I have never been quite comfortable with the argument that free speech necessarily entails the acceptance that some will overstep the societal boundaries and indulge in hateful, racist and otherwise hurtful speech against others. I hear this logic quite often among liberal and conservative friends alike, so I certainly wouldn’t say it is partisan, but more American. I will risk sounding “un-American” for a minute to simply propose the question, “How free are we really in a society that accepts such wanton abuses of the right to free speech?” I do not believe that in a society that accepts an absolutist view of free speech, you can truly be free of the hatred and violence that it implicitly condones. I believe that it boils down to our unwillingness to accept that there is any sort of chronic problem. We choose to channel the dialogue toward hatred of “big government” instead of addressing a serious problem. We all saw the same political maneuvering with health care reform. That is, debate was quickly channeled away from the problem — some 30 plus million uninsured — toward, again, our national past time, hating on the government. I am not proud per se, but very inspired by what, in theory, it means to be an American. But I ashamed of how we hijack our founding myths to disguise the inequality, violence and racism that plagues our country. So, to the administration and students I would say, fight as hard as you can to preserve the amazing environment we enjoy here at the University.

Stephen Hartka
CLAS IV

The years we spend in college are said to be the best years of our lives. The college lifestyle is one of independence and freedom, but many students come to find that the pressures of college life are too overwhelming. While college can be full of fun experiences and opportunities to meet new people, not everyone can immediately adjust to such a drastic change in routine. Feeling alone, struggling to fit in, or struggling with responsibility is especially common among first-year women. To combat these negative feelings, it is important to reinforce positive thinking and acceptance of your image.

The University of Virginia is a prestigious school, with demanding classes and tough professors. The hardworking, Type-A students that are admitted to U.Va. are accustomed to receiving straight A’s. However, many find themselves frustrated when the class average is a failing grade, and when their grades are far from what they used to be in high school. Time management is difficult when surrounded by friends at all times, because the temptation to succumb to distractions is always present. The stress of classes and grades can easily take over.

As a female at the University of Virginia, more specific pressures exist. To me, it seems like the girls here generally strive to fit a very specific image. There appears to be an unspoken uniform among the women consisting of North Face jackets, Nike athletic shorts, Longchamp bags, cowboy boots and sundresses. These are all harmless items, but they can serve to further isolate a girl if she does not submit to the uniform. An even more powerful image characteristic is body weight. As a generalization, the majority of girls here are thin. U.Va. is an extremely fit school, as evidenced by the constant display of runners. At any time of the day, in any weather condition, it is pretty much guaranteed that you will see someone out for a run. Personally, I love to run. It has always been a huge part of my life and I find the constant flow of runners to be motivational. But many girls may see this trend as just another reminder to fit the image.

Living in such close proximity to my suite-mates, it is hard not to notice the constant discussion centered around eating habits and working out. Many girls can find themselves consumed by thoughts of calorie counting and losing weight. Eating healthy can be a struggle from the limited selections in dining halls to the habit of grabbing meals on the go. Constant conversation of food can start to dominate a girl’s thoughts, revitalizing the detrimental thought process.

College life can be stressful, especially for women. The pressure to be thin while trying to deal with challenging classes and a social life is difficult. But if you can learn to manage your time and accept your body image, college can be the best years of your life. Working out can be a great way to relieve stress and healthy eating habits can eliminate negative feelings. Accept your body, accept your individuality and remember that being unique is more attractive than fitting the mold.

Kaitlin Bergin
CLAS I

The Foxfield Races, an annual University and Charlottesville tradition, are heavily patrolled by law enforcement officials. Police arrested 45 people at this year’s event. Photo by Jason O. Watson.

This past Saturday at the Foxfield Races, police arrested 45 patrons for 51 different offenses, according to an Albemarle County Police Department press release. Sixteen of the offenders are students at the University, said Sgt. Peter Mainzer of the Albemarle County Police Department.

The majority of the arrests were made for public intoxication, while other charges included disorderly conduct, underage possession of alcohol and possession of cocaine, the press release stated.

An attendee who was not a student at the University was charged with cocaine possession after an officer either observed or smelled marijuana, conducted a search of the attendee and found the cocaine.

In total, 26 people were issued court summons and released.

“In the big scheme of things, this is kind of an average year,” Mainzer said. “There were more arrests this year than last year, but this was less than the year before.”

Violators were processed at an arrest site at the east gate of the racing grounds, where officers submitted evidence that will be used against the offenders in court, Mainzer said.

Albemarle County Police Sgt. Darrel Byers admitted that although many attendees consume alcohol at the races, police officers focused their attention on “those persons who physically couldn’t take care of themselves.”

Albemarle officials said Foxfield is an event in which a full police force is required.

“If you’re not working the shift, you’re working Foxfield,” said Mainzer. “No one has the day off; everyone is working.”

Present Saturday were 70 officers from the Albemarle County Police Department, 40 officers from the Albemarle County Sheriff’s Office, 17 from the regional jail, 15 state troopers, 12 from the Virginia Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control and three to four University police officials, Mainzer said.

The fraternity, which was founded at the University in 1869, will receive sanctions for unspecified, “inappropriate activities” with pledges. Photo by Robert Parrish.

The University chapter of Kappa Sigma fraternity has been sanctioned by its national body for violating the organization’s code of conduct, chapter leadership said yesterday. Members of the fraternity and University officials declined to comment on the nature of the incident that brought about the sanctions.

Mitchell Wilson, executive director of Kappa Sigma’s national body, confirmed that the concern arose as a result of “inappropriate activities with the pledges,” although he also declined to elaborate further.

“It is an internal matter,” he said, “but the chapter is not shutting down, and we are beginning the process now of moving forward with our sanctions.”

The chapter has not violated the fraternity’s code of conduct in recent years and that reflected favorably on the chapter when the national body handed down its sanctions, Wilson said.

Kappa Sigma was founded in 1869 by five University students and currently has chapters at more than 250 college campuses. The national Kappa Sigma headquarters is located in Charlottesville.

The Office of the Dean of Students will address the violations with members of the fraternity, according to an e-mail from Michael Citro, assistant dean of students and director of fraternity and sorority life.

“We remain committed to supporting and working closely with the undergraduate chapter next semester and in future years,” he said.

­—Radina Belberova contributed to this article