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rotests at University of Illinois in response to Eminem performance absurd; forgetting free speech
minem is not
known for his in
tellect.
He is known for his
success in the music in
dustry and his constant
■ttle with critics and
■her members of soci
ety over his inappropri
ate lyrics.
I Eminem walks a fine line between using
his constitutional right to freedom of
■eech and being called the Antichrist.
' [ Controversy surrounds Enimem every
where he goes. His most recent visit to the
University of Illinois campus was no ex-
Sption. The controversy over his perfor
mance at the university began as a small
d scussion between about 10 students and
the administration.
I A week after his performance, the issue
|as gained national attention. A student ac
tivist group offended by the rapper’s visit
posted a petition with roughly 200 signa-
■res online at www.dayofsilence.org and
presented it to administrators,
i Even though the sold-out concert is over,
the activist group plans to continue meeting
with university officials, and members plan
to bring the case to court.
1 The group is accusing the university of
condoning Eminem’s hateful messages by
bringing him to campus and profiting from
the concert.
t The activists' efforts are futile and mis
directed. Despite the offensive nature of
Eminem's lyrics, he has a constitutional
right to voice them. Students of the univer
sity have a constitutional right not to attend.
I The group stated the main purpose of its
mbits is to hold the university accountable
for its statement that it prohibits discrimina
tion and harassment based on sexual orien-
ition and gender.
Nick Sakurai, the group’s leader, and
Mothers are failing to realize that no one was
forcefully discriminated against or ha
rassed. This was a performance on a public
campus and all concert-goers attended on
their own will.
Anyone who claims to have been sub
jected to discrimination based on sexual
orientation or gender did so on their own
accord.
In response to the criticism he has re
ceived from activists. Associate Chancellor
Gene Barton said, “In the entertainment
business, a presentation is always done that
conflicts with some people’s thoughts and
behavior. I talk about providing diverse en
tertainment to the campus community and
sometimes that entertainment isn’t agree
able to other people.”
Barton seems to be the only one think
ing rationally about the controversy. The
fact that the activists have such strong
feelings about the inappropriate nature of
Eminem’s material suggests they have lis
tened to it.
Possibly they listened Out of curiosity or
perhaps they wanted to be able to better de
fine what is so offensive.
Regardless, there are better ways to
counter Eminem’s vulgarity than taking on
the university.
Publication, boycott, protest and speech
are all forms of expression protected
under the constitution. Activists could
have used any of these venues to get
in their two cents.
A public university is a place
where cultures are brought together,
ideas are shared and diversity pro
motes knowledge. Surely there are
existing courses on topics that might
offend some.students.
These students, however, realize
that these courses are not mandatory
and they do not have to subject them
selves to them. The case with Eminem
is no different.
One does not have to be a fan of
Eminem or even know who Eminem is to
be able to see that this dispute is cut and
dried. The activists obviously share a set of
values very different from those of Em
inem. These anti-Eminem students, howev
er, must pick their battles wisely.
By taking on the university, they are in
fact advocating an environment in which
students would be subjected only to “appro
priate” material.
This is an environment quite different
from the real world and one that should
have no place in a public university where
diverse ideas are encouraged.
Luke McMahan is a-senior industrial
distribution major.
ADRIAN CALCANEO/Th i-: Battalion
to bear arms?
Like drivers.
Bull Board
un owners should earn license to operate, be held accountable
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e issue of gun control divides Americans. From
those who advocate complete freedom of indi
viduals to own whatever firearms they choose to
ose who seek limitations on who can own certain
lypes of guns, it is clear that there is little consensus on
Ihe issue.
lust this month, voters in Colorado and Oregon
>assed ballot measures to require background checks
f firearm purchasers at gun shows.
Opposed by gun owners’ rights advocates, the mea-
ures won by large margins in both states. Nearly three-fourths of Colorado
r Countf;* Mers voted in favor of the background checks.
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The background checks are aimed at reducing the number of firearms
[old to convicted felons and people who are mentally unstable.
Unfortunately, crimes committed with guns often involve people who
[lave never served lime in prison or who have not been certified as being
pentally unstable.
Background checks may help
feduce the number of firearms
Possessed by irresponsible individu
als, but they will not eliminate
[hem entirely.
is harder to get to
drive a car in 47
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Oddly enough, a common sense so-
ution that can help make sure guns are
n the hands of only properly trained indi-
dduals has been ignored by the majority of
he nation.
As the gun lobby has often said, “Guns don’t
dll people. People kill people.”
It is time to start comprehensive licensing and regis-
ration, not of guns, but gun owners.
In every state of the nation, car owners are required to
egister their cars with the state transportation authority. In
:very state, drivers are required to receive stan
dardized training, and in most cases, pass a
test concerning automobile operation and
safety.
Each state goes to great lengths to ensure
that every driver on its roads has re
ceived a minimum level of instruc
tion on how to use his or her auto
mobile in a safe and proper manner.
Currently, only three states and
the District of Columbia require
gun owners to be licensed.
Certain metropolitan areas,
such as Chicago, also require {--g
some degree of registration and
licensing, but on the whole, ^
Americans are allowed to own guns without any sort of licensing or guar
antee of safety training.
It is harder to drive a car in 47 states than it is to own an instrument
whose express purpose is to injure or kill.
In Texas, only citizens who choose to carry concealed firearms are re
quired to have a license. In fact, state law allows those convicted of a
felony involving an act of violence to possess a firearm as long as they
keep it at home. Texans who keep their guns at home can do so without any
training or licensing whatsoever.
The Second Amendment calls for “a well-regulated militia.” Allowing
millions of citizens to own and use guns without any formal training does
not constitute a well-regulated militia; it constitutes a total lack of regula
tion whatsoever.
Even opponents of gun control are advocates of gun safety training.
The National Rifle Association (NRA), the largest and most influential
gun rights group in the nation, has several programs designed to teach gun
owners and users how to use firearms in a safe and responsible manner.
According to its Website, the NRA has more than 38,000 certified
instructors teaching gun safety classes around
the nation. Since 1988, the group has also spon
sored the Eddie Eagle GunSafe program
to educate children about gun safety.
In June, a Scripps Howard poll of
Texas adults found that three-fourths of
the respondents favored registration of
all handguns in the state, a figure consis
tent with similar surveys conducted in
other states.
A poll of high school students re
leased in August by Hamilton College
found that 96 percent favored handgun
registration.
At the same time, 81 percent supported the
right of citizens to own firearms, showing that young Ameri
cans believe in a mixture of personal freedom and government
regulation.
Registering handguns is the first step. Making sure those reg
istered firearms are used safely is the next step.
Licensing gun owners would no more infringe upon Sec
ond Amendment rights than licensing of automobile drivers
prohibits the right to travel freely.
Car owners do not fear they are on a list that will be
used by the government to single them out and seize
their cars, but pro-gun lobbyists have been quick to fos
ter that fear among the American public concerning
firearm licensing.
The Second Amendment has be'en consistently
upheld by courts across the country. Like any other
right guaranteed by the Constitution, it should be
exercised in a responsible manner.
The registration of guns and licensing of
firearm owners may not end the problem of vio
lence in the nation, but it is a common sense step
whose time has come.
It is time state governments make own-
ing a gun as big a responsibility as dri
ving a car.
Good Bull — Texas A&M
students are used to seeing the
lights on campus turned off for Sil
ver Taps, but on Monday when the
power went out in a number of on-
campus buildings, students and
staffers were caught off guard.
However, one group shined
without lights — A&M’s Depart
ment of Food Service.
As the thousands of students
who have meal plans already
know, being denied even an on-
campus meal can be hell when
there are only 30 minutes before
the next class.
Hungry students in the Com
mons Lobby did not have go with
out as the Food Service employ
ees improvised, despite adverse *
conditions, to continue to serve I
the day’s lunch.
In the Commons Dining Hall, i
workers moved the serving line J
near the cafeteria windows and i
served whatever food they could J
prepare without electricity.
A cold turkey sandwich is no
match for chicken tenders, but i
considering the circumstances, J
any lunch at all was something to i
be thankful of.
Watching the employees run t
around in the dark to serve hun- ;
ctreds of students was impressive!
and greatly appreciated.
— Eric Dickens
Mail Call
Fan in support
of coach Slocum
I think it is time head football
coach R.C. Slocum got a little re
spect from the student body.
He is constantly criticized by
the student body for being too
conservative and a loser in the
“big” games.
But let’s be honest here — if
he calls a pass play, which falls in
complete, he is criticized for not
running the ball.
If a running play is chosen,
which falls short, he is criticized
because he did not call a passing
play. It seems that he just cannot
appease the majority of football-
guru students here.
The fact is that a coach with an
average of nine wins per season
is doing something right, and I am
tired of hearing otherwise.
I for one, tip my hat to Slocum
and look forward to seeing him
back next season. Gig’ Em!
Ryan Rosborougt)
Class ‘02
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Nicholas Roznovsky is a senior
political science majoif