Mercy for Music Pirates
I read the article on illegal music downloading in Wednesday's paper and I felt uncomfortable with the term "illegal downloading." I prefer "undocumented music purchasing." We should be more sensitive to these undocumented music purchasers because most of them are hard working, good people who love their families and only want to be entertained like everybody else. I also hope law enforcement officials will exercise mercy rather than justice when dealing with people who are only seeking entertainment, and I hope we here at BYU will show more toleration and respect to undocumented music purchasers since they are Heavenly Father's children too.
Samuel Smith
London, Ontario
Wikipedia and Laziness
I was rather appalled and slightly disappointed at whatever individual wrote the introduction John Tanner gave for Ken Burns' Forum on Tuesday. Paraphrasing portions of a Wikipedia article titled "Ken Burns" would not only get one a poor grade in a paper for a film class, but is completely unjustified in showing the greatest documentarian of our time the respect he deserves.
The introduction about Burns directly plagiarized the portion of the Wikipedia article titled the "Ken Burns Effect" in crediting how Burns chooses to edit photographs within his documentaries; while innovative, Burns' treatment of still photographs is just one element in the style he uses as a documentarian; perhaps if we learned to look for sources beyond Wikipedia and actually took the effort to research, we would deserve to have speakers like Ken Burns.
Kathy Johnson
Provo
Summer Sales Epidemic
We've all heard it before, "How would you like to make $80,000 this summer?" Why do we hear it so much? Why has BYU become a target? Summer sales recruiting has become an epidemic that has negatively affected many areas of campus life. Attractive females and other inexperienced recruiters who have never actually sold anything promise easy money. They offer you "free" lunch in order to tell you about all of the $80,000 success stories. I recognize some have made this much money, but the problem is recruiters "forget" to mention the numerous students who come home broke. I came to BYU to receive a college education, not to be in a recruiting pool for summer sales. Money changers, please exit.
Mark Nelson
Provo
Campus of Liars
From the people who wrote in 2004 infuriated by the picture of people with no shoes on while relaxing on campus, to the controversy over the BYUSA elections in 2005 and 2006, to the Soulforce debates, the Honor Code is never far from our minds. The Honor Code has essentially turned this university into a campus of liars. In the article "Truancy Violates Y Policy" (March 27), the author claims, "it could be construed that if students are not attending classes.... then they are breaking the Honor Code." So basically we are trying to make even the people who are striving to live these standards into Honor Code criminals.
The mere existence of the Honor Code has turned the idea of a "higher law" into something we get to follow only when we leave. We are living the modern-day Law of Moses, and therefore can infer we are not worthy of the higher law. The University's Honor Code has turned us into a group of children who can't take spiritual responsibility for their own actions.
Now, I realize I chose to come to this university, I signed the Honor Code and I therefore must live by it. But what are we being taught by the culture of the Honor Code - to tattle on and shun those who are struggle is noble and good?
I have more faith in the church and its leaders to think this is what they intend the Honor Code to accomplish.
Leah Pettit
Newbury Park, Calif.
Give Us 'Real' News
The thought recently crossed my mind if Soulforce and Dick Cheney were both destroyed by a renegade asteroid, column-writers and commentators alike at BYU would both be at a loss for ideas. The lack of interesting news lately has left me numbly yearning for a time in journalism when we gave consideration to truly important social issues on campus like the virtues of the beard card; the perils of rock'n'roll music; the presence of a partially-clad Native American statue on campus. While Patrick Henry demanded liberty or death, I demand real news or death - preferably real news.
Scott Cowley
Sandy
Move Volleyball Games
With all of the excitement for the men's volleyball game this weekend, it's a pity so few students can attend. The Smith Fieldhouse is too small to hold all of the students who come to support our third ranked BYU cougars. It would be better if they were able to play in a bigger space - like the Marriott Center. Doing so would allow for more students to attend.
Many students are driven away by long lines and limited space inside. Crowding so many people in such a small space makes it so the fans sweat as much as the athletes. Hosting the men's volleyball games in the Marriott Center would also provide enough space for both those who choose to stand and those who want to sit. If the university would show more support for the volleyball program by providing a larger venue, many more Cougar fans could enjoy the games and show their support as well.
Amy Moss
Woodland, Wash.
Alternative Solution
The parking situation at BYU needs a reformation. Not only is BYU giving away too many parking passes, but is also getting rid of vital parking lots around campus for expansion projects. I am deeply concerned BYU is not making any efforts to provide parking alternatives for faculty and students. How will the parking situation ever be resolved if BYU continues to give out free parking passes? Stop for a moment and consider an alternative. BYU could charge for parking and provide free priority parking for those who carpool. This solution has worked at other universities and would be easy and inexpensive to implement. No new parking lots would be required and the carpooling would decrease the current parking congestion. This must be taken care of by next fall semester.
Darren Heiner
Thayne, Wyo.
DU Missed Boat
I was just wondering why The Daily Universe doesn't deem it newsworthy when a BYU recreational management class lead by a 67-year-old professor and his 23-year-old TA get lost for around 30 hours while hiking in Escalante State Park. The group had to have search and rescue airlift them out in helicopters. After talking to my cousin who was a member of the rescued party, it seemed to me to be quite an interesting and newsworthy tale. Better luck next time on getting the big scoops.
David Sorensen
Richland, Wash.
Editor's note: We are genuinely interested providing readers with complete community coverage. If you have a news tip, feel free to get in touch with us and tell us about it.
WEB LETTERS
Keep Letters Coming
I am appreciative of BYU's gracious tolerance of Soulforce last year, for the invitation to Vice President Cheney to speak at graduation, for booing fans at basketball games and for the continuous supply of other issues BYU deals with that infuriate and motivate devoted Latter-day saints and wavering saints alike to write their complaints to the editor.
Were it not for these marvelously "wonderful contentions one with another," I would be resigned to live out the remainder of my college career submitting to nothing but the monotony of daily study and educational instruction without exposure to conflicts such as these that add such exhilaration to my day.
How thankful I am for the combination of the incredible ignorance and exceptional expertise of many of my fellow students who so thoughtfully exercise their First Amendment rights through the medium of The Daily Universe.
What wonderful ironies. What fantastic inconsistencies. Thank you BYU for operating according to BYU's aims of education and for not focusing solely on gratifying students. Otherwise, we wouldn't enjoy the enrichment that comes from reading all of the self-assured, yet unaware student outlooks on life. Thank you, sensitive students for providing such delightfully conflicting insights over such trivial matters. Seriously. You make my day.
Mark Tew
Las Vegas
'That's Gospel'
Mohandas Gandhi once said, "Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit."?? In response to "Expel BYU Students" and "Acting politically correct" (Web letters March 26) which comment on the Soulforce visit, I respond with religion.
Did Jesus not visit, love and care for the "disgusting"?? in his society? For the prostitutes and the thieves and lepers? Did he not teach us to love one another, even as we love ourselves?
One author went as far as to call for the expulsion of two BYU students. While I do not know Lauren, I do personally know the student referred to as the "straight ally."? He is one of the brightest and most promising students at this university. The author argues this student should be kicked out because of his affiliation with a group that is contradictory to the teachings of the Church. I'm afraid I don't understand him. Did a member of Soulforce approach you and try to convince you to become homosexual? Did a member of Soulforce come up to you and tell you to not accept all mankind (that's gospel, my friend)?
While I doubt if he would join in the Equality Ride, I have no qualms about imagining Jesus standing with the Soulforce members, asking them questions, and treating them as he would treat any child of God.
Spencer Dorsey
Manassas Va.
Copyright Brigham Young University 29 Mar 2007
