About The Mercer Cluster. (Macon, Ga.) 1920-current | View Entire Issue (March 6, 1989)
PAGE 10-THE CLLOT*. MARCH .6. 1W LETTERS decide what an entire institution needs or does not need. Don Sandere! What a guy! What an ego! "Who cares?”, he asks, in reference to athletic spirit here at this wonderful institution of ours. Let me be the first to thank Mr. Sanders for pointing out the error of my ways. How foolish I have been to waste precious moments of my busy schedule, to support the atheletic department, when I could have been doing more productive things, such as trying to analyze the “ clique-ing" rituals in the cafeteria at dinnertime, as does Mr. Sanders! So the soccer team sits together, so what?! And where is he in the midst of all this “clique-mg"? In a cor ner with a pad. taking notes on the subject? Dan.. Dan.. Dan.. get off of your high horse and stop judg ing and labeling others because of the athletic affiliation or their choice of dinner companions! Poor Dan.. he was a member of a Mercer intercollegiate team and *'not a single one of the meets I ran at had even a single Mercer student spectator.” he says. Aw. poor baby. Maybe we’re gening at the heart of the matter here. Now. I’m not saying that there's any resent ment here at all. no. never would I say that. In addition. 1 would also never imply that this resentment towards our “athletic heroes’’ comes from the fact that he himself isn’t one. However. Mr. Sanders obviously missed not having a fan to yell his name, and display “athletic spirit”, if you will. So that Dan doesn’t think that I'm singling him out. I must say that I’m well aware of the apathy shared by others. It's very apparent when you go to the Coliseum to watch the Mercer Bears (who. as of now. are on a six-game winning streak. Dan) in action, and there are 20 empty seats in between the few devoted fans that the team has. So.' for those of you who share in Dan's opinion, wanting to be recognized for having a great education as opposed to being associated with a school that has a great basketball team, here’s a novel idea. Why not be both? Hmmmm. Would that be so terri ble? Part of a good education. 1 think, is leaving college, not only with book knowledge, but also as a well-rounded individual. Far be it for me to judge, but if you’re stu dying most of the time, and analyz ing cafeteria behavior three times a day. and allowing time for sleep every now and then. I’m sure you're a thrill to be around. Finally, why does it have to be "athletic spririt"? Why can't we just call it “SCHOOL spirit”? Why can’t we be proud of our quality of education, as well as our atheltes? Granted. I'm here for the same reason as are most of us, and that's for an education. However. I'm blessed with this thing called "versatility.” and it allows me to absorb knowledge and take pride in my school, yes. even our athletes, simultaneously. Imagine that! To our athletes: Keep up the good work! Some of us really do care. Tanja Domingo Sanders lacks research Editor: Individualism. Since this seems to be a new concept to some of us. let us examine it. The subject can be considered from different view points. but I wish to examine the attitude of personal independence. From the time we first open our eyes in this wonderful world, each of us develops our own personali ty. One person may become a “redneck." a "dmggie,” or one that “God has chosen." Unfor- tuntely. each individual is similar to many others. Those with similarities often group themselves, or are grouped by others, in accor dance with outstanding characteristics, thus each group is labeled with that one exceptional ly outstanding characteristic. This does no mean that the in dividuals within the group believe or do the exact same things. Each person still decides as to how his daily life will be conducted. Why do these individuals insist on gathering together? No one really knows for sure, but wc can speculate. My hypothesis would be that groups are formed mainly out of a desire for companionship. The similarities of the individuals will most likely minimize friction withing the group. The point to be made is that although most of us can be identified with some type of group, we are individuals regardless. As a youngster. I became ex tremely involved in physical ac tivities. while at the same time. God gradually blessed me with an extra portion of height. When I realized my height was of great value in basketball, I began to dedicate much time and energy in this direction with the hopes of at taining a scholarship at some il lustrious university, because my parents could not afford the level of education which 1 desired. When this work began paying off, people started labeling me in one of two ways; I was either the “dumb jock" whose points per game average was expected to be higher than his SAT scores, or I was some type of greek god, skimming invin cibility. While neither of these labels fit me. I allowed myself to be momentarily caught up in the glory of being one of the "Heroes of America." Once I saw myself slipping into this abyss, 1 began grasping to hang on to the edges. I was able to achieve and maintain a very respectable level of academic acheivement, but more importantly I made a concentrated effort to establish my individual qualities. I was involved with athletics because it was something I enjoyed doing (I was not remote ly close to being a “juvenile delin quent”), but I was an individual, not an extension of the basketball team. Now I have been slapped in the face! In a recent letter to the editor. Dan Sanders blasted Mercer athelctes (especially), as well as all other recognized groups for “separation and clustering." I believe I have adequately address ed why people group together, but if anyone thinks they cannot trans cend these defined boundaries, it could only be because they have not tried. Mr. Sanders' comment frustrates me because I have put so much effort into being involved with as many students as I possi- i pace 12 Up £ Ueiu \ . MAtr fAondaM I |T >1 1 Got op. Went to work. ' Cam* home. Watched TV. Went to bed.. Tuesday j rrn Got up. Went to work. Can* home. Watched TV. _ Went to bed/C— Wednesday 11 IN Got op. Went to u>ork?1 Came home. Watched TV. Wenttobed.- Got Op. Went to work. Came home. Watched TV. Went to bed. - Friday. I n JL| Saturday 1 (i irj Got up. Went To work. 1 Got op. VtfenT To work.' Came no me. Wagoned TV. Came home. Wa+ched TV. _ Went To bed. WenT b bed. Cl OOslT ) / J ■ -T-^ /] CBEJ-itue) " /‘'-TT to fflemr Up Cltjjfttr Editor-In-Chief Pmui Akiowter Managing Editor Donna M. IUoe June* P. Cook Charlie Smith Opinion Page Editor Ron Light Features Editor Susannah Van Entertainment Editor Christopher Kirby Sparta Editor Robbie Turnky BHly Walker Gary Blackburn Cider Atlanta Correapondaat Bo Sbippeo Technical Cnn.nb.nt David Tucker Chkf Photographer Kefly Finley Arid! Eric O’dell Columnists Sarah McPherson. Eddie Sanford, Roland Ochoa. Leighton Moore, Christopher Sheets. Ben Brook, and Joey Bishop Advertising Representatives Bill L'radnik, Rhonda Godwin, and Ray Berger Photographers Hope Maagsrd, David Potter. HoBy Bragg and Dan Pritchett 4T Staff Writer, Darrell Boiler, Cecelia Present, Eddie Sanford. Rob Sumowski, Susan GUmou, Mlchdle Reno, Sarah Cambrige. Dianne Laabert, Jennifer Stooe. Jemima Simons and Leigh Wansky Address: Box A, Mercer. Office kmed on third floor of the Student Center. 744-2*71. The Mercer Chater welcomes letter, to the editor. They dlfield be conch* end typewritten. Letter, must be dgntd impini.d by a current address aod Letter, should be addrrmtd to the Opinion, repressed is The Mercer Cluster are those of the edfeor or the writer of the article and are not of the nalvcrdty or
