I guess this was expected

[GoMustAAngs2007]

Not to put a damper on the excitement for tomorrow's game, but this was in today's Daily Campus.

Setting an example
Travis Acreman, [email protected]
Posted: 10/13/06

Picture this - You've worked hard your whole life to become the best competitive swimmer you could be. You've dedicated your life to the sport, and one fantastic day, you find yourself wearing the red, white and blue, proudly representing your country at the Olympic games. Things couldn't be better, and understandably, you're on top of the world.

But then there's that diver who's always hanging around you. He's been talking bad about you, spreading rumors, maybe even a little cyberstalking. On top of all that, he's kind of effeminate and you think he might not be diving for the right team, if you get my drift.

So you beat his face in. While yelling slurs. Well, you told your coach first, but that didn't work out, and what's the use of talking to more than one person? That's no way to solve problems.

And of course, since you're a big shot athlete at the Olympics, the media jumps on this even though they only have a preliminary police report. Things aren't looking too good now that 'hate crime' is being tossed around.

So you call your dad in as quick as you can and blame the victim. Problem solved, right?

We should never accept this kind of behavior from our Olympians, someone painting a picture of our country for the world, so why should we relax our standards for a quarterback here on campus? EdBoard has insisted that Mr. Willis must not be made an example of. Unfortunately, it's far too late for that now. That moment passed when the derogatory slurs and the fists began flying. Now it's time for a precedent to be set, one way or the other. Willis will become an example. Either violent assault is tolerated, or sincere consequences will be enforced when a hate crime takes place.

Of course, it must first be found that a hate crime assault, without a doubt, did take place. Here, EdBoard contradicts itself; in Wednesday's opinion piece, the editors argued that Judicial Affairs has no place in suspending Willis from the football field. And indeed it hasn't. As stated in Mark Norris' article, "Willis suspension due to assault," "The decision to suspend Willis came from conversations involving SMU President R. Gerald Turner, SMU Athletic Director Steve Orsini and head coach Phil Bennett." Judicial Affairs is simply pursuing its investigation while the athletics division has chosen to suspend Willis while they wait for the results. And rightly so. Because maybe the situation isn't as grim as the initial evidence makes it seem, but there's a good possibility it's worse.

Why should we allow a suspected thug to serve as our university's representative? Why should we proudly send him on the field to wear our red and blue until this matter is better understood? Just because he may be an asset to the team, we can say, "Shucks, the poor kid made a mistake and I bet he's real torn up about it, just let him play?"

SMU has made the mistake before of sacrificing too much to the all-powerful gods of football, but this time the consequences could be more subtle and sinister than the infamous 'death penalty.' As a university, we are trying very hard to be recognized. Look at street names and school colors and see how much SMU would like to keep the academic company of institutions like Harvard and Yale. Encouraging violence and discriminatory hate over more rational channels of discussion, rewarding football players with a free pass, and cherishing violent athletes over the safety of the student population are all good ways to make a name for your school. And that name is not 'a highly regarded member of the academic elite.'

High school seniors, potential donors and world-class professors won't think too much about SMU's innumerable good qualities. They'll remember that SMU is the school where minorities get their faces beaten while assailants are celebrated the next Saturday. President Turner and the athletics division have recognized this and are waiting patiently for facts. And if they didn't, it would be our responsibility, as those who care about this university, to hold them to that standard.

Justin Willis is a representative of our school. It's time to treat him accordingly.



About the writer:

Travis Acreman is a sophomore theatre major. He can be reached at [email protected].
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[SmartAsymptote]

its another one of those damn meadows guys......

[jtstang]

They'll remember that SMU is the school where minorities get their faces beaten while assailants are celebrated the next Saturday.

Actually, that should be the "Saturday-after-next" to be accurate.

[perunapower]

That was probably the best argument of further suspended Willis I have heard yet. Too bad he's not fully aware of the facts while he makes his argument. He claims it's a hate crime and actually accuses Justin of making an excuse. But when there is recorded evidence that hallmates of this alleged victim witnessed this said harassment and were not surprised there was an altercation, I think it's pretty safe to say that this is not a conspiracy to cover up the truth so Justin can play. I think we are all guilty of losing our cool and making snap decisions that usually turn out to be stupid. He was punished and no one but the few people that need to know, have any idea what else Justin will have to do. I sincerely hope that the other guy has to pay for his part in this as well. Some people need to quit using the term "hate crime" so leniently. A hate crime by defintion is a crime committed for no purpose other than pure prejudice towards a group of people. I'm tired of this situation, what's done is done. Let's move on. Let's go beat the Herd.

[ponyup10]

ok..and if SMU is remembered as the school where minorities get beat up...thats just sad...especially seeing as the person who beat up the minority was also a minority...

[SmartAsymptote]

i think JW beat Beard up because he was black......

[FloridaMustang]

a theater major. enough said.

[OC Mustang]

Think of the teacher in Charlie Brown cartoons....

I hear stuff, and I understand by context what is being said...
But I can't for the life of me get past that Wah wah wah wah wah.

Travis, go win yourself an Oscar or an Emmy, and then make sure that 4 or 5 more of you do the same, and you will just barely touch the surface for what "the gods of football" do in marketing the school.

And as for being a representative of the school, I think an African-American student-athlete (quarterback, no less) bringing SMU back among the living is a helluva idea.

[J.T.supporta]

WHOA WHOA WHOA, lets not get into why JW beat up Beard.

Especially saying it was because he was black.

Lets not bring that into it so there wont be MORE misunderstandings.

[Pony Up]

Let's not start grouping all Meadows students -- virtually all of whom are bright, creative, open-minded people -- in with the writer of that column. The eloquent linguist who came up with "SMU is the school where minorities get their faces beaten" should check out a picture of Willis.

So he doesn't like football, or maybe Willis, or maybe sports in general. But his stance in this column is ludicrous.

[buspen]

Picture this, an SMU coed is harrased and pestered by an SMU football player for the last 6 months. She finally has her fill and and hauls off and hits him with her Prada purse. The football player gets his mouth cut and a black eye.

It wouldn't matter if he was black white red or green, gay straight. muslim christian or atheist. Everyone will say he got what he deserved and it wouldn't get a letter of print.

Let's hope everyone learned a lesson and just move on.

[Sasser Rules]

a theater major. enough said.

What's wrong with theatre majors? This is one guy's opinion - an opinion with which I certainly don't agree - but the sweeping generalization about everyone in his major is just a little over-the-top, don't you think?

ok..and if SMU is remembered as the school where minorities get beat up...thats just sad...especially seeing as the person who beat up the minority was also a minority...

EXACTLY!

Picture this, an SMU coed is harrased and pestered by an SMU football player for the last 6 months. She finally has her fill and and hauls off and hits him with her Prada purse. The football player gets his mouth cut and a black eye.

It wouldn't matter if he was black white red or green, gay straight. muslim christian or atheist. Everyone will say he got what he deserved and it wouldn't get a letter of print.

Let's hope everyone learned a lesson and just move on.

Thanks for putting this all in the correct perspective. You're absolutely right.

[FordtoTolbert]

...on the flip side, and with ALL due respect to JW...I am trying to recall the last time I pummeled a guy due to be hassled, poked, bugged, didn't like what he said to me, etc., etc....?? Just a thought....

[EastStang]

I remember one summer I worked in a warehouse and we had an old gay guy who worked there. Every time a younger man was on a ladder (including me) the guy would be goosing us. If you said, cut that out, he'd just laugh and do it again. It took a heel to the face to get him to leave me alone. Was that a hate crime or just a forceful way of saying stop it?