The Right Angle: Socialists: Stuck between Idiocy and Irrelevance - Opinions
It was a beautiful day in UNCG history. In perfect weather, two groups with completely opposite views were living in perfect harmony right next to each other. The College Republicans set up a pro-life table with facts about abortion and pregnancy, and the Voices for Planned Parenthood (VOX, Latin for "voice") set up a pro-choice table about ten feet away and handed out condoms.
Anyone can see the valid points that either of these groups were trying to make. The CRs were trying to convince students that fetuses are more than just a cluster of cells and should therefore have a right to live, and VOX wanted people to realize that women should have the right to choose whether or not they carry their pregnancy to full-term. Passer-bys had the choice of stopping by either of the tables or even flipping off one of the groups if they felt so inclined to do so (and apparently, some people did).
If you really can't figure out what side I was on by now, I'll give you a hint: it wasn't VOX. That doesn't mean I don't respect and understand their views. To be completely honest, in order to be as effective as possible in a situation like this, the two groups need each other in order to give students a choice.
It was a day that gave me hope for America. Here were two groups peacefully protesting each other without an argument in sight... until the socialists showed up.
Don't get me wrong here. You should all know by now that as a huge fan of the first amendment, I support anyone's right to speak their mind. But the second you try to suppress MY freedom of speech, we have a problem.
The International Socialist Organization, disturbed by the peaceful, harmonious freedom going on in front of the library, set up a table BETWEEN VOX and the CRs. Not content with simply handing out copies of "The Socialist Worker" (oh excuse me, SELLING "The Socialist Worker"... one day these kids will learn what socialism is and probably feel pretty stupid), they had to go one step further and start actually harassing the pro-life booth.
A couple latched on to me as I walked past them to bring lunch to the CRs. They screamed out angry, irrelevant questions such as, "WHY are you president of the College Republicans?" I am still perplexed by this one. I thought I was elected, but perhaps they think no Republican can hold office unless they "fix" the election.
Within moments, anti-first-amendment Socialists surrounded the pro-life table. The CRs calmly sat back and watched in amusement as the socialist argument went around in circles trying to explain itself.
I cannot stress this enough: regardless of your political affiliation, if you have any grasp of the English language whatsoever, you will win any argument with ISO. Give it a try the next time you see them around campus. I can guarantee you that the best thing they will come back at you with is, "Well, Europe does it, so we should too." They missed the history class where America declared independence from that wonderful continent.
Because they are aware that they'll never win an argument, the socialists have perfected the art of changing the subject in hopes that their opponents will become very confused and just give up. They began arguing with the CRs about women's rights, then moved to the war in Iraq, the death penalty, education, healthcare, and liberalism in public universities - all within three minutes. One socialist even tried to convince a proudly abstinent pro-lifer that she didn't know what she was missing by not having sex. Well, APPARENTLY, she's missing out on having an abortion, a vital part of any healthy sexual relationship!
For what seemed like an eternity, the CRs tried to convince the socialists that they were simply trying to educate students on abortion, not ban the use of it altogether. Many Republicans invoked the first amendment, but to no avail. The response was overwhelmingly, "All Republicans are liars, Bush stole the election from Gore and Kerry, and all conservatives are members of the KKK." You know, all the intelligent things we've come to expect from the ISO posters littering our campus.
Eventually, campus police showed up to insure that the groups respected each other's freedom of speech, although the CRs and VOX were already mature enough to handle that responsibility without police involvement. After about an hour of peace, the socialists had to leave; they were bored.
Anyone with any sense would realize that if the College Republicans' main goal for that day were to make abortion illegal, they would not have been demonstrating on the UNCG campus. The CRs tried to make it known that they were simply informing the students about abortion myths and such. Many people do not know about the consequences that may result from an abortion years later, because many pro-choicers want everyone to think that it is a perfectly normal and healthy procedure, and that is not always true.
So thumbs up to the socialists in respecting differing views from their own. Also, does anyone else find it ironic that these are some of the most prominent anti-war students on campus, and yet everything was completely peaceful until they showed up and attacked the Republicans? I can't wait until these kids grow up and realize how ridiculous they looked making these kinds of scenes. Who knows, maybe that will be the same day that they realize socialists should be the last people on earth selling their own propaganda for a buck a piece.
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
The New First Amendment: Freedom of All Religions -- Except Christianity
THE RIGHT ANGLE: The New First Amendment - Opinions
Sometime last summer, as I was wasting away my life in front of a computer, I came across a rather humorous political cartoon drawn by Mike Luckovich. It showed an image of the Constitution with the words "Except for Homos - G.W.B" scrawled across it in what looked to be black crayon. I'll admit, it was funny and I laughed. But looking back on that cartoon, I'm starting to get a similar picture, only this time it's the Bill of Rights and "Except for Christians" is neatly penciled in next to the First Amendment.
Recently, a fellow UNCG student stopped me on campus and told me about a rather unconventional lecture they had endured in their Anthropology course. It seems that while this professor was teaching them about the Yanomamo culture in South America, they had taken it upon themselves to preach to the class about the evils of America and Christianity. The lecture included a discussion on how missionaries had traveled to the Yanomamo tribe in the mid to late 1900's and brought with them what proved to be fatal diseases including malaria, influenza, and even the common cold. This is, of course, historical fact, and no one should be offended by it. What bothers me, however, is that this teacher then ranted for 45 minutes on why they felt the missionaries were out of line in even traveling to South America in order to spread the Gospel.
According to this student, the professor spent a good majority of the class time talking about how the missionaries had no right to try to force their culture on the Yanomamo. They went on about how the missionaries taught the group to speak English, again stressing that the infiltration of this group by Western culture is an abomination. What the professor failed to even acknowledge is that the missionaries visited the group with only the best of intentions. These are people who believe so strongly in their religion that they would risk their lives to make sure people all over the world have a chance to hear their story, and yet, to hear this professor speak, you would think they travel around the world with the sole intention of killing off as many people as possible.
The missionaries did not teach the Yanomamo tribe English in order to destroy their culture; they did it so they could better preach Christianity to them. I find it appalling that a professor, or anyone for that matter, could actually criticize missionaries for simply trying to do what they believe is right. As a matter of fact, missionaries are probably some of the most selfless people in the world. They are actually more concerned with trying to give others a chance to hear about their religion than anything else.
Of course, not content with simply putting down Christianity, this Anthropology professor took it one step further: they likened the entire fiasco to the war in Iraq. This professor commented that they believed Bush going to Iraq to spread democracy was a cover, and that he was really in Iraq in order to spread Christianity. Of course, this is ridiculous, but then again, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, no matter how asinine that opinion is. What they are NOT entitled to is the right to teach it to a class as if it were fact rather than a viewpoint.
Christian views are simply not welcome in the classroom, and I've known that ever since a teacher in high school informed us that she was not allowed to tell us that she believed in God. But actually attacking Christianity and its followers is going a step too far. It's one thing for a professor to bash the man that a majority of the country voted for in November, but it's a completely different thing to attack an entire religious group. I wonder how the university system would react if a professor bashed Buddhism or Hinduism as part of his lecture.
Perhaps someone needs to send this professor a copy of the Bill of Rights and tell them that if they wanted to go around preaching their opinions, maybe they should have become a missionary rather than a professor at a state-supported university.
Sometime last summer, as I was wasting away my life in front of a computer, I came across a rather humorous political cartoon drawn by Mike Luckovich. It showed an image of the Constitution with the words "Except for Homos - G.W.B" scrawled across it in what looked to be black crayon. I'll admit, it was funny and I laughed. But looking back on that cartoon, I'm starting to get a similar picture, only this time it's the Bill of Rights and "Except for Christians" is neatly penciled in next to the First Amendment.
Recently, a fellow UNCG student stopped me on campus and told me about a rather unconventional lecture they had endured in their Anthropology course. It seems that while this professor was teaching them about the Yanomamo culture in South America, they had taken it upon themselves to preach to the class about the evils of America and Christianity. The lecture included a discussion on how missionaries had traveled to the Yanomamo tribe in the mid to late 1900's and brought with them what proved to be fatal diseases including malaria, influenza, and even the common cold. This is, of course, historical fact, and no one should be offended by it. What bothers me, however, is that this teacher then ranted for 45 minutes on why they felt the missionaries were out of line in even traveling to South America in order to spread the Gospel.
According to this student, the professor spent a good majority of the class time talking about how the missionaries had no right to try to force their culture on the Yanomamo. They went on about how the missionaries taught the group to speak English, again stressing that the infiltration of this group by Western culture is an abomination. What the professor failed to even acknowledge is that the missionaries visited the group with only the best of intentions. These are people who believe so strongly in their religion that they would risk their lives to make sure people all over the world have a chance to hear their story, and yet, to hear this professor speak, you would think they travel around the world with the sole intention of killing off as many people as possible.
The missionaries did not teach the Yanomamo tribe English in order to destroy their culture; they did it so they could better preach Christianity to them. I find it appalling that a professor, or anyone for that matter, could actually criticize missionaries for simply trying to do what they believe is right. As a matter of fact, missionaries are probably some of the most selfless people in the world. They are actually more concerned with trying to give others a chance to hear about their religion than anything else.
Of course, not content with simply putting down Christianity, this Anthropology professor took it one step further: they likened the entire fiasco to the war in Iraq. This professor commented that they believed Bush going to Iraq to spread democracy was a cover, and that he was really in Iraq in order to spread Christianity. Of course, this is ridiculous, but then again, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, no matter how asinine that opinion is. What they are NOT entitled to is the right to teach it to a class as if it were fact rather than a viewpoint.
Christian views are simply not welcome in the classroom, and I've known that ever since a teacher in high school informed us that she was not allowed to tell us that she believed in God. But actually attacking Christianity and its followers is going a step too far. It's one thing for a professor to bash the man that a majority of the country voted for in November, but it's a completely different thing to attack an entire religious group. I wonder how the university system would react if a professor bashed Buddhism or Hinduism as part of his lecture.
Perhaps someone needs to send this professor a copy of the Bill of Rights and tell them that if they wanted to go around preaching their opinions, maybe they should have become a missionary rather than a professor at a state-supported university.
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Women's and Gender Studies: Why a WGS Class is a Good Thing, Even for Conservatives
Women's and Gender Studies - Opinions
Ahhh, it's that time of year again. The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and the stress levels are through the roof. Teachers are rushing to assign all the papers and presentations they possibly can, just in case we thought we might be able to relax and enjoy the nice weather for a minute or two. And on top of the tauntingly nice weather, the numerous assignments, and the looming promise of final exams in the near future, we're expected to find time to plan out a class schedule that will fit our lives four months from now.
My biggest problem with registration has always been finding classes I won't sleep through. I have a habit of picking classes that sound really interesting, just to discover that they are the exact opposite three weeks into the semester. And I know I'm not the only one.
But I'm writing this column to make your life just a little bit easier. I'm going to tell you all about the most interesting class I've ever taken in my three years at UNCG. I want to tell you why you should look into taking a Women's and Gender Studies course.
Before I lose half of my audience, I want you to give me a chance here. WGS courses are largely misunderstood. Contrary to popular belief, we don't sit around and discuss how much we hate all the males in the world. You might actually be surprised at the number of guys that take these courses, even if some of them do so to meet girls.
I am currently taking Women and Politics, and it's the first 9:30 class I've ever not wanted to sleep through. This class has taught me so much about the struggle of women throughout the years and has helped me appreciate all the opportunities we have now so much more. It has also helped me to truly understand present-day feminism.
For these reasons, I think female students at UNCG should take a WGS course. I think that as women, it is important for us to understand our history, realize how we have gotten as far as we have, and acknowledge that we still have a long road to equality in society.
The current argument of whether or not America is ready for a female President, whether that means Hillary or Condoleezza, is a great example of this. Unfortunately, I am fairly certain America would not elect a female President at this time, and I believe a lot of that has to do with an underlying bias in American society. Few people would admit to viewing men and women as "unequal", but many would never dream of electing one to such a high position.
It is also important that men take a WGS course. On such an adamantly liberal campus, you would think that courses that teach equality would be a big hit with everyone, but this is not the case. The consensus by many males on campus seems to be that WGS courses are full of man-hating femi-nazis. I've also heard same say that they don't need to take these courses because it's not "their" problem. This couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, if you have ever uttered a phrase similar to this, you definitely need to take a WGS course. Because society is male-biased, it is important to educate everyone, including men, about women's issues. True equality will not be reached until we can all understand and accept our differences.
Variety is another reason to take a WGS course. Many of their courses are cross-listed with other departments, which means even you can get credit for a history course at the same time as getting credit for a WGS course. It's just like taking a regular college course, but from a different viewpoint, which can be refreshing.
Taking a Women's and Gender Studies course won't turn you into a crazy liberal man-hater, but I promise it will open your eyes and expand your horizons. I urge all of you to look into WGS courses, whether you are male or female, conservative or liberal. It's one class you won't regret taking, even if it does mean you can't sleep in past noon.
Ahhh, it's that time of year again. The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and the stress levels are through the roof. Teachers are rushing to assign all the papers and presentations they possibly can, just in case we thought we might be able to relax and enjoy the nice weather for a minute or two. And on top of the tauntingly nice weather, the numerous assignments, and the looming promise of final exams in the near future, we're expected to find time to plan out a class schedule that will fit our lives four months from now.
My biggest problem with registration has always been finding classes I won't sleep through. I have a habit of picking classes that sound really interesting, just to discover that they are the exact opposite three weeks into the semester. And I know I'm not the only one.
But I'm writing this column to make your life just a little bit easier. I'm going to tell you all about the most interesting class I've ever taken in my three years at UNCG. I want to tell you why you should look into taking a Women's and Gender Studies course.
Before I lose half of my audience, I want you to give me a chance here. WGS courses are largely misunderstood. Contrary to popular belief, we don't sit around and discuss how much we hate all the males in the world. You might actually be surprised at the number of guys that take these courses, even if some of them do so to meet girls.
I am currently taking Women and Politics, and it's the first 9:30 class I've ever not wanted to sleep through. This class has taught me so much about the struggle of women throughout the years and has helped me appreciate all the opportunities we have now so much more. It has also helped me to truly understand present-day feminism.
For these reasons, I think female students at UNCG should take a WGS course. I think that as women, it is important for us to understand our history, realize how we have gotten as far as we have, and acknowledge that we still have a long road to equality in society.
The current argument of whether or not America is ready for a female President, whether that means Hillary or Condoleezza, is a great example of this. Unfortunately, I am fairly certain America would not elect a female President at this time, and I believe a lot of that has to do with an underlying bias in American society. Few people would admit to viewing men and women as "unequal", but many would never dream of electing one to such a high position.
It is also important that men take a WGS course. On such an adamantly liberal campus, you would think that courses that teach equality would be a big hit with everyone, but this is not the case. The consensus by many males on campus seems to be that WGS courses are full of man-hating femi-nazis. I've also heard same say that they don't need to take these courses because it's not "their" problem. This couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, if you have ever uttered a phrase similar to this, you definitely need to take a WGS course. Because society is male-biased, it is important to educate everyone, including men, about women's issues. True equality will not be reached until we can all understand and accept our differences.
Variety is another reason to take a WGS course. Many of their courses are cross-listed with other departments, which means even you can get credit for a history course at the same time as getting credit for a WGS course. It's just like taking a regular college course, but from a different viewpoint, which can be refreshing.
Taking a Women's and Gender Studies course won't turn you into a crazy liberal man-hater, but I promise it will open your eyes and expand your horizons. I urge all of you to look into WGS courses, whether you are male or female, conservative or liberal. It's one class you won't regret taking, even if it does mean you can't sleep in past noon.
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