Maroon

              The Maroon Loyola University New Orleans FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2002 MAROON.LOYNO.EDU VOL. 81, NO. 4 FOOD FIGHT PHOTO COURTESY OF LUCAP Ryan Lessl, music performance sophomore and co-chairman of Loyola University Community Action Program's Hunger Relief program, hands out food to the homeless downtown near Lafayette Square. Professor: War with Iraq is inevitable By Nicole Haase News Editor Discussion concerning Middles East draws crowd, criticisms Morality has no place in foreign policy, professor Conrad Raabe told a group of more than one hundred students and faculty members Sept. 12 at this year's first installment of the Soup and Substance series hosted by the Loyola University Community Action Program. Politcal science professor Raabe's point of view differed from that of his co-speaker, Bill Quigley of the Loyola Poverty Law Center, as they shared their opinions about the escalating military situation concerning Iraq. The goal of the Soup and Substance series is to give further insight into current events. The Loyola University Community Action Program said it hoped that hosting a Soup and Substance about Iraq would generate awareness about U.S. foreign policy and would provide Loyola students, faculty and staff with the opportunity to make educated political opinions. Quigley spoke out in opposition of the embargo against Iraq, saying that it harmed the Iraqi people and did nothing to weaken Saddam Hussein. Raabe maintained a pro-U.S. stance and said he is an advocate for any foreign policy decision that benefits the U.S. "Forum on Iraq," a video produced by a peace and justice group opposing military intervention in Iraq, preceded the statements by Quigley and Raabe. Scott Ritter, a former United Nations weapons inspector featured in the video, spoke out on the realities of the controversy surrounding Saddam Hussein's refusal to allow weapons inspectors into the country. Ritter, also a former U.S. Marine, additionally advocated a pro-U.S. stance in foreign policy decisions, stating that he would always support and even die for his country. He qualified that statement by saying he would only give his life provided that his country is morally correct. According to Raabe, morality has no place in making foreign policy decisions. The video included statistics from a UNICEF report which stated that since 1991 the number of people killed indirectly by the U.S. economic sanctions against Iraq has reached more than 1.5 million, including S(K),tMK) children under the age of five. The video also said that children over five years of age were not even counted in that statistic. "It is foolish of us to think that the embargo is hurting Saddam, and not the people of Iraq." LUCAP program opposed By Nicole Haase News Editor Downtown residents upset about project to feed homeless About 15 Loyola students and some faculty members spent Sunday afternoon in Lafayette Square feeding and conversing with the homeless people who gather in the area. The Hunger Relief program, led by Mary Burckell, Catholic Studies junior, and Ryan Lessl, music performance sophomore, and sponsored by the Loyola University Community Action Program, has been in effect for several years. However, the students who participated last week had a different experience than many who have gone in the past when a couple of the area's residents confronted the group, said Allison Drevich, sociology senior and president of LUCAR Every Sunday, students and faculty meet in the Underground at 11 a.m. and spend about an hour making the lunches, which consist of two sandwiches, a piece of fruit, a can of soda and chips. The group then heads to the Central Business District and spends about an hour and a half giving out the food to and talking with the people they encounter. Though the size of the crowd the group serves differs each week, Burckell and Drevich said they prepare about 130 lunches normally. But in recent weeks, area residents have written e-mails to the Rev. Bernard Knoth, S.J., university president, expressing their disapproval with the program. They also sent copies of these e-mails to The Maroon. Doug Ballard, a Julia St. resident, claims that Sunday one of the homeless men who received food from Hunger Relief assaulted him by hitting him in the back of the head with a banana. Ballard said the man threw garbage on the ground next to a garbage can, and when he asked the homeless man to pick it up, the man threw it at him. LUCAP and Hunger Relief say that no one in their group saw the incident and that they are unable to determine whether it actually happened. Kevin Kelly, 8'77 and St. Charles Avenue resident, blames LUCAP for PHOTO COURTESY OF LUCAI One of the beneficiaries of LUCAP's Hunger Relief program holds an orange from his meal. LUCAP says it doesn't plan to discontinue the project, despite objections from area residents. See LUCAP, Page 3 See SOUP, Page 3 jjjl HOME SCHOOLING Soccer team's home losses teach valuable lessons Not hi n' But CHECK THE WEB MMT *•' ZdiSM 3. Squattin' ain't easy Homeless travelers drawn to French Quarter y| I