The Spectato]www.valdosta.edu/spectator Thursday, September 20, 2001 Valdosta, Georgia volume 69 issue 3 VSU responds to crisis ROTC holds Memorial blood drive vigil held for victims at flag pole Blenda Link Lindsey Giddens Staff Writer Staff Writer AFROTC collected approxi­ Wednesday morning, about mately 107 pints of blood by 4 250 students gathered around p.m. Wednesday. According to the flagpole in front of West John Marx, cadet corp com­ Hall to offer prayer and praises mander for VSU AFROTC, for VSU’s students and faculty, more than 148 people donated. our community, our state and He said approximately 10-15 our nation. people were turned away “C.U. @ the Pole” began at because they arrived after 4 7 a.m. with a song of praise p.m. and worship. Prayers by rep­ Marx said AFROTC’s goal is resentatives from some of the to hold at least one blood drive sponsoring organizations fol­ a semester. lowed the song. “This is the time to donate After some of the prayers, a blood,” he said. “There’s been compilation of encouraging a constant flow of people in phrases from President Bush here since 10 a.m. According interwoven with patriotic to Marx, the blood will be sent songs was played as a motiva­ to the Red Cross in Atlanta, Blenda Link / The Spectator tional homage to the World where it will be distributed to Trade Center and Pentagon Amos Batts, freshman AS200, relaxes in his chair as he gives blood in the ROTC sponsored drive on Wednesday. areas such as New York, the attacks and the Pennsylvania West Coast and other areas in At 3:30 p.m., approximately thinking about the needle,” plane crash. need. 30-40 people were still waiting Monday said. “But there’s peo­ A nurse gets More sponsoring representa­ According to Marx, approxi­ to give blood. A volunteer ple that need my blood more ready to return tive prayers and songs of mately eight AFROTC stu­ advised those waiting that pre­ than I do.” to students will­ praise and worship followed dents, three or four SGA mem­ liminary forms must be signed Monday heard about the blood ing to give the montage. bers, and eight nurses volun­ by 4 p.m. or they would not be drive by word of mouth. blood. The drive Students were encouraged to teered their time. Marx said allowed to donate, according to One experienced donor, Jay ended at 4 p.m. split into small groups and everything went smoothly. Red Cross procedure. Hodgkins, a senior manage­ with students pray aloud for VSU, Valdosta, “We had enough pizza, Although many donors were ment major, said he was donat­ still asking if Georgia and America. Prayers chocolate chip cookies and not first-timers, there were a ing because he wanted to help they could were offered for families of coke for everybody,” he said. few new faces in the crowd. victims in New York as well. donate. The attack victims, teachers at Pizza Hut, Papa John’s, Justin Monday, a freshman “Members of my fraternity drive raised 107 VSU, President Bush and any Little Caesar’s and Coca-Cola music performance major, was [Sigma Nu] are coming out and pints of blood. other aspects that affect VSU’s donated much of the food con­ community. among them. donating as part of their com­ Blenda Link / The sumed in the recovery room by “I think it’s important that “I’m feeling kinda nervous, munity service hours,” he said. Spectator donors. brothers and sisters in Christ get together to pray for things we have in common like our country and our campus,” VSU does not acknowlege National Day of Prayer Kimberly Johnson, a junior Spanish education major, said. Sponsors for C.U. @ the weren’t looking for a way to get the vigil then us impose a VSU held a candlelight vigil tragedy then on Sept. 11 in New Lindsey Giddens Pole included the Methodist out of work or class, but the moment of silence.” Sept. 13, and Dr. Levy said York, Washington, D.C. and Staff Writer Student Center, Fellowship of administration should have at Dr. Levy stressed that the another is to be held today on Pennsylvania. Dr. Levy said Christian Athletes, VSU cheer­ VSU’s administration chose least asked for a two to three remembrance Friday would the front lawn of West Hall at VSU’s heart goes out to vic­ leaders, Student Athletic not to have a campus-wide minute moment of silence. have been simply a moment. 8:30 p.m. tims’ families and workers, and Training Association, Newman moment of silence Friday in Even if a teacher didn’t want to Midge Martin, senior secre­ If students missed class VSU grieves for them. Catholic Center, Team Jesus remembrance of the World do it and a student did, the stu­ tary in the biology department, because they were attending a There were some comments Ministries, Campus Outreach, Trade Center and Pentagon dent should have been allowed was also disappointed in VSU’s remembrance service, Dr. Levy about VSU continuing to play Kappa Delta sorority, Alpha attack victims. to step outside.” decision not to hold a campus- said, it was on an individual the football game Saturday, Delta Pi sorority, Delta Sigma “We chose to let people do Griffin said it did not have to wide moment of silence. teacher’s basis as to whether the according to Dr. Levy. “We Theta sorority, Presbyterian their own observances,” Dr. be a major don’t want situations that can Student Center, Christian Louis Levy, acting vice-presi­ event. have different decisions,” Dr. Student Center, Baptist dent for academic affairs, said. Employees Levy said. “I think we made Student Union, Air Force “Students and faculty were could have the right decision to continue ROTC, and Model United given the opportunity to organ­ gone to a with class, activities and work. Nations. ize [ways to mourn that] they central All in all, we had a positive find meaningful. There could location in reaction, even though there have been something campus their build­ were some questions as to how wide if someone had organized ing and had “...I Georgs* W. bush...do hereby pro­ it would be done. I think there CORRECTIONS: it.” a moment claim Friday, Sept. 14 as a National was ample recognition at the Although VSU held a candle­ of silence. game.” Last week’s issue included- light vigil Sept. 13, there was no “Even Day at Prayer and Remembrance for “We cannot let terrorists con­ several incorrect statements moment of silence recognized other coun­ the Victims of the Terroi ist Attacks on trol our agenda,” Dr. Levy said. in the story about S.A.V.E.’s Sept. 14 on the VSU campus. tries “We learn from it, but do not let Living Wage Campaign: “I’m really disappointed,” stopped to Sept. 11...” the tragedy get in the way of our Thomas Humburg, sophomore re m e m b er goals as a learning community.” 1. The United Food and theatre production major, said. (the attack Dr. Levy feels the blood Commercial Workers union “I mean, here you have the v ic tim s ),” drives and vigils were very suc­ local 1996 were the group President, how much higher can Griffin said. cessful, and he encourages peo­ who spoke at the Living you get? We should have done Dr. Levy ple to take part in these. Plus Wage event. what he asked because he’s the said, “We there are numerous other leader of the free world, and did this to remembrance activities planned 2. The majority of student he’s the highest-ranking offi­ allow stu­ by students and faculty. “This assistants can make only cial. We should have all been dents to allows us to come together as a $5.15 an hour. better informed, and teachers select meaningful observances. “If [President Bailey’s] office absence would be excused. learning community not as a should have at least said, ‘hey, It also gave media access to fac­ had asked it, it might have been “Most people will observe bureaucracy.” 3. The National Living Wage here’s what’s going on.’” ulty and students, a way to more on our minds,” Martin the absence because they recog­ Griffin said, “The President movement’s focus is on rais­ Some of VSU’s staff was also share their emotions and feel­ said. “I know we all have the nize the student will need to of the United States asked us to ing poverty level wages to a disturbed and upset at the fact ings, and allowed them to chan­ right to do what we want to, but deal with the tragedy in a do this. This is a state govern­ living wage as well as VSU did not take part in the nel (those feelings) in a con­ we should have been reminded. unique way,” Dr. Levy said. ment institution, and federal improving working condi­ noontime remembrance. structive way.” If someone from administration According to Dr. Levy, Dr. money goes to this school. All tions. “It wasn’t observed,” Judy “We were proud of the stu­ had asked to observe, the rights Bailey said in an email that they had to do was put some­ Griffin, senior secretary in the dents for holding the vigil.” We of our students should be VSU finds this a horrific event. thing out to the faculty.” English department, said. “We would much rather them hold observed.” He can’t think of a worse Inside Today N ext issue Web Each week, the Spectator features a This We©k: W atch website that will benefit our readers.