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COMMENTARY MAY 6, 2004 - Page 9 What happened to the rest of the Blotter? Campus Safety and the aery Act When The McDaniel Free The shortened the information be- Ultimately, Webster Press premiered, there was version didn't seem cause the public does found the information listed some concern about how "free" complete and it left not have direct access under Campus Safety's "Sexual the newspaper would be. Some many students won- to the computer. Assault Policies" webpage. worried that it might become a dering if the office was One student was The search should not "soft news rag," or worse, a complying with regula- told that Monday have been so difficult. In turn, mouthpiece for the administra- tions outlined by the mornings were the students' efforts to get inci- tion. Clery Act. "crazy" and to come dent reports should not have But after five issues it is The act stipulates back in the afternoon. been so difficult. (NOTE: Iper- clearly evident that Free Press that colleges that re- The other student was sonally found the people on journalists are taking on tough, ceive any federal fund- continually ques- desk duty cordial). complex stories - and we're cer- ing must publish an an- tioned about her mo- Webster vowed to talk to tainly not afraid to challenge nual report disclosing tives and the people on desk duty, to ensure the administration's actions campus security poli- Westminster resident everyone (visitors and students when appropriate. cies; make timely warn- was told to contact .alike) are treated cordially and For example, the newspa- ings to the campus Westminster city po- receive the information about per staff has fielded numerous community about lice for information. crime on campus that they are complaints about the "bland" crimes that pose an on- Not handling entitled to receive. campus safety blotter. The for- going threat; maintain a quest access to the campus over information upon re- The new editors for the mat that ran in the Phoenix crime log that is physically crime log. Because quest violates the Clery Act. college paper vowed to bring gave a short - and sometimes available for public inspec- McDaniel's crime log is com- The questioning? Just annoy- back some of the life missing humorous- account of every of- tion; and notify the campus puterized, you have to re- ing. from the campus blotter that fense. The new format merely community as to where they quest information between To their credit, campus vanished with the blotter's new lists offenses, dates, locations can obtain information about certain dates and are handed safety did immediately pro- form. and report statuses. registered sex offenders. a computer print-out. cess my request for a crime There is talk of running a When the paper was rede- The Clery Act only re- We found campus log print-out. short column next to the blot- signed, the administration quires the past 60·days of the safety to mostly comply with Initially, Free Press staff ter that details some of the more balked at the space dedicated log to be available upon de- the regulations, but we have members, Michael Webster, unusual offenses that take to the blotter. The Free Press mand. major grievances about how director of campus safety, place. Next year's staff should editors decided to address their We sent two students they handle students. and I, could find information take this approach. concerns but still serve the cam- not affiliated with the news- There is no way of published by campus safety As for how "free" the Free pus community by publishing paper and a disinterested knowing if campus safety of- about how to access the sex- Press is? Well, you decide. the blotter in its current format. Westminster resident to re- flcials are distiibuting all of offender registry. HEATHER WEISSE NEWS EDITOR Follow God, not just in Media distorts our church, but also in school views of candidates A Gospel song says style was different from most when Iwake up in the morn- It is a race to the Wrote was Al Gore. Throughout the "Where He leads me 1 will Gospel groups I have ever ing and take a new breath. House that happens every campaign, the media por- follow/ heard. They used contempo- Sometimes, as young people, fa u r trayed Gore as dull, stiff, and Where rary music from artists like we take God for granted. But, years. moderate, leaning to the right He leads Beyonce and Outkast to grab we forget that tomorrow is For wing of the party. me I will the audience's attention. The not promised to us, and that most "From an early age, he go." In group encouraged spiritual we should try our best to live Ameri- had cultivated the image of a t h e growth within the messages our lives for God. ca n s polite and cautious young midst of of their music. Their goal is Although, that is a hard print, man, something to the point the to praise God and have a task in our society, having radio, of being dull and artificial," drunken good time while doing it. faith in God is like how you and writes Ellen Nakashima and haze of During the concert, r ' should have faith in yourself broad- David Maraniss in a 2000 5p r ing looked around and 1realized that you will succeed in cast media are their only Washington Post series profil- Fling, some students decided that the students who came whatever path you take in sources of information ing Gore. to praise God on Friday could have been anywhere life. about the candidates. How- In the same series, night, by attending a free on campus that night but, This may be a little ever, is the media truly un- Nakashima and Maraniss also Gospel concert sponsored by God brought them to Decker preachy but a part of grow- biased as we would all like suggest that in the primaries, The Imitators of Christ, a auditorium to hear the word ing up is growing spiritually to hope, or do they only Gore had no message. Later, Bible study group on cam- of God through song. as well. This should all be a highlight certain aspects of . on the campaign trail, Gore's the candidates that may not politics became neutral, nei- pus. So do you as the stu- part of the college experience. depict the true person? ther leaning towards the right The concert featured a dent body believe that God is So, I know that I will try to new-age group called Earl present in your lives? 1know follow God in school and in It's the latter. nor the left, also facilitating into the duB stereotype. During the Iowa Cau- Muschette & Nu Mobb. Their I do. 1 realize it everyday life, not only in church. cus in 2004, Howard Dean TORlBUTLER Ultimately, the media gave a 'yelp' that USA paints Dean's "political" per- Today's Blake Morrison de- sona based on his personality; scribed as the "1 have a ultimately, Gore's media- scream" speech. Almost im- painted persona was based on mediately all news outlets political issues. spoofed Dean's speech. We need to remind our- Dean's yelp made almost selves that our take on politi- every show, from Howard cal candidates is often skewed Stern's to "The Tonight by the bias of the media. In Show with Jay Lena." order to create a balance - in Suddenly, with one order to have some sense of weird yelp, the media honed where the candidates stand attacks on Dean's personal- on issues as well as how they ity - his odd way of trying manage their temperaments to enthuse American votes. during stressful times - we Forget relevant issues that need to consult many differ- should be under scrutiny - ent news outlets and ulti- Dean was typecast as an mately make up our own overzealous hothead. minds. In the 2000 election, BAYLEY FANNIN the Democratic nominee FEATURES EDITOR