The Rice Thresher, Vol. 93, No. 27, Ed. 1 Friday, April 28, 2006 Page: 2 of 20
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THE RICE THRESHER
FRIDAY, APRIL 28,2006
the Rice Thresher
Our 2007 speaker picks
As die current Rice Web site poll indicates, it is time to start
thinking about a 2007 commencement speaker. Our first choice
is Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
Roberts tops our list not simply because he isa recognizable name,
but because we think his long career near the pinnacle of the Ameri-
can justice system and his potential influence on history would make
him a fascinating speaker. In addition, his personal ties to President
David Leebron increase the chances that we could win his presence
in what is likely to be a fierce battle between top schools.
While celebrities are tempting, students deserve a speaker who
is at least as intellectually stimulating as he or she is famous. Some
sort of connection to Rice or our generation would also be a phis.
Comedy Central icons Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert fit these
criteria. Their political wits provide keen insight into American society
that is certainty worthy of a commencement address and capable of
holding students' attention rapt
Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman could
also make an entertaining and enlightening speaker. However,
hearing speeches by sufficiently uncontroversial politicians such
as U.S. senators Barak Obama (D-Ill.) and Kay Bailey Hutchinson
(R-Tex.) would provide a more serious look at the world.
And, while there are the entertaining politicians, Rice should
not overlook political entertainers. Angelina Jolie and Bono
both have a way of surprising audiences — not to mention the
United Nations—with their eloquent and enlightening speeches
on world poverty and human rights. However, our policy of not
paying exorbitant fees to speakers nor offering honorary degrees
does limit our reach to these stars.
Of course, we cannot ignore Rice's own articulate individuals.
Professors could certainly embody the necessary intellectual
characteristics and student-body connection that make excellent
commencement speeches, as Psychology Professor Mikki Hebl
demonstrated last year. History professors Allen Matusow and
John Zammito come to mind, considering that we already feel the
need to applaud at the end of their lectures.
We should not overlook alumni either. Their connections to the
university would not only make them easier to acquire, but would
also make possible a Rice-relevant message. Larry McMurtry
(MA '60), who most recently won a Best Screenplay Academy
Award for Brokeback Mountain, is an excellent example.
Thanks, Thresher grads
On May 13, we will bid a fond farewell to a few seniors who
often dwelled in our office. After years of long Wednesday nights,
we are not only losing great talent, but also great friends.
Nathan Black and Amber Obermeyer started working for the
llnresher during their freshman years. Although their first encounter
was in opposing opinion pieces, they ended up working brilliantly
togetherassenioreditorand editor in chief—andasfriends.Together
they redefined Thresher slang, mocking the "clowns" at Rice and point-
ing out "foul" policy. Here's a "gem" of "whimsy" for you two.
Nathan's years of experience and authoritative answers to
seemingly every editing or printer problem made his word
gold — and the word was often simply "No." Amber served as our
fearless leader, dedicated to efficiency but with an excruciating
eye for detail and an encyclopedic knowledge of all things Rice.
Although he officially retired in December, Arts and Entertain-
ment Editor Jon Schumann's distinctive, flippant columns and
hipster elitism gave his A&E pages a character that can only be
described as Schumannesque.
Business Manager Debbie Miller and Advertising Manager
Karen Adler always brought infectiously cheerful attitudes. Their
leadership and organization kept the Thresher running smoothly,
and their Friday afternoon "Lost" viewing parties united often-
disconnected staff members. Cartoonist Stephanie Zimmerman's
creative talent and knack for drawing squirrels made her a Thresher
establishment Elaine Lee, former copy editor and payroll manager
kept columns and articles in line with a hard-nosed style that left
everyone impressed. Writers Ian Everhart and Adam Tabakin
proved equally indispensable.
We wish the best of luck to our entire graduating staff and
hope they find as much success outside the Thresher walls as
they did within them.
Erratum
In the article "Athletic director to leave after 17 years" in the
April 21 issue, the 7Tires/i«rinaccurately portrayed President David
Ijeebron's response to a question regarding the potential hiring
of an interim athletic director. leebron did not confirm nor deny
speculation about any particular candidate for the position.
The Thresher regrets the error.
Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the Thresher
editorial staff.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Student speakers
will cause conflict
To the editor:
In her recent article, Jo Kent
fails to realize that students are
generally impossible to please
when it comes to commence-
ment speakers ("Commence-
ment deserves student speaker,"
Apr. 21). I know — I was one of the
chronic complainers.
When Bill Cosby spoke in 2002,
his message was not meaningful
enough. When Shannon Lucid
spoke in 2003, she was not well
known enough. When Alberto
Gonzales spoke in 2004, he was not
politically unbiased enough. And
if a well-respected member of the
Rice community like psychology
professor Mikki Hebl can get such
a negative response, what makes
Kent think student speakers are
going to be so popular?
The students who are not grip-
ing ad nauseam only care about
receiving their degrees, which
recently went out the window
without much fanfare, and spend-
ing time with those they love—not
anecdotes about someone else's
Rice career. That is what the senior
cards are for. Instead of allowing a
few students to inflate their egos
for a few minutes, Rice should
continue to make commence-
ment a time when all graduates
are congratulated in the same
manner — in heavy gowns and
by people who have actually been
adults in the real world.
Stephanie Taylor
Hanszen '05
Drug lyrics glorify
poverty problems
To the editor:
In responding to Bryce Gray's
article, Devin Naquin completely
misinterpreted Gray's message
("Hip-hop artists misstep with
drug-centric lyrics," April 14 and
"Drug references in rap just tell
the truth," April 21). Gray was
clear in expressing that drugs
will always be found in hip-hop
lyrics and that artists should
take responsibility for how they
portray them. Hip-hop has had a
large influence since it came on
the scene; it would be ignorant
for us to deny that the way drugs
are discussed in the music makes
no difference.
Naquin wrote that these
drug-heavy lyrics are told "raw from
the mouths of those affected." Why
is it acceptable for some hip-hop art-
ists to escape the plagues of poverty
yet glorify the problems that persist
there? Socially conscious rappers
come from hard backgrounds too,
and they do not do this. Some art-
ists are not taking responsibility for
their lyrical influence. As a result,
they are making drugs seem OK
which hurts their lower-income
listeners even more.
Some hip-hop artists talk about
drugs like those in poverty enjoy
their presence. These storytellers
cannot bring about social change
without ever calling attention to
the problem.
And for the record, Paul Wall
constantly talks about sipping his
"purple drank." However, he never
mentions that he did so as a high
school student from an area in
Houston that is 86 percent white and
has a median household income of
$68,431. A lot of today's hip-hop is
not about actual experience — it is
about what is best for business. (iray's
article just asks that hip-hop artists
realize their societal responsibility.
Alicia Burns-Wright
Jones sophomore
420 column critics
err in judgement
To the editor:
Last week's issue of the Ihresher
contained several replies to Evan
Mintz's column on 420 ("Roll up
for the 420 magical mystery ori-
gins," April 14). The writers' main
concerns seemed to be that Mintz
was encouraging illegal behavior
and that discussion of drug laws had
no place in the Thresher. I believe
that his views absolutely belong in
the Thresher.
I think most people will agree
that law is not infallible. Americans
on both ends of the political spec-
trum disagree with certain laws.
Mintz's article, which implicitly
questions the purpose of marijuana
criminalization, has a place in the
Thresher just as any of the opinion
articles written this year on abor-
tion do. We live in a country where
we are allowed to question laws we
see as wrong, and we should all be
encouraged to do so.
'. In blindly defendhigthe word of
the law and claiming that the article
should not have been printed, Phil-
lip Arthur Moore and Peter Tsch-
irhart display immature views of
our society and our respon sibilities
in it ("Pot promotion has no place
in Thresher," Apr. 21 and "Columns
should not promote crime" Apr 21).
And if high school students and
their parents read an article about
pot in the Thresher, they should
be impressed that our university
is progressive enough to provide
us with a forum for expressing all
of our views.
If the Thresher "dares to strive
for respect outside of Rice's
hedges," it is on the right track
in printing articles like Mintz's. If
views like his were "relegated to
the Backpage," it would be a dis-
service to us all.
Elliott DeRemer
Will Rice senior
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Brown, David. The Rice Thresher, Vol. 93, No. 27, Ed. 1 Friday, April 28, 2006, newspaper, April 28, 2006; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth442999/m1/2/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.