled up my resume hoping that one of the ing on his Masters degree in Business Ad- So, as long as my peers continue to be Stan calling Dr. Seidel (200). Start call- items on it would make my resume stand out ministration and said that the coaching preoccupied and heavily involved with ac- ing Dean Sayre (244) or President Coley from a pile of resumes. More importantly would fulfil! a need of management experi- tivities, so will I. When I feel comfortable (220). Start showing up at SGA meetings than what was on the resume may have been ence. He knew nothing of women's lacrosse with where I stand, I will slow down. (Tuesdays 8:00 in Hill). how much was on the resume. but helped the team out with administrative I am enjoying my slowing down now.but Start taking charge of this campus and Being on the lacrosse team, working two tasks like scheduling and fund raising. I know that come midsummer, I will be pick- let the administration know what you think jobs at a time, tutoring, being an executive When I was in high school, I participated ing it up again. should be done on this campus, because member of several organizations shows that in most of the activities because my friends until we get more than the same 3 or 4 I can handle an active, and busy lifestyle. did. I was lucky that my friends were inter- -Amy Bittinger is a senior mathematics ma- people complaining no one is going to lis- Because I was maintaining my academic ested in having after school meetings, so I JOr. ten to us.