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OUR VIEW: Slouching Towards Equality

January 21

With Martin Luther King, Jr. Day having come and gone this week, we thought it necessary to reflect on the state of our nation, to see how far we've come as a nation and to see how far we've still got left to go.In a span of a little more than 40 years, we've gone from being a nation where black people couldn't vote to a nation with a black President.That's something at least.However, we are not yet where we should be.We still have miles to go before we reach the mountain top King spoke of.We're a nation divided, a people so obsessed with our personal identities and roles.We emphasize the personal self over all else, and fail to notice the joys and benefits to be found in reaching out and learning something new.We sequester ourselves into groups that help support our constructed identities, groups that bind us together by race, location, gender, sexual identity, religion, politics or any other value from a long laundry list.We exclude ourselves, creating comfortable cliques we may never branch out of, limiting what we can discover about the world around us.In a perfect world, we wouldn't need racial quotas, affirmative action or even our own Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs.In a perfect world, we would take it upon ourselves to find out more about other people and other customs, finding a spirit of kinship and togetherness in the bonds of humanity.The world we live in still desperately needs all of those things and could do with a great deal more.The good folks at the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs can host all the forums and seminars they can think of, but they won't truly be effective until we begin to change what's in our hearts and minds.Diversity is no longer an issue of skin tone, as gender and sexual identity are also moving to the forefront as critical issues.We preach tolerance, as if tolerance were a virtue to be revered.Tolerance allows us to "be patient with or indulge the opinions of others."Tolerance is simply recognizing someone else's right to exist.

OUR VIEW: Chizik and Company Give Hope for Future

By Editorial Staff | December 3

'Midst the frozen, corn-filled wastelands of Iowa, a man was charged with a series of Herculean tasks:Bring new life to a team desperate to return to what it once was.Find an offense capable of putting points on the board.Step into a void left by a coach beloved by many.Repair a fractured, confused Auburn family and give them hope for a renewed future.

Our View: Drug Testing in Fraternity Houses Becoming Norm?

By Editorial Staff | November 19

The young men of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity could be seen as a controlled group study for a policy that could soon affect almost every Greek organization on campus.Since last month, the officers, pledges and brothers of SAE who live in the SAE house have been drug tested.No members have tested positive thus far, and the penalties for having drugs in their system are severe, ranging from housing expulsion to being removed from the fraternity.We applaud the actions being taken to try and help clean up an aspect of college life that is largely swept under the rug: drug abuse.By testing its members, SAE is taking the lead and being proactive in trying to end that problem.The fraternity has the added benefit of trying to clean up its alleged less-than-stellar reputation on such matters, so it's a win-win situation.The idea for the testing came from SAE's adviser and are mandated by the independent company that owns the fraternity's residence, not the University.We hope other Greek organizations will take note of what SAE is doing and soon follow suit.By holding members accountable for their actions, Auburn's Greek life is bound to improve, as fewer members will be out in the community at large serving as public embarrassments.After all, because of the close-knit nature of the Greek community, when one student is seen as a public embarrassment, all other Greeks tend to get painted with the same brush.In a perfect world, we wouldn't have to worry about such things, but in the world we live in, public perception and opinion changes on a daily basis, and members seen in the community as drug users and abusers could certainly hurt recruitment numbers and organizations' pocketbooks.Since the Greek organizations seem to exist as a class of students set apart from the general population and since, as a group, those organizations receive special perks and privileges like block seating at football games, we think it is perfectly fair to demand members of those groups should be held to a higher standard.If the Greek organizations see themselves as leaders on Auburn's campus (and considering many of our campus leaders are Greeks), they should challenge themselves to be held to high standards.By raising the bar, you'll be assuring the men and women who represent your organizations are on the up and up.And that's a good thing.

Wall Street Journal Article on Auburn is Misleading and Biased

By Lindsey Davidson / Editor | November 19

I'll be the first to admit I'm not the biggest fraternity supporter, and I don't drive around with a "Go Frat" sticker on my car.But, I do know the Wall Street Journal article degrading the Auburn male Greek system and Southern school traditions was disrespectful and, on most levels, wrong.Any current or former student and any enlightened guest knows the information was skewed and slanted.

OUR VIEW: Alabama PACT Payments Must Continue to be Paid Out

By Editorial Staff | November 12

Well, we got trouble, friends, trouble right here in Alabama.If you've read a newspaper or watched the local news, you should be aware of the current $345 million deficit faced by the Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (PACT) account system.

Our View: Is Auburn Failing on Sexual Health Issues?

By Editorial Staff | November 5

We always look forward to receiving our annual package in the mail from Trojan, and not just for the free condoms.Included with a sampling of the company's products is the annual Trojan Sexual Health Report Card, a ranking system comprised of 13 different categories including sections on HIV Testing and Separate Sexual Awareness Programs as well as a Student Survey Portion.Auburn's ranking on the report card was a 2.14 GPA, putting us at 119 out of 141 colleges and universities.To make matters worse, the University of Alabama was No.

Our View: Celebrate Gay Pride Week and Stop Second-Class Citizenship

By Editorial Staff | October 29

We'd like to begin by congratulating the Auburn Gay-Straight Alliance on a successful first-ever Pride Week here on The Plains.We hope this is the start of a long standing tradition to help highlight the issues and problems facing the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities and will help to bring more knowledge and good will to this campus.

Sex Sells, So Let It Do Its Job

By Lindsey Davidson / Editor | October 22

People have sex.It doesn't matter what your beliefs, practices or daily routines consist of, individuals engage in intercourse.It is part of human nature.Now, some people like to spice it up with outside objects from the bedroom.In Alabama, some people see this is a crime.

Texting Girl Stumbles, Fingers Begin to Point

By Editorial Board | July 16

Last week, 15-year-old Alexa Longuiera took an unexpected plunge down an open manhole while walking the streets of Staten Island.The kicker is that text messaging distracted her from the ever-closer danger.The second kicker is that there were no warning signs or barricades to prevent such an accident.A thorough sanitizing and several minor injuries later, Longuiera and her mishap received much attention.The story has been linked into articles and used as a segue to the dangers of texting while driving and the debate on whether legislation should be put into action to crack down.The story also stirred up debates on who is at fault.

Athlete's Sentence Too Lenient

By Patrick Dever/Sports Editor | July 16

This past weekend, I lost faith in America's judicial system.Professional football player Donte Stallworth walked out of a Miami, jail after only serving 24 days of his 30-day sentence.He was in jail because he killed a person while driving intoxicated on the early morning of March 14.The police called it a DUI and second-degree manslaughter.Twenty-four days in jail.Is this some sort of cruel joke?He now gets to go back home, probably to a multi-million dollar house, with two years of house arrest and eight years of probation, while the family of the man he killed will never see their loved one again.I was appalled when I heard this about this decision.Living in the Metro Atlanta area for the better part of the last decade, I have been updated almost daily on former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick's dog fighting, trial, imprisonment and release.Vick received 23 months in federal prison for his actions and has now been on house arrest since May and has probation to look forward to after that.I fail to see how these two cases were sentenced.It seems to me that they are backward, that Vick should have gotten the lighter sentence and Stallworth the more severe of the two.Both Stallworth and Vick have been suspended indefinitely by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell because of their wrongdoings.I guess I missed the day in elementary school when we learned that dogs were more important than human beings.I love dogs, I have one back home and my roommate has one in our apartment.My family recently had to put a dog to sleep, and that was a sad event, but nowhere near as sad as if it were a relative.I would much rather have my mom call and tell me that the dog has died than to tell me my grandpa passed away.I can't say that it was money and fame that got Stallworth the lenient sentence, because Vick had more money, was the best quarterback to ever come out of Virginia Tech and the greatest thing to happen to the Falcons since the "Dirty Bird."The drunken driving makes me even angrier.I'm a laid back person, but drunken driving makes me go insane.

Food Ads Sickening, Not Appetizing

By Allison Clark/News Editor | July 16

It's apparently been happening for a while, but I've only recently begun to care: fast food commercials are sick.I think I'm choosing now as the time to form an opinion about these, because they are, perhaps, worse than they have ever been.Of course we've got the sexual ones with celebrities and other women scantily clad and chomping down seductively on a huge burger, but we've also got ads now demanding us to "unthink."I'm talking about KFC's new ad for its $5 grilled chicken box.I suppose what KFC is trying to say is "Watch out world, because we're doing things a whole new way, so forget what you knew!"Regardless, I don't want to be told to unthink anything, and the first time I saw the ad I was completely confused by the term, for the concept of unthinking just doesn't make sense when paired with chicken.Unthink chicken ... Huh?But perhaps the worst one is the advertisement for Hardee's biscuit holes, or as they so fondly call them: B-holes.The commercial shows a Hardee's representative telling people on the street to try the plate on the left containing doughnut holes, which are deemed A-holes, and the Hardee's plate on the right, which holds B-holes, or biscuit holes.Of course all the participants chose the B-holes, the Hardee's biscuit holes.One man even so embarrassingly says, "I guess I'm just a B-hole kind of guy." Now, you can read into this what you choose, but when I think B-hole, I don't think of a yummy sugar-coated biscuit middle.

Resignation Raises Questions

By Natalie Wade/Editor | July 16

Things aren't always as they seem.This saying most accurately depicts Auburn and how things are run at this University.E-mails are sent to students that are meant to smooth over rather precarious situations.Most recently the sudden resignation of Dean of Students Johnny Green has piqued the interest of myself and others.Why would Green submit a resignation only three years into his term?

Valet Service Offers Perks, Excites Staff

By Editorial Board | July 16

When you responsibly opt for a cab ride home at the end of a long night of drinking downtown, what happens to your car?In most cases, when 7 a.m.

Large Drink, Small Portion

By Natalie Wade/Editor | July 9

"Would you like to value size that?"I often get asked this question at fast food restaurants, and most often my answer is "Sure, why not?"But in recent weeks I've experienced a phenomenon that makes me question spending the extra 49 cents for a large drink and side.

Web Site Pinpoints Local Sex Offenders

By The Editorial Board | July 9

You'd like to know if you were living next door to a registered sex offender, wouldn't you?We know we would.A recent update to the Lee County Sheriff Office's Web site enhances residents' awareness of sex offenders in the area.The site allows users to conduct a search for registered sex offenders living in their neighborhood, as well as the option of subscribing for e-mails alerts about sex offenders who plan to locate to the area.While our editorial board acknowledged both sides of the issue, we believe this to be an invaluable tool for residents of Lee County.Some may argue the features of the site are too intrusive, as they provides users with the names and addresses of registered sex offenders in the county, but this is information we think any family would want at its disposal.Imagine you're starting a family and have found the perfect home in the perfect neighborhood to begin raising your children.For their well-being, you would want to know if you were planning to become the neighbor of a person who had previously committed some form of sexual abuse.Even if this information wouldn't keep a family from moving into a certain home or a certain neighborhood, we still see merit in the site providing this information.Simply knowing where these people reside we feel is something any caring parent should be concerned about, and if the site increases a family's awareness of the neighborhood and tightens the parents' concern for where their children go, it's a good thing.We don't believe offenders found on the site should be so blatantly singled out to the point it's the equivalent of a Wild West "Wanted" sign or being shunned in the stocks in the town square, but we do applaud the awareness and heightened safety the Web site provides to families of Lee County.That said, for our editorial board's contrasting view, read below.

Pizza Less Fun, More Annoying

By Julian Kersh/Managing Editor | July 9

You know you're on a slippery slope when your constants are letting you down, and lately, my main man, pizza, has been frustrating me -- maybe not pizza itself, but the world of pizza, if such a thing exists.First, let me focus this cynical column toward this phenomenon I've witnessed each time I somehow decide to dine at Little Caesar's.The wonder that is the Hot-N-Ready Pizza is no secret.

Mother, Should I Trust the Government?

By Kevin Saucier/Copy Editor | July 9

If there's one thing I've learned watching thrillers and science fiction movies, it's that governments deal in sensitive information.

Life-long Sentencing Unfair for Sex Offenders?

By The Editorial Board | July 9

While we acknowledge the utility of a Web site that allows users to locate nearby sex offenders in their county, we question if this added public scrutiny is fair to those one-time offenders.The same is true for having to re-register as a sex offender after moving.By no means do we view sexual offenses as insignificant crimes -- quite the opposite, actually.However, the lifelong stigma of being labeled a sex offender is too severe if we're not 100 percent sure that person is worthy of carrying that label with them for the rest of their life.We discussed scenarios where an over-18 partner is convicted of sexual abuse after having sex with their boyfriend or girlfriend who is not of age.There could have been consent at the time, but if that person comes back with charges of rape, there's no way to disprove such accusations, and just like that, someone is forever labeled a sex offender.Is this fair?We believe that, rather than having set guidelines that apply to each situation, a case-by-case method of determining whether sexual abuse actually occurred would be more just than the current method.Obviously this process would be more time consuming and more costly. But again, when someone is dealing with the everlasting dishonor of being known as a sex offender, the "Ah, but we're going to have to do more work!" excuse loses the minute amount of worth it had in the first place.Maybe a change should be implemented that would eliminate the tainted status after so many years of a clean record.While there should be no leniency for repeat offenders, we think it's unfair to require the constant registration for a one-time sex offender after they have already served their time. One-time convicts of other crimes aren't forced to publicly introduce themselves as a criminal after serving their time. They're certainly not listed with name and address on the sheriff's Web site, either.Again, with revision to the system, lifting of the label could be something that is dependent on the severity of the crime, as well.Why is it that only sex offenders are persistently highlighted for their crimes?We don't believe in revision of the system simply for justice, but for safety as well.If the reason for providing citizens with the names and locations of local sex offenders is to heighten their awareness and to protect them, then why not alert them about the proximity of previous convicts of other crimes?