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Show U Monday, Sept. 19,2005 797-1762 statesman@cc.usu.edii www.utahstatesman.com Utah Statesman Hockey attendance should be a trend across USU campus Staff Editor in Chief Brooke Nelson News Editor The Utah State hockey club set a new attendance record at Saturday's game versus BYU. There were 1,640 screaming Tans that cheered the Aggies on to an overtime victory. The hockey team achieved this (\iir\l\i\iAl ky maintaining a good relation- Assistant News Editor , Marie MacKay, UUl V I c W ship with its fans and producing !§Stort^3BHMH a ' u n ' exciting product on the ' field of play. Assistant Features Editor Emma Tippetts The hockey players have repeatedly said how student support for them is head and shoulders above hockey teams at other universities in the region. Like the Spectrum, the Eccles Ice Arena has been a significant home-ice advantage because of the enthusiasm of the students and fans. Other sports such as intramurals, women's basketball, rugby and lacrosse have seen their student support grow over the last few years as well. And activities like Poetry and a Beverage are also getting increasing support from the student body. This year's Homecoming dance was almost canceled until an overwhelming student response brought it back. We believe it is a good sign other sports and activities besides football and men's basketball are being supported by USU students and fans. We hope this trend continues for sports and activities on campus that have gone the extra mile to create quality entertainment for the student body. Logan is a college town. Its atmosphere is created by the students and the activities they participate in. Various clubs and organizations are always hosting events on and off campus. They offer entertainment for all kinds of people and personalities and should continue to be supported in order to maintain the unique college town environment at USU and in Logan. If student support goes away, then the atmosphere will go with it. John Roberts should be approved as justice WASHINGTON -John G. Roberts Jr. should be confirmed as chief justice of the United States. He is overwhelmingly wellqualified, possesses an unusually keen legal mind and practices acollegiaiity of the type an effective chief justice must nave. He shows every sign of commitment to restraint and impartiality. Nominees of comparable quality have, after rigorous hearings, been confirmed nearly unanimously. We hope Judge Roberts will similarly be approved by a large bipartisan vote. This is not to say we expect that as chief justice, Judge Roberts will always rule as we would like. Reading the tea leaves of any justice's future votes is a dicey business. But on a number of important issues, ^Other VoicesJudge Roberts seems likely to take positions that we will not support. His backing of presidential powers, and willingness to limit civil liberties, appear worrisomely large, while his deference to congressional authority relative to the states may be too small. He appears more suspicious of affirmative action than we think the court should be, and his view of certain civil, rights protections has been narrow. Given his comments about precedent and the right to privacy, we do not believe a Chief Justice Roberts will be eager to overturn federal abortion rights. But we recognize that he may end up supporting that unfortunate step, as former chief justice William Rehnquist did unsuccessfully. These are all risks, but they are risks the public incurred in re-electing President Bush. Judge Roberts represents the best nominee liberals can reasonably expect from a conservative president who promised to appoint judges who shared his philosophy. Before his nomination, we suggested several criteria that Bush should adopt to garner broad bipartisan support: professional qualifications of the' highest caliber, a modest conception of the judicial function, a strong belief in the stability of precedent, adherence to judicial philosophy, even where the results are not politically comfortable, and an appreciation that fidelity to the text of the Constitution need not mean cramped interpretations of language that was written for a changing society. Judge Roberts possesses the personal qualities we hoped for and testified impressively as to his belief in the judicial values. While he almost certainly won't surprise America with generally liberal rulings, he appears almost as unlikely to will-fully use the law to advance his conservative politics. For this reason, broad opposition by Democrats to Judge Roberts would send the message that there is no conservative capable of winning their support. While every senator must vote his or her conscience on the nomination, the danger of such a message is considerable. In the short term, Bush could conclude there is nothing to be gained from considering the concerns of the opposition party in choosing his next nominee. In the longer term, Republicans may feel scant cause to back the next high-quality Democratic nominee, as they largely did with Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyen If presidents cannot predictably garner confirmation for nominees with unblemished careers in private practice and government service, they will gravitate instead to nominees of lower quality who may excite tneir bases. Bush deserves credit for making a nomination that, on the merits, warrants support from across the political spectrum. Having done their duty by asking Judge Roberts tough questions, Democrats should not respond by withholding that support. This editorial appeared in Sunday's Washington Post. Nat'l View Aaron Falk Features Editor Steve Shinney Sports Editor Andrea Edmunds Assistant Sports Editor Bryan Hinton Diversions Editor • Matt Wright Copy Editor Lindsay Kite Photo Editor , Michael Sharp Assistant Photo Editor Jessica Alexander Letters to the Editor •orum The following letters were submitted before the announcement of the new Homecoming dance. Traditions essential to USU experience Dear Editor, For once, the "Our View" piece almost nailed something. I join with the editors of the Statesman in asking ASUSU to "take a closer look at what they toss aside." Traditions at Utah State have been under attack for several years now. You ask "Since when is a tradition required to make money?" Look no further than the Glenn Miller Show, a casualty of almost four years ago. Then there is the recent news of "changes" to True Aggie nights. What's next? Will ASUSU Traditions declare a winner in the Paul Bunyan feud? Perhaps the Robins awards would be better if they were given out just prior to a rave instead of the Spring Formal. The A-Station Web site say that "Homecoming is a lasting tradition at Utah State because it brings alumni back and gives them an opportunity to participate in traditions they might have implemented, or been a part of in the past." Of course, that will need to be changed now that the Homecoming dance has been replaced "with a pre-game party Friday night, which will include a disc jockey, live music, activities and competitions." Perhaps the Web site should say, "Homecoming provides yet another opportunity for the University and current student body to alienate alumni, trash on traditions, and replace respected events with cheap (not inexpensive) entertainment." I am one of those alumni feeling alienated. After just a few months in the "real" world I returned to Logan to visit friends. Coming out of Sardine canyon, I realized the place tnat this little town had earned in my heart over the years. Traditions like True Aggie nights, the Glenn Mi Her show, and Homecoming ARE those memories, and I am saddened that the university finds them too expensive and too cumbersome to continue. Ricky Fielding USU Alumni Dance decision a disappointment Editor, I find the cancellation of the Homecoming dance disheartening not only because I am an avid patron of the Homecoming dance, but I feel the ASUSU has dropped the torch entrusted to them by the student body. Homecoming festivities reach far beyond the events themselves; they emblematize school spirit, instill academic pride and unity, and provide alumni with the chance to celebrate their association with Utah State University. Though the loss of the dance will not invalidate Homecoming, I feel that this deeply engrained tradition was all too casually discarded as anachronous, unprofitable and inconvenient. Leaders are expected to disseminate an attitude of improvement and progression and tenaciously struggle to champion honorable tradition. It seems they instead forsook the creativity and hard work requisite for an outstanding Homecoming dance in exchange for the path more traveled as manifest in a provincial pre-game party. Furthermore, the precedent projected by this decision concerns me. Universities are designed to be havens of learning, oastions of great thought, and fountains of inspiration where students can stand on the shoulders of giants and appreciate works of great men which have gone before. Perhaps formal dances have become dated in American society by cultural lethargy, but universities should oe one place where such culture is appreciated, encouraged, and celebrated. The ASUSU committee has forsaken these values for utilitarian motives. Finally, the late notice of the change shows a lack of respect that seems to plague modern society. Courtesy requires that an event requiring such intricate planning should be implemented and announced far in advance out of respect for the patrons. I have eagerly anticipated this event for over a year. This is my senior year at this university ana I am genuinely disappointed. I believe many students share this sentiment. The ASUSU has let down the student body and me. I lament my inability to incur change but I hope the ASUSU will, in good faith, intensify their efforts and lead more courageously in the future. Nathan V. Parrish Feelings W WalMart are mixed Dear Editor, I love and hate WalMart. I love Wal-Mart because it is the story of how founder Sam Walton lived the American dream. It is a story of inspiration, perseverance and dedication. I hate WalMart because of the long lines, heavy traffic, crying • LETTERS see page 15 Editorial Board I Brooke Nelson Katie Ashton Aaron Falk Bryan Hinton Marie MacKay Michael Sharp Steve Shinney ! \ \ About letters • Letters should be limited, to 350 words. • All letters may be short- , ened, edited or rejected for reasons of good taste/ redundancy or volume . • of similar letters. • Letters must be topic oriented. They may not be directed toward individuals. Any letter directed to a specific individual may be edited or not printed. • No anonymous letters will be published. Writers must sign all ! letters and include a ; phone number or e' mail address as well as a student identification '• number. 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