Telescope staffers debate w~r coverage
Cooking on the line Page 5
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The Telesco Friday, February 8, I 991
Palomar College, I 140 West Mission Road, San Marcos CA 92069-1487
Volume 44, Number 13
Protest leader charges rights to free speech were hindered By Laura Woolfrey Staff Writer
Curtis Bulmer/Staff Photographer
Retired Army Major Rick Arnold was one of the many people who spoke at Tuesday's anti-war rally and forum, tbe first to be held at Palomar since 1969.
Pe~ace
rally b·rings out differing views on the Persian Gulf War By Laura WOQJfrey Staff Writer
"Think what that is doing to our environment." Arnold said he believes that there could have been a peaceful solution. "It's the rednecks that want to go over and kick ass," he said. During the rally, Perdue gave detailed instructions on how to avoid the draft. She also encouraged staffand students to ignore the draft notices received in the mail. Many members of the audience expressed discontent, sayingthat the speakers were unprepared for the rally. ''Their arguments are obviously weak," said student Rochell Bemsdorf. uThey sound really young and uneducated."
Students gathered in front of the ClQCktower on Tuesdayfor the first peace rally at Palomar since 1969 to exchange their ideas on the Persian Gulf War, put the mood was anytbing but peacefuL "If you can't listen to my speakers man. then leave,~'$aid Director of Global Awareness, Leatta J.>erdue, addressi1"1g the crowd. The Global Awareness Committee is presently an unofficial committee whi~h is made up of J.>alomar studendts who are concerned with universal issues. Perdue said that this new organiza(see RALLY· page 11) _tionwillbedealingwiththeissuesofabortio11imd · · anim<U.rigbts in the near future. A crowd ofabout 70 students and staffattended the protest, which at times turned into a shouting matclh Palomar Counselor Charles Hollins-was angered when Purdeu charged that minorities are over represented in the Gulf War. "Don't use us {African Americans).as a crutch," said Palomar counselor Charles Hollins after listening to Perdue cite the percentage .of African Americans in the war. Speakers at the protest included President of the JJioshpere Club. Bol;> Nanninga, Perdue and Vietnam Veteran Rick Arnold. Speakers addressee!. i~sues ranging from tP.e environmental effectS of tbe war to religion. Nanninga expressed concerns about ~he damage Palomar stude-nts (from left to right) Lisa that missiles are doing to the earth and also the Rodescb, ElizabethBasitisand Brent Hardaway issues ofanimal rights during a war...The missiles express their views on the war to speakers at the . .arecr~ting bi~craters in the earth," saigNanninga. forum followingthe rally on Tuesday.
Director of the Global Awareness Committee, Leatta Perdue, said that discrimination nearly curtailed efforts to rally support for the anti-war effort, and if it happens again, she will take legal action against Palomar College. Perdue said she requested a table and chairs from Student Services so that the Global Awareness Committee could display literature with "peaceful overtones." However, Perdue said that Secretary of Student Services, Marilyn Lunde, informed her that there was a I 0day waiting period. Perdue said that she thinks that this was simply a roadblock thrown by Lunde and Director of Student Services Jim Bowen. "It (the 10-day waiting period) is made up. It is not even written anywhere," said Perdue. Bowen said that there is a document which states that there be a 10-day waiting period and that it was drawn up in order to avoid conflict with other scheduled tables. "There are 25,000 students and 20 clubs on campus, you can't just come in on a whim and demand a table," said Bowen. Bowen said that he feels that the Global Awareness Committee could have benefited from the extra preparation time to attract a bigger crowd.
However, Bowen said he complied with Perdue's request before the preferred waiting period ended because there were no conflicting events. Permission was granted to set up the anti-war display within a week's time, according to Bowen. Perdue said that Bowen was attempting to infringe on her right to free speech when he inquired about the nature of the literature to be displayed. Perdue said that because she and Bowen have opposing points of view that her efforts to protest the war were intentionally delayed. Bowen denies these allegations, stating that there is absolutely no discrimination involved. "We support the rights of the students and we follow policy," said Bowen. The Speaker Policy for Palomar states, "A college has the responsibility to develop informed, critical and objective thinking. Such thinking can best be encouraged in an atmosphere assuring free interchange of ideas." Perdue said that she is represented by an attorney from the American Civil Liberties Union. "The ACLU is just waiting to nail Palomar," said Perdue. ·'Palomar has been doing this type of thing for 25 years." Bowen said that he is not aware of any previous act of discrimination on campus and said that he encourages students to freely express their opinions.
Administration building closed due to asbestos By Darren Ane Staff Writer Most people will remember where they were on Jan. 16, the day the war in the Persian Gulf started, but for employees in the STAA building, it will stand out for another reason as well. It was the day that potentially dangerous asbestos was discovered in the building. While a routine roofing project was being done, workers discovered a sign stating that asbestos was present.
The following day, after results came back on the inspection, the work was temporarily stopped and employees working in the building were asked to go home until they were notified to return. Bryant Guy, contracts director, and Dr. Pheobe Helm, Interim vice-president of instruction, made the decision to evacuate the building until a qualified crew removed the asbestos. The evacuation lasted two days and the removal went on through the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend.
(see ASBESTOS- page 11)