OCR::/Vol_102/WLURG39_RTP_20000313/WLURG39_RTP_20000313_001.2.txt u WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIvERsITY’s WEEKLY NEWSPAPER \=\.I.!\S3-'iNi3‘1‘xi“\l : is-ix’ 'E'+-SSFY A VOLUME 102, NO. 23 Idaho loses over shirts Coach loses job for role in designing controversial shirt; student mediation continues By Polly Doig EXECUTIVE EDITOR Although the Mock Convention took place more than a month ago, the Idaho delegation continues to face the consequences of a provocative T-shirt produced for the event The shirt, which featured a busty black woman pro- claiming “I-da-ho”, has been perceived of as sexist and racist by many. Several Washington and Lee student or- ganizations, including the Minority Student Association and the Women’s Forum, complained to the administra- tion. In a meeting this past week, the faculty unanimously approved a resolution condemning the shirts, which stated that, “this incident and others of a similar nature are com- pletely inconsistent with the values of the University.” The resolution was distributed to the W&L community via e-mail, and full—page ads have appeared in both cam- pus newspapers. In addition, assistant baseball coach John Baizley was fired this week, following student outcry, for his role in designing the shirts. Baizley is also the owner of Univer- sity Sportwear, and designs many T-shirts for various campus organizations and events. Sophomore Jason Williams was one of the members of the Idaho delegation who was offended by the shirt, and chose not to buy one. “They were just described to me, but I had no idea how bad they were going to be,” Williams said, who didn’t actually see the shirts until complaints had been made a few weeks after Mock Con. “It was really disgusting. It amazed me that someone could even come up with some- thing like that, that it would even occur to them.” According to Williams, the Idaho delegation initially said that those involved were willing to accept any pro- posed remedy. Open meetings to discuss race issues were subsequently held so that students might voice their opinions. In addition, W&L president John Elrod held an open forum session this week to address the issue. One ofthe most common complaints was that the administration had not reacted in a suitable manner, nor ofits own accord. LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA 24450 photo by Emily Bamesl Photo Editor AN OPEN FORUM. Students were given the opportunity to question President John Elrod during an open forum held this week. Many were dismayed at the initial lack of response from the administration to the Idaho T-shirts. “There was a lot of general dissatisfaction with the administration for not having reacted strongly enough,” Williams said. MSA president Lezael Haynes was one of tho"e who objected to the University’s initial lack of response to the shirts. Baizley retained his coaching position until this week, even though administrators had been notified more than two weeks ago. “The administration shouldn’t have had to have minor- ity feedback in Order to know that Mr. Baizley should be fired,” Haynes said. “Nowhere else can you engage in rac- ism or sexism and still expect to keep your job.” Haynes also felt that the open sessions didn’t ac- complish all that they were supposed to, because only about one-third of the 25-member Idaho delegation par- ticipated. Haynes has met personally with the Idaho state chairman, junior Regan Reaud, and University Media- tor Tiffany Cummings in order to work toward a solu- tion. Haynes said that those mediation sessions have been very productive. “A large part of that is that Reagan has realized he was wrong, and is eager to make amends,” she said. Haynes added that the terms discussed thus far include a letter of apology, a full effort to recall the shirts and some form of community service directed at a minority cause. The temis of the reprimand will be finalized today, according to Haynes. Reaud has already issued a recall on the shirts, of which there are 30, but has only gotten four back. He gave his own two shirts to Associate Dean of Students Courtney Penn, and has yet to account for the remaining 24. According to Haynes, another problem is that no one else on the delegation has admitted responsibility. “We’re hoping to get some sort of administrative sup- port,” Haynes said. “Hopefully, the deans will investi- gate this fully, find out who else was responsible, and assign them some sort of punishment.” SAB lands a “fish” and moe. for concert Alumni Weekend concert will feature two diverse bands By Michael Crittenden ASSOCIA r1: EDITOR Despite the impossibility of reaching the level of last year’s Alumni Weekend festivities, the Student Activities Board hopes to rock undergraduates and alums alike with the announcement of this year’s bands, Leftover Salmon and moe. “I think it will really be a great show to kickoff Spring Term with,” SAB president, senior Dave Levinson said. “We’ve been trying to get them to come all year, and now we finally have them. It’s really exciting.” Alumni Weekend, May 4 -6, this year will feature the two bands, neither of which is a stranger to the Lexington area. In recent years both Leftover Salmon and moe. have played to Washington and Lee audiences during Alumni Weekend and at the Buffalo Creek Music Festival festivities. Most interesting about the two bands is the diverse sound they will bring to their performances. SAB member senior Gavin Dean is familiar with both bands. “I’ve seen both of the bands since I’ve been here,” he said, “and they’ll definitely fit in with the Spring Term atmo- sphere.” Leftover Salmon, a group that plays a self-proclaimed mix of “polyethnic cajun slarngrass” is most famous for its 1995 live album Ask the Fish. Led by leadisinger Vince Herman and one of the nation’s best mandolin players, Drew Emmitt, the band features an intriguing mix of acoustic gui- tar, fiddle, mandolin, and waterhom, along with a solid bass and drums duo, the musical stylings of Leftover Salmon have garnered the group a large fan base throughout the United States. The fans, who call themselves LoSers, seem to be enchanted with LoS’s puerile humor, and penchant for innocent fun coupled with outstanding music. Described by one person as music “as an art form with comical antics,” photo by Emily Bames/Photo Editor BLOWING HIS OwN HORN: Junior Scott Meister (center) plays during a University Jazz Ensemble concert. held on Saturday. Junior Hillary Bryant also was a featured soloist. the group is famous for keeping it mellow. “This is not music for people who take themselves, the tunes they listen too, or the world in general too seriously,” according to www.leftoversalmon.com, the group’s webpage. On the other side of the coin is moe., a group made fa- mous by its long jams and eclectic humor. Named after the old Louis Jordan tune “Five Guys Named Moe,” the group was fonned in 1991. Playing a mix of music from blues to pop, moe. recently released a double-live album entitled “L”. Casting themselves as a band with a “sense of humor that loves to have fun,” moe.’s contemporary rock masterings have gained it a fan base similar to that of Leftover Salmon. Calling themselves “moerons”, the fans are known to fol- low the band quite loyally. Student reaction has been fairly low-key this far away from the concert, but Levinson said he thought it should be a success. Said freshman Ann Whitham, “They both sound like things you find in your refrigerator.” MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2000 Local stores face e-rivals Some Lex merchants notice an internet-related decline in business and retaliate in kind By Katie Clark STA FF WRITER Although the nation has finally squashed the Y2K bug, Lexington businesses are still dealing with the infestation of a different computer pest: the Internet. “I’ve seen a severe drop in business in the last year, primarily because of the Internet,” said Wayne Raynal, owner of the now-closed Night Owl Music. Raynal says he closed his music store last month be- cause his customers no longer came to Night Owl, an oc- currence he blames in part on various Internet companies’ promotions. “The bigger businesses aren’t concerned with what the consumer wants, but with getting the consumer to buy what they have,” he said. Raynal says he worries about Internet pages that are misleading. “People think they are paying less when they buy CDs online. They forget that they have to pay UPS fees,” he said. “The companies don’t clearly post their shipping prices. It’s in the fine print. I wish people would realize it would [have] been cheaper to come into Night Owl and buy a CD.” Some local businesses have competed more success- fully with Internet vendors. The Best Seller, a downtown bookstore, lowered prices to contend with online dealers like Amazon.com. “Once we stopped charging for special orders, the num- ber of orders increased and we actually started making a larger profit,” said manager Tom Lomax. Jim Casey, professor of economics at Washington and Lee University, believes downtown stores need to do more than lower their prices to stay in business. “I do not think it is a matter of protecting themselves from the Internet, rather using the Internet,” Casey said. “Small stores need to think about how they can benefit from using the Internet, not how the Internet hurts them.” Marlene Benniston, an employee of Cocoa Mill Choco- late, says her store is profiting from the Internet. Cocoa Mill Chocolate has developed its own Internet site to stay competitive in the gift shop market. She says the store has enjoyed increased sales from traffic to the site. “We recognized how convenient it would be for people looking for a specific product, like chocolates, to place an order over the Internet,” Benniston said. “We’ve given people another way to mail order candy and send holiday gifts.” Some local businesses remain confident that the growth of Internet sales won’t affect their profits, even if they don’t offer competing web sites. Scott R. Bunten, owner of Reel Time, a fly fishing sup- ply store, says downtown merchants can continue to pros- per, but they need to sell unique merchandise. “In my line of business, people like to play with my products before they buy them,” Bunten said. “My cus- tomers want to take a $600 reel and practice casting it in the lot behind the store. You can’t do that with the Internet companies.” Bunten said store owners should be aware of the deals manufacturers make with Internet distributors. “My business is protected from Internet competition because Internet distributors pay the same price I do for merchandise,” he said. Tom Osella, owner of Healthy Foods Market, is not con- cerned about the lntemet taking business away from his store because of the friendly service he provides. “Our business is going strong and hasn’t slowed down,” he said. “The more depersonalized the world be- comes, the more people like us better.” March 13, 2000 OPINION: W&L1EE: St. Patrick SPORTS: @112 fling-tum lfihi The ruckus in Idaho continues PAGE 4 PAGE 5 Men’s lax downs national rival PAGES 6-7 photo by Emily Bames/Photo Editor DEFENSIVE. Junior Pete Iwancio tries to defend an undefeated season. OCR::/Vol_102/WLURG39_RTP_20000313/WLURG39_RTP_20000313_002.2.txt PAGE 2 Clinton strategist to speak Dick Morris, chief political strategist for President Clinton, will speak in Lee Chapel on Thursday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. Morris is a longtime political strategist whose clients have included Clinton, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, California Gov. Pete Wil- son and numerous other high profile political leaders. Called “the most influential private citizen in America” by Time, Morris is the author of “Behind the Oval Office: Winning the Presidency in the 90’s.” Morris’ talk will attempt to uncloak the system of power, polls and patronage that drives government policy and provide a riveting peek into the workings of the White House. He will also analyze the effect of baby boomers on politics and speculate on the changes today's generation will bring to government. Film Society to present “Tango” The Washington and Lee Film Society will present a delightful drama of music and dance, “Tango” (Spain/Ar- gentina, 1998), directed by Carlos Saura. Screenings will be at 7:30 p.m. on March 17 and 18, in the Troubadour Cinema. As always, there is no charge for admission, although contributions are welcome. This film is in Spanish, with English subtitles, and is rated PG-13. Ellie Tiling.-tum {flirt NEWS Set in Buenos Aires, this Oscar-nominated film tells the story of a director who yearns to make the ultimate tango movie, only to find political, business and — ofcourse —— romantic complications. Featuring fiery music and stunning choreography and gorgeously filmed by the great cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, “Tango” is a treat for the ear and eye. The San Francisco Chronicle called “Tango”, “one of the most purelyjoyful pieces ofcinema in years.” Ensembles prepare to go Down Under The W&L Wind and Jazz Ensembles will present a pre- tour concert on March 21 at 8 p.m. in the Lenfest Center, in preparation for their weeklong tour of Australia. Forty- seven students will perform six concerts at the University of Melbourne and at the music conservatory at the Uni- versity of Newcastle during W&L’s Spring Break. Tuesday’s performance will have a definite American flair to it. Marches by Sousa, a selection by Charles Ives, an American original, arrangements of Renaissance dances by the contemporary composer Jan Bach, strains from West Side Story, a tune by Australia’s favorite son, Percy Grainger, and a trumpet solo by W&L junior, Scott Meister are the important ingredients that will make this concert special for the audience and for W&L’s music ambassa- dors. Barry Kolman, associate professor of music, con- ducts the University Wind Ensemble, consisting of stu- dents, outstanding local residents and W&L faculty. The Jazz Ensemble, directed by Teny Vosbein, assis- tant professor of music, will present works from the librar- ies of the great American jazz bands. Selections include works by Basie, Ellington and the Benny Goodman-Gene Krupa solid gold smash hit, Sing Sing Sing. The concert is free and open to the public. Student directors present One Acts As spring approaches, excitement builds in the Wash- ington and Lee theater department as the advanced direct- ing class prepares to showcase their talents in the One Acts 2000. The One Acts, a theater department tradition for over 27 years, is a student-run production. Popular for its highly charged atmosphere and unusual plays, the One Acts draw a large student audience eager to see works not typically produced during the regular theatre series season. 7 Under the supervision of directing professor and fac- ulty advisor J. D. Martinez, work for the One Acts begins in January, when the young directors choose a short work and begin organizing the necessary elements to prepare the production for opening night. Decisions concerning casting, scheduling, photography, scenery, lighting and costumes are all made by the student directors. The seven one-act plays will be perfonned in two sepa- rate bills. Act 1 directors Vanessa Chen ’O1, Francis McWilliarns ’O1 , Ryan Truax ’01 and Johnny Bubb ’00 will present their plays on March 23 at 8 p.m., continuing on March 25 at 2 p.m. and March 27 at 8 p.m. Act 1 features “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” by Allen Knee, Fore- play or the Art of the Fugue by David Ives, “Misreadings” by Neena Beber and “Teeth” by Tina Howe. Act 2 will showcase student directors Patrick Driscoll ’00, Zeenie Ginwalla ’O1 and Julieann Ulin ’O1 , featuring “Molly and James” by Sheila Walsh, “Reverse Transcrip- tion” by Tony Kushner and “For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls” by Christopher Durang. Opening night for Act 2 is March 24 at 8 p.m., continuing on March 26 at 2 p.m. and March 28 at 8 p.m. The ‘One Acts are the most popular theater department presentation among W&L students. No tickets are required and admission is free. RESERVE OFFICERS’ TRAINING CORPS on a Sunday night? HELP! Work for the Phi.’ Call us, don’t make us call you. 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TOYOTA-101 MORE VALUE/LE55 MONEY INTRODUCING THEM NEW TOYOTA ECHO THERE’5 AN ECHO OUT THERE! Great looke on the outelde, great room on the inelde. Crulee the highway at 40 Ml’G’...very thrifty. Power? Plenty! lt’e a 1.5 liter hi-tech 16 valve DOCH engine with variable valve timing (new) that kicke out 108 horsepower any time you want it. And beet of all, Echo ie the lowest priced Toyota! ii" thru Toyota Motor Credit helpe those with limited r leaee a new Echo or Celica. See dealer for detaile. MARCH 13, 2000 New dean of Law School named David F. Partlett, professor of law at Vanderbilt Uni- versity Law School, has been named dean of the Wash- ington and Lee University School of Law. He will begin his duties on July 1. “I am perfectly delighted with David Partlett’s appoint- ment as law dean,” said Washington and Lee President John Elrod. “He brings outstanding qualifications and long experience to the deanship at Washington and Lee. We look forward to his dynamic leadership in the years ahead.” Partlett will replace Mark Grunewald, who has been serving as the interim dean since July. Partlett earned his LL.B. from the University of Sydney School ofLaw in 1970, his LL.M. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1974 and his S.J.D. from the Uni- versity of Virginia School of Law in 1980. From 1974 to 1975, Partlett served as a senior legal officer for the Commonwealth Attomey-General’s Depart- ment in Canberra, Australia, where he was responsible for policy advice on the Racial Discrimination Act and other related human rights legislation. . Partlett then served as principal law reform officer for the Australian Law Reform Commission before joining the faculty of the Australian National University in 1978. Partlett was a member of the faculty there through 1987 and served as associate dean from 1982 to 1985. Partlett was a visiting professor of law at Vanderbilt during the 1987-88 academic year and then joined the faculty full-time. At Vanderbilt, he has served as a senior fellow in the Institute for Public Policy Studies and served as chief of staff on the Vanderbilt University Chancellor Search Committee this year. Partlett was also the acting dean of the Vanderbilt University Law School during the 1996-97 academic year. Partlett has received several awards and honors at Vanderbilt, including the Paul Hartman Award (1993) for excellence in teaching, the Distinguished Service Award (1996) from the law school and the Thomas Jefferson Award (1998) for distinguished service to the university through extraordinary contributions as a member of the faculty in the councils and government of the university. Actively engaged in scholarly research, Partlett is the author of numerous books and articles on torts and law and medicine. His first book, “Professional Negligence “(1985) was one of the first works of commonwealth schol- arship to apply economic insights to tort law. In 1994, he collaborated on a book titled “Child Mental Health and the Law”. Partlett has recently completed the latest edi- tion of Prosser & Wade’s Cases and Materials on Torts, the leading torts casebook. He also has a contract for a forthcoming book “Defamation and Free Speech: A Study of Different Cultures”. The W&L School of Law dates to 1849 and is annually ranked among the top law schools in the country, serving approximately 365 law students. N.Y. Times correspondent to speak R.W. Apple Jr., chief correspondent for The New York Times, will speak on Wed., March 15 at 4:30 p.m. in Northen Auditorium. Apple’s public lecture is titled, “Politics and Pundits Forty Years On: The Campaign of 2000.” Apple became chief correspondent for The Times in 1997 after serving 12 years as chief Washington corre- spondent and four years as the Washington D.C. bureau chief. He writes extensively on a wide range of topics, including politics, foreign policy and economic questions, as well as food, wine, travel and the arts. Since joining The Times in 1963, he has written from more than 100 countries, reported on various international elections, and a wide variety of other stories on five con- tinents. He previously has served as The Times bureau . chief in Albany, Saigon, Lagos, Nairobi, London and Mos- cow. He headed The Times’ coverage of the Gulf War in 1991. At home, Apple has been involved in the coverage of 17 national conventions and eight presidential elec- ' tions. He was the newspaper’s national political corre- spondent from 1970 to 1976. Prior tojoining the paper, he covered the civil rights movement in the South for NBC News. He was also a reporter for the Wall Street Journal. OCR::/Vol_102/WLURG39_RTP_20000313/WLURG39_RTP_20000313_003.2.txt (5 ’ ‘ 9 A ' A @ The faculty of Washington and Lee condemns in the strongest possible terms the racist and sexist slur displayed on the t—shirts of the Idaho delegation during the Mock Convention. This incident and others of a similar nature are completely inconsistent with the values of the University. They underscore the need for a renewed University—wide commitment to inclusiveness. We pledge ourselves to direct action to improve the understanding of everyone in our community of the obligations of civility and respect for persons. ADVERTISEMENT PAID BY THE UNIVERSITY FACULTY OCR::/Vol_102/WLURG39_RTP_20000313/WLURG39_RTP_20000313_004.2.txt PAGE 4 OP @112 ‘fling-tum tam INION MARCH 13, 2000 Idaho T-shirt: Get over it In thinking ofa topic to write about this week, I could not help but be compelled to address the Idaho delegation T-shirt. Afterall, how can I ignore letters to the editor, a forum, and a man resigning from his long-time coaching position? The Idaho T-shirt, which I’m sure by this time every- body fully understands the design, may not have been in good taste, but needs to be examined (:2 1; without go- ing off the deep end. It was not right. It was not appropriate. I make no excuses, but before jumping all over University Sportwear and intentionally trying to hurt the business please look at other facts. Jack Baizley is a great man. He loves this school. That’s why he’s here. He loved coaching the baseball team, but sadly no longer is doing so. He loves this school so much he opened a store selling W&L products. Now some stu- dents arejoining forces in an attempt to boycott his store. That’s uncalled for. Since this school is overrun by the Greek system (and that’s not a criticism), let’s take time to look at it more closely. Hmm. . . themes of mixers. . . “Pimps and prosti- tutes”, “Bros, hos, and 40s”, “Presidents and interns”, “Redneck ball”, “Whitetrash trailerbash”, just to name a few. These mixers have T-shirts. And, these all have slurs to some extent, but nothing is said about them. If some supersensitive group saw these names, they quite easily could be up in arms, complain to administration, hold a meeting, boycott a store, but they don’t. That’s right, they don’t. Why is that? The answer is simple: It is not meant to be taken seriously. I think that should be said again. It is not meant to be taken seriously. If I was one of these overly sensitive people, I could easily be offended by everyday life, not only here at W&L but all over. But I’m not. I could whine and complain be- cause women are objectified. I could have even been with those on the anti-Idaho delegation kick and taken the shirt personally because the picture was of a woman and refer- ring to her as a “ho”. But I didn’t. It in no way means that I’m passive, in fact I’m the opposite, but I know how to pick and choose my battles and I am able to recognize whether there is a battle to begin with. The Idaho delega- tion was making ajoke. Do you remember what that is? Evidently not. Even though the students at this school are criticized for being racially insensitive, they are not as deeply in the dark ages as some would have you believe. So, I think it’s time to stop pointing fingers every time something goes wrong. It’sjust like the crying wolf prob- lem: When you do it too often, people stop listening. At the rate things are going, if and when a real problem sur- faces no one will listen. And when pointing fingers, let’s be consistent. Afterall, other people are also offensive in what they wear, say, and do. The bottom line is that the Idaho delegation had the right to make the shirt. It’s freedom of speech. And for those of you who don’t like the shirt, don’t buy it, don’t wear it, or even point at the person you see wearing the shirt on the Colonnade and mumble that you don’t think it’s right. I really don’t care what you think about the shirt, just don’t try to force others to join in your crusade in misinterpreting a joke. Ellie Ring-tum {flirt - Alexander the Grape W; Stephanie Bianoo ‘O1 Executive Editor Polly Doig Associate Editor Michael Crittenden News Editor Max Smith Opinions Editor W&Life Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Assistant Photo Editors Stephanie Bianco Elianna Marziani Steele Cooper Emily Barnes Tiffany Friedel Lisa Lin David Hanson Layout Editor Neal Willetts The Ring-tum Phi is published Mondays during the undergraduate school year at Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA. Funding for The Ring-tum Phi comes primarily from advertising and subscription revenues. The Washington and Lee Publications Board elects the Executive Editor, but The Ring-tum Phi is otherwise independent. The Ring-tum Phi welcomes all responsible submissions and letters. All submissions must be in the Phi office, room 208 of the University Center, by noon on Friday to appear in that week’s edition. The Ring- tum Phi reserves the right to edit submissions for content and length. Letters and columns do not reflect the opinion of The Ring-tum Phi Editorial Board. Advertising does not reflect the opinions of The Ring-tum Phi or its staff. This newspaper observes current court definitions of libel and obscenity. The Ring-tum Phi 208 University Center Washington and Lee University ‘ Lexington. VA 24450 Telephone: (540) 462-4060 Fax: (540) 462-4059 E-mail: phi@wlu.edu https//wIu.edu/-phi V Annual subsription rate: 530 Idaho T-shirts. IDAHO DEBATE. Assistant Dean of Students Courtney Penn partcipates in the forum about the Photo by Emily Bames/Photo Editor it Top Ten Stupid Pledgeship Moments . 10. The pledges not being allowed to talk to girls. 9.The dramatic reading of“Green Eggs and Ham” out—§ side of the library. 8.The pledge in front of the Post Office with the “No hope in dope” sandwich board. ' 7. The pledges “Give Texas back to Mexico” protest in,‘ front of the Co—op. 6. The pledges “Give Texas back to Mexico” petition in front of the Co—op. 5. The pledge that has to skateboard all around cam-y pus. 4.The pledges that came to the basketball games with “Hudson” and “Ricketts” painted on their chests. 3. The pledge in the library and science center eleva~y tors in their own rendition oftuxedos saying, “What floor please?” 2. The pledge that rides around campus on an orange horse and locks it up when going to class. ,4 1. Flava Flavjamming around campus with his Adidas warm-up suit, chain necklace with huge clock, old-school shades, and boombox. uote of the Week: , (( I If anyone else asks me for a threesome, foursome, fivesome, or sixsome, I’ll. . . ll‘ — Anonymous sophomore girl LETTERS TO Alum calls for racial tolerance from W&L community Dear Editor, I am writing to express my outrage and disappointment with this situation. I cannot believe that this kind of be- havior by an employee of the university was handled in such a lenient manner. Will someone please explain to me why Washington and Lee is more outraged by incidents of hazing than they are incidents of racial insensitivity com- mitted by someone on their payroll? People are dismissed on theirjobs everyday for simply making a racial slur, let alone producing and marketing one under the umbrella of a prestigious university such as Washington and Lee. It saddens me that an institution which prides itself on civil behavior would allow such an uncivil act to occur without a stiff punishment. Faculty and staff members, no matter the capacity they work in, are representatives of the university. The T-shirt itself is an insult, but even more insulting is the way in which the offender has been dealt with. As a student, I sat in on many meetings committed to solving diversity issues and creating a more accepting cli- mate for minorities. I left those meetings hopeful that those students behind me would not have to take time out of their studies to deal with these same problems. However, it appears that my fellow classmates and I were given alot of lip service to appease us until graduation. Things have seemingly gotten worse for minority students at Washing- ton and Lee. The institution needs to put some action be- hind their words and prove that they are working towards a more inclusive climate. Allowing incidents such as this to pass without due consequence sends a very negative message to minorities at Washington and Lee. The mes- sage comes across loud and clear that we do not value your contribution to this institution, and even worse, we do not value your differences either. The offending party should be promptly dismissed and financial support for his business should cease. Washing- 3" THE EDITOR ton and Lee needs to send a very clear message that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated under any circum- stances. As an alumnus, I am still very much involved in the university, however my passion has always been to im- prove the climate for minority students. Many minority alumni leave Washington and Lee bitter and vowing never to return. These sentiments are a result of the environment that exists beyond the Colonnade. Whether they realize it or not, the administration sends the vibe that they really could care less about the minority students. Thus, they go through Washington and Lee feeling as though no one will listen, no one understands, and furthermore, no one cares. This is why Washington and Lee has a hard time re- cruiting minority students. Incidents such as the Idaho T- shirt are merely a symptom of the real problems that lie within this institution. Until Washington and Lee decides and conveys that minorities are an asset to the community, our beloved school will never reach its full potential. Sincerely, Shanntonnette L. Wade ’99 University Sportwear owner speaks out about Idaho shirt Dear Editor, University Sportwear would like to publicly apologize to the Washington and Lee community for its role in the production of the Idaho Delegation T-shirt. To be perfectly blunt, we were wrong. In meetings with offended parties, it has been made known to us that not only this shirt, but shirts we have produced for various organizations in the past, have been offensive. In response, we issue the following pledge: Henceforth we will not produce any product which de- picts or perpetuates any racial, cultural or gender based stereotype, or demeans any racial, cultural or gender based group. This pledge will be prominently displayed in ourh store and serve as a constant reminder to our customers and ourselves of this policy. With great personal loss, I have learned a valuable les- son from this episode which has stained the otherwise; excellent record of minority and gender relations which my company and I have achieved. It is our express desire that Washington and Lee and its extended community also learn these lessons and use this is a springboard to greater di- versity and growth. " Our. sincere apology respectfully submitted, John D. Baizley #1 Secretary of State warns stu- dents about vacation dangers_ Dear Editor, As the season of spring breaks and summer vacations approaches, I ask for your assistance in alerting American students about the risks and consequences of reckless‘ behavior while studyingor travelling abroad. ' Each year, many American students serve time in for- eign jails or await trial in detention because they were un- aware of the risks of using or possessing drugs while over- seas. Many young Americans are also arrested in foreign. lands because of inappropriate behavior associated with heavy drinking. The State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs is responsible for the protection and welfare of U.S. citizens being held in foreign jails, they cannot get them release . Additional safety information can be viewed and down- loaded from the Consular Affairs’ home page of Internet at http://travel.state.gov. Thank you for your cooperation. Sincerely, Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright Y What is th craziest thin you’ve ever done at a party? “Beat up a band member.” —~ Ivan Zdanov ‘02 ‘‘I wrestled a blow-up alligator in a kiddie pool." ~ ~ Tara Friedel ’02 “I usually don’t remember thm..” — Josh Counts ’02 “Christie and I got into a bottle throwing contest." — Kate Mobley ‘02 I!’ l. l 2 OCR::/Vol_102/WLURG39_RTP_20000313/WLURG39_RTP_20000313_005.2.txt . Ellie ifling-tum lflhi A Wee bit 0’ Saint Paddy’s day lore St. Patrick: The man whose saintly acts inspire rather unsaintly celebrations MARCH 13, 2000 Signature Student ézofin (30122/y ’01i mission to spread God’s word throughout that kingdom. By the time he died, Patrick had snakes were worshipped; hence, Patrick, who worked on casting pa- ganism from the island, is said to have “Ifa story gets out, it’s only one B E - - - and would take him home. Before re- baptized tens of thousands and cast the snakes away. ' ' ' , - , allll 1 . . . . . By Eiiarina Marziani side,” he said. “Students don t get y 11 aMarZ1an turning home, Patrick visited the fa- turned a predominantly pagan land FEATURESEDITOR to hear some ofthe stuffthat comes FEATURESEDITOR mous French bishop, Germanus of into one predominantly Christian. He died in Ireland on March 17, c. 460 A.D. Shamrock: The Shamrock is a symbol ofthe Trinity. Before Christianity arose in Ireland, it was sacred to the druids Where have you seen that name before? Probably plastered all over the dining hall doors and other stra- out in hearings.” Each year when March 17 rolls around, most ofus get visions ofrau- cous parades, “Kiss me, I’m Irish” Auxerre. During this visit, Patrick deepened his love for Christ and His Scriptures. When he finally reached tegic places on campus. John Comly just finished a successful race for the presidency of the Executive Committee. Comly served as his c|ass’s representative to the E.C. this year and is looking forward to his year presiding over the Committee. Though he is an economics ma- jor and involved in several campus activities including Generals Chris- tian Fellowship, Southern Comfort, and the Sigma Alpha Epsilon frater- nity, he considers his work with the E.C. a key part ofhis time at Wash- ington and Lee University. “lt’s been the most rewarding Photo counesy of the ('0/yx He hopes to maintain confidenti- ality, while at the same time have the E.C. say as much as it can and be as accountable as it can be to the stu- dent body. He stresses that students should talk to candidates running to pins, and the one green outfit in our closet. St. Patrick’s Day is known, and cel- ebrated loudly, throughout the coun- try. But who exactly was the man for whom the day was named? Patrick was the son of a British nobleman, rather uneducated and not spiritual at all. He was kidnapped at the age of 16 by Irish raiders and sold into slavery to Miliucc, a pagan chief- tain—king. Patrick’s job was tending the king’s sheep. For six years he lived on a rainy mountain, tending the sheep. It was a lonelyjob, and before long Patrick found himself saying the home, his family and friends were delighted to and considered a mystical number. Leg- see him and begged him to stay, but one night Patrick had a vision in which he heard the voices of the Irish call- ing him back to Ireland. Patrick knew he had to go. He started his work as a missionary to Ireland in 430 AD. Ireland was a thoroughly pagan coun- try, led by druids who performed human and animal sacrifices to local end has it that when Patrick gave one of his open-air sermons, he illustrated the Trin- ity by plucking a shamrock from the grass. Leprechaun: Perhaps the most greatly debated leg- end is that ofthe lep- rechaun. The most widely accepted leg- thing l’ve done at this school,” he be their representatives and find out prayers taught to him by his grandfa- gods. end is that the lepre- said. where they stand on issues and what ther, and soon internalizing them and Spiritism, black magic, chaun is a dwarf, per- He thinks that getting more in- they consider honorable and dishon- forming arelationship with God. and occult rituals haps 2 feet tall, who volved by serving as president will be an even more rewarding experi- ence. “I believe in the system and really respect the school and the system,” he said. “I thought [serv- ing as president] would be a great honor to do.” Comly did not run with a platform. “I think the duty of the E.C. presi- dent is to reflect the current student body’s ideas about honor,” he said. “Myjob will be to can'y out what the White Book Review comes up with.” He was, however, more than will- ing to talk about what he thinks of the system, what changes he expects to see, and what the system ideally should be. He believes that education is orable, and then vote for the candi- date that they believe represents them. That is the best way for trust in the system to be maintained. Comly is strongly in favor of the single-sanction honor system. “I don’t believe honor can be measured by grade,” he said. “Honor is mea- sured in intent, and I believe that can be black and white.” He says that, while it is possible that dishonorable people could change and become honorable, at a small school like W&L where the community hinges on people’s respect for the system, the single-sanction is crucial. He is always happy to discuss the V honor system with people, and he looks forward to another great year One night, six years after arriving in Ireland, Patrick heard God’s voice telling him, “Soon you will go to your own country. See, your ship is ready.” That night Patrick ran away. Eventu- ally he came upon a ship setting sail abounded. Patrick felt it was his calling to intro- duce all these people to Christianity. In Tara, he is a shoemaker by trade. He is crafty and nearly impossible to catch. He owns a pot had a famous face—off with the highest druid courtesy: wwwgeocities.com/SouthBeach/Boardwalk/2 747/graphics/stpatgraphs.htm and begged for passage, promising payment from his parents later. The captain at first refused, at which time Patrick went off for a time of prayer asking for God’s guidance. Soon af- ter a sailor came up to him and told him the captain had changed his mind priest, a series of contests of spirits, in which the druid priests lost, all dy- ing or converting. For 30 years Patrick stayed and continued converting Ire- land, castle byecastle. Patrick met in- dividually with the local kings, tell- ing them about Jesus and gaining per- Snakes: Legend has it that Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland. There are no snakes in Ireland, but whether or not that can be attributed to Patrick is de- batable. The reason for this legend may be that in many pagan religions of gold, and if some- one catches him, he will give him his treasure. However, a person who finds a leprechaun must keep his eye on him, because if he does not, the leprechaun will get away. People try to track him by listening for the sound of his shoemaker’s hammer. W&L’s Phi Beta Kappa to induct 52 ' ' ' k’ th l'b I rtadsci ces. - _ very important in making the honor with the E.C. By Ehanna Marzlanl WOIQBIE 6 [beta a S n “eh th New Inductees, elected January . _ _ FEATURESEDITOR mem ers are genera y in e system work. “We’re really going to Q: What are your plans for this \ top tenth percentile of their graduat_ push education,” he Said: Summer? _ The Washington and Lee Univer— ing class. Most inductees are under— From the Class of2000 From the Class of200l Next year there will be a new . A: “Probably working ata finan- my Gamma Chapter of phi Beta 1 graduates, but some White 300k, according i0 the new Ciai 5ei'ViCes e0mP3n}’» Possibiv aiso Kappa will induct 52 new members chapters, including Brittany Anne Ahlstrom Joshua Donald Chamberlain . System as deciated attet the i999’ working ash camp ieadet totaweek’ on Ttuesday. Four of the new in- W&L’s, also occasion— Shannon Elizabeth Bell William David Christ it Zooo White Book Review is eothpiete for it group iike Yotihg Life” ductees will be from the graduated A ally induct graduates. Rachel Leanne Bowes Katherine Derbes Eagan Man)’ studehts vviii be reiieved to Q3 what do you Pia” oh doing Class of 1999,28 from this year’s ‘- _ Interestingly, the cer- Erin Ashley Buck Dana Marie Early i