Rhodes to Host Mock Trial National Tournament Senior
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The Vol. XCVI. NO. 14 In case you missed it...recap ou’wester of all the Rites shenanigans S April 14, 2010 The Weekly Student Newspaper of Rhodes College See Page 7 Rhodes to host Mock Trial Senior receives National Tournament NSF fellowship Article courtesy of rhodes.edu Article courtesy of rhodes.edu application process including Dr. Rhodes will host the 2010 American Mock Trial Association National Championship Tournament April 16-18. Betsy Parkinson, a senior ma- Phil Potter of St. Jude Children’s Memphis will be only the fourth city to host the nationals which is open to the public. joring in chemistry at Rhodes Col- Research Hospital, and at Rhodes, The mock trials will take place in the courtrooms at the Shelby County Courthouse and the Criminal Justice Com- lege, has been selected to receive a Dr. Loretta Jackson-Hayes, Dr. plex. Celebrity judges for the final round include Tennessee Chief Justice Janice Holder, Memphis Mayor AC Wharton, National Science Foundation (NSF) Mauricio Cafiero, Dr. David Jeter, Jr., Federal District Chief Judge Jon McCalla, Federal District Judge Bernice Donald, and Memphis Criminal Court Graduate Fellowship. Fellows bene- Dr. Mary Miller, and Dr. Judith Judge Chris Craft. fit from a three-year annual stipend Haas. “Betsy Parkinson’s NSF fel- Competing will be the best 48 college mock trial teams in the nation representing the following schools: Arizona State along with an allowance for tuition lowship is a fantastic accomplish- University, Boston University, Brown University, University of California at Irvine, University of California at Los Angeles, and fees at an institution of the fel- ment that exemplifies what we do University of Cincinnati, Claremont McKenna College, Columbia University, Cornell College, Dickinson College, Duke low’s choice and a one-time interna- in the sciences here at Rhodes Col- University, Eastern Michigan University, Furman University, University of Georgia, Gonzaga University, Harvard Uni- tional travel allowance. Parkinson lege,” says Miller. versity, University of Iowa, Lafayette College, Lake Forest College, Loyola University at Chicago, Miami University, Uni- plans to graduate from Rhodes in At Rhodes, Parkinson has par- versity of Michigan, Northwood University, University of Notre Dame, New York University, University of Pennsylvania, May and attend The University of ticipated in the St. Jude Summer Princeton University, Rochester University, Rhodes College, St. Olaf College, Seton Hall University, University of Texas, Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Plus Program where she worked in Tufts University, University of Missouri at Kansas City, University of Wisconsin at Superior, Vanderbilt University, Univer- the fall. a molecular pharmacology lab at St. NSF Fellows are anticipated to Jude Children’s Research Hospital Mock Trial, continued on Page 4 become experts who can contribute helping to develop an agent that can significantly to research, teaching, reduce side effects of chemotherapy. and innovations in science and engi- Parkinson recently discussed her neering. Parkinson has a particular work at St. Jude at the American interest in chemical biology, specifi- Chemical Society Conference held cally focusing on organic chemistry in San Francisco, Calif. and its applications in biology. Parkinson also has served as Considered criteria for the president of Rhodes’ chapter of the highly competitive NSF fellowship American Chemical Society, presi- include the applicant’s proposed dent of Omicron Delta Kappa lead- plan of research, description of pre- ership honor society, and a peer tu- vious research experience, academic tor in the Department of Chemistry record, Graduate Record Examina- as well as a tutor at Springdale El- tion (GRE) scores, and the appro- ementary School. She is a member priateness of the chosen institution of Phi Beta Kappa and a 2008-2009 for graduate study relative to the Goldwater Scholar. proposed plan of research. Parkinson is the daughter of Parkinson says she is thankful Mr. and Mrs. John R. Parkinson of to those who helped her through the Greenville, Miss. Photo courtesy of Rhodes.edu Parkinson in her milieu. Parkinson’s research interests include organic chemistry’s application in biology. Page 2 Opinion Wednesday, April 14, 2010 The Looking at the Kyrgyzstani Kerfuffle Sou’wester By Patrick Harris American military traffic), none come to close to resembling liberal democ- Staff Writer racies. Some accommodation with autocratic governments in the neighbor- Editor-In-Chief “He may be a son of a bitch, but he’s our son of a bitch.” Until hood was and is a military necessity. The Bush administration did in fact Anna Meyerrose last week the old saw applied well to Kurmanbek Bakiyev, the President make serious protests to the government in Uzbekistan after gross human of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan - a small, mountainous, former rights abuses occurred there in 2005. The result: the U.S. military was evict- Soviet republic- is notable chiefly for serving as the host country for the ed from a valuable airbase, placing even greater importance on the Transit Layout Editor Manas Transit Center, a key airfield routing American troops and supplies Center at Manas and demonstrating the delicate nature of rapprochement Jake Groves to Afghanistan. The importance of the airbase has led both the Bush and with autocratic regimes. Obama administrations to tenderly court the Bakiyev government with of- Ideally, of course, the United States should be pleased to have a Opinion Editor fers of aid, despite the unsavory and increasingly autocratic character of the democratic government in Bishkek with which to deal. Yet Bakiyev himself Rekha Blackerby regime. It was therefore understandable, if slightly distasteful, that stateside rose to power in the wake of a popular uprising, known as the “Tulip Revo- coverage of the uprising and riots which deposed Bakiyev last Wednesday lution”, in 2005, promising to bring democracy to the nation. His own pre- News Editor tended to focus on the uncertain fate of the American military presence in decessor, Askar Akayev, who took power upon Kyrgyzstan’s independence, NeNe Bafford Kyrgyzstan. The sight of Bakiyev’s security forces fleeing through the streets was also initially seen as a democrat before succumbing to the temptations A&E Editor Jasmine Gilstrap Sports Editor Andrew Mullins-Williams Business Manager Effie Du How to Reach Our Authors and Us As the official newspaper of Rho- des College, The Sou’wester is produced entirely by students on staff. It functions independently of faculty and administra- tion. The newspaper is published weekly throughout the fall and spring semesters, except during exam periods and breaks. The Sou’wester is a member of the Student Media Board, a consortium that includes the editors of all student media outlets, class representatives, and at-large representatives from the student body. All staff editorials published in The Sou’wester represent the majority opin- ion of the Editorial Board composed Photo courtesy of the New York Times. of section editors and executive editors. Opposition Supporter waves flag in front of main government building. Opinions expressed in opinion columns and letters-to-the-editor do not necessar- of Bishkek before the wrath of stone-throwing mobs served as an excellent of corruption and autocracy. Therefore, while one must hope for the sake of ily reflect the opinions of The Sou’wester object lesson of the potential pitfalls of cultivating dictatorships. the Kyrgyz people that the new government proves faithful to its promises, a Editorial Board. Letters-to-the-editor While the Manas base does not seem to be in immediate danger certain level of skepticism is in order. The new rulers of Kyrgyzstan have yet are encouraged, but cannot exceed 350 of closure, the prior American relationship with the ousted tyrant has placed to prove their commitment to democratic principles; if Kyrgyzstan is back words; all letters must be signed and will the United States in a decidedly awkward position vis-à-vis the new, ostensi- to the dictatorial drawing board a year from now, it should not come as an be edited for clarity. bly democratic government, members of which had spoken out against the undue disappointment. Meanwhile, the American interest in supplying the American base while still in opposition. Russian leaders have not failed to ongoing war against the Taliban remains extant, regardless of Kyrgyzstan’s Reaching The Sou’wester make hay out of the uprising, seeking to cement Russian influence with the domestic arrangements. new government by accusing the United States of hypocrisy (never mind The best foreign policy decisions are those that advance both mor- Phone: (901) 843-3402 that Moscow previously vied with Washington for proprietary S.O.B. rights al and material interests. The United States must of course reach out to the Fax: (901) 843-3409 to Bakiyev). Kyrgyzstan has the dubious distinction of being the only na- new government and seek to support it as a fledgling democracy (whatever E-mail: [email protected] tion hosting both American and Russian military installations, a singularity they may say, this would hardly be in the interests of the grasping KGB junta Address: Rhodes Box 3010 Moscow would doubtless love to eliminate. The emergence of a new govern- in Moscow). Foreign policy makers should recognize that preserving and The Sou’wester ment with a grievance against the United States may spell the last days of strengthening the Afghan state is the most straightforward objective Ameri- 2000 North Parkway the Manas base; meanwhile, the ambivalence of American policy-makers can policy makers can pursue to promote democracy in the region, and is Memphis, TN 38112-1690 towards the overthrow of a corrupt tyranny seems to sully the American one to which the US and NATO has already committed considerable blood commitment to its own values. and treasure. Compared to this mission, events in the other Central Asian But before condemning the American policy towards Bishkek, states are secondary.