A Response to the Recent Uproar on The Cub

Today was the first day of the voting for the Senior Superlatives. It was also one of our biggest days of the year in terms of traffic. Due to this huge increase in traffic, old stories that had gone unnoticed suddenly were thrust into the limelight. This happened specifically to a certain opinion piece by Heather Nale, entitled “NHS Dinner Fashion FAIL”. The article generated an enormous amount of response, much of it very negative.

So I would like to take a moment to explain The Cub’s editorial policy and its stance on this entire issue.

To begin with, it is and always has been the policy of The Cub to publish opinion articles, regardless of whether we agree with it or not. It is my opinion that any opinion, regardless of how unpopular it may be, deserves to be heard and evaluated on its own merits, and the author of that opinion should not be subjected to hate or intimidation from anyone. If the author is allowed to be threatened and be a target of such vitriolic comments, then their right to free speech is encroached upon. The correct way to respond to an opinion piece (and the article was clearly labeled as such) is by clear, informed discussion and disagreement. I agree that the tone of the article was in some parts rather bad and condescending, but that is not good reason to respond to it in kind. I would also like to point out that Heather did not use any names or anything else that could link any specific person with the topic of her article. The commentors on the other hand, had a very specific target in mind, and were not afraid to let everyone know just what they thought of her.

Personally, I think this is a huge overreaction to an opinion article, and does more to damage the image of the members of the Salem NHS than this (otherwise) obscure article would ever have done.  Is this the correct way to act over a short opinion piece published on this site? I don’t think so.

So, while I think that Heather could have worded her piece differently, I believe that she has every right to voice her opinion without being shouted down by a group of people that are supposed to be the very best of Salem High School.

Vices and Virtues a “Panic!” Return to Form?

By Charlie Seabolt

Panic (with or without the exclamation point) At The Disco is better known for their single “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” created the band’s third studio album released in March of 2011. Though getting to the point of a third album was a little rocky to say the least.

Game On! 14

By Sara Abbott

Welcome to “Game On!” the column where I review one card each week on how strong it is, what kind of deck would this card work in, and the pros and cons of the card. Today I will review the 3^rd and final Egyptian god card “Slifer the Sky Dragon”. I have heard, from an unconfirmed source, that “Slifer the Sky Dragon” will also be rereleased as a Shonen Jump promo card.

Final Band Concert of the Year was a Success

By Heather Nale

The Salem High School concert held their annual spring band concert on Thursday, April 21, 2011 in the Salem Middle School gymnasium.  It is a tradition that the High School band performs with the eighth grade band to help inaugurate them into the High School band for the next year.

Would it Kill You? Album Review

By: Becca Atwood

The band Hellogoodbye released the album Would It Kill You? On November 9, 2010. The album did not capture much of an audience, but that might be starting to change.

Hop: The Best Family Movie Out?

By: Megan Hoskins

‘Hop’ made by Disney is a cute little movie about a bunny named B.E (voiced by Russell Brand) who is destined to be the Easter Bunny, but he doesn’t want to do what his father wants him to do. So B.E runs away to California where he meets Fred O’Hare (James Marsden) a couch potato who gets kicked out of his parents’ house and he needs to find a job.  Freed helps B.E achieve his dream and B.E helps him in return with a surprise I can’t talk about. Fred really connects with B.E because when Fred was younger he saw the Easter Bunny deliver an Easter Basket to his house. This movie is adorable, and is appropriate for the whole family. This is a seasonal movie that could be compared to ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks’ because the talking animals are made with the same affects.  So next time you want to see a cute little movie take the bunny trail to see ‘Hop.’

Harry and The Potters

By: Paige DeNardi

                The newest sensation in songs about books, Harry and the Potters, has hit the mainstream. With songs like “Never Going to the Bathroom Again,” “Save Ginny Weasely,” and “Accio Hagrid,” they are the perfect band for hardcore Harry Potter fans like myself. Their comic alternative sound isn’t hard to listen to either.

“The lyrics like, ‘usually when people go to the bathroom, they come out relieved’ (From the song “Never Going to the Bathroom, Again”) make me laugh every time I hear them,” says SHS student Derek Catlett. “The songs are so stupid that they’re incredible.” The songs fit Harry Potter’s smug narcissistic attitude perfectly. So well, that you might actually come to believe that Harry himself is singing these songs.

The group (mainly comprised of Joe and Paul DeGeorge) released their last album last year, entitled “Remixes.” “It’s great,” says SHS student Heather Nale. “I’m actually planning on going to see them in Louisville June 1^st.” The group hasn’t officially stated where they will be appearing, but if it’s anything like their other tour locations, it’s probably going to be somewhere pretty low key. “Most of their concerts are at larger libraries,” says Nale. “From what I’ve seen though, the audience doesn’t mind.”

The group says the may be looking to release a new album in 2011. Whether they do or don’t we’ve got plenty of creative music to listen to until they do. With more than six albums of pure Harry Potter themed Alt. songs, you’ve got some listening to do.

Art Students Complete Mural in Gym

By: Amber Hollen

The senior art four students are doing a mural of a male lion on the wall above the bleachers in the gym.

Energy Drinks: Do You Know What You Are Drinking?

By

Jessica Axsom

Most students will confess that at one time or another, they have pulled an all-nighter and crammed information for the following day’s test. It seems that no matter how much time is placed before them to prepare and study, waiting until the last minute just seems like the most logical thing to do; until they are forced to face the fact that maybe it wasn’t such a good idea after all. Trying to force those eyelids to stay open can become almost impossible and they may fall back on a tasty alternative, an energy drink.

Book Review: A Seperate Peace

By Paige DeNardi

A Separate Peace by John Knowles is a novel about two young boys, Gene and Phineas, who trial through their days in a prep school together. But, when Gene develops jealous feelings toward Phineas, he damages his best friends life forever. The two deal with their friendship, and quite possibly some deeper feelings for each other in this book.