Richt drives his ‘little girls’ to win

Congratulations, Coach Richt, on a great win against Auburn last weekend. Your game plan and team execution were remarkable. How disappointing, then, to open The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Sunday and learn that your strategy was to motivate your team by telling them that they were playing like “little girls.”

You remember the moment. In four straight series, Georgia failed to gain more than five yards. In the heat of battle, you chose to fall back on the familiar way to exhort men to secure the win: don’t be a girl. The message was clear – when girls play, they do so pitifully and unsuccessfully. This message is not only inaccurate, as anyone who has watched women and girls compete knows, but shows disrespect for women and girls in general and encourages men to dismiss their efforts.

As someone who serves as a role model to young men all across Georgia, it is particularly important that you do not yield to easy stereotypes that send a message that girls are inferior to boys. As a leader in Georgia, you have a unique opportunity to positively influence the next generation of men so they do not resort to putting down women in order to fuel their intensity.

This season you have found compelling ways to inspire your team. We believe you can resist the impulse to motivate the young men on your team by insulting young women. We are sure you would rather choose to use your authority to inspire all those who strive for excellence.

SHELLEY SERDAHELY
Executive Director,
Men Stopping Violence

Students’ true voices unheard

I applaud Lucas Puente’s Nov. 14 column calling for students to vote. Lending our voices more loudly, and in greater numbers, would certainly appear to benefit us at least on the surface. The apathy Puente perceives, though, remains rooted in the increasing disconnect between many Americans of our demographic and the politicians for whom we are supposed to vote.

How can we hope to put “politicians in office that reflect Americans’ views” when no legitimate candidates embody what we know America could, and should, be? Instead, we are given only candidates with convoluted and flawed gossamer platforms waiting for the next irrational wind to buoy them up. Given our resources, America simply cannot achieve real and respectable progress at home and abroad. Come Election Day, I will find my assigned venue and cast my votes, but my true voice will not be heard.

Rather I will be forced to choose the lesser of two evils, and as I walk away from that booth, I will not be imbued with hope. I will not even feel that I was allowed a voice. Instead, a deep sadness will swell up in me, knowing that with a little humility, a true respect for human dignity and an unflinching desire to work together to better all Americans, and indeed all humans, we could accomplish great things. Show me a politician who can convince me that he or she is capable of “that,” Mr. Puente, and my vote will finally matter.

BOB KRASK
Graduate Student, Suwanee
English