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, October 9, 1997
Volume 2, Number 29
NEWS IN BRIEF
1) Swarthmore firefighters toast competition
2) Frosh prompt formation of queer-straight alliance
3) World news roundup
SPORTS IN BRIEF
1) Women’s soccer shuts out Cabrini
2) Men’s soccer tripped up by Wesley
WEATHER FORECAST
Today: Mostly sunny, light winds. High of 80.
Now that we’re all done with our work, it’s party time!
Tonight: A few more clouds, but no rain. Low around 60.
Oh, you aren’t finished yet? Poor baby.
Friday: Cloudy early, then clearing. High near 80.
NEWS REPORT
1) Swarthmore firefighters toast competition
The Swarthmore Fire and Protective Association’s contest crew cruised
through the annual Delaware County Firefighters Competition on Saturday,
defeating four other squads to take home the overall title. Swarthmore’s
volunteer firefighters also won the Ironman, the hose competition and the 1
1/2 inch roll-out, according to the fire department.
“It was a beautiful day out, and Swarthmore won every event that we
entered. It was definitely a good feeling,” said Carl Wellington ’99,
competing for the first time this year.
Brad Blackman, Swarthmore’s team captain, posted the fastest individual
time in the Ironman competition, a challenging obstacle course. Robert
Ranson placed third and Nate Hanson ’99 placed fifth.
The 1 1/2 inch roll-out had competitors establishing a water supply for and
connecting three sections of hose, hitting a target, and rolling up the
hose. Swarthmore’s winning team, the only all-woman team in the
predominantly male competition, consisted of Alix Anderson ’98, Alice
Decker ’98, Katherine Deer ’00 and Sandy Lin ’98. “There were really only
one or two women in the competition besides us. There was some
condescension from the other companies. I don’t really think they thought
we could win. They were pretty surprised,” said Decker.
The hose competition followed the steps an engine company takes to get
water to a fire. Swarthmore’s victorious team consisted of Blackman,
Wellington, Dave Augustine, Tim Bragg ’00, Pete Hutchinson ’00 and Gil
Rosenberg ’00.
The fire station has also been attracting attention lately with frequent
blasts of its horn. According to Wellington, the noise is due to a new
valve being installed in the “honker” after the old valve stopped working.
On Wednesday the horn was being tested. “They told us they would be testing
it until they got it to work,” said Wellington. The tests stopped around 7
p.m. Wednesday.
*****
2) Frosh prompt formation of queer-straight alliance
To raise awareness about gay issues and gay rights, Justin Suh ’00 and
Talia Young ’00 have started a queer-friendly alliance for people of all
sexual orientations.
According to Young, the group’s creation was sparked by straight first-year
students who came to a Swarthmore Queer Union meeting and questioned SQU’s
queer-only membership policy. Because Suh and Young believed that many
Swarthmore students cared about gay issues but could not be involved
through SQU, they decided to form the new organization.
“Queer-straight groups have a different kind of power than exclusively
queer groups, which … we’d like to use to help effect change on campus,”
Young added.
The group hopes both to raise awareness about queer issues at Swarthmore
and worldwide and to take action. Young said that while “spreading
awareness is action,” working with SQU and the administration to create a
better environment at Swarthmore is also a major goal.
Young said she wants broad participation in the group. “Even people who
don’t think we should exist (should come) to tell us why they don’t think
so,” she said. “I want to get the conservatives involved in a dialogue.”
*****
3) World news roundup
HOUSE SENDS ‘PARTIAL BIRTH’ ABORTION BILL TO CLINTON
The House of Representatives voted 296-132 on Wednesday to ban the
so-called “partial birth” abortion procedure. The Senate approved the
legislation in May; it now goes to President Clinton, who vetoed a similar
measure last year and has vowed to do the same this time. The bill allows
the procedure only to save a woman’s life, but Clinton wants an exception
for cases in which continuing the pregnancy would pose a serious risk to
the woman’s health. The vote total in the House is sufficient to override a
presidential veto, but the Senate’s 64-36 total falls three votes short of
the two-thirds majority needed for an override.
ARMY’S TOP ENLISTED MAN TO FACE COURT-MARTIAL ON SEX CHARGES
The Army announced Wednesday it will court-martial its highest-ranking
enlisted soldier, Sergeant Major of the Army Gene C. McKinney, on 20 counts
of sexual misconduct and obstructing justice stemming from accusations by
six military women. Maj. Gen. Robert F. Foley ordered the trial on the
recommendations of one colonel who conducted a preliminary hearing and
another who reviewed the first officer’s findings. McKinney has denied the
charges and has said the investigation was racially motivated. He is black,
while his accusers are white.
IN OTHER NEWS …
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser
Arafat met early Wednesday for the first time since February in an effort
to reinvigorate peace negotiations. … Stock markets fell after Federal
Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan warned that the current high rate of
economic growth may not be sustainable. … Kim Jong-Il was formally
inaugurated Wednesday as head of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, three
years after the death of his father, Kim Il-Sung, who was the previous
leader. … President Clinton has nominated James C. Hormel, a San
Francisco businessman and philanthropist who serves on Swarthmore’s Board
of Managers, to become ambassador to Luxembourg; if confirmed by the
Senate, Hormel would be the first openly gay U.S. ambassador.
*****
SPORTS UPDATE
1) Women’s soccer shuts out Cabrini
The women’s soccer team defeated Cabrini 2-0 Wednesday afternoon on home
turf. The Garnet’s goals were scored by Sarah Jaquette ’98 and Diana Hunt
’99. Hunt had one assist, as did Claire Baxter ’98. “It was a really
aggressive and dirty game,” said Rebecca Schmitt ’00, adding that “the ref
wasn’t doing a very good job controlling it. It went both ways — they
pushed us and we pushed them back — but it was fun.” The victory was the
team’s second consecutive shutout and boosted Swarthmore’s record to 5-8
overall.
*****
2) Men’s soccer tripped up by Wesley
The men’s soccer team lost 0-2 to Wesley at home Wednesday. The team’s
record for the season is now 2-10.
*****
3) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests
There are no contests scheduled for today or tomorrow.
*****
Interested in reporting or writing for the Gazette? Just want to tell us
what you think? Contact the Board of Editors at
gazette-management@student-publications.swarthmore.edu.
Got a news tip for us?
E-mail gazette-news@student-publications.swarthmore.edu.
Want to contact our sports editors?
E-mail gazette-sports@student-publications.swarthmore.edu.
The Daily Gazette
Board of Editors
Fred Bush
Kate Doty
Aarti Iyer
Jennifer Klein
Karen Lloyd
Lorrin Nelson
Sam Schulhofer-Wohl
Weatherman
Rafi Dowty
Staff Writers
Julie Falk
Trang Pham
The Daily Gazette is published Monday through Friday by an independent
group of Swarthmore College students. Technical support from the Swarthmore
College Computer Society is gratefully acknowledged.
To subscribe to the Gazette, free of charge, send e-mail to
requests@student-publications.swarthmore.edu with the words “subscribe
daily” as the subject of your message. Use the words “unsubscribe daily” to
cancel a subscription.
Back issues are available on the World Wide Web at:
http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/org/daily
This concludes today’s report.
Copyright 1997 by The Daily Gazette. All rights reserved.