The Pilgrim’s Protest

By Elizabeth Castellow

In a world of instant news that can be found with only the few clicks of a mouse it is surprising how easy it is to ignore what happens in this country and in the world. CIU itself is commonly referred to as a ‘bubble’ because it is so easy to experience little of life outside the campus. It isn’t difficult for a student to go weeks with little national or world news but this is not beneficial. In light of this, The Pilgrim’s Protest hopes to publish an article in each issue that highlights various news items. As the school newspaper, The Pilgrim’s Protest hopes to be a source of news in a way that it hasn’t been in the past. Also included will be links to various news websites so that further information can be gathered. As readers, if anyone sees a news item that they feel should appear in the next issue, please send it to thepilgrimsprotest@gmail.com.. Links the articles listed here can also be found on our website.

World News

Patriot Missile Misfire
On October 15th the U.S. accidentally fired a Patriot missile, into an unpopulated farming area in Quatar. There were no injuries or casualties. The military is investigating the missile launch but it was a misfire that occurred during training.

Darfur Massacre
There are reports of another massacre in Darfur, it is claimed that over 30 civilians have been killed by Sudanese government troops. This includes a group of children fleeing the gunfire. The Sudanese government had denied involvement in these and other attacks. While it is unclear who perpetrated this killing, there have been many others like it across Darfur.

National News

Comedian Runs for President?
Comedian Steven Colbert, of “The Colbert Report”, has announced his intentions to run for President as both a Democrat and a Republican candidate, but only in the state of South Carolina. In order to be on the ballots for either party there is a filing fee. For the Democratic Party it is $2,500 and for the Republican Party it is $35,000. Although he announced his intention to run on “The Daily Show” he has yet to pay the filing fees to be officially on the ballot for the South Carolina primaries.

Southern California Wildfires
Areas from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border have been burned in a wildfire, forcing residents to flee for their lives. Hundreds of homes and businesses have been destroyed; fortunately there has been only one reported death, thus far. Wind has caused the spread of the fires and made conditions even more dangerous. Governor Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency in several counties and fire fighting forces are being stretched thin.

Local News

Care Packages for Soldiers
Care packages, from organizations like Military Support Ministry of Lexington, can be a great encouragement to soldiers overseas. Some of the packages are sent to bases under the control of the S.C. National Guard’s 218th Brigade Combat Team. These packages are targeted to be received by younger soldiers serving in places such as Iraq.

Presidential Race and College Expenses
While few presidential candidates address the rising cost of college expense some South Carolinians feel that this issue should be given more priority. In the South Carolina, public universities are the most expense in the southeast and costs continue to rise.