Letters to the editor

Fans’ support of Dukes appreciated

On behalf of everyone involved with James Madison University football, I would like to encourage the JMU student body to continue the enthusiastic support it has demonstrated toward our program this season. We’re enjoying an outstanding year and the contributions of our fans can’t be overestimated.
It’s extremely satisfying for our players and staff to compete in a stadium full of involved and vocal supporters and we hope that as many students as possible will be in attendance for Saturday’s key Atlantic 10 Conference game with Delaware. Both teams are unbeaten in league play, and both are ranked among the top 10 teams nationally in Division I-AA. Saturday’s winner takes the conference lead and the game should be a memorable one.

Campus participation is the key factor in building traditions in college athletics and the atmosphere being developed around JMU events is outstanding. I invite every member of the student body to come out Saturday, to join in various festivities and to enjoy one of the top games in JMU football history.
There are many contributors to a team’s success and the 2004 Dukes certainly realize that. We’re all appreciative of the support we’ve received and hope that it can continue to develop throughout the remainder of the season.

Mickey Matthews
JMU football head coach

Costumes should be tasteful

After another wonderful Halloween flew by us, I was once again amazed by the creativity our campus showed with costumes — for the most part. As I walked around Forest Hills for my last Halloween weekend at JMU, I could not help but laugh at the blow-up fitness guy, the yellow AIM dude and the pirates running around. At the same time, however, I was disappointed with the girls on campus who chose to go by the phrase "less is more."

Now, before all of the guys reading this start criticizing me, I want to explain. I think being "cute, hot and sexy" on Halloween is a lot different than being a tramp. I laughed at the shower girls with towels on and applauded the ballerinas in their little outfits. It was the girls who were walking around in their bras and underwear that I could not get over. I remember when French maids were supposed to be provocative, but those were the angel versions of what I saw throughout the weekend. Would your mother approve of you being dressed like that? My guess is no.

Being able to have some class and pride in being a woman is something that should not be forgotten, regardless of what day of the year it is. Costumes can have sex appeal without having to reveal your entire body. If you look and act like a slut, then the majority of guys on this campus will treat you like one.

Alison Pardalis
senior, social work

New fans should be encouraged

In response to the two articles written regarding "bandwagon" Red Sox fans, I would just like to apologize to any Sox fans that were born due to the recent playoffs. I am writing from the viewpoint of an Atlanta Braves fan who was thoroughly disappointed that Atlanta — yet again — failed to achieve anything other than a division title.

I fail to understand how a real Sox fan could possibly turn away anyone pulling for the same team, under any circumstances. I challenge all sports fans to think hard about how they came to follow their favorite team. I certainly did not leave the womb wearing a Braves baseball jersey. Fans are born by series’ such as the 2004 ALCS, and any true baseball fan should both recognize this as well as embrace those looking to "join the ranks."

I cannot fathom why any sports fan would want to silence a voice in their sections of the bleachers.
To anyone who does not consider him or herself a baseball fan: If the Atlanta Braves miraculously win a division or league series next season, I hope to see hundreds of new Braves hats and shirts on campus the next day. Maybe I haven’t ever driven all night to a victory parade. Maybe I have no idea on what street Atlanta’s baseball stadium is located. But it’s the excitement of the game that makes fans — not unimportant details.

Daniel Bordsen
junior, marketing major

‘Crusade’ name poor choice

Campus Crusade can be seen as symbolic of many problems that plague America and its image both at home and abroad. I feel that if the implications of the organization’s name are truly understood, the significance is obvious. In a world ripe with violence, and with the perpetrators of that violence using religion as justification, naming a group of affluent American students with a word that means, "a holy war taken with papal sanction," is inexcusably ignorant and narrow sighted. It may be argued — with some measure of accuracy — that the word crusade can be meant in a more philosophical way that stands for a struggle against a vigorous opponent. In this case, however, the word is applied to a purely Christian group that has proselytizing intentions. I feel that negates a defense of the word based on alternative definitions. This is not an attack on the faith of the members of Campus Crusade; it is an attack on their attack on the faith of others implied in their name in a time when religious divisions are spiraling into violence all over the world. Also, I am not undermining the right of like-minded students to associate, even if that association is based on religion. What I am saying is the name of this specific group can be seen as offensive and evidence of a larger problem — an inability to understand the impact that perceived American intolerance has on our image, and how others see that intolerance as playing out in policy.

Jeff Stottlemyer
senior, history major

Carter’s work resulted in hostage release

I am completely shocked at the article from Brian Goodman, "Bush aware of world’s new realities" in the Oct. 29 edition. In the article, Goodman gave credit to Ronald Reagan for the release of the hostages, which is completely preposterous. By no means did Reagan’s campaign promises prompt the Iranians to let the hostages go.

Jimmy Carter worked for 444 days to free the hostages and had at last scheduled the release with the militants for Jan. 19, 1980. However, delays held it over until the 20th — inauguration day. In the Oval Office, Carter was involved in talks with the hostage takers the entire night before and into Reagan’s inauguration — these talks were even documented by ABC television. His goal was to have the hostages freed before the end of his term. However, the captors chose to release them five minutes after Reagan was sworn in.

How one could dismiss over a year’s worth of plans, missions and negotiations and say that simply having Reagan sworn in led to the release of the hostages is ridiculous. If Reagan’s inauguration caused the release, why did Reagan send Carter to Germany to welcome home the hostages? He did that because he knew how hard Carter had worked to free those 52 American citizens, and that it was Carter’s negotiations — not campaign threats and an oath on the Bible — that led to the end of the crisis.

Lauren Harrow
sophomore, psychology major

Fire victims grateful to community

The recent fire at our apartment in Fox Hill has produced the need to extend our thanks to our friends as well as the entire JMU community. As we calm down from the initial shock, we have begun to realize that there is much to be thankful for. First, we would like to thank our neighbors in Fox Hill — the block. Thank you all. Our neighbors were the first to alert us of the fire and the first to call 911. In addition, they were the first to offer a helping hand as we began recovering our possessions. It also is important for us to thank the Harrisonburg Fire Department — their four-minute response time allowed us to salvage more than would have otherwise been possible. There are so many people who have offered us their apartments, their kitchens, and more importantly there are so many people who have offered us their support. We would like to thank Zeta Tau Alpha, and Sigma Sigma Sigma for their donations, as well as every student who donated money to any of the local business who have displayed donations boxes. To any contributing efforts that we have not mentioned, we thank you for your support. The JMU community is truly an amazing place to live.

Travis Bache
senior, ISAT
Michael Hegle
senior, SMAD
Steven Knight
junior, ISAT
Michael Toner
junior, political science