Page 4 - ThePhoenix1990-91

Page 4IWestem Maryland Collegel August 30, 1990 The Responsibilities of Knowledge Join the Struggle to by Julie Baile. Editor Celebrate Diversity "With priveJege comes re- responsibility of using the knowl- tions commiued to action and sponsibHity." It's not an exact edge and experience gained in the service. So join CAPBoard, or a quote-c-maybe your parent(s) "transaction" to benefit not only sports team, or the staff(s) of by Meeghan Ziolkowski and Wade Fannin phrased it differently-but I'd oneself, but also the campus Crossroads, Comrasi, or The venture a guess that each incom- community, the local community, Phoenix; attend a meeting of the ing freshman has heard a vari- and the world community. Black Student Union, the Chris- ation on that theme, perhaps when We cannot all beLech Wale- tian Fellowship, the Women's Working towards ecological balance is often viewed as a learning to drive a car, perhaps sas, Desmond Tutus, or Mother Concerns Alliance, the Gay and "safe" non-comroversial way to work for social change in the upon having a curfew extended, Teresas, but we all have that po- Lesbian Alliance, or any other world and communities in which we Jive. Indeed, ltbas been many perhaps when staying at home tential. In college, there is always group or organization that you years since the sacred wall of Western Maryland College has seen alone for an extended period for the possibility of drowning that can commit your time and energy its members of the student body. faculty, and administration work the first time. potential in irresponsibility and to. The unique talents, ideas. together towards a common humane goal. Recently, however, Many of us welcomed the confusion, but there is also the opinions, and support you give even many high ranking administrators, who often sidestep social freedoms and priveleges, but the possibility of exploring and exer- could be your most worthwhile justice issues, have taken finn positions on ecological justice. responsibility of not crashing the cising that potential by working contribution to the campus; the What many people fail to understand is that this alienation from car or taking care of the house with others to make a difference insights and experience you gain nature which produces ecologica1 destruction is also the same mayor may not have weighed so in one life (maybe your own) or can help lead to intellectual, force that oppresses women, people of color, lesbians, gay men heavily on our minds. many lives. emotional, and social maturity. and a host of other oppressed and margina1ized people. With the rising COSIS of col- No one is promising you a Privelege leads to responsi- Many scholars such asJoseph Campbell and Rosemary Rath- lege tuition, room, and board, Nobel prize, but so many benefits bility; responsibility leads to erford Ruether note that when humans turned from hunting and gathering cultures to herding and irrigating cultures, societies many of us view education as stem from accepting responsibil- maturity. wcareprivelegedtobe more of a commodity than a privel- ity thalat times it no longer seems able to learn, grow, and mature in quickly became patriarchal, hierarchical and exploitative in their ege. Wewantto"getwhatwepay like responsibility. Get involved! a stimulating, challenging envi- economic relationships with nature. Thus, this breaking point for,"which is understandable. But You will hear much about ronment, inside and outside of the with the natural environment became the starting point for the highereducationisaprivelegefor classrcom.dunngourfourorrnore development of an oppressive culture. With this understanding of the development of the roots of the fortunate few who can afford college yean. So stan now, and ecological destruction and oppressive culture, itis obvious that if and benefit from it. And with the to Western Maryland we are concerned with saving the physical environment techno- logical"bandaids" aren't going to be the solution. Environmental action and individual action to recycle cans and eliminate styro- foam are important, but if there is no change in the exploitative paradigm these "bandaids" are irrelevant and ineffective. To effect real change we much confront the systems that in- stitutionalize and profit from this oppressive paradigm. We can challenge oppressive and destructive culture by lessening the alienating gulf between "ourselves" and "others" (i.e. make an effort to understand and celebrate the diversity of all people). :Ihii is an important step. Our world is dying because we have tried to limit our species to a particular race, gender and sexual orienta- tion. Humanity is suffering from this "weeding out" and if we expect to survive we most confront the roots of the destruction and join the struggle to celebrate diversity. THE PHOENIX Edltor-ln-Chlef .... ............... JulieBaile Business Manager...... .. .. Andrea Covington A Request for the Freshmen Copy Editor... . .. . Meg Gobrecht Steve Harlan Sports Editor... Photography Editor... .. Helen Lowe ~ by Andrea Covington, Business Manager News Editor........ . .. Tessa Dominick Production Assistants Andrea Covington, Michelle Kloss Cartoonist... ...Andrea Covington When I first came here, a freshman female was sexually assaulted two floors above me in Reporters.... . Pat Blackman, Andrea Rouzer Hall. It was September, we had all just arrived and had begun to get really rowdy since we no Covington, Tessa Dominick, Wade Fannin, Todd Robinson, longer had to worry about our Parents being on our cases. As it turned out, a lot of people gal drunk Meeghan Ziolkowski together and a woman passed out and some drunken freshmen men rationalized. Advisor... . Terry Dalton Last year, two women were sexually assaulted by a male student four floors above me. My dorm is mostly freshmen females (Whiteford) and I remember how we all got together in the residence The Phoenix is published bi-weekly bi-the above staff at Western lounge and complained about how the dorm needed heavy duty doors and all sorts of security devices. Maryland College. I have no idea what we were thinking of, since we were being attacked by our fellow students and not The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the strangers. staff or those of the administration at Western Maryland Well, now you know what kind of misery the last (WO freshmen classes have put themselves Phoenix through. I hope you do not make the same mistakes. College. Editorials are the responsibility of the Editor-in-Chief. Don't get me wrong. I am not saying it was the fault of those women that they were as- Letters to the Editor must be one page, typed, double spaced, and saulted. But the newcomers might want to wait awhile before trusting their new-found friends. You signed. Please include a phone number for verification. Letters to are very vulnerable when you are drunk. the Editor are due one week before publication. And guys, if you are ever presented with an opportunity, stop and think about your mothers and sisters. Think about them being in a similar danger. By the way, it can happen to men, too. Address mail to: The Phoenix (but you don't have to italicize it) Just be careful. 2CoUege Hill I don 't want to have another story to tell next year. Western Maryland College Westminster, Maryland 21157