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Show - v iUiliililiMJiLli -lL Fay punishment forces U.S. to look at current legal system The plight of 18-year-old Michael Fay has many Americans debating what steps America now should take against both the Singapore government and youth who commit crimes that shatter the quality of life for law-abiding citizens. The young Fay was caned four times this week for vandalizing cars, houses and buildings on the streets of Singapore. Supporters in Fay's corner argue that sentenc Signpost VIEWPOINT tocks bruised, bleeding and scarred, is carried out by a martial arts expert to help deter others from committing similar crimes. Even President Clinton joined in and petitioned the Singapore government to reconsider its verdict but to no avail. Singapore officials were swayed, but not to the point of total clemency. Instead of six lashes, Fay received four. Officials also lashed out at the American media by printing scathing editorials against the ancient punishment. Some are now calling for an American boycott of Singapore products. The act committed against an American is worthy enough to enact the silent treatment. The act was, indeed, heinous. . But Fay has now felt the wrath of a justice system that keep Singapore relatively free of crime. While there were those like The Signpost who supported Fay's cause, there were others in this country that actually wanted to see the sentence carried out. But why? The answer is quite simple. Americans are fed up with crime. We are fed up with seeing it broadcast on the news. We are fed up with reading about it in the newspaper. We are fed up with seeing vandalism at our local schools, parks and neighborhoods, We are fed up with seeing graffiti on brick walls, buildings and bridges. We are fed up with drive by shootings with bullets ripping through homes, cars and people. We are fed up with constantly living in fear. We are fed up with always being the victims. Justice is seldomly reached, particuarly withteenage criminals who seen more mercy than they do justice. Although the teenage crime rate is skyrocketing through out the country, the justice system is doing little to punish teenage criminals. A few days in jail and a few months on probation does little to deter teenage criminal activity. Americans become incensed when they see teenage murders and rapist serve a mere prison term and then released back into society. What the American people want is justice. Heinous crimes, many argue, should receive heinous punishment. Just think how many criminals would reconsider committing crime if the punishment was to be stripped naked, strapped and bent over a whipping board, displayed in a public square and whipped six time with a bamboo cane. While this may be an extreme punishment, we must, in this country do more to deter people from committing crime. We must come closer in truly making the punishment fit the crime. The SigepQ Recipient of the UPA General Excellence award Editor in chief Managing editor News editor A&E editor Sports editor Copy editor Asst. copy editor Features editor Special editions Campus affairs Photo editor Production editor Production Asst. Ad designer Ad manager Asst. ad manager Secretary Adviser Publisher Jeff Haney Mark Forsberg Jennifer King Tyson Hiatt Jared Page Hillary Schultz Kimberli Longhurst Laurie Albrechtsen Chad Mosher Bryan Stephens Steve Conlin Dawn Webber Paul Roskelley Phil Mickey Jennifer Belnap Todd Wangsgard Laura Jane Hansen P. Larry Stahle Dr. Randy Scott The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University students. Opinions or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university. The Signpost welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should not exceed 350 words. Letters must include name, address, phone number, relationship to staff and the signature of the writer. The Signpost reserves the right to edit for reasons of space and libel and also reserves the right to refuse to print any letter. Bring letters to the editorial office in UB 267 or mall to: The Signpost, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah 84408-2110. Attn: Jeff Haney, editor In chief. ing the youth to violent lashings with a water-soaked bamboo cane is much too harsh a sentence for a simple vandalism accusation. The flesh-spliting punishment, which may leave the but The Signpost Phone numbers Editor in chief Managing editor News desk Arts desk Sports desk Production Advertising Adviser Fax 626-7121 626-7105 626-7507 626-7105 626-7983 626-6358 626-6359 626-7120 626-7401 The Signpost is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday during Fall, Winter and Spring quarters. Subscription is $9 a quarter. OV0RBOARP ON I n 3urW Ml Persistence a The Buffalo Bills. Have you ever wondered how they feel? What about the Atlanta Braves or the Cleveland Cavaliers? These teams are perennial losers but in a different sort of way. These teams, which I use as an example because in no other area of life are there more losers than in sports, are different types of losers. They are always touted as the top teams, always in the upper echelon, always one of the favorites to take it all, or at least to make that jump to the "next level." They are successes. But when it comes down to reaching the pinnacle, they fall short. They lose. Buffalo has gone to four straight Super Bowls. Four straight! That is astounding. They are one of the most successful franchises in the history of the National Football League. No one has ever gone to four straight Super Bowls, but what are they to the rest of the nation? Definitely losers. There can be nothing more painful than having a goal, to see that goal sitting right there, working hard, getting to the absolute edge, and then ' failing to reach it. You may be the best, the favorite, the undeniable leader of the pack, but. . . SAE innocent To the editor, We, the members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, regret greatly the actions that took place last Wednesday night. We immediately investigated all members whereabouts and are confident that no member of our fraternity was involved in the acts committed. In essence, we believe that we were framed. Sigma Alpha Epsilon's name was used in the attack on the Insti H -a gold-medal winner attribute Just One Comment Phil Mickey I wonder how members of the Buffalo Bills must feel. "When is it going to fall our way?" a member of the Bills said after their fourth loss. "When is it going to stop?" I'm not just a rambling sports fan; I do have a point to all this. The Bills lost the Super Bowl. So what? They said, "We'll be back next year." They went back. . . and they lost. It happened again, and it happened again, but they kept at it. The Braves do the. same, as do the Cavaliers. They keep on fighting. Arguably, the best baseball player of all time, Babe Ruth, struck out more times than anyone. A batter succeeds and gets a hit, or fails and strikes out. Babe Ruth failed more than anyone. Abe Lincoln lost numerous times before he won any election. He kept trying, and now his face is on U.S. money. He did not quit. tiers to the editor of attack on Institute Building tute property. We, however, have had a long, positive association with the LDSSA and the Institute in general. Over 50 percent of our active members are members of LDSSA or take classes at the Institute, including two former LDSSA presidents. Although we in no way were responsible for die attack, we have offered to clean up the vandalism and suffer tlie consequences as rruindated by the WSU Greek Council. What possesses these people to keep trying? How can one take the punches and keep standing up time after time? It happens a lot in this complex world; it happens J to the best of us. But we have to keep trying and keep charging ahead. This past winter, America found a new hero. This man is a perennial loser, but the best at his sport. He holds a bunch of records and is regarded as the best in the world-the favorite.In the 1988 Olympics, after learning his sister died, he fell. He fell twice. In the 1992 Olympics he just didn't do well, he was sup-posed to, but he just didn't. Last Olympics, he was by far the best there. In his first race, he fell. "When are things going to go my way?" he asked. The man had one last chance. His back was against the wall, and he tried it one more time. Then he won, and he won big. He skated a recorded time faster than any man ever has in the history of speed skating. He did not ever quit. He did not throw in the towel. He did not walk away. Dan Jansen won a gold medal. In the immortal words of Jim Valvano; "Don't give up, don't ever give up." We pride ourselves in our class of men, and we wish the campus at large to understand that we feel an action such as this is beneath us. It takes a high level of honor and class to be an SAE, and our order will exhibit this by not retaliating or falsely accusing any others of the guilt of their actions. Brothers of Sigma Alplia Epsilon |