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Show Page 4 THE SIGNPOST Monday, February 28, 2000 Editorial VIEWPOINT nf SENATE Cyj J&MA :' READ THIS jrJ You re too, tfSg; g -V DAMN Close! , prelude to happiness Preston 1.t McConkie i The Ponderous ' Pundit After long, acute suffering ends, life becomes more lively. Without an end there Is no virtue In suffering, but a transitory winter of discontent makes the maple sap flow sweet In the spring. Those first years after my sojourn In the Arabian deserts after withering in the heat, being blasted with flying sand and desiccated with winter's dry chill; after getting bed sores on hard cots, shivering In icy bucket baths and scrubbing my clothes In a tub for half a year the basics of civilization became ecstasy. Many a night I awoke in my bed, girded in softness and warmth, and clasped my hands in a silent prayer of gratitude for simple abundance. Years passed, and my appreciation declined. Reabsorbed into an America surfeited with plenty, I no longer sighed in delight when I stepped Into a hot shower. I left the window open to combat the oppressive breath of the central heating. I still found great pleasure in washing machines and dryers, but no longer shouted "Hallelujah!" It seemed life was losing its savor, and nothing would restore It but a new bout of suffering. But where does one find suffering amidst plenty? What if one enjoys school, has sufficient financial aid and is even improving In health? Where Is found that spoonful of medicine to make the sugar go down? Be not alarmed, gentle reader, there Is tribulation aplenty In the land of cheap food, telephones and indoor plumbing. God yanked a rib from my ancestor's side and made of It something amazing. Her name is woman my missing member. Without her there is no peace; with her there is less of It. As one great sage put it: "Women. Can't live with 'em ... can't live with 'em!" Love gone wrong: The emotional emetic the doctor ordered. The bowl of leeches to draw the .corrupt bile. The physician's lance to bleed my malignant humours. I could say with that gentleman of Verona: "I left myself, my friends, and all. for love - Thou, Julia, thou hast metamorphosed me; Made me neglect my studies, lose my time. War with good counsel, set the world at naught, Make wit with musing weak, heart sick with thought. " What's changed since 1598? But only the criminally Insane remain In relationships gone fundamentally wrong. At least, it is Insane and ought to be a crime to loiter in the valley of death when relief is a few simple words away. Just say "No." Just say "Begone!" like vomiting out a stomach ache, we must perform the loud, throat-burning retches before we collapse In trembling relief. And then the world changes from a cold, grainy,black-and-white movie to a colorful nature scene with buzzing bees and fragrant grass. Not like when love was new - the meadows bursting with perfumed flowers, finches chirping In deafening harmony and unicorns dancing in the clover. But this new scene won't so quickly vanish. I'm free. The nausea is gone, the fear is fled, the plaguing doubts have ebbed. It's time to take the money hoarded for expensive and desperate dates, find a good used book store and treat myself to those old, rare copies of Shakespeare, those coveted histories by Churchill, those Insightful essays by Boswell. Contemplating love gone wrong: what a waste of a way to spend a holiday, a break, a weekend, or a stolen leisure hour. To commune with great authors, on the other hand - what a marvelous alternative. Emancipation from love gone wrong renews my rapture for simple abundance. It's a time to be without love, to hold a long stag party with Shakespeare. Milton. Churchill and Boswell as guests. It's time to commiserate with my best friends men and sympathetic women who agree with my every complaint, assure me I've been wronged, and Insist that my future is dazzling. It's time to study Latin simply because it is beautiful. It's time to lie awake late with the Poet whose charms haven't diminished In 400 years. Love has gone wrong, so I'll love even more. I'll love God and poets; I'll love good friends and virtuous enemies; I'll love hard workouts, healthy food, central heating, running water, clean clothes, a soft bed, and I hope everyone.I'll love life Itself, because love gone wrong is ended. When the rich wine of abundance becomes stale water in my throat and the smiles of friends are not enough to cheer my heart, only strong affliction can cure my malaise. The ache of cracking muscles, as I push myself through a hard workout, helps a little; the pangs of a long fast help more. But true reawakening comes only after something extra. Love gone wrong was endured out of hope and abandoned when hope died. Now hope revives. In its wake, without disfiguring cynicism, the solace of solitude is deliverance from a new Arabian desert. I'll caress precious privacy until love comes along again, and my good life is added upon by something greater than liberty, poetry, ease and prosperity: Love gone right. Away with misogyny! I will not pass through cynical days, only to repent and say: "I have done penance for con demning Love: Those high-imperious thoughts have punlsh'd me ... For, In revenge of my contempt of love, Love hath chased sleep from my enthralled eyes .... Now can I break my fast, dine, sup, and sleep, Upon the very simple name of love." K3J7 OeGs A century ago, thousands of women were willing to sacrifice all they had for the right to vote. Forty years ago, minorities were putting their lives on the line for the right to vote. Today, nobody cares about the right to vote. The only people who get up to vote these days are grandmothers and political science majors. As a nation, we have collectively taken an apathetic attitude when it comes to choosing our leaders. These days, everyone's got things to do and they just don't care. Really, our votes don't even count, because the electorate college actually chooses our president. . What people fail to realize is that, aside from getting the cool "I Voted" sticker, there are several reasons we should vote. It is our civic duty to vote. It is our privilege to vote in the election process. Citizens of other countries would kill for the right that we so casually toss aside. One of the most frustrating things about the lack of voter turnout is that while hardly anybody ever votes, almost everybody complains about what is going on in this country. While crime, poverty, violence and the like plague our society, rather than going out and doing something about it, we sit at home and gripe about it. We are extremely lucky to be able to participate in our government. And, with presidential primaries and elections coming up, we have the opportunity to again regain the excitement that once surrounded the election process.On March 10, here in Utah, the presidential primaries will take place for the first time. As Utahns, let's show the nation a thing or two about participatory government. Let's prove all the naysayers wrong when they say no one in this country either cares, or votes. And on June 27 and Nov. 7, let's do it again. Take a stand on the issues that matter to you by voicing your support at the voting booths. Choose a candidate to stand behind, and make your friends and family do the same. By Jose Carvajal asst. sports editor-The Signpost The Signpost STATE U N I V E R S I T M Editor in chief Angie Welling 626-7121 Managing editor Linda Loveland 626-7614 News editor Tanna Barry 626-7655 Campus affairs editor Chris Young 626-7659 Features editor Lisa Roskelley 626-7621 Sports editor Preston Truman 626-7983 Copy editor Debra Carter 626-7507 A&E editor Wyatt Brockbank 626-7624 Graphics editor Melissa Boothe 626-6358 Photo editor Breck Reeves 626-7661 Advertising manager Brody Purser 626-6359 Online editor James Berghout 626-7105 Secretary Georgia Edwards 626-7974 Adviser Dr. Sheree Josephson 626-61 64 Publisher Dr. Kathy Edwards 626-6559 Signpost fax 626-7401 The Signpost is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday during fall and spring semesters. Subscription is $9 a semester. The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University students. Student fees partially fund the printing of this publication. Opinions or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university. The Signpost welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must include name, address, telephone number and the writer's signature. Anonymous letters will not be printed. The Signpost reserves the right to edit letters for reasons of space and libel and also reserves the right to refuse to print any letter. Letters should not exceed 350 words. Bring letters to the editorial office in SUB 267, mail to: The Signpost, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah 84408-21 1 0. Attn: Angie Welling, or e-mail awellingweber.edu. |
