Page 91 - ThePhoenix1993-94

j$LI:'m,,~QlJwl'J;u;:··)l;;IilIJiWfiu~.c;_)x;_'·;n;;,;[W ....'w=!1~~;~~~~::~ The Incredible Difficulty Of Communicating Dear Editor: quires a lot of energy, mutual of them. So I'd liketorefocuson cern with certain posters.jokes, active workshops wbich alert us Hello .. I am. Maura and I'm sharing, and honesty with one- the issues I raised, relating them t-shirts, advertisements in win- to the subtle ways in which we writing with reference to the ex- self. I hope we continue to try to my own experience. dows, and advertisements in each internalize and perpetuate change of emotions and ideas to express ourselves and to try I struggle to confront sexism "good stuff' boxes; with sexism and the dangers inherent concerning my editorial "Hear to hear each other; working to- within myself and on campus. I snickenngs atmovies; and with in this way of living. We need Our Voices." I have tried to take gether to communicate more gratefully learned that many being called andcalling myself to be honest with ourselves, be- to beart what people have said clearly so we can better under- more people also feel passion- "girl." When comments and ing open to the reality that each and I appreciate people's sincere stand and relate. ately about women's safety. slogansview anduse women as of us, no matter bow strongly efforts to clarify certain factsand I am glad I wrote the edito- More specifically, I am can- passive objects, they degrade we feel about issues,contributes to share experiences. I'm glad I rial and I realize now how I cerned with not only preventing and can subtly ldll ... disman- to this murderous atmosphere. got to talk with people. This could have more clearly ex- rape, but with how to stop nur- tling a woman's identity. This So, no, I'm not going [0 whole experience has demon- pressed some of my thoughts. turing and creating a mindset mindset kills all of us. leave as Mark Furlong sug- strated to me how incredibly dif- Myconcerns and fears still re- which cultivates and feeds on To change this, we need to gested to me, because I'll find ficuU communicating is. It re- main.lfeltwebypassedsome this violence. This is my con- honestly express ourselves, this same environment and even when we have passion- mindset, this same fear to ques- Well-ResearchedCommentary ately differing opinions and tion our assumptions, beyond whenit isobviousthere are bla- this campus as well. I am refus- tant discrepancies in people's ing to let the voices of sexism Dear Editor: tans, the murder and torture was arrogant enough to be- experiences. This is exempli- within and around me to con- fied by the communication gap tinue to gnaw at my soul and I feel the need to respond of 100,000 persons in lieve that it would not be too to David Radosevich's opin- Angola by the U.S. trained much to ask you to pay a between greeks and indepen- suck the life out of my being. So instead of hiding, since I dents. I hope on both sides we ion piece, "I've Got Me a and armed UNIT A forces, little higher price for your can learn from one another. can't, I am taking the energy COllege 'Bdumacation'" the genocide of 200,000 fruit or your rice, in ex- Wecan havemore open forums and time to figure out how to which appeared in the Nov. Bosnian Muslims and the change for even a lessening and similar spaces for honest free myself. 23 edition of the Phoenix and systematic rape of 50,000 of the oppression to wbicb discussion. In addition to edu- in which he expresses his Bosnian women, even they have been subjected. cationalprograms already here, with truly heartfelt gratitude to 'great offense' at certain in- while tbe Clinton adminis- But your government-your C.D. dividuals whom he alleges tration denies these people representatives (because re- we can also have several inter- ... Maura Ziolkowski are 'defacing school prop- the right of self-defense. I member this is a Democ- erty' with 'unfounded opin- wonder if Mr. Radosevich racylj-bas ways to deal with ion pieces'. even bothered to read these those natives that get a little During my tenure as a stu- pieces, and if be did, then I too much out of control. And dent here. I frequently posted stand in awe (though not you knowingly turn your statements in highly visible surprise) at his callousness bead, you willingly ignore, locations dealing with a and inhumanity in the face because your life is comfort- broad variety of topics. Fur- of the immense suffering able, your life is secure and thermore, I have often en- which his government bas no price is too hig~ay for couraged others to do the tTeely caused throughout tbat-provided it is payed by same, an encouragement the globe and from which others. which I will maintain explic- be bas bimself benefitted. This bas been the motivation itly now in the face of this Let me close this letter and the message of nearly all of 'criticism'. Contrary to Mr. with a scenario which has my writings. I only wish that I Radosevich's assertion, happened again and again could bring the murdered back never have I or any other in- throughout the world, and amongst you, that I could sbat- dividual whom I know en- which I must confess I be- ter your placid nights with their gaged in this occupation in lieve will continue to re- agonized screams and bowls, such a way as to damage or produce itself: a band of that I could make their phantom undermine college property. U.S.-trained and U.S.- blood rush down your white Typically, these statements armed men walk into a vil- walls, that I could inject into At the Movies have been taped to an outside lage. They segregate the your numbed limbs the burning bas ripped wall or door, and I might add men from the women and theirs from their bodies. Youare "Mrs. Doubtfire" biting pain which that usually, after a period of children, whom they force several days, Imyself remove at gunpoint into a building. 'a cursed people. The little girl By Annelise Sullivan those sheets which have not They tben force tbe men whose eyes were gouged out by already been torn down and into a line, perhaps stand- American-made knives, wbose "Mrs. Doubtfire" is the newest Robin Williams movie to hit defaced by other students or ing or perhaps lying in the fingers were cut off, who was screens, with surprisinglygood performances by Sally Field and faculty. dirt, and tbey empty hun- raped by twenty-she ought to be Pierce Bronsan. Williamsplaysa delinquentfather whois just that Furthermore-and much dreds of bullets into their your Divinity. You cannot bear -a delinquent juvenile, that is. 1be movie opens with Williams' more substantially-I would heads. Next, they return to to think these things and yet you characteratwad doingvoicesfora cartoon. He quitswhen oneof like to clarify tbe nature of the women, and again a se- have created and then destroyed thecharacterssmokesacigareue before he dies. Williams' charac- tbat which Mr. Radosevich lection takes place: young her reality. In the face of this ter feelsit sends a bad messageto childrenwatchingthecomic. He refers to either maliciously or women, say between the horror, you are nothing. At best, goesto pick up hiskids fromwork and tellshis 12 yearold son be's simply stupidly as 'un- ages of IO and 25, are taken your reality is irrelevant-and, got a surprisefor him at home. Aparty for his 12thbirthday. Sup- founded opinion.' These so- into the bills where they are at worst. the depth of evil. This posedly,he's notsupposed to havea party and Williams' character called 'unfounded opinion raped repeatedly and fi- is the value of a 'college saysit's ok: "I'Il clean it up beforemom gets bome,which isn't for pieces' have typically been nally killed. Meanwhile, edumacauon'. Quite obviously, another four hours." well-researched commentary back in tbe village, the rc- it has taught Mr. Radosevich the The party gets out of hand withloud music and a travelling pet- (much of it simply informa- mainder of the women are strategies by which the self may ting zoo and the neighborcalls Sally Field's character (Williams' live due to the abysmal igno- killed with bursts of auto- maintain the illusion of critical character'swife) at work tocomplain, she then comes home, blows rance which characterizes matic gunfire. Finally, only thought and yet walk away from up at Williams and says she want a divorce. 1be custody hearing this campus community) on the children, wbo are cry- the evidence of mass murder sees her gettingcustodywith oneday visits to the children's father. subjects like: the murder and ing, remain. Tbe smallest and torture with at most annoy- He's veryupsetby thisand appliesfor the job as housekeeperwhile torture of 80,000 persons in ones, the babies, the sol- ance because his sense of pro- his wife starts looking. The only catch is, he applies as Mrs. El Salvador during the last diers toss into the air and priety has been offended. But Doubtfue, amce old lady from Englandwho looked after the same decade, the murder and tor- stab with their bayonets. then as Bob Marley once said, familyfor 15 yearsand does windows. cooksand cleans. Tbe rest ture of 100,000 persons in The others are finished off when asked about his will have to be discoveredwhile watching the movie, which you Nicaragua during that same with machete blows to the 'edumacanon': shouldgo and see when you need a good, hearty laugh,or a pick- period, the use of the Panama neck. Perhaps this village "If I had gone to school, I'd be a me-up. Just letme say that thereare somepretty funny bathroom invasion as an 'in vivo' labo- was foolisb enough to orga- durnb fool." scenes,andthebusdriver who's in love withMrs. Doubttlre is pre- ratory in which to test out nize in order to work for its Sincerely, cious. Overall, agoodmovie,although I wouldsay it's mostly fam- new weaponry against civil- rights. Perhaps this village Jay Taylor ily-oriented.