— STAFF EDITORIAL —
“Bong hits 4” Oden?
“If we are all created in the image and likeness of God, [Greg Oden] was most likely modeled after his taint,” are the most notorious words written by a Xavier student in quite some time.
The now infamous quote is from a March 19 blog post on FreeXavier.blogspot.com entitled “An Ode to Oden.” The post, basically an angry, vulgar rant about Ohio State’s freshman center, probably would have gone unnoticed, but on Tuesday morning, it was picked up by the wildly popular Deadspin.com, one of the most read sports websites on the Internet.
Whether the author of the post, who writes under the pseudonym “Aramis” (the Newswire appreciates a good Alexandre Dumas reference), wanted his words to receive national attention or not is irrelevant at this point, as thousands of people are going to be offended by this blog post, and are going to form their opinions of Xavier students based on their reaction.
While the Newswire cringes at the thought of ignorant people judging all Xavier students by the writings of an anonymous individual, we don’t feel poorly represented by “Aramis.”
The Newswire has an excellent sense of humor and, as such, we understand that the language used in this blog post is so over the top that it clearly demonstrates comedic intent. However, we fear that many people (especially the melodramatic chatboarders at MusketeerMadness.com) are not enlightened aficionados of comedy such as ourselves, and will take “An Ode for Oden” much too seriously.
Clearly, in contemporary society, attempting to be funny has its perils. For example, on March 19, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of Frederick v. Morse in which a student sued his high school principal for suspending him for displaying a 14-foot sign reading “Bong Hits 4 Jesus.”
While the Newswire thoroughly enjoys imagining Justice Antonin Scalia debating the constitutional ramifications of the phrase “Bong Hits 4 Jesus,” we are more than a little appalled that on the fourth anniversary of the Iraq War, the United States Supreme Court was focusing their attention on a high school student’s bizarre joke.
Maybe it’s a generation gap, and older generations simply don’t understand younger generations. Maybe the current generation of young people are simply unfunny, and older generations are calling us on it. Or maybe, just maybe, in today’s society, too many people take themselves too seriously to recognize when something is a joke (or at least an attempt at one).
It’s not even a generational disconnect, though. In the furious campaign before the 2006 midterm elections, John Kerry was crucified by the media for his “botched” joke about the American military. As offensive and irresponsible as Kerry’s “joke” may have been, the uproar it created was stunning, if only because it distracted the public attention from issues that were actually relevant.
It seems more and more like people are actively trying to be offended about things, whether it’s a senator’s joke, a teenager’s sign or a Xavier student’s blog post. A suggestion to message boarders everywhere: instead of making a serious fuss over a disappointed Xavier student’s rant, focus on something that’s actually serious, like how Ohio State basketball players don’t graduate.
Willie Ever Shut Up?
Matthew Finger
Op-Ed Editor
Justice, fairness and equality are, in my opinion, some of Xavier’s foundational characteristics. These qualities make us not only an academic institution, but a community as well. As a community we carry with us feelings of love, affection and tolerance toward everyone.
Last week, the Xavier Alliance and Xavier University students participated in the education of our community by joining a nationwide program aimed at raising awareness about the issue of homophobia, and advocating acceptance and tolerance for people with different sexual orientations. They handed out 500 T-shirts branded with the slogan “Gay? Fine by me.” proudly displayed on the front.
To me, that is exciting. I like the idea of Xavier students generating an atmosphere of acceptance. But, Bill Cunningham, a radio personality on AM station 700 WLW, disagrees.
Mr. Cunningham, the self-proclaimed “Great American” and Xavier University alumni, found out about the progressive movement and was not very pleased.
Cunningham invited Patrick McNearney, class of 2009, the Xavier student heading up the campaign for equality, to discuss the event on his radio program. It wasn’t really a discussion. It was more of Cunningham screaming and ranting into the microphone (shock radio is SO 1998).
He attacked McNearney for promoting homosexuality and gay sex on a Catholic campus, proclaiming that it is a sin and that the pope and God Himself forbid it. If people want to be gay, they should transfer to UC.
OK. There are very few things that make me hopping mad. Xavier students who work for the athletic department cheering for OSU last Saturday at the game are one (that’s right, I caught you, girl). Another is ignorant people. Bill is not that girl, so he has escaped category one. But he fits snuggly into option number two, and may even epitomize it.
To be honest, I am kind of ashamed that a graduate of Xavier has such hateful (hate is a sin) thoughts. I don’t really like being associated with bigotry. I don’t think anyone here does.
Gay students don’t belong on “his” campus, according to Cunningham. Well, first off this is OUR campus, Bill, us being the people who support tolerance and equality. OUR campus has tolerance for everyone, except people like that. Everyone has a right to attend Xavier without the fear of persecution from people like Bill Cunningham.
It’s people like Willie boy who hold our society down, keeping it in a perpetual state of blah. Our culture is one of progress and diversity, and, as one of my professors put it, “the idea that tomorrow will be better than today.” That progress is only impeded by intolerance and narrow-mindedness.
That’s really the name of the game—progress. It’s people like Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi. But it’s also people like Esera Tuaolo, a gay man and former NFL player who spoke at Xavier last week to help educate people about homophobia.
Progress is also people like you and me who have the chance to actually change the world for the better, just by accepting other people for who they are, and by not condemning them to the fiery pits of hell where they will be forced to listen to Bill Cunningham in syndication, just for being different.
The only way that not only our community but the world is going to get better is if we put our foot down and tell people like Bill Cunningham that there is no more room for people like them and their hate anymore. There is only room for growth.
Giving Thanks for Concern
Kudos to students Jacki Sprinkle and Doug Kramer for their wonderful letter: “Terror Under the Big Top.”
Undercover footage for years has shown circus animals being routinely beaten behind the scenes. Often, this is done when the animals haven’t misbehaved for any reason ... just to keep them submissive and living in terror.
Baby animals are torn from their mothers (mothers often need to be slaughtered as they try to protect their babies), and for what? So that we can bring our children to watch them jump through hoops of fire?
Montel Williams, a former Marine and talk show host, has surely seen more than his fair share of brutality and horror stories but when Kim Bassinger appeared as his guest with undercover circus footage, this macho guy had tears in his eyes when he begged his viewers not to subsidize this kind of sadism by giving their dollars to circuses.
It is gratifying indeed that Xavier students are using their pens for the voiceless.
Jayn Meinhardt
Xavier Alumni
Why Evil is Winning the Battle
The current dispute that has been stirring up my fellow group of comic book nerds and fantasy geek friends lately, is who the better superhero is between Superman and Batman. Some argue that Superman is the supreme figure because of his allegorical origin story and the comic’s allusions to classic Greek mythological heroes.
His range of superhuman abilities and his notorious Boy Scout demeanor makes him as patriotic as he is messianic. Nowadays, Batman has become more attractive to people because of his lack of superhuman powers and his guerrilla-style approach to crime fighting.
Batman is intimidating with his low voice and black costume; he lurks in the shadows and attacks his enemies like a predator. The way these types of characters are presented determines which will get the most fans. In this case, the darker it is, the better.
The media in general seems to be going dark these days. Films, television and even comic books are getting more serious by heavily exploiting – sometimes romanticizing – evil and sin in their themes (there is even a graphic novel series and a movie called “Sin City” by Frank Miller).
Why is sin outselling virtue? Has sin become our new salvation? Is our society so used to seeing the world in a cynical way that it sees the Platonic “good” as too abstract to believe in?
The most plausible reason that sin is popular these days is because it grants freedom. This freedom ranges to multiple facets of our daily lives. Urban wear, for example, has now become a rapidly growing fashion among suburban kids.
They are drawn to the excitement of urban society and want to emulate it. The hip-hop urban scene in advertisements is appealing to outsiders because it sells as a taboo that prompts rebellion and indulgence into the coolness of what is shocking and edgy. But sometimes, the way in which some ads portray urban culture increases stereotyping and perhaps feeds racial tension.
In some cases, being too sinful may be too much to handle. Anyone wonder why Looney Toons doesn’t air regularly anymore? As it turns out, Bugs Bunny and company have been removed from Saturday morning cartoon networks – coincidentally happening shortly after September 11 – and replaced by loud and obnoxious, yet almost violence-free cartoons.
It seems that falling anvils and exploding TNT sticks are too much for fragile, 21st century children. Of course this may explain why cravings for Grand Theft Auto video games hit them during preadolescence.
Despite all of this, smart advertisers understand that consumers are attracted to the not-so-good because it is a vehicle to the real good. Products are not always presented as something that is only useful or appealing to perfectly virtuous people.
Batman is considered cooler and “more realistic” because of his battle with inner demons and a troubled past. It is what drives him to thwart the evil outside of him, without succumbing to it, that touches comic book readers. None of us know what it’s like to fly, bounce bullets off our chests or bring peace to the entire world by literally turning back the rotation of the entire planet!
We understand the struggles of life, whether it be living from paycheck to paycheck or moving on after the heavy loss of a loved one. It takes recognizing and acknowledging the fact that we are susceptible to temptation, evil and suffering in order to truly appreciate the things that are good and virtuous.
Shannon Lloyd
Class of ‘09
Med X files
Cincinnati: Famous For Graeters, Skyline and sinusitis
James P. Konerman, M.D. Medical Director/Physician McGrath Health & Counseling Center
Hearing Screening
With the iPod and cell phone rage, your hearing could be taking a beating. Res Life and our office have arranged a free hearing screen for students on Monday, March 26. Call our office for an appointment.
Some causes of nerve hearing loss: occupational noise (jack hammers), non-occupational noise (concerts, motor boats, race cars, loud music), presbycusis (hearing loss secondary to age), ototoxicity (hearing loss due to drugs: aspirin, certain IV antibiotics, chemo drugs, anti inflammatory drugs, some water pills). Technology has greatly enhanced amplification (hearing aids).
There are hearing aids that can’t be seen. They are entirely in the ear canal. Hear me out! Get your hearing screened and protect your hearing!
McGrath Health &
Counseling Center
(513) 745-3022
Xavier Campus Bracket Update
Newswire
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Darren LaCour
Op-Ed Editor
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