OCR Text |
Show Your Opinion PAGE A4 What ever happened to "We the people?" Ron Cardon Opinion Writer Just this last week, the United States Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that the execution of juvenile killers is unconstitutional. The situation that triggered this ruling is the case of then 17-yearold Christopher Simmons, who killed a woman during a burglary in Missouri. As it turns out, this was no crime of spontaneity, but rather a calculated and cold-blooded killing. In 1993, Simmons convinced two of his friends to help him rob and kill someone, for the sole reasoning that they would "get away with it" because they were juveniles. Simmons met his friends at 2:00 a.m. to carry out the pre-conceived crime, although one of them backed out and went home. The other two found themselves . home . ... nt the ofr cShu-ley Crook's house and entered through an open window, Lady Justice weighs European and American opinion as the Supreme Court recently ruled out the death penalty for juveniles. search these guys drew that conclusion from. Justice Scalia himself disputes that claim, saying that such decisions should be left up to the states. I couldn't agree more, as there are certain realms in which the federal government should not The instigators ofi this ruling& were pritread. 6 r In actuality, the influmarily the liberals of the justices on the ence I alluded to came not • /, i / . / # L from our shores, but from bench... It absolutely amazes me how manly the liberals of the justices on the bench. I wonder if they realize how "cruel and unusual" it is for someone to be terrorized, hog-tied, After^awakening her in surprise, they proceeded these leftist judges Can Spin OUr beloved our friends in the European 1T £ Union, of all "places, where ~~ ~" ' "— . . . . . r r executing anyone, regardtape, put her in a van, and constitution in a dizzy array ofconfuless of the crime or age, is drove out to a railroad s / o n thereby granting more rights to considered "barbaric." Last bridge over the Mera' ° ° ° time I read the constitution, mec River. There, they killers than tO victims. it starts out by saying, "We dragged her out and hogthe people of the United tied her arms and legs toStates," not "Them the peogether with the duct tape, and hurled to her death into a cold ple of Europe!" a leather strap from her purse, and river. It absolutely amazes me how Sadly, this is the track many are some wire they found lying about. these leftist judges can spin our be- obsessively focused on. Liberals Her face, they covered with tape, loved constitution in a dizzy array would like to have you believe that and while she was still very much of confusion thereby granting more we Americans are too stupid to unalive, Simmons pushed her over the rights to killers than to victims. derstand the astral enlightenment edge into the water below where she You would think that a decision that comes from the progressive drowned. For their efforts, the two as weighty as this would be based shores of Europe. They would have boys made off with a grand total of upon the influence of the American us give up the reigns of our own six dollars. people, right? The ruling statement destiny so that we can be shown the The reason given for the over- said that a "national consensus" ex- error of our ways. Convince me that turn was that it was contrary to the ists that warranted such a change, so such a path is indeed "enlightened," eighth amendment citing "cruel of course, this decision wasn't made and perhaps I would yield to them. and unusual punishment." The in- arbitrarily. I would love to see the re- Good luck with that. stigators of this ruling were pri- to ti tie up up Crook with duct UVSC is not the liberal bastion it's painted as Ryan J. Robinson Vagina Monologues were put on want to attend a college where the there and received just as much sup- ends of the Church of Jesus Christ port in the school newspaper as they of Latter-Day Saints are taught and I have the pleasure of reading did here. I am confident that some adhered to by all, including faculty the letters to the editor in the Daily speakers come to the U who don't there are three four-year institutions Herald on occasion and recently represent the political makeup of funded by the LDS church and one discovered that a student who was the state of Utah and yet UVSC is private four year institution with the interested in attending UVSC for held to a different standard than any same values. its dance program has decided to other institution of higher education The point is that government faattend a school folcilities have a constitutional obligalowing with her val- UVSC is held to a different standard tion to allow many viewpoints, even ues after finding out ones the community may find offenUVSC had Michael than any other institution of higher sive and those who desire to attend a Moore speak on cam- education in the state. place without such constraints have pus and allowed the ample opportunity. Vagina Monologues The community cannot expect to be performed on campus. Num- in the state. UVSC to look like either BYU or bers of high school graduates to Where the government run college Liberty University across the board. the contrary I was enlightened that that ideally represents only conser- As I go to school I see a vast madrops in UVSC's enrollment are due vative values is I don't know, and jority of students who are conservato Moore, the monologues, D. Mi- obviously would be very difficult tive and LDS and seem to be getting chael Quinn and a class on queer lit- to create given constitutional con- along just fine at UVSC. The great erature being taught at the college. straints. irony is that in giving greater fiindIn commenting on the death of the Many universities across the coun- ing to other campuses in Utah the digital learning center for UVSC in :— legislature funds stuthe state legislature, Senator John dent populations that Valentine reminded us why we will Interestingly, Valentine's colleagues look far more like not have such a facility, "I feel that those described by UVSC is a strong institution, but it is had no problem funding an expanValentine and others getting harder and harder to defend than the population against things like the gambling sion of the Marriott library at the at UVSC. The comclass, sexual orientation class, [and] University of Utah. munities' reaction to the Michael Moore situation." UVSC sounds as if Valentine and his colI have gone here four years and had no idea it is a bastion of hedonism, try exist that would better suit the leagues walked the halls and found I am glad someone is there to point needs of those who desire a campus a plethora of leftist radicals ready to these kind of things out to me. where all the activities and lectures undermine their authority. In realInterestingly Valentine's col- represent only a conservative con- ity this collection of people is more leagues had no problem funding an stituency, campuses such as Liberty likely found perusing the stacks at expansion of the Marriott library at University, Oral Roberts and Wash- the Marriott library. the University of Utah. I know the ington and Lee University. If they Contnbuting Opinion Writer t MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2005 1 S£*SI !?! For students juggling school, work, marriage and other responsibilities, the decision to have kids and when can be a difficult one Ikwo Ibiam Young newly weds still in school opinion writer can attest to the fact that life on their own is difficult. Either one spouse is working full-time to support the other spouse's fulltime schooling, or both spouses are simultaneously working and pursuing educational degrees. Trying to balance schoolwork and a job is a daunting enough task. In addition to that juggling match, the effort and time that a healthy relationship requires would completely fill anyone's schedule. Considering these priorities as well as worrying about bills, tuition, and finding a good health insurance plan, many have asked, "When is the right time to start having children?" Many married couples attending college put off having kids until they have graduated or until they get the ideal job offer yielding consistent and sufficient income. Others feel a strong need to get out of debt before assuming their lifelong role as parents. And yet, other fun loving couples believe that having a baby will end their romantic rendezvous at nice restaurants and otherwise hamper their carefree lifestyle. Ironically, because of these reasons, the main purpose of the institution of marriage is put on a shelf and forgotten for a long period of time. Children are the most infinite source of true happiness a newly married man and woman can enjoy, and they are undoubtedly worth any amount of sacrifice required to provide for them - even during the college years. My wife and I have been married for two years. I am a full-time student and I also work 32 hours per week. We decided to start having kids after we had been married for about a year. We knew it would be tough atfirst,but well worth the struggle. We based our decision in part upon the fact that we wanted to have kids while were still young and energetic. We also didn't want to be tempted to put it off any longer than absolutely necessary, I have found that having a baby awakens a profound sense of responsibility and supplies another reason to study hard to make good grades in school. Any loving parent naturally experiences the desire to make the environment in which their baby will live much better than their own. In what more direct way can we determine that environment than by attaining the best possible education and occupation to provide for our child's needs? This desire is one of the best motivating factors for student-parents. Ode to calculus girl Unwritten rules of social conduct only thing that seperates us from the animals Robert Nelsen Opinion Writer Until this point in my life there has been one reason for me to go to my calculus class, and it's not because I learn anything from being there. I attend calculus because I have the best seat in the class, right next to calculus girl. We have been sitting next to each other ever since the second day of class. We sit three rows back, with me on the isle and her next to me. Lately some unfortunate events have forced me to sit in another spot. These unfortunate events are other guys. To them I shake my head in disappointment. Is there no more regard for the law these days? Has society become so grotesque and uncivilized that we completely disregard the rules of life? There are a few unwritten rules that all sophisticated people follow: first, if you use the last of the toilet paper the rule is that you must replace the role; second, if you drive slower than the speed limit you should pull over and wait until there are no other cars on the road before you begin driving so you don't annoy others; and third, if someone has been sitting in a seat for the entire semester you should only take their spot if they have either died or dropped off the face of the earth. These rules may be unwritten but that is no excuse to blatantly ignore them. I understand that occasionally things happen, maybe there are no chairs left this side of the Mississippi or you didn't realize where you sat. My issue is with those who show up early just to deliberately take the spot next to calculus girl. I admit if I wasn't the one sitting next to her I would be jealous, but when did jealousy become an excuse for crime? On top of the disappointment of having to sit somewhere else, it is just awkward moving to a new seat in the class. Everyone in that new area gives you the "why are you sitting somewhere new" look, and the only thing you can do is give the "that guy took my spot" nod. There is one way we can avoid the awkward moments, that is to shun change and always sit in the same spot. Fortunately for me my spot has been next to calculus girl, and I hope to keep it that way. |