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■THE WEST GEORGIAN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29.1984
■Opinion-
THE
WEST GEORGIAN
West Georgia College, Carrollton, Georgia
Editor Managing Editor
Jimmy Espy Angela Webster
Advisor Advertising Manager
Joe Cumming David Bryson
In the interim, let us say
Now that there seems to be a lull in the political storm that has been occurr
ing between the College Republicans and the Young Democrats, The West
Georgian feels that it’s time to step in and make a comment on the issue.
Sometimes it’s best to wait and walk into a situation when the winds of emo
tions have died down a bit.
Since the Alvin Toffler lecture, College Repubicans and Young Democrats
have been dancing around like cats on a hot tin roof, like kids on a fast-paced
merry-go-round,.. .as if, in fact, they were playing post office for the first time.
But as one student bluntly put it, “It’s not post office any more; it’s federal
express! ”, which means that the politics on this campus have livened up quite
a bit.. .something that West Georgia College needs desparately.
I The West Georgian’s stand is a simple enough one: for an educational lec
ture given by a well-known author to have been tarnished in any way by its host
is not in all respect, Congressman Gingrich good public relations.
Gingrich did not make a legal or technical error, but he did indeed make an er
ror in value judgements. We would hope that he does not make another such
error by turning a deaf ear to the complaints voiced by the Young Democrats.
As for punishment, Newt, like most good politicians, is and always has been an
innocent and idealist at heart; therefore, he should given a good lashing with a
hickory stick and sent on his way.
Both parties, the Cr’s and the YD’s, have their points.
The YD’s have charged Gingrich with “turning an educational event into a
Reublican rally.” Indeed, he did pass out literature that he often passes out for
both campaign and non-campaign purposes; he held a private banquet attend
ed, for the most part, by Gingrich personel and supporters; the College
Republicans served refreshments and hosted the event; front and center seats
were indeed reserved for Gingrich supporters.
But, to be quite fair, can even the culmination of all these things be called “a
Republican rally”? “Rally” seems a little strong.
But what has most confused the West Georgian in all of this has not been the
positions taken by the respective political parties but the confusion coming
from the administration concerning the origin of the money used to sponsor the
event. It wasn’t until an hour before last issue’s deadline that The West
Georgian received the final word on exactly where the money came from. And
it wasn’t as if the folks on this newpaper had not tried on many occassions to
get a standing and consistent answer from all departments involved... all of
which leads us to wonder if West Georgia administrators are as fully cognizant
of where the school’s educational funds are being spent as they should be.
The dollar figures ranged wildly, from SISOO to SIO,OOO, and exact origins of
the money were even more confusing. From student fees? “Yes, but no, not*
really.” From Foundations? “Well, a goodly portion of it. But all that was
returned immediately to the school.” How much was returned? “$6000...n0,
we’re sorry; it was only $5000.” Confusion, it seemed, ran rampant.
So now, what will all this controversy lead to? The West Georgain would
hope that it would lead to a clearer understanding of when and where
politically-slanted literature should and should not be passed out and also that
the administration keep a closer eye on where funds are being spent. If those
things are accomplished, we feel that we have done our job as representatives
of the student body. And that is indeed our job.
Letters to the editor
Editor,
, Young Democrat president Cliff Ox
fprd is not the first person I have
heard on this campus charge Newt
Gingrich with “having a long history
of being a self-centered, greedy per
sbn.” I do not know what any other in
dividual's experience of Newt has
been, but my own certainly does not
lead me to this characterization.
Quite the contrary, in the more than a
decade I have known Newt, I have
seen a person who is greatly concern
ed with the world of ideas; a person
who has left several past selves
behind after confrontation with new
and convincing ways of looking at
things. He has committed himself to
causes or changes in which he believ
ed and from which others reaped
rhany more benefits than he did. In
deed, he has put himself on the line
where he needn’t have, on principle.
Though Newt speaks as a capitalist,
he does not live as one. His home life
here in Carrollton was non
pretentious as is his home in
Washington. Newt has a strong sense
of vocation (even mission) and he has
had the personal courage to take ex
tfavagent risks. Had political ambi
tipn alone been his impetus, he would
have better become a Democrat in a
district which is overwhelmingly
Democratic. Rather, he stuck with his
political convictions and the party to
which those convictions are most ap
propriate, choosing to fight against
the odds.
My own political convictions differ
frhm those of Newt by about 180
degrees and come much closer these
days to those of Cliff Oxford. I will do
anything I can to see that the Reagan
administration is defeated. Its
military policies are frighteningly
The Staff
News Editor Don Stilwell
Features Editor Greg Land
Art Editor David Folds
grounded in a combination of ig
norance, arrogance and piety. Its
economic priorities are sickening. I
am abhorred by much of what Newt
supports, for example “voluntary
school prayer.” When I was a boy,
Jewish, I used to cringe in a comer
when “prayer time” came in public
shcool or when we would “voluntari
ly’ sing Christmas carols. I disdain
Newt’s playing up to the most ig
norant popular opionions and his
dichotomizing of the world into those
who support God and those who sup
port Tip O’Neill.
As to the Toffler controversy itself,
simply by the fact of what Toffler
said that evening, Newt’s views, by
contrast, came out the laser. So I see
it much to Newt’s credit that he en
couraged this public contrast. As to
the Young Republicans wearing, as
they did, their dark blue business
uniforms, I could hardly distinguish
them from our campus security
forces. Their orange juice was
refreshing and I and my family drank
as much as we could of it to help
deplete their campaign funds. The
sheets they handed out were so aimed
at the unthinking that, given out at a
college affair, they likely lost more
voters for Newt than they gained: Ha
Ha!, Conservative Opportunity (a
contradiction in terms) equals God
and Home, Liberal Welfare equals
Rape and Crime. As far as the funding
of the affair, I expect good politics
from politicians; I would hope we get
good management from managers.
Finally, as to the “box seats,” this ex
pression of eliteism is typical of Tof
fler’s second wave linear thinking. It
is thinking endemic to the Washington
administration, our college ad
ministration and the University
Office Manager Melissa Poston
Business Manager . Cindy J. Stoddard
Editorial Asst Wade McKinney
McKinney offers
last minute'advice
BY WADE MCKINNEY
Well, it’s almost that time again.
We are approaching the home stretch.
With winter quarter drawing to a
close, I’m sure we all have plenty of
loose ends to tie together. With only 8
days of class left before exam week
starts, I know I sure do.
The last two to three weeks of the
quarter always seem to be the most
interesting. Will I get that term paper
finished? Now, what were my last
three test grades? What do I need on
this test to make a “C?” Am I pass
ing, or am I failing? Is there enough
time left to pull that “F” up to a “C?”
Thousands of such questions fill
students every waking hour.
You’ll probably notice more lights
on at three in the morning in the dorm
rooms, as students consume record
numbers of Daytimes, Extra Strength
Dexatrim, and many, many cups of
strong black coffee in an attempt to
complete a too-long-postponed class
assignment. Yes, the end of the
quarter can be pretty demanding on
students.
The strange part of all of the last
minute scrambling to complete
Angela
Webster
It’s that time again. Sink or swim,
pass or fail, salvation or damnation,
or whatever terminology you
choose it all means the same.
“This is it bucko. You had better park
your paddywagon and get some study
ing done.” A noble purpose if ever
there was one.
I determinedly set aside a large
hunk of my 48 hours this past weekend
for that purpose. With my family gone
for a couple of hours, I purposed in my
heart of hearts to become a studious
student.
Armed wth pens, pencils, paper,
calculator, Cliff notes and dictionary,
I headed for my favorite study spot on
the living room couch. I sat down with
a sigh and opened up Textbook
Number One.
After I decided whether to use the
blue, black, green, or red ink pen wth
either the felt- or ball-point tip with
medium, fine, or extra-fine point, I
began rewriting my notes. I continued
in this fashion for a while until it oc-
system from wnence power and
money equal truth which is then drib
bled down to us from on high.
Mike Arons
Dear Angela,
I would like to respond to your col
umn in last week’s West Georgian. I
am a self-proclaimed Yankee and just
as proud of my heritage as you are of
yours. However, I would like to clear
up a few misconceptions which seem
to be very popular down here. I
realize that the weather here is more
agreeable with me than it was in my
native “Windy City.” I would also
agree with your statement that the
southern people are more cordial. I
must draw the line, however, when
you say that there is no place prettier
than the South. Have you ever been to
Michigan? Wisconsin? Up-state New
York? Maine? I would say from ex
perience that the above-mentioned
areas could easily compare with any
areas in the South. Not only is there
beautiful mountain terrain in the Nor
th, but some areas in my home state
of Illinois look identical to South
Georgia.
I would also like to clear up the
myth that all the North looks like New
York City. Most areas of the North are
just like the South. We used to play
baseball, football, basketball, and all
other games children everywhere
play. We had GI Joes, Gumby and
Pokey, and all other toys children
everywhere had. The North is dif
ferent in some aspects. We had snow,
black dirt rattier than clay, and
homes in the city known as two-flats
which would take me forever to
describe.
Also, I never realized that a society
West Georgian Policies
Letters
Letters are welcome from readers concerning topics of
general and campus interest. In order for a letter to be published,
however, it MUST be signed by the writer. Under certain cir
cumstances, names will be withheld by request, but the letters
still must be signed.
Letters should be typed, double-spaced if possible, and must
include a valid mailing address or phone number for verification
purposes.
Letters are not to exceed 300 words and are subject to editing
for length, libel, clarity and/or style.
something is that, 9 times out of 10,
the assignment was made well in ad
vance. I’m guilty too. The hardest
thing in the world for me is to start on
a project when it’s assigned. No mat
ter how many times I tell myself that
next quarter things will be different,
that I won’t put off everything until
the last minute, I just can’t do it! Of
course, I tell myself that every
quarter at 3 in the morning while
struggling to finish something that
was assigned at the beginning of the
quarter.
Even if I make an attempt at star
ting before the night before it is due,
most of my work will not fall into its
rightful place until it’s almost too late.
Although, I have done some of my
best work under the pressure of a
deadline. But, then again, I do all of
my work under the pressure of a
deadline!
And if put-off assignments aren’t
enough to keep a students minds’ oc
cupied, exam week will certainly take
up the slack. Don’t you just love com
prehensive finals! I mean, you cover
a 600 page book in three months, and
then you are tested over material that
'
curred to me that I was exceedingly
thirsty. A nice cold glass of Coke
would cure that!
Ahhh! That did it. Well, here we are
again, back at Textbook Number One.
How many more pages are there? Oh
well, if I covered the first five pages in
30 minutes, then I should be able to do
the remaining 20 in, let’s see... Good
grief! Two more hours! I think it’s
time to switch to Textbook Number
Two.
OK...here we go...really gonna
study n0w...0h dear, where is that
page that explains how to do this
one...what is that word-..it ends in
“ing”...or is it “i0n”...3K well, it pro
bably doesn’t matter anyway...
Halfway through! Hallelujah! Time
for a break 1 know, I’ll wash my
hair and then I can take some more
notes while I’m blowdrying it.
C-c-c-c-an’t w-w-w-w-write w-w-w
--w-with a-a-a-a b-b-b-b-blowdryer i-i-i
--i-in m-m-m-m-my ha-a-a-a-nd. Click.
Think I’ll just go back to reading Tex-
could be so prejudiced until I moved
to the South. However, we must
realize that I am in no way against the
South. I love the South, as a matter of
fact. I just want to say that we
shouldn’t be so close-minded about
something because it is different. I
realize that the Civil War is not so
easily forgotten in the South and I
would also agree that the South had a
very noble purpose for fighting the
war. But I don’t see why the North and
South can’t live peacefully.
In closing, I would like to say that I
am not particularly fond of the loud
jackasses that come out of the North
either, but I have also seen these
same type of people come from the
South.
Sincerely,
Craig Brown
Dear EDITOR:
I’m writing to correct a comment in
a front page-story in the West
Georgian dated February 15,1984.
The story is written by GREG
LAND. It states, “Although Con
gressman Gingrich could not be
reached for comment...”
Such misrepresentation leads me to
question all other portions of Mr.
Land’s story.
I personally placed the telephone
call from Newt Gingrich’s office to a
“Mr. Greg Land” at the West
Georgian office.
Mr. Land DID talk to Newt
Gingrich. Mr. Land was free to ask
him anything he wished for the pur
pose of writing an accurate story.
Asa former journalist, I
wholeheartedly support the free ex
change of ideas. But I also question
such misrepresentation whether the
motivatioh be personal, political or
Wade
fTlcKinney
Beats the Hell Outta fTle, Too
hasn’t been discussed since the first that suits you, bum em! There is
week of class. It can lead to sheer nothing as relaxing as sippmg wine by
panic! Where are my notes from that a fire.
week? What did Ido with the second -Visit your local liquor store. Booze
test we took? Does Evelyn Wood have has the wonderful characteristic of
a correspondence course in speed being able to relax anything. If you
reading? don’t drink, the end of the quarter is a
I think the real purpose of all of this good time to start!
is to prepare college students for the -Have a party. Parties are always
anxieties they will be faced with once relaxing. And, there’s usually booze
they are thrust into the real world, at parties!
West Georgia isn’t really teaching us -Travel. Get away from it all. Visit
English, math, history, or science, someone you haven’t seen in a long
West Georgia is teaching us how to time,
cope with a 45 dollar checking ac
count, and a 350 dollar accumlation of -Forget. This is the important one.
monthly bills. The connection is Remember, quarters are only 10
there! weeks long, and when they’re over,
The good thing about the end of the that’s it. So forget everything unplea
quarter, though, is that once it is over, sant, and remember the good times,
it’s over. They teach us in Founda- All of these may not work for you.
tions that a certian amount of stress is None of these may not work for you!
good. They also teach us that relaxa- But, at least if you’re trying to figure
tion after stressful situations is good out whether or not they do, you aren’t
as well. Here is my advise for relaxa- thinking about all of those dreadful
tion after the stressful period at the tasks awaiting completion. Oh! But
end of the quarter; the quarter’s not over yet. Pull your
-Sell all of your text books as soon as head out of the clouds and get back to
possible. Out of sight, out of mind. work. There will be plenty of time to
And, if you can’t haggle for a price relax after the quarter is over!
Not a good role model
tbook Number One. Click. Whirrrrrrr- THANKS FOR BEING MY FRIEND
fit... AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU
He was bom in ...Hey, didn’t I read ALWAYS...Aw! Wasn’t that sweet! I
this one in high school...yeah, that wonder whatever happened to old Sal
was the year I had the English class ly.-.l’ll bet she isn’t studying right
with...with...with...what was her now...but neither am 1...1 had better
name?...l’m just gonna run look that go back in there and study some
up in my senior yearbook... more...wonder what I came back here
DEAR ANGELIA...why do people for anyway...
insist on spelling my name with an ‘i’
in it? They don’t put an‘i’in anything Study, study, study...gotta study,
else that ends with an‘a.’l never read study, study...here we go again...He
about someone riding a Hondia, or was educated at the University of boy
what’s going on in Canadia, or so- it sure is hot in here...l think I’ll just
meone’s personia, or a gala ex- 8° hack in my bedroom since it’s
travaganzia...oh well, what else did cooler in the back of the house...
she say...l JUST COULDN’T LET Ah! This is much better. Let’s just
THIS YEAR GO BY WITHOUT get comfortable here...gosh, my back
TELLING YOU JUST HOW MUCH is starting to get tired...think I’ll just
YOU MEAN TO ME. YOU ARE ONE P™P against these pillows here, but
OF THE BEST FRIENDS THAT I I’m not going to go to sleep...now my
HAVE EVER HAD. I AM SURE neck hurts...think I’ll just lay down
THAT WE WILL ALWAYS BE THE for a minute and rest my eyes...l’m
BEST OF FRIENDS, NO MATTER not gonna go to sleep, No-siree-Bob,
HOW MANY MILES COME not gonna go to sleep..! am not
BETWEEN US OVER THE YEARS, asleep, notasleep, not asleep-
otherwise.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth T. Camp
District Administrator
U.S. Rep. Newt Gingrich
From the Editor:
Ms. Camp, the reporter, Greg Land,
did indeed, as you say, contact Con
gressman Gingrich. However, the
contact was made after the Feb. 15
edition deadline, and so Gingrich’s
comments could not appear in that
issue. Those comments did appear in
the following issue on Feb. 22.
To The Editor,
I would like to address the issue of
homosexuality in a more positive
light. After reading the unsigned let
ter in the February 15th edition of The
West Georgian, I would like to com
ment on a few of those arguments.
Firstly, I would like to state that the
right to opinion, belief, and worship is
granted to every citizen of the United
states by the Constitution. One right
that is not granted, however, is the
right to impose your own opinions,
beliefs, and theories of worship on
another. Although I respect your right
to voice your opinion, I will not allow
you to either force your opinions on
me or judge me by whatever opinions
I may hold.
Secondly, I wish to directly address
the scriptures which were quoted and
evaluate their meanings. Hebrews
10:26-39 was interpreted as “To con
tinue to love in the homosexual
lifestyle is to intentionally do wrong.”
I however, do not acknowledge
homosexuality or homosexual acts as
a sin.
The interpretation of I Corinthians
Letters shouid be addressed to the following- The West
Georgian, Student Center, West Georgia College, Carrollton,
Ga. 30118.
Advertising
The West Georgian is a full-size newspaper published every
Wednesday during fall quarter. Ad rates are *2.50 per column
inch for local advertisers.
The West Georgian reserves the right to refuse any paid
space due tq content or in the school's best interest. Deadline
for ad space is Friday, 5:00 p.m., before the next publication
date.
jgH IH*
that was given is that homosexuality
as a practice or lifestyle is against
God’s teachings. The act of homosex
uality that is sinful is not the act of
love, but the act of LUST. Lust in the
sense of one man worshipping another
man. This worshipping of another
man is idolatry which defies the wor
ship of God. That is the “homosexual”
sin, 3 ;t it also applies to heterosex
uals.
Now, to C. Sawyer. If you want to
send me back to my closet, please put
the Constitution in with me. I believe
in it...Do you?
Sincerely,
Martin G. Gibson
Keep
those
letters
coming!