Page 137 - Phoenix2002-03

COMMENTARY Wednesday, Apri1l6, 2003 - Page 5 X: The meaning, or the journey? Don't complain until Tara DellaFranzia questions the necessity oj the math proficiency exam with the skills of her liberal arts education you have registered "connection" instead of mean something, at some point? X Alum Thomas Macurak explains wby people should "connexion?" Imean, if x is nega- seems to validate what everything get involved in governmental issues and vote. tively associated with pornographic else is. X defines things. This is references already, wouldn't it be why we pursue x. Recently, Senator Paul have a tremendous amount of 'exrauc" to be part ofan "erexion?" I feel that I have proven my lib- Sarbanes came to the McDaniel rights and freedoms that are pre- This is what happens when I, an eral arts education's worth. I can college campus and spoke to the sented to us by our Constitution. English major, look at x. I mean, x assign meanings to things, even gathered students, alumni, and Not everyone necessarily ap- has some kind of cultural signifi- things like x, and apply them. But Everyone is having at least one various other distinguished guests preciates all of those rights. Since it's hell week between now and the end cance, too. Even though generally a I still can't do algebra. For all the of our campus. graduating from McDaniel in cross, which is a symbol of the semester. For seniors, every perceived as good in our society, x's I have written in all of those 1was in attendance was happy 20021 landed ajob as 11 paralegal week can be a hell week. Math we use it to "x" out bad things. My English major papers, and all the to see many students among the at a nationally and internationally proficiency makes it worse. mom even refers to my dad as "the little x's in the music score (they many in attendance. But the turn- known immigration law firm. Yes, I know I sound like your use those to represent claps or other out could have been better. There If you want to truly appreci- advisor, but it's the truth: you need ex-man!" Thai can', make x feel rhythmical marks sometimes), I were many empty seats and the ate how well we have it, then you very loved, now, can it? to get this stupid requirement out X has some positive connota- still can't figure out why I really students were far outnumbered by should talk to those people who of the way as soon as you_can. need to know what x equals. people who were not students. have to go through a very monoto- the best Thanks to not knowing x from pi, I tions, too. It represents Like comfy Life is important. Life has This got me to thinking about nous and draining process of pa- parts of best thigns. may not graduate. At all. I mean, tee-shirts. For those of us thai meaning. Do we have to know, the lack of involvement in roday's perwork and waiting to enjoy the T realize how important algebra before we graduate, what the mean- government by the many students same freedoms that we take for is to the language of English. aren't thin, but aren't too large, XL ing of life is? No. We've just of today. granted. They will tell you that is a really comfortable, Where would literature be without kind of size. sleep-in-it learned how to search for it through Turnout in recent elections has you should nor take such things algebra? What kind of English Then there's X-mas. X is our college education. I'm proud been at all-time lows despite the for granted, as not everyone in the major would I be if I didn't know privelaged enough to represent that I've learned ... but still, it's not massive amounts of press cover- world has things this good. about x? Christ. You don't get more hon- really a prerequisite for graduation. age that go along with these After all, you can never really Does x have a soul? It doesn't Just something I picked up along events. But sri II many people appreciate how good you have matter what x is worth, but what x ored than that in a rather signifi- the way. It's never tested before complain that taxes are too high things until they are taken away cant holiday. has done before x dies. These are Then again, my English major we graduate, but x ... x we must and that you have to be 21 to drink from you. Hopefully, thai day will the thoughts of a liberal arts stu- has taught me (per James Joyce, in know. The algebra proficiency. alcohol. Not to mention the recent never happen to any of us, but in dent-the things that make me I have developed the philoso- events in Iraq that brought many order to prevent it from ever hap- "Portrait of the Artist as a Young wonder about x. Is x a round char- Man"), religion can be society's phy, because of my education in people out to have their voices pening you must stand up and take acter, or flat? If x was in solfeggio, drug. Just like X-T-C. Or Herbal part, that life isn't about its ultimate heard. advantage of the rights and oppor- would it be do, mi, or sol? Does x meaning as much as it is about what Now, if you look at the per- tuuities afforded to us as United believe in God? Is x aware of y XTC, which is tres controversial at you do along the way. At this point, centages of voter turnout it be- States Citizens. and z? Does x know that if it has the moment. What if x doesn't like at 5 minutes to midnight on the comes a safe bet that not every- Make sure your voice is heard, two ideniticel brothers or sisters (x the controversy? I mean, people clock of graduation, I am beginning one who is out there complaining if you aren't registered to vote and x) next to it (xxx), it could be see it as so damned shocking, but to see x in the same light. I've done is registered to vote, let alone ac- where your permanent address is. perceived asa randomly bad movie come on, it's just a letter, right? so much to get to this moment, that tually does vote. then get registered. If you are reg- or a really racy one? No. Algebra gives x a mean- boils down to x. Ithink it's about The point to be made here is istered then make sure you exer- Did x mind when Malcolm X ing. That's the one good thing time T take two sharpened No. 2 that, if you complain about any- cise that opportunity at every used it as part of his name? Was s about Algebra. You can use logic pencils and march in there, and just thing related to laws being passed chance you get. If you still are not proud, or angry? Is x upset that to prove that something otherwise find the meaning of it all. or actions being taken by govern- satisfied then there are countless those of us who speak English fail banal has meaning. •Tara DellaFranzia is a ment, you need to be registered groups and organizations that you, to use it very frequently? Does x Where would we be without x? senior English major to vote in order for thar voice to DS en individual, can become in- get frustrated every time x sees Would e=mc anything if x didn't be effectively heard. volved in to make a difference. Speech not as hindered as t~ought not registered to vote and you try agree, Although we may not always As a mailer of fact. if you are have a we, as Americans, official an elected Staci George shares what she has learned from a commentary by Michael Moore and to contact an issue that is pertinent to duty to speak up and make sure discuss and are beard. voices thai our offers it as a revision to a previous commentary to you, chances are that issue is heard as loud as possible. I'm not sure I like the idea of be- efits. Picture, "Chicago". going to go right into the circular of- --Tom Macurak graduaJed official's fije of that elected ing an embedded journalist during Pardon me, but he said it better "In the past week, I have obtained flee. in 2002 with a B.A. in Po- the war with Iraq. Nor do I think it than J did, so I would like to quote funding for my next documentary, We, as a collective nation, litical Science. is a story assignment Iwould jump him and then add my own thoughts and I have been offered a slot back on the next plane for. Despite these later .. on television to do an updated ver- mixed emotions, I would like to "On (he day after Icriticized Bush sion of "TV Neuon'v'The Awful love controversy, hence the sensa- still don't like the war and the reas pray for and dedicate this to the 600 and the war at the Academy Truth." tionalism behind "reality" televi- I still don't like the war and the some journalists that are "embed- Awards, attendance at "Bowling In his commentary, he also shed sion. reasons behind it. But Ican tum off ded" So far six journalists have for Columbine" in theatres around light on the good fortunes of the Moore talked about this myth the TV or radio and ignore the war died and two are missing (as of 41 the country went up 110% (source: Dixie Chicks, despite what the na- that if people make an unpopular coverage for a little while. I can't 9/03), Daily Variety/Box: tion thought would happen to them statement, they will have to face the tum off my feelings that result from The minor problem with being OfficeMojo.com) ... 1t is now the after lead singer Natalie said she consequences. He says, "there is war, loss of freedom of speech, and a bi-weekly paper is that by the longest-running consecutive com- was ashamed to be from the same nothing more important now than all the hypocrisy that surrounds me. mercial release in America, 26 state as our president. "The truth is to keep the voices of dissent-and time the paper is published and weeks in a row and still thriving. that their sales are Nor down. This We do not have to be Michael people read the stories, new things those who would dare to ask a Moore or the Dixie Chicks to have The number of theatres showing week, after all tbe attacks, their al- question-SILENT. And what better have occurred and the facts or opin- our voices beard by many people the film since the Oscars has IN- bum is still #1 on the Billboard way to do than to try a take a few ions are out of date. CREASED, and it has bested the country and, according to Enter- and taken seriously by those who That happened last issue with well-known entertainers down with hear our messages. previous box office record for a tainment Weekly they rose from #6 a pack of lies so that the average my commentary "Operation: Pro- In the last issue of the Phoenix, documentary by nearly 300%" to #4 ...Their song, "Travelin' Sol- Joe or Jane gets the message loud tect Freedom of Speech." It was not "In the week after the Oscars, my dier was the most requested song we had an exemplary collection of until the other day that I read a and clear: 'Wow, if they would do war-related stories, and although I website was getting 10-20 million on the internet last week. that to the Dixie Chicks or Michael commentary by Michael Moore agree with some writers more than hits a day (one day we even got It gives me endless satisfaction Moore, what would they do to little (April 7, www.michaelmoore.com) to know that Michael Moore and others, I am proud of the fact that that I reaJized I needed to redo the more hits than the White Housel). the Dixie Chicks are still having a 01' me'. In other words, shut the_ we can openly express ourselves on commentary on freedom of speech. The mail has been overwhelmingly up." the subject. What I saw as certain people's positive and supportive (and the successful career, quite possibly This myth is simply not true. Well, the above is what bas been hate mail has been hilarious!)" their best work to date. and not let- The only ones censoring us are our- speech being reduced and having "In the rwo days following the Os- ting the dissenting opinion censor swimming in my brain. As always. to deal with the consequences for cars, more people pre-ordered the them. selves alone. I might have this re- I encourage articles that address saying what's on one's mind,. he video for "Bowling for Colum- It goes without saying, some- ally good statement to make but what I have just presented. Exer- saw a completely different thing bine" on Amazon.com than the times the negative publicity it the feel less inclined to make it in pub- cise that freedom of speech. happening. Those who criticized video for the Oscar winner for Best best kind of publicity. Americans lic than I am to write it in the com- •• Slaci George is a senior the media were reaping the ben- mentary section of the Phoenix. I Communcation mqjor.