Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / Nov. 29, 1979, edition 1 / Page 2
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Page 2 The Pendulum Punching bags? We congratulate Jack Murphy and his staff at Harper Center for their efforts in establishing a Community Watch program there. This type of program has been needed on campus for some time and not just at Harper Center. The Pendulum has suggested a Community Watch like this to reduce vandalism and stealing. We would like to ask why it is being limited to Harper Center. Other living areas would profit by such community cooperation and care. Even watching out for and helping unsteady or show-off friends back to the dorm might help to reduce student vandalism or to stop it entirely. Perhaps if such a program were in force at the time of the town lamp incident, this damage might have been prevented. Elon students should look out for each other more than they apparently do — and covering up for a vandal is not in his best interest in the long run. He will simply get deeper into trouble and then wdnder why no one stopped him before he did something foolish. If we the students can make the campus a safer and friendlier place, we will be impressing more than other students. The public relations of the college would take a needed upturn in this area. If there are a lot of hostilities being built up in students, we suggest that several punching bags be set up around campus for students to work out their frustrations on. This idea works well in Japan, so why not here? ‘Let our people go’ Elon students gathered Tuesday to show their support and to demand the release of the 49 American hostages in Iran. We join the students of Elon and other colleges supporting these demands. Although there was no flag burning, the students let their thoughts be known. Shouts of “Let our people go” can show as much anger as destruction of property or the beating up of Iranian students. These students are here for an education. If they obey the rules of their visas and do not try to disrupt American government or business, they should remain free of threat. By having a peaceful rally, we show that we do not have to lower ourselves to the level of the Iranian students holding our Teheran embassy. If force is needed to free the hostages, at least it will not be because of the lack of diplomatic dignity or conscience. feniiulum Editor Craig Harris News Editor Keith Nelson Features Joy Hamilton Entertainment Editor Jeff Batts Sports Editoi ^ Vicki Blankenship Advertising Manager Ro'ger Blanchard Photographer Craig Stanfield Typist Sandra Beach Layout Ellen Buchanan & Bob [Fish] Trout Composition Priscilla Crumpton Karen Carrouth Adviser Mary EUen Priestley Published by the Communications Media Board of Elon College. Founded on October 14, 1974, as the student newspaper serving the Elon CoUege conununity, the Pendulum is published each Thursday during tlje regular terms except for examination and holiday periods. The staff meets Thursdays at 4 p.m. Damaged iron lamp on WilUunsoii Avenue is discussed by town administrator Beth Hetzel and George Boring. Students who cannot constrain such destructive instincts may be helped home by friends under Community Watch Program before costly vandalism begins. Lamps cost taxpayers $350 each. Thursday, Nov. 29, 1979 wiU do my best job’ Dear Editor: My job as an editor and reviewer is to call the shots as I see them. Although I don’t consider my remarks about the Pops concert “trite and callous, ” I did fail to mention the enthusiasm and hard work of the' music depart ment. However, in my former article of Nov. 1, I did say that “the proceeds will bene fit the scholarship fund for music department students.” I would like to extend a warm welcome to any review er or critic who will offer his or her services and cover various music and dramatic events during the year. Until that time, I will continue to do my best job as a journalist and cover events of interest. Joy Hamilton Features Editor Editor’s note The Pendulum will be published next Thursday, the last issue for this term. Letters and articles should be in the Pendulum office, 205 Student Center, by Monday noon,except for late news. Letters must be signed and an address given if the writer expects to have them printed. Iranians have a perspective too To the editor: Your Nov. 15 editorial concerning Iran is com mendable for, its attention to a serious problem. However, it neglects some' crucial points. Before exploring effective means of “talcing a ‘hard line’ with these people,” one should explore more carefully the perspective of “these people.” The Iranians are perhaps bringing to our atten tion some facts which should prick our conscience, rather than provoke our vengeance. They are calling for a trial of the former Shah. Try to imagine the situa tion from the Iranian per spective. Suppose a ruthless dictator should grasp power in our country. For years this ruler carries out a program of imprisonment, torture, and murder of dissidents. Final ly— just prior to his over throw— he flees. Later he surfaces in— of all places— the very country which sup plied military arms and train ing to his forces. Would you feel justified in demanding that this deposed tyrant be returned to our country for trial? This is not to comment or approve the taking of hos tages in the American em bassy. But it is not difficult to imagine why Iranians felt driven to such an extreme measure. After all, the United States had turned a deaf ear to the diplomatic requests of the Iranians. The situation we are now in is a difficult one. But whatever the solution, the approach you recommend in your editorial is abhorent to me, and in direct conflict with our standards of fairness. I refer to your suggestion that “Our one viable option seems to be to take a very hard line with the myriad Iranian stu dents in this country, espe cially those who commit infractions of our laws.” Do we really think it is fair to avenge ourselves on Iranians who are not involved in the embassy episode, simply be cause we don’t have access to those who are? If so, shouldn’t we begin to “take a very hard line” with' the families of any criminals who are still at large? And it is still more egregious to suggest that we apply such sanctions to “especially those who commit infractions of our laws.” Isn’t the piupose of our judiciary system to dis pense fair and impartial justice? To employ the system with conscious and purposeful bias toward a particular group is to make a mockery of justice. I’m not recommending a solution. I doubt that there is one. Years ago, perhaps the solution might have been in cutting off military aid to such a cruel and repressive regime. A few months ago, we might have refused to provide refuge for such a tyrant as the Shah. But now we have given refuge and the situation is beyond help. To turn the man out is perhaps a betrayal of trust. To con tinue to harbor him is a profound injustice. We have sown the wind and shall reap the whirlwind. But we should try to avoid compounding our wrongs by seeldng ven geance or be harassing Iran ians in this county. And if our present suffering causes us to think more carefully before supporting or giving refuge to such rulers as the former Shah, then our suffer ing will not be totally in vain. Bruce Wall*f Department of Philosophy
Elon University Student Newspaper
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Nov. 29, 1979, edition 1
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