THE Seahawk/February 22, 200 1
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'‘Excellence Through Truth and Dedication” Since 1948
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Megan O’Brien • Features Editor
Ben Jones • Sports Editor
James Flint - Photo Editor
Kevin Knkiht - Adviser
Bill DiNome • Student Media Coordinator
Thomas M. Ruyi.e - Editor-In-Chief
Lyndsey M. Bland - Managing Editor
Meredith Moorf: - Advertising Director
Dan Guy • News Editor
Sarah van Schagen -A&E Editor
Assistant Ediiors: News - Heather Grady. Sports - Jessie Nunery Staff WK/m: Todd Volkstorf, Rachel Cruz. Wes Melville, Ryan
Jessup, Katie Trapp. Bradley Hutchens, Evan Swink. Will Rees, Erica Harbatkin. Chelsea Givens, Todd Thomas. Chris Rogers. Ben
DeFoe, Aubrey Elmore. Chad Elmore, Megan Robertson. Stephen Bon. Brian Grissom. Charles Blanton. Amanda Combs. Austin
Hubble. Anna Pfeffer. Justin Neissner. Michael Bell. Cassandra Bratton, Evie Schulz, Brent Fuscaldo Photographers: Kathryn
Schley, Molly Handler. Elizabeth Kidd. Kat McDonaugh, Zhenya Levtchenko. Heather McEntire. Lisa Weingarten. Gabe Herman
(Graphics) Copy Editors: Casey Ferguson, Amy Lowder,Todd Volksuxf Layout/Production: Lisa Williams, Lindsay I^aClair, Ryland
Fox Advertising Staff: Kim Byrd, Jigna Patel, Keith “Huck” Huxley Distribution: Josh Willis. Jeff Grissett, Jeff Durham
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View From the Dodo’s Nest
Thomas M. Ruyle
When cartoons are a call to action...
On the Op-Ed page of last Thursday’s
Seahawk, we ran a cartoon that depicted
a researcher showing what he called the
“frat-boy gene.” which was shown as a
beer keg intertwined in a DNA double
helix. While the cartoon was lampoon
ing the frequent announcements of ge
netic research milestones, it also labeled
fraternity members as being focused
only on guzzling beer.
Needless to say, the reaction from the
Greek community - several members of
which are on the Seahawk staff - was
swift and vocal (although, strangely,
we’ve not received any letters to the
editor). Some have simply stated that
they found the cartoon to be offensive
to fraternity members, others have out
right questioned the Seahawk’s motives
and objectivity, even hinting that the
Seahawk is anti-Greek.
Editorial cartoons are a vital part of
a newspaper’s Op-Ed page as a com
mentary on the social and political is
sues of the day. Generally, such cartoons
(as with aU editorial literature) are in
tended to comment on a timely, relevant
issue; the First Amendment of the
United States Constitution protects the
right of the press to publish such mate
rial.
Editorials of any kind are not, by na
ture, meant to make everybody happy.
While some people may agree with the
gist of something on the Op-Ed page,
others will get totally pissed off, perhaps
spurred to action. Such is the nature of
the press: to make the reader think about
the world around him or her.
But hiding behind the First Amend
ment doesn’t always make us (the press)
right. Last week’s cartoon, while pok
ing fun at recent progress in genetics, did
make an unfair blanket statement about
Greek life; it was not a timely, relevant
statement, either. In retrospect, I - the
one who has the final say on what we
print - could have used better judgement
in selecting a cartoon, one that had rel
evance to current news or events that
shape this campus and our nation.
The Seahawk is not anti-Greek, nor
is it pro-Greek; it is our job to report the
news, good or bad, in an objective,
timely fashion. Some critics have
pointed out that the Seahawk can do a
better job in reporting Greek-related
events. I couldn’t agree more.
We welcome any comments, sugges
tions and story ideas from everyone in
the UNCW community, and letters to the
editor are welcome at any time.
Editorial Viewpoint
Drugs and law - is there a solution?
Ecstasy’s dangers hide beneath
the happy high it gives its users. It’s
not like heroin, where an overdose
can kill on the first use, or cocaine,
which is physically addictive. In
stead, ecstasy addicts psychologi
cally, boosting serotonin levels and
making it difficult if not impossible
to feel the same heights of happiness
and sensation one feels when under
its influence. It can dehydrate us
ers, an effect not well known and
exacerbated by alcohol.
Ecstasy lowers inhibitions, as
does alcohol, and also tends to make
people very touchy-feely. Because
it causes senses to be heightened,
rather than dulled with alcohol, in
dividuals under the drug’s influence
are more likely to sleep with many
anonymous partners and have un
protected sex, spreading sexually
transmitted disease.
Since ecstasy’s rise as the drug of
choice among young people is a
fairly recent development, few col
lege students are aware of the drug’s
danger. It seems a harmless and
easy way of feeling extremely good
for a few hours, and it doesn’t cause
hangovers. If the Powers That Be
really want to prevent the use of
ecstasy, they should educate public
school students as aggressively as
they teach the dangers of marijuana.
cocaine and heroin.
That said, possession of ecstasy
should not be a felony. Selling
drugs to elementary school children,
yes, that’s a bad thing and should
be severely punished, but putting
someone in jail because they want
to feel better about life? Life is a
very bleak thing sometimes, and
arresting someone who can’t deal
with reality all the time is probably
not the best solution. Prison teaches
these small-time users how to be
come big-time sellers, getting them
involved in much bigger and more
serious crimes than they would have
been if the law either left them alone
or tried to get them help. Not that
drugs are good. It just seems that
there ought to be a better way to
deal with drug users and to fight the
“war on drugs” than throw every
one who decides they need a break
from reality in jail.
Got an opinion?
OF course; you do...
so SHARE IT WITH US.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
CAN BE SUBMITTED TO
THE SEAHAWK AT
UNIVERSITY UNION
ROOM 205E
OR BY EMAIL AT
SHKEDITDR@HOTMAIU.COM
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