Newspapers / Meredith College Student Newspaper / Jan. 19, 1994, edition 1 / Page 2
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January 19,1994 2 Campus Opinion Editorial: Women at The Citadel by Trad Latta Ttiis week Shannon Faulkner gained entrance into a highly tradi tional in^tution that prides itself on excellence. No, she didn’t make it into Meredith - she made it into The Citadel. I know you’re probably go ing - ‘ Wait a minute, isn’t that an all male institution?’ Yes, it is, but that didn’t st(^ Shannon. I’m sorry, I know that as a woman I should be able to do what any man can do, but I also believe that there arc certain things that should remain (^n to men and women only. A few examples of these places are men’s and ladies' rooms, locker rooms and traditional men’s and women’s institutions. As a student at Meredith, a traditional women’s col lege, I believe that I am a part of a special group. When I run into an other Meredith woman and 1 recog nize her by the Meredith ring she is wearing, 1 fee! like a member of a special sisteihood. I don’t think that I would feel special if I ran into some guy in the Harris Teeter and he had on a Meredith ring. It’snotthatl don’t think that he would be able to fare as well on our campus, but it’s more the principle of the matter. This institution has been giving women a good solid education for over 100 years and has also built up a reputa tion as being one of the best women’s colleges in the South. I am proud of my school and I personally would not want to see it go co-ed. I am sure that the men at The Citadel feel the same way. Their school is one tliat prides itself on educating young men and instilUng them with a sense of fraternity ftat tlKy can’t get anywhere else. I can completely understand how having a woman on their campus would break this feeling of brotherhood. I feel like I have been watching a media-blitzed version of the episode of The Brady Bunch where Marcia pushed to get into The Pioneer Scouts. Marcia was a real hard case about it and she got in, heck she even showed up the boys out in the woods. Peter even tried his hand at becoming a Sunshine Girl and he stunk at selling cookies, but guess what - that was a TV show. I don’t think that Faulkner is go ing to have as easy a time as Marcia did. The men £U The Citadel are not going to lake this lying down and I don’t blame them. If this institution tried to go co-ed I bebeve there would be a big stink. Letters to “Ixt’s stand united as Americans. Separately we will accomplish little.” This imification message echoed in a sophomore’s letter in the December 1 Herald represents the desire of most people. So, how can the very content of the same letter contradict her noble theme? I’ll take an educated position and refute the idea that minorities want the “tables flipped around” so they can persecute others. This idea, to me, seems to represent unjustified fear. Minorities, African Americans in particular, want an equal footing so that they CAN stand united with other Americans and have the advan tages that an education at a college like Meredith can provide. It is not about power — it’s about opportu nity. There seems to be consensus on the idea of scholarships based on need and academics — not color or race. This would open Meredith’s doors to a variety of students who might otherwise not have the oppor tunity. This could help some of the many academically successful mi nority students who can’t afford to go to any college, much less one that costs$10,000ayear. However, there are too many minority students whose circumstances have placed them at an academic disadvantage through Don’t get me wrong ~ I have faith that Faulkner can do anything that the guys at The Citadel can do (ex cept to write her name in the snow), but I really don’t think she should try to buck the system and ruin tradition forthoseguys. GloriaSteinem would probably be disappointed in me. I’ve probably upset a few of you women out there, but that’s the breaks. There are just some things that shouldn’t be tampered with - the safety seal on aspirin, radioactive materials and tra ditional institutions like The Citadel “ and Meredith. the Editor no actions or choices of their own. Should we turn our heads, accept the “haves and the have-nots” mentality, when what we say we want is unity? What happened to “separately we accomplish little”? The sophomore expressed that she “was not surprised, but enraged.” Not surprised, but enraged: that an African American student at Meredith could expect her needs met as any other student would — and say so? Not surprised, but enraged: that increased African American stud ies and faculty at Meredith could significantly enhance the education of every student? Like the sopho more, I also look forward to a world where color or race will not deter mine whether I get a job. I am not surprised, but enraged by the ongo ing seemingly increasing idea of far too many, that the disparity existing among minorities and non-minori ties will magically fix itself with “time and education.” Once the sophomore and others with this viewpoint have opwied their eyes to face this un pleasant reality with understanding, welcoming and instigating change, we WII ,L stand united as Americans. We have the same objecUve — let’s demonsuate that in the things wc do and the things we say. Sylvia Dixon Hackctt Mervditli Herald 1 fjilor ID ( liirf Irilvv K.ihK l.ayQut lidiinr. .Uimtina IifbiL'isd -^i/abotiiiUlani Sfh*ns \iii\nicv]vlitt« . .. KitUrSkwaii Advectciinjii ....?vtacie Waik^ I rjjv;‘h l\ilc Rqpoilcrs. Ciaiky l4ica.s, Addic Tscbam}x Advisor Laura Oavenpcrt MiiMial VA.^u^ IRie HereJiik Herald is publi.shKl by Uio CVU^ thr(>ugh(>ul the scaduniii; >'nr. 'ihe (>i>per q fiuided by the PiilU^e ami thnwgh ’me/fcniMreUins tbe right no(b> ta«cnals coutainm; penwoiil attacks. jomlUcnificulc or liMous ktatnoctKs. leaoste l&e editor aiUk be ki^uctl Tlic opuik>iis es|)n»wd lufiditon«l coluums do tbk«c of (tK coUcgc dd»uau>ttati», Scotty or studeai body. Lettirs io the Ivditair Policy Bvery»nt! in Ihe Meredith ciimmurMt> is invited l« write a letter IoIkeditor-All piibUsiied Icttm D3u>( bo typL'WTiTiAti w’ithront«s't acklrcsi nnd toleghflBftaambn. All IcUers ouuibesiguoij by tlic auiliur. Iiuciua\c« wilt Iw wulilicUl upnti
Meredith College Student Newspaper
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Jan. 19, 1994, edition 1
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