Potter column needs more research
One of the first rules when writing any opinion article or paper is that the opinion ought to be educated. Tim Basilica should have heeded this simple rule.
Before writing an entire article about any book, you need to do more than just watch the film adaptation.
To equate watching the film version of Harry Potter to reading the books is to take your “grown-up witch novel,” The Scarlet Letter, and watch Demi Moore’s film instead. (Maybe you got the idea that there are witches in the book from the movie?) To call watching Chris Columbus’ film “research” is a ridiculously ignorant statement. I could write an entire article in itself about the many things butchered in the film, the first of an increasingly complex series of seven.
Mr. Basilica constantly calls the Harry Potter series “kids’ books” but can’t even begin to back up this opinion, as again, he hasn’t even read the first book of a seven-part series. You want a dose of reality in reading?
Well, try putting some in your own article. Just because kids love Harry Potter, does not mean that they won’t go on to read any other great piece of literature.
Beneath the fictitious setting of Hogwarts is a variety of real world issues to which children can relate, including anything from class and racial discrimination to school yard bullies and the importance of studying.
The latest edition, Order of the Phoenix, gave an interesting commentary and criticism of obtrusive government and the complications that arise from mass superstition, as have other books such as your aforementioned Scarlet Letter.
This series isn’t The Iliad (with such realities as Greek gods and mystical, moving shields), but it never claims to be.
However, before children, or anyone for that matter, can tackle such a masterpiece, they need to develop a love of reading so that they can appreciate it. If they don’t, they may all end up in a line at blockbuster, watching the poorly done and highly altered film version.
Stephanie Becvar
sophomore
English literature
Gubernatorial story clarifications
Last Friday’s article about the governor’s race was interesting, but the lead had a couple of errors.
First, I’m sure Kathleen Blanco would be interested to note that the author thinks she’s a man.
Secondly, there has been a non-caucasian male governor of Lousiana.
During Reconstruction (yes, the one with a capital R), Louisiana had an African-American governor. In 1873, P.B.S. Pinchback, the son of a white Mississippi planter and a freed slave, served as governor for a scant 35 days. Of course, you could make the argument that we’ve never actually elected a non-caucasian governor because Pinchback was never elected, not even to the Lt. Governor’s office.
He became Lt. Governor after Lt. Gov. Oscar Dunn died; then became governor after the Federal government overturned the election of John McEnery and impeached the current governor, Henry Clay Warmoth, for trying to fix the election of McEnery.
This story is interesting, I have to share it. McEnery was very unhappy he was unseated and had his supporters take up arms against William Kellogg, the man he was running against whom the feds put in office (Pinchback served during the confusion).
The Federal government sent troops to New Orleans and decreed that until Federal troops were removed for Louisiana, no Democrat could be elected.
Apparently, the Federal government thought Louisiana’s politics were corrupt. I wonder where they got that idea?
Also, notably, Gov. Pinchback helped create Southern University when, at the Constitutional Convention of 1879, he pushed for the creation of a black college in Louisiana.
Lindsey deBlieux
alumna
class of 2003
Trash plagues the campus after games
With the amount of spirit that goes into supporting our LSU Tigers on game days, I was shocked to find the amount of trash left behind after the games.
With such a beautiful campus as the one we live on, I would think that every effort possible would be enforced to keep it that way.
But instead, I find loads of waste left behind by tailgaters who somehow missed the trash can.
I also understand that there are people paid to pick up trash on days that follow games, but there are plenty better ways I can think of to spend that money.
All I ask is that tailgaters be considerate towards the campus and its beauty and pick up after themselves.
DaTrina Hinton
freshman
mass communication