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
Tuesday, February 15, 2000
Volume 4, Number 76
NEWS IN BRIEF
1) Swarthmore escorts endure bomb threat at Planned Parenthood
2) World news roundup
3) Campus events
SPORTS IN BRIEF
1) World sports roundup
2) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests
WEATHER FORECAST
Today: Mostly sunny. Highs around 45.
Well, this is nice. We’ve had enough snow.
Tonight: Clear. Lows in the upper 20s.
Wow, that’s pretty cold. But still…
Tomorrow: Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 50s.
Nice! Been waiting for weather like this for a while. (I know, it takes
so little…)
NEWS REPORT
1) Swarthmore escorts endure bomb threat at Planned Parenthood
On the morning of Saturday, February 12, seven Swarthmore students were
escorting patients past anti-abortion demonstrators at the Planned
Parenthood clinic in Philadelphia when the clinic received a bomb threat.
An anonymous caller told a member of the surgical team that the staff had
thirty minutes to evacuate the building. “The clinic staff was very
professional. The building was empty within a minute or two of the call, so
I never felt in danger,” said Tim Stuart-Winter ’01, one of the escorts who
was at Planned Parenthood when the threat occurred.
The police arrived promptly and sealed off the block containing the clinic,
(Locust Street, between 12th and 11th Streets), from traffic and
pedestrians while those who had been inside the building waited across the
street. The Swarthmore contingent remained at the scene for about an hour,
and when they left at 11 a.m., the block was still closed and the police
and some Planned Parenthood staff were searching the building.
When asked about his reaction to this experience, Stuart-Winter replied,
“Mostly, I was really angry about the disruption which this caused to so
many women.” Claire Feldman-Riordan ’01, another escort who witnessed the
threat, agreed, saying, “It wasn’t the threat of violence that bothered me
as much as the way the person behind it was able to interfere with the
process. Some of the women who were there that day have children and jobs
and will have trouble rescheduling their appointments. One woman said that
she wouldnt be able to get another appointment for a month, and by that
point the pregnancy might be too advanced.” Ariel Kobylak ’02, president of
Pro-Choice Task Force and coordinator of the escorting program, added,
“Lots of the people at Planned Parenthood aren’t even there to get
abortions, and they’re being affected by something that has nothing to do
with them.”
Many escorts feel that this event has strengthened their motivation to
defend womens’ right to choose. Kobylak notes that she has received five
e-mails so far since the incident from people saying that they want to
escort in the future because of what happened at Planned Parenthood last
Saturday. “They know that they can’t stop things like this from happening,
but they want to show their support by helping these women to feel more
safe,” she says. “If there’s anything good that will come out of this,” she
concludes, “it’s that people’s awareness will be raised about the issues
involved in the abortion controversy.”
-k.g.
*****
2) World news roundup
A New York City police officer testified to leading his three partners into
the lobby of Amadou Diallo’s apartment building in the Bronx, where they
struck the unarmed man with 19 of 41 bullets. They thought he had a gun and
feared for their lives, realizing their mistake only after it was too late.
…Tornadoes tore through southwest Georgia under cover of darkness and
without warning Monday night, killing at least 22 people and injuring over
a hundred others. …Russia has closed off Grozny to returning Chechnyan
refugees, citing concerns about ‘disguised militants.’ …Two Columbine
High School students were shot and killed early Monday outside a sandwich
shop, within sight of their school, the sight of the worst school-shooting
in US history. The students were dating, and while police have ruled out
murder/suicide, they did not disclose any possible motive.
*****
3) Campus events
“Gardens and Landscapes of New Zealand” by Pam Thomas
Scheuer Room,12:00 p.m.
Social Affairs Committee Meeting
Trotter 303, 7:00 p.m.
“Jody’s Body” by Aviva Jane Carlin
LPAC Pearson-Hall Theatre, 8:00 p.m.
Ball Room Practice
Upper Tarble, 9:30 p.m.
Student Council Meeting
Parrish Parlor – East, 10:00 p.m.
*****
SPORTS UPDATE
1) World sports roundup
Seton Hall’s men’s basketball team won five straight to crack the top 25
for the first time in seven years, but fell to UConn Monday, 59-50.
…Buffalo Sabres goalie Dominik Hasek has decided not to retire after this
season, as he had originally announced. …Former Indy race car driver Tony
Bettenhausen was killed in a plane crash Monday at the age of 48.
…Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis was granted a $1 million bond so
he could stay at home while awaiting trial on murder charges. …ESPN
handed out awards not only for 1999, but for the decade past at the annual
ESPY awards Monday night. Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls stole the
show, as Jordan took two decade awards – pro basketball player, and male
athlete – and the Bulls won team of the decade, with coach Phil Jackson
taking home coach of the decade honors.
*****
2) Today’s and tomorrow’s contests
TODAY
There are no contests scheduled for today.
TOMORROW
Women’s basketball hosts Muhlenberg, 6:00 p.m.
Men’s basketball hosts Muhlenberg, 8:00 p.m.
*****
Quote of the day: “This isn’t right; this isn’t even wrong.” – Wolfgang
Pauli, upon reading a young physicist’s paper.
*****
Interested in reporting or writing for the Gazette?
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Contact the Editorial Board at
gazette-management@student-publications.swarthmore.edu.
Got a news or sports tip for us?
E-mail gazette-news@student-publications.swarthmore.edu.
Editorial Board
Jeff Heckelman
Melanie Hirsch
Claire Phillips-Thoryn
Staff Writers
Karla Gilbride
Alma Ortiz
Jeremy Schifeling
Kai Xu
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This concludes today’s report.