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Monday, January 12, 2009 | The Red & Black
Carolyn Crist | Editor in Chief editor@randb.com
Chelsea Cook | Managing Editor me@randb.com
Shannon Otto | Opinions Editor opinions@randb.com
Our Take
Majority opinions of The Red & Black’s editorial board
Grab a megaphone
Students should be inspired by their
peers to take a stand on larger issues
As student journalists in a ‘small Southern
town, it’s an exciting day when we can localize
world issues.
We often face the dilemma of covering a fan
tastic story idea and needing to find a way to
relate it to our community and our readers
effectively and meaningfully.
But today, an issue that dominates headlines
in The New York Times the escalation of
Israeli-Palestinian conflict visits the front
page of The Red & Black for reasons that should
inspire all of us.
Here’s to senior Shireen Judeh, sophomore
Yasmin Yonis, senior Hadas Peles and junior
Zaid Jilani for not only taking action toward a
cause they are passionate about, but realizing
that even small voices can resonate in our soci
ety.
Although their cause is more than 63,000
miles away, these students, and thousands like
them, are standing up for what they think is
right.
Though the genocide-like attacks in Palestine
are more tangible for people such as Judeh, who
is of Palestinian-Ame'rican descent, it cannot be
ignored that she and her megaphone alone will
not save a life.
But she shouts anyway.
These students have participated in rallies in
Athens and Atlanta, places where they are sig
nificant minorities, but that fact only fuels this
fire.
For some, there are moral obligations.
As humans, there is nothing we can do to jus
tify an innocent death. But standing up for
them, and honoring their life in your own is not
only comforting, but progressive.
Their reasoning is one that should be the cor
nerstone of any unjust matter.
Even if a small protest by the Arch isn’t rec
ognized by the media (but it should be. Call
us!), it may spark one passerby to Google the
issue and form his own opinion.
This, in itself, is a victory.
So let these four students and the thousands
like them the Joan of Arcs, the Ghandis, the
Harvey Milks, the Malcom Xs and the Gloria
Steinems of the world —be a microcosm for one
of our upmost responsibilities of living.
In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “Our
lives begin to end the moment we become silent
about things that matter.”
Chelsea Cook for the editorial hoard
Slackers no more
To those of you who could just never
make it to class , we don't appreciate it
Before the semester really takes off, The Red
& Black’s editorial board would like to say a
big, heartfelt “thank you” to all the students
who are too cool for school.
And by “too cool” we mean, “don’t care
about and didn’t go” to school.
It is because of your lack of interest and gen
eral absence from class that we all must pay
the consequences.
This semester, it seems more and more
departments, and subsequently the professors,
are instituting stricter attendance policies.
Gone are the days when professors would
turn a blind eye and not care if students went
to class.
Gone are the “you are adults and you make
your own decisions. If you don’t want to attend
class, that is your prerogative,” policies.
Now, we’re subjected to the “three-absences
and you’re dropped” or the “lose a point on
your final average for every absence after three”
speeches.
For these new policies, we thank you. Now,
we’re required to go to class all the time, or risk
losing HOPE or failing.
We can’t take the occasional mental day to
recharge, like other college students.
We no longer have the luxury of not being
harassed by professors about whether we go to
class or not.
We liked having the decision of attending
class entirely in our hands.
And now, thanks to all of you, it’s not. The
professors now have that power.
We thought we had left behind the archaic
high school system of attendance policies when
we entered college, but apparently, some of you
just weren’t ready for the real world yet.
And now we’re all paying the consequences.
Michael Fitzpatrick for the editorial board
Opinions expressed in The Red a Black are the opinions ol the writers and not necessarily those ot The Red and Black
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Opinions
ggjggjSJ*- HUBSBS
LWe for wsk. iris Tie "keel
m isgß ■■mn
Loving the freedom
to do her own thing
This one’s for all my fellow commitment-phobes
out there.
Let’s get something right out into the open: I
haven’t been in a relationship that’s lasted more than
a year.
I haven’t found the person I’m head-over-heels,
want-to-spend-the-rest-of-my-life-with in love with.
So it may seem pretty obvious why I’m writing a
so-called “anti-young marriage” column.
I don’t want to throw
out a bunch of statistics
because those are gener
ally pretty meaningless
when they concern peo
ple’s feelings.
But let’s take another
look at the situation.
My Facebook Friends page has been flooded lately
with relationship statuses changed to “Engaged.”
But if the thought of donning a white gown and veil
makes you gasp for breath (in a hyperventilating sort
of way), know that you’re not alone.
We’re 20, 21, 22 years old.
Soon, it’ll be our first time in 17 years without
papers, tests and homework.
Once we’re out of school, diplomas in hand, we can
do anything we want.
This decade of our lives is supposed to be one huge,
indecisive blur. We can move anywhere and do any
thing before our 30s come crashing down on us, and
we’re supposed to do responsible things
like take out a mortgage and actually
settle down in one job.
Want to move to Hong Kong? Go ▼ j
for it! —.
Thinking about taking a job with
a start-up company that could come
crashing down? Why not?
If you’re already settled down, it’s easier to
forgo the opportunities that make life more interest
ing.
It’s easy relatively speaking for one person to
pick up and move to, say, Italy, for a job.
But add another person (who probably already has
a job), and perhaps a kid or two, into the mix, and the
situation gets much more dicey.
I couldn’t be happier for my friends who have found
the person they want to spend the rest of their lives
with.
But I just hope everyone who’s married or soon-to
be-hitched takes the time to have adventures and do
crazy things before they settle down in one place.
If there are things you want to see and do in the
world, don’t feel like you have to give up the oppor
tunity because you’re too busy planning a wedding or
saving for your future kids’ college funds.
We have the rest of our lives to have a family and
work the 9-to-5 grind every day.
That being said, there’s no “right age” to get mar
ried.
And I’m sure there are women out there who can
maintain total independence while married.
But if you know you’re not one of those girls, don’t
be in any hurry to get married because you feel like
you should.
Believe me, we still have plenty of years until we’re
officially considered “spinsters.”
Someday, you’ll find your very own Ne-Yo —a man
who appreciates a woman who does her own thing
and doesn’t need his help.
OK, that was a pretty lame pop culture reference,
but (hopefully) you get the point.
I’m in no rush.
Shannon Otto is the opinions editor for The Red
& Black. She wants any future potential boyfriends to
know that she does eventually want to get married.
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Sx* Shannon
Otto
Fighting her fear of
satin, bridal mags
As University seniors, there are many costumes
we don during our last semester. For the role of
the Entry-Leveler, tailored pants and a blazer
complete the interview-for-the-first-job look.
For the Graduate, a black cap and long gown that
offers no perspiration relief suffices during the out
door graduation ceremony.
But shortly after I toss my cap and put my gown
aside, I’ll put on a different gown —one that’s white,
sparkly and not too long so
I don’t trip. Yes, I’ll be tak
ing the role of the Bride,
and in addition to school,
work and finding a job, I’ll
be getting over my fear of
bridal magazines to plan a
wedding.
The bridal role is one
I’ve loathed openly, because I was never into the
dream wedding fantasy.
I never understood the need for 27 different brides
maids (the putrid dresses in that Katherine Heigl
movie were a little scary), Save-the-Date photos or
his ’n’ her towels.
I couldn’t care less about any of that after four
years of dating, because none of that buttercream
glitz is important to me.
But it is a path I’m willing to navigate into because
I’m ready for marriage.
I’ve heard more than my fair share of different
reactions to this fact, which range from
ik. “Congratulations!” (thank you) to “Are you sure
you’re sure?” (yes, Mom) to “OMG, you’re
pregnant!” (absolutely not, but thanks for
X your concern).
J At age 21, I’m often placed in the “too-
J young-too-nalve” category for many
things, and marriage is definitely at the top
of the list.
And I know that the statistics for young
marriage aren’t so hot according to 2004 Census
data, of people ages 25 to 29 who had married, 63 per
cent of men and 59 percent of women are divorced.
But there are many positive things about young
marriage that are often left out of the polls.
Marrying young allows you to spend your adventur
ous years together with the person you love.
As Harry tells Sally in their eponymous 1989 movie,
“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your
life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to
start as soon as possible.”
Waiting to marry after I’ve saved for a first mort
gage or for my future children’s college fund wastes
the precious time I have to spend traveling the world,
trying out new jobs and spending quality time togeth
er with the person I love. Marrying young also allows
for ample time to plan for a family.
My fiance and I know that kids will not be in the
picture anytime soon, but we’ll have plenty of time to
change our minds because we’re getting a head start
on our future together.
But the truth of the matter is, I don’t think there is
a “right” age to get married.
To have a single poll or columnist tell you what is
right for your love life doesn’t allow much room for
freedom.
Marriage —and young marriage isn’t for every
one. But for those of you who, like me, are going to
take the plunge, I’m there with you and I salute
nay, toast you.
Now only if I could figure out how to combat my
fear of satin and tulle to buy my wedding, I’ll be
in good shape.
i *
Jo Ann Anderson is the editor for The Red
& Black. She’s slowly getting over
her fear of bridal magazines.
Edltpriai board members include Shannon Otto, Chelsea Cook, Carolyn Crist, Kelly Shaul and Drew Wheatley.
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