Page 133 - ThePhoenix1992-93

UNersJ:th2I!!!JU.'@\'<"',C:!!!JW'" If Cindi Is Happy, Why Can't We Be Happy? Dear Editor, take them seriously. For ex- isn't that the purpose of advertis- be in college (I, for one, would worn by an 105 lb man half - I am responding to a particular ample, I cannot understand why ing ? To sell the consumer an have to seriously think of naked with a 350 Ib woman attitude towards racism, sex- anyone would object to the image he/she can aspire towards. changing my major). wrapping herself around bim in ism (and any other 'isms' that presence of nude and semi-nude And isn't it based on principles I wholeheartedly believe in order to provide us with an ac- may exist) on this campus women (pant, pant) in maga- like capitalism, competition, and the equality of women and curate sample of the varied which tends to project tbe zines and advertisements. Why the open market - concepts that men. I believe that women population that exists in problems associated with these should we choose to be con- in fact define America as the na- should be given equal America. Sales would hit an all issues on to some unknown cerned with which parts of her tion it is. What of all our parents oppurtunities to do as they time low, workers would get third party. Everywhere I body Ctndi Crawford decides to who make a living doing this ( please ( my personal belief is laid off, students would lose walk I see posters, articles and display? I bet she's not com- I'm sure all our parents in adver- that if all the world leaders in their summer internships (and flyers telling me what r should plaining. I do agree that several tising, marketing and sales this world were women, the Marky Mark would be poorer do and what I should be. I, advertisements tend to objectify would agree). If not for them, a world would be a better place by a couple of hundred thou- however, find it difficult to and make use of women. But good number of us would never to live in). Anyway, the point sands). Towards A Revival Of The Marxist Critique here is that all of us are ulti- ing the problem as outside of us, Instead of constantly view- tbe with intertwined mately Dear Editor: chure inappropriate in light of of guilt and cruelty. system that we exist in. It's let's prepare to accept the darker The following remarks the difficulties which she was One would hope that a col- easy to find shortcomings in side (if that is what we wish to (questions) are meant to sketch facing in finding a way to fi- lege would provide an environ- others. But it's harder to see call it) in all of us. We are all an interpretation of the re- nance her children' s college ment ripe with challenges to the bow we are all dependent on racist, sexist and homophobic sponse of certain WMC ad- educations, the college's re- cruelties fostered by a society the same system that we criti- (what does this mean???). To ministrators to a recent Ann sponse focused largely on which seems to equate the cize. The system will work the get beyond this Ict's face up to Lander" s column in which a Lander's comments, rather than numinous with the numismatic. way it will and not how you it, and stop passing the buck. college brochure was criti- on the mother's. Consider even This will clearly not be the case and I wish it to work. Calvin sincerely, cized for making light of 'fi- the title of the article, 'Ann if tbe college is 'owned' and Klein Jeans is not going to ad- Nandan Gautam '95 nancial planning' (see Phoe- Landers Slams WMC'. What managed and if courses are vertise it's snazzy jeans being Art & GraphicDesign nix, Mar. 9, pg. 9). does this selectivity mean'! taught by individuals belonging Although this criticism was The general tenor of the ad- to the exploitive classes, for voiced by a mother of twins, ministrative response was that these ones will and do take who felt the humor in the bro- any implications of the lengthy measures to preserve the Honors Costs brochure's humor should nOI be security of their financial stand- From Page 4 questioned. Indeed, president ing. It is true that merely to par- Chambers advised regarding the ticipate in this society is to facili- societies can offer to eliminate costs of education: "College is tate tbat oppression; therefore, discrimination against poorer an expensive investment for whoever criticizes is forced into students? One, they can offer parents. You must laugh your the contradiction of being sup- ALL students free membership. way through it, or it will get you ported by the enemy. That I even What actually costs money in a down." But perhaps it is all too have tbe opportunity to present membership anyway? It is easy for Chambers, who re- these sketches is proof of this probably material products, ceives a salary in excess of contradiction. And yet it is not such as dinners, pins, badges, 95,000 $ annually as well as an unmitigated contradiction in certificates, etc. Therefore, why other benefits, to engage in such so far as we can take great mea- not offer the option of these handwaving. He, of course, sures in our lives to counter eco- benefits separately from the need not seriously fear 'the nomic injustice. Consider a self- membership. This would give challenge of finding funds' to imposed salary cap, with all students !he possibility of being put bis children through college. earnings above this limit donated a member without any cost re- For a great many others, both in to the oppressed. Consider shar- quirement Two, if the cost this country and abroad, the cost ing a bouse with several fami- can't totally be erased, why not of education is not a chalienge, lies. Consider living in the inner offer some financial aid plan for it is an impossibility. Humor cities to inhibit the economic and students who can't afford mem- may be 'sensible' here, but it racist ghetroizauon that will vio- berships? also highly insensitive. Then, lently and justifiably erupt other- Some readers may be shak- again, maybe it is only insensi- wise. Seek new ways to avoid ing their bead while reading this tivity which will allow sleep for technological amenities and to article and thinking: "This situ- the surfeited. subvert the often lethal effects of ation never happens. Nobody or I propose that the humor and capitalist economics. This cam- very few students have ever not the dissimulations of Chambers pus would be a valuable start. joined an honor society because et at. can be read in light of this Investigate the board of trustees of money problems." Two re- social stratification. Accord- (31 males out of a total of 39- sponses to these ideas need to be ingly, a question: on what sexism thrives at WMC). De- said. One, even if only ONE grounds do faculty and adminis- mand that the oppressed seg- student has had this problem, trators earn significantly higber ments of society be represented be/she should be important salaries tban do groundskeepers in that organization. Demand enough to this college for it to or maintenance personnel or that the oppressors be excluded. IMMEDIATELY begin creat- campus safety officers? Do Demand that a single salary be ing new options for that student. professors and administrators applied unifonnly to all college Two, one has to wonder how regard themselves as more im- employees. If these demands are many students who receive such portant? Perhaps more intelli- not met, consider boycotts of happy notes of congratulations gent? What reason for this dras- classes or a hunger -strike. Com- in their mailbox have thrown tic inequity, which extends even pared with the much more vio- them in the trash at the sight of furtber when we contrast the lent practices of the 60' s, these the price tag. After all, who faculty and administration with methods are not extreme. Cham- would' desire humiliation tbose who arc forced to survive bers is mistaken when he as- enough to want to beg the par- on minimum wage, with the sumes that all publicity will ben- don of the honor SOCiety for bisl homeless in America's cities, efit the college. Students could her lack of funds? Also, maybe with the utterly impoverished as well generate a publicity some poorer students have not abroad, many of whom do not which could Crush the arrogance come knocking on the doors of survive? I strongly request that and inhumanity which is born of various honor societies simply a response to this question be the stratification that permeates because they believed it would presented in an upcoming issue and perverts our college. be hopeless to ask for member- of The Phoenix; and I will take Jay Taylor '93 ship without money. silence 10 indicate an admission Chemistry & Math