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4 | Monday, SirTtutH 28, ic^8 | Thi R«n * Ri ir«
Chandler Brown | Editor in Chief
— rdltfjrlg.randb.com
Erin McClain | Managing Editor
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Kristen Wyatt | Opinions Editor
r>pinions(a randb.com
Our Take
Majority opinions of The Red dt Black's editorial board
Affirmative action
We shouldn't let politics stop our
commitment to diversity
The outcome of this fall’s elections could have a
huge impact on the way the University looks.
Both Guy Millner, the Republican nominee for
governor, and David Ralston, a Republican running
for attorney general, have vowed to fight affirma
tive action in Georgia.
So what does that mean to you? It means there’s
a very real possibility that race would not be con
sidered on University applications. And University
programs that use state money for
the purpose of serving minority stu
dents could be eliminated.
Race-based admissions has been a
political hot-button for years. When
California passed Proposition 209 in
1995, all race considerations for
admission were dropped — and
minority enrollments at public
schools plummeted. Other colleges
and universities around the country
are wrestling with the same affirma
tive-action questions we are.
Is affirmative action a good thing
for the University? Many
Republicans say no. Race should
never be a consideration, they say,
and preferences only make people
think minority students didn’t get
accepted on their merits alone.
Apparently, University President
Michael Adams disagrees. He’s spo
ken in favor of race-based admis
sions since he took office more than
a year ago. Adams says the University should focus
on recruiting and retaining minority students so
that our student body will look more like the
state’s population.
We appreciate Adams’ commitment to affirma
tive action, and we hope he stands his ground no
matter who wins the elections. Here’s why:
► Race plays a less significant role in admissions
than people think. Most all students are admitted
because of their SAT scores and grades in high
school. For borderline applicants, race is consid
ered. So is being related to alumni or having a sib
ling in school here. Since minorities are less likely
to have relatives who went here, it only seems fair.
► Eliminating race considerations may harm
diversity on campus. Worse, it would send a mes
sage that may convince Georgia’s brightest black
students to attend a historically black school
instead of the University.
Race considerations in admissions won’t solve
Georgia’s problems of racial Inequality. One day we
hope all children get the same quality education
and affirmative action won’t make a difference.
But we’re not there yet. We hope Adams sticks to
his guns and defends the importance of recruiting,
admitting and retaining minority students. If any
thing, we need to do more to encourage diversity
on campus. Nobody knows the best way to do that
yet, but we’re pretty sure dropping race as an
admission consideration won’t do the Job.
Our Staff
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Correction
Because of reporting and editing errors, an article in Friday's
edition of The Red A Black gave incorrect information about a
pre-concert lecture Friday at Ramsey Concert Hall
The lecture was given by Steve Dance, son of longtime Redcoat
Marching Ba.id director Roger Dance, who died in August
Opinions
Red&Black
4* iaWeradrai rteSrei ■ronpae* 1 wn*) .4 (wop* romm
Ask all the tough questions now
H ave you ever had a light with
your parents? Do you ever
tell them how much you
appreciate their love and sup
port?
Like many of us. you probably
take your parents for granted, at
least every once In a while.
They might not always be easy
to get along with — In fact, your
parents might drive you crazy,
Just like mine have.
I have been trying to explain
to my mom for at least eight
years now how the down system
in football works!
Neither of my parents attend
ed college either. This has made
my college years pretty Interest
ing. They have had big problems
understanding that I might be in
class only 15 or 16 hours a week
i — but researching, studying,
working and writing, all those
things that go on after class,
make college a full-time Job.
My dad really thought that I
watched “Friends,” went to foot
ball games, drank beer — and
that’s about It.
But even though they are not
always as understanding as we
need them to be, they still care.
Until a month ago I was living
under the Impression that my life
was pretty secure.
I was out spending too much
money on clothes, going to
Kroger, thinking about football
tickets I would never get, and
making sure that I was in my
apartment on time for my dad's
ritual post-”Jeopardy!" phone
call on Wednesday evening.
That day I got a different call.
My mom called and said, “alt
down.” Right there and then I
JOY MULLANE
A
knew it was more than Just bad
news, this was going to be life-
changing news.
She told me that my father
and sister were swimming at the
beach. My sister made It back to
shore — but my dad did not.
My father and I didn’t have a
great relationship.
In fact, I thought we were Just
starting to be able to talk to each
other. Usually we could only talk
about sports and what categories
were on “Jeopardy!" that night.
But recently he actually lis
tened to my thoughts on school,
future career Ideas, politics and
religion. He didn't agree with me
on these Issues, but he at least
cared enough to listen.
It has really helped to know
that at least we didn’t end our
time here together on bad terms.
I have talked to other Mends
who have lost parents, those who
were on bad terms said they
wished they could go back and
erase the last things they said
but couldn’t.
Be good to your parents, no
matter how big a pain they are!
There might not be a chance to
say you’re sorry.
I also didn't realize how much
I rely on my parents until this
happened. I don't see them on a
regular basis, and I pay my own
bills, so I consider myself pretty
independent.
I didn’t know who my father's
lawyer was, where he kept his
Important paperwork, where he
wanted to be buried or how to go
about arranging a funeral from
one state to another.
It is so important for your
loved ones to know your wishes
and how they can carry them out.
Find out from your parents
where their paperwork is. Ask if
you can get added to the list of
people to contact If something
happens to them on the job.
Find out where they keep
Important phone numbers or
where they hide their safety
deposit box key, just in case.
These things are not so bad If
your parents are still married and
the other one Is still around, but
If your parents are divorced, they
probably have changed things
since the divorce. That’s what
happened to me.
No one wants to think about
these things happening or deal
with them when they occur.
But at least being prepared for
the business aspects will help
those In mourning In one of the
toughest times In their lives.
I know It sounds like a com
mercial for elderly people, but It
holds true for anyone and every
one.
Most of all, don’t apologize for
your emotional breakdowns. You
don’t need to explain It to any
one.
— Joy Mullane is a news
writer for The Red <6 Black.
Mailbox
E-mail, letters and faxes from our readers
University police are polite, helpful
I would like to respond to all
the recent articles and letters
regarding the University police.
I have personally dealt with
the campus police very recently
during the season ticket fiasco.
To be honest, I was nearly arrest
ed. I confronted an officer, and I
feel I was dealt with accordingly. I
brought the situation on myself,
and I hold absolutely no 111 feel
ings toward the officers Involved
or the department. I was not
arrested and was allowed to talk
the situation through with the
officers.
I think everybody walked away
feeling the situation appropriate
ly reaolved, and I learned a lesson
or two. My brother has dealt with
the police on several occasions
fbr minor events such as a minor
accident and locking his keys in
his car. He tells me the officers
were very prompt and polite.
There are many out there with
with tales of pleasant dealings
with the University police, and I
urge them to write as well. Do not
Jump on the bashing bandwagon
until you think about what the
officers do for the entire
University.
Think about who you will call
when you are need of emergency
services. Above all, remember
police officers are human beings
like the rest of us!
THOMAS McDANIEL
Sophomore, Social Clrcio
uiKWCNiaa
Faster computers for
UCNS wasting money
Does Memorial Hall really
need faster computers? Faster
computers will not make the lines
during drop-add any shorter.
E-MAILING US
Questions or comments? Here’s
where to point and dick:
Lettere I opinionsOrandb.com
Newt Tips I newtOrandb.com
R*B Online I sethmOrandb.com
They can’t do a thing to make
ARCHES faster. Web pages will
not load more quickly, and people
will still type at the same speed.
What a great Investment!
$148,000 and all that people will
be able to do Is scroll the screen
faster
Unfortunately, due to the
nature of the PC market, people
will be able to scroll the screen
faster for two to three years, then
they will have to upgrade again.
Perhaps UCNS should buy
some newer Macintoshes and
keep them for eight years, Just
like the LC models which have
been in the labs since freshmen
were in elementary school.
I see the money going to waste
on multimedia computers for a
lab where the main use of com
puters Is to check e-mail and
browse the Web. The last thing I
want Is to be working on an essay
and have the person next to me
listening to music on their com
putet; aimlessly surfing the Web.
Instead of buying 82 useless
computers, the money could be
used to provide ADSL access to
dial up users. That way, If people
wanted to listen to music while
they aimlessly surf the Web, they
could do It in the comfort of their
own home without bothering stu
dents who need to work.
The money could also be used
to Improve the University
Internet backbone. Thla would
benefit everyone who uses cam
pus computers to surf the Web.
The University of Tennessee
may charge students a technolo
gy fee to help finance new tech
nology, but they also have stu
dent committees deciding where
that money is spent.
I’m sure that if University stu
dents had a say about what the
money should be used for, they
wouldn’t waste money to replace
perfectly useful computers.
NED WATSON
Sophomore, Athene
Japanese
Ticket scalping is a
serious problem
In regard to Blake
McCormick’s column (The Red ti
Black, Friday). I agree that scalp
ing tickets Is both unjust and
obnoxious. Sure, you want to get
great seats (or seats at all) for the
big game.
But look at what you are doing
here. Some guy bought as many
tickets as possible knowing that
poor souls like yourself will pay
anything for them. Let's take a
look at this situation. The whole
purpose of going to these games
Is to have a good time and watch
some ball.
You shouldn’t have to fight
and pay top dollar for tickets that
are offered to everyone. And to
you scalpers, sure you are trying
to make a quick buck.
Hey, why not try, oh I don't
know, working for Instance? That
way you aren't screwing over your
“Mends” and fellow students
every weekend.
MIKE HENRY
Freshman, Atlanta
Pro-Journalism
DOUG GlLLETT
▲
I survived a
wacky week
with ladies
Y ou know how you just
have one of those weeks
where it's, “Anything that
can go totally crazy will”?
That’s what this past week
was like. It started Monday.
Some background: Y’all
might not know this, but
Alicia Siiverstone (from
“Clueless") and I had been
dating for about a year and a
half. Problem was. things
started to sour around March
of this year: she said we need
ed to “see other people.”
which really means “I'm
already seeing someone else,
might as well make it official."
So she was seeing this
other guy — you know, Chris
O’Donnell, her co-star in
“Batman and Robin" — and
she dropped me like a bad
habit. A free man, I started
dating Tyra Banks. The super
model. I don’t know If Alicia
was jealous or what, but when
she saw Tyra and me in
“People,” arm in arm at the
premiere of "Deep Impact,”
she went postal and didn't
talk to me for weeks.
But this week, we decided
we’d been silly and to give it
another try. Tyra was with
some basketball player, and
Alicia said she and Chris were
through.
Or so I thought.
Monday night Alicia and I
went out. We had a great time,
and she came back to my
place. But at like 8 the next
morning — and this bugged
me, because my first class
wasn’t until 2 p.m., and I like
to sleep in — the phone rings.
And this voice goes, "Alicia?"
You can guess how suspi
cious I was. I asked, "Who Is
this?" He hung up.
But I thought everything
was OK until I got home from
work and Alicia was cleaning
the apartment, putting out
silverware and stuff. I asked,
"Are we having company?"
She said, "Chris is coming."
I didn't want to make a
scene. So I politely told her
I'd be damned If that punk
was going to break bread with
me In my house. Alicia gave
her stock answer: "You
always do this!” I tried
explaining to her why I didn't
want Chris around while we’re
patching things up, but she
Just said, "Well, he's coming
for dinner, and that’s that."
And of course I had to say,
"And staying for breakfast as
usual. I’ll bet.” That did It.
I slept on the couch that
night. She was gone by morn
ing, so I called my Mend
Sarah Michelle Cellar to get
some lunch with me at Five
Star Day. I can tell Sarah any
thing.
I told her about the prob
lems with Alicia, and she told
me I’d reacted the way any
one would (what a good
Mend). But who should walk
In Just then for take-out but
Alicia?
Jealous, Alicia made a
scene. I tried to explain Sarah
and I were Just Mends, but
when I got back to the apart
ment, all her stufT was gone.
I figured I’d seen the last of
her. So — and this might not
have been smart, but I’d
always felt sort of a more-
than-Mends attraction to
Sarah — we decided to date. I
was a free man, right?
Ouess not. Because Sarah
and I went to see Camille
Paglia speak Thursday night,
and afterward we were at Blue
Sky, and we’re sitting there
holding hands, and guess who
walks in? Alicia. With Chris.
D'oh!
She didn't make a scene.
But on Friday, I'm walking to
my car, and my Mercedes SLK
is keyed all down the side.
That's why I’m driving that
Plymouth Neon you may have
seen me In, Incidentally. I
haven’t heard from Alicia late
ly, but I’m just waiting for her
to call when I’m not there and
Sarah answers. All hell will
break loose then, I know It.
'Cause It’s been that kind
of a week, you know?
— Doug Oillett is variety
editor for The Red A Black.
His column appears
on Mondays.