Opinions EDITORIAL
4
The Journal August 27-September 2, 2009
BULLISH ELEPHANTS RAISE TOWN HELL
Lockerbie bomber’s release a gross miscarriage of justice Pan Am Flight 103 disintegrated above Lockerbie, Scotland on Dec. 21, 1988. The cause of the crash was a 20-inch hole in the left side of the fuselage, blown open by an improvised explosive device stashed in the cargo hold. All aboard, including 243 passengers and 16 crewmembers, died in the crash. In Lockerbie, 11 people died from the flaming wreckage cascading from above. Webster University students Patricia Coyle and Karen Noonan were aboard Flight 103, returning from a semester abroad in Vienna. Most of those aboard were not granted a merciful, sudden death. It is estimated that 147 people survived the initial explosion, remaining fully cognizant of their impending demise as the crippled plane hurdled earthward. Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, a former Libyan intelligence officer and head of security for Libyan Arab Airlines, was convicted in 2001 of planting the bomb that destroyed Flight 103. Magrahi was sentenced to life imprisonment. After serving eight and a half years of his life sentence, Megrahi was freed by the Scottish government on compassionate grounds on Aug. 20. Megrahi suffers from terminal prostate cancer and is expected to live only a few short weeks.
The question of Megrahi’s innocence remained unclear to some, but the law had found him guilty and has denied his numerous appeals. The Scottish government maintains Megrahi’s guilt despite his early release. Upon his arrival to his home country, Megrahi was greeted as a hero. He raised his arms in victory as the crowd showered him with flower petals. In his last remaining days he will say goodbye to his mother, his wife and his five children; a courtesy withheld from the victims of the bombing and their grieving families. His last breath will be of free air, not of burning jet fuel. The decision by Cabinet Secretary of Justice Kenny MacAskill granted compassion to a convicted murderer while denying it to the families of the bombing’s victims. MacAskill’s decision brings comfort to Megrahi’s family while stripping it from those he victimized. This decision deprives the victims of any sense of closure or justice. Rather, it rips open the wounds inflicted by a hideous act of terrorism and renews a burning pain in the lives of those affected. True justice is hard to come by in a civilized world, but Megrahi’s quiet death in a Scottish prison would be the least the victims deserved.
Webster University welcomes students to a new year with changes The day has come and gone. Undoubtedly, students and faculty have already suffered (or flew through) their first day of classes at Webster University, either thrilled or disappointed by the busyness of their schedule. For returners, the campus appears the same. The longawaited technology building is still being planned, the pool is still a prominent part of the University Center and the elevator in Webster Hall still takes minutes to make its way up and down five floors. However, some of the internal workers at WU have changed. President Elizabether Stroble started at WU on July 1, and her first day was chronicled by endless Tweets of schedules and pictures. Stroble is already making efforts to build communica-
tion within the WU community by making herself seen on campus and presenting monthly chances for meetings with students and staff. In addition to the new president, WU also welcomes new staff member Rebecca Spear, the assistant director of employment services search committee, and new positions within the school, including the director of ceremonies, events and protocol and a digital journalism coordinator. We are also looking forward to the announcement of the new vice president of enrollment management and student affairs. A new year also introduces new classes, new adjunct professors, new students and a new staff of editors, writers and photographers to The Journal. We welcome you all and wish you a successful year in your endevours.
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Vol. 63 Issue 2
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Legalize It!
U, was just signed by Water Street Management, the same talent management co that represents Ali Larter and Joshua Jackson here in LA. I would love to see a piece run on him in a St. Louis paper or network.
Missouri won’t legalize medical marijuana until our State Senators allow the bill to be introduced. Organize a student chapter of NORML and embark on re-educating our opponents. SAFER is a campus movement advocating cannabis as a recreational alternative to alcohol; no overdoses, auto deaths or violence. What are the health benefits of wine?
Sarita de Silva
Put the Office of Study Abroad on the map
Rod Wells
Navigating Webster’s Main Campus using only page 7 of the August 20-26 issue of The Journal would leave a student without an important resource — the Office of Study Abroad (OSA). While providing a great map for students, page 7 of this week’s Journal omit-
St. Louisan signed by top LA talent manager
Grant Gelner, a former student and all star athlete at John Burroughs and Wash
ted the OSA’s location in the front foyer of Loretto Hall. Information on study abroad opportunities in Geneva, Switzerland; Leiden, the Netherlands; London, England; Vienna, Austria; Beijing, China; Guadalajara, Mexico; and Osaka, Japan. Students can find the OSA’s four offices (Room 163, 164, 165 and 166) located above the Registrar’s Office in the front foyer of Loretto Hall. The OSA is an important stopping point for students on their journey to individual excellence and global citizenship, so please remember to put the office on the map. Kim McGrath OSA Coordinator
GUEST COMMENTARY
A freshman’s orientation ups and downs
The giant leap from high school to college can strike fear into the heart of any freshman. Webster University’s New Student OriBRITTANY entation 2009 RUESS served to calm that fear and answer lingering questions of students and parents. For four days, orientation explained several aspects of university life in different ways — some more effectively than others. “The Saturday Night Live”themed orientation gave students many chances to shine in the spotlight. However, not all of the freshmen were exactly cheery. During the getting to know you games, some students within their orientation groups decided to sit on the sidelines, while others didn’t bother to attend at all. Meeting new people at a new school is challenging, but many freshmen did not take on that challenge. So, where were all the fun freshies? They were having a good time learning about the other class of 2013 students. For those students who did show up with a smile, congratulations. You probably made a new group of friends. One topic, the study abroad program, was pushed upon students too much prior to the study abroad session, making it old news. Study abroad is obviously a thriving program, and in some cases, the sole reason students attend WU. The fact it can open eyes to new cultures is wonderful, but students needed to hear something different. The student panel during the study abroad session, however, was surprisingly enlightening.
Editor-in-Chief Kelly Kendall Managing Editor Matt Blickenstaff News Editor Amir Kurtovic Sports Editor Jonathan Webb Lifestyle Editor Amanda Keefe Copy Editor Andrew Roach Photo Editor Kholood Eid Online Editor Colleen Reany
Staff Writers Amy Buchanan Brittney French Kendra Henry Adam Johnson Karen Myers Anya Orzel Vincenza Previte Toni Thrasher Deena Wats Ashley White Amanda Wichern International Correspondent Jenn Proffitt
Each of the four students shared do and not to do. From the STD The free orientation lanyards did personal experiences, telling dance to showing diversity in the say “Get involved.” the audience how traveling can classroom, they covered it all. Overall, Orientation 2009 was change a person’s life. Thanks for Dunne and Merriweather acted whatever the student made of it. the breath of fresh air. like peppy cheerleaders, mimick- Those who were active and en The weekend also served as a ing the “SNL” 1990s Spartan skit ergetic learned more about the security blanket for parents. Many with Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri. university and themselves, while of the sessions contained infor- Thumbs way, way up for the cute those who didn’t missed out. The mation students already knew. It and clever dramedy. sessions sometimes put students seemed like a lot of the sessions Thumbs down, though, for into a REM stage of sleep, but they acted to ease the parents, and it the department and college’s ses- weren’t dozing off for too long. The became evident when they asked sion. The session only lasted one high-energy OLs woke them up. questions. The worried moms and short hour, after students had to The greatest effect of orientadads could also attend parent ses- sit through two hours of pointless tion is that new students could sions about “letting go.” The ses- residential and commuter session walk around the Quad, eat free sions allowed parents to feel more bore. Students aren’t attending Ted Drewes and say hello to acsecure about their child’s college WU to learn when and where to quaintances and not feel alone on choice and helped them cope with park their car, or how to approach their first day of college. their son or daughter leaving the their RAs with an issue — that’s nest to grow into adulthood. common sense. They’re coming Brittany Ruess, a freshman Once the parents departed, to Webster to learn about their journalism major, is a guest the fun really kicked off with a field of study and find what they commentator for The Journal. trivia night awarding winners are deeply passionate about. It was with prizes from local businesses. disappointing to have such little Contact the writer: The last day was dedicated to a St. time to meet and greet professors editor@webujournal.com Louis excursion held at Dave and and inquire about school clubs. Buster’s. The out-of-town students familiarized themselves with the area as well as each other. For St. Louisians and commuter students, it was an opportunity for more interaction, if they were willing to pay the $65 fee. The orientation leaders (OLs) and coordinators, juniors Nick Dunne and Quin Merriweather, were extremely welcoming to the new students because they too were once worried, wide-eyed freshmen. Although many of the discussions were laid back, the OLs performed in the Campus Life skit showing how to handle various college KHOLOOD EID / The Journal crises. At times hilarious, Freshman Caitlin Wade, a conservatory theater student, along with her mother at others serious, the OLs Leslie Wade of Fable, Ga., are assisted by management and leadership graduate gave a fair portrayal of what student Elizabeth Eisele (left) and sophomore Loren Douglass, an economics major, to expect, as well as what to in the Sunnen Lounge during freshmen orientation Friday, Aug. 22. Layout and Design Editor Nikole Brown Photographers Becca Clark Sam Dittman Sarah Rusnak Theo Welling Robery Wujcik
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Advisers Editorial Don Corrigan Photography Robert LaRouche
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