OCR::/Vol_110/WLURG39_RTP_20061009/WLURG39_RTP_20061009_001.2.txt MB is viieflfl itn iiomia Residents in the county may want to shut down student parties, but inside city limits students and . their neigh bors. are getting along fine. pi-Pago3 WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY THE RING-TUM PHI. M ON DAY, OCTOBER 9, 2006 BY THE STUDENTS AND FOR THE STUDENTS SINCE 1897 VOLUME OX, NUMBER 5 Alum to be sworn in Inaugural activities centerpiece of homecoming weekend By Sacha Raab STAFF WRITER omecoming weekend is two weeks away, and already the stu- dents, University Security, and inhabitants of Lexington are beginning to feel the ex- citement and tension of this major event. This year the weekend is even more important, as it is combined with President Ken- neth Ruscio’s inauguration. Lexington is expecting 3.000 to 4,000 out-of-town gJests.and 150 VIP guests, including many representa- tives from other colleges and universities. This influx of visitors is causing concerns for the Uni- versity Security, who will be employing all of their staff on that Saturday. The University already struggles with parking ar- rangements, and the popular- ity of the weekend will surely cause complications. University Security is planning on using the parking areas that are typically used for major events; however, they will most likelynot be sufficient. Students typically seem to be excited mostly for Home- coming parties and events. According to sophomore Kel- si Robinson, it is the first big date weekend at Washington and Lee, though it really only involves a few cocktail par- ties and maybe a date. “It always, causes some nerves, especially among the girls who have no control over the situation, consider- ing the frats are the ones with all of the events and parties,” Robinson said. Junior Kelly Will agrees that the students are generally looking forward to the parties and all of the visitors coming into Lexington from out of town, especially alumni who have recently graduated. “I don’t really know what kind of stir the President’s Inauguration is making, but people seem to like Ruscio a lot, so I’m sure people are in- terested to see the beginning of his era,” Will said. According to Will, Home- coming is an important week- end for the school because of all the returning alumni and fraternity rush events. Homecoming weekend should be a great success this year. Combined with Ruscio’s inauguration, the city of Lex- ington and the University will benefit from its weekend in the spotlight with alumni, col- legiate representatives, and plenty of other supporters of the school. HOMECOMING Ruscio shares his 2006 goals Alumnus, politics professor, and former dean will be 26th president News Editor Jacob Geiger sat down with incoming president Ken Ruscio to discuss his upcoming inauguration Ring-Tum Phi: What has been your favorite part of the first few months on the job, espe- cially the month since school started? Ruscio: I think talking with stu- dents and talking with alumni. Just hearing once again all the stories about Washington and Lee — what they value about W&L. The characteristics that are meaningful to them. Also seeing the diversity of experiences they convey. Phi: What surprised you about the new job? Ruscio: Nothing really. There was no particular issue or problem that surprised me. I think every college president is surprised by the volume and range of issues you have to deal with. See “BIG PROJECTS” on page 2 OCR::/Vol_110/WLURG39_RTP_20061009/WLURG39_RTP_20061009_002.2.txt J,.r was 8. urvuum um. VASHENGTON & LEE uuivensn r 9 rrw '73 'l‘l'7N. VA 324459 >1 O 2005 2 - THE RING-TUM PHI MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2006 ll BWS uick fix not so che Workers lay down sod and sidewalks during construction By Dane Davis STAFF WRITER In a temporary yet expensive project, thousands of dollars in grass outside the Elrod Com- mons has been torn up and re- placed with sod. It may surprise some, but this isn’t the first time the uni- versity has landscaped the Elrod Commons’ courtyard. Randolph Hare, Project Manager of the construction and landscaping around Elrod Commons, said, “The area between the Co—op and Commons was reseeded after utility connections for the Co—op were completed.” Then why is money being spent to re-sod the area? Hare said, “The results were less than satisfactory in part be- cause of the poor quality of the soil. In fact, the area from Reid Hall to Graham-Lees Dorm was in need of improvement. The corners of the green spac- es were wom from pedestrian traffic, there were drainage and landscaping issues dating back to the construction of Commons that needed to be addressed." Hare said the university consulted with a landscaping firm before deciding to re-sod the entire area to make asthetic improvements. He said the re- sodding is an interim step in a comprehensive _ improvement of the area from Reid Hall to Washington Street. Hare said the project’s biggest changes will happen during the summer of 2007. That means all work hap- pening in the Elrod Commons’ Big projects stil continued from page 1 Phi: What are you looking for- ward to about the inauguration? Ruscio: It’s going to be a celebra- tion of W&L. It’s not about me. It’s about where we are and where we’re headed. It’s exciting to me that all differ- ent members of the community are involved. It’s a chance to think hard about W&L. Phi: Can we have a preview of your speech? Ruscio: The general theme is that it’ll be about not just liberal arts education, but a Washington and Lee liberal arts education. I’ll talk about some of the disctinc- tive qualities of W&L that make us W&L. MICHAEL KEENAN / Staff Photographer New sod, fresh bricks, and temporary sidewalks are changing the view in front of Graham-Lees. The project will be finished in August 2007. square is provisional until 2007. According to Facilities Man- agement, the “final courtyard project will not begin until after graduation, June 2007 and will be completed by August 2007.” This means that the sod and concrete sidewalks will eventu- ally be replaced. Phi: Do you think students will be interested and present at the speech? Ruscio: What I’ve told many stu- dents is just come and have fun. Come casually, sit on the lawn, and watch what goes on. We want it to not be a serious, overly formal event, and of course there will be lunch on the lawn after- ward. We hope students will par- ticipate. Phi: If you could change one thing right away, what would it be? Ruscio: One thing I consider es- pecially important, this year is to consider the teacher—scholar mod- el. This is more intangible than some of the other goals. I want to engage faculty in a dis- cussion about what it is to be on When asked, Hare wouldn’t say how much the construction costs. Students may have wel- comed the improvements more if they weren’t temporary fixes. The fact that all of this money is being spent on sidewalks and grass that will eventually be torn ahead faculty at a student-centered lib- eral arts college. That will lay groundwork for some other things we consider. Phi: What are your goals for the rest of the year? Ruscio: A variety of things. We have to be very determined to de- velop financial aid resources for students. To continue to attract the best and brightest students, we must make sure cost isn’t a deterrent. We also have to recruit and main- tain the best faculty and staff. There are also important physical projects, starting with the Colon- nande. We’ll be making decisions about specifics and design. Students and faculty should look back 80 years from now and thank us for making wise decisions to preserve the Colonnade. Friday, October 20 "For W&L l Yell!" century” « 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Alumni Luncheon - 2:30-4:00 pm. Panel: “Liberal Arts in the 2:Lst schedule of events: - 2:00 p.m. Friends of the Library reception Hosted by Roger Mudd ‘50 - 1:30 pm. Football Game Generals vs. the Quakers of Guilford College Wilson Field up annoys some of them. Junior James Heidbreder said, “I think the sod was over- kill in the first place. The grass seemed to be growing well be- fore it was raked up and dis- posed. There’s a real problem with the grass there, mainly because that area doesn’t drain Write for the Ring-Tum Phi. I well. Fix the drainage problem and you can fix the grass prob- lem.” Sophomore Rob Frasco takes a different approach to the issue. “As long as they make the side- walks into bricks and have ev- erything done reasonably soon, then I’m okay with it.” Although work is finish- ing up in the Elrod Commons’ courtyard, construction will continue in other areas of cam- pus. The sod has taken root and the concrete is dry, but in a few short months, landscaping will begin anew in the Commons’ courtyard. The best newspaper that comes out on Mondays Contact us at phi@wlu.edu Keller Theatre, Lenfest Center Moderated by Roger Mudd ‘50 - 4:00-5:00 p.m. Panel Reception Kamen Gallery, Lenfest Center Saturday, October 21 0 10:30 a.m.‘lnauguratlon Front Lawn, Lee Chapel (Rain Plan — Doremus / Warner Center) - 12:00-:l.:3.0 p.m. inaugural Lunch Cannan Green (Rain Plan — Evans Hall) 0 4:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Virginia Wine Tasting and BBQ Dinner Honoring the classes of 2003-2006. All alumni welcome, but registration is required. Liberty Hall Ruins - 6:00 pm. lllilihiser Moot Courtroom Dedication Lewis Hall - 7:15 p.m. Fl»/9-star Generals Dinner Joined by President and Mrs. Ken Rusclo. Evans Dining Hall wit 3‘? ’3":9'.; rm‘ Len .3rf‘i"':‘s" Achieves Permanent. Hair Reduction. Cools and soothes the skin as it removes unwanted hair. No-rrinvasive treatment alfows you to resume yeur normal activities §rnr“ne»dia'l:ely. 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According to sophomore Mi» caela Coffey, nine W&L students plan on taking the Urban Plunge, a program through the National Coalition for the Homeless. Vol- unteers spend 48 hours living like the homeless on the streets of large cities. W&L students will be taking the Plunge in Washington. D.C., over the long weekend. “You’re living on the streets in D.C. as a homeless person with- out the conveniences that we en- joy here,” Coffey said. “No cell phone, no credit card. no money at all.” Coffey, the Alternative Breaks chair for Nabors Service League, said that W&L students will be split into three groups. During the day, the groups will be on their own and experience what it is like to be homeless. “They encourage you to pan- handle for a couple of hours." Coffey said. “Well, you have to. or else you’re not going to lrzive anything to eat.” Soplioinore /\lden Wicker, who will be participating in the Plunge. said that although it might be eiiibarrassing. she"'s looking for'\vard to learning front experi- ences like panhandling. “*1 know it will be the most huniiliirting thing I will have ever clone to actually beg for money,“ Wicl"i';<'»....*:;* 1?, ?;{}€f)§”3f {,i'n.E1.2 US {W 23.33. 'i‘:'25si;g;§:£'.'.%'.’1.::l §<)<;3£<:. ax: <.';m:‘ z;:<.‘>‘m§.'24.e:£.:%.é.:'i.x»*z3 <.—:é.§;:°<.= zmé W§'2:2'E', "ii" ‘£31; <;>:5z.'s:se1: "To ’ -1 -‘ V . V - 5 . v - u A e 3 13:’ 1-M31» :i:<..>':’ ym,:..za‘ z:23.::'°ee:‘, €.:;-fix: ":1 min. ':..ui1.se:1{f.e'r ;.'>e:‘/':'°./<‘:§,::.w €321: }'1:;_>'w §:3:.a.,.z'.:i«: <.>'£'.f%.1m€:.%.’_§.<1%z3. ’_g_‘~§-39 f§{§;m;_pg;m; :§;'}:g_'1 . :§‘_,§.gg;«»;§;jj;;g;'i:zj3:"1 IR(>2ma <3?’ ihsfe §2.’2E’§/2,’€ér1§';, mam". i".'>f’.i'?7;:‘€ ’"E‘{"} ALE} ‘»‘v";1‘xS3r£§§>£('§’.§‘{f§;_v£ E,»§~'.'L¥5; i?('m.“:§f§.§i£%K (3.t?%:—2,i;% in ;:E:.i:i>s.-1% <:n:2 /{?i‘3;;f{3€E‘£§ Bank of America It OCR::/Vol_110/WLURG39_RTP_20061009/WLURG39_RTP_20061009_005.2.txt .0I]|Il|0|lS MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2006 THE RING-TUM PHI ° 5 The steady pressure to party Believe it or not, you can have a fun and exciting night life without getting roaring drunk every single night By Grace Andrews c o L u M N I sr Today’s topic is the party scene at Washington and Lee, or at least the pressure to party. Once again, I must place a disclaimer here: If any of what I say describes and/or » offends you, that isn’t my goal. My goal is sim- ply to share a few of my opinions. The oth- er day, I was talking to a friend who doesn’t go out much. The first time she attended a W&L party, she saw people she knew hanging upside down, drinking from garbage cans and getting wasted. These students were people that she had thought were “mod- erate drinkers,” or something of the sort. My friend, who shall remain nameless, remembers random people chanting her name and try- ing to get her to take shots. She was smart, strong, and [insert adjective here] enough to walk away, but some of her friends were not. They drank because they wanted to be cool. After witness- ing these “activities,” my friend rarely goes out. Her story inspired me to write this article. I thought to myself, “how many people here have been changed because of the socialpressures to party and to drink?” Let’s start with a few of my own personal stories. A few weeks ago, I went to a party and saw some friends who were “drunk.” I use that term loosely because one of them was pretending to be drunk so that his friends wouldn’t give him a hard time about not drinking. I had another friend tell me recently that while at a party, one of her drunken friends tried to co- erce them repeatedly and almost belligerently into drinking. They even went so far as to use the “good friend” excuse. I know you’ve heard it before, because it starts with, “You would if you were a ‘good friend.”’ Now, what is the common thread in these stories? Ding, ding, ding, that’s right, all these people were asked to drink. If you really Last time I checked, a good time didn’t involve a visit to the health center; making out with a total stranger and then not recognizing them the next day on the Colonnade, or losing every- thing valuable at a Pole House. need the non-drinkers to drink, have water as a beverage option for beer pong, or take alcohol free Kool-Aid shots. However, if this were to happen, the cases of H20 poisoning or sugar shock would skyrocket. Let me give a few stats to sup- port my thoughts. In September alone, there were 30 alcohol ar- rests in Lexington. This was only through Sept. 20; this was seven more than the 23 average of all alcohol related arrest per month for the past four years (‘O2-‘06). When all the drinking inci- dents were averaged out from since 2002, we surpassed the me- dian score repeatedly. Granted, these averages aren’t just us, but all of Lexington. Although I wonder exactly how much partying the retired population of LexVegas is partici- pating in. I’m not going to lie; I some- times don’t go out because I just don’t want to deal with offensive- ly drunk students. I have no desire to carry a babbling conversation or pretend to listen to a drunken account of some “hilarious” event that is not funny because my BAC is lower than 0.1. I’m even guilty of going to a party in my study clothes (I like to call it my “hobo chic”) staying for ten minutes and leaving. ' The only reason I do this is because some of my friends will laugh at me and even worry be- cause they don’t think I’m going out enough. It’s not that I don’t want to have fun, but since I don’t drink, there seems to be nothing for me to do at a party. Now, I would go if great mu- sic and even better dancing was guaranteed, but since I find some of the music hard to dance to and refuse to watch or accept drunken teetering and tottering as dancing, I just don’t go. I know that I’m not the only one who feels this way. Sometimes the party scene here thoroughly confuses and scares me. I have a hard time un- derstanding why people get so drunk that they can’t remember anything they did the night be- fore, or even their names. Last time I checked, a good time didn’t involve a visit to the health center, losing everything valuable at a Pole House, making out with a total stranger and then not recognizing them the next day on the Colonnade. It seems like to me that if peo- ple drink for a “buzz,” or to feel “loose,” a moderate amount of alcohol could do the job. The problem is when people drink their own body weight in fluid ounces. When I see people doing this, I just have an urge in my heart to give them watered-down apple juice. ' Honestly, they are so drunk they wouldn’t know or taste the difference. Iknow that right about now, some people are reading and roll- ing their eyes all around their head at what I have to say and have no intention of ever reading what I write again (don’t worry, the co- medic articles will be retuming after reading days!). Once again my goal isn’t to of- fend anyone. If you actively drink and even get totally wasted, that’s your business, but please be a “good friend” and respect the choice that others have made. I’m not judging you, and I per- sonally don’t care if you drink. Seriously, who cares if you destroy brain cells, do things you will regret, or even kill your liver? I just don’t want to be at a party and repeatedly badgered to drink or to hear that my friends are, or that some students aren’t going out because they don’t want to be forced to drink by those that they care about, aka friends. «Remember that friends don’t ask other friends to drink when they don’t want to. TR D A FEW HOURS OF YU L PLAYING THE MARKETS GRAMMY QR NY FASHIQN WEEK E33 ‘('68 KNGW HEW E»ES'l" W'GF{l( THE Fl.§Ti§R,ES MARKET? PLAY FANTASYFUTURES - LAST S—.£A5-DN%’S GRANG PRi'.Z:E WINNER .AcC’.EPTE= A Fumaae tea as A Wmomnu mom -— AND mu route mo. Dun WEEKLY WENNERE were A ml? to lPMoRaAr~:’5 TRAWNG aooa EN NYE Aria, :IF ‘Y‘BU’RE THIS SEASUWS mama: PRIZE WINNER, You Am A 1F-RIENED ttoum a5 some T0 SH PER BGWL, GRAMMYS QR YSRECS FASHEBN WEEK. THE oratv r:H1aG you HAVE re ;Li.‘_1»S‘E is A BULL FUTURE. www..fantasyfuturesmet An fiqwnippommy and amarwuwn mustang mmipgat mm flmmgmt am: an to. aa. fififls msenraa. OCR::/Vol_110/WLURG39_RTP_20061009/WLURG39_RTP_20061009_006.2.txt 6 0 THE RING—TUM PHI MONDAY, OCTOBER 9,2006 IIIIIIIIIIIIS Looking to lose on election day In this anti-incumbent election, neither party wants to win By Abel S. Delgado COLUM mm The closer we get to Election Day 2006, the more apparent it becomes that both parties are determined to lose. As ridiculous as this sounds, all signs point to a Democratic party too afraid to take power and a Republican party that doesn’t want it anymore. Let’s start with the Demo- crats. In 2004 they could have chosen John Edwards to run for president. Edwards was young, charis- matic, relatively inexperienced (meaning not a Washington bureaucrat), relatively moder- ate and able to cross party lines, and, most importantly, south- ern. Basically, he fit the same mold that Bill Clinton did in 1992 and George W. Bush did in 2000, a formula proven to win time and again. Instead the Democrats chose John Kerry, an old school “intel— lectual liberal” from the North- east. Name the last Northeastern “intellectual liberal” president. It might take you a while to go that far back. The Democrats had other choices. If they wanted to beat Bush at his own game, they could have chosen Joe Lieber- man, who is more Republican than Bush and more pro—Bush than many Republicans are. .He would have gotten votes from Republicans and from people who refuse to vote Re- publican, the two biggest voting groups in the country. If they actually wanted to stand for something, they could have chosen Howard Dean and gone screaming into battle. I’m not saying this would have meant victory, but at least it would have made things more interesting. Why would the Democrats want to lose? Apparently they had a crystal ball. Just look at all that’s hap- pened since November 2004: Iraq has gotten worse, Afghani- stan has taken a few steps back, gas prices are so high people are actually walking a few blocks to get places, the world is worried that birds are going to sneeze on us and kill us off and the larg- est natural disaster in American history happened. Of course, this is the presi- dent’s fault entirely. It always 15. So the crystal ball told the Democrats to lose in 2004 to receive no blame for things no one is able to control anyway. I figure the Democrats had the same crystal ball right before the Great Depression. Now it seems the Republi- cans have found their own crys- tal ball. Things are probably go- ing to get a lot worse. Why else would the Republicans start a huge fight with each other based on something decided in Gene- va a long time ago? Why else would they hide a suspected pedophile Congress- man until right before the elec- tions? THE WASHINGTON mo LEE UNIVERSl’lY ———>—--——- RING—TUM PHI. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF NEWS & OPINIONS EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR ARTS&LIFE EDITOR COPY EDITOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DESIGN EDITOR DESIGNER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER BUSINESS MANAGER KATHERINE GREENE JACOB GEIGER JESSICA SHAW STACEY GRIJALVA CATHERINE CARLOCK GRACE ANDREWS CODY BEAUCHAMP DANE DAVIS ABEL S. DELGADO LARA JORDAN SARAH KIENTZ ADAM LEWIS ANDY McENROE SACHA RAAB NEIL SCHEAFFER CHRIS TUTOR QUEENIE WONG MELISSA CARON KELSEY WRIGHT MICHAEL KEENAN DAVID SHUBICK MISSION STATEMENT: It is the mission of THE RING—TUM PHI to accurately, truthfully, and thoroughly report news affecting the Washington and Lee community for students, faculty, parents and alumni. Our goal is to look deeper into news affecting campus life and hold leaders accountable. Through our reporting, we aspire to spark discussions that lead to discovering information ‘that prompts change. THE RING—TUM PHI is published Mondays during the undergraduate school year. THE RING—TUM PHI is a member of The Media Board, which can be reached at mediaboard@wIu.edu, but is otherwise independent.THE RING—TUM PHI welcomes all letters. We reserve the right to edit submissions for content and length. Letters and advertising do not necessarily reflect the opinion of THE RING—TUM PHI staff. This newspaper observes current court definitions of libel and obscenity. THE RING—TUM PHI UNIVERSITY COMMONS ROOM. 341 WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA 24450 TELEPHONE: (540)458-4060 FAX: (540) 458-4059 EMAIL: PHI@WLU.EDU SUBSCRIPTION RATE $45 Why else would they choose Katherine Harris to run for Senate in Florida? Does anyone like Katherine Harris? Does Katherine Har- ris even like Katherine Har- ris?- The Republicans look well on their way to losing these mid—term elections. They might just want to keep traditions alive. Second terms for presi- dents are not supposed to go badly; they’re supposed to go horribly (i.e. Watergate, Iran- Contra, Monica Lewinsky). And the ruling party is not supposed to win mid-term elections, because people get bored of seeing the same let- ter behind everyone’s name. So maybe the Repub- licans want to lose just to keep political history easy enough for our textbooks to simplify. If the Republicans don’t manage to lose this election, it proves two things. First, people will stub- bornly vote for their party regardless of what their party does or doesn’t do. Second, there are way too many people like Katherine Harris in the Democratic Party} ‘ ' ' """ Still don’t believe the parties want to lose? Just remember, whoever loses in 2006 can just criticize the winners in 2008 and not actually stand for anything. Isn’t that what party politics is all about? editorial Press priorities miss the mark Election coverage focused on the wrong issues Cowboy boots versus com- bat boots. Is that really the most im- portant issue in Virginia poli- tics today? After reading local and na- tional coverage of the Senate race between George Allen and Jim Webb, that’s certainly how it seems. We could care less about the shoe choices of Allen and Webb. It’s too bad we can- not say the same of the press corps covering this election. Politics dominate the news pages year-round these days, so it’s hardly surprising that trivial issues can come to dominate coverage. But “macaca” comment than dis- sect his votes in the Senate. The uninspired press corps would rather recount Webb ’s early opposition to coeduca- tion at the Naval Academy than consider his plans for Iraq. Even Tim Russert, the moderator of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” couldn’t steer a September debate on his show away from character issues. Russert asked the candi- dates about Iraq and terrorism but still had plenty of ques- tions about the so-called con- troversial pasts of both men. Allen denied being half- Jewish, because his mother shoes? diculous as it seems. petty insults. spit out by each campaign. The complacent Apparently the American political scene really is as ri- Allen and Webb both seem reluctant to debate serious is- sues. They would rather trade That is the prerogative of both candidates, but the press should quit being lazy and stop regurgitating the drivel media would rather rehash Allen’s didn’t tell him that she had been raised as a Jew when liv- ing in North Africa. Does that mean her son can’t represent Virginia in the Senate? Webb argued in 1979 that women shouldn’t be admitted into the Naval Acadern ,. Does an article he wrote 27 years ago exclude him from serving in the Senate? Sadly, this isn’t the only recent campaign being run on ancient history. What was the defining is- sue of the 2004 election? Not Iraq, Osama bin Laden or So- cial Security reform. It was Vietnam—a war that ended 31 years ago. And politicians wonder why young voters don’t go to the polls. Why did the press focus on Kerry’s swift-boat service and Bush’s time in the National Guard? Because it was an easy story guaranteed to sell news- papers or attract television viewers. Because it was juicy and full of gossip. CBS News, in its rush to scoop the competition, relied on forged documents to ques- tion Bush’s guard service. Not only was the story ir- relevant, it was inaccurate. Enough overkill on juicy political scandals. It doesn’t matter if your business de- partment thinks that scandal sells well. Journalists should serve their audiences, not the al- mighty dollar. Abandon petty scandals and focus on real issues. Thank God for the ACLU The ACLU says it speaks for the people, but does it really do what it says? By Chris Tutor COLUMNIST Thank God for the American Civil Liberties Union. Seriously, America needs the ACLU. The United States Constitution needs the ACLU. Without fail, the ACLU de- fends the freedom of speech. Without fail, it fights violations of the Fourth Amendment. Without fail, it protects the rights of the accused. The list continues. However, there is a problem. Despite its many admirable ac- tions, the ACLU often distorts the Constitution and disregards the intentions of the Framers. Although the ACLU’s mission is to “preserve...First Amend- ment rights...the right to equal protection...the right to due pro- cess...and the right to privacy,” it constantly contradicts itself re- garding the constitutional role of the government and often exalts the judiciary over the electorate. The ACLU seems to suffer from a crisis of identity concem- ing what the government can and cannot do, particularly at the fed- eral and state level. Whatever your opinion on each of these issues, the ACLU displays a frustrating and alarm- ing lack of consistency and rea- son. The ACLU maintains that the government cannot criminalize the sale of child pornography (see the 1982 Supreme Court case New York vs. Ferber). According to the ACLU, the government cannot criminalize drugs. The government cannot ban partial-birth abortion. Also, the government cannot allow a moment of silence in public schools (Wallace vs. Jafi°ree). Simultaneously, the govem- ment can force doctors, health workers, hospitals and insurance companies to perform or subsi- dize abortions. According to the ACLU’s website, the government should also order private employers and schools to set “goals and timeta- bles” for the hiring of under-rep- resented groups. Also, the government can force private employers to cover contraceptives and birth control in health insurance programs. Absurdly, the government can also demand that the Boy Scouts allow homosexuals to serve as scout leaders. The ACLU’s support for the legal concept of corporate per- sonhood further complicates its contradictory position. Corporate leaders maintain that corporations possess many of the same consti- tutional rights guaranteed to U.S. citizens. Therefore, the ACLU cannot simultaneously justify an individ- ual right to privacy and exempt a corporate one. To be consistent, the ACLU cannot just pick and choose. Where does the ACLU draw the line regarding the proper in- terference of the government? How far does the right to privacy extend? The ACLU does not pro- vide a credible answer, only a contradiction. Obviously, there is only one common factor behind the AC- T he ACLU implements that agenda by consis- tently undermining the voters. In effect, it uses the judiciary as an alternate legislator Does it take its issues to the ballot or the legislature? LU’s contradictory positions on the role of the government in these matters: The ACLU uses that role only when it promotes its liberal agenda. There is no constitutional stan- dard. There is no logic. There is only an agenda. The ACLU implements that agenda by consistently undermin- ing the voters. In effect, it uses the judiciary as an alternate legislator. Does it take its issues to the ballot or the legislature? Rarely, because it would most likely lose. Instead, the ACLU files countless lawsuits to utilize the courts to impose its ideology on the electorate. Would the Founding Fathers of the United States agree with this method? For the ACLU, it is ob- viously a practical one, but does it follow the spirit of the Constitu- tion and our Republic? On October 15, 1788, James Madison, the principal architect of the Constitution, wrote “as the courts are generally the last in making the decisions [on laws], it results to them, by refusing or not refusing to execute a law, to stamp it with its final character. This makes the Judiciary depar- ment paramount in fact to the Leg- islature, which was never intended, and can never be proper.” According to Madison, judicial usurpation is not the way our Re- public was meant to operate. The power of the people invest- ed in their representative assem- blies was intended to be greater than that of unelected officials serving as judges. As I wrote at the beginning of this article, the ACLU is good for America. Courageously and consistently, it defends the constitutional rights of such groups as the North Ameri- can Man/Boy Love Association, neo-Nazis and even the Ku Klux Klan. America needs the ACLU. However, it is not fulfilling its mis- sion. It does not maintain a ratio- nal, constitutional position on the role of the government. It uses the courts to implement its agenda, not the people. James Madison would not be a card-carrying member of the ACLU. Neither would Jefferson. Nei- ther would Hamilton. Neither am I. OCR::/Vol_110/WLURG39_RTP_20061009/WLURG39_RTP_20061009_007.2.txt MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2006 THE RING-TUM PHI 0 7 . arts&|iie Dragging out tolerance 2" he campus celebrates National Coming Out Week with mixed opinions By Queenie Wong STAFF wrmra The most widely attended event of National Coming Out Week (NCOW), the drag show, was cancelled Friday due to rainy weather. “The rain site wasn’t ideal and we would have to cancel certain services that we had planned for so we just decided to cancel the entire event,” said Gay-Straight Alliance president Stephanie Wiechmann. Both the GSA and its law school counterpart, OUTLaw, sponsored the Third Annual Drag Show. The show, originally sched- uled on the law school patio, would have been moved to class- room B, a more enclosed environ- ment that lacked a stage. Based on the figures last year, said Wiechmann, the GSA and OUT- Law were expecting a fairly large audience that wouldn’t have fit. In the past, the drag show has been held in the Moot Courtroom, but because of renovations, it was not available this year. In addition, the serving of al- cohol posed a problem. Accord- ing to Wiechmann, the majority of law school parties involve al- cohol because the students are of legal drinking age. The beer gar- den that could have been outside could not be set up inside a class- room due to security problems. Although no definite date has“ been announced, Wiechmann said that the drag show will occur sometime this year as a singular event. “The goal is to support those who make a decision to come out... and to let [Washington and Lee] students know that there are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students here,” said Wiechmann. “Washington and Lee is not immune to the outside world and different alternative lifestyles.” Prior to the drag show, the GSA and OUTLaw held other events throughout the week to promote coming out. These events included pass- ing out Skittles, hanging National Coming Out Week posters, show- ing the movie “Latter Days,” urging students to vote, inviting author Christian de la Huerta to speak about his experiences in the religious community, and holding an ice cream social. Reactions to NCOW have been positive, for the most part, Wiechmann said, praising the in- volvement of the freshmen class. “We’ve had a lot more freshmen than usual at these events.” However, not all students had the same reaction. Arturo Roa, a conservative Catholic and a fresh- man at W&L, said, “The whole concept of National Coming Out Week revolves around the idea that the homosexual lifestyle is not a choice. “It’s genetically predetermined and it is irrevocable. I believe this position is fallacious. “To say homosexuality is ge- netically determined is to say that other positions such as alcohol- ism are predetermined,” he said. “If that were the case why not have a National Alcoholic Com- ing Out Week?” The nature of celebrating gay pride has also posed "questions about its effectiveness in promot- ing tolerance. De la Huerta, author of the critically acclaimed book “Com- ing Out Spiritually,” agreed that a drag show may have negative and positive effects. “Not only does it perpetuate stereotypes, but it also puts wom- en down,” said de la Huerta, who graduated from Tulane University Why should gay, lesbian, bi[sexual] and trans- gender people mimic heterosexuals? After all, they are notheterosexuals. TED DELANEY, history professor with a degree in psychology. De la Huerta referred to Cali- fornia governor Arnold Schwar- zenegger’s comment about “girly men” in the 2004 election as a prime example. “The reality is that the major- ity of gay and lesbian Americans don’t dress or look like that,” he said I Nevertheless, by pushing the boundaries, organizations such as the GSA are forcing others to deal with these sensitive issues. Ac- cording to de la Huerta, getting the community to more readily accept gays and lesbians requires a multi-pronged approach. The most effective method is for gays and lesbians to come out and reclaim their moral standing, he said. As for promoting tolerance on the campus, de la Huerta had three words to say: “Support the GSA.” Dr. Kirk Luder of University Counseling also said he acknowl- edged the possibility of a drag show perpetuating gay and les- bian stereotypes. ' i M“ on‘ the ‘other 'lia'i1‘d, because it ' is a “defiant rejection of the so- cial norm,” Luder said that this extremity could be useful to the gay and lesbian community, espe- cially in a predominately conser- vative campus like W&L. Luder also cited conformity and conventional thinking as ma- jor problems facing the student body. Education is crucial in promot- ing tolerance, Luder said. Last spring term, W&L of- fered History 353: Gay and Les- bian Life in the 20th Century- United States. History professor Ted Delaney will teach the course for a second time this spring. “The course is important as a means of breaking down stereo- types and teaching the political and social history of queer people in 20th century United States,” he said. “I hope the students come away from the course with the understanding that no stereo- types apply. Gay men can either be very masculine or very effem- inate or variations of both.” In regard to more extreme forms of expression such as drag shows and the Gay Pride Pa- rade, Delaney emphasized the thought-provoking questions they bring up. A “[It] challenges those of us to look on and ask: Why does this offend me? Why should gay, les- bian, bi[sexual] and transgender people mimic heterosexuals? Af- ter all, they are not heterosexu- als.” Wiechmann agreed. ‘‘[The drag show] is a way to step out- side yourself for a night,” she said, “to dress as the other gender and to have fun in a safe environ- ment without any inhibition.” “I don’t think it perpetuates the stereotype because the drag culture is a part of the GLBT [gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans- gender] lifestyle that W&L stu- dents never get to see,” she said. relax right next to Cafe Michel. Ha s Ma3z7e come out for fun and excitement in 9 acres of corn Open Saturday and Sunday noon ‘til dark Open at night on 14th, 21st, 28th Hay rides and picnic area also available. Directions Go towards Fairfiold ~ Take Sterret Road towards Brownsburg Take Hays Creek Road Look for signs CASCADES DA.Y®SPA refresh With this coupon, receive 10% off your first spa service in fall 2006 at Cascades Day Spa. _ Valid through November 30th, 2006 Located in Magnolia Square on Rt. 11 North !8fl8\iI 540-463-2888 www.cascadesdayspa.com Lexington Hospital Wekomes You and Your Pei! 20% qflcyour with tag ad? Dr. Sheryr H. Carla Dr. Martha. 1.. Tubman as Bones Place VA 54o-453-2:71.5 Captured in the limelight NPR, History Channel call professors By Julie Von Sternberg STAFF wnman National Public Radio and the History Channel recently invited two Washington and Lee professors as guest speakers on their broadcasts. Classics professor Dr. Miri- am Carlisle and Law professor, Mark Drumbl were recognized by the stations for their expertise and intellectual energy. As a classics professor, Carl- isle has extensive knowledge of Latin, Latin Literature and Ro- man history, or what she likes to call “ancient stutf.” She did not gain this wisdom solely from the classroom but also from person- al experience. “Her extensive background, not only in her studies, but in her travels and the people she’s met really comes out in her teach- . ing,” said senior Matt Krieg. On campus, Carlisle is known for having a laid-back attitude and a genuine interest in her stu- dents. Senior Matt Miller is one of many students who appreci- ate Carlisle’s personable teach- ing style. “She’s always willing to talk to students about topics rang- ing from translation problems to questions of their future or life in general,” said Miller. In the summer of 2005, Car- lisle exhibited the same enthusi- asm when she agreed to appear on the History Channel docu- mentary “Sahara.” The show provided an in-depth picture of the development of the desert, beginning during prehistoric times. During a three hour inter- view, Carlisle provided detailed descriptions of the wars fought between Rome and Carthage, the life of Roman soldiers and the persecution of Christians. “It was fun... surprisingly fun,” recalls Carlisle. Students who missed the doc- umentary last year were excited to hear of its re-showing. “I will definitely be watching it on the 16th in hopes of gleaning some more nuggets of wisdom from Professor Carlisle,” said Clas- sics major Matthew Loar. Like Carlisle, professor Drum- bl is well known on the W&L campus for his enthusiasm and teaching skills. “With his passion, he brings to W&L a contagious interest in international affairs, wonderful expertise and teaching ability, and top notch specialists in the field,” says law student Nick Devereux. In the classroom, Drumbl uses the Socratic method to cre- ate engaging discussions. “When the class is tired and not partici- pating, he gets visibly upset. He starts yelling, ‘Come on people, you have to have an opinion!’” said Devereux. In his book “Atrocity, Pun- ishment, and International Law,” Drumbl focuses on the connec- tion between crimes against hu- manity and the implementation of international legal orders. In addi- tion to international criminal law, Drumbl’s teachings and research include global environmental governance, transitional justice, contracts and comparative law. Drumbl recently had the op- portunity to share his opinions on'an interesting issue of intema- tional law. On Sept. 28, Drumbl was invited to speak on National Public Radio’s show “All Things Considered,” where he ‘analyzed the Nuremburg war crime trials when military tribunals sentenced " political, military and economi- cal leaders of Nazi Germany. The trials concluded 40 years earlier from the date of his broadcast, In his address, Drumbl criti- cized the rulings at Nuremburg. “Certainly there is much to cel- ebrate in the Nuremburg judg- ment,” he said. “However, tri- als alone will not reconstruct a shattered society. Trials will not thwart the hatreds that give rise to Sectarianism. Trials do not create socioeconomic stability.” These words provide just a hint of the passion and excitement that Drumbl exudes in the class room. Both Drumbl and Carlisle have had positive influences on their students. Their discussions on NPR provided the listening public a rare opportunity to also experience the educators’ knowl- edge in and enthusiasm for their respective subjects. To om or Yo R (Home ®1'orarAnmnvis:ronnrdr "'Hl'll.LIIlI'I%HI.|.IlH.ll'I[I'iE$$Iiil$FflI%l£EEuClKEnTEIlIIEIIIllIlDlillEI.15TflflI€I'lTI IMEKEJIIIEEBT 1IEIll.'TDfl$IT1HIIllI'I'TE. luinnilrlununuorr Ilirutlaramsltnnsilululralaularnnunlmull-a rm-Ilmrnnnlrnu. maunmrtiimamamrrnimilmsu mumrim I'lllilllll!i‘5lliH£. 1nrinnr|u]IIa-rnnnra|mI|IunII||unInl|n|IIHIniiIIrn.:- -. = KKEEIIIE. OCR::/Vol_110/WLURG39_RTP_20061009/WLURG39_RTP_20061009_008.2.txt 8 0 THE RING-TUM PHI ADVERTISEMENT MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2006' Needmoor Estate, c. 1 844 Highland Country U A significant landholding located in the Monterey Valley and situated on the western slope of Jack Mountain, Needmoor consists of 474 acres of fertile, rolling pastures and heavily timbered woodlands. The solid, historic, timber- . framed residence is in excellent condition‘ as are the original barn and the more recently constructed rustic cottage. * Water is supplied by gravity from strong mountain springs. Approximately 185 acres are fenced for livestock. Wildlife is abundant with substantial deer and turkey Q populations evident. Views to Sounding Knob, Back Creek Mountain, Vanderpool Gap, Monterey Mountain, Lantz Mountain, Monterey, the Jackson River Watershed and beyond are exceptional. Price: $3,300,000 . Q, ‘C Mountain Meadows Upland Farm McKinley, Augusta County One thousand, fifty-seven acres of truly . spectacular meadows and woodlands graced with commanding mountain and valley views and total privacy, the significant landholding is improved with an expansive, solidly constructed brick residence and numerous appurtenant structures including a summer kitchen, a shop, a machine shed, and an 6 historic bank barn resting on a stone foundation. There are several spring-fed, trout-sustaining ponds. Approximately 275 acres of open fields are fenced for livestock and are capable of producing abundant crops of hay and small grains. The 775 wooded acres contain valuable hardwood timber and provide a superior wildlife habitat. ' Price: $5,550,000 0 Glenn Land Company 133 Hartness Hill Road Raphine, Virginia 24472 (540) 348.2000 wvwv.landandestates.com OCR::/Vol_110/WLURG39_RTP_20061009/WLURG39_RTP_20061009_009.2.txt MONDAY, OCTOBER 9,2006 THE RING-TUM PHI - 9 SI10l'lS Women's Cross- Country The women dominated the Virginia State Division II-III Meet on Saturday, placing first out of 11 teams. Wash- ington and Lee was led by sophomore Jackie Burns, freshman Katherine Telfeyan and sophomore Becca Taylor, who earned fourth, fifth and sixth places respectively. Also in the top ten were freshmen Dorothy Todd and Mary Fran- cis Weatherly. The women face Gettysburg college on the road next Saturday. Football The Generals shut out Catho- lic this weekend 28-0. Junior Mark Snoddy caught two interceptions, helping to keep the Cardinals from advanc- ing more than 100 yards the whole game. Freshman quarterback RJ Vamer com- pleted 17 of 28 passes, and Stuart Sitterson and Colton Ward contributed 316 yards combined. The team hosts Hampden-Sydney on Saturday at l p.m. Men’s Soccer After tying Virginia Military Institute on Wednesday, the Generals put another one away on Saturday versus Guilford College, winning 2-0. The men’s record now sits at 10-0 for the first time in W&L history. Scoring for the Generals were junior mid- fielder Josh Dodds and junior forward Jack Palmer. The men look to continue this streak when they face Eastern Men- nonite University on Wednes- V day on the road. Volleyball , The volleyball team did not drop a game this week. Early in the week, the Generals defeated Lynchburg College and Ferrum College 3-0, 3-0. This weekend, they traveled to Danville, Va. and beat all four teams. The only tight match was against Averett on Friday. The Generals face Sweetbriar College Tuesday. loud Matching D-I Continued from page 10 there,” junior Natalie Day said. “A lot of the upperclassmen were really nervous, but I think she appreciates that the value to the team is more than just the play- ing ability. There are a lot of team leaders in the junior and senior classes.” After tryouts, Rankin decid- ed to keep 20 on the roster. The team also picked up new assistant coach Eric Ishida. According to Tabb, he has been a crucial asset to the team. “Our new assistant coach is fabulous,” she said. “He’s done a really good job at preparing us for this weekend. He’s done a lot to restructure our doubles, which is good, because it is our weak area.” Tabb also said the team dy- namic is forming extremely well. “Everyone’s really positive and motivating,” she said. “They all really want to be out there. That’s the big difference between D-III and D-I—it’s not you’re job~ you want to be out there.” For the first time, the Generals competed against Division I op- ponents last weekend at the Vir- ginia Tech Invitational. “I think it’ll give us a good chance to test ourselves in situ- ations where we will be play- ing better players,” junior Leah Weston said. “It’s a good opportunity to pre- pare us for the Spring-to get us in the mentality for harder matches that are going to make us compete our best and really have the will to stay out there.” Teams contlnued from page 10 if the team had a good enough chance that season. Despite the vested-interest ap- proach that coaches are encour- aged to take with their athletes, O’Connell did note there is Uni- versity policing about drinking within athletics. Said O’Connell, “We do have a three-strike policy for our teams that mirrors the University’s three-strike policy for the frater- nities and other organizations.” On the first strike that is as- sessed against any given athletic team, the players involved are suspended. This weekend in doubles play, freshman Lauren Caire and Tabb won the ‘B’ doubles final when they were pitted against team- mates Weston and junior Ginny Wortham in the final round. Caire and Tabb defeated the pair 8-6. “We definitely try to take it seriously, but we were both try- ing to win the flight of doubles,” Wortham said. Wortham also noted that the match was more laid back and that all four had fun. Junior Rebecca Timmis and partner, freshman Katie Bouret were defeated in the first round by a team from the University of Mary Washington 8-1. The pair of sophomore Tori Christmas and junior Kelly Will met Caire and Tabb in the semi- final round and fell 8-0. In singles competition, Timmis won the D flight 6-2, 6-4 against teammate Weston. Wortham and Will advanced to the semi-finals in the C flight but were both de- feated by VT opponents. Caire was eliminated by VT’s Bethan James in the quarterfinals of the C flight, and Tabb was de- feated in the first round of the B flight by VT’s Natalie Kretzer. Bouret and Christmas were both eliminated by Mary Washington competitors in the quarterfinals of the D flight. “I think we were definitely prepared,” Wortham said. “I think we went in there with the mindset that we had nothing to lose and everything to prove.” This tournament marks the end of the fall season for women’s tennis. They will return again in the Spring with renewed energy. Last Spring, the team beat Em- ory 6-3 in the regular season. “Last year, I liked playing them duringthe season, because our win against them gave us a lot of confidence going into Nation- als,” Weston said. “At the same time, it’s nice to wait to play them, because that way going into it, we won’t know what to expect.” Tabb said she looks forward to the potential challenge. “It’s always a nice indicator of where we are in the season. It won’t happen for a long time, so we’ll have a chance to prac- tice and improve before we get there.” REBECCA TIMMIS, Junior establish rules When a second strike is given, the team will lose its off-season practices. So, for example, if the football team was assessed two strikes, it would not be allowed to practice in the spring. On the third strike, the team forfeits their next season. “Also,” said O’Connell, “one important thing to remember about this three-strike policy is that it isn’t just effective over the academic year, but for a 365-day period, so it’s a little bit more se- rious to get any strikes.” Overall, however, there is an over-arching consensus that alco- hol consumption among athletes Steroids and good s Sports Beat team analyzes the effects of bad athletes Andy: Hi, hello and welcome to OutLoud, your weekly sound off on the World of Sports, from the Monday Night Sports Beat team. Just last week another report surfaced that linked several more baseball players to using perfor- mance-enhancing drugs. And still none of the major sports have implemented strict enough drug testing standards to crack down on players that try to cheat their way to success. Is it the pressure of winning and making millions of dollars that drive athletes to try to find the shortcut and the easy way to win? When did athletics become all about winning? Sports serve as a venue in which individuals can learn life lessons. Sports can teach a wide range of lessons that can apply directly to everyday life. When athletes try to cheat their way to success, they set up role- model situation where children believe that it is OK to bend or break the rules. When kids take shortcuts they miss valuable lessons such as learning how to work with others, playing by the rules, and playing the game the right way. These lost, valuable lessons will haunt our so- ciety by creating a world in which it is OK to take the easy way out, break the rules and along the way avoid serious punishment. Professional leagues and ath- letes need to realize their role in society and eliminate activities that can set a negative example for young athletes everywhere. The leagues must severely crack down on athletes that break rules, making sure that the costs of us- ing perforrnance-enhancing drugs are so high that athletes will not even consider using any banned substances. Athletes need to get back to promoting work ethic and that through work ethic anything can be achieved. All is not lost. With a few minor reforms both by the leagues and the athletes, they can regain the majesty that has domi- nated American culture for the past 100 years. Neil: Steroids huh? Let the rant begin. Well, the story with steroids is this.... steroids exist, they suck, they have no place in sports, or in life really. That’s a specifically isn’t——as O’Connell put it~“enough of a problem to be an issue.” Said O’Connell, “My experi- ence from talking to coaches and administrators from other colleges is that W&L is really no different in terms of alcohol consumption from other schools, we’ve just been pegged with the reputation as a party school.” “Now, for us to think that there’s any team that is in no way involved in the consumption of alcohol would be naive, but we’re really no different from other schools and other colleges across the nation in terms of alcohol consumption by athletes.” ByAdam Lewls coummsr This past week, Tennes- see Titans’ defensive tackle . Albert Haynesworth was suspended five games by the NFL alter he stomped on the face of Dallas Cow- boys’ center Andre Gurode. It looked as if Haynesworth ‘was practicing the Polo ritual of replacing the divots on the field, except that the divot was Gurode’s bare (non-hel- meted) face. Gurode needed stitches to replaces his own facial divot, and is cur- rently deciding whether or not to press charges. Actions like this have been taking place more and more in sports over the last few years. It was only a few months ago that France’s Zinedine Zidane seemed to confuse Ita1y’s Marco Ma- terazzi’s chest for the ball as he headed him to the ground. And it was only a few years ago that Ron Artest, Jermaine O’Neal and other Pacerplay- ers brought “Celebrity Death Match” to the Palace at Au- burn Hills in Detroit. More- over, you may remember just two months after the Pacers- Pistons brawl, the Canucks’ Todd Bertuzzi punched the Avalanche’s Steve Moore in the face before smashing his head into the ice, causing spinal fractures, 21 concus- sion and other injuries. These acts, all of which occurred during the game, are just four of many that . have been a part of sports for the past several years. All of them, if taken out of the be interpreted as criminal acts. I would like to discuss the extreme lack of sports- manship that is now a ma- , jor aspect of the American sport. I challenge everyone to watch a sporting event, be it football, basketball, base- ball,.hocl