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THE CLUSTER, APRIL 7, IMP-PAGE *
Reality of racism
culture that I barely knew existed much less had been a par
ticipant in.
I encountered an even greater taste of reality when I at
tended the seminar "Racism! Whose Problem Is It?" by Dr.
Bratcher. In a fairly noo-accusatory way, Or. Bratcher il
lustrated just how much of a white problem racism is. And
he said-racism was created by whites, whites benefit from
it. and therefore whiles must take the major part in ending
it. After all, we as white students do possess the most power
on the Mercer Campus. For proof of this, look at the SGA,
SUAB, and Judicial Council pictures which are in the CSC
Lobby. Yes, I realize that because the black students are the
minority on campus they will not be able to get as many posi
tions on such things. But, my main question on that is—are
they not more represented because they do not feel the need
' '
or urge to run, or are we all, blacks and white included, so
used to the patterns established through the years that we
feel that there is no point in opposing?
I wish that more people, especially white students, had
attended this or a similar seminar because 1 think that we
all tend to lose sight of the existence of racism on our very
own campus. This conference really brought that to light for
me. We may not knowingly encourage or endorse it, but on
the same hand, no one needs to do much to oppose it either.
We all seem to realize that black students don't get offered
the same benefits the white students do. We have read the
various articles about the lack of black cultural and social
areas here at Mercer. But docs anything get done?
No, it does not, and I am surely including myself in on
this. It feels as though we know that there are problems, at
Continued from page 7
least a portion of us do, and yet we pur off real action on
the off chance that these problems will either resolve
themselvese or disappear. The problem of racism WILL.
NOT go away until some sort of serious action is taken. That
does not only entail admitting that there is a problem. The
solution requires a stand against the apathy toward racism
on this campus.
As I said in the beginning, racism is a problem here at
Mercer which can no longer be allowed to continue. One
person alone may not be able to change the world, ikit I will
be darned if I will sit by and watch these things proceed on
as usual. I am going to make a stand and take action. Why
don't you?
Sarah Cambrige is a Staff Writer for the Cluster.
LETTERS
Editors:
As a deeply concerned Mercer
University alumna, I would like to
address publicly my personal
response to President Godsey’s
prospects of the university " com
municated through recent forums
and memoranda initiated by Presi
dent Godsey himself.
Mercer University, which I
cherish, it not at the verge of death
or life. A fine institution of learn
ing and of man's endeavor for the
sake of everything true and real is
in her critical hour. In spite of all
the heat of alarms, anxieties, and
thedeepestc
in the heart of 1
tent crisis, it is^
ccmedoottoi
by disputing onlV
or "wrong,
of us at this pre
fer all con-
one another
is "right"
to fight over
who i
whose political | power is the
stronger in number and force thus
to eliminate his opposition. Mercer
needs now, amidst many conflicts
and tensions, men and women of a
clear and sober determination, who
Phi Kappa Phi
Outstanding
Sophomore Award
Each year the local
chapter of The Honor
Society of Phi Kappa Phi
selects a student for its
Outstanding Sophomore
Award. The student will
receive a cash award and
will be recognized at the
Honors Day Convocation
this Spring.
To be eligible, a student
must have a g.p.a. of at
least 3.7S and be active
in extracurricular
activities. Sophomores
who wish to apply for
the award should pick up
an application form from
Dr. Bean in Mathematics
302 by Wednesday,
April 12, 1989.
can decide and act through their
deepest integrity and sincerity for
the sake of what Mercer stands for.
Let us not to be blinded, first of
all, by the most sensational element
of our crisis, the monetary amount
of deficits which has jolted our eyes
and emotions through the public
media. Let us. also, not to be blind
ed by successes and failures of
Mercer's administrative ventures
for the past several years headed by
President Godsey. Something
much deeper and far more fun
damental has been at stake at
Mercer under Godsey’s presiden
cy, compounded along with
monetary mismanagement.
President Godsey has spoken, at
various occasions, of tis visions
and dreams for Mercet as a great
Christian university. Let us then,
once again, together bring in focus
the life and work of a Christian in
stitution. A Christian university is,
at least for me, a place where ge
nuine men and women can come
together and meditate upon ques
tions implicit and explicit in human
existence in this universe through
the dynamics of learning and
leaching in the most profound spirit
of freedom. A Christian universi
ty is a place from which genuine
men and women can carry forth
each his or her life Vocation into the
communities of humanity and bear
fruits in the most daring spirit of
courage. Under any justification or
rationalization, a Christian univer
sity begins to die when her life and
work begin to diminish from her
classrooms and campus. Then the
university becomes nothing but
another facility where males and
females can come and go to get
what they like—whether it be a suc
cess, a prestige, a comfort, a
pleasure, a profession, or even a
"happiness" which a university
education may appropriate. The
university then must stock itself
with supplies of impressive
resources in order to satisfy the
demands and desires of customers
of the educational marketplace.
Under President Godsey’s leader
New sorority postponed further
In the academic year 1987-1988 panheilenic voted to invite a new
sorority to Mercer’s campus. Pi Beta Phi. The invitation was extend
ed and accepted contingent upon the ability to secure adequate hous
ing. Pi Beta Phi had originally scheduled rush for February, but due
to cost on the pan of Mercer and Pi Beta Phi a housing agreement
could not be made.
An adequate site for housing is presently being sought. There are
high hopes of having the problem solved by Fall quarter so hopefully
Pi Beta Phi will be able to join Mercer's campus during the 1989-1990
academic year.
Available this Quarter...
Senior Preparation Services
Be prepared for Career Days!
April 18th and I9th
(Teacher Placement) (Companies)
Contact Student Development
Services at 744-2862
or
Debra Rene’ Sigman
Student Coordinator of Career Days
738-2157
ship. Mercer seems to be moving
towards a doom as a Christian
university while Godsey talks about
his visions and dreams for it.
Our Mercer University is a
Christian university and remains so
as long as genuine men and women
are still carrying on her life and
work in the sacred spin! of freedom
and courage as students, teachers,
administrators and workers
throughout the campus—I myself
have seen them in action there. But
how much longer can Mercer re
main so when such spirit of genuine
men and women is constantly
ridiculed, mocked, and quenched
on account of an empty mental im
age of a so-dreamed "Christian
university"? How much longer can
Mercer remain as a Christian
university when many diseases of
modem men and women begin to
threaten the very core of her life
and work?
Let us come together now.
therefore, to bring Mercer back to
her health. Let us preserve her life
and work of a Christian university
together.
Yuko Hancock
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