Vote Martin for president

I would like to suggest that all of you vote Jessica Martin for the Student Government Association president. Over the past three years, I have seen her put many hours into the organization. She has been committed to working for the students since her very first semester here at Western. She has a lot of experience dealing with student issues firsthand with administrators and faculty. She has represented us well in SGA in a behind-the-scene type manner by putting in countless hours in the University Senate, university committees and SGA committees. She has done a wonderful job as vice president of administration this year. Just check out the candidate profiles on the SGA Web site to see what she’s done this year and what her goals are for next year.

In addition, her experience as SGA academic affairs chair makes Jessica Martin the best candidate to continue the opposition of the plus/minus grading system. Finally, her work as a previous vice chair of a SGA constitutional review committee will help her make sure that the transition to the new SGA constitution will be a smooth one. Yes, my mind is made up. I’m voting on TopNet today for Jessica Martin as president!

Matthew Pava

Bowling Green senior

Stop persecuting columnist

I’m a freshman and usually don’t concern myself with the “goings on” around campus. But there are some things which cannot be ignored. For example, the persecution of Lindsay Sainlar.

I think Lindsay’s column is funny, provocative and, most of all, honest. It takes a lot of courage to tell a story that you know might bring ridicule. Half the things I do while drunk I can barely face up to in the morning, much less publish for thousands of readers.

I’m sure that this column is not all that great for those readers who never drink, never watch television and have never lived anywhere with mice. But it hits pretty close to home for the rest of us.

If you don’t identify with this column, don’t read it. I don’t read about the swim team, but I don’t complain when I see the article.

The content of this column is, like it or not, based on real life. These things happen, and are hilarious when they do. I love the fact that we have a newspaper that is willing to print not only sports and the latest news on parking, but the times we will remember the most.

As Lindsay put it, the last of our freedom.

John Stevenson

Bee Springs freshman

‘Jesus’ life was his death’

In last Thursday’s Herald there was both a commentary and a letter to the editor concerning “The Passion of the Christ.” Unfortunately, I feel as though many people have missed the point of the movie. People complain because it is too violent, and that it made the main focus of Jesus’ life his death, rather than his teachings.

Well, the main focus of Jesus’ life was his death. My own faith in Christ is completely dependent on his death and resurrection. His crucifixion, as brutal and horrible as it was, is the foundation of my relationship with God. It comes down to this: There is no way that I can stand before a holy God, say I deserve to be blessed by knowing him or that I deserve to spend eternity in his presence. I do not deserve to know a holy God, the author of life, simply because I have engaged, invited and been tainted by my own sins, which leads to my own death, every day.

The good news is I don’t have to be perfect – I don’t even have to be good. Because there was one man named Jesus Christ who was the Son of God. He died in my place. It was not Christ’s teaching of compassion and forgiveness that saved my life; it was Christ’s act of compassion and mercy that redeemed me. There is no doubt that I, like all others, deserve to die and be eternally separated from God, but because of Christ I do not have to be. And for that, I praise God every day.

A true faith in Jesus Christ will always be centered on him as the sacrifice for our sins and as the resurrected Lord of all creation. My faith and my life are drenched in the blood of Christ. It is not pretty or polite, and many times it is not socially acceptable, but it is real and true life. It is the kind of life that cannot be taken away and does not disappoint.

Jennifer Dawes

Louisville junior