OCR Text |
Show Wednesday, October 26,2005 Editorial Editor in Chief: Maria Villaseiior The Signpost editorial staff ARNOLD, StiOULVhl'l YOU T BACK TO U/OK/C Ohl YOUR ^.-ELECTION C£M?AlGJJ- Civil rights leader dies Heroes come and heroes go, but on occasion their actions have a tendency to be remembered forever. Being a hero is not always saving lives; sometimes, people become heroes by breaking the chains of the status quo, rising beyond oppression and even breaking the law. Rosa Lee Parks, a great American hero often referred to as the "mother of the civil rights movement," died in her home on Monday at the age of 92. Parks shall be remembered for her divine strength and courage when she refused to give up her seat on a bus. On Dec. 1,1955 in Montgomery, Ala., while riding a city bus, Parks was required to surrender her seat to a white man who boarded. At that time, blacks were forced by law to give up their seats to whites. Parks's refusal not to give up her seat had some sharp repercussions; she was jailed and fined $14 for her act of defiance. These actions helped build the fire that spread into the blaze known as the civil rights movement. Due to her arrest, a Baptist minister, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., organized a 381 -day boycott on the bus system. Even though she broke the law, her fight against the status quo boosted her to the level of hero. She may have not directly saved a life, but her actions helped spawn the movement that saved multiple generations of black Americans from oppression and possibly death. Her actions were not the most death defying or grand; Parks's action was simple. She was tired and there was no reason why a white man should make her move. Parks stood up, or rather stayed seated, for what she knew was right - that as an equal, she could sit where she wanted. Parks demanded equality and accepted the consequences of breaking the law because of it. In turn, her example led thousands of others to push for their liberty until the law finally recognized what was right: Darker skin did not equate to lesser rights. Before that historic day, Rosa Parks must have sat in the back of the bus every day. Unlike Parks, many people take life as it is rather than questioning how life could or should be. The world still needs people to not give up their seats, stand their ground and become heroes. From the Contra Costa Times: Pass U.S. shield law for media The justice department has guidelines designed to make media subpoenas a tool of last resort. Unfortunately, the guidelines are not mandatory and at times journalists are subpoenaed and forced to reveal confidential sources or be jailed. That is what happened to New York Times reporter Judith Miller, who spent nearly three months in jail for refusing to uncover her source to federal prosecutors investigating the disclosure of undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity. The jailing has had the positive effect of raising interest in developing a federal shield law to protect the independence of journalists. A bill now in Congress would codify U.S. Department of lustice guidelines in law and would ban compelling news media members from identifying sources except where "necessary to prevent imminent and actual harm to national security." The measure is attracting considerable attention and support in Congress. But the Bush administration is opposed to any changes. Representing the justice department, Chuck Rosenberg, a U.S. attorney in Texas, said, "We should not enter this debate believing that the First Amendment is under assault by the Department of Justice. Manifestly it is not." However, the threat of abuse by judges remains as long as there are only guidelines instead of statutory regulations regarding journalists' confidential sources and under what conditions journalist must reveal them. Already the jailing of Miller has had a chilling effect. She told Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., that after her jailing, the Cleveland Plain Dealer decided against going forward with two stories to avoid a similar predicament. Journalists try to get their sources to reveal their identities. But in some instances, granting confidentiality to sources is the only way they will offer any information. That is particularly true when investigations are under way or retribution for whistleblowing is feared. Former U.S. attorney Joseph DiGenova suggested enacting the existing justice department guidelines into law, so reporters could get courts to enforce them because "notwithstanding what they're saying today, they {justice officials) don't always do that." Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., asked Rosenberg if the department would support that, but Rosenberg said even that would be a bad idea because court appeals could delay action at times "when we need to move fast." In emergencies, court action could be speeded up. So why the reluctance by the justice department to give journalists protections on the national level that they already have in many states? There is a far greater danger of interfering with legitimate news gathering in sensitive areas than there is in stifling a federal investigation because journalists want to protect a confidential sources. We trust the judiciary committee and a majority in Congress will agree and enact a shield law that allows journalists to do their jobs effectively without fear of ending up in jail. SSSSSS=SSS=S=9| The -^ A Weber State University Phone: 626-7121 • Drop Confederate flags from campus All of these Confederate flags flying overhead lately make campus look a little bit like a Ku Klux Klan rally. State flags from Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana are flying to remind Weber State University students to contribute to the "Fill the Jug" campaign - a worthy cause. There are 15 flags from each state on campus, which means 15 maternal white pelicans on Louisiana flags. But less cheerful than a shorebird regurgitating for her fledglings (or self-mutilating) are the 15 watered-down Confederate symbols on the Alabama state flag and 15 Confederate flags in the Mississippi flag's upper left corner. This doesn't mean Hurricane Katrina survivors don't need help. It doesn't mean students shouldn't "Fill the Jug" with spare change. Instead, WSU should take down those Confederate-style flags, which are visible all over campus. These symbols to not promote unity and tolerance. That wretched Mississippi state flag is offensive enough to be the subject of a 1993 lawsuit filed by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Flag choice in Mississippi was on a 2001 referendum that led to voxers asking 2-1 the Confederate flag stay, no matter how divisive the politics flag is used by racists as an alternative to the American flag, which they classify as an emblem of the Jewish-con trolled By Kristen Hebestreet government. columnist j The Signpost The Southern Poverty Law Center reports over 500 extremist groups use the Southern Cross as a symbol. The or hurtful to the state's economy The Confederate flag is common at KKK rallies NAACP vows to keep fighting. because the Aryan Nations and similar While other southern states dropped groups say its 13 stars represent the 13 the overt Confederate imagery, lost tribes of Israel, red for the purity of Mississippi remains the last hold out. white blood and white stripes for white However, Alabama's low-key confederate skin. symbolism fits right in there. It would be wrong to suggest sneaking WSU is not Mississippi, where many up to the WSU flag poles when no one is flip the figurative finger to what is often looking and running up Buddhist prayer regarded as the cultural imperialism of flags or flags showing rainbows, peace the North. Nor is it Alabama, where most signs or planet Earth. I'm not certain learned to ignore that big red "X" and which campus policy this violates, but its subtle reminder of institutionalized undoubtedly one exists. racism, although they know it's there. One can argue the Confederate flag Those Confederate symbols are is not accepted everywhere. The Law a symbol of "Heritage, Not Hate" Enforcement Agency Resource as the bumper stickers protest. But a Network says while the Confederate comparable bit of reasoning is that the flag is sometimes seen as a symbol of swastika was originally a pagan fertility Southern pride, racists often use it to symbol and no one should be offended represent "white domination of African- by that just because some goose-stepping Americans." The network notes the flag black shirts wrongfully appropriated it. Once a symbol is so powerfully is controversial, even though "Southern associated with a movement, there's no states still fly the flag from public buildings or incorporate it into their state going back. flag's design." The network also notes the Take down the flags. The Weekly Rant The Signpost wants to know what you think. Signpost I 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 Villasefior Jason Staley Blair Dee Hodges Jeremy Tyler Kristen Hebestreet Jesica Medellin David Fairchild Lisa Mann Mo Williams Brady Leaver Nick Litster Brandy Lee Georgia Edwards Allison Hess Austin Adams Dr. Randy Scott 626-7121 626-7614 626-7655 626-7983 626-7659 626-7621 626-7105 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 S.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 Send us a letter (shorter than 400 words) ,, with your name and p i | phone number to: THESIGNPOST© WEBER.EDU ' . ••/X-. VVv*-.", vvi£»£''.'.•;:* '•";• •y^-K't--'-" :-i££^feSil&v |