The Observer, April 27, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 26
Outside the Circle
Threatening letters sent across country
Television networks and individuals nationwide have been receiving threatening letters from a person who feels that college cheerleaders are exploited on TV and that female athletes are not treated fairly by TV stations and camera men. Some of the letters contained a dangerous powder insecticide. According to a letter from September of 2004: "We have asked nicely for them to respect us and all women, yet they refuse. They exploit innocent people, so we will too. When they start respecting us, we stop mailing these out."
The letters have different postmarks, some coming from Chicago, some from Seattle, and some from Portland. Some of the letters were publicly released by the FBI to try and get a lead on who might be sending the letters. Despite the insecticide found in some, no one has been hurt yet.
The person writing the letters has a problem with the way that female sports are televised. "Watch how they always zoom in on WNBA players shooting free throws then leave at the last second as she starts to shoot, disrupting the flow," read a September 2004 letter. "Watch on ESPN how they will show women serve, close up, from every angle (side, back) except when they zoom in close front, they will leave as she starts to serve, disrupting the flow."
However, the biggest issue seems to be with how cheerleaders are portrayed. The September letter reads, "ABC/ESPN exploit collegiate and professional cheer squads in their coverage of football and basketball. They also screw WNBA players and WTA Tennis players. Compare coverage of cheer and dance squads based on [the] outfits they wear."
The issue persists in a letter written in December of 2006. This time, they focus in on Ohio State cheerleaders. "For the past 6-7 years, ESPN and its nationwide networks have exploited cheer/dance teams all across the country. They do this by parking their TV cameras on these women for their own personal entertainment, but only give TV time to squads that wear long sleeved shirts, jackets, sweaters, etc. The squads that don't wear these types of outfits? They get exploited. For a long time we have warned ESPN, the networks, and several schools what would happen if this did not change. For the last six years, Ohio State cheerleaders have received more TV time than any other Division 1A cheer squad on ESPN, because they wear long sleeved red/white outfits. If they wore sleeveless outfits, they would not get any TV time."
So far, no one has been connected to the letters. The FBI and the Postal Service hope that after releasing the excerpts of the letters publicly, someone will be able to identify the author.
Column temporarily removed from newspaper for encouraging violence
The chancellor at North Carolina Central University, James Ammons, spoke out publicly against a column appearing in the student newspaper, the Campus Echo. For a short time, the column was also pulled from the internet Website but is now back up. The column, written by Soloman Burnette, was titled "Death to All Rapists."
The column was written in the wake of the dismissal of charges in a Duke sexual assault case involving two black women and a number of white men. In the column, Burnette writes, "The only deterrant to these legally, socially, and economically validated supremacist actions is the fear of physical retribution."
"We are aware of the fact that Mr. Burnette has a right to express his opinion, but we also know that the freedom of speech comes with the responsibility to be fair and accountable," Ammons said.
Burnette also said that "American law is not worth the paper it is written upon" and "We black people (while we may be able to bribe judges like white people) cannot expect justice from the American legal system, period."
Most alarming to the administration however, was how he closed the column, with what they thought appeared to be a call to arms. Burnette wrote, "White people still murder us with impunity. White people still beat us with impunity. White people still rape us and get away with it . . . Black men, stand up. Black women, stand up. Black children, stand up. We have been at war here with these same white people for 500 years. The time to fight, whether intellectually, artistically, or physically, has always been now."
Finishing out the semester at Virginia Tech
In the wake of the tragedies on April 16, the administration at Virginia Tech has been working to decide the best way to finish the school year. The best decision needed to be the correct mix of compassion, flexibility, and academic standards. As such, the university is offering students a choice as to how to complete their semester.
Students did not have class last week, with their first day back being April 23. For each course, students have the option of being graded on: "Materials which have already been submitted for grade prior to April 16, or [t]he already submitted material plus any other assigned material which the student wishes to submit for grade, or [t]he material that would have been submitted for grade upon regular completion of the course," said a press release. Students can make these decisions on a course-by-course basis and have until the last day of class to decide what they would like to do.
"The options for completing course work allow for students to remove themselves from the campus for all or part of the remainder of the semester without penalty to their course completion, or academic eligibility," said a press release.
The university has also decided to honor those lost during graduation. "The university has decided that those students whose lives were taken will be awarded posthumously the academic degree for which they were enrolled effective Spring 2007," said a press release. "These degrees will be awarded during the college, graduate school, or departmental commencement exercises, where such degrees are usually awarded."
Stage weapons banned at Yale
Six hours before her show, Red Roses, opened, director Sarah Holdren was informed that a Yale administrator had decided to ban the use or portrayal of weapons on campus stages. This move was in response to the recent shootings at Virginia Tech. The show, which is set in the Middle Ages and includes sword fights, had to be reworked. Her actors took the stage with obviously fake wooden swords, to the misplaced amusement of the audience.
Before the curtain went up, Holdren addressed the audience. "Calling for an end to violence on stage does not solve the world's suffering; it merely sweeps it under the rug, turning theater–in the words of this very play –into 'creamy bon-bons' instead of 'solid fare' for a thinking, feeling audience. Here at Yale, sensitivity and political correctness have become censorship in this time of vital need for serious artistic expression. Our swords tonight may be wooden, but our show aims to be much more than child's play. We hope our story lifts you and lightens you, for it is founded upon 'the mirth of children and sages, the mirth born of compassion and joy.' And such mirth will not be stifled, no matter the shadows of this or any other time."
A student director, Leah Franqui, is working on Accidental Death of an Anarchist, which involves a prop gun. She received an e-mail from Betty Trachtenberg, dean of student affairs that said, "Given the events of a few days ago in Virginia, I question, at this time, the use of even a prop handgun in this (or other productions). I suggest that you find another way."
The faculty and students are reacting, seeing it as a threat to personal expression and the arts. The use of fake-looking props can hurt productions, turning otherwise serious works into a farce. There is no word as to how long this rule will be in place.
