Page 64 - ThePhoenix1997-98

Thursday, November 20, 1997 - Page 4 COMMENTARY Hate is Demonstrated on WMCR "Moriarity" I A Phone Call Away fact that cannot be denied. People look motives of these just as harshly as I de- someone's face. And who can deny that A Look at Hate and WMCR and laugh when others fall down and nounce the actions of the slanderers. it is with a certain thrill that one speaks think, "It was funny because it wasn't There were harsh and severe reactions, over the airwaves. It's just a phone call Recently, the issue of how people me." This will always be the case, some of which involved the threatening away, after all. But rarely do we look at treat one another on WMC campus came people acting stupidly, causing others of other students and warnings to those what having that kind of power means. to a boiling head. During a radio show, pain for their own benefit. The author who would bother the student in ques- WMCR broadcasts all across campus in running well past its scheduled time slot, knows both sides of this by having par- tion in the future. These "friends" of the the form of radio waves and it is cur- ajoking conversation between the hosts ticipated indirectly, and ashamedly, in student were quick to point out a few rently being broadcast on channel three of the show and a caller turned ugly. this particular bashing of a student. things over the air that were easily as as well, with that sort of coverage, it is Comments were made regarding the While it may make us ill with guilt at a hurtful to the student as the initial slurs. imperative that we, as students, do not caller by other listeners of the show, and later time, it seems to be "the thing to It was said that the student "did not abuse the power that we control. the show quickly turned into a free-for- Many of us will blow off this inci- all of the swearing at and the ridiculing "...It makes us feel powerful to make fun of another dent, and it will fade in memory, but the of this student. simple fact remains: We Dlll.£1 take seri- It seemed that a large portion of human being. This is afact that can not be denied. ously how our actions and words can in- WMC campus had tuned in to this hor- People look and laugh when other's fall and think, 'It flict pain, and quickly set off reactions rible aural display of hate and belittle- that have serious consequences in our ment, as the comments from callers was funny because it wasn't me," community. This is not a large campus ranged the gamut from well thought-out where issues between people can be ig- statements to drunken slanders against do" in the moment. We are influenced know any better", and that they were nored through avoidance and deferment others. Other listeners called in defend- by a mob mentality that encourages us "the strong defending the week". But of guilt. We must take responsibility, not ing the person who was first verbally to act without the benefit of our nor- who are they to have the right to talk only for our own actions, but also for attacked. Eventually matters got even mally rational gray matter. Few of us are down to the student? Placing themselves the actions of others. Ideally, Western worse, and threats of violence were immune to this human tendency. While on a higher pedestal is no less of a trans- Maryland College is an environment made both over the air and among lis- not a negation or a "copping-out" of gression than pushing that student down. where we, as students, should feel free teners of the radio program. liinally, such a situation, it may also be taken into The second point to be made con- and uninhibited in the pursuit of our aca- little was resolved, and the show was consideration that what is said, while cerns our very own WMCR, the campus demic goals as well as our further so- taken off the air (though it was not can- hurtful, may not be meant to its fullest radio station. On the night of the inci- cial development. Any hindrance of ei- celed). Leaving me to wonder, "Where extent outside of the situation. dent, this was the catalyst for the human ther is extremely detrimental to us all. did ehis all of this hate come from?". But slander is not the only "thing to reaction known as anger. Being a radio This is an issue that must not be ignored. The first point that must be made is do" in the moment. Many rebuttals were host myself, I can understand the power this: It makes us feel powerful to make made by other callers to the initial state- of the "faceless voice", the ability to say "Moriarity" is the assumed name a/a WMC fun of another human being. This is a ments against the student. I question the what you maybe would not say to student. Consider This I Richard Smith I On Monday, November 3rd, the Supreme showing anything negative that involves a black person, that they are not allowed black holds a high paying position or is in Court declined to hear the Appeal on Propo- blacks rather than showing the positivity and equality. I evenheard some whites say some- one of the most prestigious colleges, that sition 209 in California. This means that beauty that surrounds the black community. thing along the lines that good, overquali- person is watched closely. Just one slipup Affirmative Action, dealing with race and Also, look at top-level positions in big busi- fied whites have missed out on jobs and and the black person is out, whereas, if the gender, stays illegal in the state of Califor- nesses and schools, do you happen to see schooling to less qualified blacks because of same slipup is made by a white person, it nia. On top of that, 26 other states are wait- many, or better yet, any blacks there? They quotas. would not result in the immediate termina- ing in line with the same legislation. are not seen for the most part. Usually,when Whites are the biggest problem with not tion of his or her job: It probably would go A lot of whites in America would argue a question or statement is posed like this, allowing their own people to getjobs as well unnoticed because there is not a close watch that this is a big step in the right direction some whites would like to challenge that as getting into schools. Think about the on that person. Can that be called equality? for equality, that everyone is able to com- maybe they are not qualified for that posi- whites that only hire family and 1riends of I believe that the underlying reason of pete together for the same job. They argue tion. Statements like those can assure us that the family and/or about college admissions why some whiles do not like Affirmative thatgood, qualifiedwhites have not beenable Action isbecause of fear. They fear that they to get jobs and get into colleges because of Reverse racism is another term that many whites like would lose the power that they have wrong- theAffmnativeAction policy and that blacks fully obtained anyway. They fear the fact should just stop being lazy and work for it to shout out when it comes to laws restricting racism that very soon they will no longer be the like the rest of the Americans. Another ar- of blacks. majority. They have been on top for so long gument made by whites is that Affirmative that any small sign of blacks making one step Action is a form of reverse racism. racist views still exist but are hidden. By allowing the sons and daughters of wealthy forward, they have to make sure they push As a black person, I believe that we, as a making those statements, you are saying that alumni that are giving money continually to blacks two steps back. people, need to realize that we are different, there are no blacks smart enough to have a the college to attend. Those legacies allow Even though Affirmative Action didn't but because of that difference, one group is high position job. I disagree. The fact of students to be able to get into schools with solve all the problems with equality, it was a not any more intelligent or humanlike than the matter is that we live in such a racist en- less than the required grades just because start. If everyone actually believed that ev- the other group. Wealso need to realize that vironment that the "higher-ups" in the gov- their parents can put money into the institu- eryone is equal, we would not need these thee is racism towards blacks that runs very ernment are trying to make it so that no black tion. Whites do not think about things like guidelines, but since we have the ignorance strongly throughout the United States. Some person would have a fair chance at getting that because these are ways to help them suc- of prejudice still going strong, we need Af- whites in America tend to forget that racism out of the stereotype that all blacks are lower ceed; and it would make them realize that firmative Action. exists. and therefore, they don't believe in class. this whole theory of reverse racism is a myth Even more so, we, as a people, need to any guidelines that allow blacks to get jobs, Reverse racism isanother term that many orchestrated by their own people to further learn how to work for equality instead of in- admission into college, and basically equal whites like to shoutout when it comes to laws oppress blacks. It seems that in order for a equality. Ifwe can reach the point where we rights. "Please, open your eyes!" Racism restricting racism of blacks. Reverse racism black person to be successful in this nation can actually pay attention to each other's towards blacks is happening everyday. For is a term used mainly by whites as an excuse built on racism and hatred, they have to work meritinsteadof the color of each other's skin, example,just tum on the televisionandwatch to say that something is stopping a white three times harder and be four times better think about how much more prosperous this the news. Our media is fascinated with person from achieving something because of than a white person. For instance, once a nation of ours would be.