No service problem

As an incoming freshman this summer, the only thing I wasn’t looking forward to about life at GW was the food. I don’t like retail-style fast food, so I knew I’d have to find an alternative to J Street, even though it’s the most convenient dining option. It’s been almost three months, and while I haven’t gone hungry, I haven’t gained any new respect for our dining services on campus, either.

It’s no surprise that Aramark is losing money – students don’t like its food. There is little variety and the quality is inevitably lackluster. To improve this situation, Aramark has decided to lay off some J Street workers right before the Thanksgiving holiday. How is this going to improve profits over the long term? How is this going to make students want to eat more often on campus? Fewer workers means poorer service.

And this is only phase 1 of Aramark’s plans. The service wasn’t the problem, but now that the company has cut that, what’s next? Now, even if Aramark does improve the variety and quality of food, decreased hours of operation and a work force that is stretched thin are only going to become new reasons not to eat Aramark food. What kind of planning is that? Give us good food and good service and we will eat there. Every other restaurant in the District competes on these terms. And because better food isn’t worthwhile without adequate service to go along with it, if Aramark wants to salvage its profits it should begin by reinstating every one of the laid-off workers.

Phase 2 should be improved quality and variety of food. I’d be more than happy to assist Aramark in doing just that, but I’m just a customer and a student, and who ever asks us?

-Cheryl Deutsch, freshman

Fight back

Walking to class on Thursday afternoon, I suddenly heard bagpipes and saw the dreaded red sashes. Yes, our good friends, the fanatical members of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property, were yet again on the GW campus. Their mission du jour? Handing out fliers discussing the need to “make homosexuality illegal” and badgering students who, for the most part, want nothing to do with them.

As I walked into the Marvin Center I overheard University Police officers discussing the spectacle, wistfully commenting that they could do nothing about the situation because the group was breaking no laws.

I thought about the TFP throughout the day. I support free speech, so I agree that we cannot just throw them off of campus, no matter how offensive they may be. However, I believe the student body needs to mobilize against people and groups such as the TFP.

So the next time you see these people harassing students and spreading messages of hate, take a minute to stop and tell them you don’t want them on our campus. Let them know that GW does not endorse their message of hate and intolerance. We may not be able to silence them, but we can certainly fight back.

-Jessica Cisneros, sophomore

You have the floor

In recent years, the homosexual movement has rallied hard to charge its public image. It has aimed its words at convincing the world that it is peaceful and that its immoral behavior does not extend beyond the confines of the bedroom. However, actions speak louder than words.

On Thursday, members of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property organized a peaceful demonstration to voice their opinion in accordance with millions of Americans that homosexual acts undermine the moral foundations of our nation. The response they received from on-campus pro-homosexual activists was neither peaceful nor moral.

Within a couple of hours of TFP’s arrival, an organized resistance formed. One of the many pro-homosexual activists spewed obscenities for more than 10 minutes that would make any sailor blush. Armed with his cell phone, he proceeded to call in reinforcements.

Feeling threatened and hoping to maintain public order, TFP members left, which brings me to two fundamental questions I wish to pose to proponents of homosexuality on GW’s campus. First, if homosexuals are peaceful, why did the TFP feel threatened? Second, if homosexual perversity does not extend beyond the bedroom, why did you resort to public obscenities? Campus activists, you have the floor.

– Adam J. Ramey, senior, founder, The Middle Eastern Christian Student Alliance