The Rice Thresher, Vol. 90, No. 29, Ed. 1 Friday, May 16, 2003 Page: 3 of 28
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THE RICE THRESHER OPINION ERIDAY, MAY 16, 2003
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Rice Voices is a new rotating panel of regular columnists who will be featured on the opinion
pages next fall Below, two of the Rice Voices are previewed.
Rice Voices
Iraq, US. have chance to prove themselves
For several weeks now, it has
been over. Yet in so many ways, it is
just beginning.
It is obvious that while the Iraqis
are thankful to be rid of
Saddam Hussein, they are
none too pleased with the
United States being their
liberators. Even when one
of the statues of Hussein
was toppled, the place-
ment of an American flag
on the statue's face was
met with disapproval. A
pre-Hussein Iraqi flag re-
ceived cheers.
But the United States
can forestall much criti-
cism simply by doing what
the Iraqis are asking us to do: Get
out. This would be a huge public
relations move in our favor, not only
with Iraq but with much of the Is-
lamic world. It would prove that our
intentions were not to conquer, but
to liberate, and similarly, that our
interest in the Middle East is not
based solely on oil.
The willingness of the United
States to leave Iraq hinges on two
things: The ability of the Iraqis to
govern themselves and the nature
of the government that ends up re-
placing Hussein's dictatorship. Sec-
retary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
has complicated the issue by stating
that Washington will not allow the
David
Axel
creation of "an Iranian-type govern-
ment" in Iraq, but this could be in-
consequential. By and large, the in-
dications are that the Iraqis want an
Islamic yet democratic
state, with equal rights
and opportunities for
Sunnis, Shiites and
Kurds.
At the penning of this
article, many clerics in
the country were calling
for U.S. troops to leave,
while at the same time
expressing gratitude at
being able to pray openly
once more. These same
clerics are also calling for
a state guided by the te-
nets of Islam that respects secular
concerns.
There is great potential for a
Shiite backlash as they fill the
vacuum left by Hussein's Sunni-
dominated regime, but the indica-
tions seem to point to a more hope-
ful future. There are Sunnis and
Shiites chanting together in Iraq,
"Muslims, not Sunnis or Shiites."
If this attitude prevails, it will
prove many people wrong about
many things. It will prove that an
Islamic state can exist that is demo-
cratic and values equality and free-
dom, even though that state might
not be friendly to the United States.
If the United States pulls out and
allow Iraqis to choose their own
course, it will prove that the United
States has the capacity to bring de-
mocracy to a country without mak-
ing it a puppet state.
The United States can
show that we are
worthy of being the
world's hyper-power.
On a regional scale, it will prove
the Middle East is in fact not about
oil. And just maybe, the other coun-
tries of the Middle East might rec-
ognize that the United States is not
the "Great Satan" (as implied by the
fundamentalist government of Iran),
but a potential friend and ally.
In the end, Iraq will be the great
test of everyone's goodwill. The Ira-
qis can prove that they are ready to
forge a new bridge between an Is-
lamic theocracy and a democratic
republic. And the United States can
show that we are worthy of being
the world's hyper-power.
David Axel is a Brown College fresh-
man.
Rice Voices
Ungrateful Web site postings appalling
Beautiful Lovett Hall has tradi-
tionally been home to the Office of
the President and the Office of Ad-
mission, among other administra-
tive departments. The magnificent
building is the focal point on which
Willy's statue will forever fix his
time-transcending gaze.
For several weeks, stu-
dents all across the na-
tion could admire the
building's glorious archi-
tecture on the Web site
www. rapemyprofessors. com.
And I think William
Marsh Rice would be sick.
Some whiny punk at
Boston University has
taken it upon himself to
create a forum for other
immature, college-aged
brats to take out their inner
frustrations on their professors.
What's more, the creator placed an
image of I/)vett Hall (since removed)
on the site's home page. This disturbs
me — and it should disturb you, too.
Robert
Moore
They must he a hunch
of spoiled, insecure,
spoon-fed brats.
The site, which has been open
since March 24, had on April 27 a
mere 55 postings. At first, one may
applaud fellow college students for
the low number of posts. After all,
only 55 lousy students have actually
participated.
But first, we should take a good
hard look at ourselves Of
the 55 posts, 29 of them were dene
by Rice students. (Yes, math ma-
jors, that's greater than 50 percent.)
Boston University, the school from
which the Web site originated,
boasts only two posts.
In an interview with the Thresher,
the creator of the site claimed that
he "has no personal vendettas
against Rice University." In fact, he
went on to say that he believes that
Rice is a great school. After reading
the posts made by our fellow stu-
dents, however, he "is beginning to
question that fact" ("Web site pi-
rates image of Lovett Hall," April 25).
On a recent visit to the Web site,
I was absolutely revolted by the
words Rice students have posted.
The comments made about our pro-
fessors were so vulgar and obnox-
ious that I can certainly
understand why some
people would question
the credentials of our
school. If I were a pro
spective student and hap-
pened to stumble across
this Web site, I would cer-
tainly be turned off. I
would like to attend a
school where the stu-
dents were at least civil to
their instructors.
Who the hell do those
people writing the posts
think they are, anyway? Are their
insecurities so great that they must
take them out on their professors
and fellow students? They must
really think they're tough, posting
those awful messages behind a veil
of anonymity. In actuality, they must
be a bunch of spoiled, insecure,
spoon-fed brats.
What these students may not re-
alize is that they are privileged to
have the opportunity to study at Rice.
Thousands of students are turned
away each year and would kill to
have the opportunity to be in their
shoes. Many would love to have the
opportunity to take MATH 211: Dif-
ferential Equations with Dr. John
Polking (who is a popular professor
to bash on the site). But these idiots
are too blinded by their own shel-
tered lives to realize this. If they
hate Rice so much, they should take
a hike. I'm sure there are equally
talented and more grateful students
willing to take their places.
The truth is, I don't care what
opinions these students have of their
professors. At this time of year, I too
would like to give my instructors a
piece of my mind. Yet these stu-
dents feel they need to make their
complaints a public issue. Rather
than accepting the fact that college
is difficult (especially at Rice), they
have to bitch and moan loud enough
for the entire world to hear.
To those students who haven't
made posts, let everyone know that
you won't stand for garbage like
this. Take pride in your school. In
August, a new class of freshmen will
be matriculating. Is this the image
of Rice we want to instill in their
minds (and in the minds of their
parents)? Is this the image of Rice
that we want to portray to the rest of
the world?
We owe it to ourselves and to
those who have graduated before us
to maintain the positive reputation
of Rice University. So posters, grow
up, pull the silver spoons out of your
asses, drop the attitude, and appre-
ciate the opportunity before you. If
you feel so discriminated against
that you can't resist the urge to post
negative things about your profes-
sors on www.rapemyprofessors.com,
do the rest of us a favor and leave.
You won't be missed.
Robert Moore is a Sid Richardson
College sophomore.
Guest column
Rice's partiers and cynics
should get more involved
I am no longer an undergrad,
and I'll never really be part of
Rice's social community again, at
least not in the same way. Yet I am
concerned that so
many of my friends re-
cently have been voic-
ing their dissatisfaction
with a social scene that
they see as cliquish and
exclusionary, centered
around cramped par-
ties and drinking.
In my four years
here, I've been to
plenty of parties, pub-
lic and private, and
have met hundreds of
people, interesting and
not. From all this, I've come
to one clear conclusion: Rice is
really what you make of it.
When I was a freshman, I
thought there was nothing cooler
than going to a party, getting
loaded and just hanging out. Now,
the exact same idea bores the hell
out of me unless I know that some
of my good friends are going to be
there to keep me company. All the
current freshmen who've come to
talk to me about how much they
hate this kind of social atmosphere
say they're sick of parties and want
to do something else. I've told them
all the same thing: There are other
fun things to do at Rice besides
partying and drinking.
Some of the most rewarding
and interesting experiences I've
had at Rice have come not from
parties (surprise, surprise) but from
volunteering. I've met some of the
coolest and most inspirational
people in all my time here working
on a variety of different projects.
Take, for example, the tutor-
ing program I participated in this
year. We went to an elementary
school and helped the kids there
with their homework in a variety
of subjects. Before we'd get to
work, though, we'd head outside
and play soccer. After a few ses-
sions, I found myself excited about
doing this program, not only be-
cause I was helping some cute
little kids out, but also because I
was actually having a blast play-
ing soccer and getting to explain
basic arithmetic. I never thought
I would grow to enjoy something
like this, but I did.
Through this program I also
got to meet some truly excellent
people whom I never would have
thought to talk to if I hadn't par-
Ed
Bruera
ticipated in the tutoring program.
These friends are some of the
most intelligent and motivated
people I've met here at Rice, and
I've gotten to talk to
them outside of a party
environment. We've
talked about politics,
religion, art and all
sorts of high-brow
things. We've also
talked about fart jokes,
bad porn and a whole
host of less savory top-
ics.
I'm not saying that
volunteering is the
only way to meet
people or have fun; it's
just been a good way for me.
Rice has a variety of different av-
enues for finding a great time that
you can't find anywhere else —
like trying out for a play or perfor-
mance group.
For example, I joined Sponta-
neous Combustion earlier this
year. As a result, I was lucky
enough to take part in a portrayal
of a press conference on mastur-
bation featuring Secretary of De-
fense Donald Rumsfeld and the
Rev. Jerry Falwell with some of
the funniest people I've ever met.
I would never have had the oppor-
tunity to do something like this if
I didn't seek it out.
A lot of these great activities
are not obvious and do not stick
out as golden opportunities dur-
ing Orientation Week, but they do
exist and can be sought out easily
by someone who really wants to
find them. Rice has clubs that fo-
cus on everything from anime to
jujitsu. There is something out
there that we can all enjoy.
If I had to choose the best part
of my entire Rice experience, I
would say, without hesitation, the
people. From my friends and peers
to my professors and other em-
ployees, Rice is the only place I've
ever encountered so many diverse
and amazing people. I am grateful
to all of them for the ways in which
they've shaped four bittersweet
and ineffably beautiful years of my
life. I know that it isn't easy to seek
out different ways of meeting
people and having fun, but the
people you meet will color your
life and make it all the more worth-
while. That much I can promise
any dissatisfied freshman.
Ed Bruera is a Baker College sen ior.
the Rice Thresher
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Berenson, Mark. The Rice Thresher, Vol. 90, No. 29, Ed. 1 Friday, May 16, 2003, newspaper, May 16, 2003; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth398503/m1/3/?rotate=270: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.