THE PRIMARY SOURCE The Journal of Conservative Thought at Tufts University Veritas Sine Dolo September 27, 2001 THE PRIMARY SOURCE Meetings every Tuesday at 9:00pm in Room 219, Mayer Campus Center All welcome. For more information email [email protected] or call Sam at x7-7182 2 THE PRIMARY SOURCE, SEPTEMBER 27, 2001 THE PRIMARY SOURCE Vol. XX • The Journal of Conservative Thought at Tufts University • No. 2 DEPARTMENTS From the Editor 4 The editor's prayers for those lost in the attacks on America. Commentary 6 Who cares what US News thinks of Tufts? Nobody reads that mag! From the Elephant's Mouth 8 A page full of the most unpatriotic Jumbos on the Hill. Notable and Quotable 24 ARTICLES America's Second Day of Infamy 10 page 10 by Joshua Martino The meek leftist response to terrorism is rooting in cowardice. Night of the Living Wage 15 by Megan Liotta Tufts' hard-working janitors deserve better than SLAM. Osama: Disciplined and Punished 16 by Jason Walker There is no foresight, justice or creativity in killing Osama. The Twisted Arena of U.S. Foreign Policy 18 by Andrew Gibbs Terrorism? Not in my backyard. All Carrot, No Stick 19 by Tara Heumann America is the Land of Opportunity as long as you obey the rules. Calling the Kettle Black 21 page 11 by Stephen Tempesta The world wonders why the U.S. ignores a conference held by bigots. A Vote for Shame 22 by Adam Biacchi Right-thinking Jumbos have more people to blame than a handful of leftists. SPECIAL FEATURES Culture Reps We'd Like to See 11 The SOURCE reminds the senate of the disenfranchised minorities. In Memorium 12 We remember the victims of the attacks on our nation. Culture Reps: The Musical! 14 Sing, dance, and frolic with Chuck, Tufts' newest senator. So Long, I. Melvin Bernstein 23 Y'all don't come back now, ya hear? page 23 THE PRIMARY SOURCE, SEPTEMBER 27, 2001 3 From the Editor THE P RIMARY S OURCE Standing Strong he dust still hangs in the air. underlying prejudices have been TThe thundering roar of concrete exposed. But perhaps the most dis- as it cascaded from the sky still turbing underlying sentiment is rings in our ears. The terrorist at- the one that inclines people to THE J OURNAL OF C ONSERVATIVE tacks on the World Trade Centers sympathize with the terrorists by THOUGHT AT T UFTS U NIVERSITY and the Pentagon were an attack on incapacitating their ability to our nation and its ideals. Though judge the terrorists as evil. SAM DANGREMOND countless innocent lives were Relativism is the belief that Editor-in-Chief taken, in the end this attack failed. cultures each have their own moral Campus Affairs The United States of America still code of ethics. To those who be- MEGAN LIOTTA • Editor stands strong, as our virtues are lieve in relativism, knowingly or ADAM BIACCHI • Assistant Editor stronger than mere steel and mor- otherwise, the code of ethics es- tar. In the aftermath of the attacks, poused by the fundamentalist news has moved quickly—but our Muslim terrorists is just as good as National and International Affairs ANDREW GIBBS • Editor principles remain eternal. our own, for after all, who are we to SIMON HOLROYD • Assistant Editor New developments in the judge? This deep-seated philo- events surrounding the attacks sophical flaw is one that harms not Managing Editors come at a lightning pace. With each only the individual who believes EZRA KLUGHAUPT • News day, military deployments occur in it, thwarting his ability to inde- CHRIS KOHLER • Production and new facts are revealed about pendently use reason to judge TARA HEUMANN • Business what happened on September 11th. right and wrong, but its pervasive- MICHAEL SANTORELLI • Commentary It is entirely possible that by the ness in our culture hurts all of us time you are reading this, those on a national scale. With the deaths Humor Editors behind the attacks will have been of over 6,000 Americans, evil has STEPHEN TEMPESTA • ROBERT LICHTER either apprehended or attacked. For stared us in the face. Our nation the media, exploring the various must not blink. The evil behind Contributors political, economic, and racial as- the attacks must be eliminated. NICK ABRAHAM • ALEX ALLEN pects surrounding the events while We at the SOURCE strive to not GERARD BALAN • AARON CLIFT remaining timely is challenging for only bring you a strong articula- JON HALPERT • STACEY JENSEN the New York Times as well as for tion of the conservative point of CHRISTIE L ANGENBERG • ALEX L EVY THE P RIMARY S OURCE. view, but also do our best to pro- JASON W ALKER Yet however quickly news may vide timely news commentary. come and go, the attacks have also Within these pages you will find JONATHAN PERLE • Editor at Large unveiled aspects of our culture that analyses of the racial tensions felt are far less transient. The multitude by Arab-Americans, the military JOSHUA MARTINO • Editor Emeritus of communities across the nation actions that are now necessary, and that have come together to mourn the repercussions that may affect and to display their patriotism American civil liberties; all pre- Founders brings renewed faith in our fate as sented to you with the utmost seri- BRIAN K ELLY • DAN M ARCUS a nation. Our faith in the nobility ousness and integrity they are due. of sacrifice has been renewed by But life does go on here at Tufts, and Special Thanks the brave men of the fire and police as always, we hope you enjoy our USBIC EDUCATIONAL F OUNDATION departments of New York and Wash- lighter and more irreverent fare— THE PRIMARY SOURCE IS A NON-PROFIT,STUDENT PUBLICATION ington, D.C. who gave their lives in with the knowledge that this humor OF TUFTS U NIVERSITY. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN ARTICLES,FEATURES, the line of duty. However, other does not detract from the serious- PHOTOS, CARTOONS, OR ADVERTISEMENTS ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL AUTHOR(S)ORSPONSOR(S)ANDDONOTNECESSARILY REFLECT less heartening aspects of Ameri- ness of the unfortunate events. THE VIEWS OF THE EDITORS OR THE STAFF. TUFTS UNIVERSITY IS NOT can culture have also been on full With prayers for all those affected, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT OF THE PRIMARY SOURCE. display. From the students whose THE PRIMARY SOURCE WELCOMES ALL LETTERS. WE RESERVE THE RIGHTTOEDITORTODENYPUBLICATIONTOANYLETTERBASEDONITSLENGTH unthinking reflex is to label Bush OR CONTENT. ANY LETTER TO AN INDIVIDUAL WRITER CONCERNING WORK an idiot, to those backwards Ameri- PUBLISHEDINTHE P RIMARY S OURCEMAYBEPUBLISHED ONTHELETTERSPAGE. cans who can’t tell the difference LETTERSOF 400 WORDSORFEWERHAVEAGREATERCHANCEOFBEINGPUBLISHED. PLEASE DIRECT ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO: [email protected] or between a terrorist and the average THE PRIMARY SOURCE, MAYER CAMPUS CENTER, TUFTS UNIVERSITY, Muslim, many people’s unsavory MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, 02155. ALL LETTER BOMBS WILL BE RETURNED TO SENDER. ©2001. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 4 THE PRIMARY SOURCE, SEPTEMBER 27, 2001 Letters If there was anything at all to feel good about two weeks people you’ve heard bad things about, learn about what you ago, it was the connection we all felt in our shock and grief fear, then make an educated decision about it” would’ve over what happened on September 11th. For me, it was been much more to the point and effective in the long term especially heartening to see concern for the victims from the not just for Arabs and Muslims, but the Pan-African Alli- staff and writers of the Radix, who just last April editorial- ance, Tufts Christian Fellowship, TTLGBC, Tufts Republi- ized in favor of domestic terrorism by the Earth Liberation cans, and any other groups commonly misunderstood on Front. this campus. On the other hand, the racial and religious bigotry An email from Pritesh Ghandi, the TCU Senate CECA expressed through the state and the country was startling (Culture, Ethnicity, and Community Affairs) Committee and disappointing. It was particularly painful and embar- Co-Chair, to the Tufts Association of South Asians mailing rassing to hear racist and ignorant remarks coming from list went even further. He forewarned of a “pressing concern certain conservative radio-commentators when last year’s for all minority communities of color on campus,” as a election campaign showed the majority of U.S. Muslim “conservative backlash is almost expected across various groups, particularly the ones representing Arab, Pakistani, communities throughout the nation, including our own here and other immigrants, endorse George W. Bush over the at Tufts” and “blame for these type of situations is almost Democrats. always blanketed on all members of a certain race or, more It was equally hard to take Tufts’ response to the trag- importantly, color.” edy, particularly the invasive TV sensationalism, lack of University Provost Sol Gittleman responded by email, private space for grief, and administrators’ repeated calls to “Some politically conservative students were saddened that non-judgment and political correctness, which seemed not you stereotyped them as being collectively potentially only fake but contrary to the university’s educational mis- dangerous,” and cautioned about “dehumanizing entire sion. groups.” They appeared to say that unlike the “bloodthirsty Yet, in the wake of what happened over the last two masses,” “you, the enlightened and diverse students of Tufts weeks, all of us must find new ways not to allow our differ- University, should work hard at learning not to be afraid of ences tear us apart, and so does the university. what you don’t know.” In contrast, offering to “meet the —Philipp Tsipman '04 THE SOURCE Welcomes All Letters to theEditor * Everything You Always Wanted to Know About TUFTS *But Everyone Else Was Afraid to Tell You THE P RIMARY S OURCE Get the finest (not to mention most forthright and telling) account of affairs at Tufts and elsewhere delivered to your doorstep.