October 25,2001
The Blue Banner
Page 3
Ope^ons
Editorials
shall we dance this year?
Hoops season has rolled back around again for UNCA.
■rom a distance, the 2001-2002 UNCA men's basketball
earn looks like they have a shot at contending for the Big
lOUth Conference Championship and a spot in the Na-
:ional Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament. Or
imply just, "The Big Dance."
Without a doubt, this would be a huge feat, seeing as
low the Bulldogs have never experienced a trip to Na-
ional Collegiate Athletic Assocation Tournament.
Although at times, we have come close.
In his second year. Head Coach Eddie Biedenbach
ilmost took UNCA to the promised land back during the
997-98 season.
After cruising their way to a 19-8 record and the Big
iouth Conference regular season championship,
iiedenbach and his charges had the inside track to an
nvitation to "The Big Dance."
Yet, the dream season came to an end when a last sec-
>nd fadeaway jumper in the championship game of the
!ig South Conference tournament landed Radford Uni-
ersity in the field of 64 instead of the Bulldogs.
However, the Radford Highlanders might have done
JNCA a favor because they were ones playing the role
)f sacrificial lamb to the Duke Blue Devils.
UNCA would once again return to the title game in the
999-2000 season, only to fall to a talented group of
)layers from Winthrop University.
For another year, it looks as if Winthrop University is
he team to beat. However, the 'Dogs aren't too shabby
lither. With the arrival of a talented group of freshmen,
s well as an experienced core of players returning from
15-13 team last year, UNCA is picked by some to chal-
?nge Winthrop University for Big South supremacy.
Street & Smith's, a college basketball publication, has
■llready picked the Bulldogs third in the preseason.
The time has come. As the Bulldogs lace up their sneak-
rs and step on to the hardwood in hopes of chasing a
lig South Conference title and March Madness dreams,
ans will sit back and ask themselves one lingering
uestion. "Will we be John Elway, or the Buffalo Bills?"
Preventing thefts on campus
In light of the recent vehicular thefts on UNCA's cam-
)us and the ongoing construction, students should be
ven more vigilant and cautious in protecting their
lelongings.
Four individuals, one allegedly a UNCA student, ap
parently broke into seven different automobiles and stole
adios, CD players and cell phones.
This is probably just the begirming. A few years ago,
/vhen UNCA was entrenched in construction, the num
ber of thefts increased from five in 1997 to 54 in 1998.
The construction occurring around campus was the
■nain reason behind the increase, according to Jerry
'\dams, public safety investigator in a Sept. 1999 Blue
hnner article.
The construction companies were responsible for their
Dwn security, and the companies were being slack, ac-
:ording to Adams in the article.
A lot of buildings were being left open that shouldn’t
lave been," said Adams in the article. The companies
'were not doing what they were supposed to do, so
herefore, it resulted in a lot of stuff being taken."
Residents of Governor's Village recently received a
memo that said doors to the buildings will have to be
cropped open for a select amount of time.
The new construction companies should learn from
previous mistakes and take the proper precautions.
Public safety also needs to increase their patrol of con-
truction sites to ensure the protection of students' prop
erty.
However, even if this should occur, students are ulti
mately responsible for their belongings. Through the use
af common sense, a huge leap in thefts can be avoided.
Staff Member of the Week
Congratulations to Sachie Godwin of the features de
partment. Sachie is The Blue Banner's Staff Member of the
(Veek for Oct. 25.
Solutions to an ongoing issue
Justus D’Addario
Columnist
I was chillin’ before class yester
day when a conversation hopped
across me...
“Yeah, has that guy got his ass
kicked yet?”'
The comment was made concern
ing a recent Blue Banner article,
which expressed an individual’s
viewpoint. Obviously, the person
making the comment didn’t appre
ciate this expression. As most things
do, this made me think.
Is it OK for someone to exercise
their right to free speech when it
hurts others? Why do we say hurt
ful things or judge certain things as
hurtful? What are the effects of
these actions of speech?
Personally, I have a habit of
cussing, just for the hell of it you
could say. I’m improving a little, I
guess. Maybe it’s an attempt at mak
ing my mediocre life more interest
ing.
Yelling or even having a strong
hold on a position for that matter,
is a surefire way to spark excitement
of some kind. Isn’t that all we
want?
I’m just sitting here listening to
the wind blow through the chimes,
watching sunbeams and shadows
of leaves dance on my paper, and
that line was definitely the high
light of my day, and this article.
More questions.
Why do we need so much drama?
We fear that we will get enough
attention being positive, kind
people. Maybe if we were all nice to
each other, everything would be
too damn boring. Why do I ask so
many questions? Why did I even
write this?
Oh yeah. Back to the top.
One person says something that
supports war and killing (maybe by
maxing out while others kill for
them), and another who proposes
peace wants that guy to suffer pain
for his point of view.
This reminds me of the movie
“Seven,” and the seventh deadly sin
of wrath. Sorry to spoil the end, but
the psychopath (who is extremely
intelligent, yet suffers severe men
tal pain) works it out so that “the
good guy” will carry out the last sin
of wrath. I strongly recommend
checking this one out, folks.
We are doing this right now. We
fulfill the wishes of terrorists, and
support stereotypes of America as
ignorant and despotic with our ran
dom bombing campaign and rheto
ric. As Josh Day said last week, “the
true enemy hides in caves in the
desert.”
Yes, our Special Forces are obvi
ously looking in those deep dark
caves right now. Talk about meta
phors. Lets use our Special Forces
to check out the caves in ourselves
we haven’t looked in for a while.
Our awareness lights the way.
When we get to the root, we can
see clearly that the anger invoked
by ignorant statements, such as ter
rorist acts, or just plain being de
rogatory, is the sought after effect.
Generally, we want company.
When we are suffering, we want
others to suffer, too.
Now, we can ignore our suffering
as we have done for the previous
few thousand years, or we can seek
it out and as belle hooks suggests,
work on “loving our blackness.”
Ignorance, the ability to commit
evil, and fear in all of us. There are
some very simple things we can do
to change this.
Let’s get to the roots now. After
all, that’s what radical really means.
I know we can stop j udging others
and ourselves with these painful
value systems, but everyone has to
join in together. Pick your head up
and read the signs.
There are people right here with
you, right now who are willing to
help.
We all want to be happy and free
from suffering, but first we must
recognize that deep down, we really
are in pain even though there might
be a smile on our face.
The faster we become responsible
for our own minds and actions, the
faster we be chillin’ free from suf
fering.
I hope we do this soon, so I can
cease with these hypocritical ar
ticles.
“Maybe if we were all nice to each
othery everything would be too
damn boring”
Fifth Annual Jingle Bell
Walk/Run to Cure Arthritis
On November 4th runners and walkers of all ages will
don hiloday costumes, put silver bells on their shoes
and take to the streets of UNCA, taking steps to cure
arthritis. To register for the event, please call 1-800-
883-8806. The registration fee is $25 in advance or
$30 on November 4th. For more information contact
Kevin Plate at 1-800-883-8806 or kplate@arthritis.org.
JfeaJwaiers ~
UNCA’s creative arts magazine, is accepting
entries in music, prose, poetry, art and drama from
faculty and students for the 2001 edition. Pick up
a submission form and drop off entries in the
boxes in the Literature or IVlusic Department, or at
the Headwaters office in Karpen 240. For more
info, contact Caroline Mann, Editor, at 251 -6730 or
creative@bulldog.unca.edu
Photo contest winner
Congratulations to Jennifer Packard, The Blue Banners photo contest Vifinner for the week of October 18, with her untitled photo
graph of a butterfly on a leaf.