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PAGE t-THE CLUSTER, FEBRUARY 2*. IMF
Editorial/Opinion
Thanks for the compliment
I read a bumper sticker the other day. and I thought that
it really depressed me. There’s this Little word floating around
in the abyss today, and it’s getting used and. as I thought
at the time, abused at every turn.
Anyway, the bumper sticker said, “1 don’t'believe the
liberal media.” and. of course, this little sticker turned my
mind to the election we recently endured. I bet if the
Republicans had a dollar for every time they used liberal as
a cut against the Democrats, they’d have enough money to
pay off our country’s debt. Never mind, they probably
already have that much money. —
Well, I thought that this poor little word, “liberal,” was
getting a raw deal, particularly when an apokxical friend of
mine told me he thought liberal was supposed to be a good
word. As one of those people who has been accused of be
ing a liberal (as a cut) and as a member of the media. I
thought I should take offense, but everyone has their own
definition for liberal, so I was cooftisegLabout what to think.
As all good writers do (according to esteemed professor
Gary~Richardson), I consulted my dictionary in hopes of
determining what this poor little word really means.
Much to my surprise. I discovered that I do not deserve
an apology from the bumper sticker owners or the
Republicans. In fact. 1 sbohld be thanking them, and you
Donna M.
Itzoe
uhe^
other liberals need to get out the/e and do the same thing.
When 1 opened my dictionary, the first definition of liberal
was generous. That’s a positive, compl’mentary word. I real
ly like being thought of as generous, especially since a group
of people told me the ocher day that generosity and compas
sion in this world and that I’ll be “trampled” if I practice
either one. But if the Republicans and these bumper sticker
owners can see me and many ocher people, like the
Democrats, as generous, then there is a possibility for
generosity and compassion in the entire world. I have some
hope now.
The next words were “ample, abundant, not literal or
stria.” These hold no compliments, but they aren’t bad
either. Okay, so then I become “tolerant, broad-minded.
favoring reform or progress.” Maybe I’m naive, but these
all seem pretty good to me. Am I tolerant and broad-minded
becaue 1 don’t give up on a goverment that sacrifices humani
ty for destruction? That must be it because I can’t think of
many other things that bother me so much, yet I still hand
in there because I’m hoping one day war won’t befon our
minds so much.
I must say that the bumper sticker still bothers me, though.
When people refuse to believe an entire institution without
any further examination, 1 begin to question their open-
mindedness and their belief in the First Amendment to the
Constitution, but perhaps these bumper sticker owners arc
confused about the meaning of liberal, too. Of course, now
they’ll probably want to remove those stickers, but that’s
really difficult to do would suggest placing another sticker
on top, maybe a “Peace Now” or "End Apartheid” sticker.
Those two imply generosity.
I think it’s pretty self-righteous of me to say u consider
ing my new awareness of the definition, but 1 guess I’ll go
along with my Republican and bumper sticker-toting friends
and admit iL I’m a liberal, and you know what, you’re liberal
too. No, I mean that. If you guys and gals are going to com
pliment me, then it’s the least 1 can do for you. Thanks
Donna M. Itzoe is Managing Editor for the Cluster.
Hey neighbor, I look just like you
Hey Neighbors'. You'll never guess what happened to me
the other day. 1 actually had a mystical experience more pro
found than the lime I met a 7-11 clerk in Atlanta that spoke
English. What, you might ask, can be more unlikely or weird
than that? Well, it goes like this... It seems that some
sltmeball playing a preinitiation fraternity prank, armed only
with a Zippo and a bottle of gin. burnt down my Ivory
Tower. Hold your anger, kids. Some good did come of this
singularly diabolical act. 1, of course was asleep at the time
of the offense. Naturally, my beloved ivory Tower didn't
exactly burn. I swear by my last clean pair of underwear
that that sucker melted. Yes. you read it right. My Ivory
Tower melted like a cheap polyester mu-mu. Finding myself
forced to leave the security of the only home 1 had known
since my arrival at Mercer. 1 proceeded to amble about cam
pus to make some interesting observations.
N longer blinded by my own distorted perception. I
discovered myself to be in the land of the unreal reality. What
precisely do 1 mean by this? Good question, neighbors. 1
mean that 1 get this sense that, in this pleasant atmostphere.
there is more importance placed on image than on substance
1 cite as evid$aee>the profusion of copies of GQ.
CosmopolitaaCand other such publications devoted to the
cuitivatioOTf a specific, more marketable image. This pre
occupation with image precludes the integrity that comes with
bang true to one’s own nature. Of course, integrity and
booetty areof little use in getting the “right” job. The pur
pose of getting the ‘right’’ job seems to be the facilitation
of material acquisition Of course, we all know that only with
\
Ben
Brooks
the proper accoutrements may we cultivate an image that will
ensure the future acquisition of the aformentioned posses
sions necessary to maintain the marketable image. I don’t
know about you, neighbors, but 1 see a vicious circle of the
confusion of ends and means developing here. Imagine if
you will, an Atlanta marketing firm whose employees are
all chasing their overdressed tails.
Recently I went to a local bar called Somewhere Else. It
is a popular place with Mercer’s popular people. Maybe
that’s why I’ve only been there once. Anyway. I looked
around and saw that most of the students there seemed to
be acting as if they were on “L.A. Law.” It was an at
mosphere which defied individuation. This didn’t seem to
jibe with the fact^that these folks attend an institution
specifically intended for the development of the individual.
Ideally this does seem to be a partial statement of Mercer's
purpose. But. as we ail know, unage beats substance hands
down! Just look at the scene here at Mercer. Until quite
recently. Mercer had the image of being a morally and finan
cially stable institution. We came to find out that in fact
Mercer’s top-dawgs seem to be as morally bankrupt as the
school is financially bankrupt. 1 think there are too many
people running this place who think they're oo “L.A. Law.*'
Is this fundamental duplicity consistent with the stated aims
of the university?
I have a few ocher suspicions to air. I think it likely that
many of us have a burning desire to see a tractor-pull. Big
Foot the Monster Car Crusher, or something of that nature.
We won't be caught dead at such an event, though, because
it wouldn’t be consistent with the image of a yuppic-to-bc
I have also noticed that most folks here (I guess that means
me) tend to took and act the same. We must be following
some fashionable model or, perhaps, we're mirroring
everyone around us. Most, however, even while doing this,
will vehemently deny such charges in defense of their in
dividuality. If you wish me dead, you're probably proving
my point. That’s O.K., I’ve noticed that many of the people
trying to act different tend to look and act like other folks
with the same intent. What ever are we to do?
I guess my point is this... All too often we change our
lifestyle like we would change our cloches. The very word
"lifestyle" implies that we are so malleable that we can alter
our very personalities, with all that the word implies, as we
may change our hair style. Is this consistent with our claim
to humanity? When one considers that Myers-Briggs has
classified each Mercer students into one of sixteen personality
types, one has to ask “Are we really that boring?” Hey .
neighbor, don't look at me. I look just like you.
Ben Brooks is a columnist for the Cluster
LETTERS
Dean clears
up impression
left by story
Oar Editor:
m your last February 6 issue of
The Clour. Charlie Snitch wrote
an article about the CLA meeting
of Monday, January 30th
The bat paragraph of due article
at I have consulted a
lawyer regarding the Trustee*' ac
tion to disallow my use of a
Mercer-owned car 1 understand
Cram Dean Greer that a joking
comment to that effect was made in
the meeting. In truth. I did half,
jokingly ask Bob Steed. Chairman
of the Board of Trustees, where my
lawyer should file a protest regar
ding a msd-yaar change in my
compensation.
Bob Steed sod I have been
friends since our days at Mercer in
the 1930* s. He knows I would not
consult a lawyer on this issue; it is
too trivial an issue for such an
Nonelhries< I have expressed to
Bob Steed. Dr Godaey, and others
that 1 do not agree with the blanket
sto disallow use of all can.
I hope that issue will be re
evaluated. Some of the can are pait
of compensation packages which
were fairly negotiated. Others are
provided to persons whose Univer
sity travel IS extensive. I believe the
proper administrative practice
would be to consider each use of
a vehicle oo its own menu.
Whatever the outcome, 1 will live
with it without the benefit of legal
advice.
Thanks for allowing me to cor
rect the impression left by the
story.
Sincerely.
W Douglas Skelton. M.D.
Provost for Medical Affairs.
Dean. School of Medicine
See Letters, pege »