I Do Not Think This is The Reason Hurricanes Lost But ...
Rap song featuring football players stirs controversy
Most students feel indifferent towards explicit, vulgar tune
By: Greg Linch
Issue date: 11/22/05
A two-year old rap song threw the spotlight on UM's football team in a different direction from the field, stirring controversy that reached a national level when it surfaced on the Internet last Tuesday.
Kyle Munzenrieder, sophomore, posted a link to a song on Miamity.com that supposedly features several former and current Hurricane football players.
"I just thought it was funny. I wasn't trying to get back at the football players," Munzenrieder said. "I wasn't really expecting the controversy that came after it."
Munzenrieder deleted the link from the weblog soon after it garnered attention from students, administrators and national media outlets for its explicit and vulgar lyrics.
In a statement, athletic director Paul Dee said the song was recorded privately and was not intended for public use.
"To be clear, the University and the Athletic Department disapprove of the content and its references," Dee said. "To those who may hear this material, we apologize. Any students whose voices can be identified will be subject to appropriate discipline and/or counseling."
Athletes are not the only ones who may face possible disciplinary action. According to Munzenrieder, the University has contacted his father, saying that Munzenrieder should withdraw from classes and that he must move out of campus housing.
Pat Whitely, vice president for student affairs, could not comment on any disciplinary measures Munzenrieder might face, saying that it is strictly confidential.
"They have been treating me with little respect and haven't been communicating directly to me," Munzenrieder said. "I think it's a blow to free speech at the University.
"I'm not withdrawing," he said. "I think there's been an overreaction to the song and my role in the whole thing. I'm going to try and appeal [the withdrawal]. It's kind of ridiculous."
Word of the nine-minute song spread quickly across campus, which relates the supposed sexual exploits of several football players, calling themselves the Seventh Floor Crew, thought to represent the seventh floor of Mahoney Residential College, where the players lived at the time.
"I first read it on ESPN.com and then like 20 minutes later everyone on my floor was playing it," Mike Holzer, freshman, said. "But, as far as the actual song, I think it's just a rap song like any other."
That sentiment was echoed by a number of other students though the song has been called sexually explicit, vulgar and degrading to women by members the mainstream press.
"I thought it was kind of funny; it was humorous," Jessy Antoni, freshman, said. "I think they did it all in good fun. The words obviously are a little bit offensive, but it's like any other rap song. I think it's just a huge joke, guys being guys basically."
"A rap song is a rap song," Nate Stout, junior, said. "Plus they just had a Beat Down at the Convocation Center with a bunch of rap groups that rap about the same stuff, so I don't think the University can offer any kind of punishment."
In fact, the posting of the song on the Internet has given it a new audience.
"I thought it was funny, I didn't think it was offensive at all," Brett Bailey, freshman, said. "It's my ring tone."
Larry Nolan contributed to this article.
Greg Linch can be contacted at g.linch@umiami.edu.
Can Be Like Papa and Mama, Hopefully Better...
On October 27, 2005, both of my kids Hafizah (#2) and Kamil-Hafiz (#3) were judged to be the best students for English. Hafizah is in Standard 5 and Kamil-Hafiz in Standard 2. Both of them do not need to study for their English exams.
Talking about study, my kids do not go to tuition classes, do not go to agama school. I do not believe in burdening them too much on school works. I prefer them to be kids, playing, watching tv (it is good for them since the learn how to speak english). My wife does the coaching at home and I think she does a better job then the teachers. My kids are lucky to have a staying home mum (who is a qualified engineer by the way).
(The one in the middle is my fourth kid, Laila.)
IIUM Convocation Attire, What is The Fuss?
Initially I refused to blog on this petty issue but it seemed that DAP, an opposition party in Malaysia is making so much fuss about the International Islamic University of Malaysia's convocation attire. To me this should not be an issue when non-Muslims students are well aware of the regulation and status of of the university (i.e., ISLAMIC university), study there for 4 years and after completion of their study make a fuss about the convocation attire (see photo on the right). This is petty (this is a polite phrase - I should use a malay proverb to describe this - "bagai melepas anjing tersepit" - literally translated as "like releasing a trapped dog". In this case, IIUM should stick to original plan which was exclusive for muslims only, no point in showing that Islam is a tolerant religion by trying to accommodate non-muslims by allocating places in IIUM (
especially to one of the complainants- Ms. Foo Yueh Jiin - who admitted she could not secure a place to read law in any other universities except in IIUM - proof that she was not a bright student to begin with), because, at the end of the day, after they have achieved what they want, they will turn and bite us on our asses, just like the two non-Muslims graduates whom one of them is a DAP Member of Parliament - Ms. Fong Po Kuan).
Wearing a tudung (headcover) does not make you a muslim. Other religion also cover their heads (see photo on the left)
My advise is, just ignore Lim Kit Siang and the gang. We have more pressing issues to handle (such as declining of quality of education, 160,000 driving without valid licence, the 60,000 unemployable graduates, etc.) than this dress-code thing.
All Flat Out And Leftover Satar
My whole family members were sick since 31 October 2005. We all caught flu (for male) or cold (for ladies).
I drove to KB at 6:30am (right after my sahur and fajr prayer) on 31/10/2005 to pick up my daughter (her last day of school this year was on 31/10). I reached Pengkalan Chepa at 1:30pm and made my move to KL at 2:00pm. I did not stop to break my fast but instead I just had some drinks, akok, and bahulu (which I bought at Bukit Jawa) in my car while driving. When I reach at Petronas Station at Kechau, I stopped for a few minutes to have my rice with fried beef. I was so tired that I had to stop at Raub Mosque for about half an hour to stretch. I reached home at 10:30pm.
During my journey, I was stopped and summoned by JPJ for overtaking at double-line. This is my second time in 8 years that I was caught for overtaking at double-line. I got so pissed off with old Datsun 120Y (usually in rusty red color) which plying these roads at 40-60 km/hour. From my observation, these old cars are accident hazard. We should have a minimum speed limit imposed on our highways.
Tonight, I will be finishing the leftover satar (see photo above) for my iftar. I bought 40 pieces of satar (East-cost version of otak-otak, but a bit sweet in taste). I ate about half last night for iftar and a few for my sahur. I hope the leftovers are still in "good shape". I do not want to aggravate my sensitive stomach. I think I have IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).
