Newspaper Page Text
4
Tuesday, October 26, aoio | The Red * Black
OmM Barnett | Editor in Chief editor@randb.com
Carey CNefl | Managing Editor me@randb.com
Coartney Helbrooli | Opinions Editor opinlons@randb.com
Our Take
Majority opinions of The Red & Black's editorial board
Free speech no\y
The editorial board disagrees with NPR
analyst , but defends his right to speak
Juan Williams doesn’t mind flying over the
cuckoo’s nest, just so long as no one is wearing
a turban.
Appearing on Fox News’ “The O’Reilly
Factor,” Williams expressed unease about flying
in planes with people dressed in “Muslim garb.”
Whether or not his words were bigoted, NPR
found reason enough to terminate Williams
from his long-time hosting position.
Although the editorial board does not agree
with his views, we think Williams has every
right to say what he wants.
At the same time, he should be aware of the
risks involved in expressing himself because
NPR has every right to fire him.
Individual members of this editorial board
can, and occasionally do, exercise our first
amendment rights.
But, when representing The Red & Black, we
are accountable for what we say and must be
careful of how it is perceived.
Nevertheless, the First Amendment takes
precedence over political correctness. As jour
nalists, our duty is to uphold freedom of speech
regardless of personal opinion or background.
People may not be happy with what Williams
said, but his words brought an opinion to light
and sparked a debate the original purpose of
the First Amendment.
Don’t feel too bad for Williams following
the pink slip he was given a contract with Fox,
where he will be encouraged to express his
opinion.
The more controversial, the better.
Robert Carnes for the editorial board
Lazy students can
devalue education
Our purpose as stu
dents is to engage
in our education.
I was in one of my
major-level economics
courses, which runs from
11:15 a.m. to 12:05 p.m.
At 11:56 a.m„ the pro
fessor said we only had
five minutes left, so he
would let us out early. I
looked at both my watch
and the clock in the class
room, then raised my
hand to inform him that
we indeed had nine min
utes left.
A girl sitting in front of
me turned around and
said, “Are you kidding
me?”
Apparently she wanted
to leave early.
Now, don’t get me
wrong here: I understand
that sometimes people
need extra time between
classes, and thus want or
need to leave early.
I also understand that
when a professor is at a
stopping point, and the
next part of their lecture
needs a 20 to 30 minute
explanation, trying to
cram it into the last five
minutes is both unproduc
tive and a waste of time.
None of this is lost on
me. I already have a bach
elor’s degree in political
science from the
University, which was paid
for by the HOPE scholar
ship. I am now finishing
my msjor in economics for
a second bachelor’s
degree. Thus, I have no
HOPE funds left.
I’m paying out of my
pocket to be here. And I
paid nearly $3,000.
I want to get my mon
ey’s worth.
So, no, I am not kidding
you.
Wasting class time
would be like buying a car
for $3,000, driving it until
you’re five minutes from
home, then abandoning it
on the side of the road
and walking the rest of the
way. Why would you do
that?
Why would you short
change your education?
Attending the
o*o* •**■* In The fed t BOT an l apNom of la afen ind not *oMMrty tan oTn fed feck
PHadUnpCanM* tic. AH|Mi**niad fepdfetypd*feluCltaddM*
NEWS: 706-433-3002
Kjgkw UU f —■--
•Wwi hnm mn> cnpvy
Aaaodata Naan Edtor RacM Bum
Iporta Editor Zadi (Mm)
UuUiu r .Ml _ U*
• •TWy CmW XJ?J fftnljriS
niinifi riimi --■ - - rrm n ■ i
f’Tnyuj conor Mcywi rnlWI
OMlgn EJIm UM*n Biitniy.
Hi* Tamp*
ww* cant kmco oeTTi rr modbus
Otrtnabao W 1 Brown
0* Copy EdNora Iran Cronoii, Tytx Mom
EdHorW CartMflMa PWp Htnty. Sarati Quinn,
Barium
Christopher
Liakos
University is not a right. It
is a privilege and an
opportunity. That’s why
there is an admissions
process.
Make the most of it
while you’re here.
Imagine people in
third-world countries
without clean drinking
water or food to eat,
sometimes for days or
weeks on end. Understand
that the education you are
receiving here is beyond
what they can even dream
of.
Then look in the mirror
While you’re sitting in an
air-conditioned class, well
dressed and well-fed, and
here to supposedly better
yourself don’t complain
about sitting through the
full class time.
Seriously, it’s the same
people who complain
about not getting oufc
early that also ask the pro
fessor what material is
going to be on the test.
Professors cannot tell you
that information, which is
Why it’s called a test.
Want to know what
material is going to be on
the test?
Read your syllabus.
Oo to class.
Period.
Instead of trying to get
by with doing the mini
mum amount of work,
engage in the process. You
are lucky to be here. There
should be no reason the
bachelor’s degree is the
new high school diploma.
Oh wait, there is:
because lazy people
who don’t want to work —-
devalue education for the
rest of us who want to be
here.
Just something to think
about...
Christopher Liakos is
a senior from
Lawrencevllle majoring
in economics
War Ed Mow*
Edtatt AaaMant San* Jaan Oowr
Bocmltmunt tdMor SoraCflMnwN
Sorter Reporter (MwDuncon
a - *u luu. fta—-...
awn wrmn owow) am jmk*i nymi owe*.
MUCH CTOmen, MACJiP IJ DCMteV rfnaßy DyrO. 4
Com*ugNon.AdOTC*rt*on. Jula CarpOTnr. Mataaa
Cohan. Krty Cotta* DOT* Outran. QtMoph* OArtako.
Jacob Comma, CMi DaSanta. Sarah Jaan Owar f
T*r Elrod. Mfchaal FbpaMdk Brtane Oartamar. Sarah
UmTmmw, enwy uram, iwm upwm, wt* hocks, i,
Patrick Hoopar, Kathryn Inpd, Jan Inpta*. Sham Jarrattl,
Ednart Wm, Haatiar Kkmy. AS* lAtf*\ Carey lam.
Opinions
\ m • jj|F t \ {^^bML
.J$ ' j?f 'flL
Good-girl mindset hinders success
Men like women who smile.
That was once said by
someone who intended to
convince me to change who I was.
Unfortunately, it worked.
Like many women, I was going
through “the good little girl stage,”
a time when we apologize for every
thing, desperately seeking accep
tance from authority figures, peers
and of course the opposite sex.
Such women carefully control
their actions and words their
goal is to please all, an impossible
feat.
And although the feat may be
impossible, I am still controlled by
this desire.
I constantly subject myself to
intense self-examination. I hesitate
before speaking. I reflect on my
thoughts and behavior of the day.
And I do not know who I am
anymore.
When someone bumps into me, I
say sorry. If someone is rude or
ignores me, I say nothing.
Overly polite, far too generous,
annoyingly eager who have I
become?
Once I smiled infrequently. Now
I find myself smiling at everyone all
the time.
I changed who I was because I
was desperate for approval from
Mailbox
E-mail and letters from our readers
Williams’ rights were barred by political correctness
Kelby Lamar’s column (“NPR’s
Williams spreads ignorance," Oct.
25) took offense to what Juan
Williams said about Muslims last
week on “The O’Reilly Factor."
What I take offense to is the level
of political correctness we’re held
to nowadays. It does not solve
problems.
NPR slammed the door on Juan
Williams alter he said he gets ner
vous flying with Muslims.
What NPR should have done,
however, is start a dialogue about
the issue that Williams brought to
light. I know Juan and myself are
not the only two Americans who
have gotten a nervous feeling when
that situation arises.
It’s an unfortunate truth for
some of us after the events that
transpired on 9/11. It just appears
to me that NPR and Kelby Lamar
let a golden opportunity to make
progress on this matter slip away.
Like you said, Kelby, should we not
be sensitive to another person’s
views?
CORY MCCOLLUM
Senior, Myrtle Beech, S.C.
Advertising
In response to Kelby Lamar
(“NPR’s Williams spreads igno
rance,” Oct. 25): Mr. Williams’
statements are protected by the
First Amendment —and so are the
fears, however ill-founded they may
be, of your hypothetical woman.
But the constitutionality of Mr.
Williams’ comments is not at issue
here. We as a society have become
so paralyzed by political correct
ness that nationally-respected
Intellectuals can no longer engage
in potentially offensive dialogue
Point Mgrtnovt, Jwvtit McDonough. Dsvtd MMctol.
IN * * A4 4. 1- H ■*! - A- A
uotiftfic Miicnw, oiflpnw mooo*** Looy rucnßisof)
rVKtr, MCnMi rfOCMeWs ASpOH ofTKIi), s®nj oOtOfUOn.
Nathan Sorenson, Tiff any Stevana Zsck Taytof, Amber
Thome*, KaOa VHarttna, Paige Vamar. Eva Vaaquez.
4 4 ■- - OT-C 144-1-4- ■ -■ - - 4*4—l
Mary Tfmmm, cfWin WatOO r narn® VYStiw
Cttef Pwlpjngfw! Wm BWamhip
PTKHograpnar* Vynanes nytn baroar, Mnam inomp, tan
tnw nsfoi, Maagan Kaaay, wenomw Lucan,
l-l 4 AN- - Ai * *-- 4 41 41- -4- -.4- --
nunaanaain®ynowß,uiwamia upcnu*u' l
Wafer, On* Zotar
Papa Daatgntra R*cM 0. Dowwv, Anundt Jonss,
An* KSMnw*. CMMo**r Mtor, RoMm Ot**y CXartw
Our Staff
A
Crystal
Villarreal
others. At a very young age I had
to confront the expectations for
women in our society and had to
mold myself to fit with those expec
tations.
When I was younger I loved bas
ketball. I would spend all day out
side beating my older male cousins
at the game. But it really was ballet
rather than basketball that was
meant for me.
Good little girls express emotion
through soft, bodily constraining
movements not aggressive
sports.
But in this harsh world isn’t it
aggression, competition and arro
gance that get us what we want?
We won’t land that partnership or
executive position by baking cook
ies and telling everyone in the
office how nice they look today.
We have to be dominant
something we’ve been told a good
girl should not be.
Of course, not all women are so
shy or uncertain about themselves.
without fear of ostracism.
Mr. Williams is not a bigot; he is
an accomplished journalist and a
hero of the civil rights movement.
And while religious tolerance is cer
tainly a bedrock principle of our
repubUc, so is the frank and open
discussion of national affairs in the
public forum.
Mr. Williams expressed an hon
est fear which I suspect is shared
by many Americans during this
time of conflict.
If we continue to silence those
few citizens who are brave enough
to risk offending the increasingly
sensitlve segments of society, pub-
Uc discourse in. this nation will
wither and die, and our repubUc
will die with it.
JAMES A. PURCELL
Grad student, Villa Rica
Law
Juan Williams was fired from
NPR last Wednesday for comments
he made on “The O’Reilly Factor."
His crime?
Not being politically correct.
Let's be honest while Williams
did essentially say he gets “ner
vous” when people in “Muslim
garb” board an airplane with him,
he did go on to stress that he was
only criticizing some, not all,
Muslims.
He then compared such criti
cism to blaming all Christians for
the crimes of the Timothy McVeigh,
the Oklahoma City bomber.
So why was he fired?
He did the one thing you cannot
do in today’s Überal media: say
anything that may or may not be
offensive to anyone at any time,
even if it’s plausible that anyone
EdteW bowtf mamteri iiidude DwM Bumee. Robert Cemee, Courtney HoftsooS, Cwey OTM, Itegtan
PMpiot. Magan Thornton mt Jot WVotn
RumU, Adam Wynn
ADVERTISING: 706-433-3001
§ ftl llHlnn fV,n rlnr - 1 >-44. ... -
knrwCiOr. figUl'Kt
Stutent Ad ICftnßQGf louren Jonn
Territory MMsgwt: Sorth Cdlon, Anns Lowidhil
lnui-fa> Man*nT Ualau Iftftllfm
' BBM MM RBBRpi nßvy VvWiVMf
Account Eteouttm Ktiy Picrco, Andrew love, Serdh
•Overeteet ‘ r <
Sues Aeeoctatee ftyen Beneon, Cerofyn Evers,
Rebecca Tonne
Aovefsting Assistants lbutm MC4ino. cmey ionns
Ofaeaiffeds Pepreeontetlve Jenne Vines
Ctrcuiftton Meneger one MoNne
Phone (706) 433-3002 | Fkx (706) 433-3033
opinioßß@randb.oom | www.redandblack.cont
540 Baxter Street, Athens, Ga. 30605
Not all women feel the need to act
like dainty princesses. And I’m not
saying that being nice will never
get women anywhere.
But I am saying we have to find
a balance between the way we’ve
always been told to act and what’s
expected of us in the professional
world.
As women, we’re all told to
behave a certain way.
A lady does this, she does not do
that.
Well, I say that whether or not
we follow this good-girl personality
script is up to us.
How much of ourselves must we
sacrifice to fit in, to succeed, to
achieve our career goals?
How much must we be willing to
lose to live up to this nearly impos
sible societal standard?
And as we make the transition
from girlhood to womanhood and
from college to the real world, I
think we must be aware that the
real world has no place for little
girls who are desperate to please.
Because once we travel beyond
that Arch, it is the good girl who
finishes last.
Crystal Villarreal is a senior
from LawrenceviUe majoring in
magazines and women’s studies
could feel the same way.
Again, let’s be honest. The men
behind 9/11 and several other ter
rorist attacks have identified them
selves as Muslim, and have been
tied to Muslim extremist groups.
While second guessing those
who look and dress like them may
be a tad stereotypical, I doubt it's
really that uncommon.
It certainty doesn’t equate to
“persecution” or validate the claim
that Williams was “spreading igno
rance” as columnist Kelby Lamar
(“NPR’s Williams spreads igno
rance,” Oct. 25) would have you
believe.
Mr. Lamar doesn’t stop there
either.
He then compares Williams to
“former white oppressors,” and
somehow reasons that because
Williams is a black man, his com
ments are more “damaging” and he
should probably have known bet
ter.
Furthermore, Mr. Lamar contra
dicts himself by saying that he isn’t
for censorship, yet claims that any
one who “says offensive things”
should be “reprimanded.”
Essentially Mr. Lamar would
have you believe that you’re enti
tled to your opinion, as long as it
hurts nobody’s feelings.
Could things get anymore sub
jective?
How far will we go in the name
of being politically correct? It has
just cost a skilled and prominent
analyst his job.
How much longer until it starts
costing us our rights?
JOHN HARRY
Computer scJonoo and English
AmMOT Producflon M*n*g*r: Joahu* Tray BotM
DiurtiinHnn I *■!■tanfn - m 4\4uj, 4 4 all
rroaifCuOn ABtlCiamt mCOWOB Wmiv Mfwt UKI,
N-I - -M4- U-4*. - rUW. 4/ -1.4
rIISOM MID 9, tlsnw rsOICn
Production MBnogof Sun Ptetf
#v..4-11-4--- 4 1-,--,, 41--.. .4
nMMM. nM?y mmwmo
One* M*n*g*r Erin BiiMi)
AmMM Offle* Mmp kkgan Yu*
CtaOTng Ponor M*y Jon
Tin M * Mk k pntMwt Wonky RM*y M mt
aptng wnmrt *nd •* Thntoy mrm an*. np
hofekyi md mot pModt, by The MI Sack PuHWkng
Company He.. * mnm* amp* iwm*** im MUM
Wi Pa LMwanky o< Oaotgla. Sutacnpaor ran SIOS * T**i