The Clarion March 10, 1993 Page 3
Letters to the Editor
A Long Way Off
From Reality
E)ear Editor:
I am writing in reference to an
article one of your staff members wrote.
It was a comic strip meant to be a joke,
but to the audience it was aimed at, it
meant much more. The comic strip
depicted a stereotype of young black
men as having afros, Malcom X t-
shirts, using incorrect grammar, talking
dirty to women, and the act of
masturbation or exposing one’s body
parts in a phone booth.
Knowing that this strip would be
controversial, how could you, the editor,
publish such a stereotypical cartoon? Is
it to make your paper stronger, or to get
more attention? Is the success of the
paper dependent on written trash? There
is not a black person on campus that
found that cartoon funny, and if they did,
they need to reevaluate themselves and
their heritage. They, as well as you,
need to take a good look at what society
is doing to minorities, especially
blacks. We have enough problems
facing our people, and one of the
biggest things we have to fight against
is stereotypes, so we do not need any of
your comics tU'ffiake matters worse for
us. How does this look to white people
reading this cartoon, especially here in
Brevard?
Your sorry comic strip is going
against what we black people are trying
to fight against. We do not need your
humor or what you perceive a West
Indian to be like. We are fighting
strongly against stereotypes, and your
strip did not help the battle in any way.
We do not need this type of humor to
make us laugh. There is nothing funny
about putting down someone’s heritage
or race. I think that you need to check
your surroundings and take a good look
at what society is doing to black people.
Then evaluate what you thought of as
an innocent joke and ask yourself, “Was
my comic strip really funny? Was it
appropriate? Did it help matters in any
way? Did I offend anyone?”
I don’t know what world you are
living in, but it’s a long way off from
reality.
Sincerely,
Steven Kahn
Offended by
Prejudice Material
Dear Editor,
I was saddened to see material in
The Clarion which I considered to be
racist and homophobic. I am referring to
the editorial and two cartoons by James
Woodley in the Feb. 15 issue. I realize
that the editors of The Clarion can
choose to print anything they want to. I
simply would like for it to be known
that at least one member of the college
community found this material to be
deplorable.
Sincerely,
Don Lander
Clarion Hits
a Low
Dear Editor,
The Clarion hit a low with its last
publication. This was largely, but not
solely, due to the “contributions” of
Assistant Editor James Woodley, who
thinks nothing of insulting a large
portion of the students, staff, and faculty
of Brevard College.
When I was an undergraduate, our
university paper had a talented cartoonist
on it’s staff. Whether or not one agreed
with his political leanings, it was clear
to all that his work was keen, informed,
and insightful.
If James Woodley aspires to such a
career, at any level beyond The Clarion,
the demands of competition will force
him out. In the small arena of a small
college paper, it is apparently possible
to be published with as little to offer as
he has offered: cheap shots, racism,
bigotry, confusion and, yes, bad
drawing.
To move into larger circles will
require much larger thinking. Let us
hope that larger thinking will prevail for
other reasons as well, and that it will be
accompanied by tolerance,
understanding, knowledge and wisdom:
concepts that are encouraged, James, by
Judeo-Christian teachings.
Sincerely,
Jo Pumphrey
SGA Demands
Apology
Dear Editor
On behalf of the S.G.A. of Brevard
College: this letter is written in regard
to the two comics and editorial in the
last Clarion, Feb. 15, 1993. Questions
have been raised surrounding the issues
of prejudice and bigotry.
The constitution allows for the
Freedom of Speech, but some firmly
believe that this may be taking that
right too far. The printing of these
articles was in poor judgment and taste.
Many of our peers are deeply disgruntled
because of this. The school newspaper
is supposed to be informative and non
bias. We are therefore requesting a letter
of apology from James Woodley, and the
Editorial Staff and an explanation as to
why you printed the comics.
Thank You,
Brevard College
S.G.A.
Explain Yourself
Dear Editor,
This is written in response to The
Clarion of Feb. 15, 1993. There were
two cartoons and a portion of an article
that I found very offensive. I was not
only offended, I was angered, dismayed
and somewhat frightened by the obvious
prejudice, bigotry, hatred and mean
spiritedness which I found there.
All of the pieces I found
bothersome were created by James
Woodley. The cartoon showing the two
men in uniforms holding hands I found
quite perplexing. I have no idea what
Mr. Woodley really meant, but I saw the
cartoon as a homophobic, gay-bashing
piece of hatred.
In the article, “You wasted your
vote on Clinton,” Mr. Woodley wants
us to read Romans 1:26 to prove the
immorality of homosexuality. I would
suggest that Mr. Woodley read further in
the book of Romans, specifical'v,
14:10.
The third part of The Clarion which
bothered me was the blatantly racist
cartoon on the back page.
I feel that racist, sexist,
homophobic materials have no place in
our campus newspaper. I also think that
an apology to the campus from Mr.
Woodley (or at least an explanation)
would not be out of place.
Sincerely,
Sam L. Cope