When acclaimed government professor William A. Dorman speaks, students generally listen. Having been in several of his classes, I can attest that his knowledge and teaching methods have gained a certain degree of respect, until now. A noisy rooster has taken up permanent residence outside of Dorman?s American Foreign Policy class in Alpine Hall. At first, Dorman countered its wailing cries with witty remarks. Then he tried ignoring the obnoxious bird. Either way, the wailing continues.

President Donald Gerth has said that the campus rooster population is smaller than last year. This may be true, but this semester they actually seem louder, and more active. Recently, students have reported roosters running amuck in Capistrano Hall. The University should transplant them to someplace where they can roam safely and relatively free of human contact. Perhaps they could be quarantined away from classes. Admittedly, they can be a pleasant diversion to the monotony of campus life, but the University should do something to curb the disturbances.

American Foreign Policy depends on it?

?Speaking of foreign policy, freelance journalist Eduardo Cohen spoke to a surprisingly packed crowd in the Multicultural Center last Thursday. The lecture was not without colorful anecdotes. Cohen reported that while in Bolivia, he fell into conversation with a Bolivian national guardsman. The officer, an agent of the Bolivian government, showed off to Cohen a 9 millimeter submachine gun, equipped with a silencer. When asked why he needed a silencer, the guard responded, “Sometimes we like to do our work without disturbing the peace.” Needless to say, the guardsman was a brutal agent of dictatorship. Cohen said the gun was paid for by the United States government.

The Cohen speech was part of an ongoing series of foreign policy related lectures that are taking place in the Multicultural Center and University Union this fall semester. I encourage you to attend them. Though I tended to disagree with much of Cohen?s analysis, including his kind descriptions of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, his message was sound. American foreign policy is not as forthright as it looks on the news. Cohen gave convincing evidence of several foreign policy debacles, including America?s role in starting the Vietnam War and its anti-Arab policies, but asked no one to believe him. He encouraged college students to actively monitor American policy by reading alternative news sources. I recommend The Nation and Harper?s. But for campus reading, stick with The Hornet?

?On the home front, the atmosphere was much friendlier in the University Union last Thursday. Jugglers, musicians and magicians were among the many spectacles that mingled with students as part of last week?s “Phagleblast” festivities. Close up magician Brad Bonner travels around the Sacramento area performing at parties and other assorted banquets. He was called one of the best in the country by one of his colleagues. Whether that is true or not, he certainly knew how to entertain a crowd. “Have you ever been a magician?s assistant?” he asked a student in Java City, “because there is a little dress we have to get you to wear.” His next comment made a little more sense. “This sure beats having a real job,” he said.

Juggler Todd Paul was also a hit with students. At least four student jugglers arrived to join Paul during the day, he said. “It?s just stuff you don?t see everyday,” Paul said. Such events certainly lighten the hectic atmosphere on campus. Letting magicians and jugglers run around the Union was a clever idea. Hopefully the Union has more tricks up its sleeve for the rest of the semester.

Joshua K. Leon is opinion editor of the The State Hornet and a journalism major. He can be reached for any questions, comments or suggestions at [email protected].