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Letters To The Editor
lOw-BdUor:
Tbunday I atteodad chapsi.
_ . In the morning I
aoUead i public pmnllulliin
la the poet office declaring one
mm abccoM would allow the
Dean to award aw the high
honor of Christian Probation -
laquMag na to aaak God each
Tbunday mocaing at 10:00
aja. continuing through the
foi owing quarter. So I crowd
id aatacad the
coffin of Hircc'i
1 arrived 10 minute* early.
Me meditative mood wae
broken by the organist’s late
practicing at (Ml throttle. The
choir entered and did a q>Uo
did Job under the direction of
the talented and sensitive John
Van Cura, a Moss friend of
mhw. We then Joined hi an
“electrifying’’ Hymn of Praise.
Then on to a read prayer and a
well written, but reed lecture.
What tow there wars of us
exited to enjoy the tall breeae
and rustling leaves on a beauti
fill day.
Battier this year, Dr. Otto
real peed, and a committee re
placed him to resurrect chapel.
The standard four chapels were
cut to two. Bach bulletin had a
inspiring word of purpose for
the service it programmed. A
faculty chorale was initiated.
Feedback
- “your chance to respond.*'
But what hm this lead to?
- I mimed two amvtces be
cause of conflicts which could
not be helped. MeanwMie the
papeviae supplied evaluation,
my own feedback. But If I had
been late Thursday, I would
have thought I was early. It
looked as though each row had
met and elected one repro
sentathre to attend! Prseum-
ahly I was elected tor the first
three rows.
The value of chapel and
campus worship is not the
Issue. The issue Is simple -
whatever chapel b trying to
accomplish, it Is not working.
Hardly anyone is in is rested In
chapel. I could digram to men
tion how required attendance
violates a Christian’s rights, al
though it is probably an outlet
for deprived speakers. But this
would get me into morality,
and that Is far from the Issue.
As everyone who knows me
realize*, I am not a radical I
am a 23 year-old married
senior in his fourth year at
Mercer. I love Mercer and its
people. It has things other
colleges lack; an open-minded
president and administration, a
clow relation between students
and most faculty members, a
On Capitol
Hill
beautiful campus, and a con
cern for the deprived people of
Macon. BUT chapel is not
working. Why should students
be threatened by probation to
attend a sendee which abase tee
statistics have repeated^
proven Is a failure?
But to offer criticism with
out ideas would be uaataa* To
me (and this to probably Just to
me), the only good part of
chapel at pieaent to the choral
music. The choir serves as a
valuable public relations tool
to Mercer and an inspiration to
many students. To eliminate
chapel would eliminate choir
appearancae. Abo, there are
many speakers in the United
States who have something to
say — relative to the issues and
ideas and feelings of today.
These should be brought to
Mercer for use to hear - politi
cal, scientific, and religious
with thoughts to be
Food Choice
by Don Nottingham
“Weil, it's that time again, time for our pilgrimage to
Sboney’s.” ‘
I have often wondered why I wind up spending so much
money at such pieces around Macon, and this week it came to me
— boredom. I find myself obsessed by an insatiable boredom, not
with the people around me — they are anything but boring - but
with the food of the Mercer Cafeteria.
I walked into the Cafeteria at the usual time for supper one
day this week, end stood in line with some Mends who were
talking about the usual things - mostly campus politics and wo
man problem*. Finally, a tow minutes after five - sa usual - the
line opened, and people started pouring through the line*
When I got through the door I took a good look at what we
ware having. The choice preeented us consisted of either chicken
or fhtrhvn (both well hidden in gravy) for a mast, a choice of two
vegetables (both cold), a choice of one of two salads (both over a
week old), and one of two deserts. Then it struck me that I had
saan exhibited in our Cafeteria lines such tremendous choices
quite often this year.
I realty had Just about gotten used to poor quality of the meals
in the Cafeteria, and, actually, I can accept the fact that It is hard
to hasp the quriKy of the dishes high when one to cooking for
p poups It would seem to me, though, that the super
the Catoteria could ass (it at toast to let us choose our
My idea to this. Each quarter
have possibly six ssmkiars and
concerts with required attend
ance and aaripred seating. The
choir, along with talented
members of the community,
Invited soloists, and the faculty
chorale could perform at 3
concerts. The 3 seminars could
fsatur* speakers involved with
current tones in the areas I pre
vious y mentioned. Theee 6
meetings would be pubiidy an
nounced by the Cluster and
mail-box notices, together with
individual seat number*
The “chapel“ break would
remain each day sad would
provide a needed break In
morning clarees and also a time
for smaller seminars, club
meetings and an extension of
Wonderful Wednesday.
These ate not idle words for
me. I eee part of the school
toiling to respond to students
and failing to provide its
original meaning. Religion is
personal and should not be
forced. We all have our
Christian desires and ample op
portunity to expand ourselves
by churches publicly and medi
tation and prayer privately.
But chapel cuts ate at a high
percentage, and something
needs to be done. This should
be a mandate — not an SGA
moratorium, but a chance to
accomplish someth lag beyond
grasping at a sinking ship.
Steve W. Batson
Viee President Agnew
appears to have done it again.
By engaging in his usual oral
acrobatics, the gentleman has
to offend half the
political leaders
of both major
parties. Congres
sional reaction
to the Vice Pre
sident’s New
Orleans address
follow* First to
speak to Con-
gressman
Flowers in de
fense of his perty’s leadership.
Mr. FLOWERS. I know that
many loyal Americans ritate
with me a daep feeling of pride
In the Vice President of the
United States for his recent
public expressions on matters
of great importance in our Na
tion. Mr. Agnew has demon
strated with greet firmness and
clarity that he believes in a
strong America moving for
ward in all areas and yet mind
ful of the sincere wishes of her
people—both the sometimes
silent majority, as well as the
vocal minority.
Our Vice President has
spoken out ia criticism of the
leadership and objectives of the
Vietnam Moratorium Day
Committee and further move
ment of this kind, and it was
not unexpected that this would
aggravate thoee of whom he
spoke.
Some members of the news
media and other supporters of
the October 16 demonstrations
now cry “foul" and “shame”
and attempt to deride and ridi
cule him and his position. Mr.
Speaker, I would remind theee
people that lees than 1 per
cent—by even the most liberal
estimate—of the citizens of our
great Nation have participated
in theee demonstrations of dis
tent which are dividing u* The
vast and overwhelming
majority at least are willing to
support our Government. It
would reem to me that by all
reasonable standards, these so-
called demonstrations should
be directed at the Communists
and not at our own Govern
ment.
Mr. Speaker, 1 would take
this opportunity then to com
mend Vice President Agnew
for expressing his convictions
in the forthright manner that
he has, and I assure him that
The —e old thing tins* and time again, and the lack of any
rimi— bring about frequent vtotts to the various eateries around
Macon. The owners and manageri of these establishments love it!
Frankly, aty wallet doesn’t like It at all.
The sound of the now common saying, “Well, It looks like
Sboney’s tonight!” to to*gtwnh»g to be sore vibrations for my
Mil m those of other student* I don’t really understand
of these Freshmen, especially Freshmen women, sur-
II natty aaoaw inconceivable to me that there can be such
"mortal probietm In the budget of the Cafeteria, with so many
■hwWt. betas forced to buy meal tickets, that it cannot at least
praaaut to to onto.era (a. tnd~d w. are) a decent choice of
mans at unto meal. The tacihttas now ex tot to create such a
vntoty of dtafraa, and it new that then should be enough money
to nioh an aide, not only to the wallet, but atoo to the
digHlto lyt^yyv
About the (ttgMtfee aystofla— 1 never have any trouble with my
(UpaUve nuton until I have eaten Mercer Cafeteria food for a
weak or mom. tatops this condition to all psychological surely
tin ataht of a tan of half eaten away by age and swim
ming tagroar* gJavy, can cause some apprehenrion about eating
guff paihapa can cum gnat gastric problem* Surely,
tbo^tai such neat quaatittaa of grewe and spice, used to cover
the taato oT ag^ can cause great damage to the digMtive tr»rt
I wouldn't to so Uttar about th tod tuition If: 1
thta editorial would do royfood, and am* « changa^Negotto
tiom tow beau gatau ou now, though, for at taast a year that
know and thaw to* been Ittto, If any chanp.
Aa a mn of tnt. our choice of poison today at kind was
s£TZtSiTJ55- lETS-- »■»
tto —re, they tod dlfluent color* Aed «t
we tod a chtoce Of efrtor hamburger steak or hamburger steak
- 4 tagjygSisvisg
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS
by Lorry Finklustoin
then are many of us who share
those nme feelings It is a
source of encouragement to me
that someone in the high office
of Vice President of the United
States will stand up to “tell it
like K really is” for all to hear.
To be quite truthful though.
Congressman Flowers seem to
be the only champion the Vice
President had in either House
of Congas* More typical were
these remarks by Frank
Thompson of New Jersey.
Mr. THOMPSON of New
Jersey. Mr. Speaker, last
Sunday at a Republican fund
raising dinner in New Orleans,
the Vice President-although
he did not use any name-said I
waa an effete, impudent, the
masochistic mob He also
manage to include in that In
vective countless Americans,
perhmps even s majority of
American*
My crime, and their* was to
support and in many cases take
part in the October 16 mora
torium to protest our involve
ment in Vietnam.
As one who has often found
humor in the Vice President's
antics, I find this latest bit of
sounding off both outrageous
and incredibly stupid.
It is not the name calling
that I mind so much as Mr.
Agnew’s implication that I and
many other Ameicans are dis
loyal to our country.
One of the most eloquent
voices Joining in the chorus be
longs to Senator Stephen M.
Young, Democrat of Ohio.
Last Sunday the Vice Presi
dent apparently had another
attack of foot and mouth
disease. At that time he stated
that the Vietnam moratorium
demonstration was the work of
“impudent mobs who charact
erized themselves ss intel
lectual*”
The Vice President’s vicious
attack on those who partici
pated in the moratorium
deeply offended millions of
Americans who did nothing
more than exercise their consti
tutional right. Furthermore, his
remarks constituted a personal
insult to those Members of the
Congress, including the senior
Senator from Ohio, and a
number of other Senators, who
encouraged and endorsed this
peaceful demonstration of the
overwhelming sentiment in the
Nation for peace.
No one's analysis, however;
w«6 more in tune with the pro
bable explanation yet to be
offered by the White Houae,
than that of Stuart Syming
ton's brother the Congressman
from Missouri.
Mr. SYMINGTON. I regret
to gpy I think the Vice Presi
dent has been misquoted again.
He was attempting to align
himself with the national chair
man of his pfcrty, another
gentleman from Maryland, in
support of the humbler
purposes of Cite moratorium:
the Nation's concern, the right
of debate on great matters, and
so forth. But as in the past, his
words have been twisted by a
mischievous press At first
glance the expression “im
pudent snob" does appear to
convey a mildly pejorative
meaning. But we must remem
ber that the person who
uttered it is the No. 2 spokes
man of the administration and
would never deliberately say
anything to offend large num
bers of American* We must
aho remember that when he
speaks we are called upon to
interpret the remarks of a dis
tinguished. practicing seman-
ticist. One of the fringe
benefits of the Vice President’s
tenure is his continuing re
minders to us that English is an
imprecise language. At his ap
proach, 1 for one instinctively
reach for a dictionary. Various
meanings are attached to the
word “mob.” What the Vice
President had in mind was one,
“who reeks association with
those he regards as superior*"
He was suggesting that of the
thousands who marched and
prayed, all but a misguided
few. consider the leaders of our
great country as superiors, and
were trying to associate with
them. The word “impudent”
requires no less careful con
struction. It should be limited
to its secondary meaning of
“disregard of other*" What the
Vice President clearly said, if
we had but the patience to
listen, was that the supporters
of the moratorium were people
anxious to associate themselves
with the administration, in
brave disregard of those who
opposed it.
If this was not the intended
thrust of his statement, then in
the words of another great
American, “we are not affected
by it at all.”
MERCER CLUSTER STAI I- 196^70
New* Editor Don Nottingham
Newt Staff E. Lightfoot,
K. Shaw, J. Parker. M.
Swent, L. Highnote. D
Brown
Feature Editor Chuck Jackson
Feature Staff . . E. Robinaon.
B. Davies, F KantRer, Alice
Burns, Judy Wright. Vivian
Southwell, Marsha Mat
thews. H. Brimmer, L.
Swain
Columnist* Ron Child*
foe Hob be, Larry Kinkiest ein.
Allen Wallace. Rocky Wade
Sports Editor Lou lohnsun
Sports Staff B. Owens
B. Nottingham
Artist* C Middleton
B. Stanley, E. Hammonds, P.
Campbell
Advertising Mgr . . . James Boykin*
Advertising Staff Anne Gulley.
Susan Ptumley
Aaat. Business Mgr.Mary A. Buckner
Typists „ 1 Pics*
Y. St. Denis, E. Poole. B. J.
Bandlow, T. I'rserv
Copy Editors . Tyler Hammett
Glenda Tully
Photography Bob Johnson
Public Relations Mp . Kenala
William*. Jasmine Dawson.
Nadine Sherman
Layout A. Cooper,
J Hatfen. Ed Fisher
Political Editor . Larry rtnklestein
Advisors J. Paine
A. Stansfteld
The Mercer Cluster is a weekly stu
dent publication published by the
student* of Mercer University. The
phone number ia 743-1511. ex ten
•ion 221. The address to Boa 29,
Mercer Univanity, Office room 326
and 328 CSC. Office bodrs are
4:00-5:00, Monday through Friday.
Subscriptions era $5.00
THE MERCER CLUSTER • November 4,1969 • 3