Awesomeness Prime

When I watch Brigham Young University’s football team this year I will mostly be sitting on the couch behind a television. I am one of many students who are forced to this torturous form of observing sports. Sitting at a television does not give you the same satisfaction of being at the game. There aren’t thousands of people by all screaming at the same time. There aren’t the crowd cheers, the wave, the make noise cues, or the all around adrenaline rush that comes from being right there watching closely and occasionally looking at the big screen to see what you missed at your angle. All students should be allowed this opportunity. Students are the ones who are most crazed about the team. They make the games more energetic and lively. I think that the school should offer more football passes to all students because it would create more opportunities for students to interact, more energetic games, and happier students.
By Joseph Miller Alcocer

No, you can only live where I want you to.

Although many incoming freshman are not aware but is common knowledge to anyone living off campus, to attend Brigham Young University you must live in approved housing. You can't live with your grandma, you can't live with your best friends family, you can't even live with the President of the LDS Church, Thomas S. Monson, if you wanted to. No. You must live where BYU wants you to and only in housing that is available to all students who attend BYU. I'm going to be completely straight with you. I don't have a problem with the rule. I like my dorms. My only reason for attacking this rule is because it just seems absolutely silly. As an apartment owner in Roy, Utah this seems absolutely absurd and extremely selfish for BYU to control the apartment market here in Provo. Where would we be if every market was ran like this? No, BYU. Quit being greedy, and give students a choice.

Teachers who actually teach

Teachers that actually teach? How absurd! It’s your junior or senior year and you’re thinking about which universities to apply to and ultimately which one to attend. There are many prestigious institutions to choose from and many will be worth your time and money, but Brigham Young University is the best choice of all. The professors at other colleges split their time between lecturing and doing research and working in the field while professors here at BYU focus more on teaching and do most of their research in the summertime. Here at BYU you will spend more time with teachers and less time with less experienced teacher's assistants.

A Freshman's Dream Come True

Freshman Academy is a great experience for any new incoming freshman at Brigham young University. The program creates smaller classes for students that need a little more personal time with the teacher. While registering for classes many students use ratemyproffessor.com to find the best teacher. Many of these students found when they tried to register for the higher rated teachers they were blocked because those classes were reserved for Freshman Academy students. As a result of smaller classes, it enables students to become closer to one another, create study groups and a big factor for many there are more opportunities for social events. As a part of the Freshman Academy program, I have already taken part in a couple study groups, I have many friends, and I went on a date the first week of classes.

Longboards

Have you ever been walking around campus and seen those laid back longboaders? I know i have. I had wondered what made them ride there boads even though it was against school poilcy and it was only recently that i discovered why they did it when I rode a long board for the first time. The rush of wind in your hair as you glide seamlessly over the pavement,swerving around obstacles and enjoying a moment of pure ectasy with friends. I would like to see school policy change on the issue of longboarding. It has been banned because of injuries but i propose a way to limit the injuries while also giving students the freedom of longboarding. By making students purchase a license to longboard would generate revenue for the school while also pleasing the student body.

The best intro you will ever read!

Are you experiencing overwhelming emotions about your first semester at college? I was having the same feelings as I received my acceptence letter from BYU. Having these feelings, I looked on the BYU website for any help that I could get while attending the university. Luckily, Freshman Academy is offered on campus. This program gives new students the opportunity to be in specific study groups and have the same classes with the people in your group. Freshman will be heavily focused on so that they can create effective study habits and make good grades in all their classes. Some services offered include peer mentors, student teaching mentors and a tutoring center specific to the program you register for. You will be making one of the greatest decisions of your college career if you choose to capture the opportunity that Freshman Academy offers.

Limited Meal Plans

As students at BYU, various meal plans are available for us to use to pay for our food and other necessities. We are allotted a certain amount of money each day that we can spend wherever we wish at selected areas depending on the type of meal plan one purchased. I don't have a problem with the limited amount of money we receive but I don't like that we aren't allowed to use our cards anywhere on campus. An example is with the Dining Plus meal plan which one can't use at the Creamery on 9th but can at two other Creamery locations. I think that since it's our own money we're spending, we should be able to use spend it wherever we want on campus. BYU is still getting our money so why does it matter which Creamery we spend it at? It seems like it would be better business and more effective to open up the meal plans to anywhere on campus.

Honoring Your Code or the Honor Code

How does Brigham Young University have such a unified student body? It achieves this through the student Honor Code. No student should actively fight the Honor Code, but why is it that many students feel the obligation to push the Honor Code to its limits? Is it really necessary to cause contention over something that is so easy to follow? Before entering this university we agreed to follow the standards and we pledged our word to do so. Choosing not to follow these rules reflects poorly on not only our character, but our integrity. By not following the honor code it puts our own honor at risk. Is fighting the Honor Code really worth giving up our own integrity?

Same Sunday Attire

It’s a biting December Sunday, and herds of worshippers trudge through muddy, icy slush as they try to make their way towards their ward building. A wall of black suits and ties strides by a shivering gaggle of girls who are tripping over their high heels as the 23º wind lashes mercilessly at their pantyhose-clad legs.
While it’s a wonderful thing that the men of the ward will be willing to hold the door open for these frost-bitten females, it’s a shame that no one is brave enough to open the door to a new era, one where both men and women wear suits and ties to Sunday worship. Several problems, including comfort in inhospitable weather, every LDS girl’s struggle to find modest church clothes and divisions among LDS girls based on dress and appearance would be solved by this change in women’s attire.

Freshman Academy, Is it worth it?

Are you concerned about your first year experience at BYU and what it is going to be like? Are you nervous about the overwhelming amount of work and not getting enough help in your classes? Are you worried about making friends? Of course you are. Every freshman at one time or another has wondered about these three simple questions. BYU has instituted a program called Freshman Academy. Freshman Academy is focused just on freshman and enhancing the experience that you, and other freshman will have during your first year at BYU. Freshman Academy helps you get into smaller classes and into classes with the same people. It gives you access to peer mentors, teacher mentors, and other faculty members that will help you gain the most from your first year experience. It also helps you get to know your fellow classmates through different social events that Freshman Academy plans. Choosing to join Freshman Academy will be one of the best decisions you make regarding your freshman year at BYU and it will make your transition into college life much easier.

Global Warming; Man made or all natural?

Global Warming. The all too common phrase that is thrown around every day in casual conversations by normal people. But what really is global warming? Is it a natural cycle of the Earth, heating and cooling? Or is it a man made phenomenon started with the industrial age? Think for a second about a major volcano eruption, and the aftermath of an event that catastrophic. A volcano eruption releases greenhouse gasses on an enormous scale. How would this eruption of gasses compare to the gasses that are put into the atmosphere by humans each year? One single major eruption causes much more greenhouse gasses to be emitted than the human race puts into the atmosphere for years. The earth has a natural cycle of cooling and warming, with natural causes. Global warming is a natural phenomenon that is part of a larger cycle, which was not, and is not created by the industrial age.

Why can't I watch ESPN?

How preposterous is it that ESPN is not on BYU's cable package? Every night I turn the TV on to watch a little Sportscenter before bed only to be reminded that there is no ESPN. A majority of the students here have access to a TV and most of them are familiar with the greatest sporting channel on earth. Those that weren't familiar with ESPN sure are now after the big win over Oklahoma this past Saturday. If the University is willing to throw a huge party for the Cougars game at the Wilkinson Center, then why is it not willing to let the students watch ESPN in the doorms or in their apartments? We all know the doorms are an important part of a freshman's experience here at BYU. Sitting down and watching some sports is a great way to become friends with your roomate and neighbors down the hall. Most guys don't like to sit around and chat, they like to watch college football and postseason baseball. How could the University deprive its' freshman of an important aspect of college life?

Rin Hardy; Opinion Editorial

I decided to come to Brigham Young University for several reasons. The most compelling of these reasons were the academic excellence expected, encouraged and achieved by students and faculty, and the spiritually uplifting environment that infuses the campus. I felt that BYU would be the best place for me to grow in spirituality, maturity, and intelligence. As a lifelong member of the LDS church I place great value on my relationship with God and my family. I eagerly anticipate the day when I can start a family of my own. However, at this stage in my life I believe that my focus should be on my personal relationship with God and academic success. I know that I am spiritually or emotionally mature enough to start an important relationship like marriage or to start my own family. By virtue of being a freshman at BYU and having had may relatives attend and graduate from BYU, I would argue that dating and marriage are overemphasized with regard to students at BYU.

Livestrong For All

The Freshmen Fifteen: a phrase commonly understood to be a connotation of the average weight gain of incoming college freshman. Brigham Young University’s The Daily Universe newspaper recently presented an article on how to “Beat the ‘Freshman Fifteen’ ” which contained two major suggestions: To stay away from junk food and to exercise regularly. For exercising often the article suggested either purchasing a gym membership or regular use of the Richards Building facilities. Myself being an avid player of the sport Racquetball was ecstatic to have the opportunity to use the facilities and play racquetball several times a week if not every single non-Sabbath day. I was however disappointed to find that we had to acquire day use wrist bands for each and every day that we desired to use the facilities. Not an extreme inconvenience, rather a rather large annoyance. When the opportunity arose to buy a permanent, one semester use, latex wristband similar to the Livestrong bands which could only be acquired with the purchase of a locker I took it. Currently the way to purchase a permanent wristband is to buy a locker. There are approximately one thousand lockers in the male locker rooms at the Richards Building, I have never visited the Woman’s locker rooms but I am taking an educated guess that there are around one thousand lockers in that area also. In a school of BYU’s proportions two thousand wristbands doest cover much area. Instead of dispersing wristbands along with lockers BYU should provide semester use wristbands for students who desire them, and register for them.

A head full of hair

The ever popular and clever, “That’s against the Honor Code” lyrics have been stuck in everyone’s heads since the very first day. Cheating, lying, inappropriate clothing were all mentioned and rightly so. They all lead down bad paths. However, what about hair length for guys? Has the length of a guy’s hair ever led him down paths of sin and unrighteousness? Brigham Young as well as many other Church and School founders had long hair and even beards. Unless I’m mistaken, they turned out pretty well. Besides giving students the same opportunities and respect as the founders, disbanding the hair regulations will also be another way for the students at BYU to express themselves. Besides, some people just have really ugly ears. Another positive outcome is that it will lead to more cooperation and less animosity between the students and the staff. Personally, I was frustrated that I had to cut my hair, causing me to have a negative disposition towards the staff of BYU before I even arrived. I would have been happier as a student and have much more school spirit and willingness to participate if I was allowed to keep my original length of hair. There are many issues that the staff of BYU does and should fight against. Why waste their time and our time as students fighting over whether the hair is above the ears or not?

WELCOME TO BYU

There are numerous freshmen arriving into BYU each year, ready to commence university. They’re excited to become acquainted with new people, and begin residing on their own. Before coming, however, they’re each asked if they would like to register for New Student Orientation (NSO). My parents encouraged me to, saying it would be a good experience. I would beg to differ. In our Y groups, we weren’t put with girls from the ward we’d be attending, and I haven’t seen at least half those girls since. Also, they had the extravaganza Friday night. The problem was you were trying to meet so many new people it was overwhelming. And the problem with the dance Saturday night was that they had so many other activities to take part in, that half the people weren’t even at the “dance”.

Freshman Academy: Is It Everything It Claims to Be?

College. What is the first thing you think of when someone says that? Is it the school work? Is it the hours of studying? No. If you are like any normal soon-to-be college student, college means freedom. Living away at college means moving away from your parents, your high school, and going into a world where you have the freedom to do whatever you want (as long as it stays within the Honor Code of course). You could stay up all night, sleep in the next day, and skip your first class without the teacher caring. That’s what I thought at least. I hadn’t planned on signing up for Freshman Academy, but my friend managed to convince me to sign up for it saying, “It’s so great! You get to meet a whole bunch of people and you have smaller class sizes! I highly recommend it!” This is not true. The fact of the matter is that the Freshman Academy program actually restricts you from having the true college experience.

Pushing the Limits of the Honor Code

Almost every student has sacrificed something, whether great or small, to attend the great Brigham Young University. Yet, there are students who disagree with the Honor Code choosing to push its limits and fight the policies put in place for the safety of the students. What I want to know is why are they here? Why did they choose to take up a space that some other student, who would have been willing to sacrifice almost anything to be here, could have filled?

BYU Meal Plan – Campus Scandal?

How would you feel if you gave money to someone only to receive that money back, in small increments, in order to buy the necessities of life? Not to mention being forced to do so in order to attend the school you have spent so much diligent effort in order to attend. This is what the freshman students of BYU are being forced to do through some point in their first semesters here. I, being one of these victims, am greatly confused by this campus policy of meal plans. These meal plans take your money, give it back in miniscule portions, and limit your buying options to stores on campus. Also, what happens if you try and save it for a later moment or go shopping off campus instead of on? They take your excess money with no if’s, and’s or but’s. I believe this BYU policy is detrimental to the lives of those who are forced to use it and should be done away with.

The "Going Green" Fad

"Going Green" is, indeed, a fad. People are just jumping on the bandwagon. No one really cares about the enviornment, they just want to seem "cool" by pretending to care. They are making futile efforts toward the enviornment that are actually harming us as a nation. Global warming: people are attempting to lower greenhouse gas emissions by driving hybrid cars, and not buying as much gas. While, in the long run, this could potentially help, but in the short run, it has made our economy tank. If anyone was wondering, its spending money that helps the economy, and our economy is substantially based upon gasoline. Besides that, cows produce as much greenhouse gasses as humans do, and one single volcanic eruption produces more greenhouse gas than humans will ever make. In the big picture, humans have very little impact in changing the world's climate; how do you think the Ice Age ended? "Going Green" is a fad; it is as meaningful as Pokemon cards or Beanie Babies. I hope no one will be sucked into its "making a difference" or "change" appeal, because, ultimately, it will leave you feeling very ashamed in yourself.

Visiting Hours

"Hey are you free for us to come home teaching on Wednesday during visiting hours?" "Actually i have to take a test, so it won't work sorry!" How many times should this happen to Brigham Young University students that need to get their home teaching done during the month? None. I think that visiting hours should be extended to every day between 7pm and 9pm here at Helaman Halls. This addition of hours will benefit the students that stay in these dorms in many ways. These ways include: more time to do home teaching during the month, more time to socialize and get to know the guys/gals in the dorms, and finally more places to be able to have a study group.

Preventing Socialized Healthcare from killing America

Many Americans these days consider our healthcare system to be flawed and ineffective, and think that a change to a single payer system would solve all the problems associated with healthcare. Unfortunately, we live in something called reality, and thinking a single payer healthcare system would work is a logical fallacy. Let us imagine a world with a socialized healthcare system for a moment. Sure, little Johnny could scrape his knee, or break his arm and have no problem going to the emergency room and receiving immediate medical attention. Little Johnny is in and out of the hospital in no time. Sounds great right? Well, let’s look at this from another perspective. Thirty-four year old Jane has just found out that she has very aggressive terminal breast cancer and only has three months to live, but thankfully with chemotherapy, the cancer can be eradicated. But wait, Jane is on a socialized plan and has to be put on a waiting list before she can get her treatment, and unfortunately, that list has a six month wait on it, sorry Jane. How about a look at sixty seven year old grandma Martha’s perspective, she’s in the same position Jane is, only she doesn’t even get considered for the waiting list. Because of Martha’s age, the government doesn’t consider giving her life saving chemotherapy a wise investment simply because Martha is too old. Sure our healthcare system now doesn’t always allow little Johnny to get his stitches or cast in a timely manner, but at least Jane’s and Martha’s lives will be saved because there is no waiting list or someone out there that thinks saving seniors lives is not a wise investment. Socialized healthcare will not benefit America in any way because it is expensive, rations healthcare, and the quality of the healthcare is severely diminished.

How big is your pocket?

When you think of the word “poor,” who would you generally put into that category? Single parents, inner city dwellers, maybe illegal immigrants or how about college students? As a college student myself, I know that we aren’t exactly “rollin’ in the dough”. Many students are already in debt with student loans and even have part time jobs just to get by. Not to mention we are constantly begging for money from our parents who have already put in large donations towards our education. I mean, only a handful of freshman and about half of the upperclassman seem to even own a car. So when we need to buy something, such as groceries or clothes, we have no choice but to purchase food at the Creamery, buy a meal plan, or purchase everything else at the BYU bookstore. As poor college students we only have limited funding. So when we have to buy overpriced items at the bookstore or spend over one thousand dollars on a meal plan, we become even more in debt. I think that BYU should do more to accommodate their students by first, making the bookstore provide better prices or discounts for students, and second to provide better meal plans for their students. This change is critical because prices are costing both our families and our own pockets, which in turn causes major problems for us.

A Worth While Investment

"BYU! BYU! BYU!" shouts the student body after the recent victory over Oklahoma in this past weekend's football game. Hearts filled with school spirit and pride, the students anticipate the next big game. Sports are a big deal at BYU, and the athletes are highly respected, but what about those student-athletes who are unable to play for their school anymore because their university simply lacks the sport? Must they be forced to stop doing what they love, and not be able to compete in an intercollegic sport? Brigham Young University receives a great number of students who would love to play waterpolo for their school. Not only do they receive students who played in highschool, they receive students who gave up opportunities to play at other universities to attend BYU. The university already receives students from all over the world, which is one of the reasons why it does so well in sports. Many students, not only from across America, but worldwide would love to play for BYU if they had a team, and not only would they play, but be able to keep up with other top schools in the country. Not only would the school gain strengthen its reputation, but also give more Latter-Day-Saints the opportunity to attend BYU and better their lives from it. And isn't that part of the school's goals? To enlighten its students spiritually as well as mentally through the education it offers. Not only would this team provide more students with the experience of a lifetime, but strengthen testimonies, convert non-member athletes, raise money, and increase BYU's reputation. Creating a waterpolo team at Brigham Young University would be one of the best decision's the school could make.

Hours Extended Will Prove to Be Splendid

As a full time student living in the student housing at BYU, I am a first hand witness to the tremendous advantages of visiting hours.  Visiting hours are extremely useful and essential to the success of our students.  BYU’s current policy on visiting hours is rather limited in its ability to allow student interaction and social growth.  If BYU were to lengthen visiting hours, the positive effects would be instantly noticeable.  Social interaction, cleaner living quarters, and more study opportunities are all first hand benefits of extended visiting hours. 

Campus Police - Effective or Ridiculous?

Have you been stopped by on-campus police for doing something that you didn't even know was wrong? I think that the police on campus, those that monitor student activites and actions, need to be a more lenient. For example, an on-campus officer rode up to me on his bike and slammed on his brakes. He asked if that was my bike that was illegally locked up, I responded accordingly, and he told me to move it, in a very hostile and rude tone, I might add. Even though these police deal with numerous problems every day, they should still be more tolerant with the unintentional campus violations that all new students make.

What is the best thing for freshmen to do?

What is the best thing that a freshman can do to better their first semester at Brigham Young University? The answer is simple, join Freshmen Academy; those who have joined will not regret making that choice. I am part of the Freshmen Academy and I love it. The classes are small enough that a student can have one on one time with the teacher or TA when it’s needed, social lives have gotten better by having study groups that meet after class and everyone helps each other out, this in turn leads up to potential dates, and the schedule for class envelopes is amazing, allowing more study time in between classes and opens up your nights. Honestly, what freshmen wouldn’t want any of this? That being said, it would be foolish not to participate in Freshmen Academy.

Textaholism--Made up word, or sweeping epidemic?

I don’t want to die. I assume many of you don’t have a desire to either. Yet almost every day we needlessly put our lives at risk. What is to blame? No, it’s not Samara, the evil girl from "The Ring," but it’s something equally frightening—texting. Many people on the road flip open their phones when the jingle sounds and begin tapping away at the buttons; oblivious to the people they are putting in jeopardy. The needless texting puts countless humans in danger and inevitably leads to more accidents and fatalities on the pavement. Supposing the culprits aren’t murderers and vandals, we would assume they would obey the law and heed the safety of themselves and others. However, that isn’t always the case.

Looking at the Bigger Picture

Often time decisions are made without looking at the “big picture”. Although a certain decision may fulfill one task or be the solution to one problem, in reality, it can be counter productive although it may not be apparent. Brigham Young University (BYU) is guilty of this rash decision making. Wednesday and Sundays 7pm-9pm are relished by the students at BYU, awaited for every week. What makes these hours so precious to the freshman students? These are the visiting hours, solely set aside for the company of the opposite gender. We, as the freshman body, believe that these hours are much too small and that increasing the hours will lead to much better results. Increasing student’s happiness, improving grades, and making BYU a more sanitary place, longer and more frequent visiting hours are essential to improving life here on campus.

Orientational Blunder

The freshman is an interesting creature. It arrives to college bubbling with excitement and with such a crazed new sense of freedom that any parent still left on campus after midnight would believe that they entered into some sort of personal horror movie from their worst nightmare. The freshman also arrives so disoriented and fragile that if it is not carefully instructed as to its new life, it will become horribly lost on its way to its first class. This instruction is the objective of New Student Orientation. This instruction is what New Student Orientation utterly fails at. The NSO program rushes freshmen so quickly through such a vast amount of information and names of buildings that almost nothing is remembered (except for how to get to Jamba Juice and where the girls' dorms are located). In order for this program to actually be an effective use of time, it must become tailored to the individual needs and schedule of the freshmen that it intends to orientate.

Provo Utah Not Street Smart

As a new freshman at Brigham Young University, I feel pretty fortunate to have my own car on campus. But what I find unfortunate is that I have to be even more cautious of the aggressive drivers in Provo than what I'm used to in my hometown. Now I wouldn't put the blame entirely on the drivers but on the traffic system that was created here in this town. I'm specifically referring to the fact that several of the intersections lack a designated left-turn signal. Instead, cars in the left turn lane must yield to the ever ongoing traffic.

The World is Dangerous

The world is dangerous. Many of us have been in situations in which we have been assaulted or know someone who has. In the news we have seen the atrocities committed by wrongdoers. Crime rate continues to increase and many are left defenseless without the awareness or proper training to handle these unfortunate, but common, instances. It is my hope and prayer that we will never have to defend ourselves against an attack. However, it would prove our folly if we did not acquire some kind of defense based training.

A Flaw in Doctrine

It is a commonly known fact that everyone in this world is different and “special” in their own right. I put special in quotes because it is yet undefined in the church what special is… Is it every Peter Priesthood and Molly Mormon who is perfectly groomed, well-mannered and itching to get married? “Special” in the church is a very hard thing to actually accept. There is a mass conflict between society and church, one of which I will have to side with society in this matter. Society shows many different people (not just a difference in skin) with a different take on the world, with their own ideas and ways of expressing themselves. When people enter into this “BYU bubble” they are immersed in a world with fake blondes, fake smiles and an over-all lack of acceptance of other ideas and temporal appearances.

Meal Plan Potential

The meal plan systems that have been established at Brigham Young University are excellent resources but fall unbelievably short of their full potential. I understand that the meal plan is devoted primarily for the purpose of giving students the ability to eat at the cafeteria and a select few other eateries on campus, but why stop there? The money allocated to the meal cards should be able to be dispensed anywhere on campus. By expanding the meal cards to be accepted at all on campus businesses will make college life so much easier for all students signed up for any meal plan. Students will be able to buy supplies at the bookstore, print papers at the library, and eat at the cafeteria all with the swipe of a single universal card linked to the university specific account. This new system will be at the pinnacle of convenience for students and encourage support of university institutions, which comes out to be a win-win situation for everyone. This seems to be a logical next step in the evolution of the meal plan.

Is Freshmen Academy effective? D2

How effective are the Freshmen Academies for incoming freshmen? What dissuades many students from joining? Is it the application essays that have to be written to join, or could it be something else? As a participant in a Freshmen Academy, I think that it's the scheduling of classes that deters prospective participants. Don’t get me wrong; the classes are great, the teachers fun, and the fellow students enjoyable. However, that same schedule that allows us to have such good teachers is also a schedule that keeps us frustrated and out of breath. It’s difficult to find a job when one’s intermittent schedule stretches through both morning and afternoon. It’s difficult for us to effectively collaborate with one another on many assignments in fifty minutes – a common gap on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Some choose to relax during these periods, while others like me despise them and try anyways. So what could be done? Could there be common ground? I'd like to think so. I believe that, if freshmen were allowed to sign up for courses within the Freshmen Academy community, then everyone will be satisfied. It would be similar to the envelopes because certain classes could still be required, but they could be offered at different times within the community. Once accomplished, Freshmen Academies would then become truly effective for all freshmen.

Who are we to Judge?

This recent political election, the presidential election, has caused a stir in the LDS church. As is well known, a certain member of this church ran in the primaries for the Republican party. To the disappointment of many (including me) he lost and I feel from many conversation that that dissapointment has turned into a kind of resentment. Surely not towards those he ran against, those are Republican and as a result share many of the beliefs of those who are also Republican, that would be stabbing ourselves in the foot. No it all goes to the man who won, a Democrat. It's very easy to lay all resentment at his feet, to slander his name and to protest his wrong-doings. But what I see is that those who do this do it based upon the opinions and comments of others. They have no right to do this, because they have taken no time to find out for themselves what he has done wrong, because we represent the church in all things that we do and judging others, even the representative of our nation, upon unfounded opinions is something we are taught not to do. What kind of image do we give others of the church?