Opinion
:re
"he Battalion
Page 5 • Wednesday, June 9, 2004
Turning tricks in D.C.
fessica Cutler's exploits don't merit heavy media coverage
LINDSYE
FORSON
'ecor
eau;
dot
ove out of the way, Monica
Lewinsky — Washington,
D.C., has a new intern with
Questionable morals.
The story of sexually-indiscreet
fessica Cutler, who calls herself
Washingtonienne” in her now-infa-
inous Web log, was first broken by
lVonkette.com, a site consisting of
mostly gossip from the Washington,
b.C., area. At the time of the story,
Sutler worked for Sen. Mike
)eWine, R-Ohio, doing secretarial work. However, she
Ivas fired once the office learned that she was using her
pffice computer to chronicle her sexual exploits, accord-
ng to Newsweek.
“I just took a long lunch with F and made a quick
1400,” Cutler wrote casually in one entry, identifying
rach of the six men she was purportedly sleeping with
|>nly by initials. In a past entry. Cutler explained that "F
is a) married man who pays me for sex. Chief of Staff at
ne of the gov agencies, appointed by Bush."
Indeed, according to another of Cutler’s entries, “Most
f my living expenses are thankfully subsidized by a few
enerous older gentlemen.”
While Cutler’s blase attitude about the sanctity of her
ody, the institution of marriage and what can be seen as
Jiothing other than prostitution may be appalling to many,
remains unclear why her Web log has generated such a
edia frenzy.
In her own words, Cutler said, “It's amazing to me that
icople have any interest in such a low-level sex scandal,
f I were sleeping with a congressman, maybe, but I'm a
obody and the people I'm writing about are nobodies.”
Her sexually-promiscuous lifestyle doesn’t merit the
tense media coverage it has generated.
Yet, Cutler was given a feature in The Washington
dst’s Sunday, May 23 issue, and follow-up stories on
utler have appeared in respected newspapers nationwide,
deluding the Houston Chronicle. Cutler has since
ippeared on several major news stations, notably CNN
md Fox News.
The Post’s frivolous article puts its nose to the grind-
sione and asks the tough questions: “Who is this wicked
oman that calls herself ‘Washingtonienne?’ Was she
:ally bedding six different men or making it all up? And
ho is the married, high-level federal employee she
claims paid her $400 for a lunch hour tryst?”
The days until the Iraqi people are handed a democra
cy and asked to maintain it are becoming fewer. A crucial
election nears where two roads diverge, when each candi
date would enact markedly different policies and thus
lead America to distinctly different futures, and the
American people must choose one
or the other. And the Post expects
the entire nation to wait breath
lessly to discover if one intern
could actually be sleeping with
six men!
At least in the workplace,
women who use their sexuality to
get ahead are ultimately doing
themselves, as well as their peers
and a generation of girls on the
brink of womanhood, a huge dis
service. Women who use their
bodies as a fast track to fame and
prosperity are telling young girls
that their minds are not enough.
In the words of columnist
Michelle Malkin, the glorification
of stories like Cutler’s “harm our
own daughters, who will be forced
to fight harder to protect their dig
nity and credibility in a ‘Girls
Gone Wild’ culture.”
And if it can be said that Cutler and her ilk
are doing their part to rob a generation of aspiring women
professionals of a fair chance at success, then the newspa
pers that glorify these women and their antics are abet
tors. This type of brazen sensationalism is worthy of a
tabloid, but not of a Pulitzer-prize winning newspaper.
Among The Washington Post’s seven principles writ
ten by its erstwhile owner Eugene Myers is “The newspa
per's duty is to its readers and to the public at large, and
not to the private interests of its owners.” Running a fea
ture on Cutler was a direct violation of this principle. It is
not news that there are women in D.C. willing to sell their
bodies and men who are willing to pay for them.
After all, stories like Cutler’s appeal to many people
and can potentially be very lucrative, as is evinced by the
numerous tabloids, gossip newspapers and magazines cur
rently in circulation. However, these papers do not offer
their readers what the Post ostensibly does: credibility
and journalistic integrity.
Lindsye Forson is a senior
journalism major.
Graphic by Ivan Flores
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U.S. pressure is
not at work in Venezuela
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he years since 2001 have been
rough for Venezuela. The coun
try has had to deal with a nation-
iide general strike, crippling currency
destabilization and political conflict
Iver the policies of President Hugo
Chavez. These problems have led to
erious instability and attempted
coups, accusations of court packing
:nd violent riots.
But it seems the stress there may
oon come to a head, as Chavez’s
|pponents have gathered enough signatures to
rce a recall referendum on his presidency,
e BBC said. A quick look at Chavez’s politi-
al record indicates that, despite his accusa-
ons, it is his own politics — not pressure
om the United States — which have led to
is downfall.
After election officials said that the almost 2.5
illion signatures were valid and sufficient,
havez said that the event was a victory for
emocracy. But just weeks before, he had called
e first submission of the petition against him a
mega fraud,” the BBC said. Chavez may not
DAVID
SHOEMAKER
have the opportunity for this kind of
doublespeak much longer.
Chavez is in this situation because
during the course of his presidency, the
political gap between the rich and poor
has widened. Many business owners
blame Chavez’s left-leaning policies for
the collapse of the Venezuelan curren
cy, the Bolivar.
Chavez’s policies have also crossed
not only the Catholic Church, but the
United States as well. His friendship
with Cuba’s Fidel Castro and ties with
countries on the fringe of the international com
munity, like Libya, quickly annoyed the United
States.
But American displeasure with his rule
became a key part of his rhetoric after he was
deposed for 48 hours in a coup in April 2002.
Although he was restored by street protests and
loyal troops, he saw the hand of the United
States as being responsible for his temporary
ouster. Ever since, he has increasingly tried to
accuse outside parties like the United States of
plotting his overthrow.
This new track, if it continues, could develop
into a troubling trend.
Frequently, when national leaders are in trou
ble at home, they will try to find an external
enemy to consolidate their power base. In
Chavez’s case, this will not work.
Argentina’s generals did something similar in
1982 when they thought a quick war to seize the
Falkland Islands would distract their citizens
from problems at home. Instead, they started a
series of events that led to their downfall. The
lesson is that an external enemy, real or imag
ined, will not forestall problems at home.
And Chavez has not missed a chance to try
to link his opponents with other countries and
particularly the United States. In fact, when
Secretary of State Colin Powell urged
Venezuela to ensure that the process of verify
ing signatures on the recall petition was fair,
Chavez lashed out at these and other comments,
the BBC reported. Venezuela, he said, was
ready to “defend its sovereignty against the
empire." One of his deputies even called the
Bush administration "a bunch of madmen." And
even more, his government claimed to have
arrested Colombian paramilitaries who were to
be used against him.
In an article from the BBC, Chavez claimed
that the paramilitaries are clear evidence that his
opponents were out to assassinate him. Although
his opponents may have brought the paramili
taries into the country, it is also possible that
their capture was staged to harm the image of
his opposition.
But in the end, it is very unlikely that other
countries have to do much to create discontent
with Chavez and his policies. He has already
alienated enough of his own people for them to
want to get rid of him without help from outside.
He has faced a coup, and now his opponents are
trying to remove him peacefully.
The real problem is that Chavez is ignoring
the fact that his policies are alienating a large
part of the population. Perhaps, then, he should
turn his attention inward, instead of looking for
phantom threats internationally.
David Shoemaker is a senior
management major.
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I went to work today at my humble lit-
e job at a College Station engineering
rm, on a humble day when the media is
lied with both tribute and slander of the
Oth president of the United States,
onald Reagan.
Although I am too young to remember
e Reagan presidency, I have had the
pportunity to learn much about the
Great Communicator" through a num-
er of different media: my father, Peggy
oonan (Reagan’s speechwriter) and, of
(ourse, the vast coverage he is current
receiving.
This afternoon, however, I learned
bout how President Reagan really affect-
d the lives of Americans and the people
f the great state of Texas in particular.
One of my bosses started the compa-
y I am currently employed with during
tie Reagan presidency. He was able to
o this during a recessionary period in
ur economy because of Reaganomics
nd the accompanying tax cuts.
More specifically, the cuts made it
possible for my boss to open the firm
without the burden of ridiculous taxation
on both his own income and that of his
young business. This made all the nec
essary overhead expenses required to
start ones own business a little easier to
come by, and it made financing the
upstart significantly easier via lower
interest rates.
I do not mean to impose on the read
ers of this anecdote a political ideology
or agenda; however, in the words of my
boss, and some obvious parallels to the
current economic circumstance, I
believe one cannot be avoided.
My boss told me today that "President
Reagan was a great man, and without
his work, none of [me and my cowork
ers] would have jobs.” Obviously this
shows me a very personal reason to be
grateful for the work of President
Reagan and for his vast resolve against
those who sought increased taxation
and larger government.
Moreover, one can easily see the not-so-
subtle resemblance between the policies
of Reagan and those of the current admin
istration. Lower taxes and lower interest
rates allow for investment and greater
MAIL CALL
return on that investment, thus encourag
ing the startup of a long sought-after
small business or the expansion of an
existing one. This same economic trend
is occurring under our very noses today.
The tax cuts so diligently pursued by
the Bush administration have created
more than 1 million new jobs since the
beginning of the year and will undoubt
edly continue to do so until the opposi
tion party finds the majority needed to
repeal them and thus stop the growth.
If this does not paint an obvious pic
ture of the potential economic success
es that lie in fewer taxes and smaller
government, then the work of Ronald
Reagan and George W. Bush has been of
little effect.
If the American people cannot see this
simple connection and follow those lead
ers who would choose to see our econo
my flourish, then we are most certainly
doomed to see the work of passionate
patriots such as Ronald Reagan torn
apart again by those who seek to make
the American people completely reliant
on government for subsistence.
All Americans, conservative or liberal,
Democrat or Republican, should take time
this week to honor the passing of one of
our greatest leaders and to silently thank
him for so eloquently communicating his
vision that we have been able to see it
passed on to the leaders of today.
John Walker
Class of 2006
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