Page Two
CLARION
FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 1977
—itu atK UK ..toej
Eliitartal J
THE CLARION
So often one finds editorials to
be tirades against a never-ending
ocean of injustice. Within this
vein of negativism, the author
gropes for some solutions among
all of the choice sarcasm which
the events bring to mind. For
once, at least, this author would
like to write something with a
positive base — a sort of giving
credit where credit is due, so to
speak. At the risk of being
somewhat biased, this editorial
will deal with a subject of interest
among many students this
semester — Taylor Dormitory.
The idea which seeks expression
is this: Taylor Dorm, with all of
its clanging radiators, lukewarm
showers, and pre-Deluvian
plumbing stands today as an
example of progressive campus
housing at a Christian institution
of higher learning.
The first factor so often
misunderstood by those not in
residence at Taylor is that
college regulations are enforced
at the dormitory. Let me clarify
this: there is a tremendous
difference between enforcement
and incarceration. There is no
communication gap between the
R. A.’s and the students. Fur
thermore, there is a spirit of
fraternity which permeates the
entire dorm. One can speak
clearly and frankly with Mr.
Craig Powell (our dormitory
director). This in itself greatly
facilitates an exchange of ideas
— both negative and positive —
between the students and the
administration. But the exchange
doesn’t end there — we get a
response (not necessarily af
firmative, but a reponse,
nonetheless). When a regulation
of the college is not adhered to,
there is not an immediate and
final judgement made. First and
foremost comes communication
(something which is so often
lacking in any society). No
system of justice can ever be
effective without close and
personal interaction between
authority and its constituency.
Doors are not broken down (they
are knocked upon); students are
not harassed ( they are shown the
March 4, 1977
respect due adult human beings
and mutual members of a
campus community); paranoia
is not rampant (respect for the
rights of otoers is). All of these
add up to a single policy of
positive dormitory psychology.
For the first time in our lives,
many of us are beginning to
realize that rules are made with
people in mind.
The second factor this
discussion brings to mind is the
question of mutual respect
between the members of the
dorm itself. So often society will
evolve toward a feeling of
alienation among its members.
In a police state, each member,
motivated by sdf-preservation,
will strive to be as independent as
possible — cooperating more out
of fear than compassion.
However, a positive system of
organization greatly increases
the students awareness of his
dependence upon all of the
members, and that his neighbors
deserve the same degree of
respect that he himself so richly
desires. Confucius called it
“reciprocity” (“Do not treat
others as you would not have
others treat you”).
The last factor to be discussed
is in somewhat of a moralistic
vein. It is neither my desire nor
my intent to undermine the
organization of other dorms on
campus. Each dorm must
develop its own unique system of
operations if it is to be effective.
However, I think it is equally
reasonable to admit that this
positive psychology of dormitory
living is found in varying degrees
all over campus. With the ad
dition of the card system for the
women students, Brevard is
granting its community mem
bers a degree of personal rights
never before achieved on this
campus. The danger here is that
there will always be a very small
minority who will violate
regulations regardless of
psychology. It is our duty as adult
members of this community to
recognize our new privileges as
just that — a gift that many
The CLARION
Brevard, N. C. 28712
j Member of Associated Collegiate Press and In-
ercollegiate Press, Three-time winner of ACP’s First-
Class Rating. Published during the college session by
students of Brevard College. The opinions expressed in
this periodical are those of the editorial board and not
necessarily those of the college.
(Editor-in-Chief
Sports Editor
Advertising Manager
^Feature Editor
Staff
Deborah Shelton
Rick Olive
Gordon Bostic
Rhonda Pruitt
Photographer
Advisor
Public Relations Director
Matt Gilson, Luke Osteen x
Cathy Varner , George Loveland
Doyle Williams
Rhuemma C. Miller
John D. Eversman [j
students before us tried to obtain
but never did. Perhaps if we
utilize the power of the silent
majority, we can demonstrate to
the rest of the community that we
are responsible enough to accept
and respect any privileges which
the college sees fit to give us.
t“One of the unfortunate dif
ferences between a profit-mak
ing corporation and a govem-
Iment entity is that business
operates on a carefully ac
counted for accrual basis while
tour various governments—lo
cal, state, and federal—pursue
a helter-skelter cash flow strat
egy. Governments have deluded
themselves for years into be
lieving that the tax barrel is a
limitless treasure trove of funds
to spend. Thus, they have piled
up liabilities upon liabilities far
into the future, through pension
funds and other commitments.
But the fact is that taxes have
become so astronomical that
any additional taxation merely
erodes the tax base and reduces
revenues.”
—Robert E. Thomas
Pardon vs. Amnesty -
A Moral Injustice
On March 6, 1976, an aspiring - All draft offenders who have
young presidential candidate taken citizenship in another
from Georgia named Jimmy country and therefore could have
Carter was interviewed by the been excluded from returning to
Washington Post. When asked the United States,
about the many Vietnam war - All draft offenders who
draft evaders abroad. Carter participated in President Ford’s
replied: “It’s very difficult for clemency are to receive a full
me to equate what they (those pardon if their clemency was
who fought) did with what the conditional,
young people did who left the The Carter Administration
country. So for a long time it was may now consider the issue
hard for me to address the settled, but in actuality, the draft
question in objective fashion, but evader issue is far from resolved.
I think its time to get the Vietnam During the campaign, President
war over with.” Carter, himself, made the
Then, after a long campaign, a distinction between “amnesty”
victory, and a “common man’s” and “blanket pardon”. In
inaugurational ball, Jimmy President Carter’s view, an
Carter, during his first week in amnesty would be an admission
office, issued a blanket pardon that the moral deserters were
for Vietnam draft evaders. The right, whereas a blanket pardon
President’s program pardoned; would merely be an invitation to
- All persons who may have forgive and forget. The President
committed any offense between is stiU unwilling to adnnit the
Aug. 4,1964, and Mardi 28, 1973, generally conceded fact that the
in violation of the Military Vietnam war was morally wrong.
Selective Service Act or any rule There are still many
or regulation promulgated Americans abroad who carry
thereunder. inside them a feeling that they
- All persons convicted of ^y (jij the right thing. Are these
Selective Service violation Americans to be barred from
committed during the same jjjgjj. country simply because
period. they stood up, and are still
by George Loveland
standing up, for a position which
most Americans (excluding the
President) now concede? It is not
a compliment to our government
to have to say that we have a
president who refuses to admit
that the Vietnam war was wrong.
Furthermore, President
Carter’s plan is far from just. It
excludes the military deserters
of the Vietnam war. These men
left for the same moral reasons
that the draft evaders did. But
what is the difference in one who
realized the insanity of the
Vietnam war before he saw it and
one who came to this realization
after he got a whiff of the fiasco?
True, President Carter’s plan
is a step in the right direction. His
goal to “get tht Vietnam war
over with” is a nobel one. But the
job of healing our country is far
from over. We owe it to these
men to grant them an “am
nesty”. We must forget the
ridiculous assumption that they
were wrong and we should grant
them a“pardon” for the sole
purpose of healing the country’s
wounds.
The Luck Of The Irish
Saint Patrick was born in the
late 4th century in what was still
Roman Britain. The son of a
deacon, he obviously knew
something about Christianity but
was apparently somewhat less
than devout. At the age of 16 he
was kidnapped by a party of
raiders and sold as a slave to the
chief of a powerful Irish tribe.
During his six long years as a
shepherd in servitude, he
remembered his father’s
teachings and developed a strong
faith in the Lord. Finally, lying
half asleep one night, he heard a
voice instructing him to escape
and flee to the coast. He did just
that and sure enough, there on
the coast, he found a ship that
gave him passage home. (Pretty
neat, huh?)
But the saga of Patrick doesn’t
stop with a Late Show ending like
that. Once again a voice spoke to
him, this time telling him to
return to Ireland to preach the
Christian faith. Ireland at that
time was a rough place with
by Luke Osteen
semi-barbaric tribes, a
flourishing slave trade, and
bands of Druids who felt that it
was their duty to “retire” any
Christian missionary that they
found. Lacking a decent
education and fearing a return to
the country of his captivity,
Patrick tried to ignore the call.
But it grew as incessant as a
“Ring Around the Collar”
conunercial and he returned to
Ireland. Jouneying through the
north and west, where no
Christian had gone before, he
began the almost impossible task
of converting an entire Pagan
country. But Patrick was blest
with a sense of humor, a humble
spirit, a skillful tongue, and a
tireless devotion to the teachings
of Christ and by the aid of his
life, Ireland was a bastion of
Christian Faith.
Today the works of Saint
Patrick are commemorated on
the day of his death, Mardi 17, in
both Ireland and the U. S. The
shamrock so often associated
with St. Patrick, was actually a
teaching aid used to illustrate the
concept of the Holy Trinity with
each leaf representing either the
Father, Son, or the Holy Spirit.
The popular belief that he 1^ all
of the snakes out of Ireland
springs from a 6th century
reference to his “driving the
serpents of the unclean (the
Pagans) from the land”. Keep it
green!
About 600,000 barrels of oil
come from Saudi Arabia to the
U. S. daily.
PLAnroo/vShy s^oiyLey
\mBE ITS CALLED PLmUPUNCWRE!