Jordan River Forum

Embrace the twang, accept others' \ndifferences\nI was at the convenience store the other day when I asked a friend to pass me a "Coke." A kid I had never met before turns to me and says, "It's a Sprite, stupid." First off, his comment was not only uncalled for, but it was rude. Secondly, I realized the only reason this kid felt he could laugh at me was because I was an easy target. Why am I an easy target? Being born and raised in the South has left my mouth dripping with southern vernacular and a slight accent. This kid thought that because I spoke with a twang, I must be an idiot and therefore he could say or treat me how he pleased. This kid submitted to the stereotype that southerners are stupid and do not deserve respect. \nComing to Indiana was a massive change for me, and people like the kid in the store are the ones who make it even harder. So next time you hear a Southern twang, or any other uncommon dialect, remember where you came from and how you would feel in their town.\nLeave science in classroom, religion \nin church\nOnce again Cherry Blattert shows her inability to put forth a coherent argument ("This theory counts too," Sept. 18). The fact is whether she, to borrow one of her most convincing points, likes it or not. The introduction of intelligent design in the classroom is a thinly veiled attempt to get religion into schools. The fact is that this should be taught in church, not a science class. Ms. Blattert tates that "intelligent design offers scientific evidence for a planned universe." Okay, why didn't you state any of it? As for the debate on evolutionary theory, allow me to ask a question: What would be true if evolution weren't happening?\nIf this were true then...\n1) Every organism within a species would look exactly the same. What evolution works on is variability. If variability exists, evolution is proceeding. \n2) If evolution weren't true, you would have an invariant fossil record. But there is an invariant record from the Archean approximately 3.3 billion years ago to the present. I'll conclude with a brief example: The resistance of bacteria to antibiotics. What's happening here is that the bacteria most resistant to the drugs are the ones that survive and then they are the ones left to reproduce and therefore their offspring have a greater resistance. This sort of transformation shows the efficacy of natural selection, which in time, can lead to evolutionary change. The fact is that evolution is a workable theory while intelligent design is a religious idea with no factual scientific basis. \nIt is time to leave the science in the classroom and the religion in church.\nIraq's nuclear capability not there\nAs a member of the American public, I have not been satisfied with the case made against Iraq. All we, the people, have been presented with are the speeches and condemnations of administration officials. We have not seen the evidence or been told why it is being withheld. \nThis is what I personally consider one of the biggest "wag the dog" sagas in recent history. This is a political war trying to ride on the coat tails of a national tragedy.\nIraq's long-range missile, chemical and biological weapon facilities were all either leveled in the Gulf War or dismantled by UN weapons inspectors.\nIf Iraq was in fact producing chemical weapons like Sarin and VX again, the evidence of vented gas emissions would have been detected. \nOur intelligence has no doubt been watching the region by satellite since 1998 when the inspectors left (it's a misconception that they were "kicked out") and if they had the evidence of new, stepped up missile production, then show "us" the dossier. \nIraq's nuclear capability is nil. They have none. The gamma rays emitted by nuclear weapons would have been detected if they had them. Any of these items could be used as evidence. \nWe cannot assume Iraq has weapons of mass destruction without any of this sort of hard evidence. Political rhetoric, family grudges and upcoming elections aren't evidence. \nI think it would be very hard for the Bush administration to use flimsy evidence in the midst of reporters and world officials who have studied the forensic aspects of the issue. \nIs this perhaps why no evidence has been presented to the public because there isn't any compelling enough? \nThink about it. Evidence? Have you heard any?\nMcNeely common denominator in \nathletic woes\nWhat does tearing apart traditions, ignoring student opinion, discriminating between student groups, and a one million dollar deficit in athletic department funds have in common? Michael McNeely, the new athletic director. Has McNeely gone too far by trying to micromanage football? This student says he has. \nThe Marching Hundred practices five days a week, rain or shine, to achieve one goal -- to root for our football team whether they win or lose. To achieve this, we learn a new show almost every week, cheer in the stands at football games, boost game day attendance by bringing our parents and loved ones to the games, travel with the football team for one away game per season and generally boost the enthusiasm of a sometimes hostile and rain-soaked football crowd. \nSo what do we get in return? Traditions that have made the Marching Hundred famous taken away from us with no chance of protest. For 17 years the Marching Hundred has performed the same pre-game show for audiences before home football games. Now, thanks to McNeely, we must alter our show. Not only has McNeely forbidden probably the most energetic and well known segment of our pre-game show, but he has refused to give us a single understandable reason why he is disappointing 300 students and his own football crowd and refuses to answer our phone calls and e-mails. \nOn top of that, the Marching Hundred is no longer allowed to park at the Stadium on game days. We have been directed to park at the Bill Armstrong Soccer Stadium, not only creating parking problems for coinciding soccer and football game days, but making the Marching Hundred hike with heavy uniforms and instruments down the hill to the stadium before game day practice. So tell me, where are the cheerleaders parking these days, McNeely?\nObviously, the Athletic Department had enough money to purchase new, unnecessary uniforms for the Marching Hundred, cheerleaders and football team as well as new flyers, banners and advertisements sporting the "traditional" IU pitchfork emblem instead of the IU logo instated during Cam Cameron's coaching season. Is McNeely trying to make up for overspending by kicking game day participants out of precious stadium parking spaces to erase his deficit with extra parking fee income? Definitely. Are more Marching Hundred traditions going to be squashed in favor of more advertising room during pre-game and half-time to fill in the Athletic Department's budget? Is the Marching Hundred not only going to be moved from areas in the stadium that could produce potential ticket income (reaching the McNeely crowd dream of 50,000) to out of the stadium completely? I hope not. \nBeating a price to pay for brotherhood?\nAnother fraternity boy has been injured after a party? I say, "Ho hum." When are people going to wake up to the reality that is hazing? Frats won't allow pledges to say anything that goes on during Rush and pledgeship, but it just so happens more than once a year someone is hospitalized or dead from injuries sustained at fraternities.\nWhen I was a freshman, a gentleman down the hall returned at 6 a.m., soaked in water, bruises and welts all over his body. I asked him if it really was worth it -- the abuse to just be a "brother." He looked at me and said, "You just don't understand."\nNo, apparently I don't. But then again, I've never had my brain rattled and my body beaten by people claiming to be my "brother." What a joke.\nThere's no peace in pacifism\nThe ideology that IU is a party school has been exemplified in the last few weeks. The IUPD has shown to the entire campus that they are the ones with power. Recently, with 40 drinking related charges at fraternity houses, the IUPD should be proud of meeting its monthly quota. How did they catch these felons? The IUPD stormed two different fraternity houses while pulling students out of beds. \nThis sort of savage behavior is asinine. How can you justify the argument of probable cause? What sort of statement is the IUPD attempting to make? Does the IUPD know that it's abusing its privilege and physically arresting students without reason? I'm weary about using mouth wash before driving, let alone standing outside on Kirkwood waiting for a ride home. Granted, IUPD has worked overtime to reach its goal of 200 tickets per weekend, but these unjustified arrests need to stop. \nThere\'s no peace in pacifism\nDid this country learn nothing from Munich? It seems that we have many neo-Chamberlains running around this campus with a plan to appease the Arab Hitler. Neville would be so proud. Iraq recently announced that it would allow U.N. weapons inspectors back into its borders unconditionally. \nThe Arab Hitler has given his word. Of course the first Hitler made promises too. To put it bluntly, the problem with Iraq is not merely its weapons programs, but that it has a man, evil and brutish, who has no qualms about unleashing death upon his enemies heading its government. \nThe past decade has seen violation after violation of U.N. demands for weapons inspectors to be admitted into Iraq. As Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld testified before Congress, at this stage, weapons inspectors would be nearly useless as Iraq has had years of experience to cleverly hide facilities, munitions and other items forbidden by the U.N. \nThe stated goal of the U.N. following the Gulf War was the disarmament of Iraq. Saddam has made it manifest that he will not comply. Only his removal can ensure peace in our time. Sixteen times Mr. Hussein has defied the authority of the Security Council and yet, the world balked. It is said, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." What about, "Fool me 16 times?" \nMany of the foolish appeasers are quick to point to the less-than-proud history of the U.S. in its support of tyrannical and abusive governments. Are we then to continue in this policy and treat Mr. Hussein as though he were a normal member of the international community? I say that our inaction on this matter is equivalent to approval of Mr. Hussein's government. \nIndeed, many of our so-called allies have been pushing for a removal of the economic sanctions on Iraq. They point to the vast poverty of the Iraqi people and then have the gall to blame the international community for their plight. Does not Saddam Hussein have hundreds of opulent palaces, filled with every modern convenience? Does not Saddam Hussein pour millions into his own personal army to make war against his own people? What barbarism.\nThe fact is that there is no peace to be found in the pacifism promoted by Mr. Bourke and others. Only more death and destruction await us and our allies if we tarry.