Marquette Warrior: <EM>Marquette Tribune</EM>: Late But Fair On Vagina Monologues

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Marquette Tribune: Late But Fair On Vagina Monologues

The Marquette Tribune finally got around today to running a story on the University’s refusal to allow “The Vagina Monologues” to be performed on campus.

It is now nine days since the story broke here on “The Marquette Warrior.”

The Tribune account was quite fair, however, allowing both proponents and opponents of the play to say their peace. JUSTICE co-chair Dominique George and Meghan Griffiths, identified as Manresa intern in University Ministry and coordinator of Crosswalks, spoke in favor of the play.

(It is a bit disappointing to find somebody in Manresa and the University Ministry, both offices that should be strongly supportive of the Catholic mission of Marquette, supporting “Vagina Monologues.”)

On the other side Patrick Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society, got an opportunity to knock the play. But the most eloquent voice, in our view, was another student.
Mamie Smith, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences who lives in the Catholic Houses — a housing option for juniors and seniors that focuses on prayer and the Catholic faith — said the monologues “demean” the body, while Catholicism views the body as “sacred and beautiful.”

“While we do need to talk about these issues, we need to discuss it in a way that considers both the body and the soul,” Smith said. “It just seems there would be a better way to address the issue than something that’s shocking and out there.”
What was missing in this story?

The same thing that was missing in our story last week.

There was no official comment from the University.

When we were working on our story, we sent (on February 13) an inquiry to University spokeswoman Brigid Miller, asking about a report in the Pittsburg Post-Gazette that Marquette would not allow “The Vagina Monologues” to be performed on campus. We asked her “Who exactly made this determination?” and “When and how did the issue come up?” She never got back to us.

Marquette appears to be laying low on this issue.

We will see how much longer this strategy works, since the Journal-Sentinel is working on a story on this issue at Marquette.

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