TTiePlfet
Friday, September 27,2002
Opinion
Pape 13
Letters to the Editor
Actions reflect
poor view
To the Editor:
With the recent events, I
feel it necessary to write this
letter. I am a concerned student
of Gardner-Webb, who came to
this university because of its
Christian environment, as well
as its wonderful faculty.
When I found out about Dr.
White, as well as the former
women’s basketball coach’s
actions, I was appalled. In any
university, people look to the
president as the leader and
spokesperson. By his actions,
Dr. White, the Gardner-Webb
University’s president
(assumed leader/spokesper
son), has given the public a
poor view of Gardner-Webb
University. I pray that the
trustees will remember that this
school is Christian and stands
for something better than acad
emics and athletics. Gardner-
Webb University is a character-
building school. Without
integrity, such character build
ing is useless.
Dr. White did break policy,
and he should be punished
accordingly. Yes, I do believe
he should be forgiven for his
mistake; however, forgiveness
does not mean that one also
escapes punishment. I support
the faculty’s decision to vote
“no confidence" in Dr. White,
and I especially commend the
courage of the faculty who
stood, and continue to stand,
for what they thought to be
right.
I ask fellow students to not
lose faith in Gardner-Webb
University and its staff. The
faculty’s decision is just one
example of the overall integrity
of Gardner-Webb. Please do
not allow the actions of one
destroy your view of all.
Whether we are student or fac
ulty, athlete or non-athlete, we
must stand together. Dr.
Christopher White may repre
sent Gardner-Webb University;
however, he is NOT Gardner-
Webb University. The students
and faculty together as a whole
create this Christian-based
establishment, not one person
alone.
Thank you.
An Observer
Troubled times
upon university
To the Editor:
In times such as these, it is
easy to second guess and opin-
ionate. There are many who are
troubled and hurting—not the
least of which are our stu
dents—athletes and non-ath-
letes alike.
Please also remember the
families of the principles
involved with prayer and com
passion. II Chronicles 7:14 is
not only a cry for our nation but
also for us as a community of
faith and learning. “If my peo
ple who are called by my Name
will humble themselves and
pray and seek my face and turn
from their wicked ways, then I
will hear from Heaven, forgive
their sin, and heal their land.”
To paraphrase the hymn:
May the Lord grant wisdom
and courage to our administra
tion, faculty, students and
board of trustees for the living
of these days.
—Susan Carlisle Bell
Healing begins
with Dr. White
To the Editor:
First, I would like to
applaud Coach Burch for hav
ing the courage to voluntarily
address a crowd of confused,
hurting GWU students at the
Sept. 12 SGA forum. He
attempted to answer our ques
tions as straightforwardly as
possible.
In the presence of perhaps
300 often angry students,
Burch admitted that he was
wrong in asking Dr. White to
assist in adjusting Carlos
Webb's gpa. He may not be per
fect and you may think of him
what you will, but you must
agree, that took guts.
Secondly, I wish to thank
Patrick Woody and the entire
SGA for attempting to foster a
better relationship between
“Academics and Athletics.”
This informational meeting was
planned weeks ago in an effort
to address the sometimes
strained relationship between
those who are in athletics and
those who are not.
Lastly, like many at GWU,
I have spent several sleepless
nights and anxious days since
Sept. 10.1 have run a gamut of
emotions from concern to
worry to anger to sadness. Now
I am not sure what I am feeling,
not how I should be feeling. As
I lay in bed with thoughts run
ning a continuous litany in my
head, I tried to pray. God, what
is going on? What's happening?
What should I think or feel or
do? Am I wrong to be angry?
Or sad? What will be the result
of all this? Will Gardner-Webb
be able to weather this storm
with her honor, her reputation
intact? Will I?
No peace would come, so I
went for a walk—at 11 p.m.—
in the rain. Thought continued
to bombard me as I kept pray
ing for peace of mind. As I
walked and prayed, I thought of
something I said to a friend the
other day about this situation.
For my own peace of mind and
in spirit of love, I am impelled
to share this true story here in
this forum.
I once did something very
wrong at work. I knew that it
was wrong when I did it. I
knew that it would hurt some
one very badly, but in the heat
of the moment I didn’t care. I
did it anyway. When I had
calmed down, I regretted what I
had done. I knew that I had
made a big mistake. As soon as
I saw my supervisor, I told her
exactly what I had done. I apol
ogized to her and indicated my
intention to apologize to the
one I had hurt, which intention
I later carried out. An investiga
tion was conducted. As a result
of the investigation, I was
rightfully punished for what I
did.
Do I think that telling my
supervisor what I did makes me
some sort of saint? Absolutely
not. What I did was wrong.
Period. Even now I screw up at
least, oh, 20, 30 times a day,
and that’s on a good day. Do I
think this incident at work
gives me a right to judge Dr.
White and the others who are
involved in this situation?
Absolutely not. I am not God
that I may judge the heart of
man. I am a sinner who has
been forgiven, just like every
other Christian. So why do I tell
this story? Simply this: The test
of integrity and honor lies not
in never making a mistake, but
in knowing the right thing to do
when you do make a mistake
and doing that right thing. The
man of honor who has never
made a mistake cannot be sure
he is a man of honor. Until your
sense of honor is truly tested,
how can you be absolutely sure
what you will do?
Why has Dr. White refused
to address the student body? At
this time, perhaps more than
ever before, we need him to
talk to us. This is an education
al institution. Surely, it is the
philosophy and purpose of any
institution of higher education
to increase student knowledge.
The more information we as
students have made available to
us, the better able we are to
form our own opinions.
Dr. White, I ask you, I beg
you, for your own sake as well
as the sake of this university,
call a meeting of the faculty,
staff and students. Talk to us
about what happened in the
“Carlos Webb incident.” Come
before all of those who are
affected by this and talk to us.
Yes, you will still face pun
ishment. You still must realize
the repercussions of making a
mistake. God has promised us
forgiveness, not an escape from
consequences. This university
is hurting. We need healing,
and that healing can only begin
with you, Dr. White.
— Vera Hockaday
senior elementaiy
education major
Student: Ignorance
vs. Truth
I think. I heard. He said.
These are all examples of igno
rance-laced statements that our
campus has been littered with
over the past two weeks. Where
are all the truth-seekers?
Gardner-Webb University
has more than its fair share of
problems, especially as of late.
Without much brain-wracking.
I’m sure each of us could come
up with a list of “problems” we
would like to see solved, from
our lack of parking to the lengthy
cafeteria lines. Unlike these
problems however, we are facing
a problem that is much less
quantifiable but much more dev
astating, and Ignorance is its
name. Ignorance is a warm blan
ket we wrap ourselves in when
we feel complacent and com
fortable. Look around you.
Listen. Whether we choose to
admit it or not, ignorance is, in
fact, pure and unadulterated
bliss. To prove this point, one
simply has to address a contro
versial subject of discussion and
listen as people work them
selves into a frenzy full of "I
think" arguments.
It’s time to begin KNOW
ING what we believe. KNOW
ING truth, KNOWING facts,
KNOWING the Word of God.
When will we as a corporate
body begin to sift through the
sediment layers of facts, lies and
half-truths that are surfacing day
after day, regarding our latest
controversy? It is impossible to
go anywhere on campus without
hearing phrases dripping with
the latest “buzz” words: guilty,
resign, liar, cheater, manipu
lator, athlete, preferential
treatment. Honor Code, etc.
Have we begun to separate
fact from fiction? Are we con
tent with the daily revelations of
the Shelby Star"? Are we content
with “no comments” and vague
answers to black and white
questions? The idealist in me
says that we are not.
God has given each of us
the ability to reason. Let’s begin
to make a conscious effort to use
this gifl. Each time we accept
answers that are not grounded in
the truth we are selling our
selves short. Unity as a body
will bring us to the truth. Prayer
will bring us to the truth.
Ignorance will not, and now is
the time to be as proactive as we
can. What separates this letter
from a general harangue is my
charge to you: do your home
work regarding these issues.
Ask questions, honest ones.
Learn all you can and discern
the truth for yourselves. Don’t
spread gossip. Pray for our
school and for our president.
Pray for unity as the body of
Christ. Above all else, seek God
in this, and seek out the advice
of those wiser than you.
I leave you with the words
of a man much wiser than
myself King Solomon says in
Ecclesiastes 1:18, “For in much
wisdom there is much grief, and
he who increases knowledge
increases sorrow” The road
ahead is bound to be painful at
times, but stay the course in
your pursuit of truth.
— Josh Benedict