He Said: Holding onto relics links you to past
She Said: Everyone has an inner hoarder
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still remember what my third-grade girlfriend smells like. Do eight-year-olds even wear cologne or perfume? Their scents come from grass stains during fierce kickball games or spilled barbecue sauce at lunch (cheers to chicken nuggets). Correction: I still remember what my third-grade girlfriend’s mother smells like. That’s even more questionable. My girlfriend’s name was Kelsey, and she once wrote me a puppy-love letter and sprayed on it what I assume was some of her mom’s fragrance. Actually, she drowned the letter in the stuff. It appears she uncapped the bottle, held the note over the opening and proceeded to violently shake them. The deep yellow circle still acts like adhesive when I try to unfold the letter. And her tender words aren’t the first or last ones I kept from the era. (Where did my grade school Romeo skills go?)
nce upon a time, I lived alone and had almost bare walls. I had one set of matching dishes and a simple set of pots. I barely had enough to decorate the empty corners and bookshelves, and my DVD collection consisted of roughly eight discs. My pantry was almost always empty. Except for two folding chairs, my balcony always had enough room for no matter how many visitors I entertained. And then I moved in with my fiance, Tom. Now, we have a hodgepodge of dishes ranging from a mug shaped like a clown to a plate with the visage of President Barack Obama reading “Change Has Come.” On our walls, shelves are crammed with VHS tapes, DVDs, video games ranging from Atari to Wii and an autographed photo of the monster truck Bigfoot hangs in the kitchen. A lightup Pope John Paul II clock sits on the same bookshelf as an old picture of Frank Sinatra.
see RYAN / page five
see LAKEN / page five
JAMIE MARTYN/COLLEGIATE TIMES
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Friday, April 9, 2010
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COLLEGIATETIMES 107th year, issue 44
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Students grapple with counter-protest plans brunt of the work and the criticism.” Carroll said it has been very hard for him to make anything happen in this situation. “It’s been a very stressful week,” he said. “I get pulled one way by the upper administration, saying, ‘Don’t go near them (the WBC).’ Things don’t just happen. They take a lot of work. It’s so hard to make people realize what it takes.”
LIANA BAYNE
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The Westboro Baptist Church will start downtown at 12:15 p.m. to protest at the Blacksburg Jewish Community Center at the corner of East Roanoke Street and Church Street. The WBC will then go to the corner of North Main Street and East Roanoke Street at 12:45 p.m.
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According to its Web site, the church will then proceed to Blacksburg High School at 1:30 p.m., but it is probable that it will go to Blacksburg Middle School on Prices Fork Road. The unofficial counter-protest gathering will begin at the GLC Plaza at 11:30 a.m., and is not officially sponsored by any university groups or officials.
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A CRISIS OF LEADERSHIP Even determining a clear leader for the student counter-protests has suffered setbacks, however. Carroll said that although Chuang was the official leader of the protest, many people still believed that he was also in charge. He said that the failure to clearly define a leader of the student group contributed to the confusion over the venue of the counter-protest. “I’m not just doing this blindly,” Carroll said. “I’ve tried not to take the lead. I probably should’ve known that leading the first meeting would make people think I was in charge. It’s just very difficult to have structure amongst chaos.” Carroll and Chuang held a meeting on Saturday, March 27. About 30 students attended, and it was decided to hold a counter-protest near the WBC. Ed Spencer, vice president of student affairs,
April 9 WBC protest schedule Pa
Although the Westboro Baptist Church’s expected arrival in Blacksburg today has been publicized for the past three weeks, student leaders of counter-demonstrations have struggled to establish a unified plan. Senior Jeff Chuang, a member of the Student Government Association House and the University Council, is one of the leaders of the student movement against the WBC’s presence. “When I first found out (the WBC planned to come to Blacksburg), I was pissed,” Chuang said. Chuang said he became involved with the student counter-protest response because he is against the WBC’s message. When he found out that many students were planning on actively protesting, he decided to take a leadership role to try to help others comply with the law. “We thought it would be good for people who want that outlet (protesting) to make a positive outcome that made a difference,” he said. Coordinating student efforts has not been entirely smooth, Chuang said. He and Brandon Carroll, SGA president, initially partnered in the initiative to lead student counter-protests. The original intent was to stage a peaceful protest on Main Street, across from the members of the WBC. “There’s a lot of different people doing protests,” Carroll said, adding that he wanted to create an area for protest that would help students stay together.
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issued an e-mail statement to Carroll on March 31, requesting that the group move its protest to the plaza area outside of the Graduate Life Center. Spencer’s e-mail stated he wished for the students to move the protest, because he hoped to divert media attention away from WBC members and toward Tech students. His e-mail also noted that it would potentially help contain unexpected reactions if they were on campus. Spencer characterized his e-mail as “a very strong suggestion” that came from working for more than 40 years with the university. “My major role was suggesting to them that the
better approach as to move away from downtown and to an area where we’re used to having demonstrations,” he said. “Dr. Spencer assumed we were going to have it at the GLC,” Chuang said. “The letter from Dr. Spencer to Brandon Carroll was forwarded to our group listserv. We had started discussion, but there was no clear consensus.” “From my understanding, it was a request, but Brandon just said we’re moving it,” he said. Carroll said he was not the one who agreed to move the protest. “It was very hectic,” he said. “It’s very difficult to have structure against chaos. There’s no way
to win.” After learning that the official student response would be held in the GLC Plaza instead of on Main Street, Chuang said he had less than a week to try to make plans for that event. Chuang said he had not personally communicated with Spencer, but he criticized him for attempting to interfere with the protest. Chuang also expressed his frustration with the student body for not banding together to create one unified plan for responding to the WBC members. “People want something done but nobody wants to do it,” he said. “We’re left to take the
AN UNCERTAIN SITUATION Melissa Yates, SGA senator, has been involved with the planning efforts, specifically working with students to try to determine the content that should be on their signs. “It’s just that we’re trying to control chaos, which you can’t do,” Yates said. “There aren’t enough people who are dedicated enough to full-on participate. I think that, based on time constraints, we bit off too much of the apple. We didn’t have time to plan.” Because Chuang has no idea how many protesters to expect and whether those protesters will be Tech students, Tech alumni, citizens of Blacksburg, or others, he is concerned that his student organizers will not be able to handle the crowd. “We hope for about 200,” he said. “Any more and we might actually have problems.” “We have no idea (how many people will attend) and that’s kind of the scary thing,” Chuang said. The group has struggled to brainstorm potential ways to try to attract students to the GLC Plaza and away from downtown. In an e-mail sent out to group members Wednesday night, an official time for the GLC event was set for noon until 1:30 p.m. The e-mail touted free pizza, music and speakers. However, no members of the group were able to obtain permits for food or music. So, the “unofficial gathering” will not feature either. “We are just coming together,” Carroll said. He said neither the SGA nor the university has officially condoned or is officially supporting the gathering. Another feature designed to entice students to stay at the GLC is the fundraising efforts that will be taking place. Students can donate cash or credit at the rally. Individuals can donate online to groups such as Tech’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Alliance, Jewish communities, the Harrington Hope Foundation and the 4/16 Memorial see WBC / page two
Hokies host Hurricanes in weekend series Census changes rule JOE CRANDLEY sports reporter The Virginia Tech baseball team got a big boost in national exposure this week by receiving the No. 25 spot in the Baseball America top 25 poll, its first appearance since 1992. Last weekend, the Hokies (21-10, 6-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) took two of three games against then-No. 4 Florida State at Mike Martin field, one of the most intimidating venues in all of college baseball. The series victory against the Seminoles was the first in Tech baseball history, a true milestone for the Hokies, but head coach Pete Hughes and his players felt Tech should have produced a sweep. “I’ll tell you what. Our guys were aggravated that we didn’t sweep Florida State,” Hughes said. “That’s when I knew we’ve got a different mindset than years past. There was no, ‘Yeah, great job fellas, way to go, we just beat Florida State two out of three.’ They were very, very upset for a long time that we didn’t sweep them, because if you watch that game on Sunday, you’d say, ‘Virginia Tech is blowing these guys out.’ ... There’s no one feeling great about what happened. They’re upset about a missed opportunity.” This weekend, Tech welcomes the No. 14 Miami Hurricanes (22-7, 102 ACC) to English Field for a three game series starting on Friday. Since the Hokies started playing the Canes in 2005, Tech has struggled, posting just a 2-13 record for the series. Redshirt senior catcher and outfielder Steve Domecus feels that after the Florida State series win, the Hokies are primed to continue making history with potentially their first series win over the Canes this week at home. “We gotta win these home games,”
Hernandez won games in 2008 and 2009, while Erickson won in 2007 and received a no decision after pitching 6.2 innings in a 6-7 loss in 2008. Despite the quality starts from Miami’s tough lefties, the Hokies’ hitters, who rank in the top five in the ACC in batting average, slugging percentage, runs scored, hits, RBIs, doubles, home runs and total bases feel like they’ll be ready for the Hurricanes’ hurlers. “Everyone on the team, we come to the field, we expect to hit and beat every team,” said junior outfielder Austin Wates. “It doesn’t matter who they throw out there, we’re going to hit, we’re going to score runs. We think we’re the better team on the field, and everyone thinks that on the team right now.” Hughes doesn’t believe the lefties will be an issue as well considering how many the team has seen this season. “That’s all we’ve seen is lefties on the weekends,” Hughes said. “Clemson had two lefties at us. Wake Forest came in and threw two lefties at us. Then we go to Florida State, two lefties at us Friday and Saturday, and even our left-handed hitters are feeling really good against left-handed pitching. NIELS GOERAN BLUME/SPPS On Saturday, Ronnie Shaban off a lefty — hits a grand slam. And Buddy Sophomore pitcher Mathew Price throws to Wake Forest March 27. Sosnoskie, our other lefty hitter against Each season, no matter how well lefties, hits a home run. So, there’s a lot Domecus said. “It’s nice to play at home in front of the crowd. Every they hit, the Hurricanes always feature of confidence. Our guys really don’t game we have is tough, but we defi- a solid pitching staff, and this year is care who throws right now, which is nitely have to get them at home. I no different as they hold the lowest great.” Tech will be trotting out its very think we’ve had some trouble against opponent batting average in the ACC Miami in the past, but we also had it at .239 and the third-best team ERA own lefty on Friday night, junior Justin Wright, and he’s had an impressive with Florida State, so we’re looking to at 3.61. Miami lefties Chris Hernandez (4-2, career so far against the Hurricanes. change it around this weekend.” The players and coaches are brim- 2.45 ERA) and Eric Erickson (2-1, 3.12 He defeated the Canes as a freshman ming with confidence, but the ERA) rank eighth and 11th respec- when they were ranked No. 1 in 2008 Hurricanes are riding a seven-game tively in the ACC ERA rankings and in a complete game, and he threw winning streak and will be looking to have both pitched with success against eight innings in a win last season at the Hokies in the past. derail Tech’s recent surge. see BASEBALL / page six
for college students KATIE ROBIDOUX news staff writer As the 23rd United States Census continues, Virginia Tech and Montgomery County are scrambling to educate students on an unprecedented requirement to list their residence as Blacksburg instead of their non-school permanent address elsewhere. This is the first time since the census was created in 1790 that parents are being told not to list their college students as residents in their homes, according to Kate Martinson, the local census office manager for southwest Virginia. “This is the first Census where they have asked students to be counted where they reside on April 1,” she said. In the 2000 Census, parents counted their college student on their own census forms. Awareness of the change in rules is far from universal, however. Many students may continue to neglect completing their forms, assuming their parents include them in their count, Martinson said. In order to educate students of the change, various efforts have been installed both on campus and in the community. For example, an array of posters has been hung at various places around campus, said Kenneth Belcher, associate director for occupancy management at Tech’s Housing and Dining Services, who noted there has even been a Facebook group dedicated to Hokies being counted
in 2010. “I am hoping for 85 percent or greater participation, minimum,” Belcher said. “We are doing a lot more to notify and educate students, so we have a higher level of expectation.” “Students are more engaged in this generation than in previous ones also, which helps a lot,” he said. The census forms were distributed to students in dorms on April 1. Each student on campus received an individual form, whereas each off-campus apartment or house received one form that would include all residents, regardless of their relationships to one another. Students who did not receive forms can pick one up in Newman Library, the Blacksburg branch of the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library, the YMCA thrift store or at the Blacksburg Community Center. Starting on April 22, the local census office will receive a list of “non-response” individuals, or people who did not return a form. It is then that the office hires parttime census takers, who will travel door-to-door collecting census data. “The more people that respond, the less people will need to be hired to go out,” Martinson said. The census is used to calculate various federal, state and local funding, including transportation funds and where new hospitals might be see CENSUS / page two
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new river valley news editor: zach crizer university editor: philipp kotlaba newseditor@collegiatetimes.com / 540.231.9865
april 9, 2010
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COLLEGIATETIMES
A round of applause
Oprah expands her media network with OWN television channel
from page one
LOS ANGELES — Oprah Winfrey has timed the launch of her new TV channel, OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, for Jan. 1 — perfect to tap into all those New Year’s resolutions and the wishful thinking that comes with the start of a new year. The network on Thursday announced five new original series in addition to 10 announced previously. Along with Oprah’s own new one-hour show, “Oprah’s Next Chapter,” OWN will bring Oprah BFF Gayle King’s radio program to TV with the daily talk show “Gayle King Live!” Oprah also jumps full-on into the reality genre with “Your Own Show: Oprah’s Search for the Next TV Star,” for which OWN is teaming up with Mark Burnett. As a way to say goodbye to her current talk show, the network will also air “Behind the Scenes: The Oprah Show Final Season.”
by joy press mcclatchy newspapers
Models make their last trip down the runway at the Fashion, Merchandising and Design Society’s “Free the Beat” fashion show Thursday night in Squires Student Center. photo by luke mason/spps
CORRECTIONS -In “Delta Zeta stripped of charter, housing” (CT, April 7), Alpha Epsilon Phi was referred to as a fraternity, when it is actually a sorority. -In the “In the Loop” event calendar (CT, April 8), the Bone Marrow/ Stem Cell Drive will be take place today in War Memorial Hall Room 124. The Collegiate Times regrets these errors
JUSTIN GRAVES -Contact our public editor at publiceditor@ collegiatetimes.com if you see anything that needs to be corrected.
WBC: SGA not sponsoring rally
Census: Population maps out gains from page one
built — decisions all based on population size. Data collected by the census are of significance to the town of Blacksburg because they determine need for services such as health care and also are used to determine proportional governmental representation for the area. “It also helps calculate seats needed for Congress, so it helps political representation as well,” said Ruth Richey, director of public information for Montgomery County. “If a population has grown, it might mean that an area is entitled to more
political representation.” Since the majority of the population of Montgomery County — and Blacksburg in particular — is made up of students for a significant portion of the year, it is critical that students understand the importance of completing their census forms, Belcher said. “When the government is splitting up funds and benefits, they look at the populations being served in different areas,” Belcher said. “With 25,000 to 30,000 students living there most of the year, that changes the amount of peo-
ple using the resources in the area.” Other than simply better equipping the town to handle a larger population, information gathered by the census can also benefit college students in other ways, Martinson said. “Scientific research on campuses, career recruitment and tuition grants are all affected by information gathered for the census,” she said. “If you do any kind of graduate research, you’re usually referring to some sort of statistical data collected by the census.”
Fund at HokieSpirit.com. MOVING ONTO MAIN STREET Despite efforts to ensure that students stay at the GLC, Chuang predicted that many students would probably end up protesting on Main Street and that many students from his event would probably “unofficially” congregate downtown. Carroll said he never intended for the GLC Plaza to be the only area for a protest. “That’s not the only place we are going to go,” he said. “We were able to reserve space and it adds a speaking platform. We’re just not having a structured central spot downtown.” One group that will attempt to maintain order at the protest site on Main Street will be Womenspace. Its faculty adviser, vice mayor of Blacksburg and math instructor Susan Anderson, said her students asked her support their efforts to plan a positive response. “They have volunteered to be downtown to protest and be a source of positive energy,” Anderson said. She said the students from Womenspace would specifically have signs directing protesters toward the GLC. She also said she was not aware that the main protest would be held at the GLC until this week. Anderson said she did not feel the students were completely ready for the counter-protest event. “They’ve got a lot of organizing to do in the next 24 hours,” she said. THE LEGAL RESPONSE In the event that anything unforeseen happens, police from both the Blacksburg and Tech police departments will be present. Lt. Joe Davis of the Blacksburg Police could not comment on specifics of plans, but he said that officers would be on hand “to make sure that people are safe.” “We just want to make sure things don’t get out of hand and people don’t get out of hand,” he said. It is possible for police to ask protesters to disperse if town codes are violated. Town code says you can’t physically interfere with pickets or use “profane, indecent, abusive
or threatening language to, or at those pickets which would tend to provoke the pickets or others to a breach of the peace.” Additionally, the sidewalks and streets must be free for pedestrian and car passage. Protesters may also face issues with the town code in terms of assembly. The town requires certain permits for groups of 10 or more as well as groups of 200 or more. As far as the Blacksburg police could report, no student groups have applied for such permits. However, “First amendment speech is protected, so unless there’s violence” the police department does not plan on interfering with any counter-protest, Davis said. Blacksburg mayor Ron Rordam said he would be present at the GLC event. “I’m pleased the students will have their counter-protest on campus,” he said. “I think it’s important to stay away. I’m encouraging everyone to join.” Rordam said he wanted the Tech community to demonstrate a spirit of acceptance and peace. “The best way it to not react but demonstrate who we are,” he said. Carroll encouraged students to focus on the positive aspects of the counter-protest effort, despite his struggles through planning it. “This has been the worst experience for me,” he said. “It’s been frustrating, but I still think it’ll be successful.” Carroll said he hoped students would make the counter-protest positive, no matter how or where they chose to protest. The unofficial gathering will begin at the GLC plaza at 11:30 a.m. and is not officially sponsored by any university groups or officials. The Westboro Baptist Church will start its April 9 protest at 12:15 p.m. outside the Blacksburg Jewish Community Center on the corner of Church Street and East Roanoke Street. At 12:45 p.m. they will proceed to the corner of North Main Street and East Roanoke Street. At 1:30 p.m. the church will round off its schedule at Blacksburg High
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editor: debra houchins opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
april 9, 2010
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Your Views [letter to the editor]
Road changes benefit town
A
s a former town council candidate, student resident for four years and regular bikebus-walk commuter who has talked to the town’s engineer about this project, I think the North Main Street road renovation is a great investment that will enhance both the Virginia Tech and Blacksburg communities. When you consider the comprehensive plans for both Tech and Blacksburg, we’re looking at becoming the arts and cultural destination for hundreds of miles, rivaling even Roanoke. The soon-to-be-developed Colligate Square Two will include a parking structure that will provide easy accessibility for residents not joined by Blacksburg Transit and for outside visitors and tourists. Having an extensive walkable downtown district will only enhance local businesses and increase pedestrian accessibility and safety. Building the traffic circle at Prices Fork and North Main will eliminate wait times at
the light and allow traffic to flow more smoothly. This said, I do have concerns regarding game day traffic but I’m certain it can easily be managed by our police departments. The town of Blacksburg has put aside money for this project for many years now, and their budgetary management has received awards in the time of this economic downturn. Good things are happening and we’re lucky to live in a community such as Blacksburg that is working hard to keep it a “special place.” We’re fortunate that students do have a voice that is taken seriously by the town. If you do have such concerns regarding Blacksburg’s development, I encourage you to come out to a town council meeting or sit in any one of its numerous committee meetings to listen to what your representatives have to say for the reasoning behind their decisions and to share your voice.
Bryce Carter senior humanities, science and environment Major
Focusing on Westboro only adds fuel to its fire A
s you probably know, the town of Blacksburg and the Virginia Tech campus will be visited tomorrow by a hate group. Westboro Baptist Church, whose Web site (godhatesfags.com) makes clear its anger and hatred, will be trying to spread that anger and hatred to our community. As far as I can tell, there is nothing else it wants: It’s not asking for changes to legislation, it’s not trying to educate, it is simply trying to share its negative emotions with others. If you happen to support WBC’s actions, then this letter has no value for you — I’m not trying to change your mind or convince you of anything different from what you believe. If, however, you are disturbed by WBC’s actions, by its presence here Friday, then I ask that you’ll at least consider my opinion on the best possible response. Put simply, I believe the best response is no response. Hatred is like a hot fire, spreading quickly and consuming everything in its path. What can you do when it comes your way? You cannot ignore it, for it will simply consume you. Unless it is very small, you probably cannot extinguish it. You can try to stand fast against it, to resist it, but as the fire grows, even the best insulation will still eventually fail. But there is another option: You can step out of its path, and let it pass without touching you. Hatred is a powerful emotion. It can take over one’s life; it can bring nations to war against one another. It consumes those it takes hold of, replacing their original anger or fear over some particular thing with just pure emotion. Yet, like fire,
it can only spread to others who are in its path. Hatred and anger cannot even exist unless they exist inside someone. WBC can project anger out toward others, but unless it finds your heart and takes hold of it, it has no power, it is a toothless shadow. Some have said we cannot ignore hate groups like WBC. I agree with this. The truth is, if you’re reading this letter, if you’ve thought about WBC’s visit, if you’ve felt conflicted in your choice of response, then you are not ignoring WBC. If you see it and, when you read its signs, feel sick to your stomach, then you are not ignoring it. If you move out of the path of a runaway train, you are not ignoring it, you are very much paying attention to it. You are simply deciding, “I will not be destroyed by this.” This is why I recommend taking no action in response to WBC’s presence. Any action, no matter how well meaning, no matter how clever, puts you in its path, increasing the effect of its anger and hatred, allowing it to spread into our community and our hearts. Let WBC come, let the members be angry, then let it leave. If necessary, cross the street to avoid it. Don’t hate it, don’t deny that it exists, don’t wish it away. But do not let yourself be caught in the Hell in which the members live. Life is short and precious — spend it on the things that enrich you and bring happiness to yourself and those you care about.
NICK MACIAS -graduate student -electrical and computer engineering
MCT CAMPUS
CNN remains objective as cable news focuses on commentary O
n March 29, the New York Times reported that in the last quarter’s television ratings, CNN had fallen even further behind competitors FOX News and MSNBC. Particularly, primetime ratings were a weak spot for the network, which constitutes the third part of what may be the “Big Three” of television news. Not coincidentally, primetime hours on the other two networks are dominated by opinion shows, while CNN features news-oriented programs. The catalyst that led to this bold decision was the YouTube-hit Jon Stewart tirade on CNN’s “Crossfire” in October 2004. In typical Stewart fashion, the Daily Show host ripped hosts Paul Begala and Tucker Carlson and the news media into shreds, comparing “Crossfire” to professional wrestling. If you’re one of the few people who haven’t seen the video before, then go check it out now; written words can hardly do it justice — and I’m pretty sure the Collegiate Times can’t print Stewart’s last remark to Carlson. Even if the YouTube video was forgettable, Stewart’s message certainly wasn’t. Two months later, CNN canceled “Crossfire,” with network executive Jon Klein citing the mildmannered satirist’s diatribe as being the final factor in the decision. CNN was taking a bold stand — in an election year, no less — to be a beacon of the possibilities for the stillinfantile concept of 24-hour cable news. The decision was both promising and disastrous. In 2004, when the dangers facing newspapers were becoming frighteningly clear, CNN gave hope that cable news media primacy doesn’t have to mean the end of news, as we know it. Six years later though, with newspapers still in a tailspin, MSNBC and FOX have not only grown more polarized and more theatrical, they’ve also made huge gains in the ratings game, with CNN’s news-first policy dragging on their coattails. As MSNBC eats up the liberal news market, and FOX dominates the conservatives, it is troubling
to wonder whether there is still a market for objective journalism. Under the American free market system, consumers “vote” their preferences by consumption, and goods that have a market get produced, goods that don’t have a market don’t get produced; this is a basic tenet of economic freedom. That said, it is a sad indictment on our political culture that consumers have voted for networks like MSNBC and FOX, both of which are merely extensions of the Democratic and Republican parties, respectively. These are that networks channeling the brain waves of the people who draw Hitler mustaches on the current president, or threw sneakers at the last one. Every time we reach what seems to be the limit of absurdity, they find a way to drive us across that invisible line once more. The evolution of death threats following the health care vote into the insanity of the Hutaree warriors is an all-too-telling illustration of this. Part of the problem that leads to the massive following of FOX and MSNBC is the embracement of talking points as opposed to extensive inspection as the source of truth. In spite of this, conservatives generally like to demonize academia as snooty and out of touch with America. My own father — a well-read guy, ironically — loves to trot the line, “I didn’t go to a high-falutin’ school like Virginia Tech,” any time I offer a more philosophically based answer than he is willing to accept. Why do we refuse to read Karl Marx before we call the president a socialist, or, for that matter, why do we refuse to read Eduard Bernstein before we condemn socialism as always rising from dictatorial powers? Deep knowledge and true insight is something to revere and strive toward, not dismiss as a source of vain pride. After all, aren’t we all here to learn about the world and ourselves? Political education requires good, objective news in much the same way engineering requires math, or English requires reading. Opinion is
secondary. Opinion and debate do have a place in journalism, however, and in this regard, television news has another inherent advantage to its print journalism competitors. Print forums do not allow anything close to the give and take afforded by live cameras; the best thing they have is a pointcounterpoint. Still, opinion shows are characterized by interruption, spin, and blatantly avoiding questions. This is why politics is such a nasty subject; this is why so little real progress is made in Washington; and this is why each party is polarized and automatically diametrically opposed to the other as if by some natural law. There is no acceptable reason why hosts cannot discuss in a civil manner issues with others and cannot manage to delve into a policy, rather than resort to the malignant narcissism that drives long monologues and “yes-man” guests. Normally, I would feel mildly apprehensive about delivering what some may perceive as being an arrogant lecture on the faults of our taste in news programming. I, myself, am fully aware of the arrogant tone, and yet I am entirely unrepentant for this ordinarily undesirable attribute. If supporting what might be seen as high-brow news programming and calling on people to use their own moral faculties instead of relying on talking points spoon-fed by Keith Olbermann and Sean Hannity is a fault, then I find myself guilty. But if there is hope for objective journalism and respectful, intellectual debate in what may be the post-newspaper era, news-first networks such as CNN are its last lifeline. Mr. Klein, please don’t pull the plug.
SCOTT MASSELLI -regular columnist -sophomore -economics major
Reaction to church shows little value of free speech T
he only way to start this column is to say that, in the event I receive even one more Facebook invite to a “counter-protest,” I will be joining the Westboro Baptist Church in their insane protest of April 16, 2007 victim mourning, homosexuals and the Jewish community. However, I won’t be doing so because I agree with any of its silly viewpoints. This past week has made me wonder who the real enemy is on campus. In short, everyone is taking the possible arrival of this single disturbed family far too seriously, and the response by the campus community borders on an insanity far greater than the incoherent babbling of the WBC. Take a deep breath and read on. Let’s all calm down for a second. I am not defending the WBC, and I certainly don’t believe anyone is doomed to a magical eternal hellfire. Honestly, I can’t see the WBC as anything more than a complete joke. It is a living masterpiece of anti-religious satire, though members remains completely unaware of this fact themselves. I find their arrival to be fun, perhaps more fun than a drunken night of fornication and debauchery. I can feel the wrath of God almighty reigning down upon me for making such a statement. My original plan for WBC’s arrival was to get wasted, hold up a funny sign and possibly hit on its women. My masterpiece of a sign involved references to Satan, an orifice and how only Satan loves certain types of unholy sex. I was ready to chill out with the members and be “that
guy” who walks among the enemy in a state of complete carefree amusement. I wanted a photo with two Phelps babes kissing each my cheeks, as I stare at the camera in a seductive manner, luring even more of its women into the trap of my perfect pickup game. Facebook tagging that would have been completely awesome. I could have single handedly taken care of this entire “incident” without a need for mobs, petitions or bullhorns. I could have taken care of business without a single fist being thrown or need for a single threatening word. This, my friends, is why I have tact, and those of you who are angry about the coming of this one single crazy family simply do not. I’m not taking any of this seriously, and I will argue to the death that absolutely none of you should either. I know that what these people say can be rather silly or disturbing. However, try not to let your hatred of these people turn you into a fascist buffoon. I have roamed around campus overhearing conversations where students talk about how they will “beat them down.” A simple glance at any of the billions of “counter-protest” groups will show that aggressive comments by students are absolutely rampant. One student approached me asking if I would sign a petition to have them banned from Blacksburg streets. The shocked look on his face when I told him the best method in which to store his petition was absolutely priceless. I was approached by a student semifamiliar with my liberty-minded
viewpoints and asked if the classical liberals on campus would be willing to join a counter-protest on behalf of the homosexual community. The collectivism in such a request boggled my mind. When I declined to participate I was asked the following question: “I thought you believed in liberty?” Apparently his question would have been better worded as an inquiry about which specific groups I believe in liberty for. Freedom of speech and expression applies to absolutely every individual, and that includes the individuals who make up WBC. Yes, I agree that this also means counter-protests are acceptable. However, counter efforts that ban the group from any public area (including campus), use violence, threaten of violence, or hinders the WBC from freely demonstrating are abhorrent and have zero place in a free society. If freedom doesn’t apply to the most insane, disturbing and dangerous viewpoints — well, then we really have absolutely no freedoms left. What is and is not acceptable to say and do will be decided by a majority consensus. Mob rule will be the deciding factor of what people are allowed to believe. If you want to demonstrate freely and peacefully, that is your right. However, I would encourage every single student to not give this group the satisfaction of taking it seriously and to simply have fun. In fact, I question how even people directly attacked by the WBC can feel the least bit hurt by whatever these nut-bags choose to say.
I don’t believe in God. The WBC absolutely believes I am a sexually perverted devil doomed to hell. Really, does their believing this have any effect on my life whatsoever? Words should never harm anyone, unless they come from someone you truly respect. The day words become harmful and worthy of action is the day freedom of speech is lost to everyone. Ever seen someone who fears being called racists or homophobic, so they point to something as evidence of them being open-minded? An example would be something like: “I’m not racist, I have black friends.” The people riled for a counter-protest are guilty of the same extreme insecurity. You have nothing to prove to anyone with a brain. Just stay home and play XBox or something. I think a lot of students are very afraid of being seen as homophobic or closed-minded, so they are moving in droves to prove everyone wrong by battling WBC. “My gay friends worked very hard to be accepted in society, so I am going to protest the WBC on their behalf.” Or, “well, my church group and I are protesting because we don’t want all Christians to be seen this way” — Stop it. No. Just stop it, please. I truly understand: You’re all very open-minded, intelligent and opposed to “hate speech.” How absurdly righteous of all of you. I have even been contacted by members of the Student Government Association looking to represent the student body in a unified reaction
against the WBC picketing. Please, SGA, don’t pretend to represent me or any other individual. Stop the collectivist nonsense, and let each individual student speak for themselves for a change. Stop taking any of this seriously and just learn to have fun. Instead of getting angry, the SGA should spend its time thinking of funny jokes about the latent homosexual tendencies of Fred Phelps and his motley crew — now that’s something I would get behind. My solution is to just throw the WBC the biggest block party ever. We should have welcome signs, cakes, kegs and dancing Tech women in mini-skirts. It’s best if everyone views them as that horrible movie that you really don’t like, but it’s entertaining enough to go see simply because the dysfunctional nature of the film becomes fun. I promise all of you that God isn’t going to send you to hell just because you didn’t find the WBC worthy of your time. Counter-protesting its picketing will only be proof that people take it seriously. Think of the WBC as a bratty younger sibling — if it can’t annoy you, it’ll just go away.
CHAD VAN ALSTIN -regular columnist -senior -communication major
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Laken: Living with a hoarder is like living in Bennigan’s from page one
Around our two marine fish tanks are enough saltwater supplies to fully stock a pet store. A framed, giant photograph of a mustached stranger from the Victorian era hangs in our hallway. We nicknamed him “The Duke.” Oh, and our bathroom walls are completely encrusted with obscure old albums, from to Peter Nero’s “I Gotta Be Me” to Andy Gibb’s “Flowing Rivers.” Tom says that our apartment “is like living in Bennigan’s. It’s comfortable.” Comfortable if you like everything imaginable nailed to the wall, which even included a foosball table at one point. I open one of our closets, which is crammed with board games: Battleship, Candyland, Captain Planet: The Board Game, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Sorry and Trivial Pursuit. I notice we have two Perfections, two Risks, three Guess Who’s and four
Twisters. It’s then I realize: Tom and I are hoarders. A quirky sweetheart with a degree in fine arts, Tom has a fun sense of humor and an eye for the truly outrageous. He frequently spots “treasures” at the thrift store and excitedly brings them home like the trophies of a heroic conquest. In his zeal, we’ve amassed a good amount of junk we simply don’t need. But in assessing our mess, I can’t simply blame Tom. My dirty secret: Instead of collecting trinkets, I collect clothes. I have so many that my wardrobe is spread between two closets and a dresser. I can’t bear getting rid of anything I might wear later on — even if it’s just for Halloween. Four years from now. Our bedroom is littered with the debris of my failed outfits. In the mornings, I’ll frequently change shirts or pants several times in order to get
the right “look,” be comfortable or avoid looking like I matched my outfit in the dark. In my haste, the various shirts and skirts that I cycle through in the morning end up on the floor. So when our apartment resembles a junkyard, I know it’s because of both of us. Although I may miss my minimalist lifestyle (and a time where I had a huge closet), I’ve realized that hoarding is more than just junk and clutter. It’s an expression of who people are and what they value most. Sure, I may dislike the fact that I live in an apartment that slightly resembles a chain restaurant in its maddening randomness, but then I stop and realize: That’s Tom. Like it or not, I have to embrace Tom’s tendency to amass offbeat tchotke. His collection of “treasures” just confirms the fact he’s an easygoing guy with a wacky sense of humor. I can’t chastise him for coming home with a toy robot, some
Ryan: Resist the urge to collect everything from page one
I must have started storing the notes after a particular Christmas season, because the portfolio is in a cookie tin decorated with Santa Claus and his reindeer. Some would say the collection is silly, a trophy of youthful ignorance with no value. But I find it endearing and uplifting. It’s impossible not to smile looking back on yes/no/maybe “Will you be my girlfriend?” queries, “MASH” games predicting who you’ll marry and remixes of “Roses are red” poetry on handwriting paper whose lines are almost oneinch tall. If I have kids, it might prove to them their pops wasn’t always lame — or maybe just the opposite. I’m nowhere near a true pack rat, though I have minor tendencies. I haven’t watched the television show “Hoarders” on A&E, but I only had to glimpse the Web site’s photo gallery to see the wicked extremes. Apparently true hoarding includes completely neglecting the space where your goodies amass. One woman, Augustine, packed to the brim her bathroom, which displayed a toilet that was caked black as though she forgot to flush two years ago. On the other hand, Richard’s beer can collection turned out nicely. Previously stacked in crate towers, the vibrant cans eventually lined the basement walls on clean shelving.
I, too, have items that could enliven my walls. Currently in a box are the memories from my fleeting stint in gymnastics. As a six-year-old wearing bicycle spandex shorts, I gathered countless blue ribbons that were awarded every time I achieved a significant goal. I could tack those up. Twisting in the wind of my air conditioning, the relics would inform houseguests of my stellar performance on a balance beam that hovered two inches off the ground — tough falls. Or maybe they’d spot one that applauds an intense trampoline combination move: knees-to-stomach-to-butt. My closet holds more recent acquisitions. After my study abroad travels in the fall of 2008, I toted home everything from church brochures to Paris metro tickets. I probably even have a receipt from some piece of food I thought deserved preservation (doner kebabs are glorious). Then I bowed out of architecture but held on to a sleeve of drawings and a hefty storage trunk packed with miscellaneous gear including rulers, plaster mix and concrete models. As a freshman, I analyzed and drew the geometry of a green pepper — I still have the wrinkled vegetable, which is somehow odorless. Design remains important to me; I can’t readily part with the physical remnants. Just the same, though I never stuck with it, gymnastics was a marker
features 5 april 9, 2010
for my first explorations of sports. Those affectionate letters recall the gals with whom I shared big moments such as my first handholding session and first (cheek) kiss. Our memories can be beasts in some instances, but at times they falter. While the brain can stitch together a decent picture of the past, artifacts can instantly increase the resolution. And while oratory skills are important, having a showand-tell stockpile to complement your stories seems likewise precious. However, I suppose there are reasonable limits; to overwhelm otherwise livable spaces is suspicious. Nostalgic for the ’90s, you can stow away your extensive POG collection in cylinders that demand little square footage. But if your thing is, say, life-size cardboard cutouts of Disney characters, it could be weird for your friends to use the bathroom with Peter Pan watching from the tub. At least avoid Augustine’s humiliation and brush the toilet.
RYAN ARNOLD -features reporter -senior -communication major
Sega Genesis games or a Slap Chop because that would essentially be punishing his personality. Similarly, Tom lets me off the hook for still having the Sailor Moon shirt I got in the seventh grade crumpled on the floor. Although Tom and I have amassed more than the usual amount of stuff, we’ve just accepted that it’s part of who we really are, and therefore it’s not a problem. If someday we happen to move a box or some jeans and find a dead cat, then I think we deserve to be on TV for hoarding. But until then, we’ll cherish our collections — and you should cherish yours, too.
LAKEN RENICK -features staff writer -senior -English major
Immediate. Unfiltered. Linkalicious.
sports 6
editor: alex jackson sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com / 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
april 9, 2010
Baseball: No. 25 Tech, No. 14 Miami to battle through Sunday from page one
Miami when they were No. 7. “I don’t know, just the last couple years I’ve had good success going deep into games against them,” Wright said. “I don’t know with them, I guess they don’t like hitting against me. Freshman year, they probably had one of the better teams in the country — they were No. 1 at the time. Last year was a big atmosphere being at their place, so the adrenaline was high, and this year they’re still a ranked team, so they’re always a good team.” In addition to Wright, Tech will match up well with Miami with starters Jesse Hahn (4-2, 2.23 ERA) and Mathew Price (4-1, 4.26 ERA). Hahn, a likely first round draft pick, is pitching up to his potential this season. Price has been progressing all season since having major sinus surgery after his first start against Coastal Carolina. “I’m feeling a lot better,” Price said. “I can breathe, I can smell, it’s like
night and day, it’s phenomenal. ... It was just tough (pitching against Coastal Carolina). You’ve got mucus draining back into your throat. You just feel winded and gassed and exhausted all the time, and I don’t feel like that. Now, I feel like I can stay strong for 100 plus pitches.” Miami junior catcher Yasmani Grandal will be the biggest threat in the Hurricanes lineup as he leads the team in batting average (.396) and RBIs (31), but expect the Canes to employ small ball tactics instead of gorilla ball like they have in years past. The Canes will run rampant on the base paths, and they will be bunting as well to manufacture runs any way they can. Hughes says he’s getting the team ready for the pressure this will put on the Tech defense.
“Because they play so much small ball, we’ll definitely hit on our bunt defense twice, which I’ll never do,” Hughes said. “We’ll maybe hit
LUKE MASON/SPPS
Hokies’ junior Austin Wates attempts to make contact during Tech’s 11-8 win over Rider on March 16. on it once a week, but we’ll cover it (Wednesday), we’ll cover it (Thursday). We’ll constantly talk to our pitchers about controlling the running
game of which I think we do a really good job of ... we’ll work on pitchersfielders practice (Wednesday) and (Thursday).” In the end, the series may come down to bullpen depth, and right now, Miami has a distinct advantage. Freshmen E.J. Encinosa (1-0, 1.78 ERA) and Eric Whaley (3-0, 3.92 ERA), as well as sophomore Daniel Miranda (2-1, 2.19 ERA) have helped close out games for their starters all season, a nd that is exactly where the Hokies are currently struggling. Tech senior Ben Rowen (1-0, 0.79 ERA) has been magnificent in the late innings, but the lack of quality middle relief pitching for Tech is an issue. “I’m concerned about the bridge
[
Series vs. Miami
Friday at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at 1 p.m. Sunday at noon
]
from the starter to (Ben) Rowen, and someone has got to step up and say, ‘This is my job, and I’m gonna be really good at it,’ and it hasn’t happened yet,” Hughes said. Sophomore Clark Labitan and junior Sean McDermott were both expected to fill that middle relief role, but due to injury, they have left quite a void. This weekend, Hughes plans to use junior Manny Martir, freshman Joe Mantiply and redshirt junior Brandon Fisher as his middle relief.
Even though the bullpen is still a bit of a question mark, Hughes feels confident that the Hokies will pull out a series win. “I think we match up better,” Hughes said. “I think we’ve got more returners than they do, we’ve got more productive players returning than they do. So, statistically, you look at the matchup, what’s returning and not? It looks good for us. Now we just need to get caught up in playing to win and not playing history, and not playing against a uniform. Sometimes when you don’t think you’re good, you get caught up in playing against a jersey rather than trying to beat somebody. I think we’re way beyond that now, way beyond it.”