• monday, august 24, 2009 • arizona daily wildcat
DWopinions
Alex Dalenberg Editor in Chief 520.621.7579 editor@wildcat.arizona.edu
A4 Samantha Luvisi Opinions Editor 520.621.7581 letters@wildcat.arizona.edu
Meet your columnists
Dunja Nedic is an Australian exchange student oscillating between psychology and creative writing for her major. She is determined to never write a self-help book, but recognizes that it would be a fitting way to merge her interests.
Daniel Sotelo is a fourth-year student looking forward to his (hopefully) last year in Tucson. Originally from Northern California where he hopes to return for law school, he has unfortunately grown accustomed to the proliferation of cacti and the color brown. He can write about any legal or political issue, doesn’t shy away from controversy and wants to hear from as many readers as possible, especially from those who disagree with him. Arianna Carter is a junior majoring in creative writing. She enjoys discussing issues of sexuality, race and human decency. After graduation, she plans to be poor and live in a box while writing novels. Tiffany Kimmell is a senior majoring in journalism. Four years ago she came to the UA and took part in something she never would have expected to become a part of: a sorority. Her first-ever published article, “Curse of the White Lighter,” went to press in the July issue of a national magazine called High Times. She still doesn’t know if she should put that on her resume.
MAILBAG
Remy Albillar is a junior and an English major. He enjoys writing about the rhetoric of pop culture, as well as exploring and analyzing the minutia of everyday life. After graduation, he hopes to publish his memoirs, titled “The Ol’ Bait and Switch, An Erotic Tale: The Remy Albillar Story”. Chris Ward is an English major born in Tucson, a mere 1,800 miles from Oak Park, Ill. — the birth place of Hemingway. His novel, a work in progress, is going to bring the little-explored and oft-neglected world of wizards, vampires and werewolves to the forefront of modern literature. Gabriel Matthew Schivone is a junior majoring in art, literature, and media studies. He is currently a student volunteer with local human rights group No More Deaths/No Mas Muertes, an active member of student group Voices of Opposition Monday Night Film & Lecture Series, as well as the UA chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine and Amnesty International. James Carpenter is a senior in English and Linguistics. He enjoys adolescent angst music and confessional poetry. Also, he’s interested in the intersection between eastern and western philosophies, language, religions or cultures in general. Samantha Luvisi is a senior majoring in journalism and political science. As opinions editor, she encourages getting angry over things and then contacting her.
ASUA president urges involvement
As your student body president, it is with a great sense of honor and pride that I welcome both new and returning students to The University of Arizona. I’d like to first start off by expressing my excitement to the incoming freshmen. The nearly 7,000 students encompassing the class of 2013 represent the most diverse and academically successful entry class to date. As freshmen, I challenge you to set high academic standards for yourselves, get involved, be spirited and bleed red and blue. We are all enrolled at the UA during a particularly difficult economic time. Sure, the state and university budgets are hurting but so are the budgets of Arizona families. As a result of the tumultuous economy, the job market is suffering. Right now is the
absolute best time to be in school, so make the most out of your college career. Higher education is the key that will unlock your future success. Take advantage of every opportunity while you are here! My role as your student body president is to promote and advance your interests and concerns to help provide a successful and enriching university experience. It is my priority to run an open and sincere organization that representsand cares about your issues. The student-elected officials are here to serve you by ensuring your college years are truly memorable. While we will always try our very best to articulate your needs, we will need your help, your input and even your participation. Our student government is a dynamic organization,
but only through your support and involvement can we grow and better serve the students at this university. Please feel free to reach out to me if you ever have the need. On behalf of The Associated Students at the University of Arizona (ASUA) and myself personally, I want to wish you my best on a rewarding and successful school year. As a student at the UA, you represent some of the most talented and ambitious students from across the country and certainly in the state. Be proud that you are a Wildcat — a Wildcat for life! Bear Down. Christopher Nagata ASUA Student Body President
CONTACT US | The Arizona Daily Wildcat accepts original, unpublished letters from all of its readers. Email letters to: letters@wildcat.arizona.edu
Snail mail to: 615 N. Park Ave., Tucson, AZ 85721
Letters should include name, connection to the university (year, major, etc.) and contact information.
Letters should be no longer than 350 words and should refrain from personal attacks.
Not speaking ill enough of the dead Remy Albillar columnist
A
s of August 24th, authorities have released the information that Michael Jackson’s cause of death was an overdose of anesthesic Propofol. As Jackson’s personal physician, Conrad Murray will likely face a very serious charge, despite his and his lawyer’s best efforts to “Beat It.” It’s awkward, to say the least, when you’re accused of murdering someone through professional incompetence. Even more so when the person you’re accused of murdering has been universally lauded as a loving father, generous philanthropist, hero and the most important icon to moonwalk onto the American pop culture scene. Hold on, that doesn’t sound quite right. That’s probably because prior to his untimely death, the King of Pop more closely resembled Skeletor, a cartoon zombie supervillain, than Mother Teresa. “Thriller” references aside, Jackson’s positive image seems to have risen from the dead as a result of his shocking and sudden passing at the age of 50. The situation begs us to consider to what extent we will let the deceased rest in peace. Will we mire the truth of our feelings toward that person, their actions and opinions? Since his death, iTunes downloads and album sales have pushed Jackson’s popularity to a whole new level. It is, therefore, no surprise that many are beginning to question whether Jackson is more popular dead than he was alive. It’s a disturbing idea that finds its way to the tip of our culture’s tongue each time a celebrity of a particular ratio of renown and pre-mortem irrelevancy passes away. Furthermore, our culture’s tendency to reinvent a celebrity’s character and memory in such a shameless fashion has begun to evoke worry on the faces of those willing to read the over-hyped, super-glossed writing on the wall.
Like Jackson, ex-Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith, known in life for her abilities to both wear little to no clothing and wed octogenarians, was remembered quite differently in death. Her virtues as a generous, wonderful mother were praised in direct proportion to the number of times her Larry King interview was repeated during CNN’s month-long coverage of her demise. This is noted without any disrespect to Smith, whose status as both a mother and an American sex symbol must not necessarily be determined as mutually exclusive. It is the bias in both Smith’s and Michael Jackson’s post-mortem depictions that draws a questioning eye, implying that the aspects and accomplishments of their lives didn’t correlate with a certain set of socially acceptable standards. Admittedly, this “speak not ill of the dead” mentality is a fairly standard cultural maxim. We speak well of the departed in hopes that when we die, the living will speak well of us. An article from Psychology Today even suggests that “as people are predisposed to attribute agency to a supernatural being with omniscience … so do we attribute omniscience to departed mortals”. Even if we aren’t convinced that the ghosts of those we badmouthed will come back to haunt us, we’re not about to take any chances. Regardless of whether this mentality is philosophically noble or psychologically insecure, it is not one that we will do away with anytime soon. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with remembering the positive aspects of a fellow human being. We should encourage and be encouraged to assert such an optimistic response to the harsh reality of death. However, the mass media’s evident castration of Jackson’s troubled personal life from his new public image does not honor his memory. Instead, it repackages a hauntingly brilliant artist into a caricature of celebrity far more plastic than any surgery he ever allegedly underwent. Enter Pete King, a congressman who has publicly denounced the excessive media coverage
of the King of Pop’s death as dishonorable and who accused him of being a pedophile. While his statements are most definitely in bad taste and (in accordance to Jackson’s 2005 acquittals) slanderous, they are also refreshingly familiar, echoing the kinds of accounts of Jackson we might have heard the week before the pop star’s death. In our desire to fondly remember the dead, how far will we let ourselves go in reconstructing our memories and the facts we are allowed to openly address? And at what point will we let “Rest In
Peace” be replaced with “Rest In A Fantasy, Where The Foibles and Shortcomings Of Your Life Are Eschewed In Light Of A Friendlier Image Of Saintly Dignity From Which We As Human Beings Can Learn Absolutely Nothing?” There’s a middle ground there, one in which we can honor the accomplishments of the dead while learning from their mistakes. Hopefully, we find it fast. — Remy Albillar a junior majoring in English. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.