March 16, 2001
Understanding the HOME Project:
Part Three: After the Storm
Lyndsay Elias
GUEST WRITER
The morning after the storm, I arrived
at the house first and waited for the Horton
family. While waiting, I climbed on the roof
and examined the tarps, most of which had
blown off the roof. The Hortons had left in
the early hours of the morning to get to Mrs.
Horton's son's house, which was only a few
blocks away. When they arrived that morn
ing, they were visibly tired and shocked. We
entered the house together and were horri
fied by the destruction.
We sloshed through ankle-deep water,
around ceiling tiles that had collapsed. The
ceiling above the kitchen had collapsed, spill
ing insulation all over appliances, counter, and
floor in large clumps that looked like dirty
white cotton. Insulation and sheetrock were
everywhere and water was almost an inch
deep on the floor.
Water was still pouring through large
cracks in the ceiling in the sitting room, de
spite the fact that it was a sunny day out
side. A six-foot by six-foot section of the ceil
ing had collapsed in the back bedroom onto
the bed and the floor beside it. The bed was
covered with the disgusting blown insula
tion, and picture frames of nephews and
friends were covered with soot and debris.
I shuddered to think what it would
have been like to be in bed and hear the
ceiling creak and crack before it finally gave
under the pressure of the water. All the
electrical fixtures on the ceiling had shorted
out, and the circuit breaker was immediately
The Major
Munchies are
Comina!
Not a day too late, on March 21,
between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30
p.m., the First-Year Program and
the Dean of Students will host
the Major Munchies. Students
are invited to come to the
cafeteria to meet with faculty
from all departments and discuss
declaring a major. -
The Guilfoaxliari
7 orum
switched off for fear of sparks or blown light
bulbs.
For the first week following the storm, I
made daily trips to the house, before class,
and at night. Appeals for volunteers in the
first week resulted in lots of hands during
the most chaotic time. So much needed to be
done that it was often difficult to direct and
survey the work in parts of the house. The
community responded with great compassion
imu
and concern and many volunteers gave their
time without me even knowing their name.
To all I say a long overdue, Thank You.
Had the wood on the roof been better,
or had better insulation been installed then
there would never have been a problem, but
unfortunately many new homes are built
with cheap supplies that cut corners, re
sulting in huge problems down the road.
Junior Sara Hudgins noted that "We put on
a new roof, but we know that in the next
The article "Why We Love
Lesbians" has much to say on the
subject of female sexuality which
I cannot speak to, not being fe
male. What I wish to address is
the place where a woman is
quoted as saying, "Penises are the
most repulsive-looking instru
ments of pleasure and often ex
treme pain ever created."
Consistent among those men
who have raped/abused women is
a hatred of, disgust with, and de
tachment from their own bodies.
By affirming these feelings, the
quote above and other comments
within the article actively con
tribute to the cycle of abuse.
I saw The Vagina Monologues
when it was produced last year.
What I saw was people dealing
three years more work will be needed in the
foundation, walls, etc. It is a big problem the
way houses are made."
This practice is becoming a serious prob
lem in our community. After World War 11,
expansion in the United States was on the
rise. In the 20-year period following the war,
many homes were built as the future baby
boomer generation prepared for their future.
Inequalities that exist now existed then and
resulted in homes built less effi
ciently for those that were not
able to afford the standard mate
rials necessary.
These homes are now falling
apart. The amount of homes need
ing serious repair is on the rise and
will only increase in the coming
years, the result being enormous
financial problems and desperate
housing shortages until replace
ments can be created. Looking at
the age, location, and the actual
materials that have been used to
construct many of the homes that
we have already repaired con
firms my suspicions that these trends will be
come more visible in the next few years.
Please read next week ♦" learn about the
ending of HOME projec 'he beginning
of a new one. ,
Editor's note: This weekend is Habitat for
Humanity's Collegiate Challenge. Students
from all over will be coming to work in the Triad
Join us Saturday, March 17, at 8:00 a.m. or
noon in the back of Founders to go out to the
site. Questions: Contact Lyndsay at x 3907.
with a sick society and sick indi
viduals, but coming through with
hope. Although it told the story
of women, the emphasis was on
affirming each person's individual
experience, not comparing one to
the other. I strongly identified
with the fears and hopes pre
sented in the play regardless of
my penis.
Sexual abuse crosses all
bounds of sex and gender and so
does the healing process. It is
clear from the above-mentioned
article that men have no mo
nopoly on being oversexed and
aggressive. I might also add that
portraying genitals as weapons is
always sick no matter how funny
it is. •- '
-Ben Hebnerr lil -
IJ> JR-M; I >
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