December 8,1986
THE LANCE
Opinfons/Editorials
Student heated over lack of hot water
I can not speak for you people out there in newspaper land, but I can
certainly say that yours truly likes to shower in hot water. I do not know
what it is about the lure of hot water that compels me to shower in it, and I
have come to the cold conclusion that St. Andrews does not either.
A little over a month ago, right after the fall break, there was an
absence of hot water. That was one of the coldest welcomes that I had
ever experienced. The absence of hot water, in my opinion, is inexcus
able. Anyone can have hot water. The heating of water, as this may
surprise one is not that big of a deal. A moron can heat water! I would like
to ascertain that surely the esteemed engineers at St. Andrews can supply
hot water. I do not believe that it is beyond their capapbilities.
I usually do not complain atx)ut trivial things of such nature because
for the most part of my life I have never been deprived of hot water, and
secondly, because there are some less fortunate people that do not even
think of hot water. As tongas they have water they are satisfied. Well, I
understand the fact that those people are less fortunate and I feel for them
but we are not less fortunate; We have the facilities to heat water, and that’
is what I expect. I feel that the luxury of hot water, if hot water can actually
be called a luxury and not a necessity, is not too much to ask for.
It is my hope that the absence of hot water that day was just a freak
occurence that just happened to be rendered upon the student "body"
here at St. Andrews. Cold showers do not really make me very enthusiastic
about starting a new day. Cold showers are comparable to rainstorms in the
morning - - - they make me want to stay in bed.
Bobby Simpson
Cold water turns off Idealism; turns on
realism
This morning I crawled into the shower, turned on the hot water
knob, and was frozen in my tracks. Yes, a cold shower once again. I pay
$10,000 a year for that cold shower. I got ripped off. Then again, that's the
way it is with everything. Prepare yourselves, ladies and gentlemen, be
cause I am about to become enormously cynical. Cold waterturns off
idealism and turns on realism. We get what we pay for in America, but we're
getting ripped off because the price for freedom and liberty are so exhor-
bitant that we can not even fathom those sums. Nothing here is simple.
Perhaps that is the reason why I hate the United States: why I hate my
country.
Freedom is the first thing that American "soaks" people for.
Throughout the history of America, people have been coming here for
freedom. The freedoms are wide and varied, ranging from speech to reli
gion. That's hogwash! Martin Luther King was assassinated and the Fun
damentalists want to save the world. Only in America could freedom be
such a laughable matter - - - a hypocrisy. Perhaps the problem is that what
freedom is for one person is impeding on the freedom of others. Freedom
and oppression are co-existing and depending on the side of fence you
are standing on determines the emotion. I am not advocating, mind you,
government oppression of speech and/or religion, I am only stating that
the United States is not the ultimate country with the ultimate government.
In fact, I am saying that there is no government better than another. This is
the humbling part. We are no better than any other country. We as Amer
icans need to realize that.
I am sure you are saying that the cold water has drained to my brain.
Perhaps it did. We as a country believe we are better than anyone else.
However, why don't we teach our children foreign languages. Most other
educated children throughout the world are bilingual. Why aren't we?
Why is it that when Americans travel abroad they are so loud, so
demanding, and so condescending? France is not there for our travel
enjoyment. It is a country and still would be a country if no American tourist
ever dropped in. Let us broaden this idea. Why do we get into other coun
tries domestic affairs? Who died and left America in charae to decide no
one should be communist? A country's government is just that: a
country's government that will rule its own people. The U.S. has no busi
ness getting involved. This can be applied to ((7.S. involvement in) E\
Salvadore, Nicaragua, and South Africa.
Perhaps this lack of humbleness is inherent in the typical American.
Perhaps we are brought up to be narcissistic. Look at the T. V. evangelists
like Oral Roberts and Jim Bakker, all trying to assert their absolutely con-ect
religion on to the people of the country. Then, of course, there are the
fundamentalists who advocate laws and bills that impede upon each Amer
ican's rights and privileges. Americans are always imposing their beliefs
and freedoms on others. What happens? One big oppressive mess
evolves.
Yes, I get discouraged with my country because I see all these
things that infuriate me. Worse yet, I know deep within my heart that there
is nothing I can do about it. I can't change people, but I can live my life so as
not to impose on others' freedom. Perhaps others will see this in me and
do the same. Perhaps they won't. So, I stood there in that cold water, sur
rounded by realism. You get what you pay for and I'm broke.
Amy Sarno