8A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, September 13, 2004
NEWS
CONFERENCE
Continued from page 1A
rage" to consume them and drive them
into supporting an unjust military con-
flict. "We got hit and we needed to hit
back."
Unrelenting in his criticism of the
Iraq war, Ritter accused the Bush
administration of exaggerating pre-war
intelligence regarding Iraqi possession
of weapons of mass destruction to gain
popular support from a terror-stricken
American public.
Ritter also criticized the Bush
Administration for encouraging foreign
anti-American sentiment by arrogantly
defying U.S. treaty obligations and vio-
lating domestic and international law
by waging a war on Iraq without the
approval of the U.N. Security Council.
Ritter said this type of unilateral con-
duct indirectly encourages acts of ter-
rorism against the U.S.
"He has permanently stained the rep-
utation of the U.S. around the world," he
said. "There will be no United Nations
unless it is united."
Allison Jacobs, president of the Uni-
versity's College Republicans, said she
felt that Ritter left a lot of important
evidence out of his speeches and turned
the conference into a politically charged
event, rather than an academic one.
"There was definitely a liberal lean-
ing on it," she said. "I didn't think it
was necessary to put blame on the Bush
Administration when we should be dis-
cussing the commission's report and
more importantly 9/11."
Jeffrey Toobin, CNN legal analyst
and best-selling author, delivered the
second keynote address, opening his
lecture with a moving account of his
personal experience in lower Manhat-
tan on the day of the attacks.
"We have a name for this type of
weather in New York," Toobin said, refer-
ring to the tranquil warmth of the sunny
Ann Arbor afternoon that called to mind
the fair skies before the attacks three years
ago. "We call it September 11 weather."
Toobin also presented an in-depth
analysis of GOP strategy following the
terrorist attacks three years ago, lead-
ing up to the current 2004 presidential
election season.
"The Republican Party is unusually
dominant right now," he said, pointing
to GOP control of the three branches
of federal government and most of the
state governorships in the country. He
drew comparisons to the administra-
tion of Democratic president Lyndon B.
Johnson of the 1960's, which had simi-
lar party dominance, and committed
the U.S. to an ill-fated war in Vietnam.
Political science profs. Mark Tes-
sler and Lawrence Green led breakout
sessions on the roots of terrorism and
the 9/11 Commission Report. Other
sessions were facilitated by Michael
FESTIVAL
Continued from page 1A
acid tablets to simulate the physics of
rocket explosions. At another, the Uni-
versity of Michigan Solar Car Team
exhibited their latest vehicle, with three
female members of the team serving to
demonstrate a fun and interesting way
for young women to be involved in engi-
neering. The New Detroit Science Cen-
ter also contributed a booth equipped
with a simulation telescopes for safe
sun-gazing.
The event also marked the launch
of TOYchallenge 2005, a competition
where teams of children can design and
build their own toys. At least one half of
these groups of aspiring engineers must
be female.
The girls at the event varied greatly in
their scientific interests. Twelve-year-old
Mia Barma said she especially enjoyed
the event. "I'm interested in science
and math and I want to be an engineer
when I grow up," she said, adding that
she is specifically interested in electrical
engineering. Both her mother and her
teachers have encouraged her to excell
in studying those subjects.
Ride's first trip on NASA's Chal-
lenger STS 7 rocket in 1983 marked the
beginning of women's involvement in
the American space program. During
her keynote address, Ride shared with
hundreds of young girls her experiences
of traveling in space.
As Ride spoke about her travels
through space, the girls were anxious
to ask her questions. From inquiries on
what she ate to the view from space,
Ride enthusiastically told them of her
experiences.
Ride's first flight to space lasted seven
days. "We basically lived off peanut but-
ter sandwiches and dehydrated food,"
she said. It was a week where even the
simple task of taking a shower became
impossible.
As Ride spent much of her time
fielding questions from the assem-
bled girls, she stressed that curi-
osity is a trait that all young girls
have and it should be encouraged.
"After all, that's what science is
- curiosity."
WILLA TRACOSA S/Daily
Scott Ritter, the former chief weapons inspector for the U.N. Speciai Commission in Iraq,
gave a keynote address in the 9/11 Conference at Hale Auditorium on Saturday.
4w
Feldschuh, creator of The September
11 Photo Project, and Noel Saleh of
the Michigan Chapter of the ACLU,
who worked on post-Sept. 11 civil lib-
erties restrictions and discrimination
against Arab Americans. The sessions
were informal and gave participants the
opportunity to exchange ideas.
Christy McGillivray from Mount
Clemens spoke out in the ACLU forum
against the use of racial profiling in
counterterrorism practices.
"I think people are (too) nervous,"
she said. "People do bad things because
they are people, not because they are a
member of a certain race."
LSA senior Kimberly Washington, who
attended the conference, explained that the
Sept. 11 attacks were quite personal for
her. "My best friend was actually right by
the tower when it got hit," she said of her
colleague, who suffered second-degree
burns from being struck by hot debris fall-
ing from the flaming World Trade Center.
"It was a very frightening moment."
MSA Vice President Jennifer Nathan
explained that the student organization
began planning the conference over the
summer in conjunction with a booking
agency. She said the organization felt
the event would be a significant and rel-
evant event for University students.
"This is a horrible tragedy that has
shaped our college experience," said
Nathan, who was a freshman at the
University the year of the attacks.
MSA Reps. Stuart Wagner and Jesse
Levine emphasized the social impor-
tance of holding the conference in order
to encourage discussion and debate on
critical issues. "I think it's important to
go beyond the classroom and hear dif-
ferent opinions," Levine said.
Scott Ritter echoed similar statements.
"Our generation has failed you," he said.
"You don't have the luxury to transfer
these problems onto the next generation.
There may not be a generation."
U K
Jews fir Jesus
presents
Forbidden Peace
The Story Behind the Headlines
Guest Speakers
0l
Moran was an
Israeli soldier.
Taysir was a
Palestinian PLO fighter.
Together they grapple with the question:
"Is there any hope for peace between Israelis and Palestinians?"
Israeli Moran Rosenblit and PalestinianTaysir Abu Saada have found a path of peace.
It came in a way they weren't
expecting. The peace that ended their long and bitter hatred towards their neighbors came through one person -
Y'shua (Jesus) of Nazareth.
Whether you are completely skeptical or genuinely curious, Jews for Jesus invites you to come and hear FIRSTHAND
the stories of Moran and Taysir.. .
Atj