10
| 1 The
i-orum
editorial board
Keir Bickerstaffe
Lindsay Oldenski
Courtney Christian
Ben Thorne
statement
of purpose
The Forum exists to
facilitate dialogue and
expression on matters
of importance to
Guilford College and
its mission. Toward
this end, active
community
participation in these
pages is vital.
editorial policy
Every effort will be made
to print appropriate
submissions of editorials,
cartoons and letters to the
editor. They must be
signed, with the phone
number of the author or
artist included. Editorials
must be no longer than
400 words and letters to
the editor must be no
more than 250 words. The
Guilfordian reserves the
right to edit submissions
for grammatical
correctness and brevity.
The Guilfordian
Netanyahu must compromise
Watching children playing in a sandbox,
one might be reminded of the Middle East
peace process.
Picture it: these kids built their little
sand-structures while laughing, talking, and
generally got along well, until the circum
ference of their labors grew so great they
risked colliding.
Then the fighting started. Sand flew ev
erywhere, and in the end all that was left
were two children crying over one shape
less lump of sand.
Of course, comparing the centuries-old
Arab-Jewish conflict to a squabble between
playground kids is a tired cliche, but only
because its so fitting. Especially now.
Just when the peace process made true
progress and the prospect of war retreated
from the Golan Heights' horizon, Rabin fell
victim to an idiot's bullet (in this case, us
ing the term assassin would be too dignify
ing). Compounding idiocy, the Israelis then
decided to elect as president one of the most
reactionary and hostile politicians running,
Injustice in the system
CHRISTOPHER KEISER
guest writer
Kwame Cannon is a 27-year-old African-
American man from Greensboro who is serv
ing two consecutive life sentences in prison
for six nonviolent burglaries he committed at
age 16. Although he stole less than SSOO worth
of goods, never carried a weapon, and injured
no one, he has received an incredibly stiff sen
tence. Several white men, convicted of simi
lar crimes in the same neighborhood as
Kwame's, received sentences under five years.
During the ten years that Kwame has been
moved from prison to prison he has seen three
convicted murderers come into prison, serve
their time, and be released.
I asked myself why Kwame is still in prison
today. Then I learned that one year prior to his
sentencing, his mother played a major role in
a successful $300,000 lawsuit in which the
College isn't just academic anymore
KEIR BICKERSTAFFE
editor-in-chief
I became the Guilfordian's Editorials Editor
on my third day on the Guilford campus.
Before my classes had begun, I heid a posi
tion (that I was to discover) took about 20 hours
of my time per week.
I know I'm not alone. This uncontrollable
ascendance into leadership roles is something
quite unique to Guilford
It is what I love, and hate, most about this
school.
Certainly I, like many others, could not have
had the experience I've had here at most other
colleges. It is something I truly cherish.
But the nature of student involvement at this
school can be downright scary. What starts as a
mild-mannered position soon mutates into some-
forum
Beße Netanyahu, a man who actually
had the gall to insult Rabin's policies
after he was dead.
Disregarding Netanyahu's callous
lack of social grace, his political stance
begs criticism. Essentially, the new
president desires a complete revision
of the peace process, starting over from
step one.
He gained the support of many Or
thodox Jews by campaigning against
talks with the PLO, advising against co
operation with Syria and Jordan, and
refusing to make any territorial conces
sions which would lead towards a Pal
estinian state. After being inaugurated,
Netanyahu went on record stating he
would refuse to shake the hand of Yassir
Arafat, leader of the PLO, when they
were scheduled to meet at the White
House.
Clearly this man has no understand
ing of history.
History shows in similar circum-
Greensboro police, Ku Klux Klan, and
Nazis were found liable in the wrongful
deaths of five protesters. Mrs. Cannon, a
social activist on issues pertaining to poor
people and African-Americans, was well
known to police and judicial officials in
Greensboro.
Is it unreasonable to think that
"We are confident in the victory of good
over evil."
Bob Marley
Greensboro's judicial system would
avenge the police department's guilt by
locking away Mrs. Cannon's son for two
life sentences?
Last week I went to visit Kwame in
thing uncontrollable—and the freedom that
Guilford allows its students to do whatever
they can for the school is soon "feeding the
extracurricular beast"
To quote Allen Ginsberg, I am seeing
some of the greatest minds in my genera
tion destroyed by it.
There comes a time when these activi
ties demand more than can be adequately
defined as "volunteerism." I know many stu
dents, including myself, who must sacrifice
school work in order to fulfill the needs of
their extracurricular activity of choice.
Cory Birdwhistell's editorial last week
touched on a few plans with which the Cur
riculum Subcommittee has been toying. I'd
like to suggest another.
I think it is a shame that growth outside
November 15,1996
stances that such conservative opinions
only antagonize an already volatile situa
tion and increase the amount of guerrilla
warfare, and if unchecked lead to war (the
Anglo-Irish conflict may be cited as just
one example).
As of now, suicide bombings by
Hamas have escalated and a tense Israel
lies dangerously close to exploding into
mayhem.
This situation is both absurd and un
necessary. Syria will never rest until it
reagins the Golan Heights which Israel
captured during war, and Palestinians will
not regard Israel as sympathetic until the
government asks Jewish settlers within the
West Bank district to leave.
Likewise, Palestinians must under
stand that an independent Palestinian state
is only feasible years after these goals
have been accomplished. Until then, there
will never be peace in the Middle East.
A shame, really, with so much sand
lying around.
prison. He is a strong spirit with a vision of
working with the youth. He currently works
with inmates and looks forward to the day
when he can re-enter society and give to the
Greensboro community.
Kwame, from when he was sentenced,
has taken full responsibility few the acts he
committed as a teenager. I believe that he
has served enough time in prison. Myra Ann
Dean, one of Kwame's burglary victims has
petitioned Governor Hunt for his release.
Church clergy, businessmen and women,
state representatives, and citizens around
North Carolina believe Kwame should be
free. What do you think?
Please come share your opinions or ques
tions concerning Kwame on Tuesday, No
vember 19 at 8:00 p.m. in Boren Lounge
where Marshe Clarice, founder of the Mi
nority Prison Diversion Project, will share
more astounding facts of this case.
the classroom rarely gets recognized by the
registrar's office, particularly in ways that meld
with a student's academic track. Admittedly,
this is a sticky situation. Internships are good,
but often provide credit in unneeded areas.
Cory mentioned the idea of adding a re
quired "service" component to the core curricu
lum I'd like to see this expanded to the oft
ignored work students do in organizations on
campus.
This would provide a good way for students
to fulfill a core requirement, while helping to
strengthen any of the 50-plus student organi
zations Guilford maintains.
This is the perfect opportunity to make this
change. If left untouched, we run the real risk
of leaving club attendance, and the mental
health of student leaders, to disintegrate.