Opinion
Page 2 November 20, 2009
Staff Members Editor in Chief Racheal Price (rprice@rose.edu) Assistant Editor Samantha Maloy (smaloy@rose.edu) Features Editor Bryan Mangieri (bmangieri@rose.edu) Assignment Editor Adriana Valtinson Chief Photographer Danetta Butler Photographer Amber Loyd Graphic Artist Brian Allen Circulation Manager Elexandria Murchinson Tech Support Scottie Seger (aseger@rose.edu)
Give thanks by helping others It’s traditional! Thanksgiving is a time to, well, give thanks. And it would be crass of us to ignore tradition. In short, here are a few things we are thankful for that really matter: parents, family, children, food, shelter, education, and God. Our list of thanks for less important, or even trivial, things, which really mean a lot to us: sunlight, daisies, cute animals, cars, gadgets, having fun and fellowship with our friends, music, quiet time, books, video games, and the PS3. We also give thanks that while we live in a post 9/11 reality, we have a government we can mostly trust; and for those of us who are older and remember, we are thankful we no longer live in fear of the bomb. We may joke about living in “post-apocalyptia,” but for many of us it was a thought we had to seriously entertain at one time as a way to cope with the knowledge that no one would survive nuclear winter. However for all the things we give thanks for, we live in the real world and understand that sometimes our dreams and comforts do not exist for others because we do not live in an egalitarian world. The world currently produces enough food to feed every man,
woman, and child. But we need week or month and give it to to act to ensure that it gets to those who need it? Can you, clievery man, woman, and child. chéd we know, sponsor a child? We are fortunate that we live Can you buy extra nonperishable in a country where we do not food each month and give it to have to look at the swollen bellies someone who needs it more than of people that are truly starving. you? Can you research an orgaYes, we have hunger in America nization and find one that shares and yes, we have some that die your commitment and vision to of starvagive a littion, but tle of not at your inthe rate come to? or scale Forof those get, the in third “c a n s ,” world the real counquestion tries. should A n d be will truly we you? can do O n e enough organito make (Photo provided by MCT Campus) zation sure that never happens. This we have researched is Oxfam time of year, food banks are America. Sometimes, this orgaflooded with donations and vol- nization gets bad press, so we unteers. Organizations, such as looked into it, and found most our Cyber Security, SIFE, and charities do. It comes with the NTSO groups, work to provide territory. meals to those who really need The overall mission is sound it. They are amazingly giving and and one we can believe in. To we applaud them for their ef- end hunger and poverty, we forts. But what about the rest must educate and in some cases of us? What can we do for the advocate change. The food that other ten months of the year? could feed some of the starving Can you cut dining out once a does not get to them because
their governments are corrupt and hunger makes people weak and it is simply easier to control the weak. Hunger isn’t about a lack of available food, it’s about power by denying someone food. Oppressors keep people malleable and in fear. Oxfam works to change that by going in and educating people. They do not just provide food, they provide camels and stoves and ideas for ways to grow crops and procure clean drinking water. Instead of simply providing rice, Oxfam volunteers and workers research what will work to end poverty and hunger in the specific area. Check out Oxfam America’s Unwrapped Campaign and consider giving one of the gifts such as manure for $12. This manure then goes to an area that needs it and you get a card showing how you helped. Better yet, ask your loved ones to give you one of these gifts for Christmas: –soap, blankets, children’s toys, and water jugs. They can make a real difference in the lives of those who need things so much more than we need knickknacks, picture frames, and video games.
Secretary Sharon Motley (smotley@rose.edu) Coordinator of Student Publications Julie Lesko-Bishop (jlesko-bishop@ rose.edu)
Food shortage or population explosion?
Last week I was asked by a student if I thought the biggest problem facing the world today was food shortage. One in six struggles to have enough to eat, I heard on the news. That’s more than one billion people! Oh yes, there are plenty of other problems to address: global warming, air pollution, loss of ocean habitats and marine species, war, poverty, peak oil and energy shortages, the rise of deadly strains of diseases, water shortages, and so on. The mind boggles!
I fear we have been attempting to smother brush fires without examining what fuels them. The larger question is what underlies these daunting challenges? Overpopulation, the population bomb. In 1950, the world’s population was a mere 2.5 billion people. By 2010, we will have grown to 6.8 billion, and in 2050, there will likely be 9.3 billion of us. Each of those 9 billion will have the same basic needs. And each will compete to survive as the world and its resources shrink. Humans are special animals: we can suppose theoretically, our language is elaborate, we consider both past and present, our imaginations are active, our aptitude unmatched. But the rest of our nature, our biological selves,
In May 2011, the Study Abroad Club will take students, faculty, staff, friends and family on a 10-day trip to Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Costa Del Sol, and Seville. If you elect to add Barcelona, the trip will be 12 days. For approximately $3,000 (adult rate is a bit more), guests will receive airfare, lodging, transportation, scheduled sightseeing tours led by local guides, all breakfasts, and most dinners. Sign up for the trip to Spain by Dec. 15 and save $200 off the trip! Monthly payments can be set up to pay it off. The sooner you sign up, the smaller
the payments will be! You do NOT have to be an RSC student or employee to travel with the school. “In May 2009, 21 people, including RSC faculty and students, along with their family and friends, went to Italy and Greece through EF tours. We had a fabulous time while we learned about the world! EF Tours made the trip so enjoyable!” Lori Morrow, professor of English said. For more information, visit the eftours.com and enter tour #810055. Contact: Reginald Snoddy 733-7927 or rsnoddy@rose.edu Contact: Lori Morrow 733-
Volunteers Jonathan Dyer Danielle Finnegan Miranda Liming Quiedra Nolan Melani Wallace
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By: Rich Wedemeyer Guest Columnist
is still primitive and driven by needs that are of the “when push comes to shove” kind. But I am willing to bet that if we don’t start applying our “special” talents to address the fundamental issues of overpopulation and environmental savagery, Mother Nature will take care of herself at our expense. It’s not nice to fool with her, you know. We are her guests and are bound by history and contract to tend her gardens like the excellent shepherds that she had hoped we would become. What can we do about it? There are a few ideas that seem notable because they are possible. We can put robust effort toward family planning, providing education, support, and condoms to those who cannot sustain additional children. We can approach solar power technology full bore. We can set the
world example for clean energy (Europe is way ahead of us on that one). How about putting the NASA nerds on that task, rerouting them from their latest extraterrestrial water hunting expeditions? We could demand that our auto industries make electric-only cars by the year 2020. It’s very possible, even if they would have it otherwise. We might require 100% recycling, setting yet another example for how such things can be done. The list goes on. There is one more thing: we must lower our expectations. More is not better, bigger is not better, and we Americans need to invert those delusions. We cannot stay mute or procrastinate on any of this stuff. It’s the top of the ninth inning, and Mother Nature is about to throw us a fastball.
Book your vacation to Spain today save TRAVEL with RSC and EFandTours 7507 or lmorrow@rose.edu Looking for more exciting places to visit? See these opportunities: Paris – May 2010 Contact: Sandra Keneda 733-7384 or skeneda@rose. edu Ireland – May 2012 Contact: Sherri Mussatto 733-7503 or smussatto@rose. edu
(Photo provided by MCT Campus)
Contact: Lori Morrow 7337507 or lmorrow@rose.edu