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Issue date: 8/20/08 Section: Opinions
It is distressing that the University's independent newspaper refrains from standing up for its own faculty and students, instead choosing to malign them by publishing their mug shots under headings that detail their misdemeanor run-ins with police officers.
It is sickening to see arrest photos of students and faculty plastered on the front page of this paper every week, not because these people are criminally dangerous, but because they committed some mildly scintillating transgression of morality.
If we choose to bring these details to the forefront of campus interest without any critical discussion of the circumstances, then we are performing a disservice to members of our community whose dignity has been jeopardized.
In this situation, I think the newspaper should critically investigate the specifics of the DUI - "less safe" law so that members of our community, who believe themselves to be well within the limits of the law, understand the possible consequences of their actions.
What does this law mean? Surely someone in the Law School could have been asked to comment on the validity of such a law, and an enlightening debate could begin about alcohol laws in Georgia.
Is it really the case that our fate lies in the hands of the arresting officer's fickle discretion?
Are the protests of an otherwise law-abiding citizen not taken seriously by our enforcers?
Here, it seems that the protests of Joseph Fu actually may have provided the ultimate reason for the arrest described in Tuesday's edition of The Red & Black ("Police: DUI can occur under .08; Math department head charged with .057 DUI").
JAY BOWEN AND GRAHAM PICKREN
Graduate students, Athens Geography
Instead, the Amethyst Initiative is fighting to re-open the debate about whether the current age is working and whether the 10 percent federal highway penalty encourages or inhibits that debate.
The initiative additionally wants to invite new ideas to prepare our youth to make responsible decisions about alcohol.
Please visit the Amethyst Initiative's Web site, noting its full statement and the "Why I signed" section.
It is very educational, and should be endorsed by any University open to free speech.
Here are some useful sites to get you started:
http://www.amethystinitiative.org
http://www.alcoholfacts.org/
NICK PANETTA
Senior, Alpharetta
Landscape architecture
It is sickening to see arrest photos of students and faculty plastered on the front page of this paper every week, not because these people are criminally dangerous, but because they committed some mildly scintillating transgression of morality.
If we choose to bring these details to the forefront of campus interest without any critical discussion of the circumstances, then we are performing a disservice to members of our community whose dignity has been jeopardized.
In this situation, I think the newspaper should critically investigate the specifics of the DUI - "less safe" law so that members of our community, who believe themselves to be well within the limits of the law, understand the possible consequences of their actions.
What does this law mean? Surely someone in the Law School could have been asked to comment on the validity of such a law, and an enlightening debate could begin about alcohol laws in Georgia.
Is it really the case that our fate lies in the hands of the arresting officer's fickle discretion?
Are the protests of an otherwise law-abiding citizen not taken seriously by our enforcers?
Here, it seems that the protests of Joseph Fu actually may have provided the ultimate reason for the arrest described in Tuesday's edition of The Red & Black ("Police: DUI can occur under .08; Math department head charged with .057 DUI").
JAY BOWEN AND GRAHAM PICKREN
Graduate students, Athens Geography
Initiative aims to re-open discussion
The Amethyst Initiative actually is not pushing for a lower drinking age.Instead, the Amethyst Initiative is fighting to re-open the debate about whether the current age is working and whether the 10 percent federal highway penalty encourages or inhibits that debate.
The initiative additionally wants to invite new ideas to prepare our youth to make responsible decisions about alcohol.
Please visit the Amethyst Initiative's Web site, noting its full statement and the "Why I signed" section.
It is very educational, and should be endorsed by any University open to free speech.
Here are some useful sites to get you started:
http://www.amethystinitiative.org
http://www.alcoholfacts.org/
NICK PANETTA
Senior, Alpharetta
Landscape architecture
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
anon
posted 8/20/08 @ 7:24 AM EST
Fu did everything wrong if the article about his arrest is factually correct.
1. He drove the wrong way on a one way ramp.
2. He drank before driving. (Continued…)
PD
posted 8/20/08 @ 1:49 PM EST
Anon
Your post sounds like what the cop that arrested Dr. Fu would say...if he were writing a post. Been sipping the Cool-Aid at ACC Police headquarters?
STIMULUSXRESPONSE
STIMULUSXRESPONSE
posted 8/24/08 @ 2:22 PM EST
In response to the letters about Mr. Fu's fubar... what is distressing is how people will defend someone like him and talk about how distressing it is that the paper will post information about the incident that jeopardizes their dignity. (Continued…)
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