The Badger Herald

OPINION & EDITORIAL

Reflecting on a wild ride

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Also by Letters to the Editor:

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Poor plowing cuts off handicapped access (December 10, 2007)
Cars that actually help the environment (December 10, 2007)
Organic food: Deliciously safe (December 10, 2007)
Diversity deserves attention at UW (December 7, 2007)

by Letters to the Editor

Thursday, May 5, 2005

The University of Wisconsin is a haven for free speech. Four student newspapers have a stake in the action. Madisonians protest whenever it rains … and no one flinches. It’s an excellent time to be a student.

This past semester, as UW students, we’ve witnessed yet another round of events for the history books. A state representative attempted to ban birth control from being sold at University Health Services. Ward Churchill ran the news for a decent chunk of time raising issues of academic freedom and speech at the university level. Debate surrounded the Mifflin Street Block Party date resulting in a feud between students and city officials. (And the students won). A second student regent edged toward a seat on the board. And the smoking ban is nearing implementation, an initiative that has caused quite a stir in the city with little clue as to how it will be enforced.

These events have undoubtedly shaped us as students, news consumers and plain citizens. The Badger Herald, UW’s independent student newspaper, is dedicated to providing students with the news most pertinent to them every day. Student newspapers have the challenging task of tip-toeing around a fine line of what is and is not appropriate to print. We picked our line at the beginning of the academic year and stuck to it. As a staff, we collectively put out a newspaper every night. We are as independent as it gets and take great pride in that.

But we’d be nothing without our readers. Thank you for opening the pages of our paper daily and providing us with feedback. We love knowing you’re reading and we love hearing your thoughts. Even if we’ve stirred many of you to outrage with opinion pieces, we have undoubtedly done our job.

Thank you to the staff of The Badger Herald as well. All of your hard work, long hours and dedication has paid off. To everyone graduating, enjoy the real world. I promised you a wild ride, and I must say … it’s been one.

Cristina Daglas

Editor in Chief

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Anonymous (May 5, 2005 @ 4:45am):

Thank you for not being editor in chief anymore.
You guys need to turn off the kegerator when you choose editors next time.

Anonymous (May 5, 2005 @ 4:56am):

Zuckerman for Editor in Chief!

Anonymous (May 5, 2005 @ 10:26am):

who the fuck reads who wrote the story?? seriously.. i'm assuming its just dumb journalism students competing but it's ridiculous to have a favorite for editor in chief and other positions..

Anonymous (May 8, 2005 @ 7:32pm):

How did a thief like Cristina get elected Editor in Chief? Don't you know it was Cristina who stole all the Twinkies from the cafeteria for herself? She kept all those Twinkies for herself and wouln't share them with the rest of the student body. She has been storing them in her fat cheeks for months. Thief!!!

Anonymous (June 17, 2005 @ 12:00am):

PICKETERS NEEDED!!!

URGENT!!!

TERRORISTS PLAN TO MEET ON OUR CAMPUS NEXT WEEK!!!

SEE http://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=1100

Draft Agenda

Friday, June 24
Grainger Hall of Business Administration, University of Wisconsin
975 University Avenue

7:00-8:30PM Beyond Chutzpah: The Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History

Dr. Norman Finkelstein, Professor of Political Theory at DePaul University, and author of Image and Reality of the Israel-Palestine Conflict, will present a keynote address that is free and open to the public.

Saturday, June 25
Grainger Hall of Business Administration, University of Wisconsin
975 University Avenue

8:30-9:30AM Registration and breakfast

9:30-10:15AM Welcome/Ice-Breakers and About the US Campaign

Members of the Madison-Rafah Sister City Project will welcome conference participants to Madison and review conference logistics with attendees. Kymberlie Quong Charles, US Campaign Membership Outreach Coordinator, will introduce the US Campaign, its goals, membership criteria, organizing strategy, taskforces, days of action, etc.

10:30AM-12:00PM Skills-Building Workshop Session #1

Workshops will be practical, hands-on, skills-building sessions that will increase the effectiveness of conference attendees' activism. Conference attendees will choose three out of four workshops. For the media and grassroots advocacy workshops, conference attendees will be encouraged to plug into national taskforces facilitated by the US Campaign. Scheduled workshop facilitators are:

Divestment: Mohammed Abed, al-Awda Wisconsin, Mark Evenson & Nancy Turner, Faculty, UW-Platteville, and The Association of University of Wisconsin Professionals
Sister City Projects: Jennifer Loewenstein, George Arida, Jim Goronson, Kathy Walsh, Madison-Rafah Sister City Project
Grassroots Advocacy: Josh Ruebner, US Campaign Legislative Task Force
Media: Rima Mutreja, Palestine Media Watch/US Campaign Media Task Force

12:00PM-1:30PM Lunch & informal caucuses/affinity groups

NOTE: Lunch is not being provided at the conference. Conference attendees will be directed to low-cost food options near campus.

Conference attendees will organize themselves into informal caucuses/affinity groups in order to network and strategize by common interest. Examples could be by religious, ethnic, racial, professional, or geographic identity.

1:30PM-3:00PM Skills-Building Workshop Session #2

3:00PM-3:30PM Break

3:30PM-5:00PM Skills-Building Workshop Session #3

5:00PM-5:30PM Conclusions & Evaluations

Conference organizers will facilitate a discussion on lessons learned from the conference and encourage people and groups to plug into the work of the US Campaign. Conference attendees who are willing to circulate their contact information can do so and will be encouraged to fill out conference evaluation forms before leaving.

The Crossing, 1127 University Ave.

5:30PM-7:30PM Social Hour/Dinner

The conference will move across campus to The Crossing, a campus religious center, for a social hour and Middle Eastern dinner. Both conference attendees and the general public are invited to the dinner, which will cost $10.

7:30PM-9:00PM Rebuilding Homes, Rebuilding Hopes in Gaza

Cindy and Craig Corrie, the parents of Rachel Corrie, a US peace activist who was killed by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip, and Khaled and Samah Nasrallah, family members who lived in the house that Rachel tried to prevent from being demolished when she was killed, will present the story that links their families together. The panelists will be introduced by Joe Carr, a member of Christian Peacemaker Teams, who will also peform a spoken word tribute to Rachel Corrie. The panelists will speak about their involvement with the Rebuilding Homes Alliance and there will be a fundraiser for the US Campaign and the Madison-Rafah Sister City Project. The event is free and open to the public.

Sunday, June 26
The Crossing, 1127 University Ave.

9:00AM-9:30 AM Breakfast

9:30-12:00PM Strategizing Session

Conference attendees will group themselves by geography (local, regional, state-wide) in order to strategize and develop a plan of action for their area in an informal setting. Strategizing sessions will be facilitated by conference organizers to encourage the formation of new groups where none exist, to strengthen existing groups, and to create local, regional, and state-wide coalitions that are plugged into the work and organizing strategy of the US Campaign.