NOVEMBER 17,1995 — THE DECREE — PAGE 3
‘Dissenter’ debate was well handled
(Continued from Page 2)
tive of life on campus.
So who is “right?” That seems
to be what people want to know
or prove. I do not pretend to know.
1 do think we all can learn from
this event. In the years to come,
this kind of controversy is likely
to become even more common.
That means we need ways of deal
ing with this kind of interaction.
Should it be handled as a case for
civil law? Should there be hu
morless'politically correct stan
dards posted? Or should we call
upon our conccm, creativity, and
each other and Hnd ways to
“deair*
Our culture has a system of
etiquette to handle personal in
teractions. If someone’s foot is
stepped on, they say “ow.” The
genteel person who injured them
apologizes (which Professor
Anderson, both eloquently and
profoundly, has done) and the in
jured party warily or graciously
accepts the apology. Both parties
are more watchful and respectful,
afterward. In the best case, both
parties learn more about each
other and a more caring relation
ship can come out of a chance
encounter.
As a college community whose
mission states that “we want our
students to respect themselves and
each other—and to respect other
cultures and human differences,”
we all benefit from opportunities
to hear and understand each other.
In this sense, I believe that the
students who raised the issue have
served all of us. I think that the
(Continued from Page 2)
sitting on a stage talking about
their love lives. Many people in
the audience were hooting and
whistling.
“This is stupid,” I thought. So
I turned it off. (I considered go
ing back to Mr. Bennett but de-
.fided to read a book instead.)
Trashy talk shows are silly, but
are they harmful? Who decides
what good behavior is? Will cen
sorship imposed upon a popular
culture sign change the underly
ing reasons for its popularity?
And, Mr. Bennett, will the civili
zation you want to “save” be
called United States of Bennett’s
Virtues?
I don’t see the harm in most
talk show subjects. I think people
are limited not to have better ideas
for what to do with their time, but
I assume they vicariously ac
knowledge the absurdity and
picture in the Dissenter (what an
ironic name) has been even more
evocative of the Wesleyan Way
than its editors could have
dreamed.
I am grateful to the Decree for
offering a forum for the kind of
interchange that is needed. I am
impressed by all the community
members who have thoughts and
feelings about this issue. And I
hope that we all care about each
other.
Betty Anne Whisnant
NCWC Counselor
Cameron misguided
on SGA amendment
Dear Editor
I would like to respond to the
amendnnent issue rais^ by Kelly
Cameron.
To begin, I would like to com
ment on some of the statements
made by Cameron, especially
those about the executive board
members of the SGA. It is my
belief that Mr. Cameron believes
he was forced out of the SGA
Senate by the executive board.
That is untrue. Because he did
not meet all SGA requirements,
as stated in Article FV-B section
three of the SGA Constitution, he
was asked to step down. I believe
Mr. Cameron is trying to place
blame on the SGA executive
board for his removal from the
Senate.
The executive board of the
SGA was following the guide
lines of the SGA Constitution
when Mr. Cameron was asked to
communality of the world while
they watch. The behavior is not
necessarily being imitated or even
approved; like TV wrestling fans,
the audience knows it is being
silly. The interesting conversation
which might actually do some
good would center on why we
watch, not on why we won’t be
allowed to watch.
America has always been
nutty. We elect lousy actors as
president, we destroy job creat
ing programs while criticizing
poor people for not working, and
we pretend that America was
somehow perverted by those dirty
hippies in the 1960’s.
Find a life, Mr. Bennett, and
maybe even a job. Meanwhile
tuning into Talk Soup occasion
ally might give you both a sense
of humor and an idea of what
those “American People” are ac
tually like.
step down from his office. He was
not forced by the SGA executive
board to leave in any way. Un
fortunately I feel that he is trying
to force SGA to keep him.
In his letter to the editor,
Cameron made comments to
statements I made in a previous
article. I told the person who in
terviewed me that students came
to college to get an education,
not sit on the Senate of the SGA.
In response, Mr. Cameron stated,
“I agree that education is why we
came to college, but isn’t it also
to teach us to be leaders of to
morrow? Some students may not
be gifted in the arts of education,
but may be gifted in something
else, such as in music, theater, or
politics.”
To respond to these comments
we have to realize that an educa
tion is needed in the arts of mu
sic, theater, and in the realm of
politics. What kind of leader can
a person be if a person can’t main
tain the minimal requirements of
an office?
If the Wesleyan community
were to adopt the ideas Mr.
Cameron offers, we would all
agree that if the President of the
United States didn’t know arith
metic, that would be OK because
he has flnancial advisors that
know. Or we could say if the
President couldn’t read or write,
that’s fine, too, because he has
secretaries who can read and
write. Therefore if the President
had no education, we would still
elect him based solely on his po
litical gifts. 1 think not. That
would be absurd just like it would
be if SGA accepted Mr.
Cameron’s amendment.
I give credit to Mr. Cameron
for his efforts. I believe if Mr.
Cameron has an actual desire to
help the Wesleyan community,
does he need an office on the SGA
to accomplish that? Can he not
help the Wesleyan community
without being the President of
some organization? I believe all
leaders should value education,
and as a leader, I value Mr.
Cameron’s.
SGA is the model students
should follow in learning to be
come a leader. Academic stabil
ity is important. Let’s not lower
our standards.
Andre Clanton
Treasurer, SGA
Wesleyan earns thanks
for help on Fall Games
'Dc^ Editor
Thank you very much,
Wesleyan students, staff, and fac
ulty, for all of your efforts to make
the 1995 North Carolina Special
Olympics’ Fall Games an over-
wheli^g success. After so many
months of preparation, the hard
work and dedication really paid
off.
Over 600 Special Olympics
athletes competed in soccer,
bocce, golf, tennis, roller-skating,
and cycling, and on behalf of all
of them, thank you! We have re
ceived numerous comments about
the beautiful campus setting
Wesleyan was able to provide for
our soccer and bocce competitions
in particular.
The contributions of Wesleyan
College not only made for a suc
cessful 1995 Fall Games, but also
helped our organization improve
games management in general, as
we seek to improve all six of our
state-level competitions. I hope
we can count on your continued
support as we plan to return for
the 1996 Fall Games during the
weekend of Oct. 25-27!
Thanks again for all of your
support of Special Olympics in
general, and of Fall Game in par
ticular. Please let us know if we
can make your volunteer experi
ence even more meaningful, and
don’t forget that the local Special
Olympics program in Rocky
Mount can always use your help
— contact John Battle at 972-
1155 for more information.
Patton McDowell
Program Director
Coach appreciates
support of Bishops
Dear Editor
I want to thank all of you who
were in attendance for Midnight
Madness on Sunday night (Mon
day morning) Oct. 23, in Everett
Gymnasium.
The enthusiasm was great and
1 believe it was just the beginning
of an outstanding year.
The players and I really ap
preciate the support that night.
This season we will need even
more of that support. Everett
Gymnasium can have a tremen
dous atmosphere with a loud,
strong, enthusiastic crowd.
We want to invite you to all of
our home games. We think that
our fans will be the best of any
where we play; not intent on hu
miliating opposing teams, but at
energetically and relentlessly sup
porting Wesleyan.
Thanks for making Everett
Gymnasium a place where we
have a, real home court advan
tage.
Coach John Thompson
Head Men’s Basketball Coach
Student Services Center
Nov. 20 - Dec. 14
Monday, Nov. 20
How to Succeed In Your Job After Graduation
10:30 a.m. in Room 276
Preparing for Exams
10:30 a.m. in Room 189
Tuesday, Nov. 21
THANKSGIVING RECESS BEGINS AT 10 A.M.
Wedneday, Nov. 22 Residence Halls Close at 9 a.m.
Sunday,, Nov. 26
Residence Halls Open
Monday, Nov. 27
RECESS ENDS AND CLASSES BEGIN AT 8 A.M.
Friday, Dec. 1
GRADUATION APPLICATIONS DUE FOR MAY GRADUATES
Dec. 11-14
FINAL EXAMS
Friday, Dec. 15
PAYMENT DUE FOR SPRING TUITION AND FEES
Thursday, Dec. 21
COLLEGE CLOSED UNTIL JAN 2
Registration day for Spring ‘96 classes is Jan. 9.
The first day of Spring classes is Jan. 10. /
Talk shows still safe