• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1988-11-10_Vol54_No13_04

Voices The Western Carolinian Page 4 Thursday, November 10, 1988 "You have the right to free speech, as long as you're not dumb enough to actually try it" - The Clash. Martha McAfee Editor Letter to the 'Editor 0 Dear Editor: In an effort to announce a recent Democratic rally, I had to replace posters in the cafeteria every day for four days because every single ^y Curtis Pate poster had been torn down that day. STAFF WRITER There was not a single Democratic poster left in the building each day, while all the Republican signs were still there. Republicans are no more holy than Democrats. I do not believe that either the College Democrats or the College Republicans advocate this sort of action. People who take such actions have not gone through the work of putting up signs. I would also like to know where Ms. Gamble gets the statistic that there are more Republicans on campus than Democrats. Where does one get a statistic like Free Speech? Why Should we be insulted on our views? Counselor's Corner by Rhonda Amnions, Give me a break! Last that? Has she polled all 6,000+ wceks comments by Lori Gamble students? I doubt it. I do not know about the Democrats tearing down that ratio, and neither does she. posters have about as much truth to Has she been in contact with Mr. them as a George Bush commer- Bush's propogandists and liars? cial. Yes, Republican posters have Have they taught her how to mis- been torn down, but so have many use the press? Democratic ones. There are obvi- Elections come and go, ously Republicans on campus who but human values remain. There also are "belligerent, unrefined, will always be those from each and obviously unaware of Ameri- party who tear down signs and can rights." This is a human con- those who write to the editor point- dition, not a partisan one. ing a finger saying, "I am holier Ms. Gamble flatly states than thou." that "the Democratic posters Jason Ward haven't been touched." Balonev! President, College Democrats In last week's Carolinian an editorial appeared by Ms. Lori Gamble in which she told about how the political signs she and some of her friends put up had been torn down. While there is no real way to prove who it was, the' fact that the signs were for the Republican party seem to indicate that the culprits were Democrats. A friend of mine, who shall remain nameless, ran afoul of a group of liberals on his residence hall because of his views on defense. These individuals made life miserable for him and he ended up moving off campus. The harassment still continues. As a good Democrat, I find these incidents twice as offensive as the most odious Republican misrepresentation of my party and its candidates. I am not responsible for what the Republicans do, if they act in a reprehensible fashion that's their business and their problem. But when people who are suppos- SIGMA PHI EPSILON BACKS OUR CATAMOUNT CHEERLEADERS JEFF BLAKE TODD CURRIE LARRY VINSON & MIKE - MAN BILL ANDERSON SPRING BREAK TOUR PROMOTER - ESCORT Energetic person, (M/F/), to take sign-ups for our Florida tours. We furnish all materials for a sucessful promotion. Good PAY and FUN. Call CAMPUS MARKETING at 1-800-777-2270. edly on my side start doing things Ronald Reagan has made the like this, it becomes my problem, word such political poison over At any given time, 20 Being zealous in the pro- the last eight years that anyone million people in the United motion of your views is an admi- who admits to being liberal faces States are on a diet. Many of rable quality, as long as you don't an uphill fight in politics. Many these are fad diets but even go overboard with it. Naturally people today seem to think that when dieting in a healthy way everyone believes that their beliefs liberal is a nice way of saying over 90% of people who diet are correct, otherwise they would communist, and it is no accident eventually gain the weight not hold those beliefs. In some that they feel that way. Eversince back. Often they add a few cases others will hold views so the 1950's conservatives have pounds more than their original divergent from yours that you will branded everything they did not weight, consider them wrong. But what so agree with as un-American, be it Eating disorders, espe- many people fail to realize is not abolition of segregated schools or daily obesity, are more corn- only that they don't know every- the nuclear freeze movement, mon in women. This can be thing, but also that being wrong is The only question they seem to be attributed to the cultural roles of notacrime. There is such a thing as unsure of is whether liberals are women who are taught to be an honest difference of opinion, actively working for the Soviets givers and to take care of others, and if freedom of speech is to mean or if they are just ignorant dupes. Often they lose touch with their anything it must mean that those In not a few cases those who pro- own needs and overeating is a you disagree with must be allowed fess a liberal philosophy have means of nuturing themselves to speak as well. Otherwise the been the victims of physical vio- or swallowing their feelings, whole idea is a sham. lence, personal insults, and uncal- Low self-esteem is a To me it makes no sense led-for harassment. This has been common feature of eating-dis- that people who are supposedly going on so long that many con- ordered people whether the liberal would participate in actions sider it a fact of life, but that does problem is obesity, bulmia or such as these. Webster defines not make it right. anorexia. Low feelings of self- liberal as "tolerant, broad minded, Politics is something that worth are both a cause and an favoring reform or progress." The people usually feel very strongly effect. People with eating disor- American Civil Liberties Union, an about, which is understandable ders tend to look for extrinsic organization much reviled for its when you consider the impor- rewards rather than find satis- "liberalism", constantly strives to tance of the issues in question, faction and worth within them- protect people's right to free However, politics is not war, or at selves. Although they may have speech. Conservatives such as least it's not supposed to be. In strong dependency needs, often those in the Reagan administration many Third World nations politi- people with eating disorders claim that liberals are too permis- cal discussion is conducted with have difficulty in relationships sive, that we need to limit ways in rifles, those who are left standing with others. They usually eat in which people can express them- get to run the government for as isolation or with other selves because some of them are long as they can hold onto it. We overeaters and there are strong wrong. It is part of the very basic have not reached that point, but if guilt feelings aboutthis activity, philosophy of liberals that the polarization around issues con- Often depression and/or perfec- rights of the individual are para- tinues to escalate it may not be too tionism are issues connected to mount and must be protected at any far in the future. It would do us all this problem. Social issues are cost. You cannot defend the free- a lot of good to realize that there also involved and food may be dom of the individual by attacking are at least two sides to every seen as the overeater's best the rights of any who oppose you. issue, and to have the sense to friend. Oppose them, yes. If you think realize that no one of us has all the People with eating dis- someone is wrong about some- answers. Just because someone orders are often out of touch thing, argue with them. If they put differs with you on political is- with themselves either emo- up signs for Republicans, put up sues doesn't mean that they're tionally, physically or spiritu- signs for Democrats. Make your your sworn enemy or that they're ally. Normal people eat when voice heard and state your opinion, trying to ruin the country. Politi- they are hungry and stop when that is your right and in a sense your cal issues are in general so com- they have had enough. With obligation. But remember that it is plex that there are many ways to compulsive or binge eaters also their right. If you resort to go about dealing with them, if (bulimics) physical hunger has intimidation and destruction to someone disagrees with you it is a little to do with eating. Food make people afraid to argue with simple difference of opinion. It is takes on a symbolic meaning you, you haven't won anything. If counter-productive to sue threats, rather than being fuel for their you do it in the name of defending harassment, or violence to get bodies. They are also out of liberty, you lose all credibility and your point across, you prove touch with themselves emotion- do much more harm to your cause nothing except that you cannot ally. In their families they then your most fanatical opponent defend your position by more learned to distrust their feelings could dream of. legitimate means. Free discus- or just not to feel. They con- Lest anyone get the idea sion of ideas is necessary to the tinue their lack of awareness of that liberals are the only people to continued existence of a democ- emotions by "stuffing them", who I am speaking, let me add that racy, and anything done to inter- Some indications that conservatives are just as bad, if not fere with it is dangerous to free- eating has ^cn on compulsive worse. George Bush spent much of dom. the recently-ended presidential campaign attacking liberals, and Wanted Spring Break Representative for Natl. Tour Company Great Benefits Call Today (612) 784-2287 LmTMCTCTOZL- \$©cKlg a^^^s^&k. T>s<i\CAieA f-o a.U +K^6j? uXc WfiLvtf tr-teti.1 ©TSLGteney '88 Ocxq, olo.^ . wW;Ie rXof+orrar\d a 5eacouo] u^ere ^sr-andirvO) in. -VKe -r*ield beV\'mcJ t field , &o Kor+or\ QjM -Wml £ea.coi_o beg^jo -to V-\A.yg-«secfl<\d. iWi^Ji oJdooV Ktujg^ c^cm^. qualities are: preoccupation with thoughts of food, binge eating, guilt feelings after overeating, using food as a tranquilizer (eating to the point of sluggishness or sleep) and hiding food or secret eating. Often problem eaters are viewed by society as lacking in self-discipline. Actually in many areas they may be tremendously self-disciplined. In fact, they may diet so strictly that feelings of deprivation lead to binges. Compulsive eating is a sympton of a more complex problem that it appears on the surface. Underlying issues are covered up by eating and preoccupation with food. The major underlying issue is fear. It is the fear of being unable to face feelings, rather than the feelings themselves, that is difficult to deal with. The idea is that one cannot stand loneliness, emptiness, guilt problems that have to be solved or tasks that must be accomplished without excess food. Effective treatment of this problem involves dealing with the symptons as well as the underlying problems. For more Continued see Corner pg 5 4

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University’s student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1988-11-10
  • Date digitized: 2019-09-05
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 14.25"
  • Pages: 14 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1988-11-10_Vol54_No13
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library