Cheers & Jeers

By:

Posted: 2/1/08

Cheer: How Syracuse University managed to convince anyone to bring Michelangelo artwork - pieces never before presented in the United States - to America's "salt city" is beyond us. We have to applaud the school for procuring such important and unique pieces created by such a prominent artist. The exhibit, titled "Michelangelo: The Man and the Myth," will also display works from artists Leone Leoni, Marcello Venusti and Giorgio Ghisi. Eight of the 14 original pieces scheduled to be on display have never before been shown on American soil. Incredible. SU deserves a toast for doing an exceptional job of securing such revered artwork.

Jeer: Billy Wayne Bailey, a West Virginia senator, is a man with a plan. A plan to transform education. A plan to take his state by storm. A plan to incorporate hunter training classes into West Virginia's elementary schools. Nice! Ten-year-olds traipsing around shooting rubber bullets. It's hard to find a problem with that. To paraphrase fellow West Virginia senator Robert Byrd: "The training of these poor creatures to turn themselves into fighting machines is simply barbaric. Barbaric! Let that word resound! From hill to hill, valley to valley, mountain to mountain, across this great land. Barbaric." You get the point. Don't give kids guns.

Jeer: No, we're not upset Arnold Schwarzenegger endorsed Sen. John McCain as the G.O.P.'s candidate for the presidency. McCain's a decent guy, the best of the Republican field. But sometimes, we as American citizens like to forget that The Terminator plays a major goal in our political system. Goodness. Doesn't anyone remember "Pumping Iron," the classic 1977 documentary on weightlifters? There's footage of him smoking marijuana and eating birthday cake with Lou Ferrigno and Franco Columbo! How did this man become a governor of the most populated state in the Union? It makes our head spin.

Cheer: We fully support SU's Society for Conservation Biology bringing Jack Hanna to our campus. "Jungle Jack" has spent a lifetime performing live animal demonstrations around the world. His routine has appeared on "Good Morning America," "The Late Show with David Letterman" and "Larry King Live," and now he'll be performing in front of SU students on Feb. 11. The animal expert perfected his craft while working as director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium for 15 years. It's simple. Animals are funny; Jack Hanna's funny. Animals can do cool tricks; Jack Hanna can do cool tricks. Consequently, there's just no way we can jeer a visit from a performer as clever and as good-humored as Jack Hanna. We also hope he never brings his show to elementary schools in West Virginia.