Look towards The Rock for election 2000 gubernatorial candidates

John T. Bennett

With the gubernatorial election only two weeks away, the race for the North Carolina governor's office has taken a turn toward the negative.

Voters will be forced to choose between Democratic candidate Mike Easley, and his Republican foe Richard Vinroot.

Many experts of the North Carolina political scene have been quick to point out that neither candidate has the pedigree of a great governor.

One major North Carolina newspaper gave a less-than-resounding endorsement to Easley Sunday, stating that "perhaps the state will get lucky" and Easley will turn out to be a good leader if elected.

Given the opinions of these political pundits, perhaps the citizens of the Tar Heel State do indeed deserve more choices than Easley and Vinroot when they step into the voting booth in just 14 days.

And where better to search for a third gubernatorial candidate than right here on the campus of Appalachian State University, where a threesome of uncharacteristic candidates shared the same stadium Saturday afternoon.

MORRISON 2000: A PROVEN WINNER

At half time of Appalachian's 42-16 Homecoming football victory over Wofford College, Appalachian State graduate Melissa Morrison was honored for winning a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games.

Why would one cast their gubernatorial vote in favor of the former Appalachian State track star turned Olympic bronze medalist? Simple, Morrison has proven she has what it takes to travel abroad and get results.

Based on her success in Sydney, Australia, the former Southern Conference and NCAA track star has scored more foreign policy victories than Vinroot and Easley combined.

Furthermore, North Carolina needs a winner at the helm worse than the Cincinnati Bengals. Morrison's Olympic achievements have proven she is clearly a winner.

Based on the reaction of the 17,649fans at Kidd Brewer Stadium Saturday, Morrison's approval rating is through the roof, perhaps as high as President Bill Clinton's.

While Morrison may be over with the people, I'm not so sure she is the answer to North Carolina's gubernatorial void.

Perhaps the answer lies with the man who shared center stage with her during her return to Boone: Dr. Francis T. Borkowski.

A VOTE FOR BORKOWSKI IS A THUMBS UP FOR N.C.

Perhaps the most qualified of our three farfetched candidates is Appalachian State University Chancellor Dr. Francis T. Borkowski.

Since taking control of the corner office in the B.B. Dougherty Administration Building, Borkowski has guided the schoolÕs steady ascent toward the top of the annual U.S. News and World Report collegiate rankings.

Managing a major university is no small task, experience that would serve Borkowski well as Governor of North Carolina.

Borkowski's 'thumbs up' gimmick has caught on atAppalachian and would undoubtedly flourish in Raleigh.

Just imagine Borkowski giving an enthusiastic thumbs up to North CarolinaÕs senior senator after Mr. Helms had fought for national legislation that would benefit the stateÕs economy.

It would be hard to argue against the notion that would be a red-letter day in C-SPAN history.

While Borkowski is the most qualified of the three, IÕm convinced that losing our chancellor would be too tragic a loss, so allow me to introduce our third, and most unlikely candidate.

BURCHETTE 2000: THE FUTURE IS NOW

Much like Bill Clinton in the 1992 presidential election, Appalachian State quarterback Joe Burchette seemingly came out of nowhere to grab the starting quarterback slot earlier this season.

Burchette has shown that he has what it takes to get the job done, as well as an ability to remain poised when the heat is on.

Though those pesky age-limit laws may stand in the way of the red-shirt sophomoreÕs gubernatorial hopes, the bottom line is clear: Burchette simply knows how to win.

Time and again this season, Burchette has made the big throw to lift the Mountaineers to victory.

While some experts argue that both Easley and Vinroot will play the familiar game of partisan politics, the Appalachian State quarterback's play indicates he would employ a more bipartisan approach.

In a recent post-game interview, Burchette said he merely tries to find the open receiver. I doubt Burchette would play favorites as the state's chief executive officer, either.

It is his ability to find a way to win, coupled with his bipartisan attitude that leads me to give my humble, and rather meaningless endorsement in the North Carolina gubernatorial race to Appalachian State quarterback Joe Burchette.

John T. Bennett is the Associate Editor for Production Operations. He can be reached at: theapp@appstate.edu.

Take the initiative and be a role model

With the recent death of Phil Thompson, the deadliness of reckless drinking became a reality for Appalachian State students. Add an accident after an away football game that was believed to be alcohol-related and hospitalized 12 students and faculty and killed a member of the Boone community earlier this semester, and only a fool would say you can be safe while drinking excessively.

To that fool, you're jumping without a parachute. Our lives and safety are left to chance when we decide to have more than just a few drinks. Moderation is a word this community needs to learn -- fast.

Our university is like so many others with football games, 21st birthdays, freshman years, tailgating, keg parties, bid parties and a successful athletics program that cause reason for celebrations. It's not the events or the milestones that are the problem, though.

The problems occur when people justify their excessive drinking because App had a home game, they turned 21 (or 19, for that matter), they had a high school reunion, they finished their tests that week, Rush ended, or it's a sunny day. Or it's Tuesday. Take your pick. We'll justify getting wasted any which way we can -- we're in college, right? That should be reason enough.

If you still don't believe it, look at the insane amount of empty airplane bottles littering Stadium Parking Lot, Duck Pond Field and the Kidd Brewer stands after a game, or the jam-packed bars on any given Tuesday or Thursday night.

Look at how students flock to Liquor Town (Blowing Rock) just to get hammered on their twenty-first birthdays. Or look at the obituaries.

Why does this continue to happen to us? Simply put, we do it to ourselves. Think about it: the same freshman who indiscriminately looks for any and all beer every weekend tends to be the same one who hits Ham's, Tijuana's, Meadowbrook, Twigs, or any other place outside of Boone for a record amount of liquor drinks on his or her twenty-first. He or she is generally the same person who returns to Appalachian as an alum to tailgate for Homecoming.

From beginning to end, we are surrounded by role models and influenced by them from the moment we step foot on campus. The problem lies in setting an example of over-partying and poor judgment.

Many want to push blame by saying, "We should have liquor drinks in Boone," or "She was a lightweight," or "Well, that's his problem ... he shouldn't have been driving," while we know the truth all along. It is everyone's fault.

Our entire campus must be aware of what over-partying can do and what can be done to avoid it. To say that we need to have a dry town or campus or school-sponsored event will be as effective as putting the cookie jar on top of the cupboard. That will only make us party more excessively before an event and be more sneaky about smuggling drinks.

Our answer lies in knowing when to step away from the bar, put that last drink down or not even go out at all. By doing this, we set an example for underclassmen, drinking buddies -- and even for our own role models.

Wake up! Be responsible. If you decide not to set that example for others, at least do it for yourself.

We hate writing tragic news as much as you hate reading it.

Let goodbyes affect you but don't dwell

Sean Oakley

One of the hardest things about life is that every "hello" will usually be followed someday with a "goodbye." People come in and out of our lives every day. Some just float harmlessly through, some take the chance to touch us in a special way and some, a very few, change us.

Many people will leave our lives without us really noticing. Promises to keep in touch become less and less powerful. Though sad, we all change and our lives change with us. So many times we lose people to time, but then again we don't even notice it. The only time those goodbyes are hard is during a moment of reflection some years later.

Sometimes, though, we are forced to say goodbye to people. Whether because an irreversible separation looms on the horizon or because we simply cannot afford to have that person in our life anymore. These are by and far the hardest goodbyes.

Usually it's because in our hearts we don't want to say goodbye. In our hearts we can't honestly believe that someone who we care so much about is actually leaving our lives. And though in our minds we may have completely justified the goodbye with hours and hours of rationalization, logic doesn't talk much sense to the heart.

So where am I going with all of this? Well just recently I realized I had to say goodbye to someone. Not necessarily out loud, but in my heart I had to say goodbye and walk away. Though I know in the long run this will be the best thing for me, there still remains a whirlwind of feelings that leave me lost and confused.

But you know that instinct that we so often ignore because we believe we know what's right for us? It's usually right. Only we don't find out until years later with the benefit of hindsight. So this time I'm going to put my faith in it.

Goodbyes are hard. Sometimes we simply miss the person. Sometimes there are things left unsaid. Sometimes we are not saying goodbye to the same person that we once said hello to. Goodbyes very rarely offer us any initial comfort.

People, as everything else in life, change. Sometimes the same person who once filled our life with joy can become a person who does little beside hurt us. The hardest part is realizing that the person who we once knew is gone. Though we miss that person, we may even fool ourselves into thinking that the person still exists, we must simply say goodbye.

Being able to take a step back and separate ourselves from our feelings can be both an invaluable and necessary trait. Often, if we do we will find that a goodbye is necessary.

Goodbyes can change us, but we shouldn't let them. They can hurt us and affect us in negative ways. But the simple fact of the matter is that they are a part of life. The important part is to make sure our past "goodbyes" don't influence our future "hellos."

Sean Oakley is a Features Beat reporter. He can be reached at: theapp@appstate.edu.