Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / Oct. 20, 1983, edition 1 / Page 2
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Page 2 The Pendulum Editorials Thursday, October 20, 1983 Letters to the editor Watt finally blow6 a fwse \ ^‘unified’ Americans To the editor: Watt’s this? It was a week ago that James Watt resigned as Secretary of the Interior amid much political and public chatter. For this I am sadd- ned. For the past two years the press has had fun poking and persecuting poor Mr. Watts, who was merely a victim of his own tongue. The media concentrated on the goofups and slips Mr. Watt made. Never did I see an article head lined, “James Watt Has Done Something In credibly Sound.” The media concentrated on Watt’s mistakes, but never did it recognize a wonderfully good thing he has done for this country. In the past two years he has served (and served well) to reaffirm this great nation’s unity. He has done more to break down the walls of ethnocentrism and to bring Americans closer together than anyone else in this age of diversity. How? It was his selfless perseverence in con tinuing to making a fool of himself and of the administration. When Watt first joined Reagan’s cabinet, the few to raise a cry were “outdoors nuts” (who could not be taken seriously in the first place). Such organizations were the well-publicized Sierra Club, The Wilderness Society, and those few insignificant governmental organizations that managed America’s public lands. But as the months tick ed by, more and more Americans began to speak against Watt on a variety of issues. People began to speak. The apathetic became caring, and the caring became antagonistic, j Slowly, those from the different facets of Amer-' ican lifestyles began to forget their differances and started to speak as one great voice. Again! and again people asked^ “What’s next?” In his attempt to create a more unified, moral America, Watt alienated (very strategically) his countrymen by the droves. First it was the na ture folks; then he went after the entire Eastern Seaboard by trying to open it up for offshore oil-drilling. More recently he managed to offend an entire age group (no easy task) by denouncing the Beach Boys (oh no!). A few weeks ago in his grand finale he went for the jugular in describing a commission as being composed of “... a black, a woman, two Jews, and a cripple.” James Watt had finally done it. Though some hung on until the bitter end, he finally managed to drive even his peers to reassess their opin ions of him. I shall miss James Watt. That funny, bal dheaded man with the Coca-Cola bottle glasses never ceased to amaze and amuse me. The nightime news will now seem so much duller without him in the headlines. It is sad to see him go, but at least it is nice to know he left behind the accomplishment of bringing the people of America together to cry out in one voice, “Watt’s this?” Roger March Fine arts center a good location After much deliberation over the location site for the new fine arts center, we have found satisfaction in the decision to construct the building and approval for its situation as well. Initially, the location seemed an unlikely place for such a building site. In between Har per Center and the gymnasium, the present track and field facilities are appropriately lo cated. However, this is the only probable con struction ground for a much needed building resource. The new fine arts center willl indeed allow other departments more room. It will also be an asset to Elon’s reputable standing as a liberal arts institution. In fact, it is due time for such an expansion in this respect. The new center will serve students adequately as a further dimen sion to learning capacities, which is often so limited in other universities. The location? Well, on those freezing, biting cold mornings, it will probably prove com mendable. Now, what was that you said about a parking lot? Why stay at Elon? Student wants to know To the editor, Well it’s another typical weekend here at Elon — the suitcase college of the Eastern Seaboard. I mean why would anyone want to stay here? The cafcteria is traditionally over crowded because of 700 or 800 on-campus students. The LRC is traditionally not open on Saturday and doesn’t open on Sunday until 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. And many dorm rooms are overcrowded in different areas on campus. Besides all of this, there is nothing really to do here. Oh, I forgot about the D-rate con certs and the movies that one could have seen a year or two ago, but this is not the student organizations’ fault. They have limited money and difficult rules that they have to abide by. “Elon College — a small col lege.” Small is correct. I don’t know, but Elon seems not to realize the crux of the problem. You cannot continue to recruit and accept more and more stu dents every year and then near ly forget them when they get here. This policy has worked •eforCj but the many problems have never been as pressing as they are right now. W.J. Jessup, Jr The Pendulum Staff Editor-in-Chief Jo Craven Associate Editor Loukia Loula Head Photographer Paul Harris Editorial Editor Carol Nix Features Editor Penny Thomas Arts Editor Felicia Foglemati Sports Editor Tom Westenhisei Adviser Robert Nowell The Pendulum welcomes letters, li mited to 250 words, from our readers Longer material may be submitted as opinion articles. All letters submitted must be signed, and a phone number given so that the letters validity can be checked. Editors reserve the right to edit for length, libel, good taste ^ accuracy. Our office is located in 208 Long Student Center, phone 504- 2331. The paper Is published by the Corn- munications Media Board of Elon Col lege. Founded on October 14,1974- as the student newspaper serving It'S Elon College community. The Pendu lum is published each Thursday dur ing the regular terms except for ex amination and holiday periods. The Pendulum is printed by The BurlinS' ton Daily Times-News.
Elon University Student Newspaper
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