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Our Perspective...
Progress still to be made in rape reporting
Rape is a shocking, horrible crime as well as a tragedy.
Appalachian has seen several brutal incidents in the past semester, including an alleged sexual assault and an alleged rape off-campus in November.
In the most recent case, a female student was allegedly raped by another student in Hoey Residence Hall.
As horrible as these events are, Appalachian must learn from them.
First of all, The Appalachian does not believe these incidents represent a surge in this type of crime.
Rape and sexual assault have been problems at Appalachian for years, just as they are at many other college campuses.
What we believe recent events do represent is that more victims are coming forward to report these crimes, and they are pressing charges. That is a good thing.
Rape is not a social matter nor a school matter. It is a crime and should be punished as such.
However, until every rape and sexual assault that happens to a student is reported, this campus still has a long way to go. If a rape or sexual assault occurs and the victim does not report the crime, the perpetrator remains free to commit such a crime again.
The Appalachian encourages all students to take the proper precautions to prevent and report similar crimes.
Many rapists are known personally by the victims, so be aware of whom you are friends with.
Avoid unlighted or dimly lit areas when out at night, and walk with a group of friends whenever possible.
If you see anything that might be an incident, report it to the police immediately.
The Women’s Center at Appalachian State provides handouts and brochures with additional prevention tips.
Organizations such as the National Organization for Women, OASIS and Men Against Rape have information available as well.
While students must do all they can to prevent and report incidents of rape, the administration must also do everything in its power to make Appalachian an environment hostile to this sort of crime.
A victim should feel they have the full support of the university in reporting the crime and pushing for swift and just punishment of any perpetrator.
Appalachian should ask itself if students have access to all the resources they need to combat rape and sexual assault.
These resources include counseling, law enforcement, medical treatment and protection.
While it is clear that strides have been made in some of these areas, it is crystal that there is still progress to be made.
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Don't underestimate impact on U.S. soldiers
Every night, we lay our heads down, close our eyes and think about our days.
We remember the events that shaped our moods and we stress about upcoming tests and papers. Some fight with loved ones while others hold them tight.
We may feel like we understand the world, but we really don’t and we never will.
We all are aware of the war.
No matter how tightly we close our eyes and block out the violence and killings, it is all around us. But do we really understand? Is it possible to really know?
A few months ago I met a 19-year-old boy who had the heart of a 50-year-old man. He joins many others as a proud member of the Marines.
He seemed like any other guy my age at first. He was strong, cocky and full of himself.
The more we talked though, the more the layers peeled away. He was still all those things, but deep inside everything was different.
He saw a lot throughout his nine-month stay in Iraq. I don’t pretend to know all that he went through, but from the stories he told me and from the sadness that was in his eyes, I do know that it is more than I would ever want to know.
He came home with a horde of ribbons and medals, including a Purple Heart for being wounded in battle. In his mind though, he returned with much more.
From time to time he revealed damaging tales of how he survived, of how he watched his friends die.
He always protected me from the whole truth. He kept the unsettling details to himself.
At night, this soldier tossed, turned and screamed with the nightmares of his experiences. The images were so fresh and so real.
All I could do was hold him and tell him it was OK while knowing deep down I had no idea what it was that haunted this man or if it would ever be all right.
I followed him home and met the people he was fighting for. Engulfed with hugs and kisses, he held every person for that extra second.
We traveled to see his family and their children, people he had not seen since they were infants. They looked at him with confusion, not understanding who he was.
He played and wrestled with the kids as if he had seen them just the previous day.
Right before we left, he stood back and watched them, laughing and playing without a care in the world. He took my hand and whispered to me that children are the only reason he can do what he does. The only reason he can make it through.
He is not the same person though. As much as he tries to hide it, it is obvious to anyone who knew him before he left.
He is not happy, he is lost.
He feels love, but is confused.
He won’t talk, he just runs away.
No one knows what to do.
Those who support the war, those who support peace and those who support the soldiers, do they really understand who or what it is they are supporting?
I admit to doing the same: blindly recognizing what is happening without fully appreciating the sacrifice.
The tears that fall as I write this are not just out of sadness for what I have learned, but also out of guilt for closing my eyes to the truth.
We all were taught in high school about the warriors who came back from Vietnam who were forever altered.
It is happening again. This brave man I have grown to know calls this the next Vietnam War.
Those who fight for us come back eternally changed. They will never be the same.
Are we thankful enough? Is it possible to be?
As he prepares to go back to Iraq in March, I challenge everyone to open your eyes.
I am not arguing for or against this war.
I am arguing that we attempt with everything we have to try and understand what others our age are doing everyday for us and understand that what they go through now will ceaselessly impact who they are for the rest of their lives.
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Stewart's 'America' a comedy genius
And so, with this commentary, this newspaper brings forth yet another ode to Comedy Central’s news connoisseur Jon Stewart (of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart").
Perhaps we should change the name of this publication to "The Semiweekly Jon Stewart."
"The Daily Appalachian with Jon Stewart"?
How about the "We (Heart) Jon Stewart Review"?
Maybe not.
A bestselling book and a case of deep Southern censorship deem the return of Jon Stewart’s respectable name to this page necessary, however.
In September, the Daily Show writers released "America (The Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction." Yes, that’s inaction, not in action.
I’ve seen several copies of the book floating around, and I received a copy as a Christmas gift from my good friend Matt.
The book spent 15 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list for hardcover nonfiction, and was named “Book of the Year” by Publishers Weekly.
I can see why.
The book is cleverly formatted in imitation of a textbook, chock full with chapters, graphs, charts, photographs, textboxes, timelines and activities. And a forward by Thomas Jefferson.
Humor is the recurring theme in this work.
The biting political satire of " The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" is embedded in every page.
For example, in Chapter 1, “Democracy Before America,” we find the “Timeline of Democracy.” According to the timeline, around 30 A.D., “death penalty debate heats up after controversial execution of alleged ‘Son of God.’”
In Chapter 3, “The President: King of Democracy,” we learn about miscellaneous duties and perks of the president.
They include, “every first Monday of the month the president must bring donuts to the Cabinet meeting,” and “he must begin every sentence with the words ‘My fellow Americans’ or it doesn’t count.”
One educational activity in particular has been thrown into question, however.
In Chapter 5, “The Judicial Branch: It Rules,” on page 98, the “Dress the Supreme Court” activity can be found.
“Below are the nine current justices of the United States Supreme Court,” the instructions read. “They are naked. Restore their dignity by matching each justice with his or her respective robe.”
Indeed, nine black cut-out robes are featured adjacent to the nine Supreme Court justices’ heads, which are superimposed over nine (not very flattering) naked bodies.
Hilarious, if you ask me. But not to certain Mississippian librarians.
Librarians in two counties in Mississippi banned " America (The Book)" from eight libraries for this very page.
“I’ve been a librarian for 40 years and this is the only book I’ve objected to so strongly that I wouldn’t allow it to circulate,” Director of the Jackson-George Regional Library System Robert Willits said.
Willits continues, saying “We’re not an adult bookstore. Our entire selection is open to the entire public. If they had published the book without that one picture, that one page, we’d have the book.”
Oh and big surprise – Wal-Mart, the corporate conscience of America, has refused to stock the book for the same reason.
Lighten up, people. It’s humor. Good humor.
Perhaps librarians are worried about “the children.”
To me, however, it seems unlikely that children would be drawn to "America (The Book)," whose outside cover looks about as interesting as any other textbook the library might contain – which, I might add, may also contain images of the human nude.
So tell me, what about our government officials makes them so glorifyingly untouchable to American citizens? How dare we mock them!
If former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft can make fun of librarians, (“Ashcroft mocks librarians in Patriot Act defense, American Libraries Nov. 2003) why can’t librarians poke a little fun back?
And truthfully, what could be more “American” than employing free speech to ridicule those who are charged to defend free speech?
Take it to the Supreme Court, I say. Will they reverse the librarians’ decision?
Hopefully, but perhaps with a dissenting vote from Clarence Thomas – on the grounds that his phallus was not adequately represented.
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