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Show University Journal Monday, September 23, 2002 Page 5 Students politically active By JACKIE ANDRUS UNIVERSITY JOURNAL Although Utahns traditionally lean toward right-winpolitical dominance, active membership in SUUs College Democrats and College Republicans does not necessarily reflect that trend. The Democrats, College whose primary purpose is to promote the Democratic Party, has as many active members as the College Republicans, said Aimee Oberg, a member of the College Democrats and a senior communication and political science major from Riverton. Utah is not really politically active, Oberg said The right-windominance doesnt affect major issues. Its the smaller and like morality issues censorship where you can see effect. Too often the right-winstudents mistake political affiliation for religious values That right-windominance, reflected both statewide and at SUU, is in part a result of parental influence, said College Republicans President Craig Hunter, a junior chemistry major from Cedar City. Generally, most students are registered Republicans because they just aren't sure what they are, Hunter said. College students tend to be more independent. And, although most align themselves with the Republican Party and register that way, it doesnt always mean they vote that way. Geoffrey Chesnut, a member of the College Democrats and a senior political science and criminal justice major front Salt Dike City, said he sees right-wing g dominance and the support for the Republican Party at SUU as a result of blind support. That support is stereotypical of the rest of Utah, Chesnut said People dont know why diey vote that way They just do it because of their families. However, the purpose of the isnt Republicans College simply to lead students with conservative ideas blindly, but to inform students on the issues their parents have taught them, Hunter said Among many of those issues that separate conservatives from liberals are economics, Chesnut said. Basically, Democrats believe Club Continued from Page 1 the response front some people who believe they have the right to censor student expression? Yes no question, Husselbee said. At the same time, Husselbee defended the editors. Its real easy to be so critical when your only view of the situation is from the cheap seats, he said. Some critics are not close enough to the situation to make accurate judgments. They need to know that they don't know the whole truth yet. A new poll commissioned by the First Amendment Center in Arlington, Va., released last month, found that support for the First Amendment has eroded significantly since last years terrorist attacks. That included a decrease in the percentage of people who believe that newspapers should publish freely. The survey also found that more people believe the Ritter Continued from Page 1 prosecution, Ritter said Ritter also said the United States will never be able to rim a clean prosecution while regime removal comes before disarmament. U.N resolutions have placed economic sanctions on Iraq until it is found to be in compliance with disarmament, Ritter said, but George Herbert Walker Bush's administration said sanctions would stay in was force until Hussein even if U.N. removed, resolutions were fulfilled. Do we honestly believe that the international community wakes up every morning and collectively takes a stupid pill, that were the only ones blessed with insight into how the world works? Ritter said. He said die Constitution puts forth diat (we are) a narion of laws. That is how we treat and within the govern ourselves in government involvement to help people have their basic needs met, Chesnut said. The government is there to provide for those who cant provide for themselves. If we work all togedter, as a group, we can provide for everyone. Democrats usually show their direct involvement with the people by dumping money into social programs, among them public education, Chesnut said. make Teacher unions significant contributions to die Democrats because of our social involvement with said. Chesnut programs, Democrats are die part' for the working man. Social programs are there to better die people and bring diem up. Public education in Utah continues to be hotly debated around the state between conservatives and liberals alike as Republican leadership has cut funding from schools. In the last six years diere has been an increase in the education budget," said Jared Mortensen, a member of die College Republicans and a junior financial major from More goes to Parowan. education than any other single expenditure. When theres not as much money in die budget things have to get cut because its against the state constitution to have a deficit in Utah, he added. doesnt Funding actually improve education diere is no direct correlation between money and academic achievement. But Im a lot more conservative than a lot of people are. Hunter said diere have been funding cuts across the board. Education cuts, diough, have been tough for him, too. It hits me because Im involved with education, Hunter said. Its tough regardless of what I believe. Hunter said he diinks his most important duty as president of the College Republicans is to educate the students on important issues. are Republicans College involved widi John Swallows campaign in soudiem Utah, and some participate in Pi Sigma Alpha, the political science honor society Each month, the College Republicans die Thunderbird Forum with die College Democrats. . . . government should have the freedom to monitor religious groups in the interest of and national security, restrictions should be placed on die academic freedom of to criticize professors government policy during war. History has proven that is America whenever threatened, civil liberty is threatened, Roberds said. He also said that if people question their own First Amendment rights, theyre looked at as the enemy. Theyre unpatriotic, he said. convocation Thursdays speaker and former U.N. weapons inspector Scott Ritter encouraged students to stand up for their rights as members of a democracy To function effectively as an American democracy, you need to be empowered with information so you make the right decisions, Ritter said, To get that information you must engage in a debate, a dialogue, a discussion. The most patriotic diing you can do as an American citizen is Get connected on the Web College Democrats of America www.collegedems com College Republican National Committee www.crcn.org The Thunderbird Forum is an informal discussion where students meet to discuss controversial issues. The forum is open to everyone. It will meet in the Kolob Canyon Living Room on Tuesday and will focus on environmental issues. The Fortun is one way die College Republicans and the College Democrats maintain a respectful relationship, Hunter Li hM y . . . . ft, jlJ t a i iVJiA'.f tl $? iliKf-- l tttfl ) ivh Mil-,-- if - utt The College Democrats also do their part to keep members informed and involved in local politics. 'Hie College Democrats have spearheaded Jim Mathesons 'p '( J 3 i h Vi W6 respectful relationship with each club, and I think we do. IT! ijv, ' t- f said. We get along well with tire Hunter College Democrats, said. We hope to maintain a i wJV - j J i f--J i i VJ W--i s? htfpSImh til i r : rm campaign in southern Utah by in parades, participating putting out signs, and getting die word out, Chesnut said. The College Democrats also have active members in Pi Sigma Alpha. I think die best way I can make a difference is to be Oberg politically involved, said. I align myself more liberally because of die freedom to choose. 1 separate my emotional viewpoints from my logical ones. Hunter also aligns his political affiliation with his own viewpoints. Im more conservative dian liberal, so I tend to vote Hunter said. Republican, Conservative ideas are more responsive and productive to what I believe. But Im not I voted for Mayor (Gerald) Sherratt because he has some good ideas. The College Democrats meet Wednesday nights at 8 p m in die Cedar Canyon Room. The meet College Republicans Wednesday nights at 6 p.m. in the Dixie Leavitt Business Building room 201. i - !Jf T- - V ' ; 1 TIAA CREF I IrATf t. to criticize the President of the United States, Ritter quoted President from Theodore Roosevelt During Fridays diversity discussion, students again expressed their concern for freedom of expression. Shanna Hales, a senior from major Duchesne, asked, In cases where we cannot even handle diverse diought, how do we drink we can handle bringing more diversity to campus? The Student Association for Free Expression plans to demonstrate and protest any sociology situation where students cannot express their opinions. We dont care what those opinions are, as long as students have the right to speak them, Justice said. Fie added, We condemn any act made by university officials that would threaten the employment of an advisor or a scholarship held by a student because they disagree with the administration on what the best course of action may be with regards to their club or organization. Racquethall Circuit Weights Yoga Bikes and Indoor Cycling Classes Steppers Treadmills Elliptical Weight Management Weight Training Aerobic Classes jrs framework of law. He also said through the international Constitution, agreements have the same force of law for the United States actions outside the country. But if we corrupt the process . . the law itself is no longer viable, he said, adding that die United States has the chance to regain international legality. We can regain the integrity of the resume the process, Saddam of prosecution Hussein, he said There tire times when we must go to war to defend our nation, to defend die world drat we live in, Ritter said. He added that if war is the war engaged on terror could escalate into a clash of civilizations: the West versus Islamic fundamentalism Baghdad is as big as Los . . as modem Angeles and populated by 5 million citizens, defended by over 50,000 fanatics, Ritter said. If the United States moves to remove Saddam Hussein, we will have to take Baghdad, and T4-- it will be bloody fighting indeed: building by building, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, he said. We will kill them by the tens of thousands and they will kill us by the thousands, he added. Ritter said there is an obligation to make sure diat before we send out soldiers ... off to fight, kill and be killed, that every potential to resolve the conflict peacefully has been exhausted. He said war must be undertaken only for die right reason and die right cause. Ritter said die United States must run a clean investigation before committing to war. If (Saddam) cheats, hes guilty, Ritter said. If hes guilty, hes going to die ... I would be the first to sign up for that war because that would be a just war Citizens must hold their government accountable, he said, not because its the unpatriotic thing to do, but because it's the most patriotic thing we can do. KHfcl ECSi BrA8 fcSLJ CSS 5ZS EZ2H E2B BES ! WELCOME TO SUU SPECIAL j I Add a Friend for Free! Hi tJS Eft a S .:rg ESL3 BEES! ES August Only! MOI 121 EZI 383 ISS39 fcJ AS Ufa Pli33 Fltnass Vmi Can FomaAs You Are! r, f pi? m.mpp 246 E. Fiddlers Canyon Rd. (Behind Fiddler's Movie Theatres) 586-744- 7 ! |