Author: Dani Eaton

Canadian Killed in Philippines

Post author By Dani Eaton
Post date April 27, 2016

On Monday, April 25, Canadian hostage, John Risdsel, was executed in the Philippines by Islamic militant group Abu Sayyaf.

Risdsel’s severed head appeared on the remote island of Jolo Monday, just five hours after a ransom deadline set by the militants had expired. According to Reuters, the group demanded 600 million pecos ($6.4 million) for each of the captives and threatened to behead one of their four captives if the deadline was not met. Locals reported seeing two men on a motorcycle drop off a plastic bag that contained the head in the center of town and then fled.

Dani RGB Risdsel was one of three captives who were taken from the Oceanview Resort on Samal Island in the Philippines on September 21, 2015. The captive group was made up of Risdsel; fellow Canadian, Robert Hall; Hall’s girlfriend and Filipino native, Marites Flor; and Norwegian, Kjartan Sekkingstad. According to CNN, this part of the Southern Philippines is home to the militant group, who has been linked to both al Qaeda and ISIS. CNN reported, this is not the first time the group has taken foreigners as hostages. In recent years the group has preyed on tourists, taking them hostage in an attempt to “further its aims.” The Philippine government, however, denounced the group as a terrorist organization, claiming they operate more like a criminal gang.

According to The Chicago Tribune, the group is also believed to have other captives including “a Dutch man, a Japanese and a group of Malaysian and Indonesian seamen.” The group abducted the Malaysian and Indonesian seamen at gunpoint from tugboats at the beginning of last month. In November, the group beheaded a Malaysian hostage on the same day that the Malaysian prime minister was scheduled to arrive in Manila for a summit.

Last month the group released a video of the hostages appearing to beg for their lives, and for the government and their families to secure their release. It is in this video that the threat was made to harm one of the captives if the group’s demands were not met. Bob Rae, a close friend of Risdsel’s, was quoted in a CNN article as saying “lots of effort” was made to comply with the demands, but the amount of money requested was simply too high. In the video heavily armed militants can be seen standing behind the hostages with large black flags hanging behind them.

The 68 year old Canadian native was a former chief mining officer of a mining company, described as “semi-retired” in a BBC news story, who also worked as a journalist. Justin Trudeau, Canadian prime minister, was quoted as stating Risdsel was killed in “cold blooded murder” by the group. He also said Canada would work with the Philippines and other international forces to bring justice to Risdsel’s death. Rae said in BBC article, ““It’s just very hard. I’ve been involved behind the scenes for the last six months trying to find a solution and it’s been very painful.”

Tags Canadian, ISIS, Oceanview Resort, philippines

Campus News

Mission Work in the Most Dangerous City in the U.S.

Post author By Dani Eaton
Post date March 3, 2016

Over February break, a group of Houghton students traveled to Camden, New Jersey with the Salvation Army Student Fellowship (SASF) on a mission to serve God and the community.

The SASF, according to vice president Marcella Wheeler ‘16, is comprised of students who either attended the Salvation Army church before coming to Houghton or found the Salvation Army through the SASF while attending Houghton. Members of the SASF, according to Wheeler, “attend The Salvation Army in Wellsville participating in all that goes on there: kids activities, women’s programs, Sunday School, and Worship are a huge part of what keeps it going.”

SASF RGB The Salvation Army, whose slogan is “Doing the Most Good,” is known for their dedication to helping people in need of emotional, physical, and spiritual assistance. Wheeler said, “With the SASF being a group so closely connected with The Salvation Army, we’re going to Camden because it is a high poverty, high crime, and highly homeless population in which The Salvation Army is known as ones who provide food, health assistance, and a place of warmth, love, support.”

According to CNN Money, based on FBI statistics in 2012 Camden had the single highest crime rate in America, reporting 67 homicides over the course of the year. In addition to a high crime rate, the town is also plagued by a drug epidemic, homelessness, and poverty. Wheeler said the SASF’s mission was to do their part in “making a difference in people’s lives who have almost nothing.” Jimmy Hughes ‘16, president of SASF, described Camden as “a city that needs love.”

Justin Bullard ‘16, one of the students who went on the trip, said the city’s crime rate never really bothered him, “I wasn’t worried about the safety of the location, I was just excited about being able to do missions in our own country instead of going out of the country.” Bullard said, for him, the area was one of the largest reasons he went. He said, “I know it’s an area that probably doesn’t get as much attention.”

While the SASF goes on a mission trip each year during February break, Hughes said this trip was different in that it was much more people-centered “We are striving to make meaningful connections in a city that needs people’s love,” he said. Students had many opportunities to interact with members of the community through meals, service projects, and community clean up.

A large part of the group’s time was spent at the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center (the Kroc Center). The Kroc Center, which opened in October 2014, and serves people based on the Salvation Army mission which states, “[The Salvation Army’s] mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.” The Kroc Center offers many programs community members can participate in, and the SASF had a chance to help with. Some of those programs include an after-school program called Kroc Kids, a daily morning prayer, a weekly youth group, Bible studies, and Sunday worship.

In addition to helping at the Kroc Center, SASF members went to the Transportation Center in Camden, which Wheeler describes as a “tram station.” Members of the homeless community often reside near or around the Transportation Center, and students had the opportunity “to give out hot drinks, food, gloves, hats, scarves and to talk with the people around the area to be of spiritual support through listening to and pray with them,” said Wheeler. Students also had the opportunity to assist in helping members of the homeless community by volunteering at a soup kitchen called Cathedral’s Kitchen, where they serve hot meals to 200-300 people a day.
Wheeler had high hopes for the group’s takeaway from the trip. She said, “I want us to leave with a greater awareness, concern, and love for those who we become oblivious to in our blessed lives and with hearts overflowing with desire to do something more each day.” Bullard echoed this and said, “It was really humbling to see people in these situations and see that I’m much better off than I thought. It also showed me that I’m in a much better position to help others than I thought.”

National News

National // First U.S. Uterus Transplant Successful

Post author By Dani Eaton
Post date March 3, 2016

On Friday February 26, the Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio performed the first uterus transplant in the United States. According to National Public Radio (NPR), the procedure took nine hours, and the 26 year old patient was reported to be in stable condition. The organ, like many other organs used in transplants, came from a deceased donor.

The woman was one of ten selected for the clinical trial of the operation. All ten women selected were either born with a condition called Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome (a condition in which one is born with an underdeveloped or absent uterus), had to have their uterus removed, or lack a functioning uterus. Uterine factor infertility (UFI), however, while similar is also different. UFI is the inability to carry a pregnancy due to a lack of uterus, whether one was born without one, theirs doesn’t function properly, or they’ve had their uterus removed. According to CNN the condition is irreversible and affects 3-5% of women in the world. According to the New York times, there are thought to be 50,000 women in the United States alone that would qualify as candidates for a transplant because of UFI. However, the ethics panel at the Cleveland hospital gave permission for the clinic to perform the procedure only ten times, as an experiment.

Dani While the options of using a surrogate or adoption have also been available for these women, Dr. Andreas G. Tzakis, the leader of the surgery team that conducted the transplant said, “for reasons that are personal, cultural, or religions” women may choose not to go through with these options. An unnamed woman being screened as a candidate for the transplant, however, was quoted in a New York Times article as having a different reason for wanting to pursue the operation rather than hiring a surrogate or adopting. “I crave that experience,” she said. “I want the morning sickness, the backaches, the feet swelling. I want to feel the baby move. That is something I’ve wanted for as long as I can remember.”

Before the clinic’s success the only other country that had successfully performed a uterus transplant was Sweden. So far, doctors at the University of Gothenburg have performed nine successful transplants. CNN reported that of the nine women to get transplants, five women have gotten pregnant resulting in four live births. However, all the women in Sweden received transplants from live donors. According to the New York Times Tzakis, who has performed 4,000-5,000 organ transplants, traveled to the University of Gothenburg to work with doctors who have been successful with their transplants.

While the transplant is a significant part of the process to an alternative route to pregnancy, it is only a small part of the process these women will go through before giving birth. The process begins before the transplant when the patient’s eggs are harvested and frozen. After a year post-transplant, allowing for healing and the adjustment of anti-rejection medication, the patient’s eggs will be artificially inseminated and implanted until the patient becomes pregnant. After heavy observation and one or two babies are delivered through cesarean section, the uterus will be removed to avoid prolonged exposure to medication.
While the temporary transplant is an impressive advancement in the medical field, some feel as though it is not as necessary as others may think. Dr. Michael Green of Massachusetts General Hospital views uterine transplants as a quality-of-life issue and has been quoted as stating, “Nobody needs a uterus to live, OK?” A NPR article also reports Green as wondering “whether health care dollars should be spent on uterine transplants when a woman who lacks a uterus can turn to a surrogate mother to provide her with a child — if she can afford it, that is.” The Cleveland clinic, however, argued that surrogacy isn’t always an option, “In the U.S., the surrogacy process can be legally complicated. In many other countries, surrogacy is highly restricted or even banned.”

Opinions

Confinement is Not Conservation

Post author By Dani Eaton
Post date March 3, 2016

When I was young, my dad took my sister and I to the circus. Acrobats, clowns, and animal trainers alike hypnotized the audience with tricks. However, the most vivid memory I have from that day isn’t of the acts, it’s of the elephants. Their scarred faces were sad and worn, their ears sagged, and their feet dragged when they walked. It was clear they were miserable.

My eyes were again opened later that year when we took our annual school trip to the local zoo and looked on as animals placed in their pens with sad eyes and limited space. Since then my love of animals has only grown, as has the need to protect our planet’s creatures. With the extinction of species on the rise we need to understand one thing: confining animals to cells and traveling torture shows do not promote education or conservation in any way.

Dani Let’s start with the (sometimes) lesser of the two evils, zoos. Yes, zoos protect animals from poaching, provide food and shelter, and allow animals to bask in adoration from staff and captive audiences. However, we must ask ourselves whether this is enough? If someone protected you from harm, gave you meals, housed you, and stopped by several times a day to look at you through a window and comment on how cute you were, would you be happy? Before you answer know this, keep in mind that you wouldn’t get to choose what you got to eat or where you lived the rest of your life.

This would be even more miserable if you’d spent your childhood somewhere like Florida and were then forced to move somewhere like Buffalo with cold winters and obvious season shifts. This happens all the time though, places like the Buffalo zoo contain animals such as Asian elephants and Siberian tigers. These animals are indigenous to parts of the world that are notably warm and humid, not at all like Buffalo, especially in the winter. In the same sense Rochester does not get cold enough to be home to polar bears.

Animals don’t stand a chance of avoiding extinction if we can’t provide them with an atmosphere identical to their home in the wild. No scientist would study a polar bear in Rochester and expect ones located in the wild to act the same way. So, how can we claim zoos educate when they are not an accurate representation of how animals naturally live? With 3,200 of the world’s 5,000 tigers in captivity, I worry there will come a day when we will have to read about how they used to hunt, play, mate, or simply live in the wild because there are none alive to study.

Zoos also tend to breed inbred species, sometimes causing serious physical deformities. And this breeding also created the white tiger. Originally a genetic abnormality, zoos have monopolized on their rare nature. This, however, prevents them from ever being released into the wild as they would not be able to hunt without being noticed by their prey.

Circuses are just as bad, if not worse. Traveling shows and circuses alike do not own their animals, instead they lease them from dealers. The thing that people often forget about animals in circuses and zoos is that they are wild animals, and are not born to think of human safety before their own safety and life. The documentary Tyke the Elephant Outlaw tells the story of a circus elephant named Tyke who, in 1994, became aggressive during a performance and killed one of his trainers.

Tyke was then shot 87 times before dieing in the streets; 87 bullets were aimed at him simply for following his natural instinct to protect himself. Despite common beliefs, animals do not perform out of love, rather they are forced to perform against their will. They are trained using bullhooks, beatings, food deprivation, and other cruel practices and when they try to protect themselves, they are killed. How is that educational? Why would you want to teach a child to kill a creature that is trying to escape torture? If a dog bit someone that gave it daily beatings, would you kill the dog for biting?
If you want to make a difference, stop giving your money to these organizations. It is as simple as that. Seaworld, based on protests and demands of their guests, recently decided to halt their orca shows and instead launch a program based on the environment of the whales. While the whales should not be in confinement at all, this will hopefully lead to the release of these creatures back into their natural habits. If you really love animals and have your heart set on helping them, sign petitions for their release or donate to sanctuaries dedicated to humane treatment, care, and release of animals. Whatever you do though, do not sit by and let such a vital part of our planet be abused by our need for entertainment.

International News

Earthquake Causes Controversy

Post author By Dani Eaton
Post date February 16, 2016

Saturday morning, February 6, Taiwan was struck with an earthquake that registered with a magnitude of 6.4.

Dani The earthquake occurred in the early morning, around 4 a.m., when the majority of people were asleep in their homes. According to National Public Radio (NPR), the epicenter of the earthquake was in South Taiwan, near Tainan City. The earthquake came at the beginning of the Lunar New Year Holiday, one of the country’s biggest holidays, and the weekend before the Chinese New Year begins. CNN reported on Saturday morning some 900,000 homes were without power and 400,000 homes were experiencing water outages.

According to BBC News Tuesday morning brought the death toll to more than 40 and accounted for more than 100 people missing. The New York Times reported that 109 of the missing are buried in the Wei-guan Golden Dragon Building and BBC said that 39 of the reported deceased were residents of the building. Sunday morning, officials used sophisticated infrared sensors in an attempt to detect the amount of people still within the building, showing that 130 people were still trapped inside.

The building is a 17-story apartment complex that almost completely collapsed during the quake, with only four stories remaining. The Washington Post described the building as having, “folded like an accordion onto its side after the quake struck.” While the building was one of 11 to collapse after the earthquake, it is the only high-rise building to have completely crumbled post-quake. The collapse has made it difficult and nearly impossible for rescuers to get to trapped residents. In addition to the collapse, a water main, which broke after the quake, flooded the bottom stories. This has created low temperatures, putting trapped residents at risk of hypothermia.

The building, which was built on top of a rice field in 1994, has been the center of controversy since the quake. The building’s architecture and construction has been called into question, resulting in the arrest of three of its former executives. The former chairman of the company called Wei-Guan Construction (which is no longer in existence) and two other executives were detained on charges of professional negligence.

As reported by BBC, residents and observers were shocked to see blue tin cans embedded in the building’s concrete pillars, seemingly used as a filler. An engineer was quoted in a CNN article as saying using tin cans, “for such purposes in construction was not illegal prior to September 1999, but since then styrofoam and formwork boards have been used instead.”
The developer of the building, Mr. Lin, has apparently been involved in many business disputes throughout the years, according to The New York Times. Lin has changed his name as many as four times over the years, which arouses suspicions, because Taiwan does not officially allow individuals to change their name more than twice. Lin did not live in the building, and despite many people searching for him, he has yet to be found.

National News

Snowstorm Jonas Hits East Coast

Post author By Dani Eaton
Post date January 28, 2016

On Friday, January 22, winter storm Jonas hit almost a dozen East Coast states. Jonas, which cleared up Monday morning, brought large amounts of snow, flooding, and heavy winds to areas of Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York City, Long Island, West Virginia, New Jersey, North Carolina, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky. According to the Huffington Post, 11 states declared a state of emergency.

The first night of the storm, according to CNN, resulted in more than 500 vehicles trapped on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. In addition to Pennsylvania, both West Virginia and Kentucky also had motorists stranded on major highways for many hours, some into early Saturday morning.

In addition to traffic pileups, airports and Amtrak cancelled and postponed all incoming and outgoing services to the East Coast. New York City experienced cancellations of a different kind. When Jonas caused power outages in several widespread locations, the city was forced to cancel Broadway shows for all of Saturday. Also without power Saturday were parts of New Jersey and North Carolina. The Associated Press reported more than 150,000 businesses and homes in North Carolina and over 90,000 people in New Jersey had no power for parts of the day on Saturday.

Jonas also brought severe flooding to parts of New Jersey. According to the Huffington Post, WIldwood, Cape May, and Ocean City experienced a record-breaking 9.4 feet of water as a result of the storm. The flooding is said to be worse than what New Jersey endured during Hurricane Sandy in the fall of 2012. While Delaware escaped severe flooding, they reported winds upward of 75 miles per hour (mph), speeds that are typically seen in tropical storms. Also reporting winds at that speed was Virginia’s Langley Air Force Base.

According to the Huffington Post, Jonas also set records in six different areas for being the single biggest snowstorm. In Allentown, Pennsylvania, 31.9 inches fell; Baltimore-Washington International Airport received 29.2 inches; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania got 30.2 inches; LaGuardia Airport in New York dealt with 27.9 inches; and at JFK Airport 30.5 inches fell. The snow also caused U.S. federal government offices to shut down, and schools to close across the East Coast.

The storm claimed many fatalities. The first reported, according to CNN, was an 82 year old man from the Washington D.C. area who died while shoveling snow. While snow shoveling seemed to be one of the main causes of death, hypothermia, vehicle collisions, and even carbon monoxide poisoning were all reported causes of death during the snowstorm. The New York Times reported three instances of carbon monoxide poisoning due to the storm, a woman and child in New Jersey, a man in Pennsylvania, and an elderly couple in South Carolina. The Associated Press reported that, as of Sunday night, the total death toll had risen at least to 29.

While snowstorm Jonas is over, cities continued to recover from the damage caused by the storm early into the week. In Washington D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser continued to advise people to stay off the roads Monday as they continued to be slick and dangerous. While the Long Island Rail Road opened 12 of its branches for the Monday morning commuter, 20% of its branches will stay closed to repair damages caused by Jonas. Also on Monday, airports attempted to dig out of the snow and offered limited flights. Additionally, government offices in Maryland, U.S. federal government offices in Washington, and schools across the East Coast also remained closed on Monday as efforts to clear roads and snow continued.

Campus News

Annual Craft Fair to Take Place

Post author By Dani Eaton
Post date December 3, 2015

Each year Houghton hosts the Christmas Craft and Art Fair, providing an opportunity for residents of Houghton and the surrounding area to present a wide array of products as part of the Christmas season. This year will be the fair’s twenty-ninth year, held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on December 9 and 10 in the Campus Center’s lower level and Van Dyk Lounge.

T Fancher2RGB his year’s craft fair is organized by Jessica Jennings, Houghton’s constituent planning and event specialist, to include a variety of vendors. “Each year has increased and we are at the largest number of vendors we’ve ever had.” Jennings explained. “The majority of vendors are from Allegany County, with some being staff, students and alumni of Houghton.” She noted that there are also “a few from the broader Western New York area.” While many vendors will have handmade products, she says also that “some vendors will be selling licensed products,” such as Jamberry nails or Tupperware.

Jennings indicates that overall “there is a really great variety of products” for this year’s fair. In addition to the licensed products there will be an array of ceramics, jewelry, décor, candles, skin care products, alpaca wool, and knitted items, as well as chocolate, maple syrup, and dog treats. Rachel Wright ‘16 and her sister Anna Wright ‘18 are selling original poetry which has been typed out on a typewriter, “Some of these pieces will be typed on some of my watercolors and pencil drawings. We will also do commissioned pieces, either by typing or drawing whatever our buyer would like.”

Members of the Houghton community can expect to see several familiar faces as vendors. Staff members Marshall Green and Susan Peterson will be present, as well as several Houghton alum including Naomi Woolsey and Grace Mangum. Current students Sarah Showers, Hannah Banks, Laura Stockdale, Rachel Wright, and Jill Magara will also be selling.

Vendor Stockdale ‘16 said, “I’m going to be selling handmade hats, gloves, and headbands that I knitted myself. I’ve been selling these plus scarves on the Houghton campus since around freshman or sophomore year on the Houghton Sells Facebook page and it’s gone really well. I’m taking part in the crafts fair in the hopes that I can expand my reach and number of customers.”

Magara ‘17, also a student vendor, is also looking to gain exposure by selling handmade items, “I decided to sell some of my pottery when someone approached me earlier this semester about buying a few of my pieces. A couple friends and I are setting up a table and I think it’ll be fun and also a great way to begin getting my name out there as a local artisan.”

Wright ‘16 agreed saying, “We wanted to participate in the craft fair because it’s a chance to make a little extra money and to get our work out there. Plus, it’s really fun to make work and sell it.”

In the midst of the busy Christmas season, Jennings notes the advantages of the craft and art fair. “There is a great variety of quality items at a wide range of prices,” she said. “So it’s a good opportunity to check off your Christmas list without leaving campus.” The Houghton community has a chance to celebrate Christmas while supporting the creative endeavors of the surrounding area.

National News

Shooting at Planned Parenthood

Post author By Dani Eaton
Post date December 3, 2015

On Friday, November 27, a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado was open fired on. The suspect, who has been named as 57 year old Robert Lewis Dear, began shooting outside of the building and then led police into a nearly six hour long standoff exchanging gunfire before he surrendered and was apprehended.

The standoff between Dear and authorities, which began just after the initial 911 call at 11:30 a.m. (1:30 p.m. ET) resulted in three deaths and nine civilian injuries. While his motive was and is still currently deemed unclear by police, CNN reported Dear, who openly expressed anti-abortion and anti-government views, was heard muttering something about “baby parts” after the shooting. From this, inferences have been made in regards to Dear’s motive. CNN also reported investigators also found evidence in and around the building including handguns and rifles, which were allegedly brought in a duffle bag to the scene by Dear, and propane tanks believed to be part of Dear’s attack.

The attack, according to Reuters, is the first deadly attack on a U.S. abortion provider in six years. However, according the the Wall Street Journal, the attack comes after recent months of protesters gathering outside clinics due to the surfacing video from an anti-abortion group which allegedly shows officials from Planned Parenthood discussing reimbursements for supplying fetal tissue for medical research.

Of the deceased was Officer Garrett Swasey, who was a six year veteran of the university police force and worked at the University of Colorado. Two civilians, Jennifer Markovsky and Ke’Arre Stewart, were also killed in shooting. According to the Denver Post, Stewart was an army veteran who enlisted out of high school in 2004 and served in Iraq. Markovsky was a stay at home mom, who moved to Colorado after her husband was stationed there for the military.

According to CNN, Dear, who is currently being held in a Colorado Springs prison without bail, faces charges of first degree murder. The charges were addressed in Dear’s first court appearance on Monday, November 30, who faced his arraignment via video feed from prison. If found guilty, Dear faces a minimum sentence of life in prison and a maximum sentence of the death penalty. After the court appearance, District Attorney Dan May said in an interview with Reuters that prosecutors will have 63 days to decide whether or not they want to bring a death penalty case. The U.S. Justice Department officials have also joined the case, increasing the possibility of a terrorism or civil rights case being brought against Dear by the federal government. Dear will formally charged on December 9.

While this is Dear’s first time facing murder charges, it is not his first run-in with the law. Dear had previously been accused of domestic and animal abuse, in addition to being charged with being a peeping tom.

On Saturday, November 28, Obama addressed the attack in a statement offering praise for Officer Swasey, condolences for the families of the victims, and condemnation of another violent attack through the use of gun violence. Obama once again called on policymakers to do something to prevent future mass shootings. “This is not normal. We can’t let it become normal,” Obama said in a CNN article. “Enough is enough.”

International News

Russia Airstrikes in Syria

Post author By Dani Eaton
Post date October 1, 2015

Wednesday morning marked the first Russian airstrike on ISIS in Syria. The attacks, according to the New York Times, came mere hours after Russian president, Vladimir Putin pushed the issue through the upper house of the Russian Parliament early that morning. The airstrikes, however, have caused concerns within the United States regarding Russia’s motives due to the location of their target.

According to CNN, earlier that morning a Russian official in Baghdad went to the U.S. Embassy and informed personnel Russia would be having their airstrike that morning and the U.S. should avoid Syrian skies. Russia did not, however, give the U.S. any information regarding the geographic location of where they were planning airstrikes.

Despite the U.S. denying their leave, Russia’s airstrikes bombed several cities within Syria located in the provinces of Homs and Hama. The cities affected were Zafaraneh, Rastan, Talbiseh. None of these cities, according to BBC news, have been or are currently under ISIS control or home to any ISIS operations. These cities are instead said to have been home to anti-Assad movements.

Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, has faced criticism and many demands to leave office from the U.S. and its allies. Russia, however, has continually backed Assad remaining in power. Assad has held the position of Syrian president over the four-year-long war that, according to the New York Times, has cost over 200,000 Syrians their lives. According to the Washington Post, Assad, along with his security forces, is being blamed for the attacks and crackdowns that have displaced around 4 million people. The U.S., along with several of their allies, remain adamant peace cannot be achieved until Assad resigns from office. Putin, however, defended Assad today by saying he hoped Assad would make “compromises in the name of his country and his people.”

A New York Times article attempted to justify the attacks by stating, “Russian officials and analysts portrayed the move as an attempt both to fight Islamic State militants and to try to ensure the survival of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Russia’s main ally in the Middle East.” The airstrikes caused the deaths of 36 people, and according to BBC, a number of the deceased were children.

BBC also stated the U.S. was welcome to Russian military action within Syria, but if it was directed towards ISIS and groups linked to al-Qaeda. Putin, however, defended the attacks in a televised address by saying “The attacks were targeting Islamic militants, including Russian citizens, who have taken over large parts of Iraq and Syria.” Putin also confirmed that Russia will not be sending troops into Syria and stated Russia’s role in Syria would be limited.

However, it is said that Putin has both international and domestic reasons for involving the country in the Syrian conflict. The New York Times said, Putin not only wants Russia to be seen as a global power and maintain control of Russia’s naval station at Tartus in Syria, but also wants to draw attention away from the conflict with Ukraine and the country’s current troubled economy.
Secretary of State, John Kerry, said the U.S. would increase efforts in the coalition to stop ISIS and the U.S. was prepared to hold talks with Russia about avoiding future accidental conflicts between the two air raid campaigns “as soon as possible.”

Opinions

God Gave us Animals to Eat, Not to Mistreat

Post author By Dani Eaton
Post date September 29, 2015

I love animals. Future plans of mine include living on a small farm, raising my own animals, and growing my own food. I loved animals so much in highschool I was vegetarian for two years, despite the health problems that arose due to a lack of protein.

In today’s culture there is a black and white answer in response to the cruelty animals endure within the meat packing industry: if you care, you’re vegetarian or vegan. If you eat meat, however, you must not care about what happens to animals before they end up on your plate. I bought into this way of thinking for years eating chicken with a guilty conscious, feeling a tug on my heart as I bit into a hamburger. It wasn’t until recently after watching a documentary, The Ghosts in Our Machines, that I realized that while God gave us animals to eat, He didn’t give us animals to mistreat.

The documentary aims to expose how horribly unjust the living conditions and the treatment of animals truly are within lab testing and industries such as meat packing, dairy farming, and fur trading. While it does indeed prove the horrific conditions and treatment of these it, also proves how much society needs these animals. Our society depends on these creatures, these God-given creatures, for nourishment and sustenance, yet we don’t bat an eye when they’re caged, beaten, and lined up for slaughter in a way that imitates the conveyor belt in the dining hall on which we line our used dishes. We treat these animals like dirty dishes. We objectify them.

Instead of seeing them as living, breathing creatures that are capable of feeling, we look at animals and see dinner. I’m not going to address the whole ‘do animals have a soul’ debate, but one thing is a given: animals feel. They feel physical pain just like you and I do. Pigs feel the pain in their legs from being caged and unable to move. Chickens feel the pain of fellow birds pecking them until they’re raw and bloody due to lack of space. Cows feel the pain of being branded with a hot iron, or metal clips in their ears. Animals feel pain.

My job at a small Christian camp this summer gave me the opportunity to care for domestic farm animals such as pigs, chickens, goats, calves, and even ducks. Caring for these animals every day for two months led me to form a bond with these creatures, along with a strengthened sense of love and respect for animals in general. At the end of the summer my pigs, Harry and Lewis, were slaughtered. They were three weeks old when they arrived at camp, still small and shy. I played with them, fed them, loved them, petted them, and watched them grow, all while knowing they’d soon die.

Morbid? Slightly, but these animals were given everything they needed and wanted. They were loved, respected, and adored. This is the way God intended us to treat animals, not in a way takes away any connect or bond, replacing it with a production line. We have domesticated farm animals. They are dependent on us to nurture them, care for them, and feed them. However, when they turn to us for help meeting these needs, we slaughter them without a second thought. Much like the planet, we are called to watch over and care for the animals God has placed before us. We can’t treat some animals we encounter (i.e. dogs and cats) with respect, and disregard the others. If we’re going to utilize them as a food source, which we have so readily done for centuries, we need to be able to respect and appreciate the role they play in life. People today care so much for the environment, and are actively taking steps to improve our way of living through creating and utilizing alternative energy sources. Aren’t animals part of this environment we care so much for? Shouldn’t we be fighting for both the humans and creatures of this planet?
I realize it’s difficult for us, as students, to afford farm raised ground beef, that’s not my challenge for you today, nor is it to stop eating meat all together. I’m challenging you to be aware. Do your research, know that cage free doesn’t mean cruelty free, know which companies are committed to the humane treatment of animals. Take one day of the week and abstain from eating meat in a way of honoring the sacrifice and the treatment of the animals that have given you sustenance. As you bite into that hamburger, drink a glass of milk, or nibble on an egg, think of the animal that gave their life for you to be able to eat. Say a prayer of thanks to God for providing us with ways to nourish ourselves, then pray that the senseless, inhumane killings of animals one day may cease. My wish is that one day you will be able to look at a cow and see, not a steak, but the beautiful, durable, complex creature that God gifted us with.