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Trash, apples and hormones
by Hal D. Coffey
News Editor
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. visited
Behrend as part of his latest
political campaign.
Actually, this Kennedy is an
environmental attorney from
White Plains, N.Y., and he came i
to Behrend to debate !
conservative, retired senator, |
Steve Symms.
The two debated environ
mental issues in Erie Hall on
Thursday, April 7 at 8 p.m.
At a press conference that day,
the two talked about President
Clinton’s record, their stance on
environmental legislation, and
the latest study about hormones
in milk.
First off, Kennedy spoke
about his view of Clinton.
“The ideas that the
administration have embraced are
good, but the amount of capital
committed is still unclear,”
Kennedy said.
He said that too much
political capital has been placed
behind health care and the North
American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA).
There was something Kennedy
pointed out that Clinton has
done as an honest attempt at
recycling.
“He (Clinton) issued an
executive order that 25% of all
paper used in Congress and the
White House be recycled paper,”
Kennedy said.
Symms said Clinton’s
administration has been very
aggressive towards environ
mental issues.
However, he was critical of
methods some environmental
organizations are using to
influence the While House.
"They use a lot of emotional
scare tactics to influence the
administation,” Symms said.
Symms has his own opinion
on how environmental
election, but for who? Guess well have to wait until the
Friday announcement
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Former Senator Steve Symms and environmental attorney RobertF. Kennedy, Jr. field
questions from News Editor Hal D. Coffey at last Thursday's press conference.
legislation should be. Agency) now says it (alar) beings."
"More government won’t should never have been on the “The Endangered Species Act
make a better environment. The market," Kennedy said. should have more incentives
solution to pollution is design," Kennedy believes that more than stoppages and harsh
Symms said. “The wealthier Americans would rather have penalties for businesses,"
people become, the more less pretty, better-for-you apples. Symms said. “By giving
environmentally conscious they An interesting point in the businesses incentives like tax
will become." press conference occurred when breaks and subsidies rather than
Symms then went on to use
an example to explain some of
the scare tactics used by
environmentalists.
“The scare tactics of the alar
controversy hurt apple business
too much," Symms said.
He said the average American
would have to eat nearly a ton of
apples to receive the harmful
dosages of alar.
Kennedy disagreed and stated
that children were more
susceptible to the alar's
harmfulness.
“That’s why the EPA
(Environmental Protection
Symms used several analogies to
state that most environmentalist
policies are anti-capitalist in
nature.
Kennedy interupted Symms
and said, “Are you trying to say
that I’m a communist sir,
because that’s not true."
The incident ended with both
men releasing a little chuckle.
The next topic dealt with
Symms’ home state region of
die Northwest
Symms said he voted against
the Endangered Species Act
because “it hurt the truly
endangered species, human
Decision
by Hal D. Coffey
News Editor
After two full days of voting,
the Student Government
Association elections are well
ahead of last year’s pace for total
voters, co-chairperson of the
election committee of SGA,
Lourdes Tirado said.
Tirado sighted three mqor
reasons for the increase in
turnout: more publicity, better
campaigns, and die attendance at
the first debate.
“The elections were more
publicized this year than last,
candidates campaigns have been
more effective,” Undo said, “and
the first debate brought people
penalties, the intent of the
legislation would be carried out."
Kennedy said he didn’t believe
that businesses would adhere to
the act on their own without the
threat of penalties.
Another topic was the use of
newly developed hormones in
milk. These hormones
stimulate increased dairy
production in cows.
Kennedy said he didn’t want
the hormones in the milk he
drinks.
As for the general population,
“It should be given as a choice
to the public,” Kennedy said.
out to meet candidates and hear
their platforms.”
Seth Bruggeman, co
chairperson with Tirado, was
surprised with the turnout.
“Due to the lack of students
interested in being candidates, I
presumed turnout would be
low," Bruggeman said. “I have
seen otherwise."
Tirado estimates the vote
count as of Wednesday morning
at 250, about 9% of the eligible
voters. This almost surpasses
last year’s 11% total turnout
With today being the last day
of voting, the chairpeople both
encourage those who have not
yet voted to vote.
Thursday, April 14,1994
“The milk should be labeled so
people can decide if they want
the hormone in their milk or
not."
Symms believes these
hormones are part of a sound
science.
“If after all of the tests it is
discovered to be a safe product,
then it wil lower cost for
production and be doubly
beneficial," Symms said. “This
way we will be able to get the
product to more people.”
Finally, Kennedy was asked
what he thought of recycling
programs like the one Penn
State has.
“The cost of recycling should
be put on the packaging
companies, like in Europe,”
Kennedy said. “Federal laws
must be made to create more of a
demand for recycled materials."
Symms summed up the
atmosphere of the debate by
saying, “People are here to see
Kennedy. He’s the draw. I’m
just here to give him some
sound opposition.”
Kennedy is a clinical professor
and supervising attorney at the
Environmental Litigation Clinic
at Pace University Law School
in New York.
He serves as senior staff
attorney for the Hudson River
Fishermen's Association and
senior attorney for the Natural
Resources Defense Council
Idaho fruit ranch owner Steve
Symms was a political unknown
when he won election to the
U.S. House of Representatives
in 1972 on a platform of more
freedom and less government. In
1980 and 1986 he won hard
fought elections for a seat in the
U.S. Senate.
After his retirement in 1993,
Symms formed his own political
consulting firm with offices in
Alexandria, Va. and Boise,
Idaho.
‘94
“The president of SGA makes
decisions and financial
allocations which affect students
directly,” Bruggeman said.
Tirado’s advice for how people
should vote is, “Forget about
popularity, and think who could
do more and represent Behrend
the best”
The ballots contain two
contested elections this year:
SGA president-vice-president
(Sam Epps-Betsy Saner vs.
Hugh Rosenblum-Matt Cissne)
and for Student Organization
Council president (Ray Graham
vs. Paul Lorio).
All other positions are