The world has never been described as a perfect place. In fact, it is typically depicted as bleak and on the edge of destruction. Since there are so many problems in our secluded campus community alone, I am going to take the opportunity to stand on my soapbox and point out a few problems that I believe need to be addressed.
Problem one: Guns, guns, guns-rednecks can’t get enough of ’em, and those individuals who are, shall we say, “lacking,” are sporting them around campus to compensate. Greek Row will soon be offering the courses necessary to obtain concealed weapons permits.
This campus is composed of a stadium, classrooms, offices, museums, labs, hospitals, clinics, libraries, daycare programs and a preschool. Why would anyone need to take a gun into any of these areas? The Mafia isn’t operating out of OSH and there isn’t a shooting range in the Union, so why is there even a question as to the value of guns on this campus? The plain and simple answer is that we do not need guns here.
Thankfully, University of Utah President Michael Young has the students’, faculty’s and staff’s best interests at heart and is maintaining that the university’s policy concerning firearms will remain in effect until a federal ruling has been issued.
Problem two: Does anyone even remember life before cell phones were as necessary as oxygen? If you do, congratulations on being what demographics refer to as a non-traditional student.
In an age of declining attention spans and growing dependence on technology, people are forgetting the basics involved in human interaction. I had the pleasure of being behind a talkative lass who was so involved in a conversation concerning her friend’s excuse for a love life she had the nerve to tell the clerk to “hold on a few” so she could go “ohmygod” 50 times.
Some pointers on interacting with a real-life human being: Hang up your phone; the person on the other end won’t suddenly implode. Take out both headphones-you can always start the song over after you’re done talking. The real world is different from MySpace-people don’t want to see you looking sorry for yourself. Try smiling at a stranger.
Problem three: Yesterday marked the fifth anniversary of Sept. 11. It was five years ago today that headlines read “Attacked!” In the time since, this is how our nation has mourned: Hollywood has made two films recreating the events, commemorative coins have been cast in honor of the fallen and memorials have been built so we will never forget.
The memorials are justifiable in my mind-they will help me remember the feelings that stirred within me that day. The two movies and the commemorative coins, on the other hand, are an injustice to what that day meant. No director could capture those emotions, and no coin could capture the essence of the towers. Let the memory of that day stay in your heart, and don’t let Hollywood try to tell you what that day meant. You already know.