Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / Nov. 16, 1989, edition 1 / Page 2
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Editorials November 16, 1989 It:. ?Tir if'*' Page 2 The Pendulum Serving the Elon College community Editor Mindy Schneeberger Arts Edftor Rena Mauldin Features Editor Dawn Washington Sports Editor Chip Lupo Reporters Linda Adamson DeeDee Cahowan Marlena Dare Wilma Dixon Murray Glenn Jason Graves Patti Jefferies Donna Meyer Scarlett Orenstein Sharon Paul Scarlet Peachey Norman Perduk Kelly Potter Ellen Reamy Theresa Riley Michele Rowe Stephanie Tallent Anna Wiluams Laurie Wommack Columnists Jim Bush Dallas Corey Win Neagle Holly Sniffen Production Julie Barton Kim Beane Graphics Stephen Kahle Shirley Thomson Chief Photographer Pat Hobin Photographers William Hassell Scott Lansing Richard Thomas Mike Vorndran Rob Whiteside Cartoonist Michael Townsend Advertising Dottie Hayes Lara Lee Marshall Marie Milliken Karen Nichols Richard Pond Advisor Brad Hamm Office 102 Williamson Ave. Elon College, NC 27244 Phone (919) 584-2331 The Pendulum, founded in 1974, is published by Elon College students each Thursday during regular school terms. The Pendu lum welcomes your opinions, with letters limited to about 250 words if possible. Letters must be sigpned and a phone number given for verification. Deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. Monday. Survey results are not very shocking — that’s disturbing body has experimented with lUegal drup. ^e ui every five students has tried cocaine. Only one percent - just 33 people - have never used alcohol. Shocking? No. And dial’s die most disturbing part of all this I^k at the staustics and you're not surprised. In fact voumieht have thought die numbers would be higher. ’ Drugs u^ to be a rarity. Now diey a^e reality. Everyone on to can^us has met a student who has used or is currenUy using I probably can count the number of people you know who do not dnnk alcohol on one hand. c you Know wno ®“dents ay diey are not using drugs "to fit in." They get » Sne =«>ministration. faculty and some students are trying But '"Stead, diey were expected, tn ! u lhat, in compiling the storierohoto.: ^ graphs about die drug issue for diis edidon. L rew^’^d photographers didn't have to search verv far L , find students who were^lisi'nl dh?g^.' ' o 2 • m j A 'coke' addict Habit returns during fall semester I am a "coke” addict. Not cocaine, but Coca-Cola. Last spring semester I was drinking between four and six Cokes a day. I’d drink one to wake up in the morning, two with lunch, one in the afternoon to give me a litUe "pick me up" and then one or two with dinner. Of course, if I had to stay up l^te. to study (especially during midterms and finals). I'd drink a few more. The problem was that Coke was the easiest thing to drink. It was free and unlimited in the cafeterias, the Pantry was a short walk from my room and convenient Coke machines were located all around campus. Basically, I could get a Coke as easily as a drink of water. HoUy Sniffen Then I spent the summer working in a resort town and the Cokes there cost 75 cents a can. So, disgusted with both my addiction and the price, I quit cold-turkey. It was hard but I remained Coke-free all summer. In the fall, I returned to Elon determined not to slide back into my addiction. I am now living in an apartment far from the Pantry and have no meal plan, so I never go to the cafeterias. When shopping for groceries, I used to completely avoid the soda aisle and instead headed for the juices. ' ^ However, juice is expensive; and as the semester moved on, I often find myself in need of a "pick me up" before my 8 o'clock class or while studying at night. Now a bottle of Coke is always present in my refrigerator. I know that caffeine is a drug. I also realize that I am addicted. I look at it this way, everyone has a vice. For some it is smoking, chewing tobacco, or drinking coffee; for me it is Coca-Cola. Besides, I can quit anytime I want to. Absence makes an impact By now almost everyone knows that The Pendulum was taken off the racks last weekend by the Admissions Office. The problem, according to the office, was that the paper portrayed a negative image of the college. Unfortunately, what the Admissions Office failed to see was the purpose behind the "drug issue of The Pendulum. The issue wasn't aimed at exposing of a major drug problem which exists only on the campus of Elon College. The issue was aimed at making people in the college community aware that there is a drug problem everywhere in America, even on Elon's beautiful campus. This issue of The Pendulum had the same goal as Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" campaign: to educate. Under Nancy Reagan’s plan, even five- year-olds in kindergarten classes need to be made aware of the drug problem in America. However, according to the actions of the Admissions Office, Elon College students need not be aware of the drug problem on cainpus or in America. Their actions seem to give off the impression that if you can’t see a problem, it doesn't exist I ' lengths . would . Admissionslgo ID PCTpfetrato^their I sparkling clean image of Elon? They've already taken and disposed of our newspaper. Next visitation weekend, will they require any student on campus to dress nicely and wear "we love Elon" smiles? The way to fight the drug problem in America is through education. That was the intent of The Pendulum last week. What was the intent of the Admissicms Office? Holly Sniffen First, I would like to applaud The Pendulum's editor, her staff and advisor. Brad Hamm, for their exceUent woric this semester — and especially for their work on last week's issue, which explored the drug problems at Elon College. As a faculty member. I am glad to see this year's paper covering more news and controversiaL-but relevant - campus issues rather thanlerving merely as a public relations mouthpiece for the college. Because of this expose’, the journalism. «ic?iaiartidni( 11 ''college t community were penalized last week when copies of The Pendulum were ordered removed from various campus locations — presumably because Saturday was a Visitation Day and some members of Elon's administration did not want unfavorable views of Elon presented to prospective students and their families. Wake up, Elon! There problems on this campus - by exposing them, becoming aware of them, we can finally begin to honestly confront these issues. I am appalled, saddened and infuriated by this unconscionable act. Are we at Elon immune to the rights of the First Amendment — or perhaps only The Pendulum staff? What sort of message does this send to these conscientious, hard-working, future journalists, not to mention the other students in our care? Whoever was responsible for the decision to "pull T h e Pendulum" should issue 3 public apology to the staff of ® paper and to the entire coHeg® community. I ask my colleagu^ and Elon students to suRJort thetf paper and demand that tni censorship not occur again. fiJ Y I
Elon University Student Newspaper
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