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Opinion
The Battalion
Page 9 ♦ Monday, November 10, 2003
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Bowling for truth
Nichols has no basis for libel suit over documentary, gave interview willingly
ichael
Moore’s
“Bowling
for Columbine,”
which won the
Academy Award for
best feature-length
documentary last
year, made a bold
statement about
the question
able condition of America today
and the importance of gun con
trol. While the message it sent
was an impacting one, its suc
cess thrust the real-life charac
ters into the public eye.
Those Moore interviewed
and videotaped must now
face the consequences of
their actions. However,
James Nichols, brother of the
Oklahoma City bombing con
spirator Terry Nichols, is
attempting to skirt these conse
quences. Instead, Nichols is
suing Moore for libel and claim
ing that the attempt to educate
the public defamed his reputa
tion. Nichols is seeking damages
that could reach more than $90
million, according to the Detroit
Free Press.
However, the lawsuit is
only an arrogant attempt by
Nichols to regain the dig
nity he willingly gave
up when he agreed to
be interviewed by
Moore for the documentary.
In the film, Nichols was ques
tioned about the Oklahoma City
bombing and asked additional ques
tions about gun control and his own
gun ownership. Whether it was
Moore’s intent to steer the interview
toward that subject is inconsequen
tial; Nichols answered all of the
questions without hesitation, and
even led Moore into his bedroom to
show him where he kept his gun. Of
his own free will, Nichols allowed
himself to be videotaped, and there
fore willingly made himself subject
to the scrutiny the film’s success
may have brought.
Nichols also claims that the film
linked him to the terrorist attacks in
Oklahoma City. Unfortunately,
Nichols is undeniably linked to it
whether it is public knowledge or
not because his brother was one of
the conspirators.
In the lawsuit, Nichols lists a
series of counts including invasion
of privacy, intentional infliction of
emotional distress and defamation of
character. For the film to actually be
libelous, malicious intent would have
to be undeniably present in Moore’s
portrayal of Nichols.
Moore clearly had the overall effect
of the film and his message to the pub
lic as his highest motivation and the
basis for all of his editing decisions. It
is clear in the finished product that
Moore did not set out to destroy
Nichols’ character or to cause emo
tional distress. Moore set out to alert
America to what he saw as the reasons
behind such tragic incidents as the
Columbine shootings.
While Moore may have intended
to probe into issues such as gun con
trol, Nichols had the option to refuse
to answer, which he did not exercise.
His opinions and character were
truthfully represented in his video
taped replies.
To sue merely because of the film’s
wide acclaim that caused more people
to become aware of his stance will
only cause further jading of Nichols’
character. What began as him being a
representative of someone who sup
ported gun ownership will be compli
cated with the lawsuit, portraying him
instead as greedy and egotistical.
Instead of suing because he is
unhappy about the impact of
Moore’s film, Nichols must learn
not to say something he wouldn’t
want repeated to the general public.
His portrayal in the film was not
taken out of context or untrue, and it
only allowed Americans to see the
possible effects of gun ownership,
exemplified in one person. The
focus of the film was not solely
Nichols, and the result was nothing
more than a widespread acknowl
edgement of the truth.
Sara Foley is a junior
journalism major.
Ivan Flores • THE BATTALION
MAIL CALL
Love and support through a
difficult and sad time
' Our thanks and gratitude are extended to Texas
1 A&M students, administration, faculty and friends
of our son Levi Windle. Going through such diffi
cult and sad days has made us realize some very
I important things in our lives. No one has too
many friends. The love and support of those
friends of Levi and his brother Brody and our
family and friends has been a comfort.
The world is in good hands. The popular belief
among the older generation is that the young
people of today are too self-serving and self-cen-
| tered to lead us into the future. We have wit
nessed young people who grieved and yet were
concerned with our well-being and what they
could do for us. The memorial service was put
| together so nicely and lovingly in just a short time
| by young men and women who cared. As Levi
j would say they “got ’er done” and it was fantastic
| and heartfelt and heartwarming. We have no
worries about the leaders of tomorrow because
I we have seen what they can do today.
Texas A&M has always been dear to our
hearts, because that is where Levi considered
| home, but it has become even dearer because
i of the love and concern shown in our time of
need. It is just so amazing that a University with
| such a large student population is concerned
; with one student. The sense of family is real
and great and very much appreciated. We
understand even more why Levi didn’t want to
: graduate too soon!
To all the Bonfire 2003 participants - please
i know Levi will be with you. So, build safely and
may it burn brightly.
Steve and Gayle Windle
Parents of Levi Garrett Windle
Student Bonfire leadership
vital to A&M campus
As a former student and new resident of
College Station, it has been my pleasure to offer
my services as a physician to the leadership of
Student Bonfire. The administration’s depiction of
them as disloyal renegades couldn’t be farther
from the truth. I have found then to be humble
professionals doing their part to continue a tradi
tion that is vital to this campus. As a former
Corps of Cadets Commander, I am proud to say
that Aggie Bonfire is alive and well and will burn
on Nov. 22.
Matt Poling
Class of 1990
Running red lights a problem
that must be solved
College Station has the sorriest traffic light sys
tem I have ever seen. There should be an effort
made to time the lights on the major roads so that
a driver can hit three green lights if they go the
speed limit.
The police department needs to make yellow
light citation policy very clear to drivers and
inform them of it. Though, this may defeat the
purpose of traffic citations being this sorry
excuse for a city’s main source of income. I bet
you could kill someone and never be caught by
the police unless you sped away from the crime
scene or parked your vehicle in a wrong spot. I
can’t wait to graduate.
Gwendolyn J. Theodoseau
Class of 2006
Society must protect fetuses
from potential abuse
In response to Jon Steed’s Nov. 3 column:
Mr. Steed recently argued that more women
should stand up against bans on partial birth
abortions. Unlike many of the issues we have
dealt with throughout the history of our country,
the abortion issue is one that effects everybody
in the same way. Every one of us has, at one
point in our lives, been a fetus. At this point in
our lives we did not have a chance to be repre
sented or revolt or appeal to the U.S. Supreme
Court. It seems unfair that just because at one
point in our lives we are dependent on some
one else does not mean they have the right to
abuse that privilege.
I urge everyone who has ever been a fetus to
advocate for the rights of everyone who will be a
fetus. Because I don’t know about you, but I am
glad that one of the three fetuses killed during the
minute it took you to read this response was not
me, or any of my friends or family or you.
Timothy Chen
Class of 2005
Women's choke does not
extend past conception
What is all this talk about women losing their
reproductive rights? Every woman has a right to
decide whether or not she wishes to have a baby
— before she has sex. The right to choose ends
at the point of conception.
If a person is willing to have sex, they must
be willing to accept the responsibility of
potentially becoming a mother or father.
Americans have lost the concept of being
responsible for their actions, and instead now
point to the Constitution to bail them out of
their problems. True we should teach of the
dangers of unprotected sex, but those teach
ings will be for nothing if there is always a way
out of our mistakes. With abortion, there is no
need to teach safe sex.
The same people who argue against absti
nence, the only safe way to prevent pregnancy,
argue in favor of killing the unborn. The same
people who say we should not execute mass
murders argue for allowing the mutilation of
partially born children, and it is high time our
leaders stood up to this hypocrisy and stood up
for what is decent in the world: The innocence
of a child.
Richard Auter
Class of 2005
Fox News is not biased,
but a 'titan of truth'
In response to Collins Ezeanyim’s Nov. 4
column:
I disagree with Mr. Ezeanyim’s implication
that Fox News has an agenda, and that it
somehow makes a priority to promote war
around the globe, as well as support President
George W. Bush no matter what he does. For
years, the liberal media has attempted to
malign and destroy conservative values, the
very same values that our president works to
promote. Then came Fox News, whose
unprecedented and neutral approach to jour
nalism has finally given those of us who respect
journalistic integrity something we can enjoy.
Unfortunately, those newswatchers who are
used to being fed biased reporting from net
works such as CNN and PBS immediately label
Fox News “conservative,” “right-wing” and even
“propaganda.” It would seem that these people,
conditioned to accept weakness in foreign
affairs, find that even unbiased reporting is
offensive to them. For some reason, they
believe that because Fox News reports on the
murderous ways of Saddam Hussein and
shows the joys of the Iraqi people at our pres
ence, Fox is unconditionally supporting the
Bush administration. This is of course false,
and only an attempt to malign the titan of truth
that Fox News is.
Kurt Branagan
Class of 1993
Immigrants need education
to improve lives
In response to Michael Ward’s Nov. 5 column:
I support the idea of granting higher education
for kids of illegal immigrants. Most illegal immi
grants work in low-paying jobs and are here to
stay the rest of their lives, I will hate to see their
kids ending up in the same low-paying jobs,
sometimes living the same cycle as their parents.
As many of you may know, illegal immigrants
Come to work to the United States looking for
jobs that Americans do not want. Many illegal
immigrants work in the fields picking fruits and
vegetables and in construction sites as laborers.
Many immigrant families are living under
illegal status due to the long process of legal
ization imposed by the Department of
Immigration that lasts five to 10 years. I think
it’s a waste of time if the high school student
has to wait that long before being eligible to
go to college. Mr. Ward also mentioned that
only citizens should serve in the military. Let
me tell you that I served as a non-citizen of
the United States during Operation Desert
Storm, and I earned my citizenship months
later. Non-citizens in the armed forces serve
with pride and take jobs that not all
Americans want.
Salvador Guerrero
Part-time Student
Boykin's remarks did not
represent hatred of people
In response to Hayden Migl’s Nov. 6 column:
I respect all followers of Islam, yet I am sup
portive of Lt. Gen. William Boykin. Something
most people don’t understand or try to about
Christians is that we can fully love and respect
our fellow man and yet totally disagree with their
actions and/or their beliefs. Boykin was speaking
about his political views in a spiritual manner, in
a spiritual setting.
Ephesians 6:12 clearly defines who is and isn’t
our enemy. The Islamic people are not our
enemy, nor was Boykin implying that they are
Satanic or represented Satan. God forbid we
speak of political issues in the church, let alone
speak his name in politics. That would only be
acceptable by the media if it was used in vain.
Joshua Clay Jacobson
Class of2004