Oracle Online

Endo stated that “Athletic Director Dan O’Brien issued the statement, and the reason was to stop the athletic teams from presenting themselves in a way that some would consider is less than savory. Because of underage drinking, same-sex kissing, and ‘excessive partying.’”O’Brien issued no such statement.

Endo was incorrect in his statement that O’Brien is “blacklisting pictures of same-sex kissing.” No photos have been blacklisted.

The column also stated that “Obviously O’Brien must feel good that he has made it clear to athletes that homosexuality is naughty and they shouldn’t allow themselves to sink that low.” O’Brien did not make such a statement.

The Oracle regrets such errors. The Endo article mischaracterized O’Brien and those in the Sports Department.The Oracle understands the implications of such statements, and we are sorry for the ways these errors may have affected all parties involved, including O’Brien and his family.

Again, the Oracle apologizes for these errors.

--Oracle Editorial Board

You know that picture on your Facebook profile of you so wasted you were passed out in your own vomit? If you’re an athlete, you may need to wave that sweet memory goodbye. On April 18, the Oracle ran a story about students being asked to edit their Facebook pictures. Normally, one is able to brush this kind of authoritative thinking aside under the “the Internet can’t be censored” category. Unfortunately, athletes might have the rug pulled out from under them if they don’t comply.

So let’s talk about this. Athletic Director Dan O’Brien issued the statement, and the reason was to stop the athletic teams from presenting themselves in a way that some would consider is less than savory. Because of underage drinking, same-sex kissing, and “excessive partying,” St. Paul is turning from a college town to Sodom and Gommorah.

The concept that college students want to present themselves in a light that is nothing but professional and stodgy is both ridiculous and willfully ignorant. And present themselves to whom? Do prospective students examine Facebook albums to help them determine where they want to go to college? Or the committees that determine how awesome schools are at various things? Athletes were warned that companies are now using Facebook to examine the character of potential hires, but this has been known for months before the story broke. Additionally, does anyone think students who put pictures of themselves engaging in sinful acts not want to do so for fear of others thinking they’re a little too loose?
There are areas in which expectations of professional behavior are called for, but a website where people “poke” each other is not it.

College students like being seen as drunken beasts. They want to imbibe often and be known for how badass they are due to said libations. The minority who want to present themselves as professional present themselves as such.
Now in regards to O’Brien blacklisting pictures of same-sex kissing--he’s got a point, it is pretty horrific. People of the same sex kissing is, like, soooo gross and gives the victims who are horribly forced to look at these images the impression that all we as students want to do is engage in hedonistic Godless acts that completely disregard the Christian propriety we at Hamline are not at all required to uphold. Obviously O’Brien must feel good that he has made it clear to athletes that homosexuality is naughty and they shouldn’t allow themselves to sink that low. It must be nice to have an athletic director who offers such unwavering acceptance of a minority group. Remember when Hamline was accepting of all sexual orientations? While partying and drinking go hand in hand, same-sex kissing and the aforementioned duo, do not. Such implied correlation is insulting.

Censoring Facebook isn’t going to change how people see us--changing our behavior will. But perhaps we need to examine why we feel like showing people we act like normal students is a bad thing. O’Brien should realize people enjoying themselves in college is more important to them than making sure others think of them as true, mature adults.