Alumnus: LSU stifles free speech
I am writing to set the record straight regarding Arts and Sciences Dean Jane Collins’ termination of my appointment to the Arts and Sciences Advisory Council this past fall. In the fall of 2000 Dean Karl Roider asked me to serve as a member of the A&S Council. When Dr. Roider invited me to serve LSU, I gladly accepted his invite and subsequently made every meeting of the council for three years.
On Nov. 9, 2002 the A&S Advisory Council met and the guest speaker was Dr. Laura Lindsay, interim provost of LSU. In her spiel before the council Dr. Lindsay had many great things to say about her boss, Mark Emmert, whom she lauded as “the best thing to ever happen to LSU.” Since the Advisory Council — at least in name — suggests that they want my advice and input as a participating member, I asked Dr. Lindsay politely what her boss had done to merit a salary higher than that of any other chancellor in the country. I posed this question because I believed then, and still feel strongly today, that his exorbitant pay is an egregious slight of the LSU faculty and the faculty of the state’s other public institutions that are consistently compensated below the southern regional average pay for university professors.
As a double graduate of LSU, I am saddened that my alma mater would attempt to squelch free speech in a forum that was created to invite it. I was always of the understanding that LSU, as an academic institution, was a haven for free speech and thought — a place where a diversity of opinions and beliefs were always welcome. However, I now realize that I was mistaken.
Today LSU is a place that is run not for the benefit of the students — but solely for the administration and its rich and powerful cronies. Students and faculty at Louisiana’s flagship should be outraged with their current leadership, for they have become self-serving; motivated not by the cognitive growth of the student, but instead by the debilitating human enthusiasms of acrimony, power and greed that have effectively destroyed our American ethos — the very ethos that has allowed us to become the greatest nation the world has ever known.
Chris Warner, Ph.D.
LSU Graduate
Student rebuts letter about crosses
I’m extremely glad Mr. Broussard “patiently tolerates” the Students for Life’s cross display on the basis of his stated belief in freedom of speech. Otherwise, I suppose, his righteous wrath would so shame the Students for Life that they would take down their cross display and beg this intellectual titan for forgiveness.
Mr Broussard’s stated desire was to, in his own crass words, “piss them (meaning pro-life students) off a little.” Well, sir, you haven’t pissed me off, but I do feel sorry for you. That you have to write a letter to the editor that is so incoherently moronic that I had to read it twice to actually try and understand what in the hell you were thinking. You didn’t even bother to regurgitate the traditional pro-abortion argument until the very end, rather you simply turned personal and vicious against a group of people that have never harmed you in any way other than perhaps bothering you on your daily walk to class.
The one issue I’d like to take up is Mr Broussard’s own seeming hatred of Christians. I’ll lay aside his disgusting psychoanalysis of a supposed Christian problem with abortion having to do with the Virgin Mary, and, Chris, it’s the First Coming that would have been prevented, not the Second, but why does he seem to dislike pro-life Christians so much? The way I see it pro-life folks are just that, they believe that innocent lives, no matter what religion, or, for that matter, lack thereof, should be protected. My only guess is that perhaps it is the Christian code of ethics — a code that is solid and definitely goes against his own personal values. Perhaps, and I don’t know, this is the reason so. All I can say is that I am personally glad that all the recent pro-abortion writers had parents who were pro-life, and I can only hope that in the future we’ll be spared the displays of crosses when the State decides that life at all stages warrants protection.
Ryan Merryman
Freshman — History
Could you destroy a child’s life?
I knew Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2003 was the 30th anniversary of Roe v. Wade when I walked by the Parade Ground and saw the representation of all the abortions that have taken place. I did not do anything except think about it. Friday afternoon, I read The Reveille and knew I could not be silent about this subject.
The issue is not about Roe v. Wade, religion or ethnicity. It is about life. On Jan. 24 abortions still took place all over the world.
As I write this, 43,358,592 abortions have taken place since 1973 in the United States, according to National Right to Life and supported by data given by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Planned Parenthood’s Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI). More than 40 million lives have been lost.
A mother who is expecting a baby is in this position because of a choice she and her partner made. The choice is made when sexual relations occur, knowing there is a chance a child will be conceived. Once the child is conceived, it is a life and by aborting the baby you are taking away his/her choice for life. Abortion is not a method of birth control that you use and then go on with your life. The moral decay in this country has led to its citizens not accepting the consequences for their actions. AGI reports that in 2001, 13 of 1000 pregnancies ended in abortion in Louisiana. If our mothers chose abortion, we would not be here. These children deserve a chance at life. Could you willingly destroy a child’s life?
Amy Lyon
Sophomore — ISDS
Kudos to Reveille for improvements
I would just like to say that I am very excited about the new staff and new approaches The Reveille is proposing for this semester. First on Monday, when I picked up the paper, I noticed on page 5 that there were pictures of all the editors and managers along with their titles and their areas of responsibility at the paper. It is nice to be able to put a face with a name and to know who is responsible for what area.
Again on Thursday, when I picked up a paper, I read the editorial written by managing editor, Diette Courrege, discussing the new diversity committee. I am excited to hear that The Reveille is committed to covering sometimes touchy issues, with which everyone might not agree. These issues (race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.) are important to everyone to develop a well-rounded person. I look forward to reading The Reveille throughout the rest of this semester. Keep up the good work guys!
Doris Glass
Junior — Mass Communication
Reveille needs better distribution
We have heard rumor that The Reveille is decent reading material, and all in all a fairly good form of keeping up with campus issues. Our problem is finding a sample of the mythical publication we have been desperately seeking since our arrival at LSU two years ago. After consulting with a staff writer who will go unnamed, we were certain that yesterday would be the day to end our quest and find a newspaper to read in our spare time on campus other than The Tiger Weekly (which gets old after about three days).
Upon getting off the Tigerland bus we witnessed three minor scuffles, and one downright brawl over the last remaining Reveille in the bin, while a homeless man slept in a makeshift lean-to built of Tiger Weeklies. Later in the day while rushing to the nearest lavaratory between classes, we reached into The Reveille bin outside of Chopin and grabbed a paper. Upon sitting we opened up the newfound prize only to find the same Tiger Weekly articles we’ve now read four times. When the tasks at hand were completed, we found that the janitor had failed to stock the supplies necessary for cleaning oneself. At this dark hour of our day, what paper came to the rescue … The Tiger Weekly! (This is the best use we’ve found for one yet.) We have taken a straw poll, and decided to give up the hunt for our “unicorn.” Our only hope is that if the paper of lore does exsist that some higher power would read our letter, and place a stack of them at the Tigerland bus stop nearest Lockett. Is this too much to ask?
Sincerely, and somewhat chapped,
T.J. Lee
Sophomore — Chemical Engineering
Dary Westmoreland
Sophomore — Mechanical Engineering
Volunteer — it’ll make you feel good
For those of us who are not burdened with weekend jobs and are tired of the monotony of lazing about all day, I have a great idea. Volunteer. I realize that this is not a new idea whatsoever, but for some it would be a new and fulfilling experience.
This past Saturday, I went with my roommate and her church to serve lunch at the Bishop Ott Center for Men. After helping prepare the food, we all caravanned to the center in order to serve the lunch. Then we served ourselves and shared a meal together.
I cannot begin to describe the satisfaction you get when the people you help are overjoyed that you cooked for them and also talked with them. The appreciation they have for something so simple is astounding and makes us realize how lucky we all are.
Along with the fulfillment of helping those in need, I met a lot of wonderful people with whom I hope to create lasting friendships. So the next time you are laying around and there is nothing on TV, go volunteer and experience all the joys and happiness in helping others.
Jennifer Winschel
Junior — History
Cafeteria food should be healthier
I am writing this letter to spotlight an issue that I think many will agree with me on: bad cafeteria food! Students pay at least $800 to have a meal plan. What does this pay for? Unhealthy and unsatisfactory food.
For instance, Highland Dining Unit serves the same things every day: instant mashed potatoes, greasy soy patties and nacho cheese fries. This is not my idea of a healthy selection. Sure, they have salad, which consists of withered lettuce and funny tasting dressing and once in a while they will serve chicken, but they serve mainly high in fat, low in taste food. Whoever chooses the food they serve should take the thousands of dollars we spend on meal plans and choose healthier, better tasting options.
Laura Begley
Sophomore — Mass Communication