Free Republic

This is the good stuff from a speaking engagement Peter Arnett had at West Virginia University: ...He seemed to tear up at first as he said that he had been "struck by the generosity of the local community." He then segued into one of his most partisan statements of the evening, which by itself does not signify bias, but does give insight into the mind of a veteran journalist. He said this as he talked about the Bush adminstration's war on terrorism (or as he perceived it, globalization): "If we could export West Virginian hospitality to the Iraqs of the...

West Virginia University's Random Acts of Kindness Week urges students to be friendly to people of all different races, religions and backgrounds - including people from other states. Many New Jersey residents attend WVU, which may result in certain stereotypes. "West Virginia students sometimes claim that students from New Jersey are rude and patronizing," said Dr. Neil Berch, WVU political science professor and former New Jersey resident. For some, this may be the case. "I do find the majority of people from Jersey are louder and rude," said Jenny Baker, Bunker Hill, W.Va., resident. Not all students feel negatively toward...

I've got word that the campus newspaper of West Virginia University (already the 4th biggest party school in the nation) is using tomorrow to devote their entire opinion section to marijuana legalization. I need some serious help here because I'm attempting to find some factual inaccuracies in the editorials (which I know are almost never fact-checked). All of the editorials are pro, NO cons. The newspaper is run by students, and the articles can be found by clicking the source URL and going to the Opinion section. Please send e-mail to DAPerspectives@mail.wvu.edu to voice your outrage at this horribly one-sided,...

I sent the "Moving On From the MoveOn Era" post into the DA (www.da.wvu.edu) as a guest column shortly after I blogged it. Since all letters and guest columns are submitted without titles, they renamed it "Words of Wisdom to American Voters" and published it in the November 9 edition of the DA. I received calls and IMs from friends of mine saying how much they liked my column, and opinion editor Andy Barnes forwarded me a letter he received about it. The letter's author had many good things to say about my column, but what really got to me...

WVU students Miriam Wankmuller (above left photo, left), Ali Zulfiqur and Salwa Galal (back) wave signs protesting the Iraq war and President George W. Bush from the sidewalk in front of the Mountainlair on Wednesday afternoon. Calling themselves "random outraged students," they wanted to take the opportunity to protest against the war while the area was full of evening commuters. WVU student Nick Bruno (above, right), who enlisted in the U.S. Army last week, stages a one-man counter protest to the anti-war protesters from a vantage point across the street from the Mountainlair.

MORGANTOWN -- Not many would compare President George W. Bush and his British counterpart to the dynamic duo of World War II, but Newsweek magazine's Managing Editor Jon Meacham sees a connection. In his talk, part of WVU's Festival of Ideas series, Meacham compared Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill to Bush and Tony Blair to show how the past can help us understand the world today. Meacham, author of the bestselling book "Franklin and Winston: An Intimate Portrait of an Epic Friendship," highlighted the relationship between FDR and Churchill built in the shadow of war. "Everyone deeply cares about...

Ron Rittenhouse/The Dominion Post Photos Democratic political strategist James Carville (above, and below) moderates a "Show Us The The Jobs" tour discussion at the Gluck Theater at the WVU Mountainlair on Tuesday. Sharon Godwin (left), of Cross Lanes, listens to James Carville speak Tuesday during Young Democrat Days at WVU. Godwin is the West Virginia representative on the AFL-CIO bus tour called "Show Us the Jobs," making its way from the Midwest to the East Coast. Godwin was laid off from her job as a long-distance operator at AT&T after 27 years of service. BY GARY GRAY The Dominion...

FAIRFAX, VA -- After an outpouring of support from the National Rifle Association (NRA), the state Legislature, shooting sports enthusiasts, alumni and the community, West Virginia University (WVU) officials have agreed to reinstate the school rifle program. Just days ago, the West Virginia Legislature approved $100,000 to help revive the team, which had been disbanded by the University last year. "WVU`s outstanding rifle team has long been representative of America`s strong and proud history of participation in the shooting sports," said Chris W. Cox, NRA chief lobbyist. "Clearly the Legislature understands the importance of the WVU rifle team to the...

When the phone rang at the Smith farm in New Alexandria, Pa., and Billy Smith heard it was Sports Illustrated on the line, he had the same reaction anyone would have. "I figured it was a telemarketer trying to sell me a subscription," he said. After all, his days as an athlete were now behind him. He'd been a wrestler at West Virginia University for four years and not once did Rick Reilly ever call, even though he was good enough to win the Eastern Wrestling League title at 149 pounds and qualify for the NCAAs as a senior. He...

Opponents, rivalry never give Pitt's star any fits BY BOB HERTZEL The Dominion Post Larry Fitzgerald is a football love in. In a game where violence, trash talking and showboating are a way of life, the University of Pittsburgh wide receiver is none of the above. In a game where names seem to naturally flow from the roster to the police blotter, he is a treasure. Forget the fact that he's the best player in the nation. Forget the fact that he might win the Heisman Trophy. We're talking about Larry Fitzgerald, the person. Consider, for example, that this is...

<p>MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- A fraternity house fire that injured one West Virginia University student and left 37 homeless began when someone fired a bottle rocket into a closet and ignited clothing, investigators said today.</p> <p>Greg Putnam of New Hope, Pa., received second- and third-degree burns to his face, arms and neck during the weekend fire. He also complained of a back injury after jumping from his second-floor room in the Sigma Phi Epsilon house to escape the flames.</p>

It appears to be two and out for the Big East Conference as we've known it. Sources within the conference and published reports said Thursday that the six remaining Big East all-sports members are close to finalizing a move to break away from the basketball-based schools and form a new league. That new Division I-A conference, created by West Virginia, Pitt, Syracuse, Boston College, Rutgers and Connecticut, would then invite Louisville and Cincinnati from Conference USA. That would create an eight-team conference for football, and sources indicated that Notre Dame would join that group for all sports except football. These...

They sat there behind the microphones in the Jerry West Lounge within the Coliseum, the executioners of five sports programs at West Virginia University. They explained their reasoning in terms of dollars and no sense, in terms of scholarships and percentages, but they could not explain away how many lives they dismantled, how many dreams they slaughtered. They had answers for the most pressing questions, questions like these: How can you find $7 million for Rich Rodriguez (with a $2 million buyout) and not $600,000 to keep five sports and the scholarships of 53 athletes going? How can you do...