Richt must take action to prevent ship from ‘sinking’

When a ship is sinking, you don’t just stand there and watch it go down. You have to take action somehow. Coach Richt needs to take action! In my opinion, our two main problems are as follows: Willie Martinez and Joe Cox.

Our defense has suffered since Martinez took over; Coach Richt, either fire Martinez or force him to make changes. Furthermore, why are we using Joe Cox as quarterback? Coach Richt, we need to think of the future of our football team and not worry about fulfilling your loyalty to Cox.

Next year we’re going to have to start over with a new quarterback because Cox will be leaving; let’s start over now! Our “ship” is sinking, Coach Richt, and as the captain of our ship, you need to take action! Your Dawg fans are waiting patiently.

Brooke Blevins
Alumni, Reggold
Education

Football team’s ineptitude in ‘big games’ continues

Saturday’s defeat was another indication of Georgia’s unwillingness to step up to the challenge in big games. It is incredulous to me that a team so replete with top recruits can be so mediocre against bad teams. Tennessee was 2-3 going into this game – did we really give Lane Kiffin his first SEC win?

This perennial theme of not playing at a high energy level against average/good teams has frustrated many Georgia fans – myself included.

Most of the football team’s average performances can be attributed not to our quarterback Joe Cox, but rather the coaching staff.

Coach Richt’s hubris ultimately led to our demise on Saturday. His unwillingness to take risks or to confront his infamous coordinators has turned a hopeful season after the Oklahoma State loss into a bad one.

The offensive playcalling for much of the past few games has been atrocious. Also, it has appeared that the team will score a touchdown then immediately let down so that when the opposing team scores a touchdown, the scoring neutralizes.

Whose fault is that? The coaches, for not keeping the players pumped for 60 minutes.

Ben Cartoon
Junior, Atlanta
Marketing

Previous letter was ‘unduly harsh’ on faculty

In my letter of October 6, I was unduly harsh on the faculty. For that I apologize, but I still stand firmly behind my premise. I don’t owe my professors anything but a timely tuition check and a commitment to not interfere with learning if I should choose to attend class. My “life experience” comment wasn’t directed at the faculty.

I, personally, have learned more from working class people in my life, than I have from professional educators and was trying to relay that fact to other students. I wasn’t advocating a mass exodus from the halls of academia, just using an analogy to impact a point.

Rich Suplita made some great points in response to my letter, he also has valid points about my grammar and ability to follow a line of reasoning. I would ask though that he not wonder about my “life accomplishments”. I can assure him they are vast.

Christopher Smith
Junior, Alpharetta
Political science

Obama’s achievements not yet Nobel worthy

Like most Americans, I was surprised to see that President Obama won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Obama joins the ranks of esteemed Nobel laureates including Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, and Nelson Mandela.

These people changed the world for the better through their selfless and courageous actions. President Obama has not changed the world-not yet. Obama should certainly be lauded for his efforts toward nuclear nonproliferation and bringing peace to the Middle East, but these goals have yet to be realized.

Nominations for this year’s prize had to be submitted less than two weeks after President Obama took office. It seems the Nobel committee gave Obama the prize simply for not being George W. Bush. President Obama has the potential to do great things, but he should not be rewarded until he actually achieves his goals.

Sean Dolan
Senior, Atlanta
International affairs and French

Flag cartoon dishonored fallen U.S. soldiers

Thursday’s political cartoon that depicted President Obama standing over a coffin, draped in an American Flag, and bearing the body of a fallen soldier was one of the most disrespectful and ill-mannered things I have ever seen in The Red & Black.

Whether you agree with the president’s decisions or not, there is no reason for a cartoon to dishonor the symbol of a person who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our country. Even if you do not believe we should be fighting our war, do not disrespect those who put their lives on the line to defend our great nation.

Next time you think of drawing a cartoon of a coffin, draped in the American flag, remember the men and women that died, that gave you this freedom of press.

Andrew Gay
Senior, Savannah
Geography

Don’t cross the street without right-of-way

Since coming here last year, I have seen cars have to slow down or stop when they have a green light far too frequently because of a swarm of pedestrians crossing the street when they do not have the walk signal. I do not see anything wrong with running crosswalk signals with no cars around, but I object to running crosswalk signals when it takes away the right of way of drivers. If a pedestrian does not have a walk signal, he or she does not have the right of way, and from a legal viewpoint should not even be in the intersection. Plus, if the driver of the car is very aggressive, intoxicated, or distracted, he or she might hit you and you could get killed or seriously injured. That being said, please cross Baldwin Street & Sanford Drive safely.

Hermanus Richard Lemmer
Grad. Student, Haymarket, Va
Latin

Southern hospitality lacking on UGA campus

“Redneck. Trailer trash.” These stereotypical terms have been thrown at me during my life due to my Southern drawl and my undying love of Johnny Cash. After I left my inner-city high school and came to the greatest university in the South, I assumed that I would be a little more accepted. However, I have encountered the rudest bouts of Southern discrimination in my life on this campus. While not everyone is this judgmental in it is still common at UGA. On one occasion after leaving a rude encounter with a stranger in a dining hall, I was followed because she felt my boyfriend had given her a dirty look and was told to “go back to your trailer.” I was shocked and appalled at this response to my Southern kindness, and unfortunately lowered myself to her level with a rude retort. Due to my use of “ya’ll” and my boyfriend’s grungy baseball cap, she automatically assumed we were from a lower socio-economic status, which is a rude stereotype of those from the South and a very closed minded attitude on the UGA campus.

I have noticed other instances of students being talked down to or mistreated due to their skin color, political affiliation, and many other reasons at UGA. This rudeness is spreading across campus and causes unnecessary arguments, pain, and hurt. We are all Bulldogs – shouldn’t that count for something?

I hoped to find an abundance of southern grace, openness, kindness, and hospitality when I arrived at UGA, and I have found some. But the outright rudeness and stereotypical mindset I have also had to deal with and have witnessed makes me wonder if Southern hospitality and Southern gentleman are a dying breed, and if kindness and character are going away with them.

Ashley Collins
Freshman, Hampton
Agricultural education