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Show -· UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OPINION jPAGE 11 -- - - - - -- -- -- - - - - ~- - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2001 L-ElTERS Not enough news loss by athletic -teams. and we encourage them to continue For unspecified reasons of its supporting athletic accomplishown, the University Journal has ments; we support them. too. But engaged in a year-long boycott of it is hypocritical for the Journal to inform ing ·its readers of out- print editorials In pretense of standing accomplishments by the caring about the · neglect" of forensics team. Despite receiving athletics when the Journal timely and professionally written intentionally discriminates against press releases sent to faculty a competitiye campus activity sponsors and the Journal's e- that has arguably been the most mail address, only an inaccurate successful in the school's history. blurb at the beginn ing of the Forensics is about nationa l season has appeared . I have championships , with nine during devoted significant time twice to the past three years alone. And reporters from the Journal, and while we welcome SUU 's first have seen no result. upward adjustment in the travel The unfortunate result of this budget in more than 15 years, inexcusably poor news coverage which almost. but not quite meets is that the student body is inflation in travel costs over that un informed about a group of time , the fact is that forensics outstanding students who work . students get less scholarship dozens of hours per week from support than those of the College August to April , successfu lly of Eastern Utah or Dixie State, representing SUU in competition not to mention what many aga,inst the nation 's finest athletes get . SUU forensics colleges and universities. They exists on a $5/day perdiem in do not k·now that SUU again order to travel. And we are the cemented it s pos ition as the only competitive program in the finest individual events program nation with one coach for either in Utah by winnin.9 both of the individual events or debate, let state's two qualifying spots in the alone both. Yet each time these Interstate Oratory Competition , stude'!_ts ~ompete their hearts out which will lead to the nation's to successfully represent SUU. oldest Intercollegiate Speech Forensics will continue to Championship. They do not know represent the university and that Ben Crosby has qualified in support other activiti es . I ju st five events for the prestigious wish the Journal would join in. American Forensic Association National Individu al Events Terry West, director of forensics Tourn ament, nor that Xanna Hardman and Tamara Gamer Editor's note: The 'Journal' has have also qualified. They do not never 'boy.cotted' any campus know that SUU has taken a first entity. The word 'boycott' is place, two second places and hyperbole, something forensic two other top 1O team titles in coaches should never teach tournament competition against debaters. In truth, there have - far larger and better supported been at least four articles and institutions. . one front-page photo printed of The Journal has plenty of time forensics in the 'Journal' in the and space to print every win or past year. TO THE EDITOR: JOURNAYL SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY · CEDAR C ITY UTAH DIRECTING STAFF AND DESK PHONE NUMBERS: Editor KamllyM Savage 586-7750 Auoclata Editors Jes$ica Blonquist 586-7750 Photo Editot Janelle Reichert 586-7750 Copy Edita..- Ambe11y Robinson 586-1992 Focu1 Editor Stacee ChHds 5116-1992 Arb Editor Ashley Adams 865-8443 Sports Editor Jasen Elidcson 865-&443 CamefY Lybbert 586-7759 Almanac E.d itor Jody Johnson 865-8226 Webmuter Russell 'Mliams 586-7750 Ad Manager Cami Per1tins 5116-7758 Advifft" Lany Baker 586-7751 Writing Coach Paul Husselbee 865-8556 SENIOR STAFF WRITERS AND REPORTERS' DESK 586-n57. 5B6-5486 Tho Univeflity Jocnwls ?Jbhhed...., ~ ..:1 ~ c1.,,. 8C8den-,i(: year by ....s 1o< lhB · body of Sou0..m U~h Unr,wslly. It recei'4S a<lvtSement Imm lhe unvenity ..iminislrabOO and from the ........iy's convnuncallon ~ . The .i.ws SKI opinions ._MCI In 1he Jaumlll are lhoee ol indiYld,aal WfflM1- and dO not ._....vy rehcl lhe cl lhe lnslilubon. facut)I. 11.81! or sludenl body in gel*W. The 11\signed edi- dlr8dy 1o .,,. op1n1an o1 v. u ~ .Joumai .. 1 11ng1e ..-.lily unen "' 111e _ must be typed and irducle 1t-.,,.,,. ilnd phone number. Only lhe name WIii boo prinled Names wil not be c:irQ.mllanc:,os SKI lhe , . _ ldilit-.g pt1vlleges L - . must be SIDl!ltled by 5 P"'· ~ rcr lnduoian 1n Mor>day ecitlans, and by s p.m. Monmys ro, n-.naay lldilicns. ...,.,,.., undW..., a n . v -, ,.,..,1n,,-..1du•wilh•g,1ev...,._....,,.,Jouma1ill'oJldc1nctsuchprcblem1nt10111e- 1t ......- . - ~ - l h a n be dnc:119dlo""' ~ Un-.it,~:Olllcaln SUU Techncqy Builcing011 . Mlil llSUU. C-Cily. Utah8-C720. 7- E-flllil-.: JcumaOsw.edu FAX C435l ~ .___ _ __ _ ;__a_r-rm :_ • :_·_._.OH _ FIE_c:_ ~ _:_ • .:....· ~---·f'I..EASE_ ..:..·..:.. ·IIEC ..:.. · ..'..~p..E..'.. ' ..:. • THIS ..:.·_ cOPY_._ _ _ _J · . II I SA\O, n.fe ''New 1bNe in WASHiNGT"oN SOUNDS A LOT Litre the OLD,,,, I . LE1TERS Roper's wife claims his innocence TO THE EDITOR: I am writing this letter on behalf of my husband, professor Richard H. Ropers and myself. In the past few weeks the public media , in most cases , has reported on the arrest of my husband on the charge of all egedly comm itting an aggravated assault, by allegedly spraying me with "carpet cleaner," as well as be in g arrested for some misdemeanors . The distorted portrait created by these media reports has given the public a prejudicial image of Dr. Ropers and the actual events that took place. From community gossip I have heard, many people believe Dr. Ropers has been prosecuted , persecuted , found guilty, convicted , sentenced and condemned in and by the media, without the benefit of due process. Some people say he has a history of problems; where is the documentation of th is alleged history?. The only factual history he has is one of achievement, respect , and positive devotion and service to SUU and to the Cedar C ·,ty Commun ·,ty . Th ,·s posit,·ve h"Is f o ry ts • the one Supported by fact and not mindless gossip. One of the great democratic values of the USA is that a person is innocent of a crime , and . shdu Id . 'b~ treat e d accordingly, until proven guilty was a simple, but unforeseeable after a due process hearing or accident. Some soda spilled on trial , where tt:ie evidence is the living room carpet, Richard proven beyond a reasonable went to get a can of carpet doubt . Professo r Ropers has cleaner to spray the stains, and never been arrested in his life for some of the spray accidentally a domestic violence crime, or got on me . He imm ed iate ly . crime of violence, and never assisted me with emergency first been convicted of any crime in aid by flushing my eyes with his 53 years of life. water and then as soon as was Like most of us be has made humanly possible got me into the mistakes and been accused of car and took me to the things he never did. This is a man emergency room. I, of course , who escaped the poverty of his was in a state of shock and panic early childhood in Brooklyn, N.Y. as well as was Richard . The He is the first in his fam ily to emergency room personnel were graduate elementary school and obligated to report to the police high school and go on to earn a . any incident that might be a case doctorate and a post-doctoral at of domestic violence. \Nhen the UCLA. He has been a good and police arrived there was caring teacher for 30 years and confusion and they apparently through the publication of three misunderstood and award in g books , establ ished misinterpreted the explanation of himself as an often quoted and events. recognized international scholar. I ask you all to please He raised his son Ryan Ropers remember that every American in Cedar City on his own . As arrested and accused of a crime many know, Ryan Ropers turned is innocent until proven guilty . out to be a fine outstand ing Many of you know my husband. young man, a graduate of SUU . Richard Ropers . He has been and a member of the LOS your teacher, your friend , your Church. Dr. Ropers during the colleague and your fellow citizen. past 16 years. has been honored · Please do not rush to judgment and awarded by SUU on 'and permit the due process numerous occasions, and he has system of the university and the made many positive contributions courts to justly and fa irly to the Cedar City community; all · determine the truth of this matter. of this is a matter of public record . And for many of you who truly As the alleged victim of the know him as your teacher. and charges currently facing him, I fri end , com e forth and bear can unequivocally tell you that my witness on his behalf. loving husband did not assault · r'n'e i'n anyway.· What ll'appeneif · · Shirtey Ropers a ' |