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4 | Tit-QAr. OcTomt ft. 1998 | The km * Burn
Chandler Brown | Editob in Chief
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Erin McClam Managing Editob
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Kristen Wyatt { Opinions Editob
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Our Take
Majority opinion* of The Hr/t <* Mark's editorial board
SGA? Who cares?
SGA must do more to make the
students care about its job
Your representatives in SOA work hard to make
the University better for you and your education.
But you probably didn't realize it. Few students say
they care about SOA or what it does.
A weak, irrelevant SOA hurts us
all. Without our support, SOA mem
bers can do little to convince the
administration that we’re behind
them — because usually we’re not.
Improving the University’s SOA is
a tough challenge. The men and
women in the group face an uphill
battle wherever they turn, no matter
how hard they try to address issues
like the honor code, library hours or
the single-family zoning ordinance.
Students and representatives both have to do
some work to make SGA a viable student voice.
First, SOA needs to figure out what issues we
really care about and want them to tackle. Ask us
what we want the University to fix. The honor code
and landlord property regulations probably aren’t
high on the list.
That also means we have to talk to our SGA rep
resentatives instead of complaining that they don’t
reflect the diverse voices on campus.
Call SOA at 542-8584. They want to represent
you, so tell them to quit bickering about political
action groups and focus on real problems like park
ing and overcrowding They’re listening.
Another Atlanta?
Students can help protect Athens
air from dangerous ozone levels
When we visited this campus in high school, we
fell in love with the scenic walkways of North
Campus — not the traffic on College Station Road.
Heavy traffic isn't just annoying. It’s threatening
the economic health of the entire region.
By now you’ve probably heard that Atlanta’s got
big air-quality problems. So big, in fact, that 13
metro counties aren’t allowed to build any new
roads until thay find a plan to cut smog. And it
affects students here in Athens.
A huge number of us comes from metro Atlanta;
many of us plan to return after graduation. The
poor quality of Atlanta's air affects the whole state.
It’s important that Atlanta continues to be an
attractive city for new business growth.
We can do our part here in Athens to improve the
area's air quality. The proposed commuter rail line
between Athens and Atlanta could do wonders for
reducing the number of cars on Oa. 316. We need to
support the rail line and encourage our elected offi
cials to do the same.
It's also important for us to look for alternatives
to the car here in town. Athens has a strong repu
tation around the South for its bus system, bike
paths and sidewalks. But it's important for stu
dents to use alternative transportation.
The more students cycle or ride the bus to
school, the more attractive Athens will look to new
students and businesses. It’s not easy to leave the
car at home, but Atlanta’s lesson should show us
how much a community depends on its clean air.
It’s up to us to pressure the University and
Athens-Clarke to make public transportation a pri
ority.
NEWMAN
NEWS: 543-1809
Ham* Editor Vtr* N*tM
Sports Editor. Brandon Zmvnarman
Varioty Editor Doug Gflatt
Associate Hurt Editor Maffiww Grind
ftecruMmsnt Editor *Ka Cogg*
Chtet Copy Editor fy Brown
Copy Editors Ctanssa Andrews Arssha Johnson.
OonalCteboma UaaSncMand
UGA Today-Wire Editor Dawd Foster
OnMns Editor: Satn MiOsr
Photography Editor Thomas Mattha
Chtet Photographer kafftiaan Cote
Reporters Andrew DsMRo Kate Douglas Russ
itendsrson Andrea Jonas. Franco McCormack.
Lou* Rodee Marti Arihcny Thomas
Sports tenters Josh KatroWtz Lindsay Bridal
CM Pom*
Variety Writers: Josh Masasy. Jonathan Rood
NatianSotwm
Editorial Assistant Shane OaSenana
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Opinions
Red&Black
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Booty and Booger on the Bayou
I n all the post-game analysis of
Georgia's 28-27 upset of LSU
(heretofore known as The
Greatest Football Game Ever). I
was shocked not to read about
one of the primary reasons
behind Georgia's victory. It's so
obvious, yet so overlooked.
Since I started wearing my
Bulldog-red Hawaiian shirt to
games, we're a remarkable 4-0.
Wisconsin, Kent. Wyoming and
LSU all fell victim when The
Shirt was present (I couldn't
make it to South Carolina).
That's OK, though. I don’t
I need any of the credit. I have a
bit of dignity.
Of course. I write all that to
reach the word "dignity,” which
gives me a nice transition to what
I really want to write about: the
dignity of Georgia fans. Walking
out of the 28-27 upset of LSU, I
didn't hear many Bulldogs rub
bing in the victory to the 70,000
dejected Tigers. I didn’t want to
lower myself either. At that point.
OK, good I’ve talked about
the dignity of Georgia fans, which
has served only as a transition to
what I really want to talk about:
why LSU sucks. My dignity meter
is on low.
I got to Baton Rouge, La., on
Friday and stayed at the luxuri
ous Budgetel Inn. a place so posh
shampoo is by request only. The
parties were there for the taking,
but I was with my dad. so we
ended up at a movie theater.
Waiting in line to buy a Coke, I
found myself standing next to
Champ Bailey. And then Quincy
Carter walked by. The entire
team was there, doing its movie-
before-game-day ritual (I saw
many of them walk into the inspi
rational classic “There's
Something About Mary").
In the lobby, I took Quincy
aside, and we talked about the
game plan. I told him. “Look, for-
JOSH MASSEY
A
get what Donnan has told you in
practice. If it’s late in the game,
and you're in a must-have third-
and-slx situation, forget the short
yardage. Go for the 15-yard play.”
He nodded. He understood.
“Now look to the right, but
what you’re really going to do is
hit Champ on the left sideline,
and be sure to do it just as you’re
being really hit hard. That way,
you can look good and get Lee
Corso to call you the best fresh
man quarterback in 30 years."
“All right. Josh," Quincy said.
“You’re a tactical genius."
Then he asked if he could wear
my Hawaiian shirt sometime, but
I told him we’d wait and see after
the Tennessee game.
And on Saturday night, I wit
nessed the creation of Bulldog
Legend. But, um. I've been ram
bling. And I've run out of transi
tions. Let's Just get to the top live
reasons LSU sucks:
1. "Tiger Bait!” This is the
phrase every Georgia fan was
pelted with before the game. In
fact, it’s LSU’s sole put-down.
That was all they had. But I just
don't get it. Bait is something
used to catch and kill something.
Fishing bait lures the Osh to the
hook, so the bait-user can kill the
fish. Wait, maybe that's what the
Tiger fans meant. They were con
ceding the victory six hours
before kickoff.
2. Stupid signs. A big phrase
in Baton Rouge is "Geaux
Tigers!” It’s printed on T-shirts,
posters, stickers and the back
sides of old ladies. “Geaux?” It’s
like they’re proud to be French or
something. What weirdos.
3. Translations: Speaking of
the damn French, “Baton Rouge”
means “red stick” in that ugly
language. What a dumb freakin’
name. And. yes. I’ll leave out my
ideas of where that red stick
ended up after the game.
3. It's all in the name. LSU has
players named Abram Booty and
Booger McFarland And they
have a scoreboard that describes
every play So if wide receiver
Abram catches a pass and runs
for a few yards, it’ll say, honest to
God, “Booty gets a little."
4. L.S.Who? Tiger fans may be
loud, but I’m pretty sure it's all in
the acoustics — because they're
lame. This is what I overheard:
“Georgia fans are crazy! They
never sit down!" Two words:
damn straight.
5. Um, oh yeah. The fifth rea
son LSU sucks? It isn’t undefeat
ed.
By the time you read this, I'll
probably already be tailgating for
Saturday's game. It’s gonna be
crazy — as football fans, this is
our biggest Saturday ever.
Always wanted to go to the Super
Bowl? This is your chance, times
two.
To all the players and coaches,
thanks for making last weekend a
great one for all Georgia fans. I
can’t speak for everyone, but for
me, it was more thrilling than last
year’s Florida game. Now let’s
keep our groove going, get a little
orange-and-white vengeance and
emerge as the only undefeated
SEC East team.
Tennessee seaux.
— Josh Massey covers movies
for The Red A Black. His column
runs on Tuesdays.
Mailbox
E-mail, letters and faxes from our readers
Leave Spec Towns open to public
I am writing in regard to your
front-page article “Track May
Close to Public"
(The Red & Black. Friday). I
agree that the track should be
closed while athletes are practic
ing, but I strongly believe the
track should be available to the
general public during the hours
when It is empty of campus activ
ities.
The argument that the general
public will wear out the track is
misplaced logic.
The next suggestion will be to
bar the community from attend
ing free performances at Hodgson
Hall because the seat-covering
material will wear out faster with
the inclusion of the University’s
friends and neighbors.
By depriving exercising citi
zens access to the track, you
doom them to a less safe environ
ment.
Those who run streetside must
dodge traffic, breathe carbon
monoxide (times and worry for
their personal safety. Totally
excluding Athens citizens who
support the University with love,
tax dollars and community pride
Is a slap in the face.
I suggest two new signs for
track entrances:
► “TRACK CLOSED — Our
Georgia team practicing with
pride.”
► “TRACK OPEN - Our
Oeorgla community exercising
with pride.”
A. LOUISE LOPEZ
Secretary,
Human Subject* office
E-MAILING US
Questions or comments? Here's
where to point and dick:
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University must stop
accommodating cars
The editors of The Red &
Black and a professor claim that
something is obviously wrong
when 749 speeding tickets were
issued in six months on River
Road when 2,390 were issued in
Clarke County the same time.
They are absolutely right!
But It's not because too many
tickets were Issued on River
Road.
Too few are Issued both in
Athens and on campus.
Thoughtless drivers are run
ning roughshod over pedestrians,
bikers and other drivers who
respect speed limits and stop
signs.
For example, Baldwin Street is
dangerous for pedestrians and
bikers, even though it is heavllty
travelled by both.
If the campus community
wants to seriously and responsi
bly address parking, speeding
tickets and other automobile-ori
ented controversies, perhaps it
should sensibly advocate alterna
tives to the car.
Istead. it always tries to
accommodate drivers.
It can begin by closing
Baldwin Street to through traffic.
JASON HENDERSON
Senior, Athens
Geography
Ad inserts make R&B
look irresponsible
After a pleasant respite from
advertising Inserts in The Red &
Black, what greeted my eyes in
front of Park Hall Monday morn
ing? Tobacco ads strewn in all
directions. When I called the
office. I was told you distribute
16,000 papers every day. If all
Inserts were staked up, the pile
would be more than 50 feet tall.
Taxpayers pay someone to
clean up the mess those slovenly
people leave behind. It makes
you question how environmental
ly conscious the management of
The Red & Black really is.
I appreciate that you must
have advertising revenues to pub
lish. At the same time, I hope you
will take a serious look at your
contribution to litter on campus,
the associated clean-up costs and
the waste of natural resources
these inserts represent.
You could Improve the situa
tion by ensuring that recycling
boxes are available at every site
where The Red & Black is dis
tributed.
DORINDA Q. DALLMEYER
Legal ran arch associate
School ol Law
MARK ANTHONY THOMAS
Affirmative
action helps
all students
Hello, my name is affirma
tive action. Don't run — I
won’t bite you
I just wanted to tell you a
little bit about me because
you might not understand my
purpose.
For some reason many peo
ple are trying to get rid of me.
For example, gubernatorial
candidate Guy Millner wants
me to fade away like a hurri
cane on land. Unfortunately,
people need the rain I bring.
My goal is to establish a
foundation for diversity to
nourish. However, diversity at
the University can't flourish
with me alone.
It takes an extra effort of
every aspect of the University
to bring more than just
majorities to school here.
I am like AIDS medication.
Right now, there’s no cure to
establish diversity, like there’s
no cure for AIDS. But I can
help. I can’t solve the prob
lem, but things may get a lit
tle better with my help.
Without me, diversity
would die sooner than the
AIDS victim. But like the
medication, there are a lot of
costs and risks involved.
First, you’ll get majorities
who feel that everyone
deserves an equal opportunity
to get admitted to the
University.
That is true. And that's
where minority recruitment
efforts come in. There are
more than enough qualified
black students in Georgia to
overfill the current 7 percent
population.
The University must seek
the qualified group and admit
It.
In addition, interviews
should be mandatory to come
to the University. If admission
officers got a chance to know
students, then they could see
beyond an application and
SAT score.
Shouldn't the University
know the students before they
represent the University?
Another myth that people
have is that I bring in under
qualified people. The
University wouldn’t let me
bring in underqualified people
if I wanted to.
Plus, if I could bring in
underqualified minorities, this
campus would be filled with
more than just 7 percent
blacks.
In addition, race is consid
ered a factor in admission and
not a prominent role. My role
is about as prominent in
admission as Jada Plnkett-
Smith's role was in “Scream
II." I get killed off fast in the
admission process, like
Pinkett-Smith, if the student*
are underqualified.
Although my role is small, I
still have some kind of influ
ence to bring diversity to this
campus. I help bring more
than just blacks to this cam
pus — I bring Hispanics,
Asians and males. This cam
pus is dominated by females,
and I help bring some males
to equal out the numbers. If I
were eliminated, this campus
would be basically a white
female campus.
If I am taken away, the one
or two minority students in
your English classes would
turn to none.
There would be one per
spective in each class, and
that would most likely be a
perspective from majority
white Marietta females who
have two alumni parents.
Get rid of me if you want to
and you'll learn the hard way.
This school will be like the
Universities of Texas and
California and have basically
no minorities.
This campus would have a
national reputation for not
welcoming minorities.
The lack of diversity and
removal of affirmative action
would be the George Wallace
on the University's welcome
mat. discouraging all minority
students to enroll
I charge you to prevent
that from ever happening.
— Mark Anthony Thomas
covers student judiciary for
The Red A Black. His column
appears every other Tuesday.