• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1990-11-08_Vol56_No12_03

Volume 56 Number 12 Voices The Western Carolinian Page 3 Thursday. November 8, 1990 John Marshall Dennis Editor-in-Chief From the Editor... As you have seen, we here at the Carolinian have added a new feature, the Public Safety report. In recent issues of the Carolinian, Public Safety has been put in a humorous light. In our efforts to present both sides of the story we have added this section. As indicated, it will be a weekly feature found on News page 2 . We hope this will be beneficial to those who are interested in what Public Safety does. Letters to the Editor A reply to J. Moriarty's letter 1/te Western CaroCinian I must admit that I was a bit surprised at the vehemence, passion, and general lack of clear thought that J. Moriarty showed in her response to my letter on the collapse of America. Her letter was run under the headline "Apathy not seen by student" on October 25 in the Western Carolinian. It seems that she took my indictment of America's youth personally, even though I barely know who she is. It was not my intention to say that any one person in particular had the characteristics I described. I was calling attention to general trends. I am pleased that J. Moriarty is so viscer- ally aware of the world around her. However, I must take exception to several of the things she said in her letter. She said "[o]ur economy hasn't been a shock to anyone since Ford". I really don't understand the significance of that sentence. Is she suggesting that our economy hasn't been bad since then, or that nobody has been surprised by it since then? Regardless, she missed the point. I said that we are on the brink of an economic collapse, implying that this will occur in the near future. The past state of our economy is irrelevant to that point. She goes on to agree with the facts that students watch too much meaningless television and that Americans regularly get trashed in academic competitions, and then seems to suggest lhat these things are excusable, because people talk about important world events. Again, I am lost. First of all, most people do not talk about these things, and secondly, when they do, they are speaking from ignorance. If I do live in a shell, as Ms. Moriarty concludes, then several top-quality researchers are jammed in there with me. On the front page of the same paper in which Moriarty' s letter appeared, there is an article under the headline "Are college students least ethical?". This article reports the findings of a study done by the Josephson Institute, on of the leading ethics researching centers in the world. The study concludes that the current generation is "more violent, promiscuous, racist, and ignorant than any other generation". That seems to validate my argument more than Ms. Moriarty's. It is interesting to note that Ms. Moriarty's response to my letter is the only one received by the newspaper staff. If, in fact, the students of our university are as concerned as J. Moriarty claims, then it is surprising that she is their sole defender. The almost total lack of response to an admittedly inflammatory letter suggests that either everyone else agrees wilh me, or that nobody else cares at all. In both cases, my argument is supported. Finally, I will explain the cryptic last line of my letter: Jesse must be destroyed. I was pleased to discover that everyone knew which Jesse I meant. However, I do not know how anyone could have read my entire letter and thought that it was an attack on Jesse Helms. The only part of that letter that had anything to do with Helms was the last line. The letter was written with several allusions to the Roman Empire, and that statement was one of those allusions. Cato the Elder, a relatively famous statesman in Rome, ended his speeches, regardless of the subject, with the same line: "Carthage must be destroyed." Cato considered Carthage to be the greatest enemy of the Roman state, and he thought it foolish to ignore them. The Punic Wars proved him right. I leave it to the reader to conclude what this allusion suggest about my opinion of Jesse Helms and his role in North Carolina. Since Ms. Moriarty's letter was filled more with insults, unwarranted conclusions, and misapprehensions that cogent arguments, I real ly do not consider it to be a rebuttal of my letter. I encourage anyone who disagrees with me to write to the newspaper, or maybe blow up my house. I would love to see a definite indication that the people who are truly concerned with the future of this country are not as lonely as they seem. J. L. Oakes Western Carolina University The Old Student Union P.O. Box 66 Cullowhee, NC 28723 John Marshall Dennis Editor-in-Chief Laura Lee Adams Assistant to the Editor Associate Editors Jeff Oakes- Copy Editor Lisa Majors - News Tony Bolick- Sports Douglas R Pease - Design & Layout Design & Layout Stephanie L. Messer Photographer Jonathan Fondow Typesetters Emily Gill Sheila Sharp Kim Miller Business Manager Kendra A. Blackwell Writers David Lange Michelle Mathis Cassandra Barnett Suzanne Kenndell Robbie Robertson Chris A. Smith Robert Sorrells Emily Gill Advertising Sales & Design & Layout Mike Bernstein Christa Humphrey Advisor Mr. John Moore Who says there's nothing to do in Cullowhee on the weekends? Douglas R Pease Columnist It's Friday afternoon. Strangely, parking spots are everywhere and pedestrians are hard to find. What was normally a bustling college is transformed into a West- em ghost town. A promo for The Twilight Zone? No, just the average weekend in Cullowhee. Why does it happen? With fourteen fraternities and nine sororities, one would think that WCU should be party HQ every weekend. Sometimes it is. But due to stricter JFC regulations, even the Greek scene is becoming calmer. And what of the poor GDI/ Dorm Rat? Without access to the Greek nightlife, what can he/she do? The case seems hopeless. Might as wellgohometovisitmylitllesister But wait!!! Thecampus is teeming with exciting, thrilling, and perhaps dangerous things to do. I'll not mention the hundredsof thousands of campus organizations that offer alternatives to boredom. And Greeks are not the only social scene. So sit back, let your imagination take control, and DO NOT try any of the things I suggest. Drunken College Ninja Turtles: Ever notice those steam tunnels that criss-cross under the campus? Me too. I've always wondered what is down there and if I could walk to class through them. Get lots of pizza (cheapest you can find) and several cases of Glacier Bay (the Official Cheap Beer of Western Carolina) and start prying open those manhole covers. I bet there's something really neat down there that no one is talking about. Hidden treasure, lost IDs, Al Capone's fortunes, and even secret Nazi pillboxes could be just under your feet. I wouldn't worry about Cullowhee Five-0 coming after you, either. Unless you illegally park your car down there. SpidermanRevisited: Inyearspast, students would occasionally repell from the nearest dorm. Even Rich Hall, famous WCU student and HBO Sniglet-host, is rumored to have repelled from Harrill. So, with the addition of newer structures, it is your duty to "break them in." Take the Alumni Tower, forexample. It's tall enough to be a challenge (66' 6"), a central building for easy access, and needs to be used for something other than a huge Timex. I'd suggest careful planning, quick descent, and letting me know if you do this. I'd like to see it!! But repelling is not the only Tower option. Which brings us to.... Alumni Tower Mischief: It's tall, cylindrical, and made of brick. By that description it can only be a smokestack. Add a huge clock and it is The Alumni Tower. This is a structure without purpose. Beside making noise and telling the time, it does nothing. I could spend $1.99 and equal its achievements. Since the university has no further purpose for this monster, I have a few. Let the Art Department turn it into some type of "modem sculpture." They are good at altering normal items into abstract ones. This could be their greatest challenge. The Tower also looks pretty bland. Wouldn't it be nice to add some colors to the structure? Go for it!! Just don't paint with the color scheme used in the dorm rooms. Let ROTC run zip lines from the top down to Dodson cafe. They could then us it for training purposes. Scale the tower, zip down to Dodson, and blow up the tater tots, thus saving the campus from cold, greasy, undercooked potato products. Stakeout: Round up several dozen of your pals and follow a Public Safety officer around campus for a few hours. Ask lots of questions about his job. Go to Hardee's with him/her too. No one likes to eat alone. I'm sure you'll getagoodidea how demanding the job can be and really appreciate how many tickets he has to write. Elevator Surfing: It's a craze that's sweeping the nation. In simplest terms, it is the same as riding the elevator, only on top!! Be careful, falling from the "surfboard" could result in rapid deceleration trauma or cement poisoning. Heads could also be lost in this game. GBF: Glacier Bay Frisbee. It was started on this campus last year by several of my Sigma Chi Alpha fraternity brothers. Ask any of them and they will explain the rules. This is a game that must be played to really appreciate it. Lots of fun, not too expensive, and can be played in any weather. Basically, it's dodgeball for college kids. Drink two quick beers, split into two teams (one on each side), and try to destroy the other team with the flying disc. If your team is not drinWhg" last enough, it may be forced to polish off the remaining Glacier Bay. The fact that you must have a botUe in your hand at all times makes this game a challenge. Open House Fun: A visitor to the Carolinian suggested this gem. We've all seen the groups of high schoolers and parents that are led on the Open House tour of campus. It was suggested that a group of students could position themselves along the tour route. They would be casually resting from the previous night's activities (OK, lying on the ground looking passed out). Empty bottles and cans (which will be recycled) would surround them, giving the impression that a really good time was had by all. This should impress students considering WCU. And parents would be delighted to see the recycling efforts made by WCU students. CV Parties: Everyone without a Greek ID has been essentially excluded from the best parties at WCU. Yet there is a place where Greeks and GDIs alike can socialize and bibulate together. It's Carolina Village Apartments!! I live there and have seen a few great parties this summer and fall. Just B YOB and be prepared for a visit from the Sylva patrol. With this starter list of activities, you and your friends should have no reason to leave campus every weekend. Stick around and discover the excitement that surrounds us. Don't just watch American Gladiators - become one at WCU!!! (f Tiern Carolinian Welcomes editorial input from students, faculty, and staff on matters of public interest. Please address correspondence to: Voices P.O. Box 66 Cullowhee, NC 28723 \ 11 submissions wilt be considered, but the Western Carolinian reserves the right to refuse publication of offensive or otherwise unsuitable material. The Caroliniais not responsible for opinions expressed on the Editorial page. Student On The Street Name: Cole Wildman Hometown: Fayetteville Major: Marketing/Management Year: Sophomore Two things I would add for the improvement of Western would be the installation of change machines in each dorm and making our meal cards useful in more places on ^ ^campus, What would you do to improve the university? Name: Darryl Jamison Hometown: Sylva Major: Criminal Justice Year: Senior I would make more commuter parking places. Name: NeilTorda Hometown: Orlando, Fla. Major: Social Sciences Ed. Year: Freshman Improve the parking situation and make the classes more personalized. Name: Rebecca R. White Hometown: Waynesville Major: Early Ed./ Psychology Year: Sophomore Somehow the parking needs to be improved, not only for residents but commuters also. Name: Shawn Walker Hometown: Burlington Major: Elementary Ed. Year: Senior I would have a mall built near the university. Also the university needs clubs where students can have somewhere to go instead of on-campus parties. Name: Karen C. Freeman Hometown: Charlotte Major: Elementary Ed. Year: Junior To improve the university, I would have more weekend sports for the students to attend. I'd put telephone booths in the freshman parking lot. _#

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: 1990-11-08
  • Date digitized: 2019-09-30
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 14.25"
  • Pages: 10 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_1990-11-08_Vol56_No12
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library