PATRIOTISM REQUIRES ACTION
I am writing in response to Jordan Flake?s letter in which he contended that you can still be a ?very patriotic person? and choose to keep on walking during the national anthem. He?s wrong. The manifestation of patriotism is action. Mr. Flake?s definition of a ?very patriotic? person seems to be those who are willing to be patriotic as long as it is convenient. Perhaps those of us who take the time to stop and show respect to Old Glory ought then to be qualified as true patriots.
True patriots are those who are willing to be patriotic even when inconvenient. True patriots are those who are willing to stand for their country at all times and in all places. If you are not willing to stand for the small things, you are kidding yourself if you think you will have the guts to stand for the big things.
And if the sign of a truly patriotic person was, as Mr. Flake suggests, a tin foil star colored with crayons ? I would wear mine proudly. For it would be sanctified by the blood and tears of thousands of true patriots. God bless America and the men and women who fight to keep us free.
Jacob Belk
Payson
BEFUDDLED BY 'FETCH'
BYU has been a wonderful experience for me; however, there is a problem I need to bring to the attention of the students and faculty. There are those of us here that are not members of the LDS Church or not from this country, so please be tolerant with us.
I don't understand ?NCMO,? ?greenie,? ?fetch,? ?Holy Cow,? ?gosh dang,? ?freak,? all the Book of Mormon stories, and countless others. I?m not alone.
Those members of your church that are not from Utah also struggle with some of the social rather than the religious aspects of life at BYU. A little help is all we?re asking to understand the way of life around here. You may be able to change our view of George Bush as a cowboy, and we can help you understand life in another country.
The diversity at BYU is amazing, but together we can make it even better. We are not that different. We wear the same clothes but may speak a different language.
Tamara Rabadi
Amman, Jordan
Valmira Bozgo
Gjirokastra, Albania
PROPS FOR CROWTON FROM A UTE
I have been a fan of the Utah Utes since childhood, and have participated in the customary exchange of insults with BYU fans. However, the recent ?resignation? (a threat to either resign or be fired isn?t a true resignation in my book) of Gary Crowton was handled with such class by Mr. Crowton that I am saddened to see him go, and
not just because of the team?s record (Sorry, I had to throw that in there). Utah will likely face a similar situation when Urban Meyer leaves, and I am confident that he will handle it with the same class and dignity as Crowton. Edwards, McBride, Crowton, and Meyer are all good coaches, but more importantly, good people and we were lucky
to have had them. Good luck Coach Crowton, from a Ute fan.
Marshall Burningham
Riverton
lET THEM EAT PB&J!
Exodus 20:10-11 says that the Sabbath is hallowed and that neither our manservant nor maidservant should labor on it. Thus, I find it quite sardonic that my roommate has to skip church on Sundays to feed the freshmen in the Morris Center.
I know dorm rooms don?t have kitchens, but would it be so hard to buy a loaf of bread and some PB&J? I am a freshmen living off campus, and I practically live off PB&J?s and pixie sticks. If the freshmen don?t want to make their own food, I say we let them fast. We all know most freshmen could stand to lose a few pounds anyways.
As students at BYU, I think it is nefarious and selfish to deny good guys like my roommate the opportunity to attend church. On the other hand, it may be better to have guys like my roommate work Sundays rather than guys like me. I?m sure I could hock up something really nice for the food of the people who deny me the blessings of church attendance.
Joe Edmonds
Marysville, Wash.
ATHLETICS MIRED IN PRIDE
Although Gary Crowton leaves BYU with a winning record, the highly public move was widely attributed to the football team?s insufficient number of wins and conference championships.
Former coach LaVell Edwards summarized the rationale stating: ?It?s a tough business and unfortunately, the bottom line is wins and losses.? But what happened to BYU?s uncommon standards to being in, but not of, the world?
Fifteen years ago another man for whom a building on campus is named warned: ?Beware of pride (which is) essentially competitive in nature.? Quoting another famous Christian, C.S. Lewis, Pres. Benson noted: 'Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. ? It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone.?
In recent years, sudden and even ugly turnover in it?s highest profile positions is evidence of a program lacking effective management and direction.
The time is well past due for an open and comprehensive discussion of the expectations, mission and role of athletics at BYU.
Hans Hortin (Class of 2001)
Chandler, Ariz.
SHOW ME THE MONEY
The things sports have taught me:
Win money, win money, win money, win money, win money, win money, etc.
Lose, no money, selfish fans cry, fire the coach so we will feel vindicated. Ahhhh, now we feel better. Where?s the money?
John R. Nicholes
Orem
GRATEFUL FOR SERVICE
When I was fifteen years old, one of the most devastating and life challenging experiences hissed a nasty message,? You have a disability.? I was not dying but I definitely had limitations that required accommodations. The staff at my high school helped me through this difficult soul-searching time and I never felt alone.
Upon entering the big pond of university life, I felt like a bumbling guppy. Hoisting pounds of books and note taking were a daily challenge. I soon realized that I was going to sink and never learn to swim. With a bit of encouragement, I headed to the University Accessibilities Office. I met a team of champions who made me feel like a winner. My counselor gave me the courage to admit and say, ?I have a disability and I am seeking assistance.?
Volunteer services such as the Volunteer Recording Program and professionals are accessible, personable, and always willing to serve. A disabled student is never alone. I believe their daily motto is to be fishers of men.
Gratitude and love are words I feel and express to all of you who have helped to build my character and dignity.
Warner Nielsen
Tustin, Calif.
THE GREEN SIDE OF SEUSS
I concur with the insightful sentiments expressed by Scott Albrecht in his letter of Dec. 2 regarding the concern expressed by Chris Perry on Nov. 30 .
While I think this expos? has been done for the public good, it falls far short of the mark of what I would expect at a top-tier institution such as BYU.
While I am outraged at the progressive, income-redistributing nature of the Grinch, I can live with this fable, if only because it appeals to our baser elements for one, or at most, two months per year.
Of far worse impact on our daily lives is the insidious tale woven and--gasp--memorized by millions of our young; ?Green Eggs and Ham?.
The environmentalist bent of this tale is all too obvious in the title.
Those who refuse to accept the established orthodoxy are dismissed as cranks, or worse, as anti-earth.
?Try them! Try them! And you may.
Try them and you may, I say.?
Is the stanza an attempt to mimic the Nazi maxim that a big lie if often repeated becomes truth? We are comforted to know that if we do bend our will, submit to public pressure, and partake of the green message, we too can discover that this is ?so good, so good, you see?.
Do you think it is a coincidence that ?Green Eggs and Ham? is an anagram of ?SHAM RED GENE GANG?; an obvious reference to the bogus collectivist groupthink relating to all things scientific (genetics or the environment?)
I would also point out that Dr. Seuss is an anagram for REDS ?S? US, which--although not grammatically correct (of course neither is Toys ?R? Us, one of many merchants who peddle this type of smut)-is a clear evidence of his true subversive nature.
Don?t even think about getting me started on the anti-establishment undertones found in ?The Cat in the Hat?.
I immediately propose burning all books by Dr Seuss et al.
John Buffington
Calgary, Alberta
INEFFICIENT ENERGY PANEL
We were privileged to attend the panel discussion held last week on renewable energy sources. We are undergraduate and graduate students in Chemical Engineering. We consider ourselves environmentalists and stewards for the Earth.
We are disappointed in the students and faculty who organized the discussion. Organizers of such a panel have a responsibility to present both sides of an argument. Generating energy from windmills is a clean source for ever-increasing power demands, but drawbacks were not adequately addressed.
The discussion was very unprofessional, with panel members labeling non-attending parties as ?unprogressive? because of differing opinions.
More discussions on environmental issues involving clean power generation would be useful for the student body and faculty, provided the panel has representatives who can objectively present all sides of an issue. The group EcoResponse does not represent the opinions of the entire student body when speaking to the issue of clean energy production.
Dave Dunaway
Orem
SEARCH FOR NEW COACH
I would like the student body to know what is going on with the hiring of our next football coach. The ridiculous part is we have someone who couldn?t get wins in his last head coaching job selecting a coach who is supposed to get wins for us. I?m sure Mr. Holmoe is a nice person but he left his last job with a 1-10 record and under investigation by the NCAA for recruiting violations.
Neither of those things occured under Coach Crowton. Virtually none of the players have respect in a football sense for Mr. Holmoe. I?m sorry but that?s the truth, if you don?t win you get no respect, plain and simple.
Now that the students know we have a bad former coach trying to pick a current good coach I have a question for the administration. What makes you think Mr. Holmoe or Mr. Skousan can select a good football coach for our coming season?
Justin Kiggins
Sandy