U.S. Marines Return to Thank Alma Mater NY Times’ Bai Criticizes ‘Empty’ 2012 Campaigns
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2012 DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE INSIDE the independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis since 1878 VOLUME 134, NO. 16 MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012 WWW.STUDLIFE.COM CABARET PUMPKINS FOOTBALL Part two of the What to do with Bears pick up Q&A with the your Jack-o- second win musical’s cast lantern leftovers of the season (Cadenza, pg 8) (Scene, pg 7) (Sports, pg 3) U.S. Marines return to thank alma mater NY Times’ Bai criticizes ‘empty’ 2012 campaigns MICHAEL TABB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The chief political corre- spondent for New York Times Magazine does not usually have to deal with people refusing to answer his questions. In front of an audience of about 70 students and commu- nity members Thursday evening, journalist and writer Matt Bai said that in this election cycle, politicians have started to over- come the media that exists to keep them in check. He concedes that some of the blame lies with the media and how it has evolved over the past few decades but insists that it is a problem that needs to be resolved moving forward. According to Bai, his author- ity on political coverage is the reason so many people have come up to him asking not sim- ply which candidate will win but what any of it means in an MICHAEL TABB | STUDENT LIFE election that is so remarkably 2009 graduates and Ist Lts. Michael Haft and Harrison Suarez present Chancellor Mark Wrighton with a United States flag Saturday afternoon to thank him for all “empty.” the University has done for them. “Mitt Romney has a five- MICHAEL TABB experiences beforehand as well, one out of 10 insider killings of attacks result from,” Suarez said. point plan,” Bai said near the EDITOR-IN-CHIEF but learning to think critically NATO troops have anything to do “Imagine an 18-year-old, 18-to- opening of his speech in May [at Wash. U.], how to evaluate a with the Taliban. 24-year-old kid coming over from Auditorium. “I don’t know if For two recent Washington situation, how to interact with a “So I’m 24 years old, and I somewhere else and telling you you’ve gone and looked at the University graduates, four years different culture in a successful go over to Afghanistan, and I’m how to do your job,” he added. five-point plan, but the five-point at the University may have done way, prepared us” advising a man who has been in “We had to take 18-year-old, tes- plan is like, we’re going to be more than prepare them to start a By serving as platoon com- the Afghan army for 30 years, tosterone-filled infantry marines energy independent; we’re going business. It may have helped them manders in charge of about 45 longer than I’ve been alive. He and turn them into trainers, advi- to have less debt; we’re going survive. young soldiers, Haft said they started off fighting the Soviets at sors, mentors of Afghans who to have the best schools in the First lieutenants in the U.S. didn’t speak their language, didn’t world. You know, this is sort of Marine Corps, 2009 Washington share the culture and all those like me coming to you and say- U. graduates Michael Haft and things.” ing, I’ve thought really hard. I’ve Harrison Suarez came back Suarez said that despite some thought about it. I’ve meditated to campus Saturday to thank resistance from soldiers early on, on this. I’ve got a plan for my Chancellor Mark Wrighton for they were able to make their town life. I know exactly what I want preparing them to serve their safer and keep their troops intact my life to look like: I’m going country in Afghanistan. as well. to invent something miraculous; Back in the United States a “We were fortunate; we I want to get rich; I want to live month before finishing their first brought all of our marines home, until I’m 120.” term of service, their plans for the all in one piece. So no amputees, Bai said that he can count on future include pressing the mili- no serious brain injuries. We were one hand the number of inter- tary to prepare veterans better for very lucky,” he said. views he has been denied as post-service and to start a busi- While military personnel often senior correspondent for the ness in Washington, D.C. return to campus, displays like Times Magazine. As one of very But they say it might not the one Saturday are uncom- few political features writers in have been possible without the 1st Lts. Michael Haft [left] and Harrison Suarez come back to campus after mon, according to Jim Craig, the country, he says politicians University’s preparation. returning from Afghanistan earlier this year. professor of military science for love speaking to him because, “A lot of these people aren’t were able to pass along their age 16. So in dealing with him, I the St. Louis area Army ROTC given that his stories stick to equipped,” Haft said. “They’ve discretion. need to be respectful of his stat- detachment. word counts of about 8,000, they never traveled outside of the Suarez noted that in ure, and I need to make sure that I “They haven’t come back, done can fully explain why they are country. They haven’t experi- Afghanistan, being able to respect honor him as a man. If I don’t do a ceremony and brought a flag, right. enced other cultures. They haven’t a foreign culture was not only that, or if I hadn’t done that, our but they come check in because “How do you get there? What read books about it. So this is how important but also necessary. He relationship would have suffered. they’re connected really well; difficult decisions do you ask Wash. U. prepared us…in our cited an August New York Times And I would have insulted him. people to make? That’s where four years here, very much our article that noted that only about And that’s what a lot of these SEE MARINES, PAGE 2 politics becomes relevant,” Bai said. But this year, both Romney and President Barack Obama University holds second month of sustainability since April declined to offer him inter- ADAM COHEN-NOWAK publicized, leading some to ques- Amid a controversial decision our community who are true views—Romney to explain how CONTRIBUTING WRITER tion its long-term significance. by the Student Union Senate to heroes of alternative transporta- his business background would But by specifically targeting pass a resolution encouraging tion,” Fischer said. “It’s a way to enable him to make a bureau- It may seem a bit ambitious bikers, this iteration of the sus- a plastic bag ban, the car-free engage people across the institu- cratic government more efficient, for the Office of Sustainability tainability challenge has had a effort aims to engage more com- tion in a meaningful way.” Obama to explain how his poli- to ask everyone at Washington more notable impact on campus. munity members in sustainable On Tuesday, Oct. 23, Big cies helped Ohio more than those University to dump his car for a Over the past week, the Office practices and spread awareness Sharks Bicycles will offer free of the swing state’s Republican month and bike to campus. But of Sustainability has installed a of the University’s impact on the tune-ups at the DUC Fixit sta- governor. this isn’t its first time attempting number of new Fixit bike tune- environment. tion from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Because people have stopped that this year. up stations, which provide tools Will Fischer, coordinator at In addition to encouraging trusting the media, Bai says, poli- “Car-Free Month,” a univer- to fix and tune bikes and even the Office of Sustainability, has people to use bikes instead of ticians no longer feel impelled to sity-wide sustainability initiative, places to hang them up while been an active proponent of cars, the University is also hav- answer their questions. But with- challenges students, faculty and working on them. alternative transit during his six ing teams of individuals work out answering their questions, staff at each of its four campuses Fixit stations are located at years attending and working at together to maximize calorie there is nothing to stop them to help reduce the University’s the Clocktower, South 40 bike the University. He biked each of burning and minimize carbon from spouting off lies, which var- carbon footprint by using alter- racks, north of Olin Library the four years of his undergradu- dioxide emissions. Signups for ious news sources have been only native modes of transit for the and the northeast corners of the ate career. the team Car-Free Challenge will too pleased to fact-check live. month of October. Danforth University Center and “We see Car-Free Month as remain open through this week. “Prior to this debate Tuesday The University’s last Car-Free Joseph B. Givens Hall at the Sam a great opportunity to show- Month in April was minimally Fox School. case and highlight members of SEE SUSTAINABILITY, PAGE 2 SEE NY TIMES, PAGE 2 CONTACT BY POST CONTACT BY EMAIL CONTACT BY PHONE ONE BROOKINGS DRIVE #1039 [email protected] NEWSROOM 314.935.5995 #330 DANFORTH UNIVERSITY CENTER [email protected] ADVERTISING 314.935.6713 ST.