Mob Mentality Massacres Madison
By John Scott,April 12, 2010
Saturday night, a cloud of tear gas and smoke hung ominously over Forest Hills Manor. Partygoers were either running from the gas or standing defiant, launching glass bottles. Police officers were marching up the streets and sidewalks. Dumpsters were set ablaze. Helicopters were looming overhead. I’ve never seen anything like it. And I’ll never forget it. I survived the block party riot of 2010. Police and students undoubtedly have different stories about the riot’s fruition. But when... Read more »
A Step in the Right Direction for SGA
By John Scott,April 8, 2010
Tuesday night, I assisted in the moderation of the SGA and Student Representative to the Board of Visitors debate. Compared to last year’s election, it was a real treat to not only see an increase in the number of contested elections but also an increase in student participation during the forum. With that said, it came time to make my endorsements — a difficult task in lieu of the high number of candidates. Immediately after the opening statements, two contrasting themes emerged. Tommy Cumberland... Read more »
Rest in Peace, Pub
By John Scott,March 31, 2010
On a Tuesday night, I can usually be found standing with my friends holding a 22 oz. Natural Light in the middle of The Pub. The general mood of the establishment is jovial, as many students brave the walk up to the stage and serenade their peers with karaoke. Although the same sequence of events took place this Tuesday, I couldn’t help but feel sadness. Just five short weeks before I leave JMU, one of the most popular watering holes in town is permanently closing its doors. Metaphorically... Read more »
Letter Against Va. Suit Is Misinformed
By John Scott,March 29, 2010
After reading Jim Lindsay’s March 25 letter to the editor regarding Virginia Attorney Gen. Cuccinelli filing suit against the federal health care reform, I saw a different view and felt compelled to respond in support of Cuccinelli. Perhaps Lindsay believes the Attorney General should not file suit because he argues that the Attorney General’s obligations are “to serve as consumer counsel and to protect the people and welfare of Virginia.” I can only assume Lindsay misidentified the chief... Read more »
Show Some Class, Buy a Ring
By John Scott,March 22, 2010
Commonly, I hear the following question: “Is that your JMU ring?,” to which I proudly reply, “Yes.” Nine times out of 10, the individual then asks to see it, which I happily oblige and hand over. They stare in awe for a couple seconds — examining the stones and then the side engravings — and then give it back. Because of the high-interest level I receive about my ring, I would assume a majority of my fellow Dukes wear them. On the contrary, I know of hardly anyone with a class ring.... Read more »
Shoot it Down, Supreme Court
By John Scott,March 4, 2010
Regulating Guns is a Safer Alternative to Prohibition In the 1925 Supreme Court case Gitlow v. New York, Justice Edward Terry Sanford, wrote the majority opinion, solidified the “bad tendency” test and expanded the amount of speech the federal government could regulate. In the middle of his opinion, Sanford incidentally extended protection of free speech and free press against state governments. Although incorporation of two fundamental First Amendment rights into the Due Process Clause of... Read more »
Intelligence vs. Ignorance: The Necessity of Free Speech
By John Scott,February 25, 2010
One can wield the power of unlimited reverence by employing a broad interpretation of the First Amendment. The proclamation for protection of speech, even those utterances contrary to one’s beliefs and values, is the profession of sound reason throughout society. Although I advocate for an almost unanimous protection of speech, there are obviously certain conditions where the government may find it necessary to restrict expression. For example, the government should regulate expression that takes... Read more »
Shovel Your Own Snow, Harrisonburg
By John Scott,February 18, 2010
Under Harrisonburg city code Section 6-1-15, “sidewalks are to be clear within three hours of the end of snowfall or by ten in the morning if the snow has fallen overnight.” Talk about an inconsistently enforced policy: The code was enforced Monday — 10 days after it should have gone into effect. According to the Harrisonburg Public Information Office, “[d]ue to the significant snowfall accumulation and the frequency of storms, the city has allowed more leeway than usual in this matter.” How... Read more »
Va. Fights for States’ Rights
By John Scott,February 12, 2010
The Virginia Healthcare Freedom Act, submitted by Republican Delegate Bob Marshall, protects a Virginian’s right to participate in or decline to participate in a health care system. The bill is a challenge to the U.S. Senate’s version of health insurance reform which mandates that all citizens purchase health insurance. If passed and signed by Gov. Bob McDonnell, the legislation will grant Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli the power to defend any Virginia taxpayer against the Internal... Read more »
Dukes Should Help Haiti
By John Scott,February 4, 2010
Haiti has gone through an extraordinary level of disaster. Its infrastructure is heavily damaged, its government is crippled and its people are in unbearable despair. On Jan. 27, Haitian President René Préval stated that nearly 170,000 bodies had been counted. According to an international studies professor at the University of Miami, the earthquake left an estimated two million people homeless — that’s more than 100 times the total number of enrolled JMU students. Imagine if you experienced... Read more »
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September 2th, 2010 Issue in Print
