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Would you like fries with that?
I walked into the commons during the lunch hour midway through the fall 2007 semester. I do not eat at the Commons often because I bring my lunch to school, but on this day I forgot my lunch at home on the counter. After entering the commons area I noticed an array of signs I had never seen before. Upon second glance I was appalled at the advertising scheme for the new meal plan for commuters, the Freedom Plan. I pulled the take home flyer off of the wall; it is as follows: an American flag across the top with “Sign up today for the first ever dining plan for commuters … Freedom Plan, University of Idaho” written in white and black letters below the flag. Three people of different ethnicities are walking with their arms over each other’s shoulders.
The only connection I can make with the name of the meal plan and what it actually offers is, if you spend $600, $400 or $200 you get $15, $10 or $5, respectively, in bonus or “free money.” This plan does not offer the “freedom” to spend your money on food anywhere you desire; you are limited to the university campus.
I do not have a problem with the lack of correlation between the name of the plan and the actual freedom the plan offers, this is not the issue; just an observation. What I do have a problem with is the connotation behind the name of the plan and how it is being advertised. Buying food as a commuter has nothing to do with patriotism or freedom like the advertisement suggests. In my view, this is an unethical advertising practice and exploits 9/11, the current state of affairs in Iraq and Afghanistan, and America’s insecure feelings toward terrorism to attract people to buy into their product. This plan further suggests that by spending money on this plan you, the consumer, will become more patriotic, and the university is a more patriotic institution for offering this plan. Using the American flag and the title “Freedom Plan” on something as petty as a commuters’ meal plan adds a level of transparency and devalues the true meaning of freedom which we are trying to hold on to so tightly in this country, and it does this all in the name of advertising.
Jeff Luckstead
graduate student
agricultural economics
An ounce of prevention
I’d like to thank the Argonaut for running the AP article about an Idaho bill currently before the state Senate that would allow concealed carry of weapons on campus. A lot of people aren’t aware that Virginia
had a shooting incident at the Appalachian School of Law five years prior to the more recent one at Virginia Tech in which 32 people were killed.
In the earlier incident, when guns were still allowed on campus, armed students subdued the gunman after he had killed three people.
Virginia subsequently outlawed guns on campus, and the result was that the next time a crazed gunman started shooting he was able to kill 32, because no one on campus could stop him. I hope that the state of Idaho makes the right decision — I would think that the two Virginia incidents illustrate very clearly what the right decision is. Gun free zones are only gun free to those who obey the law.
Monte Cooley
FAMIS coordinator
University Residences
Survey says…
One day my boss and I got into an argument about how meaningful Valentine’s Day actually is. See, he’s a newlywed, still in the honeymoon phase of marriage, and me, well let’s just say I’m not a very romantic kind of gal.
So for the sake of proving my point I decided to survey a hundred people asking them three yes or no questions: 1) Do you think that Valentine’s Day is pointless? 2) Do you think it’s lost its value? 3) Do you know the history behind Valentine’s Day?
According to the results, 60 percent of those surveyed believe Valentine’s Day is pointless, 81 percent believe it’s lost its value and only 16 percent know the history behind the romantic holiday.
With such dispassionate views toward the holiday, I wonder why men believe they have to buy their girls flowers and take them out to dinner to show them that they are loved. Guys, this year don’t conform to the commercialized Valentine’s. Instead, sit down with a blank piece of paper write down all of the things you love about her and how she makes you feel every time you’re with her. It’s free, somewhat easy and is more meaningful than an expensive dinner and a dozen roses could ever be.
Kelsey Sadowski
Senior, Health Physical Ed Rec & Dance
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