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Show "In the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing." - Robert Ingersoll 72 Wednesday, Sept. 28r 2005 797-1762 statesman@cc.usu.edu www.utahstatesmah.com Utah Statesman Lives lost but not forgotten Staff Editor in Chief Brooke Nelson^ News Editor At a time when words feel inadequate, the tractors located throughout campus are speaking volumes - large, silent reminders of a tragedy no one will soon forget. Ironically, the tractors were placed there by the very students who died in Monday's accident. Meant . to showcase advances in agriculture machinery, they now serve as tributes to the lives ] of those taken. Colorful signs advertising activities are now covered by flowers, and the activities themselves were replaced by a candlelight vigil and a day of remembrance on the Quad; appropriate changes in the wake of such loss. In a department of only 150 and a program of only 20, the impact is tremendous. But Agriculture stuaents aren't the only ones grieving. \PUblicforum Evan Parker was much more than a teacher, and old joke: "Where does an Wal-Mart like an the the young men were much more than students; they 800-pound gorilla sit when it were husbands, fiances and boyfriends. Fathers, 800-pound gorilla goes to a movie? Anywhere it mothers, brothers and sisters are left with holes in wants." From 1998 to 2003 ! worked for a manufacturer their families. Roommates will come home to empty Editor, in Utah that employed about rooms and classmates will sit next to empty desks. In response to Jason 2000 people. My employers Truly the hearts of all Aggies are united in support of Jensen's Sept. 26th letter, I say felt they needed to do busithe families of those involved. that Wal-Mart has the majori- ness with Wa I-Mart. After President Albrecht observed that as one of the ty of people i n America hood- negotiating a bulk discount most residential campuses in Utah, we have a unique winked. If they really cared {they agreed to buy a half America they wouldn't million units of one product sense of community. With so many students far from about be the single largest contribu- for a six dollar discount) my home, we as stuaents become substitute families, tor to our trade deficit with division alone hired anothwith bonds reaching beyond those of academic China, or drop accounts with er six workers per shift to peers. As such, it is no surprise the students of this American manufacturers try- meet demand. Then when the university have come together in such a remarkable ing to defend international product reached the shelves, patents, or fire any worker Wal-Mart increased the price way to console and comfort one another. who accepts literature from by an additional thirteen dolIt was said at the vigil that these students exem- union organizers. The least lars over the negotiated "sugplified the best of being an Aggie. We couldn't they could do if they cared is gested retail price" so that agree more. As Agriculture and Science Technology pay their workers reasonable they could do their trademark (Wal-Mart employees "rollbacks" and dupe people Education department head Bruce Miller put it, while wages have a disproportionately into thinking they were getsome in a university setting are wearing white shirts high usage of federal and ting a deal. But when the and ties, these students were passionate about what state welfare in every state it marked-up product didn't sell as expected they refused they loved and weren't afraid to get their hands has been investigated). to honor the agreement. dirty. Wal-Mart reminds me of Honesty, integrity and ambition have all been attributed to those were lost - and they should be. Parker has been revered as the heart of the program. Eight remarkable young men made quite the impression on faculty and students alike in their short time at In bygone decades, the Hong Kong from the British USU. It was noticed by a reporter from Salt Lake City Chinese city of Canton hosted in 1997. Many residents that the students were old for freshmen and sopho- trade fairs that gave outsiders feared the handover would mores. These were mostly young men starting a little a peek into a country that erode the former colony's later in their academic careers because of post-high businesspeople hoped would freedom. But the Beijingschool work in agriculture or serving LDS missions. make them rich. Canton now anointed chief executive of called Guangdong, and Hong Kong, Donald Tsang, United by a love for agriculture, commitment to both is this weekend it ^ ^ _ ^ _ _ said last week education and service was obvious, and every one of hosted visitors that freedom is them was proud and excited to be an Aggie. of a far different "totally nonnegotiable." Tsang ASUSU President Quinn Millet encouraged stu- sort: democracy \Other Vote from said he thought dents not to dwell on the deaths, but to let this week's activists nearby Hong Beijing's leaders events be a celebration of life, honoring victims daily Kong who hope Beijing will were becoming "increasby upholding and living out values they exemplified! live up to its pledge to match ingly enlightened" about The flames from the candles have been extin- political liberalization to its Hong Kong and he hoped guished, and the tractors will be removed at the end stunning economic progress. the legislators' visit would be The two dozen pro-democof the week. But while the warm glow created last racy campaigners belong to just their first journey to the mainland. night may have faded, the lives of the nine crash vic- the 60-member Hong Kong Beijing would do well tims will not be forgotten. legislature. All 60 were invit- to invite the lawmakers to i Assistant News Editor , Marie MacKayi Features Editor Steve Shinney, Assistant Features Editor Emma Tippetts Our View Sports Editor Andrea Edmunds Assistant Sports Editor Bryan Hinton > Diversions Editor , Matt Wright Copy Editor Letters to the Editor Lindsay Kite Photo Editor Michael Sharp Guess how many we laidoff because Wal-Mart had to "sit where it wanted". Proponents say that the new building will decrease traffic through Logan, and I agree. It will reduce traffic to every retail store (including the Logan down town historical district and the mall) between the two Wal-Mart super centers. Since Wal-Mart refuses to move into existing shopping districts they create a slums of empty stores in every city they enter. Don't believe me? Drive through down town Brigham City or Ogden, then check the dates when the Wai-Marts were opened and the malls closed. Any reason for boycotting Wal-Mart is valid, but I prefer "I don't have to do what the 800-pound gorilla wants". Jared Hardman Democracy comes calling British, said last week he had even looked at California's initiative process as a way of making Hong Kong more democratic. Hong Kong's pro-democracy legislators are hobbled by divisions; demonstrations on the anniversary of the Tiananmen suppression drew fewer people this year than last. But Beijing allows no such demonstrations at all.on the mainland, and many of those arrested 16 years ago remain imprisoned. Hong Kong could be a beacon for mainland Chinese, who surfer under one-party rule, censored Internet sites and a bar on independent the capital in the future, not political groups. It's unclear limiting them to Guangdong. now long Beijing can keep its Even better would be insti- tight control. Loosening the tuting a one-person, one- reins on the mainland and vote system for Hong Kong letting Hong Kong experielections; currently, half the ence universal suffrage need candidates are put up by not bring instability; it could constituencies such as busi- provide a transition to the ness owners or profession- social and political liberalal groups, so most of them ization the country deserves. end up being pro-Beijing. This editorial appeared Tsang, a sophisticated longin Tuesday's time civil servant under the Los Angeles Times. Nat'l View The dance is back; USU just needs moves I commend the student population on their assertive action. ASUSU canceled our Homecoming dance and the students stepped forward, took the initiative and said "Hey! I don't think so." Our plight was comparable to that of the seniors of Elmore City, Okla. In 1979, the local high school wanted a prom, but a city law prohibited MikayL dancing within city limits. But, like the students at USU, the Elmore City High School seniors fought back. They went head to head with the city council and a local minister who claimed dancing was a tool of the devil and...well, they lost. But thafs okay, their story still made a great movie. ("Footloose" — in case you were wonderj This Side 6i ing-) But USU students won. We can dance and we should. We said we wanted a dance, and we've got one. Now we need to be there — there are no more excuses. There are no tickets to buy, no dresses to find, no dinners to plan. All we have to do is show up, bust a few moves on the dance floor and our dancing traditions will continue. But what if dancing isn't your thing? I speak to the uncoordinated, ungraceful and all-around awkward souls. True, dancing can be tough. You're out in the middle of a crowd, twisting and moving in ways not normally associated with everyday existence. Ifs easy to be self conscious and maybe even a little worried you'll make a complete and utter fool of yourself. Plus, it often I Ami • DANCE see page 13 ed to Guangdong province for the standard tour of factories, special economic zones and banquets. Giving the tour greater significance was the inclusion of 12 lawmakers whom China had previously barred for taking part in demonstrations against the massacre of protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989. Beijing took control of •' Aaron Falk Assistant Photo Editor Jessica Alexander Editorial Board Brooke Nelson Katie Ashton Aaron Falk Bryan Hinton Marie MacKay Michael Sharp Steve Shinney About letters • Letters should be limited to 350 words. • All letters may be shortened, edited or rejected for reasons of good taste, redundancy or volume of similar letters. • Letters must be topic oriented. They may not be directed toward individuals. 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