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Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Female steps up as president
Volume 28 Issue 4
wards road
A PEDESTRIAN CHALLENGE
Leong’s resignation makes way for new leadership OMAR ADAMS oadams@liberty.edu
Bethany Davis was sworn in as the new student body president Sept. 13, becoming the first female student president in Liberty University’s history. The moment came after former president Tim Leong stepped down earlier in the week. The change in leadership took place during a Student Government Association meeting. Davis spoke optimistically of her goals for this school year. “My hope is for the Student Government Association to DAVIS serve the student body like never before,” Davis said. “I especially hope for an SGA whose prime purpose is to serve its fellow students with humility and love.” Speaking of his resignation, Leong said that his relationship with Christ has suffered, as he had been focusing most of his time on Student Government. Davis said that working with him had been a privilege. SGA continued on A2
Getting back to the basics Hurt: ‘We have a congress that can’t adopt a budget’ MELINDA ZOSH mzosh@liberty.edu
Thomas Jefferson often traveled to Poplar Forest, located just miles away from Lynchburg, to escape from his other home, Monticello, in Charlottesville. U.S. Congressional Candidate Robert Hurt (R-5th District) wonders what Jefferson would think if he had a chance to come back and see the political shift happening near both his homes in Central Virginia, he said. “If Thomas Jefferson could come back to Bedford County, I think he would find that we don’t have limited government. We have a Congress that can’t even adopt a budget,” Hurt said.
Chris Mabes
CROSS NO MORE — The Lynchburg City Council will be making a decision regarding the addition of sidewalks or a pedestrian bridge on Wards Road so that students will no longer have to cross in the middle of the busy highway.
KEEP TALKING City, Liberty officials discuss plans for Wards Road crossing JONATHAN PARKER jparker17@liberty.edu
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ynchburg and Liberty University leaders will meet in the coming weeks to iron out a proposal for placing a pedestrian bridge over Wards Road. “My goal at this point is to present a plan to city council to build a bridge,” City Manager Kimball Payne said Thursday. Lynchburg City Council discussed the proposed
bridge, which would be placed 18 to 20 feet above Wards Road, Tuesday night. Council members did not approve the project, but agreed to discuss the bridge further. In September 2009, council members unanimously agreed to build a street-level pedestrian crossing on Wards Road. The project, designed to make crossing Wards Road safer, included placing crossing signals and marked crosswalks on the highway and a fenced-in pedestrian refuge in the median. Council members set aside over $2 million for the project, which includes placing walking trails on Rock Castle Creek along Wards Road. CROSSING continued on A3
HURT continued on A2
Values Voter Summit unites conservatives Aims to focus back to winning issues KATIE BELL kebell2@liberty.edu
A small group of Liberty students, faculty and administration had the opportunity to listen to and meet prominent members of the Republican Party at the Value Voters Summit over the weekend in Washington, D.C.
The event made national headline news. Chairman of Liberty Counsel, Mat Staver, Rev. Johnnie Moore and Ergun Caner were among the event’s prominent speakers. The GOP drew national media attention as the celebration of Constitution Day on Sept. 17, 2010 marked the beginning of a two-day
Inside the Champion
summit which brought together 2,000 of its members at the annual Family Research Center sponsored Values Voter Summit. The event was held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. Friday’s session began with a breakfast sponsored by both Liberty and the Liberty Council. “The idea of a ‘values voter’ has drawn the ire of many who claim that those who focus on social issues
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distract from the winning issues — the economy for example. The Values Voter Summit is here to disprove this idea,” senior Josh Damon said. The Values Voter Summit was covered by the Associated Press, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, CNN, CBS, MSNBC, NBC, ABC and was featured on Sunday Morning’s Meet the Press. VALUES Continued on A3
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Thomas Turner
VALUES VOTER — Sean Hannity speaks to conservatives.
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September 21, 2010
HURT continued from A1. He spoke to a group of 300 people, including elected officials and local residents, at a fundraiser event Sept. 16 at state delegate Lacey Putney’s home in Goode, Va. “I think Thomas Jefferson, if he were here tonight, would be disappointed in what we’ve allowed ourselves to become in this country,” Hurt said. Jefferson might be encouraged by one factor, Hurt said. “He would be heartened by the fact that you are here and you do care and that you all are concerned and that we are determined to take back our country,” Hurt said. Hurt publicly recognized Liberty’s College Republicans and Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr., who co-hosted the event along with a dozen local legislators and business leaders. Members helped Hurt win in the 2007 state Senate race, and he previously served in the House of Delegates. He is hoping for the same support in the mid-term U.S. Congressional election against incumbent Tom Perriello. “We are encouraging everyone to not slack even though Robert’s up in the polls,” CR Treasurer Josh Hetzler said. “We can’t let up now.” CR Public Relations Director Meagan Vance interned with the Bob McDonnell for Governor campaign last fall, and she is continuing her fight for the founders’ principles until election day on Nov. 2. “Our country has really gone down the wrong path,” Vance said. “All of us College Republicans are so passionate about it, and we really understand that it’s now or never.” Hurt met a WWII veteran in Fluvanna
County last month, and the veteran told Hurt that this is the most important election of his lifetime, Hurt said. “He grew up during the Great Depression, saw the horrors of war, but he dedicated his life to one thing, leaving his children better off,” Hurt said. “That, my friends, is what is missing in Washington, D.C., that sense of obligation to the next generation.” Hurt told the crowd that the country has shifted from “limited government to unlimited,” and he witnessed that first hand when he visited a farmer in Nelson County. The farmer gave Hurt a tour of his land and then they went back to his shop to talk, Hurt said. “He said ‘You know, Mr. Hurt, my family has been here for generations, growing orchards and produce on the side of this mountain,’” Hurt said. The farmer pointed out that over the years, he has lost his freedom to make decisions on his own property, because the number of state and federal agencies regulating his business is growing every year, Hurt said. “He said ‘Every minute (I spend attempting to comply with those regulations) is a minute that I am not devoting my energy to what the Lord put me on this Earth to do. All I want to do is grow peaches, why should it be so hard and how have we allowed this to happen?’” Hurt said. If Thomas Jefferson could hear that story in person, he might have one response, Hurt said. “I think Thomas Jefferson would say to us tonight ‘it’s got to change,’” Hurt said.
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facts figures HURT
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Dates to Remember:
Previous Positions: Member of the Virginia Senate, House of Delegates and Chatham Town Council Alma Mater: Mississippi College School of Law (’95) and Hampden-Sydney College (’91) Website: roberthurtforcongress.com
U.S. Congress Candidates
u Democrat Tom Perriello Residence: Ivy, Va. Age: 35 Profession: Attorney Alma Mater: Yale University Website: perriellofor congress.com
u Oct. 12 at 5 p.m. – Last Day to register to vote and to change address. u Nov. 2 – Election Day Note: If you have moved off-campus or to a different location since the last time you voted, you must reregister to vote.
u Fifth District: Republican Robert Hurt Democrat Tom Perriello Independent Jeffrey Clark u Sixth District: Republican Bob Goodlatte Libertarian Stuart M. Bain Independent Jeffrey W. Vanke
Fifth District Stats
u Republican Robert Hurt Residence: Chatham, Va. Age: 41
u Independent Jeffrey Clark Residence: Danville, Va. Profession: Business Owner Website: crashtheparty. com
Omar Adams
SWEARING IN — Newly appointed SGA President Bethany Davis swears in Maria Eller as her replacement for Vice President of Government Affairs.
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1971 UNIVERSIT Y BLVD, LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA 24502 Melinda Zosh EDITOR IN CHIEF
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PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Deborah Huff
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Taylor Overhultz
Eli Overbey PHOTOGRAPHER
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ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Abby Armbruster
Chris Scott WEB DESIGNER
Amanda Sullivan
OPINION EDITOR
Ethan Massey
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Amanda Thomason SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT EDITOR
LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICIES & INFO
BAIN
VANKE
Sixth District Stats
u Republican Bob Goodlatte Residence: Roanoke, Va. Age: 57 Profession: Attorney Alma Maters: Bates College and Washington and Lee University u Libertarian Stuart Bain Residence: Salem, Va. Occupation: IT Manager and Chief Technical Officer in Roanoke Website: bainforcongress. org u Independent Jeff Vanke Residence: Roanoke, Va. Age: 40 Profession: Author and Budget Consultant Website: jeffvanke.com
u ZOSH is the Editor in Chief.
SGA continued from A1.
ASST. OPINION EDITOR
GOODLATTE
The Champion encourages community members to submit letters to the editor on any subject. Letters should not exceed 400 words and must be typed and signed. The deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Letters and columns that appear are the opinion of the author solely, not the Champion editorial board or Liberty University. 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.
Send letters to: Liberty Champion Liberty University, Box 2000, Lynchburg, VA 24502 or drop off in DeMoss Hall 1035.
“(Tim) is a loyal friend and an extremely hard worker,” she said. “I am thankful for his friendship and everything that he has taught me about the SGA and Liberty as a whole.” Davis is in her junior year, pursuing a Spanish major with minors in writing and crisis communication. During her time with the SGA, Davis has served as Pro-tempore of Campus Concerns, Supreme Court Justice and Summit Liaison for the Awakening 2010. Davis is no stranger to leadership roles outside Student Government. She is the current president of Sigma Delta Pi and student director for the Liberty University Spanish Institute in Guatemala. “Without a doubt, I know that Bethany has the experience, talent, Christ-centered mindset and leadership skills to efficiently carry out her duties as SGA President while at the same time adhering to the convictions of Christ,” Leong said. “Without a doubt, this year will be great.” Davis appointed Maria Eller as Vice President of Government Affairs, putting two females in the top three executive positions
— another university first. Eller previously served as the University Concerns Committee Chair which works as a liaison between different school departments and the SGA. She is junior with a major in Advertising and Public Relations. “I believe that Maria Eller will do an excellent job,” Davis said. “She is a very hard worker, an excellent student and a great communicator.” Davis said that SGA is not just Senate meetings but is here to serve students. She plans to unite the Executive Council, SGA and student body through campus events. First on the agenda is a Domestic Violence Awareness week co-hosted with the Office of Student Conduct and Care. Other events in the works include a second Pro-Life week and a concert in the spring. The SGA also intends to participate in this year’s Homecoming parade. Davis is anticipating serving the student body in the coming months. “It is a privilege and an honor serving as the first female president,” she said. “I am looking forward to the challenge.”
The Angel of Marye’s Heights
u ADAMS is a news writer.
HONORING AN ANGEL — Liberty’s Victorian singers sang an acapella version of “Going Home” at the premiere of “The Angel of Marye’s Heights” Saturday night. The film chronicles the life of Richard Kirkland, a Confederate soldier during the Civil War, who gave water and aid to Union soldiers after a long day of battle. Young Kirkland is portrayed by 12-yearold Richard Warren II, while the elder Kirkland is portrayed by the film’s director, writer and producer Clint Ross. The film will be released on DVD in late 2010 or early 2011. Jake Ford
NEWS
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CROSSING continued from A1. This summer, Liberty leaders asked city officials, who have already spent $80,000 to design the street-level crossing, to consider placing a bridge above Wards Road. Pedestrians would access the bridge by elevator or stairs on the east side of Wards Road and exit likely by stairs or a ramp in the Sam’s Club parking lot, according to City Manager Tom Martin. “It would definitely enhance pedestrian safety. There’s no doubt about it,” Martin told council members Tuesday. Councilman Michael Gillette questioned changing the plan since Liberty officials were in favor of the street-level crossing in September. “My question is what has changed?” Gillette asked. “You thought it was a good plan when you didn’t think we were going to fund it, but now it’s a bad plan because we said we are going to fund it.” Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr., who believes the bridge is safer, told council members the university did not realize the city’s financial commitment to the project. “We had no idea the city would spend that much to build a crosswalk that would stop traffic and put our kids in the road,” Falwell said. “The only protection there is a red light and hoping the cars will stop.” C M |T L C Councilman Turner Perrow Jr. exCROSSING WARDS — Students cross four lanes of traffic on Wards Road, sometimes riskpressed concerns for pedestrian safety. hris
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ing their lives to buy groceries at Wal-Mart.
VALUES continued from A1 “This is a huge event for the conservative movement. At least three potential presidential candidates are here,” Chris Neefus, a Media Research Center intern said. One of the most noteworthy events of the summit was Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana winning the straw poll for 2012 GOP Presidential candidate with former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee coming in second. “I am very excited to be at the Values Voter Summit. It is a unique opportunity to gather with so many like-minded causes. It is comforting that event attendees are of a similar mindset, they all want to go out and change the world,” Alane Moore J.D., a student at Liberty’s Theological Seminary, said. The conference was sponsored by the Family Research Council, Liberty University, Liberty Counsel, the Heritage Foundation and the American Family Association and was co-sponsored by the O’Leary Report and the Media Research Center. This year’s audience was comprised of conservatives from all walks of life. Audience members included young collegiate idealists, military veterans and senior citizens. Senators Michele Bachmann (Minn.), Rick Santorum (Pa.) and Mitt Romney (Mass.) addressed the crowd alongside for-
Thomas Turner
TEA PARTY VICTORY— Christine O’Donnell, who defeated nine-term incumbent Rep. Mike Castle in the Delaware U.S. Senate primary last week, spoke to conservatives at the Value Voters Summit this week.
mer Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and the Duggar family from TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting. “It has been a very dynamic conference. I
“I’m seeing students crossing the street and I’m worried one is going to get killed,” Perrow said. Martin told the city council that building the bridge increases the project’s cost from just over $1 million to $2.6 million. Falwell believes the cost is closer to $1.8 million. On Thursday, Payne said city and Liberty officials will prepare a “clear proposal” for a pedestrian bridge. “We didn’t go to (city council) with a clear proposal,” Payne said, adding that council members want to know what it’s going to cost. Payne said city and university leaders have adequate time to prepare a detailed plan for the city council and begin construction in the spring. “We can’t mess around with it for three months either,” Payne warned. Payne said the city has some “conceptual work” to do on the bridge proposal. “No one has said this is not a good idea,” Payne added. Liberty will build a $1.3 million pedestrian and bicycle tunnel this summer in conjunction with the pedestrian crossing. The tunnel will be built under the railroad tracks behind the Vines Center, allowing students direct access from campus to Wards Road businesses.
enjoyed meeting Mike Huckabee and hearing him speak,” senior Michael Wendt said. Speakers discussed a range of topics, including limiting government, the importance
u PARKER is a news reporter.
of the nuclear family unit, faith, patriotism, radical Islam and its detrimental effects on America and the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. “Without faith, family and virtue, government takes over,” Senator Rick Santorum (Pa.) said. The Values Voter Summit made headlines in part because it marked Christine O’Donnell’s first appearance at a national political forum since winning the GOP nomination in Delaware’s primary election to fill Vice President Joe Biden’s senate seat. Her speech elicited cheers from the crowd and caught the interest of the national media. “The elite don’t get us — they call us wacky and wing nuts. We call us, ‘we the people,’” O’Donnell said. “Maybe in the White House or in the Speakers Galley, family, faith and values is not the focus, but it is still the focus of the American people,” Bill Toye of the Media Research Center said. Two-thousand conservative constituents and prominent GOP leaders gathered for a two-day summit and national media listened in on the conversation. “They may try, but they will never have the last word on liberty,” O’Donnell said. u BELL is a news reporter.
NEWS TIP?
To report a news tip, call 582-2428 or e-mail luchampion@ liberty.edu. THEperformed FRAYat
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Leong wins SGA president Christopher Scott NEWS REPORTER
Les sChoFer
DR. JERRY FALWELL SR. — Founder of Liberty University addressed students in convocation every Wednesday. He died May 15, 2007. This year’s graduating class will be the last to have been at Liberty while he was alive.
‘FINISH STRONG’ “Great is thy faithfulness, oh God my father. There is no shadow of turning with thee. Thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not. As thou hast been thou forever wilt be.”
Amanda Sullivan
Emily Defosse
EDITOR IN CHIEF
FEATURE EDITOR
“Finish strong.” If Liberty University Founder Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr. were alive today that is the message he would be preaching to the students during Wednesday convocation. This year’s graduation marks three years to the day since Dr. Falwell died. It was only days before the 2007 graduation, causing a mix of mourning and celebration to descend
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on Liberty’s campus. The graduating class of 2010 were freshmen that year, and in a few short days they will be moving on from Liberty University — the last of the Founder’s Generation. Dr. Falwell’s legacy will continue to live on, but future generations of students will not have the unique opportunity students who attended Liberty during the first 37 years its history had.
Melinda Zosh
The facts and figures are in. The results: Liberty University contributes to Lynchburg and Region 2000 in six ways — through growth, contributions to the local economy, employment, local fiscal contributions, state fiscal contributions and its recreations, impacting Lynchburg’s quality of life. Region 2000 consists of the 2,000 square miles surrounding Lynchburg, including Bedford, Campbell, Appomattox and Amherst counties. Magnum Economic Consulting, LLC, a Richmond-based organization that specializes in economic and quantitative research, produced its findings in a lengthy report last week. “What impressed and surprised me most about the study was the number of volunteer hours the Liberty community contributes to the city, over 600,000 hours each year,” Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. said. “This is far more than required or even expected!” COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION
$217 M I L L I O N
It found that Liberty’s residential and online enrollment is growing at rapid rates, faster than all other four-year private and public universities in Virginia. From 1992 to 2009, fall enrollment increased 452 percent, from 8,500 to 46,949 students, according to the Magnum report. Enrollment is not the only area of growth. Liberty University is the second largest employer in region 2000 with Centra Health coming in first, according to President and CEO of Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce Rex Hammond. Liberty is also one of the fastest growing employers, with employment increasing 351 percent or 3,023 jobs between 2001 and 2010, according to the Magnum report. The report showed that Liberty University also impacted the local economy. In 2009, Liberty students contributed $217 million in direct spending to Region 2000, according to the Magnum report. As a result, this amount led to $133 million net spending that stayed in the regional economy. See REPORT on A2
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Report says students add to local economy
EDITOR IN CHIEF
3921 Wards Rd.
Current law school student Matthew Hegarty graduated in 2007 and was managing editor for the Champion. He had the opportunity to meet Dr. Falwell on three occasions. His first encounter with Dr. Falwell was similar to that of many students. “We were crossing by Vines and almost got run over by his Denali,” Hegarty said with a smile.
Tim Leong was elected Student Government Association (SGA) President with Bethany Davis and Cody May as vice-presidents Friday by a grazing 25-vote margin. “The vote was so close,” SGA Spiritual Life Director and Vice-Chairman of Rules and Judiciary Committee Thomas Turner said. “It showed that the student body truly cared about who was representing them.” According to Turner, who was in charge of supervising the election, the online polls opened at 8 a.m. and closed at 5 p.m. Students accessed the poll by logging into their Liberty account and clicking a link on the Splash page. “Tim Leong is a great kid,” R.O.S.E. President Sean Maguire said. “He is extremely well-organized and has basically been (behind) the paperwork of the SGA this semester and last semester. I am really excited to see what he will do.” “I think Tim will do an excellent job,” sophomore Craig Storrs said. “He is an excellent leader and he has proven himself over this past year with his position as executive secretary and as the VicePresident for Government Affairs. He has proven himself to be a great leader and a go-getter.”
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GIVING BACK — Students at the Jubilee Center receive help from Liberty student volunteers.
CSER contributes to community
Amanda Thomason NEWS REPORTER
Instead of jumping at the opportunity for an outrageous 12 hours of sweet slumber, some Liberty students rise early each Saturday morning to serve the city of Lynchburg. “Liberty students and employees account for 586,262 and 88,617 hours respectively per year in local community service,” according to Mangum Economic Consulting. Liberty offers diverse opportunities, such as CampusSERVE, to give students the chance to make a difference in the lives of community members. See CSER on A3
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Opinion
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September 21, 2010
China to lift one child ban ABBY ARMBRUSTER aarmbruster@liberty.edu
For years, China has been responsible for population control in an extremely strong measure: allowing every family to only have one child. Now, China is re-thinking their strategy, since the strict ban has prevented 400 million births since 1979. Families who live in rural communities can have a second child as long as the first child was a girl, according to the 1979 law. The original one-child ban was only supposed to be in effect for 30 years to control the population that China could handle, according to USA Today. In five provinces that currently have low birth rates, China will lift the one-child rule as long as at least one spouse is an only child. All of China should be on board with the ban lift by 2014, according to USA Today. Currently, the girl-to-boy ratio in China is 100:119, whereas 10 years ago, the ratio was 100:110, according to the Christian Science Monitor. The lift of the one-child rule is a breath of fresh air to people under the Communist regime. However, before one can breathe deeply, China extended their so-called helping hand to keep their population under 1.45 billion
Wiki Commons
These provinces will lift the ban this year. These provinces, including Beijing and Shanghai, will join the one-child lift in 2012.
people by 2020, and it is safe to assume that goal would be met by any means necessary. Currently, if a family attempts to have more than one child, fines are given with alternative options including forced abortions and sterilizations. One woman who is eight months preg-
nant with her second child is likely to be fined $30,000 for her child, according to USA Today. With the population continually rising in China, 2020 is a looming year for overpopulation to ensue. The generation of boys that are in elemen-
tary school will be scrounging for wives, all while the fight for babies to be born is ongoing. As much as China’s population should not overrun the rest of the planet, the killing of children should not be the solution to overpopulation. If a family can provide for more than one child, especially if they can afford the steep fines, the family should have full permission to have more than one child. A system could be put in place to prove that a family can provide the proper nutrition, shelter and other necessities instead of immediately resorting to sterilizations or forced abortions. With the qualifier of “at least one spouse must be an only child,” there is no evidence to show how many families this will affect in China. Many families could have come from only-child homes, but there are no verified statistics. Until China can come up with a more sound solution, babies are still at the front lines of this pandemic. Population control, even at the cost of fleeting resources, should not be the end-all goal in China’s eyes, especially not at the cost of innocent lives. u ARMBRUSTER IS THE OPINION EDITOR.
BP oil spill: The hits keep coming ETHAN MASSEY ehmassey@liberty.edu
As the United States continues its war on marine life, the Vermillion 380 platform has become yet another casualty in the Gulf of Mexico. An explosion rocked the Mariner Energy-owned oil platform Thursday, Sept. 2, leaving 13 wet workers, more than a few raised eyebrows, but no sign of a leak, according to ABC News.
Vermillion 380 marks the second explosion aboard an oil vessel in the United States in the past six months. Though this does not spell certain doom for Mariner Energy, it does come at a most inopportune time for oil companies. Despite the fluffy television spots and misleading Internet campaign, it is safe to say that the majority of Americans want to submit BP executives to Chinese wa-
We asked:
“ ” This disaster, estimated at a size of 205.8 million gallons of oil, has dwarfed the 1989 Exxon Valdez Spill by nearly 2000 percent. — CNN
ter torture. Under numerous allegations of ignoring safety protocols, overworking employees and understaffing their oil rigs, BP has put
themselves on the corporate chopping block. As any media-aware American knows, BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig exploded
and sunk in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, resulting in the largest oil spill in United States history. This disaster, estimated at a size of 205.8 million gallons of oil, has dwarfed the 1989 Exxon Valdez Spill by nearly 2000 percent, according to CNN. No matter how they try, BP simply cannot dance around the mess they have created — it is just too big. Yet another strike against the company-that-can-do-
How much do you depend on technology?
no-good has been levied by its own employees. Survivors of the Deepwater Horizon incident have begun to speak out about repeatedly breached safety protocols aboard the BP rig, including shortcuts ordered on the day of the blast. BP told workers on April 20 that they were going to replace the mud being used to keep down well pressure with seawater so they could See Spill on A5
QUESTIONS?
“Pretty much everything. Being able to contact anyone involves at least a phone call. My phone is my life right now because my computer just crashed.”
“Quite a bit, especially with so much of school being online.”
Bethany Fitzgerald, Junior
Brandon Woody, Junior
When I was a little girl, I used to hide behind my mother when we went out in public. She could find something in common with strangers anywhere and anytime. I was too shy to talk, but I learned to listen carefully — a skill that has helped me as a journalist. That little girl has transformed into an outgoing, confident young woman, and I owe that to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. He has guided me every step of the way. The summer after my freshman year of college, I interned at Accuracy in Media, a nonprofit watchdog group in Washington, D.C. I prayed for months that the Lord would allow me to find a paid intern-
“I do depend on it a lot. I really depend on my cell phone to call my family and friends.” Rosemary Shakro, Junior
ship. My mom is single, and she was unemployed at the time. The Lord provided for my finances, but He also provided for my emotional well-being. I did not know anyone in Washington, D.C., when I first moved there, but by the end of the summer, I had made friends from all over the country. I even had the chance to share my testimony with some of them. Then, the Lord blessed me again during the summer of 2009. I completed the Institute of Political Journalism, a twomonth program which included taking classes at Georgetown University in addition to a full-time internship. Working at WTOP radio’s sister station, Federal News Radio, gave me an insight into covering politics and policies. I was awarded a scholarship to participate in the program. Since then, I have prayed that God would allow me to find internships at TV stations. I interned at ABC-13 in Lynchburg, this spring. That internship allowed me to pursue another internship in Binghamton, N.Y., located several miles from my hometown. I produced my own packages this summer. I never could have imagined that I would actually have the chance to report on TV, but all things are possible with Christ. Now, I am interning at the CBS affiliate, WDBJ7, in Roanoke and Lynchburg. Most people say that you must be rich to succeed at an entry-level journalism job. By earthly stan-
E-mail luchampion@ liberty.edu with your questions. Check next week’s edition to see if your question is featured.
dards, I am not rich, but I have everything I need because I trust in Him. I want you to have some of the same opportunities that I have had. If you are a freshman, start thinking about where you want to intern next summer. It is never too early to start thinking of your future career. After graduation, I hope to report for a local TV affiliate. One day, I hope to work for a national affiliate such as ABC or NBC. I want to cover politics in Washington, D.C., and eventually travel the world and report on human-interest stories in Africa and Asia. The Lord had a plan for me before I was born. He knew that a shy little girl would transform into a fearless journalist, and I am ready to finish the journey that I have started. Maybe I will even report for ABC’s Evening News one day, and maybe I will interview you when you are a U.S. Senator or even President of the United States. Start planning early, and ask God to lead the way. mzosh@liberty.edu
OPINION
A5/Liberty Champion
September 21, 2010
Pittsylvania woman to be executed
First female to receive death sentence in Virginia since 1912 TYLER FLYNN tflynn@liberty.edu
On Sept. 23, the commonwealth of Virginia is set to execute its first female inmate in nearly 100 years. Teresa Lewis, a Pittsylvania County native, was convicted by Circuit Court Judge Charles Strauss in 2003 for orchestrating the slaying of her husband and stepson in an attempt to collect $350,000 in life insurance. Lewis hired two hit men, Matthew Shallenberger and Rodney Fuller, whom she met at a local Wal-Mart, to carry out her plan. On Oct. 30, 2002, Lewis allowed the two gunmen to enter her home and then stood by while they killed her family with a shotgun. However, a stay of the execution may occur. Lewis’s attorneys have attempted to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court after Gov. Bob McDonnell denied their clemency petition Friday, Sept. 17. Her lawyers claim that Lewis may have been manipulated into the act, based on her history of mental disabilities and prescription drug abuse. They have also referenced Shallenberger and Fuller’s more lenient life imprisonment sentences. LEWIS
Spill from A4 lower costs and make up time, according to CNN. Despite concerns expressed from chief mechanic Doug Brown and chief driller Dewey Revette, who was one of the 11 workers killed, a BP official told them they had no say in
If
“
Even though I didn’t pull the trigger, I deserve punishment for what I have done.
Virginia authorities should ignore the defense’s suspicious 11th-hour pleas and proceed with Lewis’s execution. If the defense is successful in its appeal via the mental instability argument and alter Lewis’s sentence to one of life without parole, it will have unknowingly degraded Lewis as an individual, according to German philosopher Immanuel Kant’s degradation theory. Kant’s proposal, known as the categorical imperative, states that morality is a universal standard which encompasses all members of society and to which are all bound. Kant also stresses that everyone is an autonomous moral agent, capable of upholding or breaking general law. As such, every person, including felons, possesses self-worth. In cases of crime, society is compelled to impose a penalty against the perpetrator to mend the social fabric that has been broken. This ruling must correspond to the severity of the offense, upholding the famous maxim, “the punishment must fit the crime.” An equal punish-
the matter. “He basically said, ‘Well this is how it’s gonna be,’” Brown told CNN. Besides the plethora of financial and ethical concerns stemming from the spill, a great deal of ecological distress has been voiced as well.
noise
”
— Teresa Lewis
The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is a group avidly speaking out against the chemical dispersants used by BP to clean the oil spill. While the group does agree with the use of oil dispersants in the Gulf of Mex-
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ment to the transgression is warranted because justice demands equal accountability. Any lesser judgment, for the purpose of rehabilitation or the utilitarian idea of the “general good” fails to acknowledge the individual’s status as a member of the moral community. “We must punish because we value one another and society, because we respect the inherent dignity in each of us and wish to reaffirm those values on which our lives and society ... ought to be based. Punishment is one way we reproduce what makes life worth living — it is a tribute to life,” author Jacob M. Held wrote. Kant’s ideas complement the Bible. God endowed humans with a conscience and free will. This liberty also comes with the burden of responsibility. When one person takes the life of another, they are destroying the Lord’s creation, and retribution is required. God expressly permits governments to use lethal force to dispense of wrongdoers. “And from each man I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. Who-
ever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed. For in the image of God has God made man,” according to Genesis 9:4-6. In Lewis’s case, even if she does suffer from mental disabilities, these ailments in no way affect her comprehension of ethics. If Shallenberger and Fuller did manipulate Lewis as the defense claims, she would have still been aware of the immoral nature of the proposed act, as well as the consequences. “Even though I didn’t pull the trigger, I deserve punishment for what I have done,” Lewis said in a recent interview at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women. The taking of another human life is never a task that should be addressed lightly. However, though it may seem harsh, all unlawful actions have penalties, and capital punishment is an acceptable response to homicide. It ultimately acknowledges the worth of the murderer, and maintains the proper principles for all humanity. u FLYNN is an opinion writer.
Top State Execution Rates in the U.S. since 1976 u Texas: 437 u Virginia: 103 u Oklahoma: 89 u Florida: 67
u Missouri: 66 u Georgia: 44 u North Carolina: 43 u Alabama: 41 — numbers according to DeathPenaltyInfo.org
ico, they do take issue with the cut-rate chemicals being used there. In the running of 18 different oil dispersants tested by the EPA, the two Corexit dispersants currently being used on the Macondo oil spill have ranked “13th and
16th in effectiveness, 15th and 18th in fish toxicity, and 7th and 10th in shrimp toxicity,” according to EDF blogger Dr. Richard Denison. BP’s blatant disregard for both safety and morality flies in the face of everything it has said it stands for. It is be-
yond doubt that this corrupt corporation needs to be held responsible for its actions to the utmost extent. In fact, that water torture is sounding pretty good right about now. u MASSEY is the assistant opinion editor.
NEWS
September 21, 2010
Liberty Champion/ A6
SPC Mitch Roberson Student fights obstacles at home and abroad CAT HEWETT cahewett@liberty.edu
Roanoke native Specialist (SPC) Mitch Roberson always wanted to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and join the Army. “He was a Prisoner of War in Japan for about four and a half years,” Roberson said. “He was my hero.” Roberson, a sports management major, recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq with the 1-116th Infantry Battalion, where he drove a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle (MRAP) and also spent time as a gunner. “It is just good to be home,” Roberson said. “I feel more comfortable here. (I) don’t have to constantly be worrying about watching my back and things like that.” Roberson said that the transition from army life to civilian life has not been easy. “It is so different (here),” Roberson said. “I was gone long enough, here I kind of feel out of my element a little bit now. It is such a different state of mind. Here you are still kind of in (the military) state of mind, even though you don’t need to be. It has just been kind of awkward.” Roberson said that he misses the daily routine of life in Iraq and the camaraderie he shared with his fellow soldiers in Iraq. “We grew to be really close together,” Rob-
erson said. “(We) had some really strong bonds. I wouldn’t necessarily say that I miss (Iraq), but at the same time, I kind of do. I wouldn’t like to be back there, but at the same time, there is a part of me that would.” One of the biggest obstacles Roberson faced while on the tour did not come from an enemy in Iraq, but in the form of a Red Cross letter in April. The letter informed Roberson that his mother had died of cancer and within 24 hours, Roberson was home with his family. “It was just amazing how quickly they took care of me and got me home to be where I needed to be with my family and take care of the things that we needed to do,” Roberson said. “That meant the world to me that they were able to do that, and they cared enough about that.” Roberson was also amazed when some of his Liberty friends attended his mother’s funeral. “At that time, that was just what I needed,” Roberson said. “It was amazing just to see Liberty students showed up to support me and how they really care and kind of showed me that I chose the right place to go (to school). It showed that people really cared and I had that support group there when I needed it. Words can’t even describe how much that meant to me.” HEWETT is the news editor.
Photos Provided
WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE — (Top right) SPC Mitch Roberson preparing to leave on a convoy in an armored, mine-resisted vehicle (MRAP). (Top left) A military convoy traveling down an Iraqi road at sunset. (Bottom right) SPC Roberson displaying the colors. (Bottom left) An MRAP, the vehicle that Roberson was responsible for driving on the 1-116th’s convoy missions.
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A7/Liberty Champion
NEWS
September 21, 2010
SEEKING A SAFE HAVEN
Salamanders move to find refuge from harsh weather ASHLEY BOLLINGER akbollinger@liberty.edu
For the past two years Dr. Timothy Brophy and Dr. Norman Reichenbach of Liberty University have been feverishly pursuing what they perceive to be the war between Plethodon Hubrichti and Plethodon Cinereus. For all non-science speakers, this is the war between the Peaks of Otter Salamander and the Redback Salamander. The study began back in 2008 when Brophy and Reichenbach hypothesized that the Peaks of Otter salamander’s seclusion was caused by the presence of a competitor. Having found both Redback and Peaks of Otter salamanders inhabiting overlapping sections of the Peaks of Otter Ridgeway, they decided to take their hypothesis further and create a study. Fast-forward two years and the study is now in full swing. Accompanied by approximately 12-18 students per trip, Reichenbach said he and Brophy make their way to sectioned off sites on cool damp Saturday mornings. Brisk morning air awakens their senses as they begin to forage for the small amphibians inhabiting each section of land. The study consists of three different sites along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Each site has two plots of land that are being studied. The plots are 15 by 15 meters, and marked with flags. “We, sort of, crawl through the site on our hands and knees turning every rock, every log, every leaf just capturing and identifying salamanders,” Brophy said. On the first plot of land at each site they take all the salamanders they find and record their species and size in order to determine salaman-
Photos Provided
UNLIKELY PREDATORS — (Top) Dr. Timothy Brophy and Dr. Norman Reichenbach visit their salamander research sites. (Below) The study focuses on the Peaks of Otter Salamander and Redback Salamander.
der densities. On the second plot of land the team goes through crawling and scavenging for these same smooth-skinned predators. However, this time when the group finds a Redback they remove them from the site. This is done to experimentally determine if the two species are competing. The goal is to find out if their hypothesis of the Redback’s direct competition with the Peaks of Otter salamander is correct. Both Brophy and Reichenbach believe that this is one the main factors in restricting the Peaks of Otter salamander to a 12 mile radius along the Parkway. If they are right, then the number of Peaks of Otter Salamanders should increase on the plots where Redbacks were removed. Though the Redback salamander can be found elsewhere in the world, the Peaks of Ot-
ter salamander is confined to the Peaks of Otter Area. Back in 1990 when Reichenbach, Biology professor and two Liberty biology undergraduates, Pete Kramer and Mike Hayslett, first began to study the Peaks of Otter salamander they had no idea that the study would evolve into multiple studies, having already produced among the many team members six scholarly articles on the salamanders. Both Reichenbach and Brophy speak of the encouragement and support of Liberty for them and their studies, both in resources and grants. With two years under their belts, Brophy and Reichenbach estimate that the study will take anywhere from three to five more years before it reaches completion. Due largely to the fact that the salamanders
are often underground, at any given point while counting the team may only be actually counting and or removing 20 percent of the salamanders present. Over time the team will begin to see the effect their removal processes has. At that point they will know who has won the war. u BOLLINGER is a news reporter.
NEWS
September 21, 2010
Liberty Champion/ A8
SEEING THE UNSEEN Film highlights Invisible Children in Uganda CRYSTAL A. HEAVNER cheavner@liberty.edu
Invisible Children Offers Students a Faceto-Face Encounter with Uganda Students clad in various styles and colors of Invisible children T-shirts sat fixed in their seats, their eyes glued to a strong, young Ugandan named Grace. Seats were packed at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18 in DeMoss 1114 for Liberty’s screening of Invisible Children’s (IC) Face-to-Face tour. The tour involves Ugandan students, who are recipients of the legacy scholarship, traveling across North America and telling their stories to encourage audiences and raise continued support. “The Face-to-Face Tour is the next stage of (a) dream to have Ugandans advocating for themselves,” according to IC’s website. The team consisted of Legacy recipient, Grace, her mentor, Marylyn and four American “roadies.” The team trained for three weeks in Uganda, spent two weeks in California and was on their first week of touring when they arrived at Liberty. The team will travel through Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. “I want this to be an eye-opener for those who don’t know about Africa’s longest running war, or a continued encouragement for those who have been backing IC for years now,” Event Coordinator and Public Relations personnel Lauren Edwards said. The event began with a showing of a film on the difficult lives of child soldiers, child mothers and other victims of war in Uganda. It captured the pain that they face and the hope they can be offered. Many eyes in the audience were clouded with tears by the film’s end. Grace then came forward and shared her story. Pain, difficulties and premature responsibility muddled her young life. Her immediate family was torn by the war. When her older sister died, she was forced to drop out of school to tend to her sister’s three children, her own new baby and her ailing mother. In 2006, she applied for the Legacy Schol-
Ike Lacey
FACE-TO-FACE — (Top) Ugandan student and Legacy Scholarship recipient, Grace, speaks to students about the impact that Invisible Children contributions made in her life. (Below) Students packed seats for the screening of Invisible Children’s Faceto-Face tour.
arship Program and become one of the first 100 recipients. She was given paper, pens, a mentor and money to attend Lacor Secondary School — Liberty’s partner school. Grace became the first of her family to graduate high school and will now move on to a Ugandan university thanks to the Legacy Scholarship Program. “Education is the most important tool to bring hope, happiness and peace. I’m getting to know peace because I have an education,” Grace said. Grace wants to use her education to become a teacher. “I’m giving myself a future, I’m giving my daughter a future, and I am giving so many children in Uganda a future,” Grace said. Grace’s mentor, Marylyn, graduated from an Ugandan university five years ago and has poured hope into lives like Grace’s ever since. She challenged the students to make their lives meaningful by doing something meaningful. “Young as you are, you have changed thousands of lives,” Marylyn said.
Ike Lacey
The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has been pushed out of Uganda, but continues to haunt nearby regions of Africa. “It is only through education that Northern Uganda can sustain peace,” Grace said. IC is attempting to make this possible through the Legacy Scholarship Program. They are rebuilding schools and academ-
ic programs and lifting financial barriers through scholarships. A child’s monthly tuition can be paid for with only $35 a month. To learn more about donating, contact Liberty’s IC chapter at invisiblechildrenlu@gmail.com. u HEAVNER is a news reporter.
Clayton King new campus pastor The break-up guy makes Liberty his home Wednesday nights TAYLOR OVERHULTZ toverhultz@liberty.edu
For six years, Clayton King has been reaching Liberty students with his down-home southern humor and passion for the Gospel. This year, King’s presence on campus will be more frequent as he fills the role of campus pastor on Wednesday nights. King said his decision to take the position was instant. “I love this school and the students, and after six years of preaching here, it was something I knew I would love,” King said. “Clayton King is as genuine as they come, he knows the word, and he knows his audience,” senior campus pastor Dwayne Carson said. “He is a tremendous communicator and is able to connect his audience to the word.” King is the founder and president of Crossroads Worldwide, a C nonprofit, interdenominational PASTOR AND SHEPHERD — Clayton King will be filling the role of ministry designed to preach the campus pastor on Wednesday nights. Gospel, make disciples, support youth and college leaders and hris mabes
build a community among believers, according to the Crossroads website. He is currently the teaching pastor at Newspring Church in Shelby, N.C., but devotes most of his ministry to traveling and teaching students. “I love preaching to all ages, but I find college students and young adults to be the most open, sensitive and responsive to the gospel right now, so I am investing much of my time preaching and teaching college students and young adults,” King said. King’s unique method of preaching regularly draws from his experience growing up in North Carolina. “I had a great childhood, my parents were simple, hardworking, country people who gave us lots of love and discipline, taught us to work hard and tell the truth and get up early and modeled the Christian life for us,” King said. King answered the call to ministry at the age of 14 and shortly after began preaching in prisons and churches.
“I felt called to ministry on the night that I accepted Christ,” King said. “So, I was saved and then about an hour later I surrendered my life to God to preach the gospel.” In the fall semester, King will be teaching on giving, maturity, spiritual growth and what it means to be a radical disciple. In the spring, King plans to teach on relationships and will bring his wife along to share and to take questions from the audience. “I want to be pastor and shepherd on Wednesday nights, teaching truth that will help students walk with Christ and know and love Him more,” King said. “I plan to simply preach and teach from a text of scripture, verse by verse, without much fanfare or tricks.” King has two boys ages 5 and 8 and has been married to his wife Charie for 11 years. u OVERHULTZ is the assistant news editor.
out & about local happenings
B6
September 21, 2010
inside
THIS issue
Women’s Volleyball beat James Madison University Tuesday 3-1, taking their overall record to 7-3. Check out the story on B3.
ICED — Senior Jonathan Chung slips past an Adrian College defender, chasing down a loose puck.
Ruth Bibby
Men’s Hockey
splits opening weekend series CALLIE CAGWIN clcagwin@liberty.edu
The Liberty Flames Division I hockey team played a two-game series against Adrian College Friday and Saturday, winning its first game against Adrian College, but losing the second. The team played two hard-fought games in a packed Lahaye Ice Center. Liberty head coach Kirk Handy said this was the first time the two teams had competed against one another. Friday’s game started with an exciting first period filled with big hits. Adrian took two penalties, allowing strong scoring opportunities for Liberty. Senior forward Eric Reynolds put a goal in for Liberty with two minutes, 20 seconds remaining in the period. A penalty called on Liberty at the
end of the first period carried over into the first five seconds of the second. The rest of the period featured eight additional penalty calls, which resulted in both solid scoring chances and strong defensive play by both teams. Although both teams were playing well defensively, blocking many shots, one shot got through for Adrian College with 1:02 remaining in the second period when Jordan Spear placed the puck into the top right corner of the net after breaking away from Liberty’s defenders, making the score 1-1 going into the third. Adrian College had some scoring chances in the third period, many of them coming on the power play. Liberty goalie Blair Bennett made the key saves to give his team
a chance at the win. “Blair Bennett, our goalie, was fantastic tonight. He played well, was very composed,” Handy said. Liberty took a penalty with 1:15 left in the game, stopping a potential scoring chance for Adrian but leaving them a man short as the clock continued to tick down. Liberty took a time out to regroup. Then, the fans watched with great anticipation as Liberty fought to keep the game tied. Freshman forward Andrew McCombe cleared the puck to the neutral zone 26 seconds before the final buzzer, Bennett made another key save on a shot by Spear, and senior forward Jonathan Chung and junior captain Joe Smith carried the puck into Adrian zone to kill off a few more seconds of penalty just as regula-
tion time ran out. The game went to 4 - 4 sudden death overtime. Liberty’s first overtime objective was to kill off the remaining 45 seconds of penalty, according to Handy. They were able to do so successfully. Then, Adrian Tristan Musser took an interference penalty for preventing Chung from going after the puck. After a few shots by Adrian, Liberty’s power play unit set up in their offensive zone. Their first shot was unsuccessful, but after regaining the puck and passing it back and forth between McCombe and senior defenseman Mike Morrison, Brent Boschman was able to score the game-winning goal with 3:38 left on the clock.
Men’s Soccer dropped its first Big South Conference game against Radford. Check out this story, plus coverage of the game against Appalachian State on B4. Pat Williams, founder of the Orlando Magic, spoke at Thomas Road Baptist Church for the Wildfire Men’s Conference Saturday. Williams promoted his new book “The Leadership Wisdom of Solomon”. Check out his interview on B2.
See HOCKEY on B2
There’s no place like home
women’s soccer perfect in first home wins
Ruth Bibby
MAKING STRIDES — Forward Abigail Austin and the Lady Flames captured a 6-0 win against Southern Virginia University with a 37-shot barrage and finished the week defeating the Howard Bison in a 5-0 decision. BRAD HORNEFFER bjhorneffer@liberty.edu
The Lady Flames soccer team dominated this past week in their games against Southern Virginia University and Howard University. The Flames won 6-0
against Southern Virginia and had 37 shots on goal overshadowing Southern Virginia’s one and later in the week blanked Howard, 5-0. “It feels good to win after having a three-game losing streak,” forward Aimee
Luurtsema said. “We haven’t scored since the Marshall game, and I was happy that I could help my team out.” The Flames controlled Southern Virginia from the opening touch, finishing the first half, 4-0. Luurtsema
scored two goals and assisted in two goals to bolster her individual performance. After their impressive performance against Southern Virginia, the Flames won, 5-0, against Howard. Luurtsema led the Flames with three
goals and another victory. “If our team focuses and plays together, we will reach our potential which we are very capable of doing,” Allen said. The Flames were excited to be back on their home field. Playing away games can take its toll on a team especially at the beginning of the season. “It’s great to play to home because our first seven of eight games were played on the road,” Allen said. “I think that will help us to prepare for our conference play.” Although the Flames were in control of both games this week, Allen wants to improve on certain aspects of the game. “I think we can improve on putting together a full 90-minute game,” Allen said. “We have a good group we just need to learn how to develop a complete game on both sides of the ball.” The Flames are almost halfway through with their season. There are 10 games left in the season, but they feels like they are in a favor-
able position to achieve their goals at the end of the year. “We started out 1-6 last year,” Luurtsema said. “We came back to win our conference, so I like where we are at right now.” The Lady Flames appear to have set themselves up great for another repeat. There have been a lot of close games and ties but finishing strong is something that this team wants to see happen over the next 10 games. “We struggled to put SC State away but we are working on playing an entire game,” Luurtsema said. “I feel if we can put a total game together with this group of girls that we will be hard to beat.” The Lady Flames continue play Sept. 24 against Longwood. uHORNEFFER is a sports reporter.
SPORTS
September 21, 2010
Sports Briefs FOOTBALL — The Liberty Flames football game Saturday had fans on the edge of their seats. The Flames quickly captured the lead. The lead went back and forth throughout the game and in the end Robert Morris defeated the Flames with a score of 30-23. This was a tough loss for the Flames who will take on James Madison Saturday in one of the most anticipated games of the season. u
HOCKEY — With the addition of Division II Women’s Hockey, Liberty became the first college in the American Collegiate Hockey League to have teams in all five divisions, three teams in men’s and two in women’s. Liberty is the first out of about 400 colleges to have five teams, according to men’s Division I head coach Kirk Handy. u
CROSS COUNTRY — The Liberty Flames Men’s Cross Country team seized victory at the Coastal Carolina Invitational. Out of 63 individual competitors, the Flames were ranked within the top 24 with the majority of the team in the top 11. Redshirt senior Evans Kigen individually grabbed first place. On the women’s side, Coastal Carolina gained a narrow lead with the Lady Flames close behind. Individual leaders for the Lady Flames include seniors Hailey Neal, who finished in second, and Dacia Bushman, who placed fifth. Ranked third overall the Lady Flames had many high standing individuals in the top 30. u
GOLF — The Liberty golf team competed in the Golfweek Conference Challenge at Spirit Hollow Golf Course. The event was in Burlington, Iowa and was a three-day tournament with 54 holes. This was the first competition of the season for the team. After weekend play, the team was placed sixth. u
Liberty Champion/ B2
interview
Four minutes with Pat
NATE BROWN
nbrown4@liberty.edu
Saturday morning I got the call I had been waiting for all week: the senior vice president and cofounder of the Orlando Magic, author of over 50 books, father of 19 — 14 internationally adopted children, patron of six NBA finals, host of a weekly Orlando Christian radio program and the man responsible for the NBA careers of Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Daryl Dawkins was available for an interview. Pat Williams came to to speak at the Wildfire Men’s Conference hosted by Thomas Road Baptist Church and gave me four minutes of his time. As I wait backstage amongst catered barbeque, designer shoes, a troop of autograph hopefuls armed with Sharpie pens, my nervousness grows. I tug at my silver tie slung down my blue shirt A T and hope it is not too cheesy to wear those colors THERE IS MAGIC IN LYNCHBURG — Orlando Magic cofounder Pat Williams spoke at when talking to the Magic founder or to think he Thomas Road Baptist Church at the Wildfire Men’s Conference Saturday. will even notice the color combination. Mid-yawn, and another check of the time on college and with younger athletes, what would coaches are doing far more than teaching skills, my cell phone, Williams and his assistant walk in. you say is the biggest challenge to young athletes they teach young men how to behave.” Three minutes, 5 seconds with Pat I quickly shut my gaping mouth and smooth my today?” I ask. Williams folds his arms across his Floridian Williams and I segue into talking Tony Dungy shirt and grab my recorder. and his books “Quiet Strength” and “The Mentor As Williams signs basketballs for the youth flower-print shirt and answers thoughtfully. “Staying out of trouble,” Williams says. “There Leader” and the impact Dungy has had on trainand a photographer snaps pictures, William’s assistant informs him that the Liberty paper would are so many temptations out there. We see it every ing and developing young men across athletic like to speak with him if he has time. He looks at day in the paper. High school kids, college kids, disciplines. We arrive at the car and the assistant his watch and then at me fumbling with my pen, the pros – there’s so many temptations, so many starts rearranging luggage in the trunk. I’m almost out of time. notebook and recorder. Three minutes, 24 seconds with Pat “I really have to get to the airport,” Williams “What do you think the Lord has put on says. My heart sinks a little. “Can we talk on your heart to share with young men, espethe way to my car?” he asks me. cially young athletes?” I ask. I mutter out a “sure,” clear my throat and “Right now, leadership and teamwork are with the deepest, most confident voice I can really hot buttons with me and living life trimuster, introduce myself and shake his hand. umphantly,” Williams says as the assistant “I got to shake Pat Williams’ hand!” my checks his watch. “The sports world ends head screams. quickly. We’re always one injury away, one His assistant leads the way to the parking roster cut and it ends very quickly. The real lot as Williams rebounds the questions I lob. message to young athletes that I’ve got is to Upon exiting the reception room back— Pat Williams use all of this to build your resume. To get stage, I ask, “In regards to your new book, ready for a full productive life in sports. Don’t “The Leadership Wisdom of Solomon,” what let sports use you, you use (sports). Because a is the main thing you want the audience to areas where they can stumble. It happens far too solid background in sports does teach character. take away from that? Williams: “It’s a different look at leadership. I regularly. Sexual issues, drugs, alcohol, stealing, It teaches leadership, it teaches so much. Above don’t think we’ve ever really studied Solomon abusing women. It’s a real crisis I think. That’s all it would give you some visibility that can be as a leader, but 28 times in the Message version the biggest issue I think with young athletes, you very valuable in the business world or in any other – the Bible Eugene Peterson translates – there know who are in the lime light … (and) have all world because people have a great respect for athis the word leadership or lead, and that’s the sorts of advantages. They’ve got to be awfully letes and for coaches. So what I’m saying to young people is use it to your advantage.” main meat of the book. So Solomon, the wisest careful and make good decisions.” Four minutes, 25 seconds with Pat man who ever lived, has some definite opinions Two minutes, 22 seconds with Pat “How do young men avoid these situations?” I The assistant opens a door and I take my cue. I on leadership. And as far as I can tell, it’s the first time we’ve ever really fleshed it out. I think we’ve ask. The assistant hits the remote on his keychain thank Williams for his time. He shakes my hand, tells me to keep writing and thanks me for my captured some unique leadership principles that and a car three rows away lights up. “Well that’s the problem,” Williams says as he time. I shake his hand again and he heads off to Solomon taught 6,000 years ago. So with many leadership books out there, there’s no lack of lead- squints through the midday sun. “All of this should the airport as a thinly veiled smile creeps across ership teaching and writing but hopefully this is be taught in the home. Young kids are not getting my face. “He thanked me for my time,” I say to mya new twist, a new look at leadership through the it taught when they’re 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10 years old and self. I look down at my recorder. so what’s happening is coaches in high school Four minutes, 33 seconds with Pat Wilancient wisdom of Solomon. and college and even the pros, are being forced to liams. One minute, 13 seconds with Pat I do my best to subtly slow my walking pace to teach character. Before it was teaching X’s and O’s, try to milk a few more seconds of interview time. now we have to teach character. That’s become a u BROWN is asst. sports editor. huge part of coaching now. It wasn’t always there. The parking lot is less than 80 yards away. “With your experience with the NBA and with We didn’t have to worry about it much, but now lex
owers
“” Coaches are doing far more than teaching skills. They teach young men how to behave.
Interested in a FUN Minor?
Aviation Flight Attendant Great for full or part-time jobs
Visit the Flight Attendant Training Group booth in the DeMoss breezeway Friday, September 24 or stop by the Aviation Department in Applied Science room 102.
HOCKEY continued from B1 “It was very exciting,” Handy said. “I was encouraged because I thought our team played well enough to win. We still have things to work on.” Handy said that he was not satisfied yet with the level the team was playing, but that early wins are important and winning while learning is good. Saturday’s game lacked a finish as exciting as Friday’s. Adrian College took the lead with a goal by Max Gavin halfway through the first period. After some intense battles for puck possession, Adrian increased its lead to 2-1 with just 14.4 seconds left in the first. Liberty had done well with discipline in the first period, but in the second the team took five penalties. Liberty
did well on the penalty kill. Ryan Bachman of Adrian College scored after faking a shot and skirting a defender, making the score 3-0. Liberty’s only goal came directly after a face-off when McCombe was able to quickly shoot the puck past Adrian’s goalie. But Adrian answered quickly when Bachman scored his second goal of the night. Andrew Amodeo finished off the scoring for Adrian College on a power play, making the final score 5-1. “They jumped in front of every shot,” Boschman said. The Flames will face off next against Niagara University Sept. 24 and 25 at 7:30 p.m. and against Binghamton University Sept. 26th at 2 p.m. u CAGWIN is a sports reporter.
B3/Liberty Champion
SPORTS
September 21, 2010
Flames volleyball dethrones Dukes starting to pull away slowly. Rmcarr2@liberty.edu Freshman Lillie Happel led the way for the The Lady Flames volleyball team advanced Lady Flames in the fourth set with five kills. to 7-3 Tuesday night with a 3-1 victory over With Liberty holding onto a slim 18-17 lead in-state rival James Madison University. Happel posted two consecutive kills to help The Lady Flames rolled early, capturing the Lady Flames inch away. the first two sets by scores of 25-16 and 25“Lillie, especially in the fourth set, helped 15, respectively, before dropping the third set us close it out with some big swings, which is 13-25. Liberty came back and finished off the awesome for her,” Bacon said. Dukes in the fourth set, 25-18. “We, little by little in that fourth set, just got “We jumped out early and played some of back to our rhythm and just started making the volleyball we have been playing the last the plays we can make and doing the things few weeks and got two wins where we pulled we can do,” Pinder said. “There was tremenaway and we just played our game,” head dous leadership out there from a young group coach Shane Pinder said. but also from a senior whose had some pretty The Lady big numbers the Flames were last few weeks, led by freshand tonight man Jade her numbers Craycraft who dropped off a had 33 assists little bit, but she and junior was still leading Kelly Haseout there. That’s man who the mark of a posted 30 great team.” — Karyl Bacon digs. Senior With the win, Karyl Bacon the Lady Flames added 19 digs picked up the of her own to help the Lady Flames hold off seventh victory of the season making Pinder the Dukes. second all-time in wins for the program with “JMU is always good competition. It’s al- 111 as of Tuesday’s game. Liberty played its ways a dogfight when we play,” Bacon said. “It first home game of the season in front of nearwas good to get another win under our belt ly 600 fans after spending the first nine games ,especially against JMU because they are such on the road. a good team.” “We had a great turnout. We love our fans. After dominating the Dukes in the first two Our support is amazing. It was nice being here sets the Lady Flames struggled in the third set for a while in the Vines Center. We have been falling behind quickly, 4-0. on the road a lot, and we are going to be on the “In the third set they just outworked us,” road again soon,” Bacon said. S H |V Pinder said. The Lady Flames fell to West Virginia Sat- VICTORY FORMATION — Karyl Bacon and the Lady Flames Volleyball team defeated JMU continued to pull away in the third set urday, 3-1, and will begin conference play on James Madison University, 3-1, Tuesday night. Bacon contributed 19 digs against the and held on to a 25-18 victory to avoid being Sept. 24 against Gardner Webb in Boiling Dukes and recorded a career-high 23 kills in a loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers. swept by the Lady Flames. Liberty bounced Springs, N.C. at 7 p.m. back in the fourth set and kept it close before u CARR is a sports reporter. RYAN CARR
“” We had a great turnout. We love our fans. Our support is amazing.
cott
ill
olleyball
SPORTS
September 21, 2010
Liberty Champion/ B4
editorial
Are athletes or reporters to blame? KELLY MARVEL krmarvel@liberty.edu
The NFL football season has gotten off to an interesting start, especially for the New York Jets. Not only did they lose their Monday Night Football week one debut against the Ravens, but now they have a scandal on their hands. Ines Sainz, a reporter from the Mexican network TV Azteca, visited a Jets practice Saturday, Sept. 11 to do an interview with quarterback Mark Sanchez, according to ESPN. Sainz was standing
on the sidelines watching the practice when Jets secondary coach Dennis Thurman supposedly began a throwing drill in Sainz’s direction so the players could be near her. Later, as she was waiting for Sanchez in the locker room with two male co-workers, players allegedly cat-called to her and used some inappropriate language. Sainz tweeted later that she was “dying of embarrassment” and since then, the incident has blown up into a national story. Sainz appeared on ABC’s Good
Morning America, and on NBC’s Today Show and downplayed her experience to host Meredith Viera. Since this story went public, the NFL has quickly taken action. They sent a memo to all 32 teams reminding them of the equal access and conduct policies toward members of the media. According to CBS News, the memo said, “Women are a common part of the sports media. By law, women must be granted the same rights to perform their jobs as men. Please remember that women re-
porters are professionals and should be treated as such.” The players definitely acted inappropriately in this situation. There is no questioning that. A woman should never be harassed in the workplace, even if her workplace is an NFL locker room. But are the players really the only people to blame for this inappropriate incident? Sainz has made a spectacle of herself at several big-time NFL venues. During last year’s Super Bowl media day, she went around with a mea-
suring tape to find out which NFL player had the biggest biceps. She is less than professionally dressed at most of her reporting events. When her name is Googled, pictures of her dressed in bikinis and provocative evening wear are first to appear. Female reporters need to learn how to carry themselves to prevent his kind of behavior from happening. How can a woman expect to be treated like a professional if she is dressed for a night on the town? Ashley Fox, an NFL Insid-
er columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, put it this way. “You also don’t walk into an NFL locker room wearing jeans that leave little to the imagination and blouse that reveals your substantial cleavage. You don’t have to dress ultra-conservatively, but you have to be smart. If you want to be treated like a girl at a bar, dress like a girl at a bar. If you want to be treated professionally and without incident, cover up.” u MARVEL is the sports editor.
Men’s Soccer misfires in consecutive losses play catch up with the rest of the Big South. psawyer@liberty.edu “I think we have to take it one game at a The Liberty Flames fell to the Radford time,” junior goalkeeper Paul Gilbert said. Highlanders Saturday night in their first con- “Obviously we have not gotten the results we ference game this season, 0-1. have wanted out of the last two games, but I Since opening the season with a 6-0 vic- think we have learned a lot from them which tory over Bluefield at Osbourne stadium, will serve us well in the future.” the Flames have played each of their ensuing The Flames will try and put those lessons games on the road. to work as they continue to play a tough road The Flames traveled to Boone, N.C., and fell schedule before they return to Osbourne Stato the Mountaineers by a goal last Wednesday dium Oct. 1 against Coastal Carolina. night 1-2. “We have been hunted—we’ve got to start “I felt Appalachian State was a little (hun- all over and be the hunters,” Adler said. “We’ve grier) than us,” Flames coach Jeff Adler said. got to be (hungrier) than the guys we’re play“(We) didn’t close the game out.” ing against.” While Adler described the loss as a “bitter The Flames will focus on their goals and pill to swallow,” he emphasized the opportu- their game as they go back to work at practice. nities games “We just need to fopresent for his cus on our next game team to share and leave everything the Gospel. on the field and after The Flames 90 minutes the reanticipated a sult will take care of tough game itself,” Taylor said. against RadAdler said he ford Saturday. wanted to “reinforce Adler said he what we’re about— wanted the we’re not changing players to stay a whole lot because “even keeled” we are who we are.” — Jeff Adler emotionally. Adler emphasizes “Conference team unity and the games take on a life of their own at (times),” overall process of soccer. Adler said. “We don’t want to become hi“I love our guys—they are a group that jacked emotionally.” is sold out to serving God through soccer,” The Flames battled competitively against Adler said. “Whether you’re coming off the the Highlanders. Both teams took 12 shots, bench, whether you’re starting or whether but the Highlander’s Iyiola Awosika scored you’re an encourager—everybody plays an the only goal of the game in the second half, integral role.” giving Radford the win. The Flames are now 3-2-1 overall and “(The) energy level was good, I just think 0-1 in the Big South. They will continue to we were a bit unlucky to not find the back of take their show on the road as they travel to the net,” senior midfielder Thad Taylor said. Washington D.C., to play Howard Univer“That’s how soccer goes sometimes but we sity on Tuesday at 7 p.m. u SAWYER is a sports reporter. will get it worked out.” Taylor has come off the bench to score six goals for the Flames this season. The Flames will try and work it out as they PETER SAWYER
“” I love our guys — they are a group that is sold out to serving God through soccer.
Ruth Bibbly
Division I Women’s Hockey
u GOAL — Freshman Allison Campbell puts one in the net for the Lady Flames during their season opener, helping them soar to a 12-1 victory against the University of Virginia Saturday.
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B5/Liberty Champion
FEATURE
MAKING A POINT— Keynote speaker Bruce Wilkinson (right) emphasized that it is the responsibility of the church to spread awareness about the dangers of abortion. Center employees, supporters and former clients attended the event (left). The benefit raised $32,000.
September 21, 2010
Sandy Hodges | Lecture
Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center aims for change KATE POWLEY knpowley@liberty.edu
The Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center held its annual benefit Tuesday night with guest speaker Bruce Wilkinson bringing a message that brought many donations to the center. “Churches in America don’t preach about abortion,” Wilkinson, author of “The Prayer of Jabez,” said. “[Churches] have a fear of man rather than a fear of God.” According to Wilkinson, the problem with most churches is the fear to recognize abortion as an issue. He also said that the average woman in Ukraine has 15 abortions — a problem that could be limited if the church spoke out against it. After his speech, Wilkinson challenged the audience to let God move in Lynchburg and
then the offering started. At the end of the giving, the benefit raised $32,000 — meeting the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center’s goal. The night started with praise and worship from the Grace Church Worship Team, a song dedication written and performed by Jeremy Witt and an introduction by the Spirit FM’s Barry Armstrong. The Executive Director of the pregnancy center, Lori Meetre, then gave an update of the ministry and the needs of the center. According to Meetre, one in three women will have an abortion by the time they are 40. “That’s in and out of the church ... from all walks of life,” Meetre said. “I am one in three women. I had an abortion at age 18 ... I share this with you because I want you to know the heart I have for this ministry. “ Meetre discussed negative impact abor-
tion has on mothers and the innate nature of a woman to protect her child. “It will affect that woman to (the) very core of her being. She went against what God created her to be,” Meetre said. Meetre said the goal of Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center is to educate women on the three options they have — parenting, adoption and abortion. Although the ministry does not do abortion referrals, it does inform women of the risks of abortion and its processes. “We want women to know the truth, and that’s exactly what we do,” Meetre said. The theme of the night was “A Tapestry of Hope,” because of the women whose stories were told throughout the night are what make up the ministry. Precious Wiley, a client of the center who struggled with her unplanned pregnancy, gave the first testimony. Other
testimonies were given by Shannon Kane, Samantha Jesse and Rhonda Darville. “They didn’t judge me because I was going to have an abortion. They looked at me like I was a human being,” Wiley said. According to Wiley, things kept happening to prevent her from having an abortion and she believed this to be the hand of God over the situation. The Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center was able to help her and her baby boy through the situation. “I thought it was a God night. I’ve been to all the fundraisers in the past and this is the first time I’ve seen people respond this way,” Lori Squire said. Squire attended the event and helped sell books for Wilkinson at the end of the event. u POWLEY is a feature reporter.
FEATURE
September 21, 2010
Liberty Champion/ B6
Events to LOOK OUT for in the next few weeks
Eli Overbey
SEE YOU AT THE POLE - (SYATP) will be held Tuesday, Sept. 21. at 7:30 p.m. Weather permitting, SYATP will be outside on the stairs of DeMoss. Students across the country will be joining to pray for their individual schools and the nation. HAIRSPRAY: THE MUSICAL
CREATION SEMINAR SEE YOU AT THE POLE
ART EXHIBIT
Liberty alumni lead mission trip NATHALIA GIRALDO ngiraldo@liberty.edu
Liberty University alumni will lead a mission trip to Chestnut Mountain Ranch during fall break to aid with construction for a non-profit Christian crisis home for teenage boys in West Virginia. AJ Harold and Alyssa Hodgens will lead the sixth trip to Morgantown, W. Va., stirring fellow peers to make a difference in other communities. “The Liberty team has been involved with the construction of every building that is up right now,” Hodgens said. “They have done something to help with it.” Though Harold originally joined out of impulse, he is now prepared to lead this trip along with new students to continue to the growth of this ministry. According to the Chestnut Mountain Ranch website, the Liberty team will be using this ranch to provide a “Christ-
centered school and home for boys in crisis and in need of hope and healing. Partnering with their families, we pursue family restoration and reunification.” Though the ranch is not open yet, they have been able to finally have their staff come in and have begun to teach students in the school they have built. According to Harold, God has blessed this project very much since founder Steve Finn decided to start it but they still have a long way to go. The Chestnut Mountain Ranch website emphasizes on their home page the need for this place, as they receive weekly calls from families who are seeking out help for their children. The ranch will be open to boys from ages of eight to sixteen and must live within an 80 mile-radius of the ranch. “The family has to be within driving distance because a big thing with them is making sure that they are not just taking
these kids from the home,” Harold said. “They want the home to be involved too. They are trying to repair the family.” This trip is a preliminary for the bigger trip that comes along during spring break. In their eyes, this is the trip that gives you a taste of the big things that you want to be a part of in the later trips. The trip will be taking off on Wednesday, Oct. 13 and will return on Saturday Oct. 16. This is open to all students over the age of 18 and CSER credit is offered to Liberty students. A cost of $50 is required to cover transportation and food. An interest meeting will be held on Sept. 23 at 6:30 p.m. in DeMoss 1078. For more information check out “Liberty CMR Team” on Facebook. u GIRALDO is a feature writer.
Yale grad to visit for ‘Alumni Lecture Series’ TIFFANY EDWARDS tredwards2@liberty.edu
Eric Metaxas will be explaining the impact of Christians on the African slave trade in England on Oct. 5, 7 p.m. at the Towns-Alumni METAXAS Auditorium. The event, sponsored by the school of communication, is part of the Department of English and Modern Languages Alumni Lecture Series. Metaxas, a Yale alumnus, has a varied career, having written for Chuck Colson, Veggie Tales and the New York Times. He has also published two books, the most recent being “Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy.” The lecture will focus mainly on Metaxas’s first book, the New York Times bestseller “Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the
Heroic Campaign to End Slavery.”The book was recently adapted into a movie. “This film was exemplary in being that rare Christian film that also upholds high artistic standards,” Department of English and Modern Languages chair Dr. Karen Prior said. “Eric Metaxas is that rare speaker who is both highly entertaining and extremely informative.” Metaxas’s work, which includes movie and book reviews, poetry and essays have appeared in Christianity Today , the Washington Post and National Review Online, among others. He has appeared on CNN and Fox News as a cultural correspondent and has been featured on radio programs including NPR’s ‘Talk of the Nation,” “Janet Parshall’s America” and “The Alan Colmes Show.” Metaxas is the founder and host of the monthly series “Socrates in the City: Conversations on the Examined Life” which allows skeptics to dialogue with Christian apologists and thinkers.
“Since Metaxas is a graduate of Yale University, a writer for both secular media and (formerly) for Charles Colson and Veggie Tales, students will see an excellent example of a Christian who has both a strong faith and a strong intellect and who is using his gifts to influence the world,” Prior said. “This lecture will also be of interest to the wider community beyond Liberty University, so students can look at the lecture as an opportunity to be a positive witness to the community as we engage them on issues of worldwide and historical significance.” Metaxas will also be holding a book signing at the Liberty University Barnes and Noble bookstore on Oct. 5 at 2 p.m. and at Inklings Bookshop and White Hart Café on Wednesday, October 6 at 12:00 p.m. Books will available for sale before and after the lecture. u EDWARDS is the feature editor.
Plein Air Painters: Nothing “Plein” about it TIFFANY EDWARDS tredwards2@liberty.edu
The Blue Ridge Plein Air Painters mission is to paint the outdoors, as they experience it. Their work will be on display for students to enjoy Sept. 23 through Nov. 6 in the Liberty Visual Communication Arts (VCAR) Art Gallery. The Plein Air Painters is a fellowship of five artists from the Lynchburg, Roanoke and Smith Mountain Lake areas. These painters — David Heath, Lois Virginia Babb, Rodney Laughon, Kathy Seek and Charley Turner — do all of their work outdoors, hence the use of the title “en plein air,” which means to paint outdoors. Plein air painting originated in the French Impressionist movement in the 1870s. “By attending the show, (Liberty) students are
exposed to five of the best plein air painters today. Also, this group of artists work together on a regular basis,” VCAR Director Todd Smith said. “It will be interesting to compare their styles and techniques when dealing with similar subject matter. They are given the opportunity to interact with the artists and examine original artwork in person. This gives the opportunity to examine artistic techniques and skills used in the area of painting.” The opening of the exhibit will be 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 23. The artists will be at the show and light refreshments will be available. For more information students can search for “Blue Ridge Plein Air Painters” on the Liberty splash page. u EDWARDS is the feature editor.
FEATURE
B7/Liberty Champion
September 21, 2010
Tiffany Edwards
Tower Theater gets her groove
L
iberty University, welcome to the 1960s. Liberty’s Theater Department will be showing “Hairspray” in their first show of the theater season and the first play ever in the LU Tower Theater. The story follows the large and in-charge heroine Tracy Turnblad
as she becomes a teen dancing sensation during the turbulent 1960s. Filled with laughter, romance and plenty of teenagers getting funky, Hairspray guarantees an evening full of laughs. The play opens Sept. 24 and stars Sarah Seaman as Tracy Turnblad,
Caleb Hughes as Link Larkin, Taamu Wuya as Seaweed and Ronnie Brady as Corny Collins. Tickets are on sale at the Vines Center box office at $7 for students, $10 for Liberty faculty and staff. Tickets on opening night will be $12 for students, $15 for general admission.
CHESTNUT MTN. MISSIONS TRIP
SWITCHFOOT + THE ALMOST CONCERT
SCAREMARE
DISCUSSION: WILBERFORCE AND THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE
Bird song vs. the Big Bang:
Creation and Engineering Guest Lecturer ABIGAIL KOPPENHAVER akoppenhaver@liberty.edu
Blending his engineering knowledge with his interest in creation, Dr. Stuart Burgess, the head of the Dept. of Engineering Design and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bristol, Britain, will be speaking Sept. 23 to 24 in a series of three lectures, hosted by the Liberty’s School of Engineering and Computational Sciences (SECS) and the Center for Creation Studies. Partially responsible for bringing Burgess to Liberty is Dr. Doug Oliver, Assistant Director for the Center of Creation Studies. Oliver saw Burgess’s book “Hallmarks of Design” advertised and read it. “I find myself reading through it and finding examples of not only functionality but beauty, beauty that doesn’t need to be there in order for something to function,” Oliver said. Burgess will be discussing the intricacies of bird
songs, which may sound pretty simple on the surface, but there is actually much to consider. “Birds seem to be masters of art in music without even trying, whereas humans have to work to be excellent musicians. Why should that be if this is just an accidental product of a ‘big bang’?” Oliver said. Assistant Professor of Engineering Dr. John Vadnal also agrees that many students other than those interested in creation studies and engineering will benefit from the lectures. Students need not worry about the lectures being hard to understand. Both Oliver and Vadnal assure that the presentations will be pitched towards the general public, without scientific jargon. Vadnal is particularly excited for engineering students to attend the lectures because he feels that is important for them to see people with an engineering background who are successful and still believe in a young earth. “I think it’s a treat for them to see that you can
have Ph.D. in engineering and you can believe in the Bible at the same time,” Vadnal said. The lectures are an opportunity to hear information that is easily understood, to show how much evidence there is for biblical beliefs and refute the “learned” scientists. “I don’t think they’ll be disappointed. It will be educational, it will be eye opening and how can you go wrong when you’re learning more about God and His creation? That’s what it boils down to,” Vadnal said. Burgess will be giving three lectures, the first of which will be held Thursday, Sept. 23 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Towns-Alumni Auditorium, where he will discuss the origin and purpose of beauty. The second lecture will be held Friday, September 24 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at SECS convocation in the Schilling Center. The third and final lecture will be held Friday, Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m. in Towns Hall Alumni Center. All lectures are free and open to the public.
Scaremare returns to thrill audiences TAYLOR OVERHULTZ toverhultz@liberty.edu
Scaremare is an annual event held by Liberty that’s purpose is to share the gospel by presenting fun-house rooms and scenes of death. Scaremare will begin at dusk on Friday, Oct. 14 and will continue every weekend until Saturday, Oct. 30. Students must be in line by 11 p.m. to tour. Cost is $8 per person. For groups of 15 or more, tickets are $6 per person. For groups of 25 or more must register before and tickets cost 10. 2300 Carroll Ave.
The Hello Hurricane tour:
Switchfoot and The Almost
Photos Provided
Switchfoot will be in concert with The Almost, Oct. 1 for CFAW Weekend. The show will start at 6:30 p.m. in the TRBC auditorium. Tickets can be purchased at the Liberty Ticket office located at the Vines Center. Student admission is $12 in advance. General admission is $18.
September 21, 2010
Freshman on the Street
Daniel Chapman, the gold-sequin hat guy
Betsy Abraham
SPARKLES GALORE — Freshman Daniel Chapman is easy to pick out in a crowd because of his choice in head wear. BETSY ABRAHAM babraham3@liberty.edu
Whether they realize it or not, Liberty students know Daniel Chapman. Since the start of the semester, Chapman, a freshman, has been rousing conversations and stopping people dead in their tracks because of his unusual choice in head wear — a baseball hat covered entirely in gold sequins. He even has a fan club. Although many do not even know his name,
Chapman, or the “Gold Sequin Hat Guy” has over 300 followers on Facebook. Chapman himself became a fan of the page when he found out about it a week after it was made. On Facebook, fans have posted their latest sightings of the “Gold Sequin Hat Guy” and there are even paparazzi-esque photos of Chapman wearing the hat in places such as the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall and Towns Alumni Auditorium during a GNED class. If that is not enough, the hat has its own Facebook page called Sparkly
Hat at Liberty, which has over 40 friends. Chapman bought the famous hat for seven Euros, which is about $10, during a missions trip to Italy with Xtreme Impact, Liberty’s shortterm missions program. The last day of the trip, Chapman was shopping in Venice with his team when somebody pointed the hat out to him. Chapman thought that the hat, which says Venezia, the Italian word for Venice on it, would be the perfect souvenir. Much to his surprise, a few days after he bought the hat, Chapman discovered a tag on the inside that said “Made in China.” Despite the fact that his Italian souvenir was fake, Chapman decided to wear it everyday since he arrived at Liberty. Sophomore Marissa Bowman likes seeing the hat but has her own theories on why Chapman wears it. “It’s shiny and makes me smile. When I’m stressed and I see his hat, I feel better. But then I wonder why he’s wearing a sequin hat to begin with. This sequin gold hat is original and maybe a way for him to (connect with) the ladies,” Bowman speculates. Chapman says that he has only received one negative comment about his hat, but often gets looks from people passing by. However, he does not mind the attention. “I love awkwardly making other peoples’ days better,” Chapman said. “I’m extroverted and I don’t
like holding back. If you stare at me and look away, I’m coming to talk to you.” His extroverted nature with the hat as a natural conversation starter helps Chapman meet people easily. “I’m naturally awkward but the hat makes people less resistant to awkwardness,” Chapman said. However, the hat is strictly a part of his life at Liberty, and he has no plans to wear it elsewhere, Chapman said. Though that may be his main identifier, Chapman is a lot more than a freshman with an unusual hat — he is also a member of cheerleading team’s white squad. As a child, Chapman moved several times because his dad was in the military. They settled down in Las Vegas when Chapman was 7 years old and it was there that he discovered gymnastics. “I was one of those kids that was literally climbing walls, bouncing off them, jumping off couches. I’ve always been hyperactive,” Chapman said. “My talent lay more in doing flips and body control than it did hand-eye coordination.” However, when the family moved to Stafford, Va., a few years later, Chapman faced the problem of having no way to release all his pent up energy. The solution came in high school when he joined the cheerleading team. Though in advanced classes all throughout his school career, he
decided to slow down and focus on athletics during his junior year. However, that proved to be a very emotionally and physically trying time for Chapman and though his team made it to state level competitions, the demanding environment and pressure began to take a toll. He decided to stop doing cheerleading after high school unless something changed. “(There were) all kinds of issues, so I was going to give up cheerleading unless I went to a cheerleading or Christian university. I came here and the cheerleading team was the most welcoming (group),” Chapman said. “High school cheerleading revolves around popularity. At Liberty, it’s about providing a good image for Christ and growing people in every way that they can spiritually, physically and mentally. Athletics will grow you into everything you can be,” Chapman said. A kinesiology major, Chapman plans to go to chiropractor school and then graduate school or seminary. He has a passion for missions, as well as for apologetics. As for now, Chapman is content with being Liberty’s “Gold-SequinHat Guy,” but his fans can rest assured that there is a lot more under those shiny sequins than an old baseball hat made in China. u ABRAHAM is a feature reporter.
Try Thai ’99 CAT HEWETT
cahewett@liberty.edu
TAYLOR OVERHULTZ toverhultz@liberty.edu
Nestled just off of Memorial Avenue, next to the Lynchburg Public Library, is Thai ’99. Though the exterior of this restaurant may be unimposing, the food it houses is an explosive feast for the taste buds. With spicy levels ranging from mild to Thai hot, there is something for every palate. Even the spiciest dishes still allow the lucky consumer to taste the more subtle seasonings in their food. Lunch at Thai ‘99 comes with a soup, an entrée and a dessert. The soup is a fresh, spiced broth with cabbage and carrots with a hint of sweetness. Be sure to keep stirring the soup or the spices will all settle to the bottom. Thai ’99’s Panang Curry dish is a mild blend of coconut milk, crushed peanut, red and green peppers and a choice of meat. The crunchy peppers are pleasantly juxtaposed to the smooth broth and soft textures of rice and meat. The colorful platter is just enough to fill an empty stomach and is surprisingly refreshing and light compared to other curry dishes. The Pineapple Fried Rice is heavier than the curry, but not too
heavy for pleasurable lunch cuisine. The dish is not overly spiced, but has a slow burn that does not overpower the subtle taste of the rice and cashews. The pineapples give a nice break from the heat of the dish. Ruam-Mit, a tapioca dessert, is a palate cleanser following a spiced main course. Although the texture may ward off some, the blend of tapioca, Jack Fruit, Palm Seed and Jell-O are hidden in coconut milk, making each bite unique and unexpected. When craving something a little more substantial as a beverage, Thai ‘99 has an excellent drink, Thai Iced Tea. This drink is a paradox, tasting both familiar and exotically different all in one sip. The half and half gives this tea a creamy, comforting feel and taste. If craving some south Asian cuisine on a Tuesday night, students can get one entrée for half off with the purchase of another with their student IDs. Thai ‘99 in Lynchburg was established in October 2003 and is owned and operated by Jeff & Patty Kachornvanich.
Cat Hewett
SOUTH ASIAN CUISINE — (Top) Thai ’99’s decor adds to the enjoyable atmosphere and true Thai cuisine. (Bottom left) The spice dish is presented with the main entree and allows for an added punch to any menu item. (Bottom right) Thai ‘99’s menu selections is extensive and includes dishes such as Panang Curry, a milder curry in comparison to others.
u HEWETT is the news editor. u OVERHULTZ is the asst. news editor. Cat Hewett
Cat Hewett