Opinion

Don't be mislead by Bush's State of the Union
Know what is really happening

By Carly Hawkins - Columnist

These next few sentences are probably self-evident, but I want to put them out there.
I was, and remain, against the war in Iraq.
I was against rushing their elections to meet an arbitrary deadline against the wishes of those on the ground.
That said, the images of Iraqis voting on Jan. 30 were both powerful and moving. Turnout has been estimated at around 60 percent, despite continuous threats of boycotts or attacks on polling places. I was happy for them that Sunday - I know how much voting means to me, and I guess I’m a little proud of us for being able to spread that feeling a little further. The sappiness dissipates pretty quickly, though, when I remember all the lies and misdirection that got us to this point.
The President managed to play up his “success” in Iraq during Wednesday’s State of the Union address. The pictures of the Iraqi woman voter and the mom of the deceased soldier are ones that are going to last - and I’ll admit it, they got me a little choked up too. (Was Dick Cheney really mopping his eyes as well? I thought he was the Tin Man of this administration - you know, heartless.).
But don’t let the misdirection ploy work on you - those two minutes of mushiness shouldn’t distract from the first half of the speech, where our president displayed his smirking, winking, condescending approach to domestic policy in all its glory.
As you read your daily free-of-charge New York Times, be sure you make it through the International section to the National Report. What the Bush administration has laid out for an agenda over the next year, the next four years, is downright frightening at some points.
And I’m not just talking about the privatization of Social Security here - if you can understand the reality of that situation, please be sure to let me know what’s going on.
I’m talking about the renewal of the pledge to ban gay marriage through a Constitutional amendment. I’m talking about reducing the ability of scientists to do stem cell research. I’m talking about faith-based initiatives and a “culture of life,” misleadingly polite terms for things I’m not particularly a fan of. I’m talking about what the conservatives call “activist” because they don’t like their rulings, which is kind of like calling a ref an “activist” when he calls a foul instead of a charge.
Look past the rhetoric; make sure you understand what is really happening with these issues. Bush may have tried to use conciliatory language in a nationally televised address, but I can guarantee you that the nuts and bolts will not be so pretty or so pacifying. Unravel the spin.
So much for being a uniter and not a divider, in other words, as clearly shown by the number of times only the right side of the House chamber was giving a standing ovation. The President spoke of ending tyranny abroad, but I can’t help feeling a little tyrannized here at home by the so-called “moral majority” and the pandering that constituency seems to have earned by delivering a second term with their votes.

Commercialized love

By Stephanie Orr - Assistant Editor

Walk in to any store in Springfield today and there is a good chance it will look like something pink and red threw up all over at least three aisles.
Yes, the day that is all about love and lovers has returned, and with it the same irritations and annoyances that any greeting-card holiday brings.
Feb. 14 strikes fear into the hearts of people who wonder how best to show their love. And, in case you’ve never noticed, people absolutely lose their minds when shopping for Valentine’s Day. Everyone is so obsessed over finding the “perfect” gift.
Yet so many of them give in to the commercial hype and buy the most obvious things.
Take flowers for an example. Don’t get me wrong, I love flowers. Most women do, I think. They’re pretty, they smell good, and we can brag to our friends and co-workers about having received them.
But if you really think about it, how much effort does it take to buy someone flowers? Not that much.
And then there’s the whole after effect. You know, the part where you’ve had the flowers and they’re dying but you don’t want to throw them out yet. Eventually you’ll end up with dead stems in nasty smelling water.
Oh yeah. That screams romance.
Then there’s candy, another stellar idea that takes about three seconds to come up with. How is it saying “I love you” to walk in to Wal-Mart and pick up a five pound box of chocolate for your sweetheart?
Hello! America has an obesity problem! If you don’t believe me, do a little research online. My point is, with something like eight out of every 10 Americans being overweight, who really needs five pounds of assorted chocolates?! Who needs five pounds of any kind of candy, ever?!
And don’t even think of buying you’re sweetheart reduced calorie candy. Don’t want them thinking you think they’re fat, do you?
With candy you simply can’t win.
Lingerie also sells well around Feb. 14. To those of you who buy your sweetie lingerie I say: who are you kidding? That’s not a gift for your partner, it’s a gift for yourself and you know it!
And if by some miracle you did think you were buying it for them, let me tell you something. Lingerie, generally, is uncomfortable and made out of the most unfortunate materials possible. It itches, it chafes and it isn’t meant to be worn for long, but it’s expensive as all get out. Why drop that much money on something you’ll see them wear once or twice, if you’re lucky?
Now let’s talk about jewelry. I don’t know why people think jewelry is the ultimate expression of affection. Engagement rings I can understand. Even I find the whole promise for the future thing romantic.
And yes a nice sparkly piece of jewelry is bound to get someone’s attention. But just spending a lot of money on something shiny doesn’t translate in to love.
I know, you’re thinking something along the lines of, “Well, if I can’t do flowers, candy, lingerie or jewelry, what can I possibly do?”
Here’s my suggestion. Forget about Valentine’s Day. Don’t obsess over finding some material object that is going to tell that special someone how much they mean to you. If you truly love someone you don’t need fancy gifts or special days to let them know.
Love, unlike Valentine’s Day, isn’t a commercialized, once per year thing.

Don't stress over Valentine's Day
Have fun and enjoy the day

By Heather Shaffer - Editor-in-chief

Yes, I will admit it, Valentine’s Day has become slightly too commercialized. Flowers and candy flood the stores, card companies make a fortune and restaurants require reservations weeks in advance.
Despite the massive commercialization of the holiday, I still feel Valentine’s Day is an enjoyable and thoughtful day.
Many would argue that if you love someone, you don’t need a special day to show them affection; you should tell them you love them everyday and shouldn’t need a special day.
In the busy world we live in, I think it’s nice to have a day devoted to showing the ones we love how much we care about them. The day doesn’t have to be about the stress of finding the perfect gift. It also doesn’t have to be about spending a ton of money on dinner or flowers. Valentine’s Day can simply be a nice day to remind ourselves and our significant others about how much the relationship means.
If you are dating someone, go out and have a nice dinner and exchange small gifts (it doesn’t have to be anything expensive) and just enjoy having a day to spend together.
Don’t have anyone on Valentine’s Day? Don’t worry! Valentine’s Day does not have to be a day of dread for single individuals.
Believe me, I know the feeling of watching other people ogle over the flowers and candy their significant others bought. And I know the feeling of watching couples pant all over each other as they get ready to go out or snuggle on the couch.
But Valentine’s Day can be just as much fun if you are single than if you are dating someone. Last year in The Journal’s Valentine’s Day issue, I proposed the idea of a Singles Day to occur concurrently with Valentine’s Day. I still think this is a wonderful way to spend the day if you are single.
Grab a bunch of friends (who also happen to be single) and go out and have a blast. Catch a movie, go to a club, eat at La Bambas...it doesn’t matter. Surround yourself with people you care about and the rest will fall into place.
If you don’t feel like going out anywhere, you can grab a bunch of girlfriends, buy a bottle of wine and watch your favorite romantic movie (for a list of great romantic movies to watch on Valentine’s Day, see Gabrielle Wiegand’s article on page 5).
Single guys can have a fun day too. Have a few beers, play video games…whatever you guys find entertaining.
For many of us with jobs and Monday night classes, Valentine’s Day is just going to be another day, in theory. However, it is nice to have a day set aside to concentrate on those we care about. But, if you are single, it really shouldn’t matter. You can still have a great Valentine’s (or Singles) Day.

Don't be mislead by Bush's State of the Union

Commercialized love

Don't stress over Valentine's Day

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