OPINION
November 22, 2013
Secession threats aren’t needed
BY RENEE
DEHART
Staff Writer
New Colorado? Liberty? Free Colorado?
These are names being thrown around for the proposed 51st
state, essentially five rural counties in northern Colorado.
Since the 2012 elections, rural areas in Colorado and
California have decided they are no longer
accurately represented, and initiatives are
underway to secede from their respective
states.
For Colorado, the five counties together
only have a population of 29,000 people,
roughly 10 percent of Greensboro. States
should not secede from themselves unless
they have the population to support it and
better reasons than not liking a new law.
"We do not feel like we're getting
fair representation," said 51st Initiative
spokesperson Jeffrey Harris in a telephone
interview with The Guilfordian. "We don't
like things forced on us, like renewable
energy, legalization of marijuana and gun control."
But it is not just Colorado getting into the secession game.
"If the government in Sacramento is unwilling or unable
to afford the citizens of Modoc the equal protection and
fair representation to which they are entitled, then it is time
to consider creation of a new state, in conjunction with our
similarly situated neighboring counties," said California's
Modoc County Commissioner Geri Byrne in an email
interview with The Guilfordian.
Despite the political rhetoric, spokespeople from both
states claim this is not a dispute between Republicans and
Democrats.
"The reasons behind this are not of a conservative-versus-
liberal nature," said Byrne. "Instead, they are of a rural-
versus-urban or a producer-versus-consumer nature."
However, in the 2012 election map of Colorado and
California the counties involved in this effort do have a
Republican majority according to politico.com, implying their
motives are driven by conservative stubbornness.
Movements for secession are obnoxious responses to show
disagreement, like children threatening to run away.
"I think it's just symbolic," said Maria Rosales, chair and
associate professor of political science. "I think they're just
trying to suggest that they're not happy. Maybe they're
hoping if people think they're unhappy they will make more
concessions for them."
Starting a new state is expensive, but funding poses no
issue for these rebels.
"Initial findings show that we're about $460 million to the
(positive) when you count county revenues and income taxes
versus county expenses," said Byrne.
$460 million might be enough, but the 51st Initiative works
with a smaller budget and employs more strategy.
"We have to untangle ourselves from the federal government
methodically," said Harris. "We have to accept funding for
certain programs like Social Security.
"However, we will not accept federal funding for education
because we believe our state Board of Education can do a
more efficient job."
Still we should not add more stars to the flag because a few
people are unhappy with a few laws.
"It's incredibly unfeasible," said Rosales. "The way the
constitution is written now, a state cannot separate urUess
both the area that wants to secede and the legislature of the
bigger parts wants to secede."
A state split has not occurred since West Virginia split from
Virginia during the Civil War.
Harris does offer a compromise to avoid secession.
"The best solution is for every county to have one state
senator representing them in the capitol," said Harris.
However, that would challenge the 1964 Supreme Court
case "Wesberry v. Sanders," which supports representation
based on population.
Their conservative ship is sinking fast, but if they can learn
to swim rather than fight the currents, they may learn these
new progressive waters are not so scary and these new laws
are actually helping a lot of people.
YouTube fame should be for everyone
BY KINSEY
DANZIS
Staff Wmtir
Ever been told that you have no hope
of achieving your dreams?
No?
Well, welcome to the comments
section of YouTube.
We're no strangers
to YouTube. Most
of us visit it all
the time to watch
movie clips, footage
of adorable kittens
and, of course,
music videos.
"YouTube is for
everyone," said
Kami Rowan,
associate professor
of music. "It's a good
thing because it allows for individual
expression. It's nice for people to have a
platform."
Musicians can even catch big breaks
online rather than going out to audition
for a record label. Just look at the recent
YouTube Music Awards — Response of
the Year wiimers Lindsey Stirling and
Pentatonix got their fans from YouTube,
not from record companies.
But for every artist who finds success
on YouTube, there are countless others
who only find hateful feedback from
someone who doesn't find the video to
their taste.
Take Rebecca Black's infamous song
"Friday" for example. Personally, I don't
like it, but she has as much right as Panic!
at the Disco to post a song on YouTube,
and the last thing I want to do is put
down her dream with hateful comments.
"There is lots of crap on YouTube, and
it can be annoying, but the internet is a
democratic forum," said Judy Isaksen,
associate professor of media and popular
culture studies at High Point University,
in an email interview. "Anyone can
participate and everyone has a right to
his or her opinion."
I agree, but it's not difficult to tinker
how you voice your opinion so it doesn't
come across as demeaning. That, sadly,
is something many viewers don't do.
On Black's video, YouTuber zoOism
posted a perfect example of what not to
do: "These moles are barely in training
bras and they're kicking in the front seat,
kicking in the back seat? I would rather
have a jackhammer slowly inserted into
the crack of my a— than listen to you
sing. Your lyrics are written by a dyslexic
4 year old."
Wow. Hate to go all cliche, but don't
like it? Don't watch it.
There's a difference between
constructive criticism and hateful
judgment. One helps, one hurts. Simple
as that.
"If you put something out to the
public, you've got to be aWe to take the
feedback," said Tim Lindeman, chair
and professor of music, in an email
interview.
Feedback: yes, by all means. zoOism's
comment: no.
"Judging artistry and musicianship
isn't fair," said Rowan. "It takes integrity
to be an independent artist."
It takes integrity to be any artist,
really. It's a big step to put your work
out into the world. It doesn't matter if a
musician is independent or signed; they
work equally hard.
"I don't assume that an independent
artist is any less talented than a signed
artist," said Wendy Looker, associate
professor of music and director of choral
activities. "Entertainment can take
different forms from different people."
Aspiring musicians on YouTube aren't
very different from signed musicians
and famous independent artists. They
share the same goal: to put their music
out into the world for people to hear. The
only real difference is the support they
get, or the lack of support in most cases.
As Andy Warhol once said, "In the
future everybody will be world famous
for 15 minutes."
So who are we to block these aspiring
musicians from achieving that fame and
realizing their dreams?
CoDege needs to
expand campus-
wide accessibility
The Editorial Board of The Guilfordian
recently underwent diversity training with the
help of Jorge Zeballos and Jada Drew from the
Multicultural Education Center. Among other
things, it renewed our sense of purpose with
regard to the language we use when we write
about people with disabilities.
As a newspaper, we vow to use person-first
language. For example, person-first language
would mean saying "a person with special
needs," instead of "a special-needs person."
Doing so affirms that individuals with disabilities
are not defined by those disabilities.
While we look inward, we are also prompted
to look outward in our community. As we have
previously acknowledged, we are proud of the
improvements the College has brought about in
accessibility on campus.
Many of our buildings have been made
accessible by the addition of ramps and elevators,
including most of the buildings with classrxx>ms.
The Learning Commons also provides suf^rt
for members of our community with less visible
disabilities, such as alternate test -taking options
for those who need them because of difierent
learning styles.
However, there is still room for improvement.
One of the most noticeable areas that needs
improvement involve the doors on campus.
They do meet the requirements set by the
Americans with Disabilities Act, but not all of
them are truly accessible for the members of our
cemmunity who use wheelchairs.
This is especially pertinent for The Guilfordian
staff because the spaces in Founders where we
meet, the Publication Suite and the East Gallery,
are not accessible to tiiose in wheelchairs since
the doors do not have automatic door-opening
buttons.
Meanwhile, none of the residence halls are
accessible to wheelchairs beyond the first flcxir.
This also applies to Dana Auditorium. Most
of the Old Apartments are not accessible at aU
because there are stairs to get to the fient doors.
Realistically, we know that not all of these
things can be immediately remedied, whether it
be due to the structure of these buildings or to
budgetary shortcomings. Still, it is important to
be mindful of these limitations regardless, and to
strive for improvement where we can.
As the Guilfordian staff works to be more
conscientious about our language, we encourage
the College to continue to grow and improve
in accessibility so that all members of our
community can feel included. We think that
additional automatic dcx)r-opening buttons in
public spaces could be a gcx)d start.
Refleqing Guilford College's core Quaker values,
THE TOPICS AND CONTENT OF StAFF EDITORIALS ARE CHOSEN
THROUGH CONSENSUS OF ALL 16 EDITORS AND ONE FACULTY
ADVISER OF The Guilfordian’s Editorial Board.