Show Jt Best Available Copy MMCM Sunday February 29 2004 A4 The Herald Journal Our view Sexual assault never a private matter W hat have we come to when drugging and sexually abusing someone is viewed as “private conduct”? Shockingly that’s what the attorney for a prominent local man argued in Logan’s 1st District Court last week after his client pleaded guilty to the acts and the was judge weighing sentencing in the case options The accused individual had a close once amorous relationship with his victim so apparently that’s what made it dl right to' slip her drugs without her knowledge then secretly film sexual acts performed on her Because apparently once a woman enters into a relationship with ajnan she surrenders the freedom to do what she wants with her oWn body from there on As outrageous as that sounds how else are we to interpret the attorney’s statement to the judge that his client’s case “maybe above-mention- - -- i shouldn’t have even come to court”? Thankfully for our society and our justice system the judge didn’t agree and made it clear he did not see the incident as a private matter “in any fashion” Additionally although he approved a y jail sentence recommended by the Adult Pro-- " bation and Parole Judge Gordon J Low voiced his belief that the accused man was getting off light: We agree with Low on all counts and we can’t help but wonder out loud if the sentence might have been much harsher for a person with less professional and personal clout in the Cache Valley community But if valley residents who have been following this case in the newspapefcreiiiainjuncon- 90-da- ed IfcVALP A movie won’t watch again I By Bruce Smith ments we urge yoii to go look Herald Journal publisher the court files and police reports and decide for yourselves The v HYrecords are public and public fter weeks and weeks of f media hype about the movie “The for a reason - wars “Schindler’s List” was violent but not bloody like “Saving Private Ryan” or "The Passion of Christ” The “R” rating for Schindler’s list was not for language but for violence arid nudity The nudity was not sen- suous or titillating but was included in the movie to illustrate how the Jewish prisoners were treated before they were sent to the gas chambers The image I retain in my mind about “Schindler’s List” is seeing German solders hading innocent emaciated ' people into gas chambers and then the bodies either of by disposing Usually when a movieis over the audience immediately begins to file out of the theater This did- n’t happen Last Passion of Christ’’ I decided that I wanted to be among the first to see it On the opening day last Wednesday there wasn’t a matinee at any of the ' Logan theaters so l drove south over the hill to the theater complex in Wednesday afternoon thing a house of God The students Perry I was curious to see what the credits rolled were doiftg in like manner casting moviemakers out defiling things from among them the screen everyone had put into a ’ a thing that threatens the very core in comfilm about the To the editor of mankind crucifixion of in a I was distressed to read even People who can’t follow laws or plete Christ that soapbox column the misguided view their own eommon seme have make would it of Mr EssigThe intent of the right to demand equality than a “R” rated I demonstration was not to deny rights criminal does Why can't prisoners ' some time by myself to reflect on the suspected it to anyone although their rights were : roam the street? They kept not the movie and questioned why I had violence was violated They merely wanted to law so the blessings go “bye bye” wanted to be among the first to see it and wanted to voice a very important message The drafters of our constitution I wondered if I would have made the see if it was Degeneracy in any form can’t be tol- thought we had the sense to govern effort if I had really known how vio- as the critics had as violent really ended It is not a matter of politics or ourselves within limits They couldand bloody the movie was By lent satisit was said was curiosity My religion just sense When people n’t have foreseen these kinds of the time I reached home I kind of fied After seeing it there was no don’t follow laws they don’t get actions among civilized people oth- wished that I hadn’t gone I couldn’t in mind about it question why my blessings Gays can already be mar- - : erwise they probably would’ve made deserved-tbe was rated There “R" get the image but of my mind of the ried if they follow the law which is r sure and specified everything and Roman soldiers taking great delight ' the none stuff of to see in expect you to a spouse of the opposite sex If we only scholars would ever read the in tying Jesus to a post and viciously a typical “R” rated movies no sex " allow strange variations what’s constitutionscenes no ’ foul no flogging him with a variety of tools language nudity next? People marrying dogs? I have a sad feeling that even if the what seemed like hours Then for crucifixion but the of portrayal As far as religion goes the many God Himself spoke from the heavand the events that led to the death of beating him some mote as he carried churches he speaks of seem to have ens too few would even pause or Christ were extremely intense his cross to the hill then doing it Bible Even deem it more than just the wind t forgotten to read their and violent bloody again as his hands and feet were with as many changes as they have " 1 don’t lot cerof a to nailed to the cross where he hung movies go remains the' story made I’ll betthere Benjamin Jensen not a lot of“R” rated moyies until he died tainly of Sodom and Gomorrah It clearly ’ Logan " the Most time of that movies Two have I other rated “R” that fcovis condemns gay behavior (try looking lot of blood and violence don’t both- ' have gone to in recent years that had up the roots of the word sodomy) er me much because I realize that a similar affect on me woe “Saving But if that doesn't work let’s quote-somviolence is just part of moviemakers’ ' Private Ryan” arid “Schindler’s LDS scripture (in context) all-arou-nd effort to attract a larger audience List” “Saving Private Ryan” is an “For behojd it is not meet that I dis- I bothered But was and To rated World War n movie that the editor truly all “R” in command should things” turbed by the bloody violence por-With to on with the Allied invasion of TheLord regard theeditoriaj begins (D&C 58:26) expectscomtrayed in the ‘The Passion” I have France on The “R” rating mon sense from us Jude speaks of : USU faculty salaries the fact that ' read in the Bible about the trial and was for both violence and language I Sodom and Gomorrahand condemns USUs gemter discrepancy is $ 1 400 their behavidr and speaks of the terri-- ! less than the national average has lit-- ' crucifixion of Christ and it’s hard for don’t remember any of the foul lanme to believe that the floggings and tie to do with equity at USU and blefateof those who follow such guage but I still have images in my ' Jesus was subjected to were do to the 1:6-beatings with mind of soldiers being maimed and everything extremely They have practices: (Jude as violent intense and bloody as the low overall salaries for both women killed as they made their way onto but with agency there’s their agency ' movie represented them to be The and men at USU According to die accountability penalty and justice It Normandy beach One Scene I’ll ' ' American Association of University ' whipping beating and brutality ': always remember is a soldier being doesn't say to hate or persecute never stopped during the whole two-hoProfessors Annual Report on the them but it also doesn’t say we chased by enemy bullets running movie As I sat there and Economic Status of the Profession should let them trample the law or across the beach carrying the severed ' watched it happen oh the screen I 2002-0- 3 ' : USU ranks in the lowest' our values leg of one of his buddies It was a When Jesus (a great example) was quintile for salaries at the full profes- - thought to myselfthat the human powerful movie that made the vio-sar associate and assistant professor body couldn’t possibly endure that t lejice and on the earth He did something that tragedy of World War II kind of treatment and still be Conlevels compared to similar research shocked many He threw out money more real to me It reminded me that scious or even alive ' universities If the average gender actual-- : the Allied invasion on changers from the grounds of the Chi my way home asl drove ver-sthe in Is US civil law that $14291 no There gap was salary and that war is ugly and Temple ty happened through WeilsVille Canyon I had $12891at USU it is due to the solders are killed and maimed in specifically said they couldn’t be : rock that bottom fact USU pays there They had done it for years but it was wrong and to paraphrase his See YOUR VIEW on A5 words they had defiled a sacred Your view as What next people marrying dogs? across the just sat there silence” no-mor- - - : : ' USU faculty pay - D-D- ay 7) J ur D-D- ay : us The ' '' Herald JournalIjjHEBBBffl 1 Letters policy The Herald Journal wetoomes Mare to the ' '' ' Ttie Opinion psgfl'is intended to acquainl - ' readers with a variety of viewpoints on matteiy of puttfcimportartca and provide members ot the community with a forum for their views Personal colunins cartoons and letters fionif readers reflect the opinions of their witters and crealois Edtoriais under the hearing TJur ? VtesT represent the views ofthe Hanild Journal trirawd Members of the adaorW txrard: EHRLiCtMcity edtor V - aNOY YURTHfeatures editor - DARRELL - ' BRUCE SMTHpubtisher CHARLES McCCXiUMrinanBrfng editor ! - edHor Poteobaly Kietous or offensive Mars w not be pubiWwd however and the edtor reservee the right Men to conform Church-stat- e Science Monitor By The Christian Bruce Smith is Tlio Herald Journal's publisher His cohimri appears on the Opinion page every other Sunday He can be reached by at D8mitnonjnew8com : hii decision this week the Supreme Court reaffirmed a common form of constitutional discrimination It upheld a state’s ability io bar government scholarships for students studying to become religious leaders The decision represents another astute by die court of that difficult necessary but often porous' ' A 7-- 2 flow of money to particular faiths Arid it gives individuals that neixs-sarfreedom to choose their best spiritual path fine-tuni- ng ’ ' ’ v ' ' ' I really enjoyed “Saving Private Ryan” and “Schindler’s List” and have actually seen each of them more than once I didn’t enjoy “the v Passion of Christ” and have absolute- -' ly no desire to see it again The violence was simply too extreme ' vicious and bloody parochial schooldiat mandates reli- gious teaching for students court was right to say Tbe that a government denial of funding for such teaching does not hurt religion Rather it sustainsthe indepenr dence of religion by preventing government froiri controlling the iovoiBviginanQ8qfuraquiraro0rwoin0 Letters mould he: lypewtMsn and doubtoepeosti ! ' ' No mors toan 450 words in length Addreseed and include daytime phone" ' : rxjmbar for purposes of verlficition ' author the Signed by ' toidhriduals am Imited to one puNahed 1st- ter within any 304ay period AddreaaE-ma- l letters to hjMsrOhjnewsxom Guest com: ' menlaries are also welcome and am nmat the adhor (Sscretion ' : rulingnecessary — Jufa Learned HandtAMoian u 'seai ' - : enter-tainedTh- ey low - burning them or using a bulldozer to wish Hirif remains intn trwif liM “Schindler’s List” was another powerful movie that reminded me of the horrors of war Usually when a movie is over the audience immediately begins to file out of die theater This didn’t happen with “Saving private Ryan” and “Schindler’s list” nor did it happen with “The Passion of the Christ” Last Wednesday afternoon as die credits rolled across the screen everyone just sat there in complete silence After a few minutes one by one people start getting up and silently making their way to the exits Hundreds of people were waiting in line outside' die door to get in for the next showing They were happily munching on popcorn eating licorice and candy bars and drinking cokes They were happy to be there and looking forward to being had no idea they woe about to witness an extremely intense gory movie They asked us as we were leaving “How was the ' movie?” “Was it tiny good?” I heard no responses We were all still dying to get a handle on what we had just jurist (1X72-1961- ) y |