OCR::/Vol_095_096/WLURG39_RTP_19960119/WLURG39_RTP_19960119_001.2.txt I» It "' utv.‘».'it¢!é£ll"~ ¢7ke ecctcamt mactqme Women's swimming ¢a1tea‘t1>at.=I=.st..s 9 has pelfect week 6 Chi: ‘ifiing-tum Ifllii WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY 45 VOLUME/96, N0- 11 LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA JANUARY 19, 1996 Ramos reinstated; Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Betsy Green, Phi Photo Editor A treacherous beauty, snow covered Lexington earlier this month. The Blizzard of 1996 stranded travelers, closed schools, and delayed flights...not to mention cancelled classes. See related story on page 2. New exhibit proves photography is art BY EDYE POECKER Phi Staff Writer When most people think of an art exhibit, they imagine that it displays painting or sculptures. However, the new exhibit in the DuPont Hall gallery proves that photography can be just as artistic and creative as most conventional conceptions of art. The DuPont exhibit features the works of three Virginia photographers. One of the contributers is Washington and Lee alumnus and current Annual Fund director Peter Cronin. Cronin’s black and white photographs de- pict local landscapes, including the Shenandoah National Park, and landscapes of the California coast. Radford University art professor James Knipe trained as a sculptor and as a painter before he traded in his chisel and paintbrush for a camera. His local landscape photography has been displayed through- out the country. Susan Bidwell’s black and white ab- Reaching for the stars stract photography of everyday objects has been displayed in shows throughout Vir- ginia and North Caro- lina. Herwork has also appeared in the New York art journal en- titled Manhattan Arts International. ' The exhibit will re- main on campus until February 9. BY DARCEY LIVINGSTON Phi Staff Writer Lexington police officer Mark Ramos returned to work Monday, even though he has not yet been cleared of assault and battery charges stemming from the arrest of third-year Washing- ton and Lee law student Shelby Katz. Chief Bruce Beard reinstated Ramos after reviewing the results of a two month investigation conducted by the Virginia State Police. Beard concluded that Ramos did not use excessive force and followed all departmental procedures during Katz’s arrest on October 28. Ramos charged Katz with having an open alcohol container on a public charges not dropped street, being drunk in public, and re- sisting arrest. On November 15, Katz filed assault and battery charges against Ramos. She claimed that he used excessive force during her arrest. Ramos was suspended from the department with pay on November 17, pending the outcome of the investigation. Chief Beard refused to say whether Ramos would be allowed to continue working on the force if he is convicted of the charges. Katz declined to comment; Ramos was unavailable. Katz and Ramos were scheduled to stand trial at the Rockbridge General District Court on January 12. How- ever, the weather caused the court date to be pushed back to February 9. Freshmen faring Well with fall term grades BY DAN ODENWALD Phi Executive Editor The report cards from Fall Term 1995 may indicate one of the strongest freshmen classes in years, according to Dean of Freshmen Dennis Manning. “The grades indicate that the freshmen have adjusted well,” said Manning. ' Only eight members of the class of 1999 earned a grade point average be- low 1.5, the probationary GPA for first year students, as compared to 14 stu- dents last year. Manning also indi- cated that the retention rate among freshmen has been higher than in previous years. In addition, frater- nities have an espe- cially good reason to be proud of their pledges. “With the con- densed fall pledge pe- riod, the grades were higher than we had an- ticipated,” said Dean of Students David Howison. A lambda Chi Alpha pledges topped the list with an average GPA of 3.360 with Sigma Phi Epsilon pledges earning second place with a GPA of 2.990. Chi Psi was third with a GPA of 2.900. Because of the de- cision to move frater- nity Rush to the win- ter, academic expecta- tions for freshman of the Class of 2000 are on the rise. Dean of Greek Affair, Buddy Atkins, expects that next year’s freshmen might surpass their predecessors with Rush scheduled for the winter. “They will achieve as well or better with lower anxiety levels,” said Atkins. Overall, ChiOmega was firstamong all Greek organizations with a GPA of 3.209 followed by Lambda Chi (3.191), and Kappa Alpha Theta (3.171). Sig Ep won second place among fraterni- ties with a GPA of 3.123. Howison was happy to report that Fall term grades showed ‘nothing irregular. Betsy Green, Phi Photo Editor Professors to make the call on make-up classes President Elrod agreed with the Committee. A aw» Betsy Green, Phi Photo Editor The sisters of Chi Omega prepare for Pref Night by decorating the Fairfax Lounge on Thursday. BY DANIELLE BURGHARDT M Phi Staff Writer Washington and Lee students do not have to make up the snow days, unless their professors say so. With more than 30 inches of snow and students stranded everywhere but Lexington, classes did not begin until Wednesday. Dean Larry Peppers, Chair of the Faculty Execu- tive Committee, said that there will be no formal make up classes. Instead, the decision will be left up to the individual faculty members. The Committee met Monday to discuss the semester’s slow start. “The Faculty Executive Committee was asked by the President to consider this issue, and we made our recommendation to him,” Dean Peppers said. Peppers plans to make up the lost time in his Tuesday—Thursday class. Although he normally needs an hour and a half of the two-hour time, he plans to use the extra half—hour two or three times to make up for the one missed class. Professor of Sociology David Novack said that he learned of the Committee’s decision Wednes- day morning. ‘‘I think that their primary concern is in the area of natural sciences, because there are labs. If you lose a lab, you literally lose the equivalent of a week,” Novack said. Novack also said that he plans to use less intro- duction time than he normally would. W&L students will also miss classes the first Friday in March for Mock Convention. “Losing class that Friday is unfortunate, but I think the benefits of Mock Convention certainly outweigh the lost time we would have,”said Novack. OCR::/Vol_095_096/WLURG39_RTP_19960119/WLURG39_RTP_19960119_002.2.txt The Ring-tum Phi. Januarv 19. 1996 1 NEWS A j BEYOND ' THE BLUE RIDGE Mitterand illness sparks debate on impeachment 9 Paris, France—Questions have arisen this week concerning whether or not the French Constitutional Court should gain the right to impeach a president. The debate is following the publication of a book by former French President Francois Mitterand’s private physician, Claude Gubler, in which he reveals that Mitterand suffered from severe cancer for more than a decade of his presidency. Gubler, who is being sued for violating the code of patient privacy by Mitterand’s family, asserts that the President was so ill that he was incapable of fulfilling the duties of the presidency for the last six months of his last term. This report is being vehemently denied by others who worked with the former President, who died last week of cancen Government agencies face shutdowns, budget cuts Washington, D.C.——Several federal agencies which recently reopened following the latest government shutdown are planning for the possibility of another shutdown on January 26, when many will run out of spending authority. By operating on limited reserve funds and sharply reducing all but necessary daily operations, agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- tion have been able to pay some ofthe many bills which went unpaid during the shutdown. However, they are running out ofmoney and will likely have to cut or shorten many important programs. Although many agencies have received approval for funding through the end of the fiscal year, some facing the January 26 cutoff fear that they could face very serious reductions in operations if GOP budget cuts go according to plans. Hillary Clinton uses book tour to deny Whitewater Washington, D.C.— First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton used her new book’s publicity tour to deny continued allegations of wrongdoing con- cerning her roles in the Whitewater and Travelgate affairs. Promoters of her book, entitled It Takes a Village, have sent Clinton on a nationwide press tour where she's faced reporters more interested in the scandals than her writings. In her effort to dispel the allegations, which have recently inspired a drop in her popularity ratings, Mrs. Clinton hinted that she might even be willing to testify before the Senate lnvestigation Committee on Whitewater, although as yet she has not volunteered to do so. Baseball owners vote on interleague play proposal Los Angeles, CA—Baseba|l owners who are conducting quartcrly~ meetings this week hope to vote on a proposal for interleague play during the regular season. Supporters of the proposal say that this change could improve baseball’s popularity among fans, as well as increase ratings for television networks. interleague play could be up for vote Thursday before a meeting of all the owners, and would need 21 of 28 votes for approval. Beyond the Blue Ridge is compiled by Peggy Stuntz GOP WATCH Editor's Note: GOP Watch is a special weekly feature to keep Washington and Lee's students informed about the Re- publican Presidential Campaign in ad- vance of Mock Convention. Forbes’ advertising blitz shows results in Iowa polls A recent poll taken in Iowa shows that Steve Forbes has significantly cut into front runner Bob Dole’s lead. Although Dole is still maintaining a large lead, many analysts believe that his chances of losing are growing as Forbes’ popularity continues to surge. Forbes’ strong showing in the poll is a direct result of his advertising bombardment ofthe state. Since Forbes is not receiving any federal election funds he is not subject to the spending limits that constrain other candidates. But political observers are warning W&L husband and Blizzard of ’96 hits Lexington * BY Cmmrs YOUNG Phi Features Editor The Blizzard of ’96, now a, phrase reserved for gas station tee-shirts (of the “I survived...” variety) and meterological records, was not without major impact both on the W&L campus and within the greater Lexington community over the past week. The largest snow storm of several decades, last week’s blizzard caused classes to resume at Washington and Lee a full two days later than was planned. Such a delayed opening is singularly rare for W&L, and was indeed “the fourth time school has been cancelled in 30 years,” as will attest James Arthur. Arthur, Director of Build- ings and Grounds here on cam- pus, describes the vigor with which B&G employees fought the weather across campus: “We had people working around the clock, from Satur- day to Wednesday, to remove the snow.” While snow removal is after all a task common (although not to this season’s extent) ev- ery winter at W&L, this year’s removal process varied in sev- eral distinct ways from that of any other year. Arthur explains that 1996 was “the first time we have ever setup housingin Gaines [Hall]” for those employees who could not risk the trip back and forth over the weekend. ' “°" ' Anotherdifferencelies in the fact that Evans Dining Hall this year provided B&G employ- ees with food during their to school by Monday, January 8, originally scheduled as the first day of Winter Term 1996. ' Phone calls from students who were trapped under snow drifts or whose flights were cancelled flooded W&L’s administrative offices, and whether convinced more by these calls or the weather itself, school officials ultimately declared Washington and Lee closed until the Wednesday of last week. Students in the meantime whiled away the long hours during which the weekend’s heavy snow prevented travel, some in the comfort of their own apartments and houses, some in their dorms, and some stuck in hotel rooms miles away. The W&L campus was hardly the only party affected by last weekend’s blizzard, however; members of the Rockbridge County community also felt the impact of the storm. One area of the county di- rectly affected by the weather was that of the stores, most of which were closed during the thick ofthe storm only to re-open with droves of customers. Laura Davis, an associate of Wal-Mart,declines to discuss any particulars aboutthe store’s sales, good sales in toys and sleds.” A manager of Harris Teeter likewise describes the grocery store’s business as “really, really busy” during the snowy week- end. Similarly avoiding specif- ics, the manager nonetheless stresses that the crowds were “worse than [during] Christmas.” As manager of Domino’s Pizza, meanwhile, Rick Ficken also recalls “a good amount of sales,” especially during the in- terval in which Domino’s and HarrisTeeterweretheonly stores open in downtown Lexington. campus stay. Thus providedwith food and lodging, all B&G crew mem- bers—plumbers,carpenters and custodians alike—worked in shifts and overtime to prevent much accumulation of snow, and Arthur speaks for the entire crew in saying,“ We’re pleased at our success at getting the snow removed.” As well as the snow may have been removed from the sidewalks and crossways of W&L’s campus, however, its presence upon the roads and backroads of Rockbridge County and beyond proved too much for many students to return Old man winter marks his territory once again. Ficken estimates that his busi- ness did in fact suffer due to the storm, however, explaining that his delivery service was out for two and a half days. Once reopened, “business did very much increase in the days that people could get to their cars,” Kroger manager Mike Blanks affirms as well. While traces and tee-shirts of the “Blizzard of ’96" have not yet disappeared, and the trek to and from class still merits warm boots and Chapstick, the worst of the storm is long over, and Lexington has now become once again a booming Main Street community. Betsy Green, Phi Photo Editor wife team to teach, research in Europe From Phi Staff Reports Lawrence M. Lamont, professor of administration at Washington and Lee University, and Anne Schroer-Lamont, associate dean of students at W&L, are spending the winter and spring in Oslo,’ Norway. ‘ ‘ ’ » " » Lamont has joined the international faculty of the Nor- wegian School of Management, the second largest institu- tion of higher education in Norway, where he will teach marketing, advise students, and conduct research. Schroer-Lamont accepted a position as scholar-in-resi- dence at the Center for Research on Women at the Univer- sity of Oslo. She will join researchers from around the world and will share her findings from a 10-year study on the career decision-making ofgifted young women from Wash- ington and Lee. In her study, Schroer-Lamont has been recording the changing patterns of future educational, career, and family planning goals of several hundred W&L alumni. Her goal is to contribute to the establishment of a theory of career development for gifted women. Following their stay in Oslo, the pair will travel to Warsaw, Poland, to attend an international educator’s con- ference where Lamont will present his recent research on the teachings of marketing. Later they will travel to Russia and eastern and western Europe, visiting research centers in their respective fields. Lamont received the B.S., M.B.A., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Michigan. He joined the faculty at Washington and Lee in 1974 as an associate professor and was named a- full professor in 1981. Schroer-Lamont joined the administration and counsel- ing staff at Washington and Lee in 1985. She received her B.A. from Defiance College, her M.A. from Washington They're seeing spots! Betsy Green, Phi Photo Editor State University, and her Ph.D. from the University of Northern Colorado. Amidst a sea of blue tape, the Kappa Alpha Thetas prepare for Rush. but allows that the store “did have . Freshman males initiated BY MICHAEL HEWLETT Phi Associate Editor Despite concerns about hazing, fraternities initiated their pledges this past weekend. Under the guidelines passed last year by the Interfraternity Council, freshmen males must be initiated by the first week of the term. Associate Dean of Students Leroy “Buddy” Atkins said under IFC bylaws, freshmen should have been initiated last Saturday. An anonymous letter by a parent raised rumors about possible fraternity hazing. In response, President John Elrod called a meeting last Wednesday with IFC and fraternity presidents. Atkins said the purpose of the meeting was to remind them to not haze and get their pledges initiated that weekend. “There is not supposed to be any hell week,” he said. “lnitiation week is supposed to be for initiation and not for any foolishness.” IFC president Ryan Connolly said all freshmen pledges were initiated this weekend and has heard of no violations or hazing incidents. WEEKLY INCME processing mail tor national company! Free au plies. postage! No an ling! Bonuses! Start immediate! Genuine opportunity! §1SA.S.E.* L*:::::::.%.".:;;°;:§.§2:}:?::.:.:%:.‘::;;::::::::;5:.:‘::,::::.:t:::?:%:.3:::: ct-re, sures 216 “‘ many believethatitwillbedrtfrculttoforhrmtotransferhispopularrtyinto . caucus votes. 8 6 N . G 0LLYHO0D.FI. 3302 " GOP Watch is compiled by Peggy Stuntz and Laura Knapp Betsy Green, Phi Photo Editor ,;( Jenna Cowles and Dana Hood prepare Pi Phi for Rush. OCR::/Vol_095_096/WLURG39_RTP_19960119/WLURG39_RTP_19960119_003.2.txt W The Ring-tum Phi, January 19, 1996 tlxe eFFi.c'Lev\t vv\.acl~'Lv\e pi|<5bO|US Page 3 tion. calleel dia,” and Kent Lindemer’s and John Mario-Sevilla’s By Lisa Brunciage Guest: Writer for the Phi Martha Graham said that bodies can’t lie. Perhaps that is why Pilobolus’ audience members are so awe- struck. ‘ Pilobolus’ dancers, who brought their unique acrobatic dance to the Lenfest Centeron Tuesday and Wednesday nights, bend, shape and throw their bod- ies in unimaginable feats that seem to defy all the laws of physics. Pilobolus Dance Theatre is the brainchild of Moses . Pendleton and Jonathon Wolken. The pair founded the company in 1971 after meeting in a dance class at Dartmouth College. Since that time, the group has gained and continues to enjoy world-wide recogni- The program shown at Lenfest was a retrospec- tive of works covering the company’s 25 year his- tory. In the five pieces presented Pilobolus demon- strated not only physical prowess but miraculous artistry. Dancers swung like pendulums, turned somer- saults through each other, jumped, lifted and all out suspended themselves in mid-air. So seamless were the motions that the boundaries that normally exist between people completely vanished. Each dancer became part of the efficient machine called Pilobolus. The inventive choreography kept Pilobolus’ ab- stractions from being too esoteric, and it seemed that even the large members of children within the audi- ence appreciated the group’s efforts. The repertoire the company presented varied from ‘ the comical “Walklyndon” (1971), straight from the Ministry of Silly Walks, to the stunning drama of Rebecca Anderson’s pasd’un(e)entitled“Pseudopo- duet “Pyramid of the Moon.” Nothing, however, could have prepared the audi- ence for the amazing ending of the program. “Day Two” featured some of the most innovative props used in dance. Poles were used to suspend and‘ support dancers before the flooring itself undulated beneath their feet. Soon, however, it was the dancers themselves who vacillated underneath the floor cov- ering, before reemerging before a standing ovation to remind everyone how much fun Slip ‘n’ Slides are. Pilobolus is ultimately a true testimony to the human spirit, not only by testing the bounds of physical capability within an aesthetic framework, but by giving the art-of dance accessibility. E ditor ’s Note: Lisa Brundage is currently a sopho- more atMary Washington College, in F redericksburg, Virginia, where she is enrolled in both English litera- ture courses and dance classes. Michael Hewlett Phi Staff lVriter Isn’t life weird? First, President Bill Clinton forgets to inhale; now, we are wait- ing to exhale. The movie “Waiting to Ex- hale” has finally arrived, and groups of women have packed the house to see this movie about their lives, their fears, and their hopes. t The movie was inspired by Terry McMillan’s best-selling book of the same V ‘K name, which was based on the experiences of the author and her circle of friends. The book focuses on the trials and tribulations of four black women. One such woman, Savannah is a single public relations executive who moves to Phoenix, Arizona, because she cannot find a decent man in Detroit. Another, Bernadine, finds out on New Years Eve that her husband is leaving her for a white woman. Never underestimate the rage of a scorned woman because she pro- ceeds to clean out her anal husband’s closet, pile his belongings in his car, and light a match to them. Ouch! Robin, meanwhile, is a successful insur- wrong men. Although she is intelligent in other areas of her life, she loses all common sense when it, comes to the male species. Finally, Gloria is a single mother who runs a stylish salon and tries to raise her decent but increasingly difficult son. At the same time, she waits for the perfect man while feeling self- conscious about her weight. Here you have four black sisters struggling to find a man who can ' satisfy them emotion- ally, physically and in- tellectually. In the course of one year, these women see a se- ries of brutish men come in and out of theirlives. They cling to each other to get through the rough times. Some have argued that this book is a general bashing of black males. Those arguments fall flat, however, when one reads the book. McMillan simply and eloquently relates the experiences of black women in American soci- ety. Furthermore, the reader is always reminded that not all black men are dogs (which serves as Terry McMillan's tioole is a realistic portrayal of the sometimes hostile worlal of lwlacle male- female relationships to exhale Exhale is ultimately about the relationships that black women, and women in general, build among themselves and the bonds they share with each other. I laughed with them. I felt their pain and their desperation. They spoke to me in a direct personal way, reminding me of my mother, my cousin, my aunt, and every black woman I have ever met. . My only criticism was the sometimes cavalier attitude to- ward adultery with married men. At least three ofthe four char- acters get themselves involved with married men. But, in another way, these indiscre- tions show the reader that these women are not angels; they are humans and as much at fault for choosing the men they allow in their lives as the men themselves. This is a realistic portrayal ofthe sometimes hostile world of black male/female relation- ships. McMillan writes from the heart with honesty and sensitivity. Her novel brings to life the songs of black women’s voices and experi- ance professional who always attracts the reassurance for this reviewer). Waiting to ences so the whole world can listen and learn. I{irle Susong Phi Reviewer The typical time travel film involves some pretty basic criteria: the lead running into his younger self, the actors working to avert some tragedy and ‘change the future,’ and the time travelers blending into their surroundings to avoid capture. Twelve Monkeys takes these normal parts ofa time traveling movie and subtly changes each ofthem, altering them just enough to make the film innovative yet still a mainstream hit. And largely, it works. _ The film’s premise? In the year 1996, a deadly virus breaks out around the world, mysteriously killing five billion people; mankind is forced to flee underground to save itself. But we humans are none too happy in the dark, grimy, industrial caves below the surface. So the government decides to send convicted criminal James Cole (Bruce Willis) back to the year of the outbreak - but not to change history, since that can’t be undone. Rather, they simply want him to locate the source ofthe pure virus, so that scientists can create a vaccine for it. Then man could safely return to the surface of the earth. At this point Willis makes the same mistake it seems every time traveler does. (I vow that if] ever travel back in time the last thing I will do is to tell people I am from the future, since they would think l was a complete loon. Why do they always make this mistake?) At any rate, Willis shoots his mouth off and is promptly taken to a psychiatric hospital, where he spends his time drooling. More importantly, he meets fellow inmate Jeffrey Goines (Brad Pitt), and also the kindly Dr. Kathryn Railly, played by Madeline Stowe (Last of the Mohicans). Needless to say, they become an intricate part of his planning as well as of the plot’s eventual resolution. The real strength ofthis film is the intricate plot, and the many twists and turns it takes. Thanks to time travel, you are never absolutely positive what is going on, or who knows what. And since the film states early on that the future is unchangeable only to a certain point, it makes the resolution of the plot all the more interesting and unpredictable. But as always occurs in science fiction or fantasy films, the unique features of Twelve Monkeys’ world aren’t perfectly developed. There are a number of questions which are left unresolved, and several of the characters’ actions don’t necessarily make sense. For example, ifthe future is truly unchangablc, then why does Jose give Cole a gun? is there any significance to the fact that the scientist always says she is in “insurance” at the film’s end? But though these distractions are disquieting, they also ultimately serve to illustrate the thought-provoking nature of the film. Brad Pitt takes a lot of criticism for being a beef-cake poster boy. but I think this film will go a long way towards proving his critics wrong. Pitt brittgs to his role as Jeffrey Goines a sort ofscary sanity reminiscent oflack Nicltolsun in (me Flew Over the Cuckoo ’s Nest; sometimes it’s difficult to decide if the chat 1lL'lL‘r.\‘ ::l?°- Army of 12 Monkys Marches Across the Silver Screen are sane people who love the freedom ‘insanity’ brings or if they really are crazy. The other members of the cast also perform admirably; it’s particularly good to see Bruce Willis continue to expand his repertoire. So what bothered me about this film, besides the aforementioned inconsisten- cies? One, the script is rather uneven. Writers David and Janet Peoples (the former being known for Unforgiven and Blade Runner) seem only to have sketched out some of the more interesting parts ofthe film, and let the rest ofthe plot development be filled in by apprentices. For example, the question of time travel is well addressed. But when the ‘everyday’ business of finding the virus begins, the script quicly loses its cleverness. When Cole and Railly are searching for the Army ofthe 12 Monkeys, they simply follow a trail of paint to the headquarters! That seems more appropriate to a Charlie Chan radio serial than a multi-layered film about the complexities of sanity and time. l also found myself quickly tiring of Terry Gilliam’s directorial vision. The former Monty Python member and director ofBrazil and The Fisher King takes :1 dark and slightly paranoid view ofthe future which quickly becomes tiresome‘ - afterall, this film isn’t 1984 and shouldn’t get too involved with that sort ofpost- industrial, urban grime picture. Overall, Twelve Monkeys is an above average picture. It raises and explores interesting questions about destiny, sanity and memory, all within the context of :1 plausible plot and compelling characters. Although there are a few loose ends here and there, Terry Gilliam’s dark vision is well-filmed and entertaining. And really, what more can we ask for from a film‘? OCR::/Vol_095_096/WLURG39_RTP_19960119/WLURG39_RTP_19960119_004.2.txt PAGE 4 Ella: ilting-‘tum Elfllti The Student Voice of Washington and Lee Founded September 18, 1897 You look fabulous Perhaps the most fascinating feature about Sorority Rush (minus the singing and clapping girls) is the veritable fashion lollapalooza that overruns our campus for one cold week in January. Yes, it’s time again for Lexington’s own Pret- a-Porter and you’re invited. From the Colonnade to the University Center, the women of Vogue and Cosmopolitan have stepped off their magazine’s pages and into our lives. Everywhere you turn it’s a bazaar of winter fashion. A-line skirts in classic black accom- pany form-fitting charcoal sweaters. Tasteful brown turtles, cream-colored tights, and sen- sible shoes adorn virtually all W&L women. Labels, labels, darling, it’s all about labels. Anne Klein, Ann Taylor, Todd Oldham. It’s not who you are, it’s what you wear. Evidently, it’s an absolutely fabulous campus—if only Patsy and Edina were here! Never mind the ridiculous decorations that overwhelm Fairfax Lounge and the Game Room. They look more like the runways of New York, Paris, and Milan. Yesterday somebodytthought they saw the film crew of MTV’s House of Style gathering footage for their college edition. Time to put away those tattered Gap jeans and over—sized J. Crew sweaters, ladies! Grab those Kenneth Cole shoes and that funky mod squad dress you found in that boutique on Rodeo. That’s right, honey, Kate Moss ain’t got nothing on you. Style, poise, and elegance are this week’s buzz words. Diet Coke and rice cakes in hand, sorority wom,e_r1,:,;,i,r1 haute couture, have revolu- tionized W&L’s fashion scene. Guys take a look! After this weekend it’s back to the frumpy casual wear of crunchy comfort —- so tired, so old, so three years ago! Who cares about the snow on the ground? Check out those glammin’ women. Hot, hot, hot. So what if it is gloomy and gray outside? This week’s explosive excitement is inside. They may call us snotty, shallow, and superfi- cial. Maybe they’re right. But don’t despair, darling, because, as Billy Crystal would say, you looook mahvelous. Quote of the Week “That’s what Rush is all about.” —A Kappa Alpha Theta on the thousands of pieces of blue tape used to attach decorations to the wall The Ring-tum Phi, January 19, 1996 '-V? I tl 3l.«_;'lE M; ‘M , um . .5 ' F‘ i i I ,‘ HF’ I __ V.‘ H t as‘ -_ - . “ Imuelekkamkk-Er End of Racism : old issue, new debate MY VIEW Joshua Heslinga Over the past several weeks, a dis- cussion has been raging on Washing- ton and Lee’s campus about the nature of racism and multiculturalism. One of the most unfortunate things about such discussions, as they are commonly held, is that both sides seem just to rail against the other, repeating mantras about affirmative action and multiculturalism without much com- prehension or substantial reasoning. The arguments in such discussions are frequently constricted and hardly ever supported in detail. A few months ago, a book was published that attempted to change the nature of the discussion of racism in America. You’ve probably ,heard the many outraged liberal denunciations of this book. I’m referring to The End ofRacism by Dinesh D’Souza. I bought D’Souza’s book partly because I figured that if it had drawn such condemnation from the en- trenched liberal civil rights establish- ment, it probably had more than a grain of truth to it. I now believe that The End ofRacism is one of the best books on culture and public policy I have ever read. It is exhaustively re- searched and extensive in its explora- tion of racism’s history, scathing in its treatment of those who stand in the way of real solutions, and painfully probing in searching out contempo- rary cultural pathologies and prescrib- ing remedies for them. D’Souza provides an in depth look at the origins of the modern liberal commitment to group equality and pro- portional representation, ideas that have become gospel without any seri- ous reasoned support. He charges that while the early sociological commit- ment to cultural relativism served to fightthe entrenched racism ofthe early 20th century, it has now become a major obstacle toward finding serious solutions to contemporary attitudes. D’Souza presents the central di- lemma for liberals clearly. By nearly all means of measurement, American attitudes toward race have undergone a remarkable transformation that now shows little or no explicit racism. Yet liberals have been puzzled as to why a reliance on merit has not produced a greater change in black achievement. In response, they have devised a dubi- ous and unsupported concept of insti- tutional and implicit racism that ig- nores any pretenses offairness or merit and relies on explicit racial prefer- ences that, D’Souza alleges, “treat in- competent individuals as competent on account of their membership in a fa"\Foi'e‘d3 grasp.” ‘ In addition to destroying standards as a whole, these racial preferences virtually concede black inferiority by acknowledging that less qualified mi- norities must be chosen in order to -produce “fair” levels of achievement. In 1993, Jack Nelson, chief of the Los Angeles Times’ Washington bu- reau, announced to his staffthat hence- forth, only women and minorities would be hired. He was asked if this prohibition on white males amounted to discrimination and replied: “No,it’s affirmative action.” Similarly, Freddie Hernandez, a black lieutenant in the Miami fire department, stated, “We hire 60% Hispanics here, regardless of qualifications.” These rigid instances of explicitly racial preference have provoked, in D’Souza’s words, a large white back- lash that believes that “America does not have a race problem but rather a black problem.” While some of this backlash against racial preferences is undoubtedly expressive ofracist senti- ments, some black Americans too are beginning to attack affirmative action, and most whites seek only the restora- tion of Martin Luther King’s color- blind standard. However, many liberal civil rights’ activists see this as insufficient and reject all merit-based standardized tests, which invariably show a large gap between white and black achieve- ment. These large merit gaps have led liberal coalitions to oppose all testing and job qualification standards as in- herently racist. Yet D’Souza points out that the National Academy of Sci- ences recently concluded that these tests in fact over predict black achieve- ment, and even critics ofthe tests, such as James Crouse and Dale Trusheim, authors of The Case A gainsl the SA T, '‘ freely admitithat the tests are, if'any- thing, biased toward blacks. To his great credit. D’Souza moves beyond the pessimistic recognition of the merit gap that is too often the extent of contemporary debate. Con- trary to the assertions of many of his critics, D’Souza rejects any arguments of the genetic inferiority of blacks, including those proposed by Charles Murray in his controversial book on IQ, The Bell Curve. Rather, he seeks to confront many of the pathologies that destroy achievement in black culture. He ar- gues that having achieved formal equality, blacks must now address these cultural problems, which liber- als refuse to acknowledge because it threatens their belief in cultural rela- tivism. These cultural problems in- clude extraordinarily high crime rates, the normalization of illegitimacy, prevalent drug use, dependency on government for help, glorification of violence, a reliance on racism as an excuse, and a complete “repudiation of standard English and academic achievement as forms of acting white.’” Unfortunately, the penetrating and honest commentary that D’Souza of- fers is hardly welcome in contempo- rary debates over racism and multiculturalism. As he states, the civil rights establishment owes its contin- ued existence to the constant unearth- ing of allegedly racist attitudes and practices. Indeed, liberal blacks denounce any serious dissent from the line of the civil rights establishment, impugn- ing non—black critics as racists and invoking the dreaded Uncle Tom epi- thet toward black conservatives. Washington Post columnist Carl Rowan declared: “if you give [Su- preme Court Justice Clarence] Tho- mas a little flour on his face, you’d think you had David Duke.” Black historian John Henrik Clarke sums up this attitude, asserting that “black con- servatives are really frustrated slaves crawling back to the plantation.” These inflammatory statements and attitudes have been used (or over- used) so much that they now have only questionable effect. Controver- sial presidential candidate Pat Buchanan declares, “Words like rac- ist’ have lost their power to intimi- date. No one is cowed anymore.” This ominously harsh rhetoric stands as a major obstacle to reaching the multiracial society that D’Souza envisions. It would behoove those on both sides of the debate (as well as those in the vast gray area between the two encampments) to listen to his innovative and compelling voice, for only when the debate becomes truly honest and open will we be able to achieve The End ofRacism. @112 ilting-tum lfllti Executive Editors ................................................................. ..Emily Baker, Dan Odenwald Associate Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Michael Hewlett NCWS Edll0l' .............. .. Christine Ga]-navjsh Editorial Page Editor.. ..... ..Hillary Coombs Sports Editor ................................................................... ..Scott Bookwalter Assistant Sports Editor .............................................. .. Features Editor ............. .. Photography Editor.... Editorial Cartoonists ............................................................. .. ....Bclhany Bauman ........ ..Cindie Young ....................... ..Betsy Green Phil Fliekinger, Tom Fallaee Business Manager ....................................................................................... ..Robert Nelson Assistant Business Manager... ..... ..Doug Gertner Advertising Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Jcnnifer Grant Advertisement Composition Artist ................................................................ ..Anne Alvord The Ring-tum Phi is published Fridays during the undergraduate school year at Washington and Lee University. Lexington. Virginia. Funding for The Ring-tum Phi comes primarily from advertising and subscription rev'enues. The Washington and Lee Publications Board elects the executive editor and business manager, but The Ring-(um Phi is otherwise independent. Letters and other submissions must be in the Phi office, room 208 of the University Center, by noon on Tuesday to appear in that week’s edition. Letters, columns, and “My Views” do not reflect the opinions 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 oflibel and obscenity. The Ring-tum Phi Post Office Box 899 Lexington, Virginia 24450 Telephone (540)462-4059 Fax (540) 462-4060 E-mail p/ti@w1u.cdu Why can’t they just keep it to themselves? THE FAR MIDDLE Alex Christensen I did not attend the Mock Convention Gala (and don’t ask me to pronounce it), but it did, at least for me, provide a telling glimpse into the unpromising future of our country and the evils of so-called “political correctness” and “tolerance.” While these are fine concepts in general, I think they are really getting out of hand when people try to force them into the mainstream of society, past the point of all reasonableness, until everyone is expected to con- form to..the. same norms that everyone else does, leaving little or no room for disagreement. “What does this have to do with the Mock Con- vention Gala?” you ask, aswellyou might.“lthought it was just another date function.” Sure, that’s what they would like you to believe. lt’s alljust another excuse for a party, another excuse to dance and drink and have fun. That’s true up to a point, until you see the sinister ideology such an event promotes, however subtly. Everywhere you looked on campus, it was the same. At first, it was hardly noticeable. Out of nowhere, they appeared: Women with men! Men with women! Laughing couples holding hands and pretending to be happy while flaunting their so-called “lifestyles” in a flimsy exercise to try to make them look more acceptable to the mainstream. Surrounding me was a tide of political correctness, screaming, “Abandon your morals! Throw away your future! Forget the rules of tradition and common decency! Heterosexuality is just as good as any other arrange- ment.” Now, I realize that in today’s political climate, it is unfashionable to “bash” heterosexuality. Suddenly, politicians from Newt Gingrich to Bill Clinton to Pat Robertson want us all to believe that being hetero- sexual is somehow “okay,” or even desirable. “Family values” are pararr Jill in the political discussion. And heterosexuals have not let this go unnoticed. Suddenly, as ifout of nowhere, they are flexing their newfound political muscle in an effort to carve out a territory for “special” heterosexual rights. They want tax deductions for married couples that somehow constitute more of a “family” than any other loving living arrangement. They want marriage to be an exclusively heterosexual province, depriving the chil- dren of people of other sexual orientations of a more stable, identifiably cohesive environment in which to grow up. In some states, heterosexual extremists have even attempted to organize to pass ballot initiatives that would deny access to the political process to anyone but heterosexuals. How far is this politically correct hegemony going to extend before the Ameri- can people see it for what it is? .I1Ihis.all dates backtothesixties. Then, “hippies” demanding “peace” and “love” threw out the old boundaries and moralities in favor of “free love.” They brought their sexuality out of the closet, and demanded that everyone watch them fomicating in the woods on television, at the movies—throughout the popular culture. What once had been tolerance of other people’s sexual choices and living arrangements became just a general sickness at watching naked men and women going at it all the time. And yet, they continued. Now you can’t turn on a daytime talk show without seeing some hick with three teeth and long hair at the back of his flattop, just emerged from his trailer for the first time in months and still blinking, talking about exactly how he and his wife like to have sex. Do we really need to know? I, for one, am ready to step forward and say, “Enough is enough!” I don’t care what ’anyone’s sexual orientation is——have sex with anyone and ev- eryone you want, or an old boot. But the public promotion evinced toward this kind of sick, open heterosexuality is just wrong. Imagine the effect this could have on our children alone. Suddenly, instead of discovering their sexuality in pure, healthy ways, they would, have a heterosexual hegemony mandating that they get married, have kids, confonn to the American ideal, even before they fully realize their own potential as individuals or develop healthy attitudes toward sexuality. The country would be overrun with loping, macho men and mincing, effete women all trying the latest “hip” trend of heterosexuality. While I don’t think that any one religion should control the government, it is abundantly clear by now that America is fundamentally a Christian nation, and this kind of rampant sexual immorality is clearly againstthe Bible. In the Old Testament alone, there are over 300 prescriptions on heterosexual activity. Can the message be clearer? This is not to mention the unhealthy aspects of the heterosexual lifestyle. Over 90 percent of the world’s AIDS cases are caused by heterosexual sex. A deadly epidemic is passing through our society like wildfire while “populists” and pseudo—intellectuals tell us that heterosexuality is “natural.” If it is so natural, why will it kill you? May as well light up and shoot up and throw away your life as become a practicing heterosexual these days. Heterosexuals are also more likely to be child molesters. 90 percent of child molestation, committed against both young girls and young boys, is committed by pedophiles who often masquerade as “normal” heterosexual men with goodjobs. wives and families. Obviously‘.s0methingisterribly wrongwithalifestyle that can generate these kind of shocking statistics. I’m not saying that all heterosexuals should be locked away or whatever wild final solutions to the problem some have proposed. I have lots of good friends who are heterosexual, and even though I am their friend, I let them know in no uncertain terms that what they are doing, in my opinion, is a sin. I’m just saying that society cannot afford to sanction some- thing so insidious as this in the name of “PC.” or “toleration,” and whileweshouldnotviolatethc rights ofheterosexuals, we alsoshould not pretend that what they are doing is right or even morally neutral. So next time you see a young boy-girl couple walking down the street, making moon eyes and flaunting their perversity for all the world to see,just ask yourself what you are being asked to accept in that arrangement. Me? I don’t go for fancy cars, diamond rings or movie stars. I go for penguins. Oh, Lord, I go for penguins. OCR::/Vol_095_096/WLURG39_RTP_19960119/WLURG39_RTP_19960119_005.2.txt The Ring-tum Phi, January 19, 1996 Looking for somet think of the things I could do. What jumps out right away is to become one of the people who “buys” back text- DREAM LAND Richard Weaver hing to do the 137 different shots I took ofthem, I’d still be raking in a profit. Plus I would get to go to Fancy Dress for free. already pretty much know my way around. I’d like to build a dairy there, just like the one they have at Sweet b00l\C\k\’\l\lER. BUY RE \Nl>é M’\2o\)D Ui~\DERi>ciAii:.\Ji;R M=oi/ZegS:1g1:ad1$8.95 ... Take outs 434.3157 * . e son t., exmgton — : I Nightly dinner specials : Lunch Specials Daily : I I1I9IW'I lwlal ISILI, IIICIX 9| I I I E at u a’m' _ « Dinner served 4:30 p.m. ‘til ‘.'?? Reservations recommended '9 3 / g .. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII .. ‘./I app oqa9.Qo' . if Ladies’ Shoes, Clothing Restaurant an 9{o55ie’sLounge Don’; Le; andAccessories Your Student Route 7, Box 99A G0 Hung”, Welcome Back Students Lexington, Virginia 24450 : Near the Horse Center Phone 464-9499 23 N. Main St. (703)463-5988 / Lexington, VA 24450 \\ Lounge open 4:00 p.m. to? Restaurant ll-001m in 0-30 r) m \ : : would you like to spend the summer working I W/427¢g2&p0Ag : of a Wyoming Guest Ranch? Ours is on V I H H V 3 5”’ 2Z“{"‘“2”‘e“ I 1425,0095 acres in the Medicine Bow Mountains, Nutrltlogfiglugalyjdfggfclaltles E curd Séadea 3 next to a wilderness area. We serve 1% Hearty Sandwl~CheS&Mexl-can Entrees : i : guests at a time with a staff of 85. If you are Candlelightpmers : ,9 S. st. : available from about June 1 to September 8 or 2 463__274Z : the end of September, and enjoy both out- ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo doors and being of Service to Others: Weld‘ TEACH ENGLISH lN KORE/\- Positions available monthly. B./\. or 13.5. to set up an interview, For an application or degree required. U5 $18,500-25,400/yr. Accomodation & rourid—trip _ _ _ airfare provided. Send resume, copy of diploma and copy of passport to: more 'nf°rmat'°n‘ Bob or Margle HOW» A 30" A Bol< .Ji Coprporation, Chun Bang Bldg, 15445 Samsung Dong, Kang Nam Gu, Ranch p 0 BOX 1g4g Conifer CO 80433 (363) Seoul, Korea 155-090. ’ ' ' 4 ’ TEL: oii—s2—2-sss—.ioss(se27) FAX: oii-s2—2-ss2—4FA><(4529) 838-1950 0|’ e-mail O F0 ranch O0l-Com l Give Your Student a Homecooked Meal With Our Point Card 19 W. ‘Washington St., Lexington, VA 24450 OCR::/Vol_095_096/WLURG39_RTP_19960119/WLURG39_RTP_19960119_007.2.txt :WpThe Ring-tum Phi, January 19, 1996 IJAGE 7 YtT'll‘|.‘|iT‘li3 « EANS LOWF£i:iCE$ W Wm WM Ground ‘. g c an >‘:ixv04uU‘I0iI‘ Rebekah Prince Cam Dyer Women’s Swimming Men's Basketball Rebekah Prince seemed to be everywhere Dyer has piled up some amazing numbers last week, _ in the past few weeks. The seniorcaptainwasamain contributorin The Senior has not Scored under twenty the Generals’ three meet victories last week. points since the New Year. After scoring 21 She proved herconsistency bycapturingat least points against both Virginia Wesleyan and Sa'e one race in each mee(tj. Aga(t')r(1)st Centre, Prince Iliyn(a«- ' . ' OZ. Cans ""5 V25 3"’ *i”‘,"‘*"* “?"~""i"">‘-“‘»‘v”fi-*“i'*"*«»’3’»*L‘ AM? it -ms .'e .92 (mi? 3 !.4I.x::'.»: C*ff,i:?=r *:r.w«‘a-.—ate.«":» ::.§.a».n:;}..,,~«‘;%~ 3-” -4 sklnner Ver'l,1'ce'" or I ' D . t ::m“;:" §1'*3d3»'f"’tl7‘$} as ‘3;'z3C’ 30 M sm.‘.:a; t‘é:'»:(*' :4.‘ a.~~.s,!.x;x‘'> 1‘? 5*-T‘*'.*‘.<¥’u(:$;; _ .,~t.4.t¢“)c.§;t’:{}\ ’;i1€a'«M;a’i§(°.' g.’§§‘§§{,l yd ' _,’;,......A i ,‘ >._ . gal; ,s’..,¢ it I hm PS” r 'e v".'i".!*“:* Di’/\'1'x:F.,i'ty‘{t’tt?l:‘] .-e.'1:,it(.~;,*.'(.“:tY\1t1';2*:e' mfi U W)‘; I - - * o !k”“”' - _’~‘ » * 5.... s. ~92 . s. I. Jfifcaitaxrfi Ht‘; * Spa heft‘ Pe St & M For more mfomaation, please set: =Captain Hanvefi at the :3 I Evans Difllflg Hall on February‘ I3, 1996 from 11:00 a.m.-1.-00p.m. or call 7-«80{)~542~$85 1, . 7 oz. g . . . 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(800) 95 BREAK‘ L V \ T l OCR::/Vol_095_096/WLURG39_RTP_19960119/WLURG39_RTP_19960119_008.2.txt Last Week: Wa.I.srLINc - L, 34-12, vs. Pensacola Christian; L, 25-24, vs. Davidson - W,7-1-71, vs. Lynchburg; L, 81-66, at Rand.-Macon; L, 90-83, vs. Roanoke; L, 84-73, at Emory& Henry - W, 55-46, vs. Hollins; L,56-54, vs. Lynchburg; L, 70-47, vs. Emory& Henry; L.67-44, at E. Mennonite Mswnlumo - W, 109-82, at Centre; W, 88-52, vs. Buffalo State; L, 126-64, at Catholic Wswmuma - W, 122-60, at Centre; W, 118-44, vs. Buffalo State; W, 103-102, at Catholic PAGE 8 S Ellie fling-mm lflhi PORTS BASKETBALL, SWIMMING, WRESTLING, INDOOR TRACK This Week: Wnzsnma - Saturday in W&L Invitational, 9:00AM MBAs|(n'aAu.- Saturday at Bridgewater, 7:30 PM; Wednesday vs. Hampden-Sydney, 7:30 PM WBAsIrl:raA|.L - Saturday at Randolph-Macon, 2:00 PM; ’ Tuesday vs. Eastern Mennonite, 7:00 PM; Thursday vs. Randolph-Macon, 7:00 PM M, Wswnmmc - Saturday vs. Emory, Johns Hopkins. 10:00 AM M, WINDOOR Truck - Saturday at Virginia Tech Invitational ‘'1: JANUARY 19, 1996 ti . Late int’; e "gang .VMl' 1, gs;;ofNieo1eSimpson"' [nd3Ro_nafld._Goldman. ._ ays. .71.: does, ‘remember j