— STAFF EDITORIALS —
Was it over when Res Life bombed Pearl Harbor?
We’re really getting the impression that Residence Life doesn’t respect students very much.
Take their policy of sending letters home to parents when students receive alcohol violations. We think this is the single most offensive and degrading policy towards students at this university, period.
“The first time they get caught drinking at Xavier, the student gets a ‘get out of jail free’ card. The second time, we want mom and dad to know. When parents get a letter from the dean, they usually have a pretty good conversation with their child,” said Director of Residence Life Lori Lambert in a recent edition of the Cincinnati Post.
Aside from Ms. Lambert’s questionable claim that students receive a “get out of jail free card” for their first alcohol violation (the Student Handbook states that first time offenders incur “a $25 fine and/or educational sanction”), she assumes that the best way to communicate with students is to have their parents scold them.
When studying this “letter home” policy of ResLife, we fail to see how they’re treating us any different than 4 year-olds. ResLife is essentially saying to all Xavier students “If you’re bad, we’re going to tell on you to your mommy.”
This July, Ms. Lambert told the Howard Center for Family, Religion & Society that “students know about the movie ‘Animal House,’ and that’s what they think they’re supposed to do at college.”
Well no, Ms. Lambert, that’s not what we think that we’re supposed to do at college.
We think we’re supposed to make friends, get an education and most importantly, grow and mature as human beings.
And frankly, we can’t see how ResLife’s “telling mommy” policy is helping anyone to grow or mature at all.
P.S. Press Conference
Editor’s Note: The following is a transcript of a press conference that Newswire Editor-in-Chief Patrick Stevenson held due to recent controversial events at Xavier.
Q: Mr. Stevenson, several Xavier officials showed up at my door the other day and accused my roommates and me of throwing a massive party where we served large amounts of alcohol to underage students. This accusation is simply untrue; we had a small gathering of friends who were all 21. Is there any way to convince these people that we aren’t criminals?
PS: It’s very simple really. Don’t have fun, don’t talk about having fun, don’t pretend to have fun and don’t even talk about pretending to have fun.
Q: I heard that at a recent SGA meeting, an “opinion entry” that condemned the Newswire for being “disrespectful” to SGA was filed. If they have a problem with the Newswire, shouldn’t they address their concerns directly to you? It seems like this “opinion entry” is only serving to galvanize animosity between two prominent student organizations at Xavier, rather than helping to diffuse any tensions.
PS: I’m sorry, that wasn’t really a question. Stop editorializing.
Q: Wait, this press conference is made up isn’t it?
PS: If possible, I’d like to refrain from existentialist discussion.
Q: What did you think about SGA’s Friday night shuttle to Newport?
PS: That was an absolutely tremendous idea. Anyone who transports me to Hofbrau Haus is a true hero.
Q: In light of Dedrick Finn’s recent arrest, I find the new Xavier basketball billboard on Cleneay Avenue and Montgomery Road rather ironic. Does Xavier’s marketing department have any connection to reality whatsoever?
PS: The “Power of X” is misrepresentative PR.
Q: Hey, my friend almost got killed on the Dana Deathtrap the other day. Can Xavier do something to fix that?
PS: Please, Xavier has better things to do than worrying about protecting your silly little lives. Did you know we’re the number two non-doctoral university in the Midwest? IT TAKES WORK TO BE BETTER THAN WISCONSIN-PLATTEVILLE!
Q: My friends in SAC were really upset with the Newswire after the article about the lack of a fall concert came out. They said they were going to get one, but they have never announced the concert that early. Now that it appears they’re not going to get one at all, and that the Newswire was right all along, do you feel vindicated?
PS: No comment. I’d like to take this opportunity to reiterate how much I like the Newport shuttle.
Q: How big does your ego have to be to write about your own made up press conference?
PS: Half the size of Estonia. Give or take a few square miles.
Q: Dude! I learned the dance to Soulja Boy’s “Crank That” on YouTube! Want me to show you?
PS: Go to hell.
Q: Do you know why no one’s doing anything to fix the shuttle system?
PS: Because everyone’s busy whining about the student newspaper and harassing students who live off-campus in their own homes.
Virtue in vegetarianism
John Sniegocki
Guest Columnist
A recent cartoon in the Newswire implied that persons concerned for animals are not concerned about the wellbeing of humans. This is, of course, untrue.
Most persons working to improve conditions for animals are also active in a wide array of human rights activities. Moreover, concern for animals (particularly in the form of vegetarianism) is itself highly beneficial to humans, with positive impacts on world hunger, ecology, human health and the fostering of compassion.
Modern methods of meat production are extremely inefficient. It takes approximately 12 pounds of protein in the form of grains and beans fed to a cow to produce one pound of beef protein. The remainder of this protein (over 90 percent) and the majority of most other nutrients are lost to human consumption.
This inefficiency results in the world’s meat-eaters consuming highly disproportionate amounts of the world’s food resources, while nearly a billion people experience chronic hunger.
Adopting a vegetarian diet or reducing meat consumption won’t by itself put an end to hunger (broader issues of structural injustice need to be addressed as well), but such reductions in meat consumption are one integral part of the needed response.
With regard to ecology, a recent United Nations report found that the world’s livestock industry is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than all forms of transportation (cars, trucks, airplanes, etc.) combined.
Researchers at the University of Chicago have found that switching from a conventional meat-based diet to a vegan diet actually saves more energy than switching from driving an SUV to driving a hybrid.
The livestock industry is also a major contributor to deforestation, water pollution, depletion of groundwater supplies, desertification and other serious ecological problems. Reducing the amount of meat in one’s diet is one of the most positive ecological acts that one can take.
Human health is another important concern. Many studies have shown that vegetarians have significantly lower rates of cancer, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and numerous other health problems. For details, see the website of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, www.pcrm.org/health.
Vegetarianism also benefits humans by decreasing human participation in cruelty and by fostering compassion. Animals raised in modern factory farms (which includes almost all the animals sold in conventional supermarkets) are subjected to horrendous conditions.
Chickens, for example, are crammed together in very tiny cages, often four to six birds in a space smaller than a piece of newspaper. They are unable to even open their wings. The birds never leave their cages, except to be slaughtered. Because they try to peck at each other when kept in such close quarters, their beaks are routinely cut off. Often their webbed feet grow around the wire of their cages.
Similar inhumane conditions characterize the raising of most other animals (see www.factoryfarming.org).
The importance of compassion for animals and a vegetarian diet has been recognized by many of the world’s prominent moral thinkers. “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress,” said Gandhi, “can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
Albert Einstein said, “Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” A vegetarian diet is a powerful way of affirming nonviolence, compassion for animals, concern for the hungry, care for the earth and care for our own health.
A couple good books on these topics include “The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and the World” and “Diet for a New America,” both by John Robbins. Good websites include the Christian Vegetarian Association (www.christianveg.org), Compassion Over Killing (www.cok.net) and Vegan Outreach (www.veganoutreach.org). Some excellent vegetarian recipes can be found at www.vegkitchen.com.
Dr. John Sniegocki is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Theology.
Passionate for change
As a member of Advocates for Animals for a year and a half, I would like to address the false impressions which the cartoon in the Oct. 3 issue of the Newswire gave about this organization.
I too once thought that animal advocacy puts poverty on an inferior level, but now I see that’s very untrue. Though there are exceptions, most animal advocates seek a peaceful and more equal relationship between people and animals. We don’t choose animals over humans, and many of us would even consider ourselves humanitarians.
Did the cartoonist considered putting names like “Xavier Club Football” or “Outdoor Club,” instead?
I mean no offense to these organizations, but they and most other clubs on campus don’t actively fight poverty either.
Advocates for Animals, like so many clubs, seeks to make a difference.
We aren’t a bunch of soft-hearted animal lovers that can’t let a single squirrel go hungry. There are real terrors out there.
I recently watched a video of a raccoon being sliced, thrown, slammed and peeled for its fur. It was alive too, before, during and after.
There are thousands of similar examples of animals being used for experimentation, clothing, food, entertainment and even companion-animal torture. All of these affect us, even if we don’t exploit animals or animal byproducts.
I just read an article about a Texas man that nailed and duct-taped three tabby cats to a board. That instance alone, separate from all the other, much larger, animal injustices that Advocates speaks against, ignites a human passion in me that wants to act. I cannot and will not ignore the cruelty that happens right in front of us, on our plates, in our cups, in our shampoos and make-up, in our closets, on commercials and in the movies.
If you don’t know what those things mean, or you think they’re funny, overplayed or ridiculous, then you are gravely uninformed about a massacre that you support every day.
Don’t ask a person to set aside their passion. Don’t assume that they don’t understand what they are up against. The mere fact that we are trying against such odds should be enough. Ask a person why they do what they do. As long as we are fighting and seeking a change, why do we fight against each other instead of alongside each other?
I do not ignore poverty. That someone would be as dim as to think fighting for one cause means ignoring all the others shocks me. I am not ignorant and I am not cold. Nor am I weak. The fight against injustice in any form takes strength, and I applaud anyone who does it. I would never degrade them by saying their work is less than my own.
Allison HetzellClass of 2010
Norwood’s Autobahn
As residents of the Village Apartments, we have to cross Dana Avenue at least twice every day. There is nothing like playing human “Frogger” on Norwood’s version of the Autobahn.
We have proposed to a Student Government senator the idea of a walk bridge over Dana, but this proposal was rejected because the idea had already been presented and SGA refused to support it because they felt that not enough students would use the bridge.
The most disturbing fact about this situation is that SGA refuses to act or present the idea to the administration.
The students elect these people to office with the hopes that they will be the voice of the student body. In Article VII of the SGA’s constitution it states that the elected officers vow to “always act in the best interest of the students.”
Is it not in the best interest of the students to survive the walk to class?
What is it going to take for something to be done about this situation, a fatality and a lawsuit? If neither SGA nor the administration takes this seriously they should come and walk across Dana.
Maybe when they are face-to-face with a Yukon Denali flying like a bat out of hell around the bend of the Norwood Autobahn they will take some action to ensure the safety of the students and faculty who cross Dana every day.
Patrick Foley
Class of 2009 Thaddeus Winker
Class of 2010
Hopeless romantic
I am writing this in response to the article, “Bring Back the Love” (Oct. 3). It is my feeling that the author of that article made many generalized statements about the men on this campus.
Saying that chivalry and romance is nonexistent for some men at Xavier University is a statement that I would agree with.
Yet, all men do not just want something physical, and some of us, myself included, still believe in practicing chivalry and courtship.
Since the author wants the “love” to be brought back, it is my feeling that I should represent the romantic men on this campus.
I want to prove to the author that there are some chivalrous men left at this university.
As she writes in this article, “if those brave souls, (guys), do muster the courage to ask a girl out on a ‘date’, they might be pleasantly surprised.”
Well here is that brave soul you are looking for!
I am asking the author of this article to have dinner with me, so that I may show her what chivalry and romance really are.
Andrew Lonnen
Class of 2011
Taking steps for the students
In regard to the staff editorial “We just want to talk” (Sept. 26), I want to share with you the proactive steps that the Student Government Association has already taken to resolve this concern.
In response to a survey of the Xavier community which indicated students’ desire for increased communication with the administration, the Student Government Executives moved to address this concern.
Our hope is that student-administrator discussion forums will give students a chance to speak with administrators face-to-face, share their opinions and provide feedback on important issues from students’ perspectives.
The increased communication between staff and students will ultimately benefit both parties.
This summer I contacted 10 Xavier administrators to propose the idea.
I received positive feedback and commitments from Fr. Michael Graham, S.J., David Dodd, John Kucia, Gary Massa, Dr. Luther Smith and Dr. Kathleen Simons.
Since the administration also identified increased communication between students and staff as a priority, the administration and student government decided to team up and host the event together.
The first student-administration forum is slated to take place on Monday, Dec. 3, with more details to come.
This type of event is important because students recognize the value and input they have to offer while attending a private Jesuit university.
New ideas, people and issues constantly circulate through this institution allowing for continual progress and change.
The feedback students will provide at the forum can be used to address current concerns and make changes that will be in place long after they graduate.
I hope that all Xavier students will take advantage of this opportunity to lend their valuable opinions to help improve campus and student life.
Craig Scanlon
SGA Legislative Vice President
Class of 2009
Darren LaCour
Op-Ed Editor
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