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Show 6 Thursday, November 6,2008 OPINION www.dailyutahchronicle.com • THE CHRONICLE'S VIEW It's time for America to get back to work T he race is over, but the work has just began. Barack Obama was elected as the next president of the United States Tuesday after achieving a landslide victory in the Electoral College. Obama has instilled confidence in the American people that we can rebuild a system bogged down by cynicism, and his victory stands as an opportunity to mend our relationships around the world and with each other. In his Oct. 30 speech, Obama said his campaign, "grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy." But it was Obama's campaign that energized American youth to shake off apathy and become a powerful force in this election. As he spoke to a huge crowd in Chicago, Obama touched on the significance of the United States electing its first black president. But while he acknowledged the achievement of black Americans, his campaign has included whites and other minorities. He has invigorated young people without alienating the elderly. He has championed the Democratic Party, but reached out to Republicans. Sen. John McCain, in probably his best speech of this election, gave disappointed Republicans good advice when he said: "It's natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again." The United States has the unique chance to come together, after years of partisan politics and factional bickering that has left us more divided. With only 34 percent of Utah voters supporting Obama, Utah has no shortage of those reeling from disappointment. But no matter which party we belong to, now is the time to work together and compromise. As both candidates suggested, it is time for us to get back to work. We urge the young voters who drove Obama's campaign to remain active after the fanfare has faded. We encourage all voters who were captivated by the excitement of this . historic election to maintain their zeal after the excitement is gone and the real work sets in. As Obama said near the end of his speech, "This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the Americandream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, thai, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can." letters@chronicle.utah.edu Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of The Daily Utah Chronicle Editorial Board. Signed editorials, editorial columns and letters to the editor are strictly the opinions of the author. The forum created on the Opinion Page is one based on vigorous debate, while at the same time demanding tolerance and respect. Material defamatory to an individual or group because of race, ethnic background, religion, creed, gender, appearance or sexual orientation will be edited or will not be published. All letters to the editor will now be published online at www.dailyutahchronicle.com. Letters that the editor Ldeems best represent those received will be printed in the newspaper. . , : ." . . . . - : •' . : • LETTER TO THE EDITOR Chronicle needs more football Editor: One of the things I look forward to every day is reading The Chrony and what is said about the Utes. On Wednesday I was very surprised to see once again, our team was underrepresented by their own university's newspaper. For some time now I have been dissatisfied with the amount of press our paper is giving my Utes. Today we play TCU, which is our most important game of the year, and arguably one of the top 10 most important games we have ever had. Why was there not one single article on this? What do the Utes as a team need to do to get the hype they deserve? I am about to graduate with my team having gone to two Bowl Championship Series games. I have studied in the era of Saint Urban Meyer and coach Whit. I consider myself lucky to have experienced it. Why in the hell are we not talking more about the Utes? Please write more about my team for the remainder of the season, as I could care less about a campus shuttle breaking down as front-page news. Also, more Nick Pappas please. Chris Swenson, Senior, Spanish Campus bike lanes a waste of U fu W hite lines are being painted all over campus sidewalks. They first appeared late last month and are intended to prevent accidents between bicyclists and pedestrians. During the weekend, bicyclist stencils were painted alongside the bike routes to educate pedestrians and bikers on how to use this new striping system. Jake Green from Commuter Services said he is aware of two bicyclist-pedestrian accidents that have taken place this semester. Former U student Josh Jones said he was once ticketed by a campus police officer for riding his bike too fast. Although difficult to enforce, a campus police watchdog system seems like it'd be better than lines painted on a sidewalk to promote safety. The new sidewalk striping program is a pointless initiative. The lack of planning and research that took place before the lines were painted is dumbfounding. Green said an ad hoc study was conducted in which avid Liz CARLSTON bicyclists stood next to a sidewalk near the Student Services Building to count the number of bikes that passed during a twoand-a-half-hour period. Forgoing the use of speedometers, they counted nearly 40 bikes that passed along Union Drive. Apparently this information was enough to justify paying a contractor $3,500 to paint the lines on campus sidewalks. Green said the initiative is in the beginning stages and Commuter Services is relying primarily on students to assist with the program's rollout. For example, the U Bikes Public Comment Forum is a Google group where U employees, students and concerned people can discuss the biking environment at the U and make suggestions of where more white lines should be painted. But considering the money being spent, the project should be managed by an entity that does real research before implanting unproven solutions. Many students are confused by the bike lanes and can't see the point. "If someone cannot control their bike because they do not know which side of the pavement to ride on, then they have serious issues and might need to think before even bringing a bike on campus," said Brett Sorensen, a junior in communication. The bike routes proceed from the Heritage Center to the Marriott Library and the Student Services Building. The lanes will extend to the Warnock Engineering Building as soon as water piping construction in the area finishes. Regardless, the bike lanes are unnecessary and a reckless use of funds. The $3,500 spent to paint these lines on the sidewalk could have been better used in almost any other capacity. letters@chronicle.utah.edu Racism claims unfounded I n October, The Daily Utah Chronicle printed letters to the editor that allowed readers ALICIA to witness an educated debate between a U dean WILLIAMS and professor interpreting a painting hanging in — the new Tanner Humanities Building. respect, because I think they An oil painting on canvas, are dedicated to the highest "The Secret of Inspiration" by purposes of humanity." local artist Pilar Pobil, is a wonLenowitz also argued the drous and thought-provoking faux Hebrew words being writimage of people engaging in the ten are indicative of a common pursuit of knowledge that also prejudice found in paintings of depicts wildlife and ethereal the 1300s and 1400s. Therefore, Muses among the scenic red in his opinion the painting is canyons of southern Utah. unworthy of display, especially in a building dedicated to the Professor Harris .Lenowitz humanities. of the department of languages and literature announced in Robert Newman, dean of the a letter printed Oct. 7 that he College of Humanities, deinterpreted the painting to be fended the painting in his Oct. prejudiced against Jewish peo9 letter to the editor suggesting ple, although he did concede the writing is an actual passage the artist must have "inadverfrom the 1350s Sarajevo Haggatently" depicted the rabbi as a dah and not "faux Hebrew." stereotype. Newman was correct when Pobil said she used the he said the Pobil painting is rabbi in the painting because a tribute to Jewish scholarly he represents knowledge and traditions and their commitlearning, and the ancient book ment to preserving its heritage. he is writing in represents However, he was incorrect the valuable heritage of the about the Hebrew symbols. Jewish people, which has been Pobil maintains the writing is preserved over the generations. "faux Hebrew" and the Hebrew If the rabbi in the painting apsymbols don't represent anypears stereotypical, that was thing other than to signify the not the intent and neither the rabbi was writing in Hebrew, painting nor the artist should but it wasn't replicating any be condemned for it. ancient racial meanings. "I put the rabbi in the central It is unfortunate that this part as a place of honor," Pobil discussion degenerated into said. "Every single one of the public bantering, demeanpeople there are people that I ing the precious efforts of an extremely talented painter who masterfully represented individuals from the past, present and future—people who are dedicated to preserving the humanities. Anyone inquiring about the artist's intent could have read the inscription Pobil wrote to hang along with the painting. In it, she wrote, "People from different corners of the Earth, the ones that care, the ones that think, that remember the past and imagine the future, the ones that learn from History and research the sciences, that create the Music, the Art and Literature that keep the records of this world for future generations, they in the spirit of friendship and understanding, have peacefully gathered among the sandy cliffs..." These are not the words of a racist, hateful person. This image deserves to be hung in the heart of this new building and celebrated because it's a perfect representation of important scholarly, humanistic and educational endeavors made by valuable people of the past, present and future. Beauty is found in the eye of the beholder. If you choose to view the world with critical, negative and skeptical eyes, you will seehate, anger and evil planted in the most innocent of scenes. Hopefully, viewers of the painting will see it as it is—a remarkable piece of art and a tribute to diversity. letters@ chronicle.utah.edu COURTESY PILAR POBIL |
