Page 40 - ThePhoenix1989-90

Page 41 Western November 9, 1989 -{..HtQ:.EN AN£! Editorial -TH 111"'5 TWO eNrues """n-'i"" ."."~ so. '-t€'f .lZ:e J WH*I"S FoR DfN~,:" POiA-iOe:'S. &0 11!1>ov of Alcoherent? It's becoming clearer and clearer to me why people who once espoused liberal ideas now stand on the conservative side of the fence. The political leaders who push through today's conservative legislation, weren't they the radica1softhe 1960's'! The reasons for this seemingly paradoxical metamorphosis comprise both perspective and experience. There's no reason to doubt that Trustee Clarke, class of 1950, wasn't a "hip, groovy" fellow during his college days. In fact, it's possible that he would sit back and down a couple of cold ones on the weekends with his L friends. etters to the Editor So why is th.is "hypocrite" trying to tighten the prohibitive noose about our necks (and livers)'! Since we first took that pre-natal plume and signed up to be human beings, we have been enrolled in hypocrisy. But this hypocrisy may be a Editor, The Phoenix: -And that will continue here by was under the influence. r as a stu- natural defense mechanism. ouradministralionand students. You dent would prerer toseethose whodo When we are young, we are rebellious, rambunctious radicals, then we This letter is in response to the must decide which is more danger- drink under supervision while doing grow up into stodgy, starchy statues. Justas the conservative panof sociery article that Mr. Don Clarke wrote to ous: drinking in aconrrolled aunos- so in a safe place [instead of having] keeps the liberal from becoming chaotic, the liberal voice prevents the con- Dean Sayre !.hat was published in the phere or drinking alone. 10 drive. servative from abusing the rights of the less powerful. That's the Yin and October 28 issue of The Phoenix . Psychologists have proven that Finally, "respect for others" Yang of our society, similar to the constitutional idea of checks and balances. As a legal citizen of the United the latter is far worse, for it encour- needs to be taught, It is not an inher- But the administration, at least concerning alcohol, has been consis- States of America and a student of ages loneliness, depression, and ent behavior. I agree that WMC tently fair. If there had never been any abuses, would any of the privileges Western Maryland College, I must higher rates of suicide. needs to be a leader, but I think we accorded to alcohol use been eliminated? No. object to the proposed policy con- It is true that many traffic related need to become a leader in the area of I think the scenario was as follows. Several years ago, the administra- cerning the ban of all alcoholic bev- fatalities arealcohol related, but isn't learning and teaching responsibility tion of WMC grudgingly allowed students to consume alcohol on campus. erages on the campus. that more of a reason to promote .in the consumption of alcohol and Thcy believed that the American judicial concept of "innocent until proven First of all, I wish to Clarify that controlled, intelligent,andsafedrink- correlating that to respect fo~ others. guilty" should not be ignored any longer. although I do not object to alcoholic ing habits here on campus'! But then came our fall into guilt. Asaresultof alcohol abuse, sexual and beverages, I do oppose drinking I don't know where the students Jason E. Plummer other physical assaults and dormitory vandalism became notoriously com- abusively and irresponsibly. of!.he'40'sand'50'swenttoparty,if --------- monplace. I must say, however, consider- they were allowed, but in the '80's Editor, The Phoenix: We've been tried, convicted, and found guilty. Instead of being tossed ing the current laws dealing with age and '90's, students drive if they need into the prison of prohibition, one might believe that the administration has and consumption of alcohol, a person to go off campus. I am afraid uiar if I would like to comment on the been lenient in only meting out a sentence of probation-campus-wide pro- who isover the legal age has the free- there were to be a ban, it would un- present and future alcohol policy of bation, nonetheless. dom of choice in the United States. doubtedlycausemorepeopletodrive Western Maryland College with Yet"";e continue to violate probation. I believe we are guilty because Not only [does Don Clarke] off campus, and, in tum, cause more emphasis on the prospective policies drinking is a social phenomenon. The entire campus community has to take propose to completely obliterate our traffic fatalities. Isn't drunk driving being pushed by Trustee Don Clarke. responsibility for alcohol: its privileges and its negative consequences. It's constitutional rights of free choice, whatweshouldbemoreintcrestedin First, I might comment to Ms. up to each individual 10 help win back the rights of alcohol consumption that [he is] also deterring non-traditional trying to prevent? Joanne Goldwater on her assertion were lost over the years. and transfer students from applying In the three years I have been a that the distress students have over Specifically, I'd like to focus on the sexual assault that happened over to Western Maryland College. student here, I have not heard of one the new alcohol policy is frivolous. I Halloween weekend. This is an epidemic, because if it occurs once, it has Mr. Clarke, [since] you [imply] single accident due to a student who Continued on page 5 occurred too frequently. (But there are reports that there have been three or that most damages in the residence four assaults this semester, some just now being reponed.) halls are alcohol-related, please offer Who was at fault? First and foremost, it was the student who committed your research to these findings. I ask, the assault. Yet how are we as a community also responsible? if in fact damages are alcohol related, Needless to say, alcohol once again factored into the situation that night. why are thcrenotmoresrudents being Editor-in-Chicf . Bob Brown Also, several Whiteford residents have stated that Campus Security has often suspended and/or expelled because Business Manager ... . Stefanic R.Shaffer been negligent in locking the building on time at night, especially on of [their] malicious behavior while Copy Editors.. . ...Julie E. Baile, Meg Gobrecht, Alisa Rock. weekends. Although nota factor in the most recent case, ucertatnlypreserus under the influence of alcohol'! Sports Editor .. . Steve Harlan the possibility for a reoccurrence. If the damages are so blatantly Photography Editors . Helen Lowe, Jon Marsh Most tragically, though, I believe that this campus harbors an often alcohol-related, why are our damage Canoonists... . Kellie Marsh, Erik Siano subtle anti-female sentiment. The most enlightening proof of this assertion bills going up instead of going down Production Assistants. . Andrea Covington, Christine Keiner, comes in the form of the recent issue of The Sphincter (whose authors' only with the institution of current restric- Michelle Kloss, Kellie Marsh fonnal training in writing appears to have been from dot-to-dot's. and whose lions'! Reporters 1. J. Boggs, Andrea Covington, Grant Disharoon, literary repetoire seems solely to include a misogynist, autoerotic fascination What happened to the rights of Juan Hidalgo, Andrew Krevclin, Mike Kubacki, Stuart Pearlman, Ed with Playboy.) Five hundred copies were reportedly distributed around those people who are of legal age'! Rigling, Todd Robb, Wendy Ruderman campus. I would like to remind you of Advisor ... ............ Dr. Pamela Regis Lines such as "But she blew me off without a hitch/Stinkin', lousy, no- what happened in the 1920's during good hosebag bitch" are implicitly condoned by all of us, are. they not? For Prohibition. People became rebel- The Phoenix is a bi-weekly publication of Western Maryland College. if we thought that that sentiment towards women was unacceptable, we lious toward uiose laws and people The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the would condemn it. Yet some people cower behind "freedom of the press," who enacted uiose laws. administration. Editorials are the responsibility of the dashing Editor-in- erroneously applying that right in order to oppress other people. The right While, openly, people were not Chief. Letters to the Editor must be one page, typed, double spaced, and of women to be free of both ham and the fearofharm is certainly diminished allowed to drink, what happened in signed. Include a phone number for verification. by the hatred and disrespect that The Sphincter engenders. the closed offices of the government, Yes, as a society, we are all guilty, for we have created such an environ- homes, and the back rooms of what Address all mail to: The Phoenix ment. How many people are going to-demonstrate on President Chamber's [had been] bars? Youguessedit,they Western Maryland College lawn for the safety of our fellow students'! drank alcohol. Westminster MD 21157