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______ JJiI~:t:~:::I:t;..IJ;Jit~IiI!:t-1_"I<..ll£l'J_UIf!.1~... IWll~I - Memes Makes Anonymous InsultsTalk of Campus NATHAN WUE~TENBERG (he Friday afrer [he meme's creation, few there you make an effort, why don't you go 10 a meet-' "My advice 10 everyone," Casey echoed in his Commentary Edtter were as surprised by their fellow srudenrs as Mo- ing?H asked Mike Robbins, Director of Residence interview with the Free Press, ~jUSt quit looking at SE~f ;RANT naco or the administralion. Life. rhe site. When you do, rhese self-loathing cow- Stc eporler "One of me most disappointing things about Robbins then gave an accouue of his effortS to ards posting this crap will quit feeling they have "If you don'r have anything nice to say, don't say (his.. is how incredibly inevitable it was that it make students aware rhar they needed to turn in power." anything at all," devolved within a day," said senior Lucas Sperber. their housing deposits before the starr of Spring The possibiliry of that, unforlllnately, seems Most children growing up in the United Scares ''I'm not surprised at all about the immatu- Break. A nonficaricn was sent our to parents, a an ever dimmer prospect as students continue to have had that phrase hammered into them in riry," senior Jake Friedman echoed. banner was hung over the sralrcase in Decker Col- posr memes every day that insult specific members school, our on playgrounds, and ar home after they ~It'sprobably because there is no way to pun- lege Center, 5Cveralernails and rwo weeks worth of of the McDaniel College community. LISt week JUStmade their younger sibling burst inro tears. ish these kids and it's totally anonymous,~ Dan campus announcements were sem, and still 85 stu- there were 40 pages. This week there are 80. Next Apparently, there are several people at Me- Lamond, sophomore, said later. "It's a really easy dents failed to rum it in on rime, even after being week, who knows? Daniel College rhar missed that memo. Despite forum for people who don't know where else to say given an extra week to do so. Others have taken an entirely different ap- the pervasive exhortations to treat those around how they feel." "I don't know how eo ger through ro you," preach. Several unknown srudenrs have banded you WiThsome measure ofbastc dC1:ency,McDan- But (() those at the Soapbox that day, cyber- Robbins concluded. rogerher to post p:1gesand page~ of blank memes, iel studenu; felt free lO specifically name dozens Casey voiced similar concerns in a eecenr memes railing against cyberbullying, memes with of other members of ehe McDaniel College com- Interview. Shakespeare quotes. and even memes that read, muniry on a Green Terror meme created by senior What started as a way. U[ have heard many concerns expressed about "This meme ts dead." Monaco himself created a ~~:~~::~k~5~:~1:~d~j~~~'ab:~a~~~:~~ to make some inside ~a~:o~~ ~~~~: ~ ~~ec~:;::~~~:t~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~:~i~:;:oene~;~~:1g~~~~;e~:ro:e~~:::~:T~- ~~~!\~~~in~~VOlvedinto cyberbullying, sexism and iokes .abo ut M cDo nie I ~:s~:~l~g::da~~S!:~~ ~~Ie~rv:~~:~~,~ f~a~~o~~~ So f:r~~~: ;r:~:~~:~t~i~iking shit," one read, pus,:~:e~:s~:~~: ~:te .. on a terrible cam- quickly devolved into ~~::T;;'s~:t~:a~ :;~o~:~~iO~h:~ ~e~~~~ll[~~ "be,;~~~::~':~~~~sl~::~:db~~~ ~:::~esthat "Why do you still go here~ No one likes you, cyberbullying, sexism compl~iners?" target them, posting about them on Facebookand and stereotyp ing. i~t~~::~~~l;~~?~~:~~cee ;:s:~~~~l~s~!;rl:~~ resp~~~~I:~~~:;:opnar~~e~:-;:X ;~:r';::~I:~:r: ;:~.i~! :~~~utl~:~:rofile piccu~~s(a sort of "screw aimed at a specific member of this campus who and to !isren,~ C=y concluded. "For 90% of the Removing {he meme enrirdy is a near impos- will here remain.name1~ss. (Those on the Internet bullying on a ~cale rhat encompassed McDaniel things various constituencies at the College tell me sibiliry. McDaniel's control over the website hosl- might lack a sense of ethies, but this 3urhoralleast students, administration officials, and on-cam- they don't know about, ! can point to an e-mail, ing the meme is minimal. As Mike Robbins re- still oonsiders himself a decent human being.) pus groups wasn't the most pressing issue. [n the web posting, sign, me~ting at which the very issue counted during his visit to the' Philosophy Club Uj starred the Green Terror meme as a means words of several students that attended rhe Soap- has been covered" and ~['11 offer up any number Soapbox, McDaniel may be able ro fOKe the site to make a few jokes about the more silly aspeCtS box, the name-dropping found on the Green Ter- of changes that have been enacred as a result of e- to remove .he meme as an unauchoriud use of 11 of going [0 a .small liberal at~ college. Honesr!y, I ror meme was rhe jusr rhe work "of a few assholes M mails, Facebook messages, and face-to-face conver- college logo (a po:>5ibilirydiscounted by Get! in only saw it going as far as maybe 30 or so entries empowered by anonymiry to spread their hateful sations I've held with studellls.~ her imerview, as the Green Terror design is only in and just sorr of dying," said Monaco in an inter- sentiments. What was even more unbelievabl~ to those of- informal use by RCTC). The creator's control is view with the Free Ptess. The idea that there might What was clear from the comments made at ficialswas that fO(:ushad been so drastically divert- similarly limited. be cyberbullying, Monaco tecounts, "was a possi- the Soapbox was that it shouldn't be paid atten- cd from cybcrbullying. UI am not capable of taking the menle down," biliry that I honesdy hadn't considered, sinc~ I've tion to. Whar should be paid attention to were the "Whal Iwas most bothered by ... were some Monaco said in his imerview, ubur even if Iwere, never seen something like this happen before. I scores of m~mes complaining about the college, hurtful, mean, vicious comments students were rhat wouldn't address the larger issues. The issue was prerry surprised, to be perfectly honest." administrative offices, and campus facilities. making about one anodier. . what does that say is not that peoplo on our campilli are posting per- Why did this happen? How could this hap- uThe problem is we're not being heard," said about the community we're a part of.. we're sonal, sexist, homophobic, etc. things on this par- pen? What are we going to do about it? Jake Friedman. parr of a community rhar says 'that's okay' and fot ricular site, the issue is that our campus has this Those are the first thoughts that popped into "There's no real forum for us to complain so me 'thar's not okay," said Elizabeth Towle, Associ- attitude at all. Removing the meme wouldn't do my roind when I first read that meme and oth- we make rctarded imernet cartoons," Lucas Sper- 3te Dean of Student Affairs. "Why aren't students anything to make people behave in less shocking ers like it, and they most likely popped into the berconcurred. up in arms about these comments? Why aren't they ways, it would just hide it. It's a symptom, nOt a minds of other innocent bystanders on campus as Since stepping into office rhis year, Dr. Roger pissed off!" problem.~ well. What had begun as an opportunity to have Casey has widely publicizing his "open door poli- For Dean Towle, it was important that StU- For the time being, those in the administra- some fun and ~hare something with OIher students 0'" that allows McDaniel SlIldents ready access ro dents use this opportunity to speak OUt against the don are working to ensure that anyone 0[1 campus at McDaniel had transformed inw a nightmare. the head of the college (by appointment), But this hurt that had been caused by the meme, a semi- that feels targeted by negative memes have their Th~ ntemes had been poSted with ,uta] anonyrnlry, is apparently nor enough for some. lTl<:n( ecl><>ed in Dean Gen'. imcJ""Ifiew. • concerns 3ddresu:d. ~n~rt::::tt;;Sb;O;~I:~~;~:v~r~~j~:~r~S;:li~~~r [ion ~~:::lna~~o~/:~~~I:r;::~J~; ";;~:U[~i;~gOi;';~~r~:,,:~;~:c;~;rs "an~ ~oew·:=e~: ~=~(::like t~~::~=;.~~~':'eod~ !~.:";:'~:~~~~"~ low swciem they walked past in Clar, sar next TO [0 theadminislfation,~ said sophomore Noah P:1.t- safe communiry h~re," Gerl said. ~r(is $0 sad and ing aha people thai were n3med and reaching au. in class, or listened to playing guitar in the Quad ton. "There's an aura of untouchableness with {he so unaccepmble thaI peopl~ could turn and act that fO,hem." wrote the incredibly hurtful words. Does this re- administration" that keeps any student from ap- way with each other." 111 t.hePresident's Council's official S13(ement, ally represent the campusW~ live on: Those in the proa~~: ~~~:~dminiStrationl should be the ones shou~du::e;1~~%:I::f~sc:~:i~n:v;;~~~ng~;~:~~ Mlld~~;~:~r:n:!:~e:e~~i~~:i~:'hurt Or feeling adm~~~rsat~i~: :op~~:~i;:g;~:lmunity .hat iswd- interested in coming to us and listening mour con- the Green Terror mcme, all that spoke though! it isolated from Clmpus because of rhese messages," coming and inclusive of all its members," read a eern~:~:;h:ri::~~ni:~~vements made to the shou~1,~n;~k of it." said Jake Friedman. U[ think ~~::I:~!~he;1~:I~~~:5t~:~\~~ ~:~~:e~:~of:~: ~:~;l:~t~h:e~t~~;n7 :~;r~!d:~t~~l~~~e~~i:~ campus (the Dining Hall renovations, putchase it n~eds to die." Residence Life staff, or the staff and facuity mem- such as "quickmeme" cause hurrful and divisive of new gaming equipment for the Game Room. How that is to happen, however, is $fiJI a mat- bers ~~:e':~~I~a:I:~ ~rr:;P::sC::~I~f~~~'tO echo sentiments creating a hostile environment con- rhe construction of lights around th.efootball field, ter for debate. Som~ have suggested simply ignor- that plea. If you know anyone that has beenaf- .rary to the Firs! Principles of McDaniel College; and Casey's announced plan ro build a coffee shop ing it all together. [n the President's Council's of- fected by these memes or any other insrnnces of0'- and mOSt specifically the commitment thaT our in Hoover Library) came under fire. ficial statement, {his suggestion was given the full berbL,llying {or have been affected yourself) please know that there are people on rhiscampuswilling students will be placed at the center of a humane Mc~~~sie1~~;:c:!:; ::~;a::i~~~lg ~~~~~:H::~~forc:~: :[~~:: :ut~~c~,l~~e ::~l:~~;i~~me and ready to he!p you. You can reach the Wellness envi;:n:;;c~'~r interview, Beth Gerl, Viee Presi- senior Cmar Brown. Maybe. Brown went on, if together and express {()onc another in response to Cemer an appointm~nt with a profes- dent and Dean of Student Affairs, agreed {hat the the administration had actually worked to address these message, 'Not on our Campus,'" the ST"[~- at 410-857-2243. memc did not represent the campus she worked smdent concerns, it might have cr~ated a united ment read. "The sire will only continue to exist if student body unwilling to lash au( at each other ~~~;: ~~ ~1~:~~:: ':f~:er;;~~~':1 ~~:\~ye~~ ~Iwould nor be here if thar were the case,"Ged on r;~:~ggn :~~;::lrS::~' unbelievable to the ad- avoid thc site completely and focus on the positive ~:~!:~~i:~~~l: ~:;:::::~~:~ t~i:~:.~P of ministralion officials there. aspectS of c:mpus life as {he end of the semester When the Philosophy Club held a Soapbox "If the ennre campuS feels like this, why don't draws near. Cybe r Bu11>::~"~J;t~u~o",,~~~~'~'~wom~m~;~;~'?~,~,,;,':!!,~,Ten ~~;~A M~e~HLYAGINA ing sororities on the first 6 pages, and 70 percent pus life being specifically targeted, with first and WE HATE OUR WOMEN. 5 CI epor of these were aimed at Phi Mus. And I don't even last namesinclud~d.lronically, moslofthewomcn While 1 am sure {here has been some wom- like math. selected have, at some point or another, been con- an-on-woman hate on the memes, the majority One meme that summarizes [he general atti~ trovers~~1~r done something t~at could be c!assi- come across as men who are patherically attempt- The memes are about us and we support them. tude toward this specific sororiry is "Sisters of Ph, fied as betng a strong woman.., ing to rationalize why girls won't sleep with them Every time we log on, talk abour them, react Mu ... biggest cockblodts since Ca5tradon." This The math seems to say tha.t lfyoure a woman or why even the girls they deem as unanracdve [Q them, we give them power. meme type suggests thar there issomething intrin- who $Omeone on this campus would have a rea- don't care about them. Maybe it's beeause there's a These disgusting anonymous expressions, skallywrongwith thegirlswho~repartofthiSSO- ron to notice and who has had sex or denied sex sad, purrid anirude running rampant on campus which predominantly hate on individual people rorlty, or any sorority, if they d~n [~Ieep around: If 10 someone, you deserve to be pur down, remind- that is more unantacrive than anything-tr~adng and groups, have caught on IikeanST1. It itches, it you have a problem with soronty girls ~Ot puu~ng ed of the .lUggested puniness of your existence. girls like shiro burns, people are threatened by them, and if you're OUt,maybe you should discllSShow rhelr plcdgmg They'r~ saying, ~don't borher standing up, doing And I know far, far, far from every McDan- not careful you'll have one socn. system should incorporate a highl~ evolved system your own thing, or even saying no to having sex iel guy would ever agree with this atritude! We Although it'sbeen painfully disappointing to of credits where they must sleep WIthcowardly, pa- with anyone. Your role is to be an objecr.~ have strong, necessary male feminists right here se~ how people have been arrocked on the Green thetic assholes like [he writers of these memes MemCliare nOt rhe cause of this attitude, they on campus. What j ask is that you speak up loud- Terror Meme in any way, I want to focus specifical- And if women do express some semblance of are a symptom er, let YOllrpositive vokes be heard. BC1:au.sewhen Iy on the sexual harassment expressed on the site. sexual freedom, [ht'Y are insrantly categotized as How many people show up weekly to Wom- you have a vagina, the world already decides your it seems thar rhesexual harassmel)t can be ~bitches," "whores," lind "slu!s." For example: "Get en's Issues Group meetings~ Less than 20. And . mte ro some degree. But that's why we earne (0 col- broken down by target rype-sororiry girls, indi- new girlfriend, half of every fmt slept with her." there's over 20 memes that expressly degrade lege, to break free from all that. And when we get viduals without specific campus affiliations, and Wr:ll, darling, maybe you shoulcl have been rrying women. That's some bad math. But, oh wait, I'm here, we'tC pushed back even further than where McDaniel women ;t5 a general entiry. to coun her sooner and not sticking your dick in adding rather than bending over for some guy, my we starred: Allth~sororitieshavebeenrargeledsuffidem- everything you can. bad.' Here's anothet one for you: Go to McDaniel? ly, but Phi Mu girls have really been m~ated bru- These same rules apply for individual attacks, Hi, McDaniel, here's a meme (incorrectly Act like you're educated. tally on the memes. By the time thar the meme