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Show Monday, February 13,2006 Editorial Editor in Chief: Marfa Villasenor Phone: 626-7121 The Signpost editorial board SFRC did great job ,, Weber State University is better than most institutions of higher learning for many reasons, but one major reason is its students decide where student fee money goes. .'The administration should be praised for having faith in student representatives to make "real-world" decisions. Higher education is supposed to prepare the future generations for the "real world." •' Giving students the opportunity to exercise this type of authority and power is riot just regular textbook learning; it is hands-on "real-world" learning. The latest round of the Student Fee Recommendation Committee did not allocate $6 million in student fees with monopoly money; they used the real stuff. u .The act of allocating money and the decisions the SFRC was faced with are impressive. Not only was it impressive, the entire committee did an outstanding job of trying to give money to organizations that affected the largest number of students. .Allocating the money this year was similar to last year in that it was difficult because both years had little money to play with. Last year was a deficit year and tfcis year the SFRC had a slight increase, but several organizations asked for large increases. The UTA EdPass, a newcomer to the SFRC, wanted $75,000. -. There are those who are complaining about the lack of funding for the EdPass and other programs. Unfortunately, those who complain did not put an effort f(kward to attend the meetings. Seeing that WSU is a state-funded school, the meetings were open to the public. Besides the 10 on the committee, during the four meetings only two students out of the 18,000 enrolled at WSU sat in to watch and be informed on the issues. '' One thing that is even more depressing is knowing any student can apply to be on the committee and very few people did so. Fewer than 18 individuals applied to be on the committee. This year we were lucky; of the handfull of people who applied for the SFRC, the ones who applied and were selected were quality individuals. Other years WSU rrught not be so lucky; there should be at least 500 individuals applying every year to help increase the odds of quality individuals and diversity The people who applied this year earned their right to complain, but they have no reason to because they did a good job. They should be proud of the decisions they made and service they rendered to WSU. A CAKTboN What's wrong with traditional america? Mom. Apple Pie. Ice Cream. Baseball. That old cliche" has gone away with what it represents: Traditional America. Is traditional America too t lame? Is it too old fashioned? Is it not cool enough anymore to want or care about? Is there too much hustle and bustle in the modern world to ever get back to those days? i I love history. Because- it's ; If you believe that women should have equal rights, bow your head in honor of Betty interesting, yes, but there's something Fh'edan who died on Feb. 4, her 85th birthday. ! Friedan's 1963 best-seller, "The Feminine Mystique," challenged the view that women more to it. Thinking back to the "Good could find fulfillment only in suburban domesticity: baking brownies, choosing color- Old Days" is more than some relaxing mental exercise; truly understanding cpordinated curtains, and keeping their husband's dinner warm until all hours of the night. how America used to be is almost like ! In the 21 st century, that may not seem revolutionary. But it's easy to forget that in the 1950s, alwoman's place was in the home. Birth control was illegal, pregnant women were routinely a time warp - a trip to a much better, firedfromtheir jobs, and young girls who played sports were disparaged as "tomboys" - if ideal existence. That is why I love ttyey were allowed to play at all. talking to people in my grandparents' ; Friedan did more than write one of the century's most influential books, however. She generation, because they saw America hjelped organize the major groups of the women's movement: the National Organization for when it was America. Vt/omen in 1966, the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws in 1969 (now called It's sad to think of how far removed Naral Pro-Choice America) and the National Women's Political Caucus in 1971. we are from the time I'm talking about. j "I realized that it was not enough just to write a book," she said in a PBS interview several j I By Barbra Miner, KnightRidder Tribune: Betty Friedan - on front lines > of women's rights movement y£ars ago. "There had to be social change. There had to be organization, and there had to be ajmovement." ! She was no saint. She had a difficult personality and she alienated lesbians and radical feminists with her attacks on sexual politics. But she was nonetheless a pioneer. The passing of a pioneer is never a happy moment It provides a chance, however, to tally victories and to renew one's commitment to overcoming remaining challenges. ! The successes are many. Despite the complexity surrounding the term "feminism," there is- little dispute that women should have the same political and legal rights as men. Daycare, once a dirty word in America, is now an accepted part of life. Women are senators, Supreme Court justices and brain surgeons. . Young fathers routinely share responsibilities, such as changing diapers and wiping r(inny noses. "For these victories, we should all be thankful. .Unfortunately, challenges abound. *;The right to abortion, which Friedan believed was essential to securing women's equality, may not last the decade. fWomen still earn only about 77 cents for every dollar that men earn, and thefiguresare far worse for African-American and Latina women. Above all, young women are increasingly being told that they cannot have it all, and that trfey must choose between a career and a family. The media, rather than exposing how the American workplace is loath to institute family-friendly policies that can benefit men and women alike, is again glamorizing housework and housewives. ': Even from the grave, Friedan can offer advice - complete with a sense of humor. As she told an interviewer in 1963, "Some people think I'm saying, 'Women of the world unite-you have nothing to lose but your men.' It's not true. You have nothing to lose but your vacuum cleaners." The • i A Weber weDer State otaxe University university Signpost Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor Sports Editor Copy Editor Features Editor Entertainment Editor Business Editor Photo Editor Graphics Editor Online Editor Advertising Manager Office Manager Advisor Distribution Publisher Signpost Fax Maria Villasenor Jason Staley Cory Duclos Jon McBride David Fairchild Jesica Medeltin David Fairchild Lynn Wilde Tricia Gerrard Brady Leaver James Gabrielsen Brandy Lee Georgia Edwards Allison Hess Austin Adams Dr. Randy Scott 626-7121 626-7614 626-7655 626-7983 626-7659 626-7621 626-71 O5 626-7624 626-6358 626-7661 626-6358 626-6359 626-7974 626-7499 626-7974 626-6464 626-7401 • The Signpost is published every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during the semester. Subscription is $9 a semester. The first copy of The Signpost is free, each additional copy is $.50. • The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University students. Student fees partially fund the printing of this publication. Opinions or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university. - The Signpost welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must include name, address, telephone number and the writer's signature. Anonymous letters will not be printed. - The Signpost reserves the right to edit letters for reasons of space and libel and also reserves the right to refuse to print any letter. Letters should not exceed 350 words. Bring letters to the editorial office In SUB 267, mail to: The Signpost, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, 84408-2110. Attn: Editor in Chief, email theslgnpost@weber.edu Whether you are religious, agnostic or an atheist, you have to acknowledge the fact that America is a special place - whether By Layne D. Hansen you think God had a direct hand in that columnist | The Signpost or whether by chance or luck. America is the greatest place to live on earth. I challenge anyone who criticizes I like to think of the cut off date as America or what it stands for to go live occuring right around the time John F. Kennedy was assassinated and Lyndon in another country - even one that B. Johnson escalated the conflict has the rudiments of a democraticin Vietnam. Since then things have style government. For you who think that America is downright evil, go live changed, and not for the better. I had to laugh at the democrats in Iran or North Korea. Come back and ;F under Clinton who called for more tell us how''great" it was. " ' ' It may seem sappy to speak this way, "family values in America." Everything' especially since our country is moving they did took us further and further ever closer to a European standard and away from the things that have always made America great. New World order, but I know that we I cringed then, and I still cringe every would be a lot better off as a people time I hear the phrase "New World if we returned to a lifestyle that more Order." It's the world's way of saying, resembled the one our grandparents and "Let's bring America down to our level." great-grandparents lived and enjoyed. From the Right Letters to the Editor 'Amazing-pay' careers ads not appropriate in classrooms Over the last few months, I have asked me what my problem was, then noticed on campus that when I answered his phone and walked away. walk into a classroom, there is an Here is my problem: Since when advertisement written on the board. is it OK for someone to plaster their It has a box around it, presumably advertisement on the wall of a classroom? so that people will know that it is Since when did I enroll in CUTCO important, and not to be erased. The ad Presents: Weber State University, or is invariably for some Web site offering Vector Market Advertising State College? jobs with "amazing pay" for college Years ago Rocky Anderson, mayor of SLC, students. The last' one I saw was for a issued an order to ban those annoying company that sold knives. signs from intersections and streets This morning, as I sat in an empty in Salt Lake (Lose Weight Now, Ask Me classroom studying, not one, but two How, etc.) Why can't we do that here on different people came in and wrote their campus? I hate SPAM and banner ads Web site ad on the board. I erased it each online, and I hate them even more in time and expressed my dissatisfaction with my classroom. The encroachment of the institutions the practice practice to to the the second second young young man. man. He the He private private sector sector into into public public institutions is a dangerous thing. There should still be places that are reserved as unencumbered areas where we aren't force-fed product pitches and slogans. Do we really want to go to Pepsi Presents: The LDS Institute, or see the Weber State MakeMoneyFromHome.com's play a game of football? The answer is no. I call on every fair-minded student to erase these ads when you see them on a board, and to tell those who write them that you don't want their ads cluttering up your school. - Wyatt Palmer WSU junior premed/clinical laboratory sciem science Enough left-wing hypocrisy, time for right-wing revolution in it. Isn't it interesting to see that the I could hardly contain my laughter in while reading the article From the Left Christians didn't go crazy and start on Friday. Let's talk about hypocrisy asking for the head of the person who for a minute: Let's see, Muslims claim did this? Christians have not burned to be the religion of peace ... well, all down an embassy, nor have we said I see is crazy rioters and terrorists, such things as "Be prepared for the real anything but peace. And how about Holocaust" or my favorite, "Butcher this for hypocrisy - the Left screams those who mock Islam!" freedom of speech constantly, but You see, it is the Left who are the when it comes to this cartoon, they hypocrites. It is the Left who want to see condemn it as a hateful act. Go home the downfall of this great nation we have. and Google "Piss Christ" and you That is why it is time for a right-wing will find an "artist" who urinated in a revolution, to take back our values and glass and then put a picture of Jesus fight the crazy Muslim terrorists and the ther mentally insane Left who support them. Neil Brandvold also spoke of racism; well the cartoon was actually making fun of a religion, not a race, so his argument is flawed. Also, if we want to talk about racism, we need to look no further than the NAACP, or perhaps that wonderful plan called affirmative action, both of which the Left support. All in all, what is the definition of hypocrisy? A liberal. Viva la Conservatism! - Phil! Monson, WSU communications junior The Signpost wants to know what you think. Send us a letter with your name and phone number to: THESIGNPOST@WEBER.EDU |