Volume 91, Issue 8 | March 30, 2011
the
Charger Bulletin The official student newspaper of the University of New Haven since 1938.
www.ChargerBulletin.com
Inside the White House Debate On War with Libya
not have strong evidence to back us up. –––––––––––––––––––––––––– Human rights violations would be a compelling arguMost college students have ment for humanitarian intervenalready been acclimated to war: tion, but senior officials have Afghanistan, Iraq, and now Lib- shown that rehabilitators got ya. We have seen Saddam Hussein fall from power, we have watched as our soldiers searched treacherous mountains and caves for Osama Bin Laden, and we are now witness to our government trying to oust Muammar Gaddafi from power in Libya. There is no denying that these three men have committed malicious and violent acts against their people, but should our government really be intervening with the affairs of others so often? As we look at how events have transpired and what The Obama Administration has done, every person needs Obama to go to war to not only to decide whether they believe prevent atrocities that Gaddafi we are going into Libya for just may or may not commit, but to causes. also boost America’s ability to While some people may tell intervene elsewhere in the fuyou that Muammar Gaddafi has ture. Keeping innocent people committed massive amounts out of harm’s way is imperative, of human rights violations, yet at what cost to the American Obama’s administration as well public. We know from past wars as human rights organizations that they are not only expensive say that reports of potential war and hurl us into debt, but that it crimes are still unconfirmed. causes the premature death of In a world where everything is our youth. Is our government documented or videotaped, it is ready to make these sacrifices to disturbing that we are being cat- help others, when there are peoapulted into a war when we do ple in the United States that are By SARA J. DUFORT STAFF WRITER
going hungry and others that are homeless? There have been efforts made by Obama, however, to prevent a full war with Libya. Two weeks ago, he met with his top advisors to decide if the United
AN AP PHOTO
States should support a U.N. resolution, which calls for a nofly zone in Libya. The problem with this is that the Pentagon is skeptical. “On the military side there was a lot of skepticism in the initial days that a no-fly zone by itself was going to achieve what we wanted militarily,” says a senior administration official. Another senior administration official is blunter: “[Secretary of Defense Robert] Gates tried to stop it.” They believe that this will not prevent civilian causaliSee WHITE HOUSE page 5
DON’T FORGET This newspaper is recyclable! More Radioactive Water Spills at Japan Nuke Plant
By SHINO YUASA
ASSOCIATED PRESS
–––––––––––––––––––––––––– TOKYO – Workers discovered new pools of radioactive water leaking from Japan’s crippled nuclear complex, officials said Monday, as emergency crews struggled to pump
tsunami spawned by a powerful earthquake slammed into Japan’s northeastern coast. The huge wave engulfed much of the complex, and destroyed the crucial power systems needed to cool the complex’s nuclear fuel rods. Since then, three of the complex’s six units are believed to
AN AP PHOTO
out hundreds of tons of contaminated water and bring the plant back under control. Officials believe the contaminated water has sent radioactivity levels soaring at the coastal complex, and caused more radiation to seep into soil and seawater. The Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant, 140 miles (220 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo, was crippled March 11 when a
have partially melted down, and emergency crews have struggled with everything from malfunctioning pumps to dangerous spikes in radiation that have forced temporary evacuations. Confusion at the plant has intensified fears that the nuclear crisis will last weeks, months or years amid alarms over radiation making its way into produce, raw milk and even tap water as See NUKE page 7
USGA Campaign Week: Let Your Voice Be Heard!
day operations, provides general direction and management to the –––––––––––––––––––––––––– USGA, communicates with the student body, and promotes Now that spring break is over, goodwill within the university and we’ve started the last leg of community the academic year, it’s time to The USGA Treasurer is the elect your student leaders! The financial manager of the USGA Undergraduate Student GovernBy ISAAK KIFLE STAFF WRITER
ment Association (USGA) has begun elections for President, Treasurer, and twenty senators for the 2011-2012 year. After sending in their applications, candidates have spent the past week working hard to get their faces out to the student body, and let everyone know where they stand on the issues concerning the student body today. The USGA President serves as the primary representative of the undergraduate student body of the University of New Haven. The president presides over all USGA meetings, creates the USGA committees that all students are welcome to join, oversees the organization’s day-to-
budget derived from the student activity fee. The treasurer keeps track of the USGA budget, as well as the budgets of all clubs and organizations, renders a statement on the condition of the USGA budget at every meeting, collects financial requests from other student treasurers, and chairs the committee in charge of approving those requests. USGA Senators represent the student body by serving on the legislature that vote on issues and decisions of concern to the undergraduate student body, as well as serve as the chairs of the individual USGA committees. USGA Campaign Week be-
See CAMPAIGN page 6
Text message your news tips and comments to The Charger Bulletin! 1 (270) UNH-NEWS
UNH Mock Trial Team Attends Regional Tournament were registered for the annual event, including Yale, Princeton, –––––––––––––––––––––––––– Stonybrook, Iona, Brown, and UCONN. During the weekend of FebFor six long months, these ruary 12 and 13, nine members schools studied and memorized of the University of New Ha- the fictional civil case of Davis ven’s Mock Trial team attended v. Happyland Toy Company. the Mock Trial Regional Tourna- The case involved the plaintiff ment held at Yale University. Andy Davis suing CEO Blake The team consisted of junior Melissa Norman (Captain), sophomore Victoria Ford, freshmen Gregory Bode, Victoria Gregory, Krystal Lopez, Emily Malara, Nicolle Paulo, Liana Teixeira, and Rebecca Thielen. Junior Danielle Palladino was unable to attend the tournament but was, nevertheless, an important Lexington’s Happyland Toy asset to the team. New Haven Company because of the proddefense lawyer Walter Bans- uct called Princess Beads. Acley IV and faculty advisor Tim cording to Andy, his two-yearGeisler have coached the team old son Joey died after ingesting since August and also accom- the beads, which metabolized panied them to the New Ha- into the chemical GHB when ven tournament. Twenty-seven consumed. This was a controteams from around the region versial topic indeed; both plainBy LIANA TEIXEIRA STAFF WRITER
tiff and defense had strong and factual arguments, which made the competition that much more exciting. During round one, UNH played the role of plaintiff and went against Princeton University. Because of an uneven number of teams, round two found UNH against a bye- buster team. For those who are not familiar with this term, a byebuster team consists of volunteer members from a variety of schools who come together and form a team in the event that an uneven number of teams are competing. The UNH team played defense during its third competition against Providence College. At the same time, team member Liana Teixeira participated in a bye-buster team against Queensborough Community College. The UNH team encountered Queensborough once again during the fourth and final round. See MOCK TRIAL page 7