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WUOG’S BIG MOVE
Gordon, I want to clear up any misconcep
tions or negative opinions surrounding WUOG's
imminent move to the Tate Center [Threats &
Promises, Nov. 26]. You described this move
as "just plain silly," and I have to admit
that a lot of us WUOGgerz (past and present)
agreed with you at first, and some still do. We
have been cozied up on the fifth floor since
our founding and we love it here. I'm afraid
we'll never be able to reproduce the sharpie
graffiti, the naps under the huge skylight, or
the knowledge that so many important artists
have been in this exact same place.
With that said, why would any decision
makers think this move is a good idea? The
answer is simple (sort of): because we love
WUOG and we want the station to have a
space it deserves.
Short history lesson:
when the station was
founded, the only
part of the fifth floor
that was ours was
the DJ booth. We
shared the lobby and
offices with other
student organiza
tions. Obviously, we quickly outgrew that
single room and the university allowed us to
do so by giving us more space and eventually
the entire fifth floor. Now the university is
recognizing us, our amazing wattage and all,
and allowing us to move on to bigger and bet
ter things.
I really think that anyone who does not
support the move will change their mind
when they check out the new digs. We have
much more space: more office space, more
lobby space, more archive space, more storage
space. We also have a location that, although
it is in a heavy-foot-traffic area and may
seem "fish bowl-ish," is great for exposure on
campus. While most readers of the Flagpole
immediately know what I'm talking about
when I say WUOG, a poll of the student body
might find responses like "Is that the station
in the Georgia Center?" and "We have a radio
station?" and we think our move will signifi
cantly help in solving that problem.
Don't worry, WUOG will continue to be
WUOG, down to the color of the lobby. We will
continue to bring you as much college radio
debauchery as you can handle, we will just be
doing so from a new, less aloof, position. This
move is a big step in our history and it is a
hard one to make. We wouldn't be who we are
today without the support we receive from the
community, and I would hate to think that
we could lose any of that support due to the
move.
By the way: you can say goodbye to the
fifth floor you know and love on Wednesday,
Dec. 10 from 10 p.m.-midnight. We invite all
WUOG supporters to come up and say farewell;
there will be food, guests, and probably a few
tears. For more information and to RSVP, go
to www.wuog.org. You can also contribute any
memories of the fifth floor you have to the
book "Letters from the Fifth Floor" by email
ing pictures or anecdotes to me (gm@wuog.
org).
Thanks.
Sarah Colombo
2008 General Manager, WUOG
Editor’s Note: Flagpole will in fact be there to say
farewell to the fifth floor on Dec. 10, and we’ll have
a more in-depth look at WUOG’s big move in our Dec.
17 issue.
PUB NOTES PREJUDICE.1
In reference to your article "Manchurian
Candidate" [Pub Notes, Nov. 26], I believe you
have unintentionally wounded an upstand
ing member of our community. I realize your
intentions were to make fun of Congressman
Paul C. Broun, however, in doing so I fear you
misrepresented Dr. Yao-wen Huang. Professor
Huang is not just an unusual or disembodied
name on a page, but a real person living and
working here in Athens. He is well respected
in his field and works hard to promote food
safety both locally and internationally.
As a small boy Dr. Huang and his family
fled communist China to Taiwan in search of
freedom. As a young man he emigrated to the
United States to find a better life. He and
his wife became American citizens and raised
three wonderful
children right here
in Athens. They are
proud people and
rightfully so. They
have worked long and
hard to achieve the
"American dream."
The Yao-wen that
I know is a warm
and generous man who would never casually
degrade another, even in jest. Furthermore, I
know his family is concerned that some people
will misinterpret your article and possibly
want to harm them.
Mr. McCommons, you could have made your
point without naming Professor Huang. I'm
sure you meant him and his family no personal
offense, but offend them you did. I suggest
you print an apology in the Flagpole.
Andy Kretzer
Winterville
PUB NOTES PREJUDICED
I am writing this letter to express my dis
gust with Pete McCommons' article published
on Nov. 26 in Pub Notes. In this article, Mr.
McCommons offended all people living in the
U.S. with Asian family names, and in particu
lar Mr. McCommons offended Dr. Huang, who
is an American citizen and who has made
great contributions to higher education at the
University of Georgia over the past 20 years.
I cannot believe that your newspaper
would provide a vehicle for people such as Mr.
McCommons to spread his hateful message. I
believe that Mr. McCommons owes an apology
to Dr. Huang and your newspaper also owes an
apology to the entire Asian community living
in and contributing a great deal to Georgia.
Li K. Wang
Email
OPEN LETTER
This is an open letter to the douchebag
(and others of your repressed, violent ilk) that
decided to work out your pathetic, homopho
bic rage by assaulting the young gay man at
Max Canada last week.
I marginally know the victim in this assault
(most of us townies do), and I suppose it's no
surprise that you decided to attack a small,
90-pound little dude to prove whatever macho
point you worked yourself up over. People
like you always go after the weak, the gentle,
and the small to make yourselves feel big
and righteous. I will never understand what
is proven by beating down someone with no
hope of fighting back. So, I would like to offer
you this invitation: the next time you feel
the need to wail on a gay guy to make your
self feel better, come find me. I am 6'2", 240
pounds with wide shoulders and gorgeously
massive arms. And where I may not seem as
overtly gay as the gentle, small man that you
chose to sucker-punch, I guarantee you that
I am. I love having sex with men. Absolutely
love it. Normally, that's not something I feel
like advertising. I believe that who I love is
my business and that of my friends, but as
long as you are publicly humiliating frail gay
men to make a statement, I will make myself
available to keep you away from the weaker
of my brethren. But I'll tell you this: I don't
go down after one punch. I don't cower, cry
or run. I don't go around looking for fight? or
violence by any means, but if all you want is
to smack down a gay man, I'm offering you
one that's actually a fair fight. I'll see you
around.
Name Removed
Athens
CHRISTMAS KIDZ
Pete: What do you mean you outgrew your
Christmas train? [Pub Notes, Dec. 3] What
kind of man are you? My Christmas train, a
Marx Army train painted olive drab, was under
my Christmas tree 50 years ago this year, and
I still have it up and running. It's in my music
room on a circular track beneath my grand
piano. I never, ever outgrew it and never
will. The smell of it, the sound of it clat
tering around the track, the hum of the toy
transformer-all of it means more to me than
pure gold.
Whenever it's a dark, drizzly November
in my soul, I turn on my train and hurtle
along with it, back into the joyful season of
childhood.
Philip Lee Williams
Athens
WRONG CHAMBER
During the recent election cycle, the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce has sponsored and paid
for a number of mailings, TV ads and "robo-
calls" for various candidates.
I have received several calls from local citi
zens and members thinking the ads were those
of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and
were either supportive of or opposed to the
endorsements.
The ads and positions were those of the
U.S. Chamber of Commerce and were not
sponsored by the Athens Area Chamber of
Commerce. We did send several emails to our
members reminding them and encouraging
them to vote, but we made a conscious deci
sion not to endorse candidates.
I hope this clears up any confusion.
Doc Eldridge
President, Athens Area
Chamber of Commerce
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THE TRIBE OF CHARLEY BECOMES A
BUMPERSTICKER OF THE WEEK:
Eat More Pecans
Send your sticker sightings to beri@
flagpole.com or call 706-549-9523. Thanks.
4 FlAGPOLE.COM • DECEMBER 10,2008
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