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Show Editorial WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22,2010 THE SIGNPOST The Signpost Viewpoint Get a backbone, Mr. Hatch After 24 years of service in the U.S. Senate, Orrin Hatch's political gumption is turning out to be fairly ordinary. "I'll stand up for the Tea Party every time," said Orrin Hatch to a group of reporters outside the Senate chamber. If Hatch means he'll stand up for the Tea Party's right to speech, to organizing, to being a prominent figure in America's political landscape, his promises are aptly placed. But if he means he'll stand up for the Tea Party platform at the expense of personal conviction, wisdom and knowledge, he's a shrewd politician. To ensure re-election, shrewd politicians mindlessly submit to the will of the most powerful constituent group, which in Hatch's case is the Tea Party. Hatch is going under the knife, so to speak, and the Tea Party is his plastic surgeon. They'll cut, lift, stretch and perform other procedures until Hatch's face resembles theirs. Hatch will lose his identity and the Tea Party will have a new puppet. Mr. Hatch, give Utah Orrin Hatch, not the Tea Party. If Utah refuses Orrin Hatch, so be it. But it's not too late for Hatch. He can still be re-elected without going under the knife. Right now, Hatch is taking the well-traveled, easy road to reelection, speaking a pleasant word here and there, telling the Tea Party what it wants to hear. Hatch should tell the Tea Party the truth, regardless of whether they find it pleasant or not. That's not to say Hatch should ignore his constituents or give up his Senate seat; instead Hatch should listen to all claims, ascertain their legitimacy and change if needed. But to pledge to "stand up for the Tea Party" every time, that's just silly. Hatch has many constituents who could be supporters if they're mobilized. The trouble for Hatch is they certainly weren't mobilized for Bob Bennett's re-election run last spring. It will take knocking on doors, making phone calls, connecting through social media and attending public meetings elect so many of their people to mobilize sufficient support to be delegates. But now that for re-election. It will require a Bennett's lost re-election, Hatch smart campaign. A campaign should be able to rouse Utah's that shows Tea Partiers sensible voters. are ineffectual in the ,, - ^ ' ^ ^ Hatch's pledge of Senate because they allegiance to the ... tO \ refuse to negotiate Tea Party came pledge to across party lines. only after The r/ A campaign that stand up for the \ Wa s h i n g to n reminds the Tea Party" every ) Post tagged him as one of five people of Utah x time, thafs just Republicans who that the Tea Party silly. might fall victim to refused to re,.the Tea Party faction. elect Bob Bennett, Well, Washington Post, a man with one of the your prediction is already most . conservative voting records in the Senate because coming to fruition. Hatch's he's too liberal. Such a campaign sensibility is already falling ought to open ears. It didn't for victim to the big, bad Tea Party. Bennett, but Utah was sleeping Good to know you, Orrin when Bennett was running for Hatch. Utah will miss your re-election. They didn't think gumption. it possible for the Tea Party to Comment on this column at overwhelm caucus meetings and wsusignpost.com. Comical Corner Common Sense Women's rights make a better world TO CUBAN WPEL PDBSOTWORK ANWBRE- ^ W D DGUCt tD PCK CT UP- W E L L WELL' Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Business Editor nfe. wev*r awspiaM Gina Barker EricJensen Spencer Garn Craig Halbasch Bryan Butterfield ShayLynne Clark Five years ago, the United Nations set eight of the most ambitious international goals to improve the quality of life for millions around the globe by 2015. Yesterday the world was reminded of its ambitions as the U.N. began a series of high-level meetings evaluating the progress on reaching these eight goals known as the Millennium Development Goals. One question was brought to the forefront again and again: How closelytiedare women's rights to achieving these eight goals? So what exactly is the U.N. aiming to do by 2015? The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are as follows: to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality, reduce the child mortality rate, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, ensure environmental stability and create a global partnership for further development. These eight goals, simple in principle but so complex in execution, are set to be complete five years from now. Trie United Nations Development Fund for Women, a division of the U.N., put forth a brief on a report that will be fully released in December on the major goals they suggest to help reach the MDG goals by improving the lives of women. Their four major goals were expanding women's services, guaranteeing land and jobs for women, increasing women's participation in society and ending violence against women. Highlighted as one of the greater women's services that would improve several of the MDGs is 626-7121 626-7614 626-7655 ; 626-7983 i:626-8071 ^626-7621 i&Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University students. Student fees fu'ijd the printing of this publication. Options or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university.', ft SOURCE: WWW.GLOBALAUTONOMV.CA simply secondary education for girls. By allowing girls a chance at higher levels of education, and in many cases this means the equivalent of high school education, studies have shown that it lowers the HIV/AIDS rates, gives women greater access to jobs and allows them greater say in their homes. Despite the fact that women make up a majority of the world's small-scale farmers, men are overwhelmingly landowners. To improve women's standing in society, pressuring governments to make land ownership more readily available to women would improve their standing and ability to improve their families' lives. Holding a deed makes bank loans and insurance and a savings account so much more accessible. Violence against women is nothing new. It's an issue that moves past MDGs and should be something continuously and unanimously combated. In Bangladesh, 50 percent of polled women in a U.N. Women study reported being both sexually and physically abused in their lifetime. In Peru, women reported the same. In Thailand and Tanzania, women reported over 40 percent. Features Editor A&E Editor Copy Editor .Adviser Ads Manager Office Manager KoryWood Presley Shane Farver Shelley Hart Georgia Edwards When the "floods in Pakistan hit the poorest populations in the nation, women and children were the highest affected population. When the Haitian earthquake hit, women were at the highest risk because of rape. When a girl has her period, she misses a week oj school because her family cannot afford pads so that she can keep attending. When firewood and water is collected, a woman nearly always is the one carrying it for miles on her back. When a family sells a child for money, it is usually the girls who can be put into brothels. None of these goals • are unrelated. Women's education and violence against women are linked. When women wait past the age of 18 to marry, they unanimously reported having greater say in and outside their. household. Ii women are educated longer, they statistically wait longer to marry. If women have more say in their homes, they are less likely to be abused and walked over by the men in their lives. All of it is related, and all of it matters as a way tofixthe greatest issue of humanity today. Comment on this column at wsusFgnpost.com. 626-7624 626-7105 626-7659 626-7526 626-6359 626-7974 Signpost reserves the right to edit for reasons of space and libel and also reserves the right to refuse to print any letter. Letters should not exceed 350 words. Letters should be submitted online to thesignpost@weber.edu and read Letter to the Editor in the subject box. "v^ |