The Lumberjack
E d ito ria l MAu*r THftgfc-SeAg. PRiO&PAM STUOSKT- Price of victory too great when school’s reputation tarnished
N A U football has become a consistent force in the Big Sky Conference. The team is now at the point where winning seasons are expected and playoff berths are possible. Unfortunately, the negative traits associated with some other teams lin gers over Lumbeijack football. Two players have been arrested and charged with felonies since last April. Yet freshman tight end Rian Weske and senior receiver Chris Warner are still on the team and both look to play in the majority of this season’s games. Weske was charged with felony aggravated assault for his alleged role in a fight at a party April 19. Charges against Weske have been dropped in ex change for his testimony against other participants. He was placed on athletic probation for ------the year and enrolled in an anger-control ISSUE class. The victim, who had surgery for a com Two football players arrested pound fracture of his jaw, might wonder why for felonies were Weske wasn’t enrolled in this class before. administratively punished Weske’s administrative punishment barely A .'P T e .P * amounts to a slap on the wrist. With the but remain on the team. charges against him dropped, backers of the STANCE probation can say there is no legal reason The Lumberjack believes the Greek Life: There’s more than meets the eye for the punishment to be more strict. punishment is too light. If Weske was an average N A U student, his KA, AAA, IN , AOn, LAE, X ft. I witnessed each house working together for a Stricter policies need to be situation might be overlooked. However, he know what images come to mind when common goal — to benefit society. WTiether sponsoring an all-campus volley adopted to discourage this is a visible representative of the university you see these letters. You are having flash backs o f the wild fraternity parties depicted ball tournament, organizing a casino night kind of behavior in players. and his behavior has more of an impact on in Animal House. You are picturing stuck-up to gather cans for the local food bank or pick N A U ’s image than other students would. “daddy’s girls” calling each other Babbs and ing up trash from the side o f the road, each Warner’s actions also were inappropriate. Biffy. : Greek organization has a desire to help the He was arrested Sept. 7 and charged with driving under the influence of You see these letters sewn onto people’s community. alcohol. . sw eatshirts and wonder, why? Why must these Now I know what you are thinking. “OK people brag about buying friends, hazing and Mary, how can you sit behind that computer * Although his trial is still pending, Warner was suspended for two games getting drunk? and cheer about the greatness of Greek Life, starting with Saturday’s victory over Southern Utah University. Both games As much as you think these images and ste when we know you all sit around and party?” are non-conference games in which N A U is favored to win. reotypes are coirect, I am here to tell you — “W rong!" How convenient. you are dead wrong. Mary Marceau Yes we like to have fun, who doesn’t? But As a freshman, I fell victim to these ideas. we do have better things to do with our time Warner’s suspension also is light. These disciplinary measures are not Copy editor enough to discourage similar behavior in the future. The manner in which In fact, ] did not rush my freshman year be than sit around drinking a six-pack. Remem cause I bought into these inaccuracies. How ber me talking about community service? they were given also suggests a program feeling it needs to punish players ever, my sophomore year, I saw the light. As I I bet you didn’t know all Greek houses at to satisfy critics rather than punishing them for breaking the law. interacted with various sorority girls, I realized they had mor NAU follow rules established by national offices, the state of Major infractions should be enough to get a player kicked off the team. als, goals and dreams. Arizona, NAU and the two Greek Life governing bodies. Those N A U football does not need its athletes frequenting the police blotter even They were just like me. As a result, 1 rushed Gamma Phi houses not abiding by these rules are put on social probation. if losing them costs them a couple of wins and a playoff berth. Beta — one o f the best decisions o f my life. I only wish I had And so, the focus o f many houses has turned inward — strength en the house and you strengthen the entire Greek system. Critics of harsh punishment argue that football is the only thing keeping done so sooner. Through my participation in Gan^pia Phi, I have grown as a n addition, many houses have created a risk management player*off the street and from committing more unlawful acts. person. I have gained a sense of self and have begun to feel Iposition to educate themselves about the effects of alco 1 Ifwants to-rehabilitate players, the best punishment would be sus- better about myself. I am not alonet Rushing a sorority or hol consumption, petftfftfff'scholafrSftfps for one year but still allowing them to attend classes. fraternity has enabled many people to become great leaders Greek Life is so much m ore than parties and socializing. It This would give players a year to focus on their education and turn their and overcome their shyness. is about ritual, sisterhood or brotherhood! It is about pride, lives around. Those not willing to change should be weeded out by losing Greek Life, at least what I ’ve seen o f it at NAU, proves wrong leadership, sharing! Becoming a Gamma Phi Beta was one o f the negative images. While a member o f Gamma Phi, I have the best decisions I made and one 1 would never change! their athletic scholarships. Registered voters make poor excusesLook at political Disney on parade e were all sitting around the campfire trying (B ob D ole) that he is still in charge, and he will be homas Jefferson once wrote, “ All men are There were others in the class, reveling in the to stay warm. I said, “I f we were all Disney for four more years. . created equal.” bliss o f their ignorance, justifying their lack o f W T characters, who would we be?" Hillary Clinton is Alice in Alice in Wonderiand. Nothing could be further from the truth. participation claiming the)' were either too busy Without hesitation, all o f my friends pointed tome To some people, in their wonderland, Hillary is a Some o f us are indeed smarter thap others. or had homework. and said, “Brian, you would be Goofy.” small figure. This was proven in last Tuesday’s election when If you were one o f the many who hid behind I have no idea why they said that. Really. To others, she is a giant. But this first lady prefers the bl issfuliy igno ran t showed just . this argument, a rude awakening What my friends really don’t know to be seen as a woman who is with how happy they really are. In the awaits you Later in life. Few o f us is that I try to be goofy on purpose. the mainstream female and cares for Arizona primary election held are going to be able to cal! 12 or Little do they know. equality. N o one is bigger, no one is Sept. 10, a pitiful 21 percent of 15 hours a week full-time for the Then, I had a thunk. smaller. registered voters voted. rest o f our lives. I thunk, what i f all the politicians Newt Gingrich is Donald Duck. This was a heated topic in my What are you going to do when were Disney characters? W ho would He is always yappin’ about some political science class the follow faced with 40, or even 60, hours they be? thing, but no one can understand ing Wednesday. There are some a week? You’re not busy; you’re A1 Gore is easy. H e would be Sleepy him. people in the class who made the lazy. from Snmv Whits ami the Seven Dwarfs. N o one cares. startling revelation that Genera Despite the plethora of stupid If he wasn’t Sleepy, after he speaks, Fife Symington is The Cheshire tion X is apathetic. ity demonstrated in my class he would make the rest o f us sleepy. Cat from AUu in Wonderland. Another pseudo-intellectual room, the problem is notas great Dick Morris would be the Tramp He is always contradicting himself loudlv exclaimed she always vot as it appears. from rLady and the Tramp. Because of and he knows how to work around ed for women first and minorities By not voting, the intellectual his scandal with prostitutes, I don ’t any issue. second, regardless o f the issues. ly invalid have exposed them know o f a better character. J.D. Hayworth is Baloo from The (M arge Schott and Louis Farra- selves and they are a 7.9 percent Brian Davidson Rush Limbaugh is Ursula, the evil Jungle Booh. khan come to mind). Some ar majority (the other 21 percent Columnist sea witch on The Little Mermaid. A very large individual who is al gued that their vote doesn’t mat voted). Plato once said, “Th ose I could just picture him singing the ways willing to pick a fight •anytime, ter. This is not true. who are most capable to rule song, “Those Poor Unfortunate anywhere. He does not really know The primaries are a popular election, every vote should.” The 21 percent who voted have demon Souls,” dedicating it to all those minorities who do what he is doing, and he does not even care. counts. Many elections have been decided by just strated their capability and are o f a demonstrably not get equal treatment, but not doing anything to h , sometimes we live in a Mickey Mouse world. one vote. „ higher-inteilectuai caliber. help. We are not always the happiest place on earth, English was voted as the official language o f the o, why not let the most capable continue to Y Bill Clinton is Simba, the hero o f The Lion King. but there are many rides in this land. United States over German by a single vote. Hit decide? The other 79 percent can either con S At one time his land was being fested with degra Some o f the rides we go on are wild and crazy, oth ler won power in Germany by a single vote. The tinue to revel in the bliss o f their ignorance, or dation and social unrest. ers go around in circles and make you sick. examples are numerous. vote and join the rulers. Now Simba has sprung into action. He is now show Whatever the ride may be, try to sit back and enjoy ing his courage and is willing to show the evil Scar it. -
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