Regulation necessary to benefit everyone; Enron perfect example\nBen Piper (Jan. 14) is absolutely right to state that the investigation into Enron should not be allowed to become a political circus. This is not Teapot Dome.\nAlthough Enron chief Ken Lay's close ties to the Bush administration have drawn media scrutiny, I would have been surprised had Bush not known one of Texas' most prominent businessmen. That the Bush administration did not intervene in the Enron collapse speaks well of this White House's integrity.\nWhat Piper fails to mention, though, is the subtle manner in which Enron's collapse shows that the road to deregulation will be neither easy nor painless. This is a fairly significant omission in light of Piper's previous column, which urged the Indiana General Assembly to follow Texas' lead in deregulating energy markets. In fact, Enron's example demonstrates that energy deregulation is probably a road best not taken.\nEnron's example is a perfect case study of how the interests of workers, management, shareholders and consumers do not always coincide, especially when a poor market structure (in this case, stalled SEC oversight rules for outside auditors) destroys the free flow of information. If Piper's wish were granted and Indiana deregulated its energy markets, the people who would benefit most now would not be consumers but investors and executives. Apparently, this transfer of wealth meets with deregulators' approval.\nEdmund Morris' recent book "Theodore Rex" detailed the first President Roosevelt's crusade against the "malefactors of great wealth," whose oligopolistic control of the commanding heights of the national economy (railways, iron, finance) sparked massive social unrest. I knew conservatives hated the New Deal, but I didn't know they resented the Square Deal.\nRegulation helps preserve the social contract between labor and capital. If conservatives continue to act without thinking through the long-term political ramifications of their short-term economic policies, then the protectionism will carry the day and reverse free-traders' gains.\nRepublicans cannot treat workers as lines on a supply-and-demand chart but must treat their concerns as seriously as they do investors' worries. If they do not, then the G.O.P. will suffer, and deserve, electoral defeat.\nPaul Musgrave
Junior
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks not the same as Palestine, Israel conflict\n"Israel also combatting terrorism," (Jan. 14 Farahan column), is an attempt to make common cause with our 9/11 tragedy where there is little in common except the word "terrorism."\nFirst, both Israel and Palestine are guilty of terrorism, meaning the killing of unarmed civilians of the other side. Second, the Israel/Palestine conflict is fundamentally over the possession of a piece of land they both claim, whereas our 9/11 tragedy had nothing to do with land.\nBoth Israel and Palestine have historic claims to the land -- their forbearers, the Israelites and the Philistines, were contemporaries in ancient Canaan.\nIn 1947, United Nations Resolution 181 divided the land about equally between Jews and Palestinians, but subsequent wars produced today's state of Israel with 78 percent of Historic Palestine plus the Israeli military occupation of the remaining 22 percent.\nCommon sense, fair play, justice and international law would argue that all of the 22-percent residue belongs to Palestinians. Israel even signed an agreement, UN Security Council Resolution 242, 35 years ago to remove its army from that 22 percent. But no Israeli government since has offered full compliance with UN242.\nThe terrorism that Israel is combatting is the desparate struggle by Palestinians (after a decade of futile negotiations) to end Israel's military occupation of the 22 percent. Sharon's state terrorism is a desperate attempt to hold onto most of it.\nU.S. mainline media, like The New York Times, avoid discussing UN242. For balance, try www.haaretzdaily.com, an Israeli paper, and Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, www.wrmea.com. For a critique of National Public Radio's biases, try www.abunimah.org. For human rights reports, try the Israeli organization www.btselem.org or the reports of the Christian Peacemaker Team in Hebron, www.prairienet.org.\nMalcolm Fleming
Professor Emeritus
Fraternity president says thanks for acceptance, eagerly awaits greek life\nI would like to thank the IDS for the well-written article on our fraternity in last Thursday's edition and the recent staff editorial. The articles were insightful and presented issues that are of concern to myself, the members of the fraternity and our national organization.\nAs with any fraternity here at IU or across the nation, we are an exclusive group in as much as you must be a male, full-time student of IU-Bloomington to seek membership. Beyond that, our organization is open to all male students regardless of race, religion, ability or sexual orientation.\nOur national organization does pride itself as being, "A Fraternity Founded by Gay Men for All Men," and is open to all men -- straight, bi or gay -- seeking to share in the fraternity experience.\nWe are not here to detract from any other fraternity or organization but rather to support them and hopefully show that gentlemen of varying sexual orientations can come together in brotherhood and fellowship and feel comfortable, accepted and have the openness to be themselves. We hope to show that sexual orientation is a minuscule difference in the grand scheme of things and "hopefully" pave the way for a better understanding and acceptance of the GLBT community and its openness within other fraternities and organizations.\nTo that end, our organization has submitted preliminary paperwork to the IU Fraternity/Sorority Extensions Committee and the IFC and will be participating in a number of greek-sponsored programs this month and in the coming future, as well as working with other campus organizations.\nIn closing, I wish to thank the staff, administration and students of IU for the overwhelming amount of support, acceptance and assistance that our fraternity has received. In particular, Steve Akers at Willkie Quad, the staff at the SAO, Stan Sweeny, Dan Richter, Aaron Krudwig and Timothy Haskell. These gentlemen have gone a long way in proving that IU is committed to maintaining and furthering its ideologies, concepts and acceptance of diversity among its students and organizations.\nAn Open Letter from the Delta Lambda Phi Colony/ President\nSteven P. Ary Jr.
Senior
Men's basketball, soccer not the only great sports to check out at IU\nWhen you think of athletics at IU, basketball or soccer generally are the first things to come to mind. After all, they are the programs that have brought the most success and fame to the University. Or perhaps you think of the football team, albeit for different reasons. These programs all have great histories of tradition and excellence, but IU's best athletic team may also be its best-kept secret. I'm talking about IU's hockey team. Yes, hockey. Indiana isn't exactly a hockey state. And the team doesn't exactly get a whole lot of coverage and publicity. Heck, it isn't a varsity team. If you ever see the team play, though, you're likely to forget about all of that, because if you do, you'll see a display of dominance that is unequaled by any other team here. The best and most recent examples are its phenomenal performances last Friday and Saturday against Purdue. Last Friday night, IU defeated Purdue in Indy 14-0. Saturday night's game, played at the Frank Southern Ice Center in Bloomington, was even better, with IU winning 17-1. I saw this game in person, and I can't begin to describe the absolute dominance I saw. IU outshot Purdue 80-23. At least two players had hat tricks. And on two instances, IU scored three goals in less than a minute. Led by coach Richard Holdeman, IU has won numerous divisional and national titles over the last several years. With tickets going for just a few bucks, they are by far the best athletic deal you can get, and they are definitely worth the time to go see.\nMatt Briddell
Junior
