The Red and Black (Athens, Ga.) 1893-current, November 06, 2009, Page 4A, Image 4

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Newspaper Page Text4A Friday, November 6, 2009 | The Red & Black Carolyn Crist | Editor in Chief editorCaTandb.com Haytey Peterson | Managing Editor me@randb.com Megan Otto | Opinions Editor opinions@randb.com Our Take Majority opinions of The Red & Black’s editorial board Senseless statue Spending $60,000 on a statue is not wise with the economy this had. The Red & Black editorial board is thrilled to learn that, in a time when professors are being furloughed and students are delaying graduation in hopes that the job market will bounce back, steps are being taken to keep campus pretty. In a little over a year, North Campus will be graced with a statue of Abraham Baldwin the first president of the University. Its $60,000 price tag will be paid by the Alumni Association (it will not detract from the other donations they make). Loch Johnson the Regents Professor of Political Science here at the University has spearheaded the campaign because he knows that furloughs are temporary, but a statue lasts forever. One University professor will no longer need to worry about pay cuts and furloughs. Kinzey Branham, a faculty member from the art department, will receive $30,000 for sculpting Baldwin. Thursday’s editorial “Grant money woes” talked about how a state grant of $836,470 to the University can only be used in prescribed ways. Both that federal money and this dona tion from the Alumni Association are prime examples of a reason the economy is in such dismal shape: people handing out money to be used in manners that are not needed. One of Johnson’s main supporters in this venture is Senior Vice President for External Affairs Tom Landrum. He stated that the money that is not used on the statue will be put toward academic purposes. This seems backwards to the editorial board. Asa school, our primary goal should be edu cation. The aesthetic of our campus needs to be secondary. Johnson and Landrum stress that this statue of Baldwin will add to the history of campus and connect present generations to the past. We are worried that in addition to needless spending, they’re ignoring the realities of today. In a “bold” move, Baldwin will face away from the depravity students can find in the 89 bars downtown and toward an idyllic college campus —a campus where students can find underage drinking in the dorms, tons of tailgating trash following home football games and years of sex ual harassment still being addressed. If Abraham Baldwin were here to see what has become of the university he founded, we wonder if he would agree that this statue takes precedence over the myriad of other problems facing the University today. Maybe we’re wrong. Maybe Baldwin would see the wisdom behind this venture and agree that it’s as necessary as sustainable trees. Megan Otto for the editorial hoard. Mailbox E-mail and letters from our readers Blaming the players and downtown for a bad season is unfair and judgmental I don’t know Mark McAfee. He could be a real solid guy, so I hope he doesn’t take too much offense, when I say he is lame... and wrong. I went to undergrad here and I’m in law school here now. Players on some off those great teams from 02-05 partied after wins and losses, as do play ers off the teams since McAfee has been here. So first of all, there’s no difference. Secondly, they are students too, and as long as they’re not breaking the law, they can blow off steam however they like. Now if Coach Richt instills a rule (and maybe there’s one already there) say ing they can’t go downtown after a loss, or at all, or just a flat curfew, I’m not saying that’d be a bad rule. I see the point of it. But to act like this is a) something new to this program or any other coUege program (if you think for a minute that players don’t party in Austin or Tuscaloosa, win or lose, i’ve got some swamp land to sell you) and b) something that shows how much they care, is just plain wrong. Newsflash: people deal w/ disappoint differently. We don’t need some Journalism major on his high horse telling folks how they should spend their time after a loss, most especially kids that work harder than any of us did or do in undergrad. Get off the players backs and quit act Opkiions expressed In The Red A Black are Ihe opinions of die writers and not necessarily dose ot The Red and Black Publishing Company Inc. Al lights reserved Reprints by permission ol die editors NEWS: 706-433-3002 News Editor: Brittany Cotar Associate News Editor: Daniel Burned Sports Editor: Ryne Dennis Variety Editor: Marie Uhler Photo Editor: Jake Daniels Design Editor: Lauren Bellamy Copy Editors: Kelly Boswell. Jennifer Guyre, Beth Poliak Online Editor: Marc McAfee Out 1 About Editor: John Barred Recruitment Editor: Bridany Binowski Editorial Cwtoonlet: Bill Richards Editorial Adviser: Ed Morales ing like you’re 70. CHARLIE BAILEY Grad Student, Harris County Law Zeal of a few results in a bad name for all In her 10-29-09 Kori Price presented a interesting article that challeneged her readers to rethink how we come at this social taboo. The article was interesting and presented a voice that is seldom or never heard. On 11-02-09 Dr. David Holt responded to this article and pointed out that there is such a thing as pom addiction and there is a harmful side to these product. His opening paragraph was insightful, until he declared the industry evil (setting him self up in a seat of Judgement.) The second paragraph then came across as the ranting us Moderate Christians fight to dis associate ourselves from. I was first offened that Dr. Holt made a judgement about Ms. Prince’s personal life. Who is he to say she would even want/have a boy friend or husband, let alone how she would respond to this per sons interaction with pornogra phy. The second problem I have Editorial Aaalatant: Casey Bndgeman Senior Reporter: Chelsea Cook News Writers: Leah Bishop. Ryan Burte, CaKltn Byrnes. Sara Caldwell, Julia Carpenter. Dallas Duncan. Mananne English. Mimi Ensley, Shanessa Fakour, Vivian Giang. Raisa Habersham. Ashley Hieb. Adam Hicks. Brittney Holmes, Jennifer Johnson, Polina Marinova. Carey O'Neil. Dhara Patel, Diana Perez, Tiltany Stevens, Jordan Tate, CaitHn Valentine, Drew Wheatley Sports Writers: Rachel Bowers. Chris D'Aniello. Zach Dillard, Tyler Estep. Drew Kann, Fletcher Page, Nick Parker Variety Writers: Katie Andrews. Kayla Beck, Jessica Brown. Adam Carlson, Kathleen Dailey. Ruthle Elmore. Malt Evans. Brittany Forrestal. Brians Gerdeman. Sara Opinions THE. RtPUBUCM HEALTH pUM: PROMOTING COMPBtVHoN £3 ~o' : Sex in the Classic City Stringless relationships do not last long What good comes from being friends with benefits? Sure, there’s no com mitment, no strings attached and fun times. But is that the kind of relationship anyone really desires? I know people who have an extremely difficult time being “just friends” with the opposite sex ... the friendship always turns out to have sexual benefits. A few weeks ago, a friend and I started talking about these “rela tionships.” She told me what she thought about the topic, and I found that I mostly agreed with her. Generally speaking, in the begin ning of a benefit-induced relation ship, everything is fine. There is a mutual understanding of what is expected, and the friendship is completely physical. I don’t feel that being complete ly physical is .a good foundation for any relationship, but typically that’s what defines “friends with benefits.” There is little obligation to the other party and everything is exhil arating and new. However, after a while, one indi vidual begins developing a desire for more commitment... or at least a few boundaries. My friend and I came to the con clusion that, eventually, one person decides they want more "strings” in with Dr. Holt’s argument is his use of the Bible to conclude his argument. I am a Christian who believes in a divine Jesus, but I accept that others are not. That means that the Bible does not have the authority over others that it does me. If we, Christians, want to make an impact on the world we have to strive to understand and love all. We can not try to use the Bible in argu ments as an basis of authority, because not everyone accepts it as such. If we want them to come to understand the Bible as an authority we have to show the love we are commanded to, and when asked about it point to the Bible. As the old hymn says, "And they will know we are Christians by our love.” JONATHAN BROWN Grad Student, Stone Mountain Religion Apology appreciated but sincerity doubted In response to Wednesday’s Letter to the Editor from a UF Alumna, I’m glad the Red & Black was able to come up with a title to summarize, as I had no idea where Ms. Seay-Willis was going with it. I’m not trying to pick on something just because Goodman, Sophie Loghman, Laurie McGowan. Chris Millet, Rachel Mlrabella. Grace Motris. Robbie Ottley, Priya Patel, Michael Prochaska, Tyrone Rivera, Zach Taylor. Eva Vasquez Chlel Photographer: Daniel Shkey Photographers: Renee Aytworih, Rachel Bailey Charies- Ryan Barber. Wes Blankenship, Courtney Ebert. Lindsay Grogan, Jessica Henry, Emily Karol, Jon Kim, Autumn Mcßride, Kevney Moses. Sarah Pelham. Lily Price, Jackie Reedy, Ashley Strickland. Molly Weir Page Designers: Jessica Clark. Brittany Guthrie, Ana Kabakova. Thomas Nesmith, Megan Otto, Darkne Oyemaklnwa, Amanda Jones. Tahiti Sugars Our Staff tiOURDANA Passaro the friendship. They want a relationship. They want to be exclusive. In more traditional relationships, there’s an expected level of exclu sivity and trust. Friends with benefits are basi cally open relationships in which each companion can have other partners and be unfaithful without the guilt. Consequently, each partner is susceptible to sexually-transmitted infections and jealousy. Although this carefree style of dating or just sleeping together may seem the perfect way to “have your cake and eat it too,” feelings inevitably get hurt. If one individual wants to be exclusive and the other doesn’t, nothing can be done to keep that person from seeing other people. They are “allowed” to see other partners, and jealousy usually overwhelms the one who wants an exclusive relationship. The only thing that comes from being friends with benefits, other than potential STIs, is complete confusion. Once the benefits begin to fade because of altered feelings, it was written by a Gator; I truly appreciate Greg Wall’s apology on behalf of UF in his letter, but even if the R&B still edited letters for clarity, I’m not sure they would have been able to do much with this one. Indeed, I would have appreciated the sentiments of a rival fan try ing to unite two schools under a sense of conference solidar ity, but I’m not sure this point was ever made, except maybe in the last paragraph. Rather, I think it was a letter used to brag about having once sup ported UGA baseball financially and having met Vince Dooley, among a “rambling, incoherent” mess of randomly capitalized and quoted words and phrases. Perhaps Greg Wall would like to now apologize for this letter and, once again, ask the “UGA Bulldogs... not to judge the rest of us from this assault.” JARED SMITH Senior, Woodstock Art History Marriage is still a sacred tradition Since when has marriage become all about “joint taxes” or “sharing the health benefits”? Should the fact that a hetero- Editorial board members Include CaMn Byrnes. Carolyn Crist. Marcus Crawford. Michael Fkzpaetck. Megan Otlo and Hayley Pelereon ADVERTISING: 706-433-3001 Advertising Director: Natalie McClure Student Advertising Manager: Malt Gonglacri Territory Managers: Catherine Merrill. Denial Pugh, Taylor Rawtkis Account Executlvea: David Alen, Katharine Biackstad. Aka Chemnat. Stacey Joseph. Chris MetvWe. Pamela Peterson. Jennifer Ftooks Online Advertising Speclsltst: Claire Scuty Sales Associate: Anna Lewenthal Classified Manager: Amanda Gotorih Close riled Representative: Lauren Jonas, Jessie Phelps Ad Assistants: Emily Johns. Thomas Pußam Phone (700) 433-3002 | Fax <7O) 433-3033 opinionß@randb.eom | www.redandblack.com 340 Baxter Street, Athens, Ga. 30005 the friendship begins to fade as well. It is difficult to be “just friends” after such an intimate relationship. My friend and I agreed that it would be an extremely awkward situation, especially if you picked your “friend” up in class and are forced to see them weekly. Being “just friends” is a step back from the sexual struc ture both parties had originally designed. Even if friendship is all both people desire, jealousy may still arise when one individual sees the previous partner with anew love interest. The most troubling aspects of these limited-commitment bonds are the complete and unpredict able feelings your “friend” might be developing. There isn’t a concrete way to anticipate the possible detour to exclusiveness, and this usually com plicates the entire carefree situa tion originally constructed. Friends with benefits may be acceptable for some people, but it’s not for most. One person eventually wants the typical relationship that revolves around monogamy and relational security. Jourdana Passaro is a junior from St. Marys, Ga., majoring in risk management and insurance and magazines. sexual couple can save “$469,000 in their lifetime,” compared to a same-sex couple, be the reason we get married? When did mar riage, a lifetime commitment of “love, honor, and cherish...’til death us do part,” shift to just a way of saving money and-making important medical decisions? Marriage is not a “traditional trap.” The desire for that inti mate relationship is what “draws eyes to those magazines.” Marriage is a gift given by God! It is a oneness that is just a small glimpse of the relationship which God longs to have with each one of us. It is love, com mitment, and intimate compan ionship that should drive us to pursue marriage, not money or any other worldly issues. CATHERINE HOLT Freshman, Bishop Dietics LETTERS POLICY Letters must include name, year in school, hometown, phone number, major or job title or other appropriate identification. Letters are not edited for spelling or grammar, but are subject to editing for length, style and libelous material. All letters will be published - either in print or online. n ri Am OIUamJ production Manager. sam rtnaru Production Stiff: Gary Bardizbanian, Josh Barnett. Dro Flckkng. Priscilla Kattie. Elaine Kelch Receptionist: Amanda Goforth Office Manager: Erin Beasley Assistant Office Manager: Megan Yut Cleaning Peraon: Mary Jones Publisher Harry Montevideo The Red A Mack Is puNshsd Monday kvough Friday tad and spring ssmeatsrs and seen Thursday summer comaslsr, except holi days and sxam periods, by The Red 1 Black Putiahlng Company Inc., a non-proW campus newspaper not sfkfcaUd with the UnwanNy of Georga SubetxipkonrMi 1195 par year ,

Georgia Historic Newspapers

The Red and Black (Athens, Ga.) 1893-current, November 06, 2009, Page 4A, Image 4