Liberty champion october 22 2013

Politicalcandidates campaign for nov. 5

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Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Today: P.M. Showers 67/46 Tomorrow: Few Showers 58/33 Liberty University

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Volume 31 • Issue 7

Lynchburg, Va.

Student body meets

Homecoming

Nathan Skaggs ncskaggs@liberty.edu

The voices of Liberty University students were heard Wednesday, Oct. 16 at the Student Body Town Hall Meeting with Dean Keith Anderson, hosted by the Dean of Students Office.

Nearly 30 students gathered in Towns Alumni Auditorium to ask questions and discuss topics relating to life at Liberty. During the meeting, policy questions were directed to Anderson as well as Student Body President Josh Warner.

Question topics ranged from entertainment policies to the future of Liberty as students approached one of three microphones at the edge of the stage.

Eli McGowan, a junior at Liberty, asked the dean about the university’s policy on R-rated movies. Anderson replied by restating the existing policies listed in both the Liberty Way and the Entertainment Policies section of the On-Campus Living Guide.

See TOWN HALL, A3 Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion

CARNIVAL — Returning alumni had the chance to go on a ferris wheel and hot air balloon rides. More pictures on B7.

Hamilton overcomes ‘Soul Surfer’ inspires students to put faith in God during difficult situations

Gabriella Fuller gfuller2@liberty.edu

Overcoming obstacles was the theme of Convocation Wednesday, Oct. 16, as students heard from professional surfer and shark attack survivor Bethany Hamilton.

Hamilton, who lost her arm to a 14-foot tiger shark at the age of 13, is now a professional athlete. In addition to conquering national and world championships, Hamilton is also an author, motivational speaker and the inspiration behind the 2011 major motion picture “Soul Surfer.”

According to Jerry Falwell, Jr., president of Liberty University, Hamilton has inspired an entire generation and was influential in pushing Liberty toward film production. “(‘Soul Surfer’) was one

of the things that inspired us to start the School of Cinematic Arts here,” Falwell said. “It showed us that Christian films could be done in high quality.”

Hamilton shared her personal testimony with students, describing how the near-death experience strengthened her faith and walk with Christ.

“It was crazy that this happened to me — a shark attacked me and took my arm,” Hamilton said. “I didn’t know what God had in store for me. One day, I’m doing everything I hoped. The next day, life has come to a halt. Thankfully, God had an incredible plan and journey for me.”

Though Hamilton gave her life to Christ at the age of five, she told students that the journey after her attack was often plagued with doubt.

Ruth Bibby| Liberty Champion

MOTIVATE — Hamilton spoke about her faith and family.

“I remember thinking, ‘What am I going to do?’”

Hamilton said. “But as I grew up with one arm and re-learned how to surf, God taught me how he can take hard times and turn them into something beautiful.

He can do that for each

and every one of you. He can take what you’ve been through and use your story.”

According to Hamilton, making a difference in even one person’s life is worth everything.

Worship recognized Joshua Janney

jjanney@liberty.edu

Worship Leader Magazine recognized the Liberty University Center for Music and Worship as one of the top worship programs in the country in their October issue.

The magazine listed Liberty’s program among the “Best of the Best in Education” for the third year in a row in its annual “Best of the Best” issue. Liberty also earned the Reader’s Choice award for the No. 1 worship program in higher education for the secondconsecutive year.

“The best of the best in education means that you have the best education program or influence,” Vernon Whaley, dean of Liberty University’s School of Music, said.

Whaley said he was especially satisfied with appearing on the Readers Choice awards because those awards are voted by subscribers of the magazine.

“Now, the reason this is so impressive to us is that this is what the readers think,” Whaley said. “The Best of the Best is what the editors think, this is what the readers have voted on.

Most of these guys have either gone through our program or are familiar with it.”

According to Whaley, while the Center for Music and Worship has been pleased with their program, they did not realize how influential it was until they started getting these kinds of recognitions.

See HAMILTON, A3

INSIDE THE CHAMPION News

Sports

Feature

Cuccinelli visited Lynchburg Saturday, Oct. 19 A6

Men’s hockey sweeps weekend series against Davenport.

B4

Bridal Expo held at the Holiday Inn, Oct. 20.

B5

See WORSHIP, A2 News Opinion Sports Feature

PUT CHRIST IN A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS Helping In Jesus’ Name *Photo: Pratham Books

Drop off box in Demoss Room 1035 by Nov. 15

A1 A4 B1 B8

NEWS

A2/Liberty Champion

OCTOBER 22, 2013

PRSSA hosts alumni Graduates return to share experiences in the communication field Dylan Friberg dwfriberg@liberty.edu

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CATCH — A Liberty angler started a foundation to give special needs kids the chance to fish.

Freshman gives back James Ebrahim Jebrahim2@liberty.edu

Sander Smith, a freshman majoring in electrical engineering with a specialization in intelligence, started the non-profit Special Angler Foundation to help those with special needs break into the world of competitive fishing.

According to the foundation’s website, their goal is “to promote the inclusion of the special needs community in general public freshwater and saltwater fishing tournaments.”

Sander Smith said he has been fishing his entire life.

The idea for the organization began in the minds of Sander Smith and his father, Joe Smith.

“My dad suggested getting special needs kids involved with it because my brother is autistic,” Sander Smith said.

Sander Smith’s brother, Travis Smith, won the Youth Angler award in 2012, and the tournament award is named after him.

“We decided we could make it a tournament, a whole category,” Sander Smith said. “(We could) have money, prizes and plaques to be able to award these kids for their achievements.”

According to Sander Smith, the organization is “designed to bring the joy of fishing to a wider range of people, including (those with) special needs, primarily by getting them involved in fishing tournaments.”

This past August, the foundation participated in its first tournament, the Lancaster County Little League Spanish Mackerel Tournament. The cash prizes were “the first known cash payouts in any fishing tournament to individuals with intellectual disabilities,” according to the foundation’s website.

Sander Smith said he believed the tournament was a success because it received

a lot of press and raised awareness. There was a lot of participation and involvement, and the foundation was invited back to next year’s Spanish mackerel tournament.

“In the end, it was done with the help of several dozen people,” Sander Smith said.

They aim to make the organization available to a wider range of people farther down the East and Gulf Coast, Sander Smith said.

According to Sander Smith, many people were eager to help the foundation expand, as donation money poured in rapidly.

“We actually had to stop people from donating,” Sander Smith said. “People started giving too much, way past what we needed to fund the prize money.

The director of the fishing tournament was afraid that this part of the tournament would overshadow the rest of the tournament.”

Sander Smith said that watching the kids get the awards makes the whole process worth it.

“These kids love getting plaques and awards,” Sander Smith said. “It’s great to see people having so much fun. I am familiar with a lot of families with special needs kids, and ordinarily, they would not get out there and go fishing because it is too much of a hassle. It is time-consuming and expensive, but when you have the motivation of a community event, it turns into something totally different.”

According to their website, the Special Anglers Foundation will participate in the Colonial Beach Chamber of Commerce Rockfish Tournament Nov. 9-10, 2013.

To donate or learn more about the Special Anglers Foundation, visit their website specialangler.org EBRAHIM is a news reporter.

“Who you are now is not who you will always be. Where you are now is not where you will always be. Keep moving forward.”

This piece of advice given by Liberty University graduate student and assistant Nate Jurgensen was one of the many encouragements given to Liberty communication students at the 2013 Annual Homecoming PRSSA Alumni Panel.

The panel, which took place Oct. 20, featured five graduates from communication programs who are using the skills they learned at Liberty in the professional world.

They offered advice to students with an overriding theme of easing the transition from college life to real world jobs.

Hosting the panel was Liberty’s PRSSA President Kristen Gorsuch. The panelists included Tola Adamson, Justin Rossbacher, Lexie Dache, David Thompson and Nate Jurgensen.

Adamson, who is now a reporter for ABC13 News, encouraged students to be persistent in gaining knowledge and experience while in school.

“My whole major was a learning process for me,” Adamson said. “I wasn’t that good, but I decided that I was going to learn, because that is what college is for.”

Adamson studied broadcast journalism while at Liberty.

After discussing learning while in college, Adamson advised students to be confident in taking what they have learned into the professional world.

“You’re not going to go into a job knowing everything,” Adamson said. “But be confident. Confident that you can do it, and that you have learned the right basic skills here at Liberty.”

This attitude was shared by all the other panelists as one of the most important things to remember when searching for or starting a job.

“You can do it,” Rossbacher said after Gorsuch asked the panel for the single greatest piece of advice that they could each give students.

Rossbacher, who after graduating from Liberty in 2007 became a commercial film director, stressed the importance of networking and

WORSHIP continued from A1 “We knew that we were on to something, and we designed the programs to be market-driven so our students could get jobs,” Whaley said. “We have been very intentional in designing programs that would plug into the evangelical community immediately. Our gratification is that now the industry is beginning to recognize it as well.”

Whaley said he feels that Liberty’s program stands out for being market-driven, for being practical and for bringing in professional practitioners to teach.

“We shape the curriculum around these guys that have given their lives to whatever profession they work in,” Whaley

Melanie Oelrich | Liberty Champion

HOMECOMING — Alumni share career advice with students. thinking outside the box.

Rossbacher said that one of the greatest assets a person can have in film is to be a proactively unsafe thinker. He said people who can find ways to be creative in new and fresh ways are hard to come by and are highly valued.

When asked how important it is to network with classmates and teachers while in school, he simply said, “Yes,” followed by laughter from the crowd for such a concise answer.

“People want to work with people that they know and trust,” Rossbacher said.

He added that when interacting with people, look them in the eye, give a firm handshake and dress for the part.

Dache is now a marketing and project manager at Proverbs 31 Ministries after graduating from Liberty in 2013 with an advertising and public relations major.

Dache encouraged students that, even though it can sound cliché, God is in complete control of the future.

“Just trust God,” Dache said.

“He will prepare you for every step that you take. You have a door, and even if you knock on 10 that don’t open, God still has that door for you.”

Dache said students should not get stuck in the details of creating a strict life plan.

“I think that God calls us to be faithful in the small things,” Dache said. “I am not looking for a 20year plan from God.” Thompson, a journalism major who graduated in 2007 and

said. “We usually have between 25 and 30 guests come every year, so it’s a big deal. We know that when (the students) get done with the program here that they can use what they’ve learned pretty quickly.”

Whaley said he has been involved with the Center for Worship and Music since 2005. At that time, there were only 89 students in the program. The past few years, the undergraduate levels of the program have averages around 600 while the master’s degree program averages about 400, according to Whaley.

“We’ve asked the Lord to allow our students to impact hundreds of thousands of churches across the country over the next decade,” Whal-

worked at the Lynchburg News & Advance, reiterated that message by advising students to pray about things, but to not hesitate in taking opportunities that could result in growth.

“I might not be good at the start,” Thompson said. “But (these opportunities) will help me stretch my personality in ways that it hasn’t been stretched.”

Thompson just acquired a job as the director of communications for Liberty’s law school, but during his time at the News & Advance he was a public safety reporter. He got the job at the News & Advance right out of college after completing an internship there.

According to Thompson, compassion is the most important trait in his job.

He said that since he reported on a lot of tragedy, he had to learn to let people talk and reveal things at their own pace.

“I knew if I were them, I would not want to talk to me,” Thompson said.

Thompson also stressed the importance of being adaptable for those you are working for.

The questions asked during the panel by Gorsuch were interspersed with questions from Twitter submitted by students in the audience. The most active Twitter askers got a free T-shirt at the end of the panel.

For more information on PRSSA and their events, visit their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @LibertyPRSSA. FRIBERG is a news reporter.

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

PRAISE — Students work to further their abilities. ey said. “We’ve already got a thousand if you count our graduate program.”

Whaley said his goal is to have a thousand undergraduate students by 2015.

“It’s just nice knowing that the teachers are the best at what they do,”

Taylor Sprouse, sophomore worship major, said. “My hope is that Liberty University alumni leave a big impact on America through some real-world accomplishments.”

JANNEY is a news reporter.

Champion corrections In last week’s issue, the skybox stated that the men’s soccer team won its game against Winthrop by a score of 4-3. The score was actually 3-2.

1. VIRGINIA CREATES NEW DATABASE FROM DMV RECORDS.

2. LYNCHBURG COLLEGE’S ANDY WARHOL EXHIBIT WILL BE OPEN OCT. 21.

VISIT THE CHAMPION’S WEBSITE AT LIBERTYCHAMPION.COM. CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK.

3. SUSAN G. KOMEN ANNOUNCED NEW PROCESSES FOR GRANT PROPOSALS.

NEWS

OCTOBER 22, 2013 TOWN HALL continued from A1 The Liberty Way states, “attendance at, possession or viewing of an R-rated movie� will result in 12 points and a $50 fine.

However, the Entertainment Policies section of the On-Campus Living Guide referenced by Anderson states, “Liberty University encourages all students to abstain from any form of entertainment that would compromise their testimony to the world and their relationship to God,� making no specific mention of movie ratings.

At the end of the meeting, McGowan said he was dissatisfied with the answer. “I was looking to see the worldview standard apply to Rrated movies, and he just kept coming back to how we can personally apply the worldview standard to movies below R-rated, and he said we have freedom to do that,� McGowan said. “I want to see freedom to apply that (worldview standard) to R-rated movies.�

However, McGowan said he

HAMILTON continued from A1 “I look back on losing my arm, and I would never take back anything that I’ve been through,�

Hamilton said. “I wouldn’t choose to keep my arm, because I know that God allowed me to go through something like this to be able to share the message of hope in him.�

Through her platform of professional sport, Hamilton has since shared around the world the message of overcoming obstacles with Christ. “I’ve gone to places that I never would have known before,� Hamilton said, recounting her time spent in a sea gypsy village in Thai-

appreciated Anderson for refusing to set policies based upon the secular industry’s standard of appropriateness.

Senior Sean Body asked Anderson whether Liberty would end up forsaking its Christian roots like Princeton or Harvard.

Anderson noted that this was a concern for the late Dr. Jerry Falwell. However, Anderson emphasized that no matter what programs are offered or policies enacted, their results will be up to prayer and, ultimately, God. “We can’t legislate righteousness,� Anderson said.

Dr. Todd Campo, vice president of student leadership, also addressed the concern. “I think where we need to get nervous is when we fall away from our doctrinal statements,�

Campo said.

According to Campo, he believes that one way the university’s original vision would be preserved is through the financial means in which Liberty is not dependent upon donors that may strongly influence the direction of the school, as is the case of many former Christian plat-

land after the tsunami of 2004. “It was really awesome to see the light that was brought to them and to be able to remind them that God loves them, and he wants them to overcome.�

Hamilton reminded students that although obstacles may sometimes block our vision, God is always working in the midst of our trials and difficult circumstances. “I look back now, and I’m just in awe of how God can take a young girl like me from a tiny island in Hawaii and share my story all over the world to reach so many people,�

Hamilton said.

She encouraged the crowd to live passionately

Liberty Champion/A3

Lauren Adriance | Liberty Champion

DISCUSSION — Dean Anderson answered students questions about the Liberty Way. forms of higher education.

Warner said he was encouraged by the turnout and with what the students had to say. “I feel like with a majority of the questions, (the students) understood the viewpoint of the

in all areas of life. “I love that God can take the passions that he gives us,� Hamilton said. “He took my surfing, even after losing my arm, and was able to share a story of hope with so many people. If you choose to live your life for God, he will take your passions and turn them into even more incredible passions and adventures.�

Despite trials and overwhelming circumstances, Hamilton advocated that obstacles can teach us to live for a greater purpose. “Allow him to drive you in your passions. Work at your passions with all your heart as doing it for the Lord. Doing it for the Lord brings us to this reason

administration and also that we’re open to presenting new ideas and thinking outside the box,� Warner said.

To keep up with changing policies at Liberty or to speak with a student body representative, visit

to live beyond ourselves.

Even if we just reach one person through our obstacles and through our trials — it’s just as beautiful if we reach just one versus a million.�

After speaking to the crowd in morning Convocation, Hamilton conducted a question and answer session hosted by the Department of Psychology. During this time, Hamilton shared in-depth stories of her faith and her determination to pursue her goal as a professional surfer.

Student questions varied from topics of seriousness — such as Hamilton’s life after the accident, her first time back in the water and her struggle of han-

liberty.edu/studentlife or email the Student Government Association at sga@liberty.edu.

SKAGGS is a news reporter.

dling fame — to the more lighthearted subjects of her engagement and marriage, the filming of “Soul Surfer� and her personal choice for victor of this year’s Rip Curl Pro ASP World Tour.

Hamilton, who was later joined by her husband on stage, offered advice for students facing times of discouragement, laughed along to the reenactment of her engagement and shared her desire to bring God glory in everything. “I feel honored to be a role model,� Hamilton said. “The cool thing is I’m just like you. I have my struggles and my weaknesses and areas that I can improve on. We all have that. And we can all ask

God for help in those areas and work on them.�

With no intention of stopping, Hamilton said she plans to continue as a professional surfer and motivational speaker, using the ocean as her testimony from the past and platform for the future. “After losing my arm, I got up on my third wave and rode it all the way to the beach,� Hamilton said. “I had tears of joy and was stoked to be back where I loved. The ocean is my hiding place. It’s somewhere that God’s given me. I look out, and it’s just absolutely beautiful, so vast and huge.

I love the ocean.�

FULLER is the opinion editor.

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Together, we can Take Hunger PersonallyÂŽ.

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OPINION

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OCTOBER 22, 2013

Women are not rape bait Email from Phi Kappa Tau coaches fraternity members to abuse alcohol and sex Gabriella Fuller gfuller2@liberty.edu Georgia Tech fraternity Phi Kappa Tau has recently become the subject of investigation after an email entitled “Luring your Rapebait” was sent by the chapter’s social director.

The student, who has remained unnamed, wrote the email to members of his fraternity, giving detailed instructions to his house brothers on how to manipulate women once they have consumed too much alcohol. The email gave explicit, vulgar instructions for dancing with women in an effort to hook up and encouraged readers to “go get more alcohol” if all else fails.

In other words, to take advantage of them, get them drunk. Once they are drunk, hit the dance floor for a good time groping and grinding. Continue to escalate the experience by using your imagination, and finally, “send them out of your room and on their way out when you are finished.” The how-to email finishes with “I want to see everyone succeed at the next couple parties.”

Before I could even reach the last line of the appalling material, tears blurred my vision. Rape is an extremely serious, humorless subject matter. Yet here a college fraternity has made unconscionable behavior appear okay — amusing, even. Worse yet, they are teaching others to follow suit.

What happened to fraternities and sororities instilling a sense of camaraderie and community? If these are the methods by which brotherhood and sisterhood are

taught, today’s guide to socialization is one I want no part of.

A study published Oct. 7, 2013 in JAMA Pediatrics found that nearly one in 10 Americans aged 14-21 admit using coercion or force for sexual favors. Four percent reported attempting or completing rape.

According to a series of investigative pieces from the University of Massachusetts concerning sexual assault across college campuses, America is coming to be defined as a rape culture: a culture in which people are surrounded with images, language and other everyday phenomena that validate and perpetuate rape. Language and phenomena like the fraternity email.

Rape is a societal problem. Rather than viewing the culture of rape as a serious problem that needs immediate attention, sexism and violence become seen as “just the way things are.”

According to the Rape Crisis Center, ages 12-34 are the years with the highest risk, with 80 percent of victims being under the age of 30. Women ages 16-19 are four times more likely than the general population to be victims of sexual assault. To make matters worse, alcohol plays a role in 81 percent of rapes.

A culture that takes advantage of women and has no respect for the value of another human life. A culture where men are invested in sex and drunken escapades as a sense of fulfillment and entitlement. Are these the lessons the social director of Phi Kappa Tau wants to be responsible for teaching?

The heartbreaking truth is that, according to the American Civil Liberties Union,

95 percent of sexual assaults on campus go unreported, and there is little disciplinary action taken against those that are.

The sad, shocking and ultimately sickening email has only brought to light a problem that has long been in existence. In defense of the email’s author, the student did issue an apology.

“As hard as it may be to believe, it was written as a joke for a small audience that understood the context, and it is not my nor my fraternity’s actual beliefs on the subject,” he said. “I have now come to realize this is a very serious topic that should not be taken lightly.”

Though the student should have realized these truths long before his fingers hit the send button, I hope that his repentance was a moment of honest sincerity. It is beyond my ability to fathom how the topic was “written as a joke,” but I pray that in retrospect, the email’s coming to light will do more good than harm.

Women are not rape bait, and any attempt to seduce women with the use of alcohol should in no way be condoned.

For those who are victims of this serious subject, I apologize for the insensitivity and grotesqueness of the email. And for the millions of students currently in college, please do not believe the lie that these are the years for partying, experimenting and following the so-called wisdom of fraternities and sororities.

Enjoy your college years, but do so with decency, responsibility and respect.

FULLER is the opinion editor.

SCOTUS begins new term

Tyler Beaston

tbeaston@liberty.edu

Despite the recent government shutdown, the U.S. Supreme Court has released the docket for its new term that started Monday, Oct. 7, according to an Associated Press article by Mark Sherman.

According to an NPR article

by Nina Totenberg, the upcoming cases will not likely be defined by landmark decisions, but a few important ones are worth noting.

Indeed, the docket does seem to include a number of issues that will fire people up, particularly a case dealing with the regulatory power of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“The justices already have one case dealing with air pollution on their docket, so the new cases — which will be consolidated into one — make environmental regulation a major topic for this term,” Richard Wolf wrote in his USA Today article.

Other cases address limits on money given to political campaigns, affirmative action policies used by colleges and

prayer in city council meetings.

Particularly interesting are the cases dealing with abortion and the EPA. “While there is no direct challenge to Roe v. Wade, there are cases that would allow the court to chip away at the right to abortion,” Totenberg wrote.

I do not classify abortion as a right under any circumstances, and steps to remove or ban it would represent a positive change in U.S. policy. These changes would further demonstrate acknowledgement of humans’ right to life.

Sherman wrote that the Supreme Court leans toward conservative ideologies, so I predict that the modifications it makes will be constructive.

For example, in regards to the EPA case, the Supreme Court has the chance to curtail the agency’s power. “(T)he Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to consider limiting the Environmental Protection Agency’s power to regulate greenhouse gases,” Wolf ’s article said. “The court appealed six separate petitions that sought to roll back EPA’s clout over carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.”

by Greg Leasure The Washington Redskins football team is currently fighting a battle, the results of which will have lasting effects on the organization, and it cannot be settled on the field.

Redskins owner Dan Snyder now finds himself fighting to save his organization’s image LEASURE – and his pocketbook for that matter – after Native

I would welcome a decision to weaken the EPA. Its influence has spread to an alarming degree, yet it seems to base its policies on untenable assertions and unreliable data.

The judicial branch of the U.S. government has often been accused of holding too much influence concerning these cases, causing an imbalance between the three branches. After all, the Supreme Court has the power to determine the constitutionality of a law.

But the Supreme Court is not too powerful. For one thing, it does not actively involve itself in politics or lawmaking.

People and states brought the cases to the court — the court did not pursue the cases.

Another positive aspect of the Supreme Court is that the justices hold their position for life, unless they die, retire or are impeached. They are not popularly elected, but are selected by the president. Thus, the justices avoid the political drama that plagues congressional and presidential elections.

Accurate interpretation of America’s laws and Constitution is the Supreme Court’s

American groups called the team’s nickname offensive and asked for it to be changed.

“We’ll never change the name,” Snyder said in a USA Today article earlier this year. “It’s that simple.

NEVER – you can use caps.”

Although many Redskins fans and former players have voiced their desire for the name to remain the same, not everyone involved with the situation agrees with Snyder.

Some members of the media, such as Sports Illustrated’s Peter King and USA Today’s Christine Brennan, have chosen to stop using the name altogether. Even President Barack Obama shared his thoughts on the topic.

“I don’t think there are any Redskins fans that mean offense,” Obama said in an interview with the Associated Press. “I’ve got to say, if I were the

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objective. The justices are supposed to be apolitical when adjudicating on all disputes. They frequently base their decisions on precedents set by earlier courts, rather than forming new opinions.

As in any government institution, political divides exist, perhaps unfortunately, by default. I expect that some people will point accusatory fingers at the Supreme Court, whining about its alleged agenda, when it passes a verdict they dislike.

But so it goes.

BEASTON is an opinion writer.

owner of the team … I’d think about changing it.”

Clearly, the issue has divided many groups of people, regardless of whether or not they identify themselves as sports fans. Unfortunately for those in support of a change, the decision is not up for debate, and only Snyder has the power to decide whether or not enduring the costly process of changing the Redskins name is the best option.

I have never met Snyder, but I agree with Obama’s statement that he and other Redskins fans probably do not mean to offend anyone. In a perfect world, both sides would be able to come to an agreement that would repair the team’s relationship with the Native American community and allow the Redskins organization to embrace its past, but that solution just does not exist.

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RIBBON — October promotes awareness.

Pretty in pink Jessica Kramer jkramer22@liberty.edu

October is usually a sea of reds, oranges and yellows — a true harvest month, fully clothed in autumn colors. But a shade of pink has recently taken over as a symbol for breast cancer awareness. Pink ribbons are the universal symbol for support in this disease that kills almost 40,000 women every year, according to the American Cancer Society.

While it is important to continue sending donations, and giving our time and efforts to fighting for a cure, we need to be cautious and fully aware of the types of organizations that receive the funds. According to Life Site News, “The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation has announced it is cutting half of its three-day races due to poor response, a situation that a Komen spokeswoman blamed in part on the controversy over the charity’s decision last year to stop and then renew funding to Planned Parenthood.”

Last year, the foundation decided to stop sending funds to Planned Parenthood — the largest abortion provider in the U.S. — due in part because the women’s clinic does not actually perform mammograms, but instead refers women at a considerable cost.

But Nancy Brinker, Komen CEO, apparently could not take the heat of negative media attention and decided to reverse the foundation’s position and return funds back to Planned Parenthood before stepping down from her position of power.

This rightly outraged pro-lifers, myself included. This is the exact reason why we must obtain knowledge of all organizations, companies and foundations that donate to such entities and take a firm stand for our beliefs. We must find alternative organizations that fight breast cancer and also share our values.

As students of Liberty University, a widely proclaimed pro-life institution, we need to strongly support efforts and stand behind Breast Cancer Action. This is an organization that we could proudly stand by, an organization that is in the interest of promoting change and activism on the subject.

When controversy comes out in situations similar to these, it is best to remain constant in our cause, but cautious in our pursuit of the solution.

KRAMER is an opinion writer.

Americans of different cultural backgrounds have fought for centuries for their right to be considered equal to one another. I firmly believe that Snyder has the right to call his football team whatever he wants to, but what kind of message is being sent when a team that represents our nation’s capital refuses to change a name that obviously shows what some think as disrespect for a group of Americans?

If Snyder ever does decide to change the name, he can expect tons of complaints from disappointed fans, but people forget quickly. Whether it takes three years or 30, fans will grow to love their team’s new identity. That is a small price to pay for not being known as the team that thinks a name on a jersey is more important than an entire group of people.

OPINION

OCTOBER 22, 2013

Liberty Champion/A5

Abigail Bock | Liberty Champion

CANNABIS — Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have now legalized the use of marijuana in some form.

Marijuana legalization pros/cons Legalization is a viable way to help boost the U.S. economy Zachary Pinkston zpinkston@liberty.edu

Within the last year, our country has undergone some big changes. One of these changes is that two states, Colorado and Washington, have legalized marijuana for recreational use.

So what does that mean, and what does that mean for the Conservative?

Its law in Colorado, which passed Nov. 6, 2012 under the 64th Amendment, states that an adult over the age of 21 may possess up to one ounce of marijuana. Adults may also grow up to six plants for private use.

Washington’s I-502, an initiative on marijuana reform passed by the Washington State Legislature, allows an individual over the age of 21 to possess up to an ounce of marijuana.

Many Conservatives may believe that this could hurt our country, that marijuana users will start smoking wherever they feel led.

That is not the case.

In both states, smoking marijuana in public is illegal, and driving while under the influence of marijuana comes with the same penalties as driving drunk.

Should we be concerned with the legalization of marijuana?

As a Conservative, I see no reason to be concerned. In fact, positive results could come from the legalization of marijuana.

According to the BBC, illegal drug use is on the rise worldwide, and expanded efforts at controlling the global illegal drug market are failing.

“We should look to implement policies that place community health and safety at the forefront of our efforts and consider drug use a public health issue rather than a criminal justice issue,” Dr. Evan Wood, chairman at The International Centre for Science in Drug Policy in Vancouver, Canada, said.

By allowing the legalization of marijuana, the funds used to fight marijuana can be used to focus on health care and substance abuse counseling for harder drug users. That means that officials who fight harder drugs — such as heroine, cocaine and, worst of all, meth — would be given more funding to get these drugs off the street and to get users help.

Practically speaking, these funds could be put into rehabilitation centers.

The second positive outcome is the taxation of marijuana producers and marijuana

users. In Colorado and Washington, manufacturers and distributors have to be licensed by the state. Licensing would help the states’ economies through collected fees.

“Marijuana licensing fees are higher than any other industry in Colorado, up to $18,000 per marijuana store, more than enough to fund regulation,” Robert J. Corry, Jr. of The Denver Post said.

Also, for every purchase of marijuana, a sales tax is charged.

According to The Denver Post, a 15 percent excise tax is charged on every marijuana sale, along with a 10 percent sales tax. That equals 25 percent tax in total for the sale of marijuana, and for the state of Colorado, that will bring in a lot of revenue that the state can use.

The legalization of marijuana could help this country get rid of some of the debt we have accumulated.

The third and final reason why marijuana legalization is a good idea is because, whether or not marijuana is legal, people are going to smoke it.

With marijuana being illegal, users have to pour money into drug dealers. These drug dealers are importing their marijuana or growing it secretly.

No one can know what is in the marijuana they buy, and according to the Center for Substance Abuse Research, there have been cases where users have bought marijuana that were laced with chemicals.

If marijuana is legalized, the marijuana producers will be under the eye of the law, and what they grow will be solely marijuana plants. Users buying marijuana from a legal producer will not fear it being laced with any such chemicals. Thus, it will be much safer if marijuana is legalized.

Keeping marijuana illegal is redundant and reminds me of the prohibition of alcohol.

People still drank, but instead of the revenue being taxed and going into the government, it went into the hands of people like Al Capone.

As other states debate whether the legalization of marijuana is worth it, remember that legalization could be some states’ ticket out of debt, will take money out of the hands of criminals and will be much safer.

PINKSTON is an opinion writer.

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Benefits from marijuana are temporary at best Derrick Battle dbattle2@liberty.edu

At the time of New World exploration, Spanish and English colonists brought over and grew cannabis as a source of dietary fiber. Fast-forward five centuries, and America’s use of it is quite tainted.

Before the discovery of potential health benefits, many users said they smoked it as an escape to get away from life stresses and issues.

The theory of “smoking your stress away” is a failure because the issue still remains when drug supplies run dry.

Cannabis, or in other words marijuana, has been a controversial drug and is now being approved by state constitutions. Colorado and Washington allow the use of marijuana for more than just medical reasons.

According to medicalmarijuana. org, 20 states have allowed the use of medical marijuana.

Colorado and Washington have also placed restrictions on the drug, prohibiting public use by only allowing citizens to carry one ounce of the substance and, most importantly, placing an age limit of 21 or older to buy and use the drug.

While it may be debated, marijuana can be used as a stepping stone drug to harder and stronger drugs such as cocaine, heroin, meth and phencyclidine (PCP). Also, while doctors and physicians may say that marijuana can be helpful in treating diseases such as cancer and HIV, it is not fully proven. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there has not been enough test trials with marijuana to prove its health benefits outweigh its defects.

There are three phases that a drug must go through in order to be approved by the FDA. In those phases, they test the safety, side effects and efficiency of the potential drug. In 2012, The National Institute of Drug Abuse said, “To be considered

LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICIES & INFO

a legitimate medicine, a substance must have well-defined and measurable ingredients that are consistent from one unit to the next.”

A marijuana plant may contain more than 400 chemical compounds differing from each plant.

Still, while the debate of whether marijuana should be legalized is up in the air, I believe that it should not.

The health benefits from the drug are temporary, and the downsides, such as addiction from its use, could eventually harm an individual.

Rather than from a health point of view, Colorado and Washington have found a “positive” way for the use of the product.

Melissa Cammack of Global Communications News Network wrote in an article that Washington and Colorado consider that legal marijuana will help the local economies fund the states due to the high tax placed on the product. Although this may seem glamorous, Americans must realize there are other ways to strengthen our economy, such as resetting mortgage rates, according to barrons.com.

Marijuana is a tough drug to let go of, and in some cases, it can be as addictive as alcohol and cigarettes.

We can see the long-term effects those do to the body when abused.

According to addictionandrecovery. org, marijuana users are four times more likely to develop signs of depression and triple the chances of forming psychotic symptoms. Moreover, the drug is about as strong as a 60-120 mg of codeine when treating pain for a cancer patient.

Instead of trying to force Americans to inhale the “benefits” marijuana may produce for the U.S. market, state governments and Congress need to rethink a more profitable, non-destructive perk for the economy.

BATTLE is the sports editor.

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All material submitted becomes property of the Champion. The Champion reserves the right to accept, reject or edit any letter received—according to the Champion stylebook, taste and the Liberty University mission statement.

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OCTOBER 22, 2013

Candidates prepare for Nov. 5

As the date of the Virginia election looms closer, opponents increase campaigning efforts Emily Brown erbrown@liberty.edu

In the Nov. 5 general elections, Lynchburg residents will vote for candidates for several local offices, including commissioner of the revenue, treasurer, commonwealth’s attorney and sheriff.

The office of sheriff is the only office with more than one candidate running for election. The incumbents who hold the offices of commissioner of the revenue, treasurer and commonwealth’s attorney are all running unopposed.

Sheriff For the first time in more than 10 years, the incumbent, Sheriff Ron Gillispie, is being challenged for the office.

According to an article on the The News & Advance’s website, newsadvance. com, the sheriff ’s office is not primarily a law enforcement agency. The sheriff ’s office is responsible for a variety of other criminal justice services, including courtroom security, serving court documents, inmate transports, evictions, juror summons and funeral escorts, according to lynchburgsheriff.org.

Gillispie, the Republican candidate, has held the position of sheriff of the City of Lynchburg since January of 2002. He defeated three other candidates in the race and has not faced a single opponent as an incumbent, according to newsadvance. com.

Gillispie’s campaign is focused on his experience.

“I think experience is very important, especially in a job of this nature,” Gillispie said to The News & Advance.

Gillispie has worked in law enforcement for more than 43 years, according to newsadvance.com. He has served at both the Lynchburg Police Department (LPD) and the Liberty University Police Department (LUPD) prior to becoming sheriff, according to Gillispie’s official campaign website. At LPD, Gillispie was a patrol officer for more than 20 years and also

worked as a vice and narcotics investigator. In his time with LUPD, Gillispie was the lieutenant in charge of investigations and an advisor to the chief of police.

Gillispie, 67, is also promoting the positive changes he has made since taking office in 2002.

According to his website, Gillispie started Lynchburg Project Lifesaver, a program that searches for missing residents who suffer from Alzheimer’s and other mental disorders, during April of 2002, only four months after his original inauguration as sheriff. Lynchburg Project Lifesaver has conducted more than 47 successful searches for missing residents since 2002.

Also under Gillispie’s leadership, the City of Lynchburg Sheriff ’s Office received Virginia state accreditation in 2006 and was reaccredited again in 2010, according to Gillispie’s website.

Gillispie has “100 percent support for re-election” from 45 Lynchburg Sheriff ’s Office deputies and staff, according to his website. He is also endorsed by the CEO and founder of Project Lifesaver International, more than 10 former LPD and LUPD officers and several Lynchburg government officials.

Gillispie will appear on the ballot with first-time candidate for Lynchburg sheriff Kevin Chapman, who is 30 years Gillispie’s junior, according to newsadvance. com.

Chapman, who is running as an Independent, officially began his campaign Sept. 20, according to newsadvance.com.

“I’m basically approaching this with a new, fresh perspective,” Chapman said.

“I’ve built my life on honesty and integrity.

I feel like the office of sheriff should definitely have someone who is a very honest person … I think if the city allows me to be the sheriff, you’ll see positive changes.”

According to newsadvance.com, Chapman has no law enforcement experience, but has a criminal justice degree from Liberty University.

Chapman is also the owner of Chap-

Tagging for fame

man Investigations Inc., a private investigations firm that also offers security services. The firm also specializes in serving court papers for local lawyers. Chapman is a registered Virginia armed private investigator and has owned his firm for more than 10 years, according to Chapman’s official campaign website.

The first-time candidate said he wants to use his experience with serving court papers to improve the process that is currently in place in the sheriff ’s office.

Chapman hopes to do more to ensure the intended recipients receive the papers, according to newsadvance.com. Chapman would place deputies on different shifts so those serving papers have more opportunity to get papers to the correct people.

According to Chapman’s campaign website, he intends to “develop a strong, positive work environment (in the sheriff ’s office) that facilitates the respect of all personnel.” Chapman promised to create a process for handling employee grievances and an anti-nepotism rule, according to newsadvance.com.

Chapman is endorsed by five local attorneys, as well as a few former employees of the sheriff ’s office, according to his website.

For more information about the candidates or their campaigns, visit rongillispieforsheriff.com and chapmanforsheriff.org.

Commissioner of the Revenue According to lynchburgva.gov, the commissioner of the revenue is responsible for the administration of all local tax programs. The commissioner of the revenue is in charge of the taxes on personal property, vehicle license, business personal property, machinery and tools, business license, meals, lodging, state income and amusement. The office also handles real estate tax relief and exemptions.

Commissioner of the Revenue Mitchell W. Nuckles is the Republican running for re-election.

“As commissioner, I strive to ensure all

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WALSH is a news reporter.

Lynchburg’s Treasurer’s Office works closely with the commissioner of the revenue regarding taxes. The treasurer oversees and collects state tax payments for the City of Lynchburg, according to lynchburgva.gov.

As is the case with commissioner of the revenue, the City of Lynchburg’s incumbent treasurer David C. Thurman is running unopposed. Thurman is also a Republican candidate.

Commonwealth’s Attorney According to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s official website, ocalynchburg.com, the commonwealth’s attorney is responsible for the enforcement of the laws of Virginia in Lynchburg. The attorney also handles the prosecution of all felony and misdemeanor offenses.

The current Commonwealth Attorney Michael R. Doucette is running for re-election without any competition.

Doucette is running as an Independent candidate.

According to ocalynchburg.com, Doucette joined the Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office in 1984.

Six years later, he became deputy commonwealth’s attorney. In 2002, Doucette became chief deputy commonwealth’s attorney and acting commonwealth’s attorney in March of 2006.

In November of 2006, Doucette was elected without opposition to the Office of Commonwealth’s Attorney. Three years later in the general election, Doucette was re-elected to the office. Once again, he had no competition, according to ocalynchburg.com.

BROWN is a copy editor.

RE-ELECTION FOR LYNCHBURG SHERIFF

LIGHT — Laser Tag Source hopes to set a new record. men and women through post-abortion counseling.

Christina Toth, an intern at the pregnancy center, said there is more to the run than raising proceeds. It is about bringing attention to the community about what Blue Ridge does.

“Many women with crisis pregnancies do not know all of the details about the results of abortion,” Toth said. “It is important to both inform them as well as give them information about other options they may not have considered.”

Meetre said besides counseling, the pregnancy center also has a mobile unit which goes out into the community to give help to those who cannot make it to the center. The mobile unit has gone as far as Roanoke to help a client.

“It’s great to see everyone coming out to support life,” Meetre said. “I know we’re going to break (the record).”

To find out more about the race and how to sign up, visit the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center website at blueridgepc.org.

Treasurer

RON GILLISPIE

Twalsh12@liberty.edu

from the event go to make sure the center keeps its doors open.”

Participants are encouraged to create groups of 10 to compete against other teams during the laser tag tournament. Each team is asked to have a minimum combined pledge total of $500. The church youth group that raises the most money will win a laser tag party. The winner of the tournament will also win a party.

“We were looking for some kind of event to go along with the walk,” Meetre said. “It was a great partnership.”

Meetre said she is extremely passionate about her work at Blue Ridge.

“When I was 18 years old, I had an abortion,” Meetre said. “No one educated me about all my options, and I made the choice to have the abortion.

Women don’t realize that there is a whole other side.”

Meetre explained that the center works to educate women on the emotional, physical and spiritual aspects of all their options. If a woman still makes the decision to end the pregnancy, Blue Ridge works with both

taxes are assessed in a fair and equitable manner,” Nuckles said on the official Lynchburg, Va., commissioner of the revenue Web page on lynchburgva.gov.

100% of the Lynchburg Sheriff ’s Office Employees and Auxiliary Endorse

Tobi Walsh

Why sleep in on Saturday when you can break the Guinness World Record for the largest game of laser tag?

That is what participants at the 5k Run and Walk for Life & Guinness World Record Laser Tag Game Fundraiser will be doing Oct. 26.

Mike Kirby, the owner of Laser Tag Source and lead pastor of Lynchburg Church of God, said he had his sights set on breaking the record, which is held by a group from Australia.

“We wanted to team up with a non-profit while breaking the record,” Kirby said. “My employees and I had a lot of different causes out on the table, but we wanted to find one that was the right fit.”

By chance, Kirby ran into Blue Ridge Executive Director Lori Meetre’s husband at the Wildfire Conference at Liberty University. Kirby said he decided that the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center was the perfect fit.

Kirby said his company loved what Blue Ridge stood for and their ministry to educate women who may be faced with an unplanned pregnancy.

“As a church, we are called to be a church of action,” Kirby said. “We shouldn’t just picket against abortion, we should do something more.”

Meetre said the response to the event has been excellent.

“I think it’s great to see all these people coming out to support life,” Meetre said. “All of the proceeds

VOTE

VOTE: NOVEMBER 5, 2013 The Deputies and Staff of the Lynchburg Sheriff ’s Office support and endorse Sheriff Ron Gillispie’s re-election for Sheriff of Lynchburg. Ron’s extensive experience, integrity, leadership, faith and commitment to excellence make him the most qualified and competent candidate for Sheriff of Lynchburg.

Please join us and vote Gillispie for Sheriff on November 5th because: Experience Matters!

Thank you for your support and vote. rongillispieforsheriff.com

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OCTOBER 22, 2013

Liberty Champion/A7

22nd District delegate election Republican Byron and Democrat Cyphert campaign for the same seat in the House of Delegates for Nov. 5.

Melanie Oelrich moelrich@liberty.edu

As the November general election nears, the House of Delegates candidates are each leading campaigns in every effort to gain voters and boost their political platforms.

Representing the 22nd legislative district since 1997, Republican candidate Kathy Byron has been an active member of the Virginia House of Delegates, according to her campaign website. Byron represents portions of Bedford, Campbell and Franklin Counties and the City of Lynchburg. She currently serves as a member of both the House of Commerce and Labor and Finance Committees and is chairperson of the House Science and Technology Committee.

According to an article from the Roanoke Times, Byron and her Democratic opponent Katie Webb Cyphert recently battled at a forum held by the Smith Mountain Lake Association, Tuesday, Oct. 8. The discussion was based on legislative seniority, higher education and state tax reforms.

“My 14 years in the General Assembly would rank me 14th in the House of Delegates and make me the longest-serving legislator from Central Virginia, which is influential to key committees in Richmond,” Byron said.

Byron’s campaign website states that she has been a consistent and steadfast voice for issues concerning taxes, traditional values, public safety, healthcare, education and economic development.

“I have successfully worked to expand workforce training

and development programs in our region to ensure that our citizens have the skills they need to compete for quality jobs in today’s competitive economy,” Byron said.

According to Byron, she fights for the values of faith in God, personal integrity and stronger families, and she is a strong supporter of ending abortion.

District Chairman Wendell Walker praised Byron for her genuine concern for other people.

“Kathy is a hardworking individual who fights for freedom and liberty,” Walker said. “She is an outstanding leader who works well with other legislators in the General Assembly. It is a blessing to have elected leaders who represent her constituents as well as Kathy Byron.”

Byron, who is a member of the Tobacco Commission, was one of the guests who participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony last November to commemorate the groundbreaking of Liberty University’s new Center for Medical and Health Sciences. Along with Vice Chair Senator Frank Ruff, Byron presented a check of $20.5 million as a contribution from the Tobacco Commission for the construction.

According to the Liberty Journal, Byron called the new medical school a “testimony to the vision of Liberty University’s leadership, its board and the entire campus community.”

Byron will face Democratic opponent Cyphert in the upcoming election.

With nearly a decade of teaching experience in local schools, Democratic opponent Cyphert knows what does and does not work in the education

Photo provided.

Photo Provided.

ELECTION — Democrat Katie Webb Cyphert (left) faces Republican incumbent Kathy Byron (right). system, according to her campaign website.

“A high-quality education produces a high-quality work force, which is attractive to potential employers and fosters entrepreneurship in the next generation,” Cyphert said.

When it comes to the current state of the economy, Cyphert believes that the government helps to foster an environment for the private sector to create jobs and wants to ensure that the decisions of the people are protected.

“We need less government in our lives, not more,” Cyphert said. “I have years of experience in the financial services industry, and I know the challenges of

making a living and providing for my family through uncertain economic times.”

According to David Cary, Cyphert’s campaign manager, one of Cyphert’s strengths is that she is a fresh face and has not been in office before.

“She’s a local voter, teacher and business woman, and is responsive to what the people want,” Cary said. “She always wants to be available and accessible.”

Cyphert currently teaches eighth-grade earth science classes at Linkhorne Middle School and also sells life insurance policies as a licensed producer for Horace Mann Insurance.

For more information on each

candidate, visit katiewebbcyphert.com and kathybyron. com.

OELRICH is the social media editor.

NEWS

A8/Liberty Champion

OCTOBER 22, 2013

Cuccinelli rallies Lynchburg

Republican candidate for governor visits campus and attends event with Mike Huckabee at Candler’s Station Greg Leasure gleasure@liberty.edu

Virginia Attorney General gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli visited Liberty University Saturday, Oct. 19 to meet voters and attend the Flames Homecoming football game before holding a rally with special guest Mike Huckabee that night.

Fans entering the gates to see Liberty take on Coastal Carolina University had the chance to meet and shake hands with Cuccinelli. According to him, that style of campaigning will be very important in the weeks before the Nov. 5 election.

“When you get close to the end and people start actually asking questions, having a live human being to answer them — there’s no substitute for that,” Cuccinelli said. “… So that’s what we’re focusing on.”

Following the recent government shutdown, NBC News reported Thursday, Oct. 17 that Democrat Terry McAuliffe led Republican Cuccinelli 46 to 38 percent in a poll of likely voters.

After watching some of Liberty’s loss to the Chanticleers, Cuccinelli and local supporters gathered at the Liberty Mountain Conference Center for a rally.

Delegate Kathy Byron, Senator Steve Newman and Congressman Bob Goodlatte shared their views on women’s rights, the Virginia economy and the importance of the race before Cuccinelli emerged to a sea of blue, “Cuccinelli for Governor” signs.

During his speech, Cuccinelli covered his plan to create jobs, his opposition to rising electricity rates and his support of limited government, among other topics.

“The best thing our government can do for our economy is get out of the way,” Cuccinelli

Courtney Russo| Liberty Champion

POLITICS — Cuccinelli discussed topics such as job creation, government limitations and electricity rates with Lynchburg locals. said. “Our greatest resource in Virginia is Virginians.”

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee closed the night by expressing his support for Cuccinelli and highlighting the importance of the Virginia gubernatorial race on both the state and national levels.

“This race is about a lot more than Democrats and Republicans, and I do hope you realize that the eyes of America are on this race,” Huckabee said.

“There are a lot of people who are going to look at this race, and they’re going to say, ‘What-

ever happens in Virginia is a bellwether for 2014 and 2016.’”

Liberty President Jerry Falwell, Jr. agreed. He and Cuccinelli discussed during the football game how important it is for Liberty students and Lynchburg area voters to show up at the polls and vote on Nov. 5.

“There are so many government employees in northern Virginia who tend to vote more and more for big government candidates,” Falwell said. “Voters in this area need to counter that trend.”

Liberty Student Body Presi-

dent Josh Warner recently endorsed Cuccinelli for the job, according to a press release from the Cuccinelli campaign.

Warner cited the positive effect that Cuccinelli’s plan to create 58,000 new jobs will have on college graduates looking for work.

“Among the students, that’s key,” Cuccinelli said of Warner’s endorsement. “We want to try to win under 30s, and to do that, we certainly have to win at Liberty.”

Liberty students Montgomery Pace and Ian McConnell, who both have been involved with the Liberty chapter of the Col-

lege Republicans, spent their Saturday handing out Cuccinelli stickers at the football game and attending the rally.

“It’s always great to have candidates on campus,” Pace said.

“I think it really helps. Students on campus tend to be a little apathetic sometimes when it comes to politics. They don’t realize the rest of the world is not as conservative as Liberty is, so it’s always nice to have the candidate here.”

LEASURE is the editor in chief.

Candidates battle for 23rd District seat Incumbent T. Scott Garrett seeks Republican win Emily Webster ewebster@liberty.edu

Delegate T. Scott Garrett, who was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in November 2009, represents Virginia’s 23rd House District and is up for re-election as the Republican candidate in the upcoming Nov. 5 elections, according to his website.

Garrett, whose district includes parts of Amherst County, Bedford County and Lynchburg, will continue fighting for new jobs, according to a speech GARRETT he made at Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest during an event held by the Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“We are absolutely focused on getting meaningful employment to all Virginians,” Garrett said.

In his campaign video entitled “Join My Campaign,” Garrett said he has gone door-to-door, talking to families about issues they are concerned about.

“I hear their concerns about education and our children’s future, as well as confusion and uncertainty as ObamaCare approaches,” Garrett said.

According to an article in The News & Advance, Garrett spoke about his values and where he stands on certain issues, particularly issues that affect families.

“It has been my honor and privilege to serve the people of the 23rd House District for the past four years, and I will continue to focus on fighting for a business-friendly environment that sustains working Virginians, preparing our children for the future and keeping our families safe,” Garrett said.

Garrett also spoke on the issue of homosexuality.

“Marriage is between one man and one woman,” Garrett said. “That’s what I believe, and that’s what I support.”

According to the article, Garrett is also

focusing his campaign on the war against drugs.

“As a father and a physician, the health and safety of our families is my primary concern, and therefore I support law enforcement in their efforts to keep drugs off our streets and away from our children,” Garrett said.

Another issue that Garrett speaks out on is the issue of funding abortion. According to a WSET article, Garrett approved an amendment that aims to restrict funding of abortion through tax payers dollars.

“This was a small step and a way of trying to affirm that our values do matter, and the overreach that the federal government is imposing upon us is not tolerable,” Garrett said in the article.

Garrett’s stance on nuclear energy, another area he is focusing on, can be seen in a press release on Garrett’s website, which explains his support of bills that will use resources to “attract nuclear energy projects, provide training and education programs and facilitate valuable partnerships.”

Focusing on making Virginia a national and global leader in nuclear energy, Garrett sponsored this legislation, according to the press release.

“This is the first step in the creation of a meaningful collaboration that will gather Virginia’s nuclear industry partners around a single table to identify opportunities and develop strategies for supporting and expanding the nuclear industry in Virginia,” Garrett said in the press release.

For more information on Garrett and his campaign, visit tscottgarrett.com.

Jonathan Parrish promotes libertarian philosophies Emily Webster ewebster@liberty.edu

Liberty University graduate Jonathan Parrish will be running against T. Scott Garrett as the Libertarian Party candidate for the House of Delegates in the upcoming Nov. 5 election, according to The News & Advance.

Parrish, who believes in protecting the God-given liberties of the people, according to his website Parrish for Delegate, said he is running to give voters in the 23rd District an option to vote for PARRISH someone other than a Republican.

“The Democrats and the Republicans have not delivered on their promises,” Parrish said. “Like many of you, I have felt frustrated and disenfranchised by the Plutocracy.”

Believing in the libertarian philosophy, Parrish said he supports liberty, according to his website. He said he believes in the people’s right to choose and live, as long as no one is getting hurt.

“Although Republicans and Democrats often talk about freedom, they usually violate our freedoms and give us more rules and taxation instead,” Parrish said on his website.

“We believe that adults and communities know best how to govern themselves.”

According to his website, the three biggest issues that Parrish is fighting for are the need to cut taxes and spending, the need to legalize marijuana and the need for reforming the school system. Parrish said these are his top priorities.

“The government’s attempt to centralize our education has been costly and ineffective,” Parrish said. “The federal government solution is to throw more money

VOTE

WEBSTER is a copy editor.

and increase regulation in a system that is already broken. Local school boards should be allowed to allocate funds as they see fit.”

Other issues that Parrish is addressing during his campaign are issues involving the protection of gun rights and the ending of persecution of victimless crimes, according to his website. Parrish said he believes that victimless crimes are overcrowding Virginia’s prisons and using too much of the taxpayers’ money.

When it comes to controversies such as same-sex marriage and drugs, Parrish said he would work to end the costly and ineffective drug war as well as the prohibition on gay marriage, according to an article in The News & Advance.

“I do not believe the government should have any say in what consenting adults do in the privacy of their own homes,” Parrish said.

On his website, Parrish said he believes marriage should not be something that the federal government, the state government or the local government should make decisions about concerning the people. He said it should be a decision between two people.

Another issue that Parrish addresses in his campaign for delegate is the issue of accessible food.

“Food is a basic necessity of life,” Parrish wrote in a handout displayed on his website. “But, at every turn, the federal government, under the auspices of helping us attain safer food, has actually made safer, healthy food more inaccessible. Their regulations have led to local meat being double what it would cost if farmers were allowed to process on their own farms.”

According to his website, Parrish said he will fight for liberty on every issue.

For more information on Parrish, visit parrishfordelegate.com.

WEBSTER is a copy editor.

SPORTS

OCTOBER 22, 2013

Football

Coastal 55

Volleyball

Liberty

Liberty

52

3

Coastal 0

W. Soccer

Liberty

G. Webb

3

1

B1

M. DI Hockey

Liberty Davenport 3

2

W. D1 Hockey

R. Morris Liberty 3

2

Soccer keeps rolling

a tough defeat

Siaw, Tahuona lead Liberty in 3-1 victory Derrick Battle dbattle2@liberty.edu

Courtney Russo| Liberty Champion

CREATING SPACE — Darrin Peterson (13) attempts to stiff-arm a defender in Liberty’s loss to No. 3 Coastal Carolina.

Homecoming heartbreak Derrick Battle

dbattle2@liberty.edu

To slay a giant, a team must make key plays in big moments. While the Liberty Flames (3-4, 0-1 Big South) battled in the game against the No. 3 (coaches poll) Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (7-0, 2-0 Big South), they came up short in front of a crowd of 18,911 (third largest in school history), 55-52 in double overtime.

After failing on third down, it came down to the leg of kicker John Lunsford and the special teams unit to extend the game to a third overtime. However, Coastal Carolina wide receiver LaDarius Hawthorne was able to block the kick, solidifying a Chanticleer victory.

While the Chanticleer fans in attendance rushed the field, the Flames players and fans were stunned, left with a numb feeling of losing another close game, this time to a bitter rival.

“It’s pretty demoralizing,” running back Desmond Rice said. “As a team, we

fought hard for four-plus quarters. We really wanted this ball game, and to lose like that, it’s pretty tough.”

This season, Liberty has lost four games by a combined 21 points.

“We need to play better as a team,” quarterback Josh Woodrum said. “It’s weird. Whenever our defense balls out, the offense doesn’t play well. At Old Dominion University (ODU), our defense played great, but we only scored 17 points on offense. We need to figure out how to mesh as a team.”

At the start of the first overtime, Rice gashed the Chanticleer defense for a 25yard touchdown, giving the Flames 52-45 lead. To seal the win, the defense needed a stop.

“Coming from the ODU game two weeks ago, it’s all about finishing,” linebacker Nick Sigmon said. “That’s the only thing we were preaching.

The Flames men’s soccer team (7-5, 3-3 Big South) was able to extend its three-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory against the Presbyterian College Blue Hose (3-9, 1-5 Big South), Friday, Oct. 18.

Two first-half goals propelled Liberty in the win.

Liberty placed pressure on Presbyterian early. In the 11th minute, a shot by Liberty forward Blessing Tahuona was inadvertently kicked in by a Presbyterian defender, which gave the Flames an early 1-0 lead.

Three minutes later, Tahuona and the Flames offense kept up the attack, attempting three shots on goal. However, they came up empty on every strike.

In the 35th minute, forward Ernest Siaw made his entrance into the game. Within the same minute, Siaw received a long pass from midfielder Tim Harbison and netted his first career goal in a Liberty uniform.

With the first period coming to a close, Presbyterian pushed the ball down the field. The Blue Hose had a chance to cut the deficit to one when midfielder Josh Carter sent a corner kick to defenseman Brett Godwin, who shot wide of the goal.

Liberty went into halftime with a 2-0 lead.

As was the case in the first half, the Flames continued to attack the Presbyterian defense. In the 56th minute, Tahuona scored his third goal of the season on assists from forward Kyle Breitmeyer and midfielder Sam Duninck.

With the three-goal lead, the Flames were able to place the game out of reach. The Blue Hose scored late in the second period, but their fate was already sealed.

Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion

See HEARTBREAK, B4

TOUCHDOWN — Brandon Apon strides into the endzone.

See ROLLING, B3

Continuing NorPac dominance Field Hockey remains unbeaten in conference play with a win over Longwood Alex Tichenor atichenor@liberty.edu

Sisters Natalie, Bethany and Serena Barr were the main sources of offense for the Lady Flames (10-4, 5-0 NorPac) in the field hockey team’s 6-1 victory over the Longwood Lancers Wednesday, Oct. 17, accounting for five goals and three assists.

Natalie Barr scored three goals, and Bethany Barr add-

WE’LL SEE YOU AT THE GAME

ed two scores of her own for the Lady Flames. Serena Barr assisted on two goals as well.

Sarah Gipe scored the Lady Flames remaining goal.

“Today’s performance was one of our best all season, hands down,” Lady Flames Head Coach Jodi Murphy said. “The attack was playing at speed, which is what we like. This was the closest we’ve played to 70 minutes all season.”

M. DI Hockey vs. Rochester College Oct. 25 @ 7 p.m.

The Lady Flames scored exactly five minutes into the game and never looked back, scoring the first four goals of the contest and outshooting the Lancers 29-5.

Lady Flames goalie Ann Jefferis was subject to only four shots on goal, saving three of them. The Lancers struggled to keep the ball in their half of the field the entire game, yielding seven penalty corners to the Flames, while Liberty

M. DI Hockey vs. Rochester College Oct. 26 @ 7 p.m.

only yielded two.

Natalie Barr dominated offensively the entire game, putting 12 shots on goal. Her first goal of the game set the tone for her afternoon, as she fired the ball into the exact left corner of the cage to give the Lady Flames a 2-0 advantage.

The Lancers had no answer for her blend of speed and power,

See DOMINANCE, B2

Liberty Racquetball Tournament Oct. 26 @ 9 a.m.

Angie Pacitti| Liberty Champion

ON THE RUN — Natalie Barr (29) scored three Lady Flames goals.

M. DIII Hockey vs.

Wake Forest Oct. 26 @ 10 p.m.

W. Soccer vs. Coastal Oct. 26 @

2 p.m.

SPORTS

OCTOBER 22, 2013

Liberty Champion/B2

Lady Flames soar past Chanticleers Jade Craycraft recorded a triple-double to lead Liberty past Coastal Carolina during homecoming weekend Courtney Tyree cntyree@liberty.edu

After a 3-0 victory against Charleston Southern Friday, Oct. 18, the Liberty University women’s volleyball team was looking to keep their home winning streak alive as they took on the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers the next day.

More than 1,000 fans gathered in the Vines Center to witness a 3-0 sweep over Coastal Carolina (25-20, 25-20, 25-21) Saturday.

The Flames are now 5-15 overall and 4-3 in Big South play coming up on the halfway mark on their season.

“This win was a big deal, and before this game, there were five teams tied at 4-2 for first place,” Lady Flames sophomore Caroline Douglas said. “We were 3-3, so now we have moved up to 4-3. This puts us in a great position as we are one win away from possibly even being first.”

Senior setter Jade Craycraft recorded a triple-double on the match with 30 assists, 10 kills and 11 digs. Craycraft is now ranked fifth in program history with 3,831 career assists.

Douglas led the Flames in kills on the night with 11. Behind Douglas was senior Lillie Happel with eight kills on the match. The Flames hit .283 on the night compared to the Chanticleers .104.

“I am just so excited to be back out there,” Douglas said. “After having sat out for about seven weeks, I am just trying to play my role on the team.”

The Flames caught momentum early in the first set, gaining a 21-13 lead over Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers then fought back to close the gap to four (23-19), but the Flames took the win on a Coastal error. Both Douglas and freshman Nzea McQuiterty posted four kills in set one.

The Chanticleers took a 17-14 lead in the second set, but the Flames would not let them hold it for long. The Flames went on a six-point scoring streak, gaining the lead and the momentum to finish the set strong.

Redhsirt senior Kendle Rollins led the Flames in kills in set two with five. Craycraft and Douglas both added four kills in the set as well.

Set three had fans on the edge of their seats with the score 18-17. After three rally points and an ace from Rollins, the Flames took a 21-18 lead over the Chanticleers, leading to another set victory for the Flames.

“I know I am not going to be the star, Douglas said. “I am not going to get however many kills and be the big-time name, but I am there to play a role in bringing energy, stability and courage to team.”

Head Coach Shane Pinder said he is proud of his team coming out with a victory over Coastal Carolina and happy to have Douglas back on the court.

The Flames will travel to Clinton, S.C., to take on Presbyterian College Friday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m.

TYREE is a sports reporter.

FYI

The Lady Flames have never lost to Presbyterian College since joining the Big South Conference in 2007.

Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion

SPIKE — Lillie Happel (12) attempts to deliver a deciding blow in a 3-0 victory against Coastal Carolina.

Lacrosse honors alumni Flames welcome back former players during their third-annual alumni game Jacob Tellers jtellers@liberty.edu

To recognize former team members, the Liberty University men’s lacrosse team held their third alumni game, in which the alumni defeated the current players 20-11.

According to Head Coach Kyle McQuillan, this is the third year the lacrosse team has hosted an alumni game.

This year, 10 players came back to participate in a scrimmage against the current team. Players who attended Liberty as far back as the 80s, as well as some who had just graduated the previous semester, came out in the drizzling rain for the friendly match.

The 10 alumni, along with a few Liberty players to even out the squads, won, due to the benefit of their scores counting for double the points.

“It’s always a fun time playing in the alumni game,” Liberty senior Travis Briggs said. “You meet new peo-

ple, play with some of your old teammates, see how the game of lacrosse has improved and, most importantly, see how God is working through the Liberty lacrosse program to impact others.”

McQuillan talked about the importance of having alumni stay in touch with the program.

“Throughout the course of the year, a lot of our alumni stay really well connected with our guys,” McQuillan said. “We bring them in for games in the spring … Our alumni have been really great over the years. (They are) really encouraging and (are) keeping a relationship with the players and the program.”

One of the alumni who attended the game, Mark Gedicks, reminisced on his experience playing for Liberty from 1988-1991, explaining that the program has come a long way since he last played. According to Gedicks, the club’s first win came in 1988.

“

You can either worship yourself through lacrosse or you can worship God.

Gedicks was a business marketing major, but after graduating, he was called to be a pastor and has lived in New England since. He has made the roughly 600-mile drive each of the last three years to attend the alumni game. After the game, Gedicks had a chance to talk to the team and give them some words of advice.

“I reminded them that they are called to be missionaries through the sport,” Gedicks said.

Gedicks said that during his time on the Lacrosse team, he and his fellow players used it as a chance to witness and pray for the opponents they played throughout the season.

“You can either worship yourself through lacrosse,

— GEDICKS or you can worship God,” Gedicks said.

In New England, Gedicks now coaches lacrosse for two of his children’s teams. He explained that this has been able to open doors for him that he might not normally get as a pastor.

Playing, however, is a different experience these days.

“My head is still there, but it is like you are wearing cement shoes,” Gedicks said, describing his play against the younger athletes.

However, despite the difference in play, he did not have any complaints.

“It’s a blast,” Gedicks said.

“It’s something I look forward to on an annual basis.”

TELLERS is a sports reporter.

a month and flew to DOMINANCE continued from the U.S. to see their three daughters B1 constantly being outraced and overpowered for the ball.

Her hat trick marked her second in two games, as she also scored three times versus Appalachian State. With six goals and three assists over the past two games, Natalie Barr now has a team-leading 14 goals and nine assists on the year.

“This was the best game that Natalie (Barr) has played all season,” Murphy said. “She was just lights out. She was unstoppable. I’m really, really pleased with her effort.”

The sisters’ parents were in attendance for the game, which may not seem odd, except for the fact that they live in Northern Ireland. Described as “hockey-obsessed” by daughters Serena and Bethany Barr, Richard and Janice Barr took off work for more than

play field hockey at Liberty. Their older sister Rebecca Barr recently returned to Northern Ireland after spending a few weeks in Lynchburg.

Their parents will be in Lynchburg until the NorPac Tournament ends Nov. 9.

“When I hear (my parents) from the sideline, it gets me going and gets me more competitive,” Natalie Barr said.

“Those shouts from the stands really encourage me and help me play better.

It’s so nice, instead of us relaying (the results of the game) back to them, for them to see it with their own eyes.”

The Flames will attempt to build on their five-game winning streak, going on the road for their next three games at Georgetown, Davidson and Appalachian State.

TICHENOR is a sports reporter.

SPORTS

OCTOBER 22, 2013

Liberty Champion/B3

Editorial: Balancing careers and injuries Tom Foote tfoote2@liberty.edu

With new technology and advancement in medicine across the world, athletes have been beneficiaries of many amazing new treatments and surgeries. But are athletes too trusting of the wonders of modern medicine?

Are they returning from injuries too early?

The answer is not quite as easy as it seems, because the results have varied for every athlete. FOOTE Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson returned a mere eight months after tearing both his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL). Peterson went on to have one of the greatest statistical seasons for a running back in NFL history and won the MVP award.

Then, for every case such as Peterson’s, there is one like Robert Griffin III. During the end of the 2012-13 season, Grif-

ROLLING continued from B1 Leading goal scorer Sachem Wilson was held scoreless through the game, but he was able to place tension on Blue Hose goalkeeper Tyler Beadle with four shots on goal.

Flames goalkeeper Jeremy Lee had four saves on the evening.

Liberty also outshot Presbyterian 14-12 during the game. Although the Blue Hose held the advantage in corner kicks 5-4, they were not able to convert on the opportunities on offense.

The Flames evened out their wins and losses columns within the Big South Conference, holding fourth place and the tie keeper against Gardner-Webb, who is also 3-3 in conference play.

The Flames will have a nonconference match at N.C. State (4-4-4, 1-4-3 Atlantic Coast Con-

fin sustained a lateral collateral ligament (LCL) sprain but only took one week off, although he was still visibly hobbled.

Griffin suffered the fate every coach, athlete and fan fears when their injured star decides to play through an injury — they sustain an even greater injury.

Griffin tore his ACL and LCL against the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round of last year’s playoffs.

After seeing Peterson’s example of returning so quickly from injury, Griffin believed he could do the same. While Griffin did return and has played every game so far this season, his results on the field have been mediocre compared to his rookie season.

Perhaps the most interesting example of a player returning from a major injury is Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls in the NBA. Rose suffered through an injury-plagued 2011-12 season after winning the MVP award the previous season.

However, just like Griffin, Rose believed he could toughen up and play through his injury and ended up tearing the ACL in his left knee against the Philadelphia

FYI

The Liberty Flames are 2-2-1 against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers since 2009. Their last victory against the Chanticleers came in 2011 when the Flames won the Big South Championship.

Leah Stauffer | Liberty Champion

WINNING — Sophomore forward Blessing Tahuona (11) scored his third goal of the season to help lead the Flames past the Blue Hose for the sixth consecutive year.

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they are on not on the field, they feel as if they are letting not only their teams down, but also the fans.

Griffin certainly felt that pressure to perform for his team and has suffered the consequences early in the NFL season. Although the verdict is still out on Rose after returning from his injury, he ignored the critics and did what he felt was best for his own personal health and well being.

While Griffin’s attempt to return from injury is viewed as heroic, it was ultimately the wrong decision for him and the team.

For young and talented players such as Griffin and Rose, they need to look at the bigger picture and what is best for their careers. Do they want to continue to play at a high level for another 10-15 years or risk everything for one game?

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76ers in the playoffs. Nearly a year and a half later, Rose has yet to step onto the court for the Bulls in a regular season or postseason game.

What is so peculiar about Rose’s situation is that he was able to play last season.

However, he and the Bulls decided to play it safe and not take the chance of re-injuring his left knee.

Despite being pressured and ridiculed by fans and media, Rose stuck with his gut decision to not play because he never felt fully comfortable last season.

Rose has finally returned in the 2013 preseason and is seemingly back to his MVP form of a few years ago.

No one case of returning from injury is the same as witnessed with Peterson, Griffin and Rose. Every player must handle his or her return from injury differently.

Not every athlete has abnormal abilities to return from major injuries and be better than ever in a short amount of time like Peterson, so playing it safe like Rose may be the best option for some.

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SPORTS

Liberty Champion/B4

OCTOBER 22, 2013

Panthers iced in rivalry matchup Liberty captures its 10th win in 11 games, sweeping Davenport during Homecoming at the LaHaye Ice Center Haley Jones hjones20@liberty.edu

Tory Abrahamsen tabrahamsen@liberty.edu

The Liberty University men’s Division I hockey team defeated the Davenport Panthers twice during homecoming weekend Friday Oct. 18 and Saturday Oct. 19.

Liberty 2, Davenport 1 In the first game, Liberty defeated Davenport 2-1.

Despite the absence of key players, such as Lindsey LeBlanc and Matt Sherry, the Flames were able to prevail, largely thanks to the efforts of Blair Bennett in net. “(Bennett) really stepped up tonight and displayed great defensive abilities against the Panthers,” Flames center Charles Williams said. “It was a definite fight, because we were missing our biggest players on both ends of the ice (Sherry and LeBlanc).”

Midway through the first period, junior forward Ryley Egan scored a breakaway goal, sliding the puck past Panthers goaltender Phil Graveline to give the Flames a 1-0 lead.

D.J. Dinnison pushed the Flames lead to 2-0 with a goal just over six minutes into the second period.

With just three minutes left in the second period, Panthers junior forward Luke McCarthy scored the Panthers lone goal on an assist from junior forward Robert Kleiman, making the game 2-1.

“It was great to get the advantage against Davenport tonight,” Egan said. “It will give

Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion

TENACITY — Stephen Bellow (96) gains possession of the puck during a match against the Panthers over the weekend. us the strength and confidence to secure the cup and show our rivals that we mean business this season.”

Liberty 3, Davenport 2 Liberty capped off an exciting weekend by winning the Blue and Gray Cup with a 3-2 victory against Davenport.

In the game, Liberty carried over its sharp play from Friday night, managing to control the puck for most of the game.

“We definitely had the momentum going our way, and we are doing things right, being able to get the puck deep and create scoring chances,” Head Coach Kirk Handy said. “I thought our team looked good.”

Liberty started the scoring quickly in the first period with a goal from Bram Erickson. Erickson also scored the second goal of the game for the Flames after batting a deflected puck out of the air and into the net. Lindsay LeBlanc capped off the scoring for the Flames when he tapped the puck into the net off a rebound.

In addition to explosive offense, both teams played physical hockey, resulting in players reaching their boiling points at the end of the first period. A fight broke out between the two teams, resulting in numerous ejections.

In the third period, Liberty got off to a fast start, drawing

two penalties from Davenport.

However, the Flames could not capitalize on their opportunities, despite an edge in possession.

Four minutes into the second period, Liberty sent the puck flying at a wide-open net. However, Graveline came out of nowhere and smacked the puck away before it could cross the line.

Davenport finally put a score on the board late in the second period when Tyler Layle took the puck down the ice and beat Bennett on his left side. Davenport continued to play solid hockey from that point on, creating turnovers and maintaining a good share of the puck. Davenport’s efforts paid off late in the third period when the team

HEARTBREAK continued from B1 At the end of the day, they made more plays than we did. I’m proud of our guys. We fought hard the whole game.”

But that task was daunting.

Coastal Carolina used its bruising, 6-foot-2-inch, 230-pound running back Lorenzo Taliaferro exclusively on the next possession. Taliaferro, who was fifth in the nation in rushing yards and third in touchdowns, punched the ball into the end zone from seven yards out.

“They ran downhill, (and) they ran behind their linemen,” Sigmon said. “They ran it the whole game … fatigue didn’t play a factor.”

Liberty came out firing on all cylinders, scoring touchdowns on four of its five possessions in the first half. Woodrum was 17-24 for 218 yards and three touchdowns during the half. Woodrum connected with wide receiver Gabe Henderson six times for 109 yards and a touchdown. The Flames were also able to convert on third down (5-6 on third down conversions), and Liberty went into halftime up 28-16.

The Flames held two 19-point leads in the third quarter, but were not able to put the game away. Liberty started with the ball in the second half. In its first possession of the first half, Liberty was able to put together a long drive. Running back Clifton Richardson capped off the 11play, 77-yard drive with a twoyard touchdown run and gave the Flames a 35-16 lead.

“Our offense did a good job,” Woodrum said. “We had a great game plan this week. We were hitting our spots with plays this week.”

With a sense of urgency, the Chanticleers knew they needed to score in order to stay in the game. After quarterback Alex Ross scrambled short of a first down, punter Alex Cain faked a punt and passed it to punt protector Andre Johnson, who ran for 25 yards with 7:55 to go in the quarter.

“We warned them on the sidelines,” Head Coach Turner Gill

Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion

RUNNING HARD — Desmond Rice (26) ran for a career-high 171 yards and three touchdowns. said. “We had people there, but they were not fast enough to make the tackle. We always have someone to watch that guy, being in man (coverage), but they made a play.”

Later in the drive, Coastal Carolina was able to convert on another fourth down when Ross connected with wide receiver Matt Hazel on a 6-yard slant route. Two plays later, Taliaferro was able to score his 15th touchdown of the season, which was good for a Chanticleer singleseason record. The score also reduced the lead to 12.

Late in the third quarter, the Flames offense answered, highlighted by two plays in the air.

On third down with 3:59 left, wide receiver Darrin Peterson caught a ball over Chanticleers cornerback Samson Baldwin for 27 yards. On the next play, Woodrum hit wide receiver Jaquan

Glover on a 36-yard flea flicker.

A few plays later, Rice extended the lead after scoring from 10 yards out, giving the Flames a 42-23 lead.

“In a big game like this, I wanna fight hard for my teammates,” Rice said. “In a situation like that, I wanna do everything I can.”

But before time expired in the third quarter, the Chanticleers responded when Ross hit Hazel for a 12-yard pass, reducing the lead to 12 again.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Coastal Carolina gained possession after a Liberty punt and began to march down the field. With 9:44 left in regulation, Ross was able to find wide receiver DeMario Bennett up the middle for a 30-yard gain. On the next play, Ross scrambled for six yards. Two plays later, Ross tossed it to Taliaferro for a

nine-yard touchdown to put the Chanticleers within five.

With victory in sight, the Flames wanted to milk the clock and move the ball effectively. After earning a first down, Woodrum went deep and connected with Peterson for a 45-yard gain with 6:37 left in regulation. Liberty stalled in the red zone and kicked a 22-yard field goal.

“We fought hard the entire game,” Rice said. “In the fourth quarter, we didn’t score as many points as we like to, but we just gotta keep fighting hard.”

Coastal Carolina gained possession with four minutes left in the game. With 2:07 to go, the Chanticleers found themselves in another fourth-down situation. Composed in the pocket, Ross delivered a pass to wide receiver Niccolo Mastromatteo on an 8-yard out route and a first down. On the next play,

scored its second goal of the night to bring them within one.

Davenport continued to apply pressure late in the third period, pulling its goalie early to allow for an extra skater. Despite the Panthers late offensive burst, Liberty’s defense was too much to handle, and the buzzer finally sounded with Liberty taking the game, 3-2.

Liberty’s next game will be at home against Rochester College Oct. 25 at 7:00 p.m.

JONES is a sports reporter.

ABRAHAMSEN is a sports reporter.

Taliaferro received a pitch and ran 20 yards before running out of bounds. Ross then threw to his tight end Thomas Pauciello for 14 yards. Three plays later, Pauciello and Ross hooked up again, this time for a 15-yard touchdown with 45 seconds left in regulation.

Down 45-43, the Chanticleers were forced to go for the twopoint conversion. With plenty of options, such as Hazel, who had nine catches for 147 yards and a couple of touchdowns at that point, or the 6-foot-6-inch Pauciello, Coastal Carolina chose to place redshirt freshman Bruce Mapp in a one-on-one situation against cornerback Kenny Scott. Mapp made a stutter step to the outside, which froze Scott, and finished with a move to the inside to gain enough space to catch the pass from Ross. The two-point conversion tied the game, 45-45.

“We have to continue to keep our focus,” Gill said. “We have to keep on working on executing better in the fourth quarter. I would not say that our team loses focus. They are out there trying and playing hard, but we have to work on executing.”

Offensively, the Flames had a slew of starters that had career days. Woodrum threw for a career-high 382 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Rice carried the ball 21 times for a career-high 171 yards and three touchdowns. Peterson and Henderson caught nine passes apiece to combine for 246 yards and a touchdown.

The Chanticleers snapped the Flames streaks of five straight homecoming wins and seven straight home wins.

The Chanticleers now hold a 6-5 series lead against the Flames. This was their first victory at Williams Stadium since 2005, when they came away with 27-21 victory in triple overtime.

Liberty will travel to Boiling Springs, N.C. to face the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs (4-3, 0-1 Big South) Saturday, Oct. 26 at 1:30 p.m.

BATTLE is the sports editor.

FEATURE

OCTOBER 22, 2013

Liberty Champion/B5

Lynchburg Bridal Expo offers ideas

Produced by Capture It Events, LLC, the event exhibited many different options for weddings of future brides Melissa Skinner mjskinner@liberty.edu

When women are little girls, many dream of the day they will be able to slip into frilly white dresses and walk down the aisle into their prince charming’s arms. However, before that moment arrives, there is a vast array of tasks to accomplish, including selecting a venue, preparing invitations and deciding on a caterer.

The biannual Bridal Expo at the Holiday Inn in downtown Lynchburg, Va., Oct. 20 offered a variety of booths and helpful tips for brides planning their upcoming nuptials.

At the event, local brides connected with various bridal shops, cake artists, caterers, florists, premarital counselors, photographers, venue representatives, videographers and wedding magazine representatives.

Kim Jennings, owner and producer of the Lynchburg Bridal Expo, started the expo five years ago.

“I started this show because I saw the need for a quality bridals show in the area,” Jennings said. “The shows have grown by leaps and bounds every year and vendor spaces always sell out. This event hosts 65 of the areas finest wedding professionals.”

According to Jennings, the expo hosts two shows per year in February and October, and these shows always have record attendance. This show had 228 brides registered.

Jillian Springer| Liberty Champion

VOWS —Katelyn Diehl, intern for the Clutch Magazine, helped give brides advice to make their dream weddings a reality.

“

Brides can actually plan their entire wedding in one day by coming and meeting with vendors.

“The whole goal of the expo is to connect brides with quality wedding professionals,” Jennings said.

“Brides can actually plan their entire wedding in one day just by coming and meeting with vendors.”

Brides who preregistered for the event were admit-

— KIM JENNINGS ted for free, and brides who did not were required to pay $5 at the door.

One recently engaged bride, Camille Black, is planning her summer wedding and was seeking tips on venues in the area as well as catering.

“I have just started plan-

ning my wedding, and coming to this expo has helped me already decide on a location and a caterer that I would like to have,” Black said. “Every vendor is so helpful in offering tips and advice and with answering my questions.”

Black also had her fiancé

Peter Wilson with her. According to Black, Wilson has a strong passion for photography. He attended the event with her to help decide on the best one.

“I have loved taking pictures since I have been a child,” Wilson said. “Thus, I wanted to help my fiancé (Black) select the best possible photographer to capture our special day with accuracy and precision.”

Each vendor at the event was willing and available to accommodate anxious brides by answering their questions and

reassuring them that they would be the best fit for their special day.

Registered brides could also enter to win a free honeymoon giveaway and various vendors gave away door prizes to brides that stopped by their booths throughout the afternoon.

For more information on upcoming expos and wedding tips, brides can visit lynchburgbridalexpo. com or email info@captureevents.com.

SKINNER is a feature reporter.

FEATURE

OCTOBER 22, 2013

Liberty Champion/B5

Lynchburg Bridal Expo offers ideas

Produced by Capture It Events, LLC, the event exhibited many different options for weddings of future brides Melissa Skinner mjskinner@liberty.edu

When women are little girls, many dream of the day they will be able to slip into frilly white dresses and walk down the aisle into their prince charming’s arms. However, before that moment arrives, there is a vast array of tasks to accomplish, including selecting a venue, preparing invitations and deciding on a caterer.

The biannual Bridal Expo at the Holiday Inn in downtown Lynchburg, Va., Oct. 20 offered a variety of booths and helpful tips for brides planning their upcoming nuptials.

At the event, local brides connected with various bridal shops, cake artists, caterers, florists, premarital counselors, photographers, venue representatives, videographers and wedding magazine representatives.

Kim Jennings, owner and producer of the Lynchburg Bridal Expo, started the expo five years ago.

“I started this show because I saw the need for a quality bridals show in the area,” Jennings said. “The shows have grown by leaps and bounds every year and vendor spaces always sell out. This event hosts 65 of the areas finest wedding professionals.”

According to Jennings, the expo hosts two shows per year in February and October, and these shows always have record attendance. This show had 228 brides registered.

Jillian Springer| Liberty Champion

VOWS —Katelyn Diehl, intern for the Clutch Magazine, helped give brides advice to make their dream weddings a reality.

“

Brides can actually plan their entire wedding in one day by coming and meeting with vendors.

“The whole goal of the expo is to connect brides with quality wedding professionals,” Jennings said.

“Brides can actually plan their entire wedding in one day just by coming and meeting with vendors.”

Brides who preregistered for the event were admit-

— KIM JENNINGS ted for free, and brides who did not were required to pay $5 at the door.

One recently engaged bride, Camille Black, is planning her summer wedding and was seeking tips on venues in the area as well as catering.

“I have just started plan-

ning my wedding, and coming to this expo has helped me already decide on a location and a caterer that I would like to have,” Black said. “Every vendor is so helpful in offering tips and advice and with answering my questions.”

Black also had her fiancé

Peter Wilson with her. According to Black, Wilson has a strong passion for photography. He attended the event with her to help decide on the best one.

“I have loved taking pictures since I have been a child,” Wilson said. “Thus, I wanted to help my fiancé (Black) select the best possible photographer to capture our special day with accuracy and precision.”

Each vendor at the event was willing and available to accommodate anxious brides by answering their questions and

reassuring them that they would be the best fit for their special day.

Registered brides could also enter to win a free honeymoon giveaway and various vendors gave away door prizes to brides that stopped by their booths throughout the afternoon.

For more information on upcoming expos and wedding tips, brides can visit lynchburgbridalexpo. com or email info@captureevents.com.

SKINNER is a feature reporter.

OCTOBER 22, 2013

FEATURE

Liberty Champion/B6

Where do you want to go next spring?

ITALY

over Spring Break? (for academic credit!)

British Isles in May?

(Ireland, Wales, England!)

Join Dr. Michael Babcock on a Humanities Abroad tour in

spring 2014 to one of these exciting European destinations! You can earn academic credit to fulfill the humanities requirement (HUMN 101) or you can earn upper-­division elective credit.

These tours are filling up quickly this opportunity to experience Europe pass you by! (Family and friends are welcome, too!)

For more information, email Dr. Babcock at: humanitiesabroad@liberty.edu

OCTOBER 22, 2013

FEATURE

Liberty Champion/B7

Sara Warrender sewarrender2@liberty.edu

Alumni were welcomed back to Liberty University Oct. 17-19 to celebrate Homecoming Weekend 2013 and see the many changes around campus. Many alumni arrived with young children, who ran behind them on the same sidewalks their parents used so many years ago.

The Alumni Relations Office and Student Activities offered many different events for alumni and current students. These events included a carnival, which took place Oct. 1819 and featured a dinner on the back lawn of the Hancock Welcome Center, carnival rides, games and

refreshments. A bonfire at the previous site of Worthington Stadium followed the carnival Friday night.

Events offered Saturday included the Deep Hollow Half Marathon and 5k at Camp Hydaway and the Homecoming Parade down University Boulevard.

The carnival from the previous night continued Saturday afternoon. Alumni also attended tailgating parties until the football game against the Coastal Carolina University Chanticleers began.

The carnival resumed after the game to close the evening.

WARRENDER is the feature editor.

1. Students cheer on the Flames. 2. The Homecoming Bonfire burns bright. 3. School spirit takes to the skies. 4. Liberty’s marching band performs for the crowd.

5. Runners participate in the Deep Hollow 5k race. 6. President Jerry Falwell, Jr. and Becki Falwell greet students in the parade. 7. Sparky displays fried Chanticleers.

Photos by Courtney Russo and Sam Chappell

AWAKEN TO THE CALL In David Platt’s new book Follow Me, readers learn whether they are truly saved according to biblical standards and discover what it really means to be a Christian.

This eye-opening book is a must read for everyone who calls themselves a Christian.

FollowMeBook.org

Available through bookstores and online retailers.

TYNDALE and Tyndale’s quill logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

FEATURE

B8

OCTOBER 22, 2013

Courtney Russo | Liberty Champion

AUTUMN — Golden browns, warm reds and vibrant oranges define the fall season as leaves start to change color.

Column: Fall brings pumpkin invasion The month of October welcomes pumpkin pie spice Pringles, pumpkin lasagna, pumpkin lotion and more Gabriella Fuller gfuller2@liberty.edu

I believe that the winter season has falsely been given the title of “most wonderful time of the year.” Why you may ask? For one simple reason: it is not the pumpkin season.

Sure, winter may have Christmas, which fills lots of little boys and girls with cheer, but it does not have the divine gift of pumpkin spice lattes and pump- FULLER kin Hershey’s kisses.

Now what kind of wonder is that?

But fall, glorious fall, is when life makes sense again. Order is restored to the universe, and the world is rightly balanced.

You can have your candy canes, your tur-

key and your snow — after all, not one of those can boast in magical qualities.

The pumpkin, on the other hand, is historically noted for its magical capabilities.

Take, for instance, the story of Cinderella. Had it not been for the pumpkin in her life, the princess would have been left sans carriage, and ultimately, sans Prince Charming. As Cinderella so bravely taught us, without pumpkins, there is no true love.

Not only are pumpkins of historical significance, all one needs to do is look around to see the good they are still performing to this day. The endless flurry of pumpkin proves fall is the true season of romance.

With our artistic minds and the brilliant charm inherent within all pumpkins, there is nothing pumpkin flavor cannot accomplish. The following are perhaps some of my all-time favorite creative

pumpkin concoctions: Pumpkin pie spice Pringles, pumpkin spice lasagna, pumpkin spice marshmallows, pumpkin spice bagels, pumpkin cinnamon body lotion and pumpkin maple air fresheners.

What a beautiful list. A list that proves that humankind is working to bring joy into every area of life. From the foods you eat to the scents you wear, as long as you allow pumpkin to define your life, there is no happiness that will be left unfound.

It is past due time that the great pumpkin become recognized as more than a just a gourd, but as a symbol of necessity for overall improvement to the harshness of life. For every difficult situation, for every important decision, there is a pumpkinflavored good that will see you through.

As popularity for pumpkins grows, the world will inevitably begin to see a shift in health and wellness. So people of the

world, buy the pumpkin spice creamer for your pumpkin spice coffee. Enjoy it with your pumpkin spice bread while smelling a pumpkin spice candle. You can thank the pumpkins later.

If ever you had doubts or hesitations about giving pumpkin a try, now is the time to be inquisitive. After all, would so many people lead you astray? Would America spend more than $290 million in pumpkin offerings if this were a temporary obsession?

The answer is quite clearly no. More than an infatuation, pumpkin is becoming a way of life. Because in the end, it is clear that a world full of pumpkins is a world full of pleasure and delight.

So heed the lesson that Cinderella taught. Give way to the holiday spice takeover. Pumpkin-ize everything.

FULLER is the opinion editor.

Radio drama features Theatre Arts students Katey Roshetko kroshetko@liberty.edu

Liberty University’s Department of Theatre Arts is in the process of producing its second radio drama that will showcase the voices of Liberty students and professors. It will be aired on VictoryFM (88.3) Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 2 at 8 p.m.

“The Eye,” written by Theatre Arts alumnus Carson Burkett, is a modern telling of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.”

While the story is family-friendly and will be aired on Christian radio stations, it is a nerve-racking, heart-racing ghost story not for the faint of heart.

“This is Edgar Allen Poe,” Kara Faraldi, an actress in the drama and a Liberty junior, said. “Listen with friends around you because it’s going to take you on a ride.”

In contrast to this dark story, last year, the department produced a light-hearted comedic radio drama called “OCD.” According to producer, director and editor David Steele, the show

was well-received, and listeners and students alike are asking for more dramas.

“All the experience our students get is onstage,” Steele said. “But there is a huge market out there for voice actors that do phone messaging like Siri, … (video game) animations and cartoons for TV. It is a wide market that not a lot of actors can tap into because they lack the experience.”

Voice acting is a unique form of theater because it relies solely on what is heard. Live theater and television allow actors to express themselves with gestures and facial expressions, as well as establish a setting with lights, set pieces and other visuals. Radio drama is entirely dependent on sound.

“Actors that come from the stage want to emote with their hands and facial expressions,” Steele said, “But you have to remember that people are only hearing (in this drama), so it requires complete honesty in your voice.”

The actors realize the challenges of voice acting as well.

“With radio, your character is not portrayed in any other way except through the voice,” freshman actor Bryan Bulebush said.

“So you have to be clear.”

According to Steele, “The Eye” took a month of rehearsals, two days of recording and two weeks of constant editing.

“I have a passion for theater and directing, but it takes a lot of time,” Steele said. “Sometimes I have to take work home (to do more editing). It exceeds the 40-hours-a-week job, but it’s something I enjoy doing and I want to do more of.”

Despite the long hours, the work was a lot of fun, according to the actors. They especially enjoyed using the recording studios at VictoryFM. “I loved working with all the equipment,” Faraldi said. “We went into the recording booths, put headphones on and there were these big microphones we talked into. It was all so much fun.”

As a storyteller, Bulebush said he loved finding the moral of the story in learning “why that per-

Breann Black| Liberty Champion

TALENT — “The Eye” will run on 88.3 FM Oct. 26 and Nov. 2. son struggled, who that person struggled with and, in the grand scheme of things, what that person learned from it.”

According to Bulebush, “The Eye” expresses the importance of letting people in and sharing fears so that those fears do not become a constant source of worry.

“In the story, the main character (faces a lot of challenges),”

Bulebush said. “But he had no one to run to, and his thoughts turned very morbid. It’s a story about the wear on your boundaries when you don’t rely on God.” For more information, go to the Liberty’s Theatre Department website.

ROSHETKO is a feature reporter.