| Summary: | OPINI October 10, 2003 www.cord.edu/dept/concord/opinions.htm Julia Jenson Editor-in-Chief So What's Going On? A lot of students complain that there is nothing to do here at our humble school. Others assail the Fargo-Moorhead community because it is not as hip as the Big City. Some even use these as justifications for drinking and debauchery. These claims are ridiculous. Every day, Concordia students and F-M citizens have a pletho-ra of opportunities and activities from which to choose, and every day faculty, staff, private interests and city employees do their best to provide still more for the community. CONCORDIAN EDITORIAL $£?£sV Concordian Editorial Board Haley Groce V Concordia Theatre' Concordia's first main-stage theatre performance is next week, and tickets are free—so go. The play, Ay i7 is in Heaven, is about a sort of revolution within a small, tightly-knight Shaker community. For those of you that have an interest in acting but don't know where to take it, the Intercom reveals that directing students are looking for actors for their final projects. Auditions are at 10 p.m., Monday, Oct. 13 in the lab the-atre- in FFCT. No experience is required. Managing Editor Advertisements on KVLY-TV On Tuesday nights at around 10:14, advertisements for the school will air on KVLY-TV (Channel 11). The advertise-ments, created to be one-minute "stories" focusing on various aspects of the college will be airing for quite some time-thirty have been created. ^ . \ While silting around watch-ing TV before weather hardly sounds like a party activity, you would be surprised. Check out the commercials and find out what face Concordia is putting on to the Fargo-Moorhead pub-lic. Then write a letter. Brandon Teachout Opinions Editor Mensa Tests At 10 a.m. on Oct. 18, IQ tests will be administered at the Moorhead Public Library to determine potential candidates for membership in Mensa. The fee is $30. y'••-, Mensa is an organization of geniuses where the only requirement to join is an JQ that ranks in the top two percent of the population. Benefits of membership in Mensa include opportunities to get ahold of a great variety of brain teasing activities, and, of course, bragging rights. Contact rawson@cord.edu. Student Lecture Scries Although mentioning stu-dent lectures has gotten us in a bit of trouble recently, they are nonetheless something we must draw attention to. •r Student lectures are a great opportunity for potential gradu-ate students to gel speaking experience and attendees to learn about a variety of topics. Andrea Sorum '04 will pres-ent a lecture entitled "Buddhist Psychology and the Cognitive Sciences" next Tuesday, Oct. 14 in Birkeland Lounge. Sound interesting? Go. You might learn something. v1;-" : 'Love Your Body Day' is October 15 Kim Winegge News Editor I was asking my friends to guess how much I weigh. I figured I weighed at least 100 pounds more than my best friend, Lindsay. "I'm taking you into the weight room tomorrow, Kim," she said. "We're weighing you." My redheaded roomies debated my weight. "230\s too high. but 190 seems a little low," Zep commented. My other roommate Dass was busy surveying my body. "Well, I'd say 215. tops." Lindsay shook her head, and patted her stomach. There she stood in a sports bra and sweatpants, with me, her chunky, well-covered buddy beside her. I felt measured and a little embarrassed. How do you ask your friends to put a number on your body and feel comfortable? If you're a women's hockey player, fit and toned, it doesn't seem to be a problem. However, if you 16ve Krispy Kremes more than crunches, it's a bit more difficult to stand the eye test. On Oct. 15, it is Love Your Body Day, which was intro-duced by the National Organization for Women (NOW) in Sept. 1998. According to NOW's web-site, "The NOW Foundation's Women's Health Project launched Love Your Body Day as a national day of action to speak out against advertisements and images of women that arc harmful, offensive, disrespectful and demeaning." When I was a freshman, I volunteered for an organiza-tion within the realms of Concordia's Community Service Commission, then known as Sources of Service. Empowerment for Girls worked with elementary-aged girls, encouraging "girl-cotts" of magazines and material that depicts women in an unhealthy light. Every week, I would stand there and lecture to these kids about how adver-tisers target them, and how it isn't necessary for them to be Britney Spears or Angelina Jolie. I can remember con-sciously choosing articles of clothing to wear on those days to appear thinner, appealing, and just generally cool. Looking back, I'm amazed at the hypocrisy and paradoxical situation I must have present-ed them with. Even as an 18- year-old, I was still influenced by the industries I so dis-dained. + SEE BODY, PAGE 4 Vox Populi: Flawed execution Brandon Teachout Opinions Editor Last year a little student-run publication called Vox Populi took The Concordian and about 75 students on campus by storm. East Complex never saw it; many of those who did cared lit-tle. But there was potential. The concept of a newsletter written and delivered anonymously was tremendously romantic, and I found myself quite interested in contributing some work. After last year's Editor-in-Chief Abbi Telander reamed the newsletter, Richard Gil more wrote in his own defense and a bit of scandal was raised. It wasn't Spencer Cody femi-nazi level scandal, but it was something worth reading about just the same. Tragically, Vox Populi never lived up to the hype. While the identity of "The Editors" remains a (Churchill quote here) riddle wrapped in mystery shrouded in enigma, the fact is that the quality of their work is tragically low. Vox Populi calls itself the voice of the people, but it fails to fill that role. It sounds like I'm taking quite a hostile tone here. I am not. The real problem with Vox Populi is a problem with Concordia as a whole. I had to mull over this column, and as such I think I am demonstrating some chutzpah here just being willing to put my name on this. That says a lot. Words critical of Concordia arc often unappreci-ated by students, faculty and staff. Questions about proce-dures and decisions are often unanswered; interesting stories often remain uncovered because the subject doesn't want to reveal them, and the campus news organizations don't care to do the work. This is not to say that Concordia is in the closet on some great issue. It is not to say that our faculty and staff do not do a good job with the vast majority of their work. It is only to say that there is a tinge of secrecy in the way many things are dealt with. Perhaps this is where Vox Populi could serve a useful pur-pose. While I hardly have any idea of the types of scandal going on, I do know that there is not a small number of things that go unreported for a variety of reasons. Some are deemed to be not newsworthy by editors, producers or faculty advisors; others find no interview sub-jects. Many are worth further consideration. Most do not receive it. For instance, what percent-age of campus has any idea why former President Thomas Thomson resigned last spring? I do not know myself; I would guess that the number of my peers who are aware is marked-ly low. I am an editor for The Concordian and the director of Concordia On-Air. At no point did either seriously consider covering the story in any great detail. It is here that Vox Populi could contribute something use-ful to the Concordia community. Certainly they would have a dif-ficult time earning credibility for themselves. It is obvious that persons unwilling to be inter-viewed by The Concordian's staff writers are going to be even more reluctant to respond to anonymous e-mail queries. Yet if *'The Editors" want us to take them seriously, it is something of this scale that they must do. Top ten lists are useless to the student body whether written anonymously and distributed in the night or written by a copy editor and published on page five of this very paper. Vox Populi was a beautiful idea at its inception. Thus far, it has utterly failed to live up to the hype —but that does not have to be the case. I see this not as criticism so much as a chal-lenge to "The Editors" to make Vox Populi a credible alternative campus news source instead of just an anonymous campus joke. The fine art of fake outrage Spencer Cody The Concordian Recently a dispute stemming from a religious display outside the Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretive Center here in Moorhead has spurred Chuck Wallace, a concerned citizen of Moorhead, to launch an email campaign to have a line removed on the plaque associat-ed with the religious monument. What is it that has enraged him so? "Odin fought-Christ won." This is the line that Wallace and a handful of Moorhead citizens want to have removed. The quote is a line of poetry from a reading that took place at the center relating to Norwegian gods and Viking history. Standing as a tribute to the Christianization of Norway, the monument serves as a reminder of Norway's religious history, but that excuse docs not suit Wallace. He believes it to be extremely offensive because "it makes a statement that one reli-gion has wiped out another." Others have claimed that the monument is an insult to Norwegian history. Action on will be altered is pending. It just wouldn't be Fargo- Moorhead without a little fake outrage. In all honesty, I am sur-prised that the Red River Freethinkers aren't all over this issue like flies on a rotting car-cass. That is what they seem to enjoy most: endlessly bashing religious heritage. But for now it is only a handful of people that have taken time to gripe about this issue. What really makes me laugh about this whole situation is that the inscription has been there for more than four years, and only now someone is complain-ing about it. I know there's such a thing as a delayed reaction, but this is ridiculous. Another point about this whole fiasco that seems to transcend reason is that it is supposedly an insult to Norwegian heritage. Well, I am of Norwegian descent, and I would be lying to you if I told you that I could hold a straight face while confessing my horrif-ic regret concerning my family's decision ^to no longer worship Odin. Anunsult to Norwegian heritage —is that the best argu-ment these people have? this community who have too much time on their hands. We see this same fake out-rage occur with our very own local group of instigators: the Red River Freethinkers. Judging solely from some of their state-ments and protests concerning the Ten Commandments monu-ment in Fargo, one would prob-ably get the impression that it is a life-or-death situation. Where are all the masses that have been converted to Monotheism because of this monument's presence? Only in the minds of radicals do such fantasies come true. In fact, the vast majority of people in the Fargo-Moorhead area had no idea that the monu-ment was even there until they started complaining about it. It is really amazing how quickly some will defend their rights and liberties while blatantly trampling on the rights of oth-ers— all in the name of political correctness. I think it is about time that some of these wanna-be activists grow up and stop the fake outrage, if not for our reli-gious and historical rights, at least for our sanity. whether or not the monument Obviously, there are people in Contribute to The Concordian Can you draw? The Concordian is looking for a cartoonist. Contact us at concord@cord.edu. Learn to accept the unacceptable Julia Jenson Editor-in-Chief After spending three school years at Concordia, almost four. I've come to learn of certain quirks about the campus, the people and the classes. Of course we all have different experiences, and it certainly benefits us to share these experi-ences with one another for vari-ous reasons. We learn from each other's mistakes. We live vicari-ously through our friends, with classes and trips they've taken. We also come to know exactly what we should and what we should not do while at Concordia. Everyone has those profes-sors that they don't like (sorry, but it's true), the ones that they warn all other students against. Likewise, we all have those classes and profs that we absolutely loved, and tell every-one we know about them. But what about those professors that don't like you? They constantly argue with your point of view, making you feel as if they have a personal vendetta against you? We've all had that professor, and each person reacts differently. Some meekly agree to agree with what the professor has to say, just so that they get the grade. Some fight it with every-thing they have, no matter what the professor has to say in response. It's the prof that does-n't understand that you are working to your full potential and you are trying your absolute hardest —nothing seems to hold up to their high standards. So what does one do in said situa-tion? The way I see it. we have two choices. Choice one, drop the class and pretend it never happened. Continue to warn other friends and students that this person treated you unfairly, and no one knows what their real tempera-ment is like. Don't give any proof of why you hold these feelings and regress back to high school "life isn't fair" whini-ness. Permanently ruin your col-lege years by holding a grudge against said professor, and hide from them whenever you see them. But wait, is this a choice? I don't think so. This is called being childish. Let's try to be mature and handle this situation in an adult-like manner. Choice two, the only choice as I see it, is as follows. Confront said professor and ask them why they treat you unfair-ly. Find out what it is that makes them extra hard on you and work towards a common goal to help them (and you) make it • SEE ACCEPT ON PAGE 4 Page 3 .and another thing So on Monday I open up my Concordia PO Box to find a brochure for the Exploration Seminars. I could take a lot of shots at how much thfcy cost, but I don't have many com-plaints about the lofty price tag. After all, if you have the money, they really are worth it. But then I get this brochure, and it's printed on this really nice, extra-thick paper, and I can't help but wonder how much it all cost. It seems that money might be better spent on the trip, rather than the market-ing. But that's me. Oh. and word on the street is that some of the pictures are from May Seminars. False advertising? - Brandon Teachout photov V^x What are you planning "^*^ on doing for Fall Break? Bethany Meier *06 "I'm going to Antarctica to observe penguins." Ben Meier '03 '7'm going surfing in Barbados." Stacia Heringer '04 "Sewing myself a pair of poms," was wondering: re does your lap when you stand up? Any help with this issue would be greatly appreciated. ben duff us I don'l know uboul your lap, j my lap goes to the place i sit down next. When I stand up, my lap remains an extension of myself, but ceases lo function as a lap. Il now becomes a leg, or in other words, a thigh. You sec, the lap is a reference 10 the surface that your legs make when you sil down. The definition of lap requires thai il have a function, for (hat is by nature wfiai it is. It sounds like what you're experi-encing is conscious withdrawal of your lap. I understand your anxiety because your lap is simultaneously with you physi-cally and not with you mentally, contradicting the entire defini-tion of your lap. Fear not. friend, for being conscious of your lap will give you confidence thai your lap is not gone. Contribute! Send your questions (or requests for advice) to oskbendurrus@yahoo.coin DISCLAIMER: Opinions expressed In The Concordian are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty, staff or adkninistration of Concordia College. The Concordian Editorial represents the opinion of The Concordian Editorial Board. Letters to the Editor and submissions for "And Another Thing" can be sent to FPO 104 or e-mailed to concord@cord.edu. Please attempt to limit letter length to 250 words. The Concordian reserves the right to reject letters and edii for length. "Think what you do when you run into debt; you give another power over your liberty." Benjamin Franklin
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