Newspapers / Meredith College Student Newspaper / April 21, 1999, edition 1 / Page 10
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Meredith Herald April 21,1999 10 Campus Opinion Bidding my own farewell From the Editor ine wh names and to pnni. 1 take a minute to stop and calculate the hours, faces, d phone numbers from the past four years. 1 remember worl^g Herald office in what’s now the same room in Cate Center mv As I’m sitting here in front of the comixiter Hying to put my fmal ' " mb in the old Herald office in what’s now the game room in Cate Center my freshmen year. I remember wwking out of a storage closet for the fct semester of my sophomore year because our cun^nt office was not com plete. Junior year, I rememlxr the fire in the dining hall havingjust put a Herald to bed hours before. And this year, what can I say? It’s been a year I will always remember with faces 1 will never foiget. I guess the normal thing for me to do would be to pass the torch on to my successor. Leslie Maxwell. And I shall do just that, but not without thanking a few others befotehand. First of all, as I said last week, I have to thank my mom for giving me the inner courage to do anything I put my mind to doing. Without her. I would not be me. I also have to be sappy for a moment as I thank the patience and bilerance of tfte one person who could have managed such a feat. Michael. You could never Know what your virtual bouq^iiets and sometimes annoying phone calls in the office meant - love, un«rstand- ing and encouraKment. Right back at you. babe. Here at scho^, there are tons of people who have given me the sup port and knowledge one needs when tiying to produce a college news paper. To my past editois Clarky Lucas, Arinn Dixon and Kim Highland. 1 thank each of you fw the friendship and guidance you gave me when I Meredith Herald Editor in Chief, Allison Carter MEREDITH BY TORY HOKE Well, it's here. My final issue. TTk last Meredith Herald of my time here at Meredi^. It’s my ICMth issueandl'mnotreally sure what to do with my Tuesdays. Can you imagine hav ing a set routine for four years with every Tues day of your academic life revolving around the production of a weekly newspaper, including my classes? No. I don’t think you could, but you’re not alone. Hiere are many times I can’t imag- vhat my life would be like without the Herald every Tuesday. 5»RY you. ^ m was a part of each of your staffs. To our advisers Rebecca Duncan and Cheryl Jenkins, without the two of you there would be no money and no article ideas. Of course. Dr Jackson, what can I say? You have been a source of immense strength and guidance, knowledge and fiiendship. To my little sister, Joy, I leave a few thoughts of wisdom - my wisdom anyways: Be true to your values, hold strong to your tkiughts and love like you love yourself. After two years of sisterhood, we take with us a connection that will live where ever each of us lives in the future. That’s my promise to you. To any one who has had to live with me here at Mer^ith, forgive me. I know I keep crazy hours and am always into some project or another, but you could never imagine how much each of you nas truly meant to me as a fellow Angel and sister To my staff, a simple thank you is not enough. In fact, wotJs cannot express what I feel in my heart with gratitude and admiration for every thing each of you has done. To^ and Beth, we are alt leaving together and each takiiig with us a part of^the other For me, I will always cherish Beth’s chic sense of style and Tory’s heightened sense of humor that no one else can bring to a group. I wi^ you Both all of the luck and love you each deserve. Leslie, to you I can only express my slight jealousy of your having the opportunity to continue working with this wonderful college and its mner family. There will be up and dowrts during your tenure as editor, but don’t foiget that each downfall is education in itself. Leam from your mistakes, bring dee to the light board and don't forget tt> give the com puter a good kiCK when it’s not behaving. As I Bid my own farewell, I say good-bye to a life of laughter, learn ing, tears and challenges. In a matter of days, the whole cycle will begin again as I start a new edition of my life with a new staff, farewell... T«iy Hoke .;.:..Beth Hall ..Lisa Gilliam .Lisa Giliiam ...In transition Features Editor/Cartoonisi News Editofi^py Editor. Arts & Entertainment Editor.. Clubs Editor.. Sports Coordinator... Police Reporter. Leslie Maj?we1l Business Manager. .,..u ...Michelle Drake Repwters Kristen Bostedo, Amy Erbe^Jiik Christina Holder Photo Editor. ,..Konia Hux Distribution Manager...... Christina Holder Faculty Advtser..,..v...„....-............v... Reb^ca Duncan Editorial Policv: The Meredith Herald is published by the College throughout the academic year. The paper is funded by the College and through independent advertising. The opinions expressed in the editorial columns do not necessarily reflect those of the college administra tion, faculty, or student body. If you have a article idea for die staff, cwitact the editor directly. Ail ideas will be consid^ed for individual issues that best fit the article topic. •••'' Campaigns are out of control Michelle Drake Business Manager If a baseball player rounds third base and slides in at home, and before the umpire has a chance to call him safe or out, the player hands the umpire $5,000, what do we call it? A bribe. If a lawyer arguing a case in front of the judge says. Your honor, may I see you in your chambers and the lawyer offers the judge $1,000 and another $10,000 from partners at the firm and tells the judge,”Don’t let this influence your ruling on my client,” what do we call it? A tsibe. But somehow, every day, special interest lobbyists approach elected officials who we all elect to sit in judgement on key issues. Those special interest lobbyists offer public servants money for their re-elec tion campaigns, and we some how have a different name for it - “campaign contributions.” In 1776, patriots fought hard for our democracy. They fought hard to create a system of fair representation. Every year we celebrate the Fourth of July to honor those who declared inde pendence from a distant govern ment that was not responsive to the people. But their vision, a government of the people, by the people, for the pec^le, is being washed away by a sea of special interest money. It is now a government of by and for the waelthy special interests who fund campaigns. When we look at who con tributes to campaigns, you begin to understand why citizens feel left out. Less than one percent of voters make up ninety percent of the political money. The largest categories od doners are lobbyists and special interest groups. How ironiQ is it that these special interest groups receive millions of dollars in tax cuts every year? They are the closest to the law-making process. All too often, money deter mines who can run, who wins, and what issues the legislature addresses. Nine out of ten times, the candidate who spends rge most wins. Winners out- spend losers two-to-one, and onlu one-third of campaigns are acyually contested races. I thought democracy was about choices, but how can you choose when no one is running? We are a society of good people caught in a bad system. Wien a citizen decides to run for office, why is the first question asked. “^^^ere will you get the money for television ads?” Instead it shouls be, “Where do you stand on the important issues facing the state?” The solution to big money in politics is the Clean Election Act, limiting campaign spend ing. Clean elections candidates must agree to fixed spending limits for the primary and gener- Letters to the Editor Policy; Everyone in the Meredith community is invited to write a let ter to the editor. All published letters must be typewritten with contact name, address, and telephone number. All letters must be signed by the author in order to be published. The Herald reserves the right to place any other article sub missions on file until needed or to choose not to print them. The Herald also has the right to edit submissions for space requirements. Only 3.5 days of classes to go! al elections and not to accept contributions from provate indi viduals aVid organizations. This will bring a halt to the rising costs of campaign elections, giv ing all qualified candidates an opportunity to run for office. These candidates must demon strate a broad base of popular community support to qualify for public funding by gathering a set number of signatures and small qualifying contributions from average ciuzens in their districts. Candidates will then be accountable to voters and not to special interest groups giving large amounts of money. It will allow our elected officials to spend more time on the real issues and less time on fundrais ing for their re-election cam paign. waelthy special interest groups will no longer have an influence on North Carolina pol itics. The Clean Elections Act affirms the pronciple “one per son, one vote." Washington will never clean up its act until stales like North Carolina, pass a meaningful reform. "Hiis ball and chain on our democratic process must be broken. We have to send a mes sage to Congress to let them know we are tired of waiting, tired of being ignored and tired of being hidden behind the big bucks. It is up to everyone to stand up and break the silence. Let your voice be heard. Submissions for the Herald are due every MONDAY at 1 p.m. in the box outside of 208 Cate.
Meredith College Student Newspaper
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April 21, 1999, edition 1
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