The Behrend Beacon
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Zi Bei Fo'n
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ISSN 1071-9288.
Let's dance, Saddam!
Do they give patients in psycho wards
sharp knives? Guns? Sharp objects? NO!!!
Because they are psychotic. So why does
the international community think it is just
peachy to let Saddam Hussein have
weapons of mass destru( ? I
think it is because both
national community
Saddam are completely t
Let us ponder this: Hi
is a powerful totalitarian
tot with the single objecti
of destroying the United
States. The interna
tional community does
not want Uncle Sam to
overthrow Hussein's
regime.
Yes, like I stated be-
fore they are both
The Economist has
written, "The danger Mr. Hussein poses
cannot be overstated.... Mr. Hussein is the
world's most monstrous dictator...."
He has used biological weapons on his
own citizens, Arab neighbors, and the U.S.
military during the Gulf War.
He rules with an iron fist, never misses
an opportunity to slander the Red White
Not an Abercrombie girl
Unoriginality is so uninspiring. Some
of the things that irk me the most are a) People
who seemingly try to follow age-old stereo
types; b) People who let others define who
they are; and c) People who buy into every
thing that is mainstream American. One of
the greatest gifts humans possess is imagi
nation; why then, I ask, don't more people
use it?
My initial viewing of the movie "Animal
House" occurred a few weeks before I be
gan college. I must say, this movie definitely
deserves a privileged place in fine American
cinema. However, I feel that some have taken
the movie entirely too literally. It seems to
be understood by many that college is a time
to "get it all out of your system" and all too
often I encounter "students" who seem to be
making great efforts to model their lives on
the binge drinking, sub 2.0 G.P.A. frat broth
ers of Faber College. Don't get me wrong; I
am always up for a good party. I just do not
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Editor-in-Chief
Robert Wynne
Managing Editor
Rebecca Weindorf
Asst. Managing Editor
Kevin Fallon
Professional Publication Mgr.
Dave Richards
Advisor
Cathy Roan
The Beacon encourages
letters to the editor. Letters
should include the address,
phone number, semester
standing, and major of the
writer. Writers can mail letters
to behrcoll2@aol.com. Letters
must be received no later than
5 p.m. Monday for inclusion in
and Blue, and is in the process of develop
ing nuclear weapons. He also aids terror
ists. Iraq makes sure that the families of
suicide bombers receive $25,000. In this
light, Saddam not only supports terrorism,
Guy Reschenthaler
of any kind and a
military of any sorts. Let's go into
that glorified sandbox, slap some anti-
Americans around, prop up a puppet gov
ernment, and start pumping oil. Is this a
tad harsh? Yes. But was it a tad harsh when
Arab terrorists flew planes into the 'Twin
Towers?
think that the peak of one's college experi
ence should be keg stands and countless
nights falling asleep in a drunken stupor.
Another aspect of life that seri
ously annoys me is whenever
the current pop princesses and
boy-band members refer to
themselves as artists. Not
even Madonna had the au- weren't happy when Abercrombie
dacity to refer to herself as and Fitch opened. I am glad
an artist in her early years; Abercrombie wearing-Erieites no
rather, she preferred the longer have to PAY to receive an
term entertainer. Besides Abercrombie catalogue, but to me
the fact that these pop this company seems to propa
icons do not write, pro- Amanda Prischak gate an idea of what an Ameri
duce, or play any instru-
ments, their images are t has to look at Abercrombie's
pretty much determined
by some mogul in the music business. One
of the greatest things about being a musician
is being able to project your unique self-im
age and style to millions of people. Today it
4 PI LI, 11
Advertising Managers
Melissa Powell
Christine Kleck
Calendar Page Editor
Erinn Hansen
Humor Page Editor
Ross Lockwood
Associate Editors
Heather Fleming
Jen Henderson
Technical Support
Doug Butterworth
"Professionalism
with a Personality"
that week's issue
he encour
ages the
here's savagery.
Look,
IS here's the
point: We
need to take
The Iraqi govern
ment needs to be
destroyed and re
placed with a pro-
U.S. government
restricted from de-
veloping weapons
What the hell happened to us?
After 9- 11, Bush made the statement that
Friday, August 30, 2002
Kz- 'wwew
if a nation was not with us. it was against
us. The nation pulled together to avenge
the 9-11 victims and make the U.S. safe.
from enemies. We toppled Afghanistan but
forgot about our original mission: To de
stroy threats to the United States: Iraq,
North Korea, and Iran are all threats. They
are not "with us." They are against us. So,
let's take them out!
Naysayers claim that war with Iraq
would make the region unstable. Bull!
Look at the region as it is. It is not stable,
nowhere even close. This is not a matter
of "if it's not broken don't fix it." It is a
matter of it is broke, so let's fix it.
on Saddam
Naysayers claim that Saddam should be
contained. When we can develop a huge
glass jar and place it over the Iraqi nation
let me know. Until then, let's be proactive
and defeat Iraq. Hussein and Iraq support
terrorism and are developing weapons to
attack us.
What else do we need? Another 9-11?
Most European states and the UN are
against an invasion. Europeans do not care
about terrorism because their lives are not
on the line. Israel cares, the U.S. cares,
Europe does not (save for Great Britain).
If planes had crashed into the Eiffle Tower,
the Bundestag, or the Coliseum, Europe
seems that the goal is to appeal to almost ev
eryone; for instance, be the Virgin Mary in
interviews and wear next to nothing on a
magazine cover. While it is important to
have a large fan base, when did it be
come necessary to sacrifice identity in
order to please everyone?
I was one of the few people who
entirely Caucasian crew of
models, most with blonde hair and exces
sively thin bodies, to understand my point.
I am especially amused when
Abercrombie makes shirts with sayings like
"Rock Star" on them or when they feature
an indie artist in their catalogue. As if the
people at Abercrombie listen to anything
other than synthesized pop.
I do believe however that Abercrombie
makes well designed pants for those of us on
the short side and I do buy an occasional pair
of khakis from them. I will never buy a shirt
with their logo splashed across the front be
cause I don't appreciate the odd conformist
image they project.
Being an individual does not mean you
must dye your hair an unnatural color or
sporting piercings in unusual body parts. Just
don't be so quick to adopt what society and
others deem as "normal." As a great musi
cal artist once said, simply "express your
self."
t,
41, 10
I°4l**
would care. But that did not happen, so
they just sent us flowers and condolences
and then waited a week or so to call us
"warmongers." Typical European cake
eaters.
To make democracy safe we need some
cowboys who aren't afraid to use their guns.
That is the US.
But some U.S. citizens are against the
war. This is mind-boggling. How can some
people just sit back and wait for disaster to
happen. Let's go out and make ourselves
safe.
In my humble opinion, I think we are
going to invade Iraq in September or No
vember. The reason we have not so far, in
my line of thought, is because we do not
want to wage a desert war in the middle of
summer. We also could use some time to
gather intelligence. But it is only a matter
of time until we dance with Saddam. Re
member in early August when Saddam
came on Iraqi TV and claimed that any war
with Iraq would be a "glorious battle?"
Sure, Saddam!
Right on, buddy! I'd be willing to bet
that Saddam will see his glorious battle in
a few weeks. And the only people it will
be glorious for are the American people,
because we are going to crush the Desert
Canada's Prime Minister
needs to relax
Originally appeared in
the Los Angeles Times,
August 26, 2002.
Traditionally, summer is a good time
for politicians to take voters' pulse at the
grass roots, play golf and sell favorite pro
grams to relaxed constituents away from
the capital's constant sparring and media
spotlight.
President Bush is at home in Texas and
Canada's Prime Minister Jean Chretien
is home too, in Quebec. While Bush heard
Republican rumblings over his proposed
"regime change" in Iraq, Chretien faced
a bubbling revolt that could force his res
ignation from the ruling Liberal Party's
leadership and the prime minister's office.
However, a crabby Chretien peremptorily
announced he would retire in 2004.
Chretien fussed all summer over
maneuverings by former Finance Minis
ter Paul Martin to succeed him. Chretien
also made some little-noticed remarks
about the United States that could raise
American eyebrows. As part of their iden
tity, many Canadians maintain a mental
list of differences with Americans, much
like family photos in a wallet.
Even so, it seems strangely gratuitous
for the embattled leader of America's top
trade partner and a key anti -terror ally to
have provided a local party gathering in
Chicoutimi last week with an unsolicited,
distinctly uncomplimentary list of politi
cal differences with the United States.
Imagine the furor if Bush grumbled pub
licly in Ohio about Canadian corruption
and lack of term limits.
The Behrend Beacon
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The fight probably will not even be as
tough as it was in Afghanistan. Remem
ber our enemies there were fighting for a
belief they believed and followed. The Iraqi
army fights for Saddam, not an ideology
or belief. As soon as the fight begins they
will probably surrender like they did in the
Desert Storm.
Look, here's how it is: Saddam is psy
chotic. He is dangerous. He needs to be
deposed. Our nation is at risk as long as he
is in power. We need to invade Iraq, prop
up a pro-U.S. government, and start pump
ing oil. If we do not do this we are as good
as sitting ducks.
We look as weak and as timid as Euro
peans (once again, save for the Brits). And
terrorists love that. The only thing the Ar
abs and terrorists respect is power. Let's
flex our guns and let all those opposed to
the United States know that we will not
back down—that we will be proactive in
our defense.
Reschenthaler's column
appears every three weeks.
Chretien talked about his own agenda
for a bit, then launched into this: "Our
parliamentary system is different from
that of the United States, where there is
no party discipline. Where members of
Congress do not run on national plat
forms. Where special interests pour
money into individual congressional
races. Where the administration cannot
deliver an agreement (with Canada) on
softwood lumber because it has to give
in to the wishes of some senator who owes
his election to American lumber produc
ers and who threatens to use his power as
chairman of the Senate Finance Commit
tee to block other legislation of impor
tance to the president." (The senator:
clearly Montana's Max Baucus, not a
Canada fan.)
"We don't have a system where impor
tant judicial positions remain vacant for
years because of the political games and
ideological tests of Congress," the prime
minister continued. "We don't have a sys
tem where the administration tells the
world it doesn't like the farm bill. But (it)
has to give in to congressmen, who are
subject not to party discipline, but to the
discipline of lobbyists and the money of
special-interest groups. Now that is a real
democratic deficit. And we don't need it
in Canada."
Now, we're unaware that anyone has
asked Ottawa to adopt the political sys
tem of its raucous neighbor. But we might
suggest that Chretien has a relaxation
deficit and needs a wee break at some lake
before Quebec's summer is gone. Also,
maybe switch to decaf.
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