Spinnaker [Distributed: Wednesday, August 30, 2006]

In the wake of President Bush's plummeting approval ratings, Vice President Dick Cheney's stone-cold persona and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's inability to take responsibility for botching the Iraq war, Senator Barack Obama's, D-Illinois, positive global outreach is a breath of fresh air.

Obama's recent trip to his father's homeland, Kenya, proves that a politician can walk the walk and talk the talk.

Obama was received like a "rock star" by students at the University of Nairobi. His speech focused on fighting the grafting that runs rampant in Kenya's Westernized, but highly corrupt, government.

But his tour was not just one of rousing rhetoric, it was also one of action.

To fight the stigma that envelopes most of Africa about AIDS, despite that the epidemic is decimating entire populations of people all over the continent, Obama and his wife took an HIV test in the midst of cameras and reporters.

He made a point to maneuver his entourage away from the modernized, glamorous parts of the city of Kibera, to its intense and little-publicized slum. Where there is little access to running water or proper shelter, 700,000 men, women and children cram into the square mile of land.

He encouraged news cameras to follow him so America would finally be aware of its existence.

He even trekked out beyond the cities to the drought-parched areas in the northeast region of the country, where malnutrition and disease consumes daily life.

Obama also spent time inspecting some of the country's good-works projects, which range from helping foster the growth of small businesses to staving off disease in farm animals.

Obama is obviously not the first public figure to grace the Dark Continent with his presence. But this expedition to Africa proves that, in this decade, an international trip taken by an American politician can be successful.

He represents the glimmer of hope that the United States can bounce back from its current reputation as the world's biggest bully.

Obama brought a message of peace and constructive criticism, rather than chastisement or aggression. People were able to warm up to him because he presented himself as one of them, not as a demagogue from the celestially perfect land of America.

Beyond just that, his trip reminds Americans that the Middle East is not the only part of the world embedded in turmoil. To help countries like Kenya, who balance on the cusp of modernization and require just a little guidance to keep it on the right path, is the way to truly spread democracy, not creating unwarranted violence.

Plan B policy change gets an "A"

Letter to the Editor

The recent ruling that allows men and women who are at least 18 years of age to buy Plan B, an emergency contraceptive, without a prescription is something that would have turned green and started smelling if the government had let it sit any longer.

The Food and Drug Administration ruled Aug. 24 that legal adults could buy the pills from behind the counter later this year, providing they could show proper ID. It is an action that might cut unplanned pregnancies in half, according to CBS.

The decision is well called for, as it will finally give adult women an opportunity to easily obtain emergency contraceptives. Even though the pills can be taken up to 72 hours after consummation, the policy change is especially helpful for weekends and holidays when some women are unable to reach their doctors to obtain prescriptions. When taken correctly, the pills are 89 percent effective.

Conservatives argue that the change will encourage promiscuity. However, nine states in the U.S. already allow women to buy the pill without a prescription, as do 100 other countries around the world. And, believe it or not, promiscuity has not been an end result, since no hard evidence has surfaced to point out which of the nine states of the Union seem most sexually active.

Those who worry about health risks can be assured that Plan B pills are no more dangerous than birth control pills. In fact, they have fewer minor side effects than birth control.

Birth control pills contains both progesterone and estrogen while Plan B only contains progesterone, and Plan B contains two tablets that are meant to be taken 12 hours apart and only pose a risk of minor side effects.

Others say the pills' safety factor could encourage repeat usage, and they worry that couples will rely more heavily on the pills and take fewer precautionary measures. But this will most likely not be the case, as one dose of a prescription for two pills costs from $25-$40. While some older boyfriends may have a lot of money, most guys who are dating girls still in high school are not usually well off.

But to protect young women under 18, the policy could be tweaked to allow only women, not men, to buy Plan B with a valid ID. Since the aftermaths of most risky sexual behaviors usually don't result in life or death situations, it is safe to assume women can make it to a pharmacy within 72 hours after the act.

Instead of revoking the freedom of adult women, the FDA raised the approval age from 16 to 18 to ensure safety and maturity that comes with a legal adult age.

While a mostly conservative Supreme Court threatens abortion rights, the decision gives fresh hope to women. Lets face it, the equality issue has been beaten like a piñata. Women just want to know they have control over their bodies.

Feeling anonymous with an N number

Staff Opinion

The University of North Florida is really enforcing that new slogan now. I realized there truly is no one like me here. Sure, there may be other Emilys running around UNF, but there is only one N08675309.

OK, so that's not really my N number, but it beats the random combination of 0s and 8s that UNF assigned me last year.

After using my N number to access e-mail, register for classes, fill out paperwork to be employed by the university and even to buy a parking pass, I started to feel like we might as well dress in orange prison jumpsuits with our N numbers stamped all over them.

But, I am holding out hope that UNF will still recognize us in other ways. As our school expands, administration needs an easier way to keep track of all of us.

By leaving behind the old and unsafe procedure of using our social security numbers as our student numbers, UNF is moving into the future with N numbers. But don't ask me where the N came from.

While I understand the transition to these new digits, I am a little worried at how the university is starting to see its students. One of the reasons I chose to go to UNF was because of the individual attention the school advertised, something I felt I'd miss out on if I went to a bigger university.

However, as these N numbers are becoming the primary way for students to distinguish themselves from the other 15,000 or so Ospreys roaming campus, there is no individuality to them.

At least the old system allowed our e-mail addresses to be somewhat modeled after our first and last names, making it easier for students to recognize incoming mail from classmates and, if need be, temporarily memorizing a friend or lab partner's e-mail address.

N numbers are just another thing for UNF students to memorize along with that secret parking spot, which professors are best to avoid and a mental map of the haphazard organization of building numbers around campus. Wait, that's another numbering system that can leave students baffled.

I guess we all will just have to memorize our N numbers and hope UNF won't eventually switch class rosters from names to numbers. But then that cute guy in my psychology class will only know me as an eight-digit number.

Fun exists beyond the dorm room door

Staff Opinion

Over the past week I have met some people who expressed an overall negative experience during their freshman year.

I heard tales depicting utter boredom whilst trapped inside a concrete block, otherwise known as freshman housing, with absolutely no new acquaintances. This is something I can personally relate to, but not on a college level. And there is a solution to this problem, but inevitably the first step is getting out of the dorm and wandering into the part of campus that is not comprised of classrooms.

I consider myself an example of the progression to finding a place on campus. I came from high school with hardly any involvement in clubs and still ended up being a part of a handful within my first semester.

After I participated in a dance competition and a member of Osprey Radio helped me move all my stuff into the dorm room, I started hanging out there during my spare time. Eventually I became a DJ, had my own radio show and even got a listener in Australia. Through the radio station I made many new friends, including people involved in the Spinnaker and Osprey Productions. I promptly joined both groups and was involved in plenty of events. Eventually I settled in as Advertising Manager of the Spinnaker and honorary member of the radio station.

It is important to remember that students run the clubs and organizations on campus. I like to use Osprey Productions as a prime example. They have many great events, but for some reason people think there is a higher power organizing everything. This is not the case. They always accept applications to join and be a part of different groups involved in setting up all of their events. I once even worked at a Lil Wayne event.

There are plenty of things to become involved with. My advice is that if you are even remotely interested in any club on campus, go check out a meeting or event. There's a good chance free food will be involved. There are clubs for pretty much anything including sports, academics and leisure activities. You can even start your own club if you can round up enough people. Look at the bulletin boards, road signs and sometimes the walls if Osprey Productions has chalk. There are always events, and they are always open to students.

There, now you have no excuse for being stuck in your dorm room, unless you are glued to Osprey TV. Get out and do something. Anything. It will make your college experience more bearable and rewarding. Also, there is a strong chance that you will not starve, and it will look great on your resume.

Student body president welcomes students back

Student Opinion

On behalf of your entire Student Government team, Vice President Briscoe and I would like to welcome you to the University of North Florida for the 2006-2007 school year. To all of our new freshmen, we hope that you are beginning to feel at home on our campus.

Week of Welcome, designed to acclimate freshmen to the university, concluded on Sunday and was a great success. We applaud the many organizations that worked tirelessly to make this week happen, especially the Admissions office. During Week of Welcome, our students experienced a glimpse of campus life.

The African American Student Union, Volunteer Center, Club Alliance and Osprey Productions all participated in Week of Welcome. These Student Government Agencies provide a wide range of activities to interest every student throughout the year. Residence Life, Greek Life and Campus Ministries are among other organizations that also provide opportunities to be a part of campus life. We encourage you to have a well-rounded college experience by joining these organizations.

We also invite you to make a difference in college through Student Government. As your Student Body President and Vice President, we want you to know that whenever you need a hand, we are your "go-to" guys. As you take on this exciting journey of higher education, please remember that as your representatives, your voice matters to us. We invite you to visit us at our office located on the second floor of Building 14.

We challenge you to become part of the life our campus has to offer so that UNF will be a place you never forget.

Air safety must steer clear of racial profiling

The following editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune on Sunday, Aug. 27

The airport security measures imposed after British police foiled an alleged bomb plot have many people wondering: Isn't there a better way to protect travelers than forcing them to relinquish their tubes of shampoo, sticks of lip balm and bottles of Aquafina?

One idea that has gained attention is known as profiling: giving extra scrutiny to some passengers based on certain racial or religious criteria. At Britain's Department for Transport, the idea has gotten some favorable reviews. One British law enforcement official, however, warned that such a tactic would punish people for "traveling while Asian."

This approach also has been talked about in the United States, where fears of such discrimination helped derail a proposed new federal screening program in 2004. The argument is that in a war against Islamic terrorists, it makes sense to focus on Muslims, particularly males. The 9/11 hijackers, after all, were not Scandinavian grandmothers. Skeptics reply that this type of targeting would not only be unfair but would create new vulnerabilities that terrorists could exploit.

At this stage of assessing how best to minimize the threat to aviation security, it would be unwise to rule out the use of profiling in some form. Implemented carefully, it might allow a more effective allocation of security dollars without placing a "T" on the forehead of every Muslim man with a boarding pass.

It's not clear, though, that it would add much to law enforcement's arsenal. Police would be remiss to let Islamic extremism distract them from other potential threats. Theodore Kaczynski, Eric Rudolph and Timothy McVeigh were terrorists, but not Muslims. It also bears remembering that upward of 99.99 percent of all Muslims are not terrorists.

Profiling also can be defeated in obvious ways. A dark-skinned Islamic extremist can disguise his name, his ethnicity, his religion, his hair color, even his gender. He also can enlist help from someone in a different category: One Syrian man tried to bring down an El Al jet by putting a bomb in the carry-on bag of his Irish fiance.

In the wrong hands, profiling can create problems. Recently Ohio police arrested two Arab-Americans who had $11,000 and hundreds of cell phones and charged them with soliciting terrorism - only to release them a few days later. Three other Arab-American men found with 1,000 cell phones in their van were held on suspicion of trying to blow up Michigan's Mackinac Bridge. After questioning them, the FBI said it found no terrorist ties or intent.

But that doesn't mean local police, federal agents and transportation security personnel should have no discretion to follow their best instincts. In time, the government may embrace the use of computerized analysis of passenger lists to detect dangerous intent. If a sea of data finds an ominous pattern that touches on race or religion, law enforcement would be irresponsible to ignore it.

Profiling is not going to liberate travelers from the restrictions that go with flying in the post-9/11 era. We can't ban liquids or knives only for passengers who look Middle Eastern, or let non-Muslims skip the metal detector. Though Islamic terrorism is the conspicuous threat today, new enemies could emerge tomorrow.

The burden of safeguarding aviation can't be loaded onto one group. It will have to be shared by all of us. Profiling is not going to liberate travelers from the restrictions that go with flying in the post-9/11 era.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services -- PERMALINK -- TOP OF PAGE

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DISCOURSE

Positivity still exists in world affairs

Letter to the Editor

Plan B policy change gets an "A"

Letter to the Editor

Feeling anonymous with an N number

Staff Opinion

Fun exists beyond the dorm room door

Staff Opinion

Student body president welcomes students back

Student Opinion

Air safety must steer clear of racial profiling

The following editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune on Sunday, Aug. 27

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