Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
The Daily Gazette
Swarthmore College
Thursday, April 10, 1997
Volume 1, Number 49
NEWS IN BRIEF
1) Debaters agree welfare needs reform, but argue how best to do it
2) Weekend party plans
3) World news roundup
SPORTS IN BRIEF
1) Donaghy named to weekly lacrosse honor roll
2) Yesterday’s results: men’s lacrosse, women’s tennis, men’s ultimate
3) Tonight’s and tomorrow’s contests
NEWS REPORT
1) Debaters agree welfare needs reform, but argue how best to do it
In a campus debate Wednesday, a liberal and a conservative both said the
welfare system should encourage responsibility rather than dependence. They
disagreed, though, about the methods necessary to accomplish that goal.
Wendell Primus, of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and Robert
Rector, of the Heritage Foundation, appeared in a debate sponsored by
College Democrats, Swarthmore Conservative Union, and close to ten other
organizations.
Primus, who resigned from the government in protest after President Clinton
signed a welfare reform law last year, asserted that the current welfare
system is sexist. He advocated a two-pronged strategy to move women into
the workforce and force fathers to pay child support. Primus objected to
last year’s reform bill because it drastically cut spending, forced one
million legal immigrants off the welfare rolls, and may dramatically
increase child poverty.
Rector, a conservative, said he supports most points of last year’s reform.
He advocated changes to “rebuild families and build a responsible work
ethic.” According to Rector, the existing welfare system sends people the
message: “Fail, engage in dysfunctional behavior, and we’ll send you a
check.” He said people should have to work to receive welfare benefits, and
advocated marriage as a way to counter pervasive social problems, since
“out of wedlock childbearing is the principal cause of these problems.”
Planners of the event were pleased with the debate. Brendan Nyhan ’99,
co-president of College Democrats, said he was pleased to see “an effective
conservative speaker, which is something we don’t get at Swarthmore often.”
Hillary Thompson ’99, secretary of SCU, said she would like to see more
dialogue between the two groups. More bipartisan debates are anticipated
next semester.
Many students found the debate informative, but some wished that the
debaters had talked more about the moral and racial issues surrounding
welfare. “I would have picked someone a little more emotionally involved in
the issue,” said Nina Paynter ’97.
In-depth coverage of the debate will appear in The Phoenix this Friday,
April 11.
*****
2) Weekend party plans
The Social Affairs Committee is funding numerous parties this weekend, SAC
members said. The events are:
*pub night at the Delta Upsilon house, Thursday evening;
*a Brazilian-themed party Friday night in the Amphitheater;
*a Virgin Vault party Friday night in Old Club, sponsored by the women of
Parrish 4th East;
*a bingo party organized by the Catholic Campus Community, Friday night in
Tarble-in-Clothier;
*an a cappella performance by Grapevine and a visiting group from Yale
University, followed by a barbecue, Saturday evening in Mephisto’s;
*a party organized by Swarthmore Asian Organization, Saturday night in Paces;
*a party Saturday night at the Phi Psi house;
*a party Saturday night in Tarble-in-Clothier, sponsored by Phi Beta Sigma; and
*a barbecue and ice cream social Sunday afternoon at Palmer, Pittenger and
Roberts dormitories.
All SAC-funded events are free and open to the entire student body.
*****
3) World news roundup
U.S. URGES ZAIRE DICTATOR TO RESIGN
President Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire struggled Wednesday to regain control
of his collapsing nation, firing his prime minister and ordering soldiers
to tear-gas protesters as rebels invaded Zaire’s second-largest city and
the U.S. government urged Mobutu to step down. The protesters want
democracy to replace Mobutu’s 32-year-long dictatorship, which the U.S.
said is nearing an end. “Mobutuism is about to become a creature of
history,” said White House press secretary Mike McCurry.
AIR FORCE STILL CAN’T FIND MISSING PLANE
The Air Force still doesn’t know what happened to an A-10 Thunderbolt
airplane that disappeared a week ago during a training flight in Arizona.
The plane, piloted by Capt. Craig Button, vanished April 2. Radar tracks
show the aircraft may have ended up in Colorado, but neither the plane nor
the pilot has been found and no one knows how the plane went hundreds of
miles of course. Authorities say there’s nothing to suggest that Button
stole the A-10; they think he may have bailed out or collapsed in his seat.
The Air Force is using a U-2 spy plane to search for the missing aircraft.
*****
SPORTS UPDATE
1) Donaghy named to weekly lacrosse honor roll
Pat Donaghy ’97 was named to the weekly Centennial Conference Men’s
Lacrosse Honor Roll. Donaghy, a team captain, scored the Garnet’s only goal
against Western Maryland, and notched a career-high four goals against
Wooster. He had two assists in yesterday’s loss to Franklin and Marshall.
*****
2) Yesterday’s results
MEN’S LACROSSE
Franklin and Marshall 11, Swarthmore 4
The Garnet played well against the nationally-recognized Diplomats, tying
them in the second quarter and beating them in the fourth. Adam Dickinson
’00 scored two goals for Swarthmore, while Matt Halpern ’98 and Toby
Patterson ’00 each tallied one.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Gettysburg 8, Swarthmore 1
The lone win for the Garnet came from Wendy Kemp ’99 at #4 singles. Though
the teams record stands at 1-5 in the conference and 2-9 overall, Kemp’s
record is a solid 5-1 in the conference and 7-4 overall. Swarthmore hosts
College of New Jersey tomorrow.
MEN’S ULTIMATE
The Earthworms’ match yesterday against Haverford was unexpectedly canceled
by the Fords.
*****
3) Tonight’s and tomorrow’s contests
TODAY
Baseball hosts Moravian in a 3:30 p.m. game.
Golf travels to Philadelphia Pharmacy for a 1 p.m. match with Philadelphia
Textile, Widener, and Cabrini.
Women’s tennis plays College of New Jersey on Wharton Courts at 3:30 p.m.
Women’s lacrosse travels to Dickinson for a 4 p.m. game.
FRIDAY (11 April)
Baseball seeks revenge at Franklin & Marshall in a 3:30 p.m. contest.
Softball hosts Allentown at 3:30 p.m.
*****
***Write for The Daily Gazette! If you are interested in reporting or
writing, please reply to this email or contact a member of the Board of
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The Daily Gazette
Board of Editors
Fred Bush
Kate Doty
Jennifer Klein
David Lischer
Eric Pakurar
Sam Schulhofer-Wohl
Sylvia Weedman
Contributing Writer
Toki Rehder
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This concludes today’s report.
Copyright 1997 by The Daily Gazette. All rights reserved.
