Page 124 - Phoenix2002-03

Wednesday, April 2, 2003 - Page 8 COMMENTARY Reasons against Iraq war Respect: Got Jim Crow? Justin Reed examines the concern of warfrom a logical perspective For all intents and purposes, the U.S. is Minister Tony Blair. On February 15, to break it to you, but it's true. now at war again. While we are bombarded roughly 10 million people across the globe Alright, that wasn't really all that funny with images, reports, press conferences, and took to the streets to protest this war. When ri within itself, so I'll return to my point. radio talk shows spouting the evils of Germany and France don't agree with you, My point is this: I was hanging out with Saddam Hussein and his proliferation of you listen to them. a bunch of my friends the other day. and one weapons of mass destruction, it is easy to * The war is unethical. - Iraq hasn't done of them told a story that. while Imust admit lose individual perspective and fall nervously anything tojustify war yet. What we're be- was delivered quite efficiently, was, at its in line with the Bush Administration's ing told is that someday Iraq may attack us, Alright. so maybe the "politically correct- core, inordinately racist. '.also must admit twenty-four-hours-a-day pitch for war with so we're going to level a country that's 50% ness" of the 90s wasn't all bad. (and I truly hate to) that while T,,;as amused Iraq. children and kill a lot of innocent people now In this post-90s age (we all knew it was by. my friend's delivery of.~e Joke, 1 was Yet, as educated Americans, it is our re- just to make sure that that doesn't happen. only a matter of time .... literally), we often qU.lte shocked that he felt this was an appro- sponsibility to inform the government of OUT That's not self-defense, that's aggression, dismiss the ethnic and racial sensitivity that pnate story to tell. opinions and direct OUf leaders to the actions and an unprovoked war is wrong. was all the rage ten yean; ago as being too Isuppose l.should also m.ention ~at.one we support, not vice versa, as has been hap- * The government supports other dictators. socially passive and altogether unnecessary. of our black ~nends was subject to this Joke pening recently. You may not feel that you - Talk about real links to Al-Quaeda. Fif- However, 1have recently begun to think that a~ the sal~e time J was .. and that be clearly play any role in government actions, or you teen of the nineteen September II th hijack- we, as a society, could benefit greatly from ~Id not en.Joy the experience. but such a fact may completely agree with the Bush ers were from Saudi Arabia. Do we make a re-examination of that time in our culture. IS totally Irrelevant. . Administration's policies in every possible an issue of that country's breeding of terror- Now, don't get me wrong: I have never What is relev~nt is this: somewhere, way. ists? Of course not, they sell us oil! Paki- been one for passive behavior or for in any the course of our time here atWestem Mary- 111 As well, you may not even care, but re- stan is another nation that breeds terrorism, we have all somehow land College, forgot- member that what comes to pass in the com- yet we support their un-elected oppressive way shielding one's true feelings, but r think ten what it means to pursue not only a truly "political correctness" is about far more than ing months will dramatically affect you, military dictator. this. It is one thing to go out of your way to liberal arts education, but a truly edu~ated people you love, and the brave persons that * The war will increase weapons prolifera- are serving our country. tion across the globe. - After seeing what the speak in a manner in which disguises your mind as.well. If we still.feel that s~chJokes Here are some ideas to consider: U.S. plans to do to Iraq, every "rogue na- true beliefs (which is bad), it is quite another an~ stones can be told WIthout causing some * Is a war with Iraq necessary? - The evi- tion" in the world is going to begin develop- to have respect for those around you (which residual harm, then perhaps we ne~d to ex- dence presented by the Bush Administration ing nuclear weapons to protect the~selves is, you guessed it, good). amine. whether or not we are gettmg what of Saddam Hussein's evil has existed for from a pre-emptive U.S. attack. Recently, I have noticed that we, as a cam- we paid for. , nearly a decade. Why is it so important to * The war is for oil, not democracy. - The pus community, don't really worry too much Then again, let me state th~tl re~llY 10n ~ invade now? The strategies put into place U.S. government never cared that Saddam about respecting each other when it comes care what you all say (p~cular y 0 an by the U.S. government since the Persian Hussein gassed his own people before. An to humor and matter of good and bad taste. about me), but I hone~tly think ~e need to Gulf War in the early 90s have basically issue was never made of the starvation the Of ~ourse, this is all entirely subjective, but recon~ider OU~t~~~aev:; t~n:v~a!I:~~~:e~~~ worked; Iraq's ability to attack others has lraqi people suffered as a result of U.S. eco- the Issue becomes more clear when we con- goodjudgeme . weakened. Saddam Hussein is 65 years old. nomic sanctions throughout the 1990s. The sider the mixed. company we must.k~ep on a ful ~tSi1r~e~~ sChha~~e not been on campus Let nature take care of him. Bush Administration wants to invade Iraq to small campus like ours. Perh~ps, It IS b~tter n y us his redoruinately pacified. * Terrorism will increase. - There are enough secure oil resources, not to liberate the Iraqi if we all assume that no one will get the Joke amo. g f . nd h P ld have certainly re- anti-American feelings in the world already. people. instead of o~r existing practice of assuming ~;~: a::e~SS~'ki:ki:~~ Sadly, that son of By invading Iraq unnecessarily, the Bush *' The war is personal. - When pressed to everyone wl.II. . d thing doesn't goon around here, and ifit did, Administration will inflame anger against the provide justification for a war against Iraq U.S. and influence future terrorist acts. The several months ago, President Bush centered thej~~:,t;~ltd~~~~~n~~:~~:~~y.~~fn~ 1 might feel my ,~27,OOOwell spent. CIA has stated there is an approx.imate 75% on Saddam Hussein, saying, "After aU, this about the last joke ~ou told s.omeon~: -Michael Wiles is a senior English chance of terrorist attacks against the U.S. is the guy who tried to kill my dad." U.S. chances are, they were Just humoring you If • if an invasion of Iraq does occur. Isn't this troops should not be risking their lives for a they laughed. Sorry that 1had to be the one major war supposed to be about stopping terrorism? glorified family grudge. * The war isn't about disarmament. " If In the end, patriotism is about wanting amassing weapons of mass destruction the best for your country. That means tell- Poetry Corner threatens world peace (which it does), why ing your leaders what is really important for is the Bush Administration permitted to con- American national security. It is patriotic 10 demn Iraq, while at the same time negotiat- not want American soldiers to die in a need- Never Trust The Pen ing with North Korea, and funding Israel's less war. It is patriotic to not want anti- by Joann McKinney military juggernaut. These nations are also American terrorism to increase and damage flagrant violators of UN resolutions and our economy even more. Is it patriotic to should be held to the same standard as Iraq. support the bellicose war cries of wealthy * The war will hUI1 the economy. - If the U.S, old white men who have never fought in Never trust the pen is at war, nobody will think about the battle and never will? Whatever your opin- It glides around economy-war is very distracting. Things ion of this article may be, please think about are only going to get worse in the U.S. You the potential consequences of this war, be- With lavish words think gas prices are high now? Check again fore innocent lives are lost. To draw you in in a few months. «[ustin Reed is a senior political And spit you out * Nobody supports the war. - Except Great of course. And tha{.:'s",·="P''.';m:;'~ __ ----,.------,; The pen has a one-tracked mind It cares not who it hurts Only that it gets what it wants The pen deceives And then it leaves -joann McKinney is a senior music major Lately, the war has been on everyone:s mind. The Commentary Editors would like you to know that we have done our best to seek out and represent a variety of opinions on this issue. If you would like to express your point of view on the war or any other issue, please contribute, Just drop your article on disk (in teaformat, please) to the front desk. We are also seeking submissions for next issues poetry corner. Suggested topic: Spring. Last issue, Jessica Watsons illustration (above) was misprinted. The Phoenix apologizes. L.::Q:::"::,:es:::ti:::Ot_,s_? __ Ca_I_I_To_,_o_a_t x_8_O_3_3. ~---~