Page 97 - Phoenix2001-02

, i-",.\ COMMENTARY Wednesday, February 27, 2002 - Page 5 Newspaper is no place for revenge ride in WMC Dame Felicia Donelson asks for Jessica Jones provides due respect in the newspaper is wrong. with, "that sucks," and it does. It an uplifting look at the The name of the college is a newspaper. Once one enters the college creates or alters one's reputation symbol-an abstract thing. Even scene, the desire to be called an based on another's opinions and at- name change. when the name changes, every- adult is strong. titudes. Walking through the book- The Commentary section of the However, if one thinks like a It is true that this happens to . thing else will stay the same (ex- school paper is a place where stu- child, and does childlike things, celebrities all the time, but we are store, looking for the perfect cept maybe for a few signs), dents can voice their opinions WMC sweat shirt, I was bom- So what if you will not be able how then is it possible to identify not famous and Westminster, Mary- about the various things that are one as an adult? land is definitely not Hollywood, barded with shocking comments to buy a sweat shirt that says happening in and around campus. around me. Most likely I was not WMC on it, get one with the new First of all, if you have a prob- California! supposed to hear these comments, name on it. I bel it will be just as lem with someone, do not try to Lastly, the one being attacked However, this section should as they were passed quietly to the comfortable. For those of you does not have an opportunity to ear of a friend, but Icould not help that are not going to "give another not be used to personally attack stu- defend themselves. dents; the school newspaper is not My goal is to ensure The school newspaper is not it. cent to the school," what good is a place to provide negative public- that no other student distributed on a daily basis, there- "Let's buy as much as we can, that going to do you? ity toward a student. fore, if you wanted 10 clear your before they change the name." "I Your alma mater (and the Western Maryland bases itself has to endure such don't care what the new name is, school will still be your alma on a code of honor and respect. name, it could be looked upon as this will always be Western Mary- mater) may not be able to do all a dead fire. trying to respark There is no honor in attempt- public humiliation. land College to me!" of the wonderful things it could As a WMC student, I am sure ing to humiliate a student in a pub- Personally attacking that this type of behavior is not sup- This past weekend I was at a have had you opened your mind lic forum. This act is immature and ported, nor is it needed. party with many WMC alums and and accepted the change. unprofessional on all levels. It is someone via the Therefore, if you are thinking again I heard those unsettling I am well aware that it is hu- better to criticize the person's ac- comments. "How can they do this man nature to resist change, but expressing thoughts about your tions or demeanor rather than the school newspaper is about someone via the paper, con- to us?" or "I am never giving that let's be adventurous and accept person itself. wrong. sider the consequences of your ac- college a cent again!" this change with open arms. In a recent issue a student was Once again L had that unset- Many say they are proud to be personally attacked and wrongfully tions. Remember, what goes around tling feeling. Maybe r amjust too from WMC. Well we all should accused. The reasoning behind this embarrass the person. Simply talk. comes around and karma might bite easygoing, but I honestly do not still be proud. We should .be attack is in the past and unimpor- Secondly, how would you like you in the rear for deceitful actions see this name change as a threat proud that our board of trustees tant at this time. it ifsomeone who knew absolutely you take against another. to our community. I think that it and other leaders of our commu- My goal is to ensure that no nothing about you judged you can only make our good college nity have had enough courage to other student has to endure such based on something untruthful -Fellcla Donelson is a better. take on such a challenge. public humiliation. Personalty at- written in the paper? freshman Political Science Come on guys, it's just a [ am proud to be a student at all over our coun- tacking someone via the school Many people would respond major. name! Women their name when they Western Maryland College. I support the name change and will try change Name change reaches an get married. Do they Are their his- do all that I can to support in the suddenly the lose their identity? and its new name school acceptance on a personal level tory and values sign the marriage future. major suddenly ripped -Jessica Jones is a senior as they away papers? Obviously not. Communications . While strolling around campus weeks back, it really does not mat- Dean Ethan Seidel at Safeway at 6 a.m. a few days ago Icame to ter what you call this place. around 10:30 p.m. a startling conclusion (besides the When the name change was an- While Iknew Dean Seidel. and Ihave said it many times before, fact that Ishould have been asleep nounced, I felt like I was in the knew that my parents knew him as but Iguess it bears repeating; West- at6 a.m.): lowe Western Maryland middle of some personal night- well, I doubted he had the misfor- ern Maryland College rests on its College my life. mare. tune of knowing me. As it turns community, and as long as our Literally, I realized that. with- WMC has .given me so much out, he is thusly unfortunate. community stays strong, we have out this institution I would not ex- over the past three years, the least He approached ME, and asked nothing to fear. This school is ist. of which is the pride of knowing I what I thought of the name change. more than a name. It was here that my parents met am going to graduate from the I [Old him my feelings, he told me outside the dining hall (then in the same school as my parents, thus his, and, while we were of two dif- Western Maryland basement of what is now Hill Hall) continuing the somewhat question- ferent minds, we had a great con- able tradition of gaining a liberal versation. College rests on its arts education. What grabbed me most about community, and as I refused to believe that the our conversation was that he asked name change was possible; in some what my parents thought, by name, long as our ways, I still refuse to believe it. and was able to sympathize with me But, the more I think about it, the when I told him they reacted with community stays their unique senses of humor. It strong, we have It is the sort of place was that night I realized something. where the Deans Western Maryland College is nothing to fear. the sort of place where you run into know their students, the Deans at night in the local su- Many of my fellow students treat them as equals, permarket. state that when they are alumni they will give no donations to this insti- It is the sort of place where the and, despite the Deans know their students, treat tution if itopossesses a different them as equals, and, despite the name, and to be honest, I agree. modern popular modem popular opinion. do care Like my parents, I would much opinion, do care what they think-not just the cur- rather support this school by send- rent students, but students they ing my child here. Michael Wiles what they think-not taught over thirty years ago. And, in the sad event that a As much as I hate to admit it, I just the current have had a change of heart. I hate child of mine does not want a lib- I hope that they eral arts education, over thirty years ago, did the fall- students, but to see our school 's nam~ go, but I will still want to come here and ing in love thing, got married, and can honestly say that, when it does, visit with me. eventually produced the kin1d ?f students they taught I think I will be ready for it. Then they can experience, even person that goes for walks at SIX Some people believe that this for one day, the place their father o'clock in the morning. over thirty years name change will bring an end to spend four very important years of As I walked around campus in ago. our institution's traditions, while his life. those early hours I thought of how others thing it will bring a new be- I am going to stand behind this much this school has changed since more I find that this is no night- ginning. place. I really don't care what it is my parents were students here, and mare at all. I think il will bring neither. caJled. came to the conclusion that, despite A few days after the name I honestly believe, for better or -Mlke Wiles is a junior for details. what I was sure I believed a few change was announced, I ran into for worse, business as usual will English major.