Western Carolina University WCU University of North Carolina Asheville UNCA

Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Are you looking for…

Subject

Cherokee Traditions (346)
Creator

Cherokee Baskets (340)
Source

Cherokee Women (187)
Location

Cherokee Indians (152)
Subject

Cherokee Language Program (23)
Creator

Cherokee Indian Fair Association (16)

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

items 19 of 24 items

Copyright Download

Item 1 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_01

Item 2 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_02

Item 3 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_03

Item 4 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_04

Item 5 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_05

Item 6 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_06

Item 7 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_07

Item 8 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_08

Item 9 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_09

Item 10 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_10

Item 11 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_11

Item 12 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_12

Item 13 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_13

Item 14 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_14

Item 15 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_15

Item 16 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_16

Item 17 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_17

Item 18 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_18

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_19

Item 20 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_20

Item 21 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_21

Item 22 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_22

Item 23 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_23

Item 24 - Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

Western Carolinian Volume 60 Number 20

HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_24

Item

Details
- Format
  - Publications (documents)
- Type
  - Text
- Source institution
  - Western Carolina University
- Identifier
  - HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20_19
Transcript

February 16, 1995 Western Carolinian 19 Editorial Earle Explains the reading level, Explores Morality Dear WC & WC Readers, I am writing in regard to Mac Gilliam's response to my January 26 column, "Insecurities & Importance." Please take note that this letter is not written in a sarcastic tone. I state this for the sake of clarity, not facectiousness. I admit that my column was biased towards the literacy of Mr. Soesbee's letter. Mr. Gilliam should believe that his words, as well as those of other students and faculty, have affected me to a great degree. In what way they have affected me is for the reader to judge. Some people, who support my writing style, are cringing at what may seem to be an apology. To those people, I offer more substance as to why Mr. Gilliam's criticism is grounded. Mr. Soesbee did write "in a genuine spirit of concern." By spotlighting his personal linguistic affectations, I negated the whole theory behind writing a complete column in lowercase. This theory being: By demonstrating humility in the self by reducing to their smallest parts all pmdigms between (and including) "I" and God," the world may stop justifying equality Md begin practicing it. Therefore, when I dismissed Mr. wsbee's argument due to his lack of traditional grammar, my own dismissal was a paradox. However, what Mr. Gilliam might recognize is that I use this faulty argument in response to Mr. Soesbee's analysis of the WC, not his observations Warding drinking on campus. That fail to i column presented my opinion that Mr. Soesbee's composition style disqualified him as a critic of any form of written media, not responsible alcohol consumption. Mr. Gilliam's comment that "Mr. Wheeler... would have us believe that just because he doesn't enjoy the spectacle of the game it is inconsequential whether or not others do," is probably inspired by my statement: "i am sorry you could not enjoy the football game, i can only imagine your sorrow, i am too busy... to experience the thrill of watching large sweaty men run with a ball." I intended these words to support my academic argument regarding Mr. Soesbee's remarks about the WC's morality, not to contradict his (or anyone else's) legitimate concerns about alcohol at campus events. Mr. Gilliam goes on to say that "[Mr. Wheeler] would also have us believe, by implication, that the issue here is partly one of generational change, and the overthrow of Christian norms by people who know better." I must contest here that what I believe is not that I know better, but that I might know something. Also, Mr. Gilliam attempts to portray Mr. Soesbee as someone who is not presenting Christian values, but "common virtues such as civility and integrity." I admit Mr. Gilliam has not convinced me here, but I also have no proof to support Christianity as Mr. Soesbee's driving force, so I will leave the reader to assume that Mr. Soesbee has a religious neutrality backing his concepts of morality (much as myself)- Along those lines, Mr. Gilliam writes that "Soesbee's talk of a 'moral status' seems to have hit bone with EARL." This is right on target. Mr. Soesbee's remarks that he would "give [issues of WC] to people who will try to help enforce some Moral status on campus" does frighten me. It is not, however, the words "Moral status" that affect me. It is the word "enforce." It was, and is, my responsibility to present my ideas in a way that is clearly recognizable and understandable by everyone. The fact that I must clarify my column to such an extent demonstrates it as a persuasive failure, and I apologize for presenting any member of the reading public with such a difficult task of deciphering. I do not apologize for my "insecurities" regarding the proposed enforcement of a morality that deals only with four letter words and ethical ideology. P.S. I must admit that, due to my column's length, I am surprised that anyone read it, considering how many people write negative letters regarding the WC. I honestly thank Mac Gilliam for his letter. It has given me the opportunity to paraphrase and clarify my point (hopefully). I hope no one feels I am being "smug," but if they do, please write. Your ideas can only help me to polish my skills more. When I write a column, I make myself vulnerable to campus-wide criticism. Everyone should realize this by the number of negative letters we publish (and believe me, we publish all of them within our spatial limitations). When any member of the public writes an open letter to the editor, they do the same. The same is true when there is a mispelled word or incorrect fact. In 1994, a faculty member sent us a letter telling us we should stop publishing the WC if it continued to contain so many typos. Since then, we have decreased the number of mistakes per issue dramatically, but never did we consider not publishing. I offer the same advice to the writing campus. Do not stop writing. Just keep getting better at it, as you obviously are. We all have things to learn. The WC staff is learning how to run a newspaper. It would be nice if the campus would help us out more than attack us (though even all the attacks we have received have bettered us). If all of the people who know more about the newspaper business came to work with us, instead of dropping off letters like a grenade and running off to see what happens next, they might feel more rewarded. I still think a regular conservative columnist would be a bright feather in the WC's hat, since the majority of WCU's population leans towards conservatism. P.P.S. By the way, Mr. Gilliam misspelled my name as EARL. My Christian middle name is Earle. My "reading level" nickname is erl. I assume this was a typo on either his or our part, or possibly his own unique brand of creative grammar. I am positive he is not trying to be needlessly offensive. Sincerely, Earle Wheeler Large student Student Claims Swift Caught in "Color of Money" Crossfire De« Editor. Iwanttocommend the Western Carolinian for featuring the recent political commen- PiZX °tt Swift His work is informed and his writing brings a professionalism to the isthp^thatmi8ht otherwise be lacking. I should admit that Scott is a friend of mine, so there Cv^^fo'biasonmypart.Inave found for the most part that Scott and I agree on ,.,.he "great issues" of the day. . .. most ^lththatsaid,forthe sake of political discourse, I would like to take exception to his C^^.-«ngminPority scholarship, ft :is not so much.the. subset Scott'**' '""enngconcerning minority scholarsmps. u is i»» ^ »«-- Cf*tha* I object to. His frustration is real and valid. Rather it is the tone of the ou,j* " ^that bothers ™e. Fi«t, in explaining the circumstances that plague him, Sw> 'brum ?ader histo»«l context that adequately explains his dilemma 1 «f ;/™^V"" Cs, ft'Swift Averts this context, arguing instead that Affirmative Action and other CinVvT^55 P»t racial abuse have gone too far. He contends that those of us who.were °urfathp P°St-Civil Right* "a should somehow be exempt from paying for the sns of Cta (my Phrase). Whites (specifically white males) are now the victims of the same watery practices that federal legislation was enacted to stop. nn<5inon ^ter ,vkme Some«™ to understand the discomfort that I ^^7?*"^ Cin "1?" "S^ent that has gained increase in recent years. That, in fact,>wha11 fmd so CS8'The a'gument reeks of the political atmosphere in which we are forced t^breathe in tfiCentUry A™rica. To argue some magical, generational endpo.nt for paling with Sfanc s lS0Cial issues does not work. Certainly there are and will be, abuses. Are the_c.rcum achieVe n^" desc»bes "equality?" Probably not. Let's try a new word: justice. To ab'e thesrHealr^Uiressacri«ceandhardwork'Neither °f ^^ ', T tTeonSiteD Ki"gKavP,?yS- Today you ™*d "ot sacrifice at all for the principles that people^ke Dr. vide8Q8ale their Hves for. You need only walk over to the Media Center and check ou the *4h l* °n the P"ze." Then in the confines of your own home youica.Uve^^T Ugh «* sacrifices of others. It is the perfect medium for the Digital Generation. In fact, why don't we call it "virtual idealism." Combined with this dogged fear of sacrifice is a political leadership class that encourages (needs) us to make this accommodation. They offer America a "contract" and endemic to this-agreement is a promise to cater to our worst instincts. The poor (especially their children), minorities, inmmigrants, and gays are all singled out for abuse. "Down-size" government on the backs of those least able to defend themselves and justify it in terms of fiscal responsibility. Brilliant. The tragedy is that this is so detached from the social realities in this country as to border on the absurd. I still remember the nausea that I felt, sitting on the couch with my wife who is black, watching for the first time the Rodney King videotape. I am the father of two mixed-race baby girls, and I go to sleep every night with the knowledge that the day will come when I will have to explain to them about a world full of acquaintance rape, sexual harassment, preferential hiring policies that discriminate against women and minorities, and outright race hate! Excuse me if find it difficult to bemoan the plight of white males in 1990s America. The thought of it enrages me. The problem that Scott describes has little to do with minorities. It has a lot to do with the institutions who for decades discriminated, consciously and/or unconsciously, against particular groups. Swift's anger should be directed against them because he is paying for their mistakes. Now it should be pretty clear that my anger is not directed to Scott Swift. He just got caught in the cross-fire. Scott did his job, which was to pose a question and make an argument. He will go on to graduate school regardless of what may seem to be an unfair scholarship system. Scott will excel in graduate school because he works hard, is a fine student and a quality person. And I suspect that his educational experience will be enriched by the diversity of the people in his classes who were given an opportunity to open a door that may otherwise have been closed to them. Mark Huddle

Object

Description

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.
Details
- Creator
  - Western Carolina University
- Format
  - Publications (documents)
- Type
  - Text
- Date
  - Date original: 1995-02-16
  - Date digitized: 2019-11-13
- Extent
  - Dimension: 14" x 11.25"
  - Pages: 24 pages
- Subject - Topic
- Location
  - Jackson County (N.C.)
  - Cullowhee (N.C.)
- Source institution
  - Western Carolina University
- Source Collection
  - WCU Students Newspapers Collection
- Identifier
  - HL_WesternCarolinian_1995-02-16_Vol60_No20
- Repository
  - Western Carolina University Hunter Library

For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser.