Disaster brings out the best in US

While the United States’ powerful image as the world leader has dimmed around the globe with this economic recession, the government’s response to this disaster has again proven that the U.S. can be a shining example to the rest of the world for its humanitarianism. While thousands of fans filled the Superdome last night to celebrate the Saint’s first NFC Championship, we cannot lose sight of our not-so-distant past, and the fact that the very same Superdome was once overflowed with relocated residents of New Orleans. Katrina taught us a number of lessons about emergency response, and it is encouraging that our nation finally has leaders in place who can manage disasters effectively.

— “”Obama’s handling of Haiti trumps Bush’s Katrina response,”” Stanford Daily Editorial Board, Jan. 25

College media is the future

Magazines and newspapers dedicated to specific topics advocate addressing an issue important to the staff and audience they cater to. Although sometimes it may seem like biased reporting is afoot, using print media writing or news writing is still an effective way to construct a report — regardless of technological advances in broadcast … Society, especially at the college level — the peak of the learning environment — must invest, if not money, time into the finer and more articulate weavings of written publications. This is not only for the continuation of literacy but for the importance of understanding the world we live in and to help proliferate intellectual ideas.

— “”Reports of news writing’s death largely exaggerated,”” The University of Northern Colorado Mirror Staff Report, Jan. 26

Does research deserve stimulus money?

The purpose of the “”American  Recovery and Reinvestment Act”” was to create jobs through aggressive spending at a time when private companies weren’t hiring and when small businesses couldn’t get loans. Generally, this means infrastructure investments — building new roads, bridges and public buildings. These projects are “”shovel-ready”” and can be accomplished relatively quickly. Research is the opposite. It tends to be be tedious and time-consuming … this country needs jobs now. The state unemployment rate climbed to 7.5 percent in December and stands at about 10 percent nationally. These numbers will not change as long as tax dollars are not spent adequately. Instead, that money should work to improve infrastructure by creating jobs, not just maintaining existing ones. America’s economic future could get worse before it gets better. But the next time the federal government attempts to stimulate the economy they should ensure they know the proper definition of stimulate.

— “”Stimulating conversation,”” University of Maryland Diamondback Editorial Board, Jan. 25

Prejudice preventing justice

Same-sex marriage advocates concluded testimony Friday in their efforts to overturn California’s ban imposed after Proposition 8 passed in 2008. The California Federal District court proceedings are fairly unprecedented, but the testimony, especially by those in support of the ban on gay marriage, were unfortunately not. Several took to the stand touting unfounded and baseless beliefs that same-sex marriage leads to incest, polygamy and sex with children. The absurdity of these arguments would be comical if they weren’t serious ideas coming from people with large audiences, and we would perhaps be able to brush them off if they weren’t representative, on many levels, of the entire body of logic underlying support for Proposition 8. But outrageous assertions like these continue to hold influence in judicial courts and in the courts of public opinion … At its essence, the entire argument amounts to a temper tantrum- but as these children scream and shout, they also vote, picket, and lobby governments … This isn’t reasoned debate, and both sides’ points are not equally valid: this is, simply, prejudice at work. And while the debate rages on, both in California and around America, we all have friends, neighbors and fellow good-hearted people around us who continue to live in this country without equal provision of rights under the law.

— “”The anti-gay marriage measure hits the Federal court in California,”” University of North

Dakota Student Editorial Board, Jan. 26

TSA needs to be more down to earth

The Transportation Security Administration and other international air-travel security administrations are all professing to do their best to proactively address security concerns, but they have been taking measures such as installing more metal detectors — when many explosives are made from plastic parts —  and installing full-body scanners … Even with the most advanced equipment, if those who are responsible for operating it do not take their jobs seriously, there may as well be no security measures at all. It is time for all members of any organization meant to protect citizens to start doing their jobs. The TSA needs to objectively evaluate its procedures and apply a system that effectively screens and protects passengers and have standards that place a certain amount of perceived responsibility on their employees. Maybe then Americans can once again feel secure traveling the skies.

— “”TSA needs to rethink security procedures,”” UConn Daily Campus Editorial Board, Jan. 27

How crumby! “”Catcher in the Rye”” author J.D. Salinger has died

Through the striking voice of Holden Caulfield, J.D. Salinger blamed “”phony”” adults for the confusion and pain of kids trying to find their way … Holden Caulfield’s greatest rebellion is his courage to be sincere in a world of cynicism. The boy asks why people do awful things to each other. He asks why they can’t be better. He asks why children can’t be saved from the world, and he even knows they shouldn’t be. Salinger’s last public interview was thirty years ago. The spotlight fell on him and he walked away, not because he didn’t have the courage, but because he refused to be the “”phony”” he so despised.

— “”Author’s death propels reflection on his influence,”” University of Northern Colorado Mirror Staff Report, Jan. 29