February 18, 1999
and 'hard rocks'
Letters
Knight column angers
'Ice grills'
To the Editor:
Don’t let the title fool you,
this isn’t about barbecue chicken
and mixed drinks, this is about the
on-going phenomenon of staring
and miserable looks that has swept
the campus of Elon College.
From the time I leave my
house in the morning until the time
I arrive home at night I would esti
mate I encounter at the very least,
ten to fifteen ice grills.
If you aren’t familiar with
the “ice grill,” let me familiarize
you with the trend. Say , you are
driving in your car and you are
stopped next to another car at a
light. Naturally, out of pure curios
ity you turn your head to see who it
is, maybe it’s someone you know
or maybe you’ll get lucky and it’s
someone attractive and they smile
at you. Instead, you receive a mean,
disgusted, “I’m going to beat the
hell out of you if you don’t stop
looking at me,” facial expression.
That my friends, is an ice grill.
An ice grill is usually given
by a hard rock. Once again, if
To the Editor:
This letter is addressed to the
entire student body of Elon Col
lege. My name is Jim Crotts, and I
am a rising senior seeking your sup
port in becoming the next Execu
tive Treasurer of the Stu
dent Government Associa
tion. Until recently, I was
one of four candidates seek-
Jim Crotts
SGA Executive
Treasurer Candidate
crotj6d0@elon.edu
ing the position of SGA Ex
ecutive President. However,
I have decided to change the
office to which I am seeking elec
tion.
I would like to take this op
portunity to explain to the student
body the rationale behind this
change. I would also like to stress
the importance of the four execu
tive officers you select to represent
you on the Student Government As
sociation. While the office of the
Executive President is crucial to the
effectiveness of the SGA, the other
you’re not familiar with the term
“hard rock,” allow me to educate.
A hard rock is someone who
is too tough for his own good. Some
one who thinks Metallica’s “Enter
Sandman” is a modern day classic
and who feels that black on black is
the only color combo that should be
worn. These are the same kids who
when you are casually walking and
say “what’s up” to them, they lift
their heads up from staring down at
the ground and give you a look as if,
“you’re lucky I don’t smash your
face in for attempting to communi
cate with me.” I hope that allows
you to successfully visualize the
terms “ice grill” and “hard rock”
Now, let me say my peace.
You know, this is Elon and although
this place can suck and all that, it’s
not as if you don ’ t have the freedom
to do what ever you want. These
people walk around with this atti
tude like they are “hassled” to be
here. If you don’t like it, leave.
Don’t give me bad looks and cold
stares, I didn’t fill out your applica
tion to come here.
three executive offices are of argu
ably of equal importance. Moving
my candidacy from Executive Presi
dent to Executive Treasurer leaves
behind three highly qualified and
competent indi
viduals from
which to choose
the best people to
represent the ideas
and beliefs of the
student body. I
would like to bring
that same quality
of choice to the of
fice of the Execu
tive Treasurer for
the student body as
well.
As you may or may not be
aware, the Executive Treasurer is
primarily responsible for the
$400,000 SGA budget, of which
each of you has an invested $60
share.
Experience, leadership and
dependability are crucial to the suc
cess of the office of treasurer and I
feel that I can best suit the needs of
Elon’s student body in this role.
My reason in seeking this position
What do these people have to
be so miserable about? Have you
looked around and noticed how far
this place has come in recent years?
If it’s a “hard rock” attitude you’re
trying to front, you’re wasting your
time because no one cares how
much yoii bench and no one cares
about your “troubled past.” Every
one has their own problems and
you trying to display your dissatis
faction with life through an attitude
out of the WWF is only going to
make matters worse. Why take it
out on me, as No Limit would claim-
“it ain’t my fault?”
Lastly, if you have a problem
with me personally, you might as
well go to the back of the line be
cause there is a waiting list for
people who want to kick MY ass.
So, in conclusion let me advise
people to watch out for this particu
lar trend, and don’t let “ice grills”
and “hard rocks” affect whatever
you’re trying to accomplish here at
Elon.
Sincerely,
Zac Busby
is simply to provide the student body
with an experienced and dedicated
leader in the handling of the SGA’s
financial affairs.
I have served with many or
ganizations on campus as a trea
surer or financial advisor and I am
currently entering my second year
as the Financial Coordinator of the
Adventures in Leadership Program
where I am in charge of a $43,000
annual budget. As a pro-active sena
tor in this year’s Student Govern
ment I have fought for the interests
of all students in making the SGA
more responsible to the general stu
dent body. My plan is, with your
support, to do the same with the
duties and responsibilities invested
in me as the next SGA Executive
Treasurer.
I thank those who had sup
ported me in my former bid for the
Presidency, and I hope that your
support will carry over to my bid for
the Treasury as I seek to do what I
feel is in the best interest of the
Student Government Association
and the student body as a whole.
Sincerely,
Jim Crotts
To the Editor:
First of all, I would like to
thank you for last week’s Focus on
lomosexuality. Whereas the topic
has been addressed by The Pendu
lum before, never, to my knowl
edge, has it been approached at
such a wide angle with representa
tion from so many viewpoints.
This letter is geared specifi
cally in response to the article by
Mr. Chris Knight. Mr. Knight
makes a lot of good points, but I
fear that some of his own observa
tions contradict others. He wrote
that man and woman are meant to
be “creations of the spirit rather
than the flesh.” This is a very true
statement. Perhaps Mr. Knight
lacks a complete understanding of
homosexual relations, as well as
some of the heterosexual ones.
The question arises, “What
is arelationship of the spirit?” That
beautiful event when two people
realize that they are meant for one
another is not wholly about physi-
cality. Mr. Knight pointed this out
to us, and he is correct. But what
happens when a man or a woman is
unable to fulfill himself/herself
spiritually though relationships
with the opposite sex? Let’s face
it, men and women have very dif
ferent things to offer spiritually,
and everyone needs something dif
ferent. If a man finds that he is
complete through spiritual inter
actions with another man, then it
seems to me that he is doing what
God intended. Would you say that
it is more moral for such a man to
betray his true identity and marry a
woman whom he does not love?
According to your article, this lack
of a true spiritual connection be
tween a mating couple is immoral.
Should this man choose to spend
his life with another man, whom
he loves, then their sexual rela
tions are acted out in love, not
companionship. The difference
between the two is staggering.
Homosexuality is not a
choice, but a willingness to open
up to one’s true feelings and needs.
Do yourself a favor, Mr. Knight.
Learn more about this lifestyle
rather than condemning a person
for being true to himself. I think
you will find that an understanding
will develop for people undergo
ing struggles like those of the clos
eted writer of “I’m gay but I’m still
me.” The burden of discovering
one’s sexuality is not made easier
by people like you trying to force a
decision upon them. Compassion
can only work where there is un
derstanding present.
Sincerely,
Andrea Blackwelder
To the Editor:
I am writing in response to
Chris Knight’s article in the Focus
section entitled “The Sin of Homo
sexuality.” As a liberal, heterosexual
woman, I must admit that the opin
ions and claims expressed in this
article pushed more than a few of my
buttons. I respect the author’s free
dom to publicly display these opin
ions, although they oppose my own.
However, I feel that the author
neglected to develop and support
some of his ideas. For example,
Knight states, “In practicing homo
sexuality, one is establishing their
identity in something of the flesh:
instead of spiritual growth and ful
fillment, sensuality fills the void in a
person’s life. But it’s also a void that
can never be truly filled...not with
out the presence of Jesus Christ.” It
is rather naive to assume that homo
sexual relationships are strictly
physical, lacking spiritual growth
and emotional fulfillment. It is also
naive to assume that Jesus Christ is
not “present” in the lives of homo
sexuals, and that His “presence” is
the only path to ultimate satisfac
tion. These statements only further
the stereotypes which much of this
country has been fighting to erase.
These stereotypes lead to actions of
hate and violence, such as the death
of Matthew Shepard, which Knight
finds unacceptable. I find it ironic
that Knight states, “I have no right to
judge another, because I was once in
danger of judgement myself,” while
at the same time he judges the homo
sexual community as blasphemous
individuals only interested in sexual
relationships. As far as I see it, the
only difference between hetero
sexual and homosexual relationships
is the genders of those involved.
Secondly, I commend the Pen
dulum staff for addressing the con
troversial topic of homosexuality.
However, in the future when cover
ing a topic such as this one, I feel that
extra caution needs to be taken in
equally covering all perspectives. I
applaud the anonymous contributor
who courageously told his or her
story of being a young, gay, college
student. This article is a meaningful
account, worthy of the press it re
ceived. However, the featured ar
ticle, does not contain opinions in
opposition to those of Knight, such
as homosexuality as an inborn trait,
or their equal capabilities and emo
tional depth as compared to hetero
sexuals. By not covering all issues
regarding a controversial topic with
equal emphasis, a bias may be cre
ated, and I know this is not the inten
tion of The Pendulum.
Sincerely,
Leah Bauer
SGA candidate changes race