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addam's stash raqi leader hides pop-culture collection, not weapons in his palace ell it’s a-one, two, liberty of creating a few positive scenarios for the three, four, well what benefit of peace in the Middle East. What is Saddam are we (tentatively) hiding? Why, it could be ... ting for? Good question, • Beanie Babies situation, as reported by Saddam isn’t stupid. He knows that when a na­ /News, the voice of our tion’s economy implodes, the people turn to col­ eration, is something like lectible bric-a-brac for currency. And what is more : Saddam refuses to recog- collectible than Beanie Babies? The more you think the skills of the United about it, the more it makes sense. That’s why you es and the free-world Chris can’t find any purple princess bears. And when you’re the sire of a thousand bastard children, a well ;e, so we have to step in Martin regulate. Saddam is all, placed Beanie Baby helps to keep down the noise mical weapons? Here? columnist level in the presidential palace. It’s whack.” And we’re all, • A Secret Surprise Party! it be frontin’ Saddam. We heard you got more No one knows how to spoil a party like the United ibs than theWB!” States. We’re like the brat kid down the street that no lut before we all march gallantly off to battle, it’s one likes to play with because she’s always making up w^togive Saddam the benefit of the doubt. Time to rules as you play so she always wins. Perhaps Saddam devil’s advocate, so to speak. So what if Saddam has been slaving away in the presidential kitchen giving U.N. weapon inspectors access to his pri- making the mother of all Rice Krispie Treats for presidential palace? We only find this shocking Chelsea Clinton’s 18th birthday. insulting because our own leaders have no guff • Tupac, Notorious B.I.G., and John Denver ut sharing their privates, If you think the whole east coast vs.west coast situ­ tl™ tot that there isn’t justifiable reason for alarm. It is ation is ugly, then check out the Tigris vs. Euphrates ippei rtifiedfact Saddam is crazier than a crack-house scene. Saddam needs American rap superstars, kid­ id ( He’s creepier than those Girl Scouts who go napped during their peak, brainwashed and signed to :am: md collecting used eyeglasses. Doomsday the original Death Row record label. Denver was a pons are to Saddam what tired, internet-circulat- special request from Mrs. Hussein. Go figure. ikesare to morning radio DJs. • Rows and rows of Anthrax... albums! alfii erhaps Saddam isn’t hiding weapons in his This chemical weapon thing has been a big misun­ e ^Ice. Maybe the whole thing has been blown way derstanding. When we heard it that Saddam had An­ ofproportion. His stash could be completely thrax, we thought it was the disease, not the cool met­ iatd nless. Remember when the principal tried to al band. The road to white-trash America may be ow chyour locker in high school? It wasn’t a .45 you paved with “Among the Living,” somebody had to buy • Horrible Human-Rights Violations It’s about time someone went to bat for Saddam. Md ehiding in there — it was a lipstick-encrusted pic- all those copies of “Stomp 442.” Picture thousands of tortured Iraqi waif children, Just because you have something to hide doesn’t mean sinti shrine to Scott Baio and Jordan from New Kids • The Classic Henway Rouse who because of harsh economic sanctions from the you’ve done anything wrong. Saddam may be crazy, he Block. Okay, get this. UN inspectors pull up to the palace, all US, have yet to see Titanic. The horror, the horror. but so is James Cameron, and look how he proved pot iseems that the government has adopted the Jer- official and proper, and ask Saddam whafs in the palace. • Four hundred metric tons of processed pumpkin pie everyone wrong. Let’s just hope this time we don’t all pringer formula for success: when the numbers Saddam says, “oh, nothing but a henway.” Then the in­ filler and a flyswatter go down with the ship. Women and columnists first! right, start a fight. Since there’s no official gov- spectors ask, “what’s a henway,” and Saddam says, It is not our question to ask why, but to respect the ent bureau of positive thinking, I’ve taken the “about three pounds!” Laughs and world peace ensue. private affairs of a consenting mad dictator. Chris Martin is a senior journalism major.

TATE OF THE UNION )eath row inmate stands as example of rights’ violations on’t tell me This led to police raids, attacks, and judge in America at the time. The prosecu­ nesses, none of whom were asked to iden­ spect for the system. about the beatings. Abu-Jamal used his radio show as tor was an experienced lawyer who had ob­ tify Abu-Jamal in a line-up. The prosecu­ Abu-Jamal has not given up on his fight valley of a forum for those to speak out against the tained a murder verdict for an innocent tion’s key witness was a prostitute who had for his innocence. He broadcasts from jail, DShadow of Death. I injustices of the police, and their corrupt man in a previous case (Commonwealth v. been arrested 35 times. She changed her once a month in a segment called, “Live there... activities.This marred him as an enemy of Conner). The defendant in that case served account of the story every time she was from Death Row.” Through the use of me­ In south-central the Philadelphia Police Department. 12 years before being rightfully released. questioned. Another prostitute in the dia, “he is fighting for his life.” nsylvania’s Hunt- One night in 1981, Abu-Jamal tried to The only person lacking experience in same area was offered an interesting deal He has published a book, against the will on County a 100- intervene on behalf of his brother who was the court was Abu-Jamal’s court-appointed by the prosecution: testimony against of many people, also called Live from Death :-old prison stands, being beaten by a police officer. He and lawyer.The defense was allocated a meager Abu-Jamal for immunity from arrest. Row. There have been many attempts to si­ ithic towers pro- Joe the officer were shot. More police arrived sum of $150 for Abu-Jamal’s defense fund. Another witness was on parole at the lence him, including trying to censor his on the scene. When they realized who was While the police questioned 125 witnesses, time because somebody paid him to show. Abu-Jamal was also put in disciplinary belf ing an air of fore- Schumacher ling, evoking a bleeding at their feet, they continued to did tests on ballistics and pathology, the throw a Molotov Cocktail into a public confinement for the publishing of his book. was* my mood of the columnist beat Abu-Jamal before he was taken to the defense found two witnesses, neither of school. His original statement was that he Apparently the First Amendment rights are tAges. I and some hospital. The wounded police officer died, whom appeared in court. saw the shooter leave the scene. In his not extended to prisoners. He is currently on ito ithermen spend about 22 hours a day in and Abu-Jamal was charged. Abu-Jamal had originally opted to de­ court testimony he altered it saying he administrative custody, as are all the people and by 10-foot cells.” Being a taxi cab driver, Abu-Jamal had fend himself, but was removed on the third saw the shooter sit down on the curb. It is on Death Row. -Mumia Abu-Jamal, from the Preface a license to carry a weapon. day of jury selection. The prosecutors possible he altered his testimony out fear Abu-Jamal was almost executed in he 5 iveFrom Death Row. However, several pieces of evidence claimed he was intimidating to would-be ju­ from or to gain favor with the police. 1995, however international outcry post­ lamd In 1981, America was third behind point to the fact he did not shoot the cop. rors. His court-appointed attorney took over Abu-Jamal was found guilty, and in the poned this. The very fact that a man can s® isiaand South Africa in percentage of The bullet that struck the cop had been rather reluctantly and was extremely unpre­ sentencing phase of his trial, the prosecu­ be put on death row for his political be­ filiation in prison.With both of these “lost” while in the police files.The officer pared. Included on the jury was a man tion read from his political writings. Most liefs should be horrifying to anyone that ernments undergoing radical change died with a driver’s license in his hand that whose best friend was a Philadelphia police of the readings came from when he was 16 claims to be an American. bin the past 15 years, America is now belonged to another “anonymous” indi­ officer who was disabled after being shot on years old and a member of the Black Pan­ The original trial was a travesty of justice: irsO mberone. vidual. Additionally, two men were seen the job, and the wife of a police officer was ther Party, nearly 12 years before the trial. most of the evidence was falsified or circum­ Thursday marked a day set aside for fleeing the scene. selected as an alternate. The prosecution The intent was to prove Abu-Jamal was stantial, the defense was not given adequate b recognition of one prisoner unjustly Yet almost no effort was made to track used 11 of 15 peremptory challenges to re­ a man who had grown up with no respect support, and using a man’s former political Death Row.This man’s name is Mumia down or identify these two people. The move African-American jurors. for American law or society, and he killed alliances to convict and sentence liim was !W# njamal. shooter was described by many other In less than a week, the prosecution had the cop out of disgust for the system, ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme court bbu-jamal is a prominent, black witnesses to be taller than 6’2” and presented its case against Abu-Jamal, and which was enough premeditation to war­ [Dawson v. Delaware, 503 U.S. 159 (1992)). I del* ladcast journalist. In Philadelphia in weigh more than 225 pounds, Abu-Jamal most of it in his absence. He was removed rant a first-degree murder verdict. Until Mumia Abu-Jamal is released from his ,the current mayor, Frank Rizzo and is 6’1” and weighs 170 pounds. for his insistency of his right to defend him­ Ironically, Abu-Jamal never had a previ­ political captivity, no one in America is free. rie1* ^Philadelphia Police Department Presiding over the court case was “Hon­ self and protesting the fact his lawyer was ous conviction, and with the shady lengths Mched a campaign against a human orable” Judge Albert Sabo, who had put unwilling and unqualified to defend him. the prosecution went to, it makes one Joe Schumacher is a junior btsorganization known as MOVE. more people on death row than any other The prosecutors had a list of shady wit­ wonder who really showed a lack of re­ journalism major.

CENDERSCOPE fomen oppress themselves by obsessing over appearance ur Bodies... Make movies, our literature, our television, all cripple others perceive us. Indeed, we would not be so obsessed We spend so much time worrying how others will see Us Worry.” These women into becoming objects of desire. with these numbers if we did not have this preoccupa­ our bodies that we forget to work on our minds, spirits words were scrawled As John Berger writes, “Men look at women. tion with others looking at us. and hearts. We are weak from the inside out. This is obvi­ O[feewalls of a bathroom at Women watch themselves being looked at. This deter­ We believe someone is always watching us, because ous when someone comments on our weight, clothes %an University in a unfor- mines not only the relations of men to women, but the that is how women are presented in commercials, in or skin and we feel hurt, betrayed and rejected. iteparody of the title Our relation of women to themselves.” magazines and in the cinema. If we had a stronger focus on developing the intel­ dies, Our Selves. We cannot say the objectification of women in our The camera lens is always gazing upon the woman lect and souls of our girls, they would be more resilient Published in 1970, OurBod- culture is just a function of hegemonic patriarchy. as an object to be admired, captured within an image. or even immune to criticism of their bodies. WurSelves, became an icon Rather, it is quite possible to say women oppress She has nothing of import to say, except maybe, “It Instead, we are left feeling crushed every time we f the feminist movement of the Michelle themselves. won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.” Beauty look in the mirror and wonder what others think. h)'70s, which, at the time, was Voss Herein lies the ultimate challenge for feminism in can be yours, too, and it is all you need. Just look at We cannot allow ourselves to remain the objects of ftingup the social climate for the late 20th and early 21st centuries: Women every­ me, I’m obviously ecstatic about my hair. other’s desire or envy or to be defined by superficiality. Wade in 1973. columnist where must work to publicize role models for young So, we buy into this modern paradigm — literally. We must work to change the role models for girls ■\’ow, in the ’90s, this phrase women who have accomplished great tasks — not just We buy products because we believe that we will be­ in America. Sheen twisted to imply a loss of freedom. The phrase women who have flawless skin, slim hips and gleaming come more a desirable object for others. Rather than Cindy Crawford, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jen­ ^Bodies Make Us Worry” points out the irony of the teeth and wear a size-6 cocktail dress. Autonomy? Liberation? What a joke! nifer Aniston, Tyra Banks and other swimsuit models T«nist movement and unmasks the anxieties of Today, American women are stifled by an epidemic As Christopher Lasch said in his book, The Culture acting as the “ideal” representations of women in ■ttien in America today. we only inflict upon ourselves. We worry how others of Narcissism, “Ads encourage the pseudo-emancipa­ America, we must change our perspective. Infact, it is pointing to the very failure of the femi- see our bodies. This is no kind of life. tion of women through consumerism.” We should focus on achievements — Sandra Day O’­ Sfmovement. It is ironic that a movement intended A life where many women are their own worst In other words, women delude themselves into Connor, Madeleine Albright, Katherine Graham. These ■iherate women has only confined them to a life of enemy. A life where many women have no self-es­ thinking they have freedom merely because they have women have proven themselves. fedespair over, of all things, themselves. teem. A life where many women besiege themselves the freedom to choose what brand of deodorant, They may not be a size 4 and have firm thighs, but they American women are still suffering from the dis- with criticism and punishment because of the way shampoo or lip-gloss to buy. are brilliant and strong. sethathas plagued our Western thinking for hun- their bodies look. All of this points to a rather disturbing factor: We can no longer be afraid of our selves. :e