OCR Text |
Show VIEW Monday March 30, 2009 Editorial: We won't be silenced Jack Jared Waters Editor-in-chief Jennie Nichols Editor-at-large An unheard-of event and an enemy of free speech transpired between Wednesday night and the morning of Thursday, March 26. Absent from UVU Review's newspaper racks were copies of UVU Review—every one of the newspaper's 28 racks were stripped bare. Each of the other newspapers available to the campus were there to be enjoyed by the student body—except for the only newspaper created solely by members of the student body. Aside from the obvious allegations and legal implications of theft, a much greater crime was committed against the student body of Utah Valley University, The ideals of free expression and marketplace of ideas was taken away from them. Thus in the editorial board's efforts to maintain the integrity of UVU Review, journalism, free speech and to also credit the authors whose hard work was left unread by numerous members of the student body, UVU Review is reprinting the entirety of last week's Opinions section and the lead article from the News section. The tragic attempt to silence any articles will not be tolerated by this organization and thus the reprinting of these pieces will allow them to be read, as they were rightfully intended from their original publication date. UVU Review refuses to be silenced. Students oppose military recruiters on campus Reform needed in student elections UVUSA-run elections committee is a conflict of interest GREGWILC0X Opinions writer Student government is a great organization that is given to students that, ideally, is supposed to represent the interests of all students on campus as best as possible. That being said, there are many ways in which the student government fails to live up to this expectation. The most egregious of these is that the elections committee (a group of people who are trusted to impartially referee the student elections and deal with grievances by teams running) is run and set up by the student government. The problem is that these members on the committee have ties to any team comprised of people currently in the student government. In the last election, this problem of bias became apparent in the favoritism the elections committee showed Team UVoice and the disregard it showed Team Engaged (Team Engaged being composed of members not currently in the student government). On the Saturday when posters could go up, Team Engaged was told by Joseph Watkins (current student body president) that after 5 p.m., no more signs could go up. This was a rule written down nowhere, and not spoken of before. When Team Engaged did put up posters after 5 p.m., Team UVoice let their grievance be known and, .naturally, their advi- sors were quick to side with them; Team Engaged's outside posters had to be taken down, a huge blow to their campaign. What's worse is that when Team Engaged let the elections committee members know their grievances, including Team UVoice's writing their logo in the school bathrooms past 5 p.m. (thus breaking the same rule) and putting a campaign box too close to a voting kiosk, these complaints went ignored. Another aspect of the elections that need to be fixed is in regard to the budgets given to the teams. The teams are told that everyone is to have "fair market value." This may have sounded nice, but Team UVoice was cued into an important loophole; you can write off things like posters being "trash," and thus not have it count toward your budget. If is does count, it is written off at discounts unheard of. This sly tactic was kept from Team Engaged, that is, until it was too late. Additionally, Team UVoice was allowed to "borrow" plasma screen TVs from Best Buy for their campaign (thus avoiding the requirement to declare the use of this resource in their budget), putting them in the hallways for video game delight. This is hardly "fair market value," as the rationale behind this rule is that both teams can campaign with equal amounts of resources. It will surely take a concerted effort from outside the system to fix this misun- derstanding of what exactly the 'fair market value' rule means for future student elections, as it is doubtful that current elections committee members see anything wrong with Team UVoice's violation of it. Now, to be fair, Team Engaged is probably not completely innocent in this election. Supposedly, someone stole a bunch of Team UVoice's posters. Whether it was a rogue Engaged supporter, a UVoice conspirator, or just an anti-election individual is impossible to tell. Perhaps Team Engaged posters would have been stolen as well had they been outside. Regardless of who stole them, it should not be neglected ~ it's a true grievance (ignoring, of course, the fact that Team UVoice won the election and faced little difficulty in getting the elections committee to rule in their favor). Who did what is actually irrelevant to the point of this article. There needs to be an elections committee that is composed of other people on campus other than student government. The disregard towards Team Engaged's grievances only proves the obvious bias that exists in having an elections committee of those that sustain incumbent members of student government. It is our responsibility to see that this is changed in the future by letting student government and other authorities know that this is something that needs to be remedied. talked to one female ap- increased dramatically in proached by U.S. Military Iraq since U.S. forces inOpinions editor recruiters Wednesday and vaded the country in 2003," A group of students and had a conversation with her Busenbark pointed out. Van Wagenen said that in community members was about the alarming incidence forcibly escorted from the of rape of female soldiers in the U.S. we often congratuJate ourselves for building McKay Events Center by the U.S. Military. campus police on WednesIn "Sexual assault in mil- schools or hospitals in war day March 25, after engag- itary 'jaw-dropping' law- zones like Iraq. However, ing in counter-recruitment maker says" (July 2008), Van Wagenen said, "when activities during UVU's CNN quoted U.S Congress- kids see their fathers abCareer Fair. U.S. Military woman Jane Harman as say- ducted in the middle of the recruiters had information ing, "Women serving in the night by U.S. soldiers and and recruitment tables at the U.S. military today are more tortured, a new building in Career Fair, which the es- likely to be raped by a fellow their neighborhood doesn't corted individuals said they soldier than killed by enemy even things out. And a new were there to counter with fire in Iraq." Rep. Harman •generation of terrorists is information presenting a said that four in ten women being created." viewpoint other than a U.S. serving in the U.S. Military In recent years, UVU has Military recruiter's. had been raped. hosted on-again, off-again teach-ins, Crystal Busenbark, a Bledsoe said, "You student/teacher UVU Psychology Ma- wouldn't buy a used car where students, faculty, and jor with a Minor in Peace without checking out an un- community members had and Justice Studies, was in biased mechanic's second the opportunity to express the McKay Events Center opinion on the car. Don't their opinions on pertinent Wednesday and said she join the military without socio-political subjects such was there because she has getting another person's as the U.S. invasion of Iraq seen too many of her friends perspective, besides a re- and Afghanistan. Our entire campus community would and peers go away to war. cruiter's." "Sometimes young people UVU Biology Major benefit from a return of this from poorer households Derek Johnson was also in forum to campus. or neighborhoods join the attendance Wednesday and To be fair to all UVU Review readers It should be noted that two members of UVU Review staff were on Team Engaged military because they feel said, "A lot of young people Part I of II In a series on counIn the student elections and the author of this article assisted their campaign In various ways they don't have any other who join the military and ter-U.S. military recruitment options, or that that is their only talk to a recruiter are uvu.review.opinions@gmail.com best financial option," said vulnerable, they are away Busenbark. "I've watched from their parents for the my friends go off to war, first time in their life, they watched them come back don't have their feet under with PTSD, broken, and them yet, and they are susthey were used." ceptible to authority fig"I don't want to see that ures." happen to anyone else," BYU alumnus Will Van said Busenbark. That senti- Wagenen, also a co-orgament seemed to capture the nizer of 2007's Alternative witn ner. i spoke or tne views of others countering BYU Commencement, said To the Editor: •?-•£ hardworking culture that the U.S. Military recruitment his LDS faith motivated his LDS community is known . Wednesday. participation Wednesday in at UVU as "mandated" by In the March 23 edition To the Editor: for, but also explained U. of U. alumnus Ryan efforts to counter U.S. Milidie socio-cultural effect of the UVU REVIEW diat UVU stands out by Chikaraishi said he was tary recruiters. "As MorAaron Heineman submitted of the LDS religion will offering experience with detained by UVU campus mons, it's our obligation to I am disappointed to learn : a Letter to die Editor demonstrate to nqn, . o , a very diverse faculty and police and told he was tres- 'renounce war and proclaim that the Utah State Board expressing his objection Mormons — gays and / : administration; My own list ; passing at Wednesday's Ca- peace' as commanded by of Regents has selected to the selection of UVU's of favorite professors at lesbians, different religious reer Fair. God in section 98 of the BYU poli-sci associate UVU includes an atheist, UVU Campus Police Doctrine And Covenants,'" professor Matthew Holland affiliations, freethinkers, and new President, Matthew Holland. , -. ^ • - , > ^ ; : a Mormon, a Presbyterian, were unavailable for com- said Van Wagenen. "There's —son of the current atheists — that UVU might Aaron, let me; be the first an agnostic, and a variety ment before press deadline nothing wrong with defendtransform into a mini-rne to say, I am with you. I am Mormon aposde, who was of odiers who kept me ing your country — that's Thursday. BYU. Academic freedom an adamant believer that a the president of BYU. guessing die whole time. Chikaraishi said he honorable - but these two learning institution should When does die separation is crucial to both students YES, this is Utah and hoped to deter recruitment wars in Iraq and Afghaniand faculty, and a dominant be unfettered by religious of church and state cease stan are offensive not defenmost of those students of his friends and peers by overtones and cultural religious faith should sive." you see walking around to exist and nepotism and the U.S. Military because he homogeny. However, I not interfere with UVU's ARE LDS. But to assume "[opposes] our foreign poli"Rather than hating our cronyism begin to flourish believe diis in light of my progress in providing the diat the religion of the cy of imperialism in Iraq and enemy," said Van Wagenen, which might render the activity within the LDS best education for nonpresident would have Afghanistan." Chikaraishi "we're commanded to love Utah Valley experience church, not despite it. any real affect on our however added that "U.S. them." Van Wagenen was for non-Mormon students Mormons. I feel UVU offers a \£y}-, curriculum is to ignore the soldiers are not the ones di- kidnapped in Iraq by armed displeasing to the point of This State Board of 'r very unique education.; V recent administration of recting the waging of war so militants and held for over a Regents' decision furnishes feeling unwelcome? "' :. I recendy had dinner # William Sederburg, an active I am sympathetic to them." week in 2007. He was in Iraq Dr. Holland is clearly .*.&•: the further proof that with the dean of George Lutheran. According to Chikaraishi, volunteering with a group Mormon homogeneity Washington's Law School, some potential recruitees called Christian Peacemaker an unqualified candidate I was able co interview in Utah Valley is the rule and had the opportunity to . Matt Holland hours before among the pool of "were really receptive" Teams. rather dian the exception. showcase our institution. Wednesday to the group's he was announced as our Bledsoe said terrorism is applicants who have far The analogy is white bread Can you believe that she alternate viewpoints. new President. Again, I'm directly linked with poverty more significant experience mentioned that one of their widi you Aaron; I told him tastes stale compared to Ashley Bledsoe, one of and that one way to "love in leadership expertise. Not wheat. The choice of a new biggest feeder schools was we didn't want to be BYU 2007's Alternative BYU our enemy" was to fight to mention some rejected BYU? "How strange," UVU president will negate junior. His vision was right Commencement organizers, poverty around the world. candidates bear a marked I thought, "diat in all their on the money and before was at the McKay Events "If we really wanted to fight respect for the vision of an the world's view of Utah homogeneity BYU seems to you transfer to Westminster, Center Wednesday. Bled- terrorism we would invest academic institution that is not for scenic beauty but as be consistendy producing go ralk with him. He is soe, along with other BYU in infrastructure, schools, an eminendy theocratic statt world class students!" I first and foremost a true students and community healthcare, food and shelter independent of religious, where free diought and was not shy in letting her political, and communal academic and exudes members participating in in the poorest areas in the reasonable dissent is looked know that we intend to influence that does not leadership and vision. Go the 2007 Alternative BYU world," said Bledsoe. "We down upon as heretical. make UVU the biggest talk with hira Hell change Commencement object- could spend half of what we create an atmosphere that feeder school for George your mind. ed to BYU's honoring of spend on war, and terrorism augments the diversity of —Aaron Heineman Washington Law School. then Vice-President Dick would decline." cultures and viewpoints. She was amused at my Cheney. Bledsoe said she —Thomas Merrill The onset of *• "Terrorism has in fact insistence but I really felt administrative encumbrance' my argument hit a chord John Ditzler Letters to the Editor New pres. o\ is a Same old cronyism selection of credit to the institution w Ho JJL. |