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Show The Daily Utah Chronicle. Thursday, December 7. 1978 Page Twenty-seve- n EDITORIAL shelleyweyforth Christmas really home and family It came as quite a shock when we discovered early this week that we would not be going home for Christmas. Not going home is something that never crossed my mind until we discovered that the bank account was in the red zone. It would take another $500 to cover the expenses and that amount seems like $1 million right now. We looked forward to the trip for more than four months. No family, no friends just John and me. We wonder how home will be without us there. We'll miss the turkey dinneis, the presents, the parties and our friends, but most of all, we'll miss our families. We ll miss my mother with her stark white hair, plump body and aging face; the sharp, pai (tally understanding look she always gives me that says "what the hell are von doing in Utah anyway?" (a question I have r?r. jsking myself lately), and mv crazy suter who never misses an opportunity to shock you with her sassy mouth. We'll be thinking of mv family's Christmas tree with its big velvet bows and red balls, covered with thick strands of silver garland; tne cnampagne, me presents, the gourmet "Cocoa Vin," homemade banana bread and fine French wine. And we'll miss John's family. His mother who has aged slowly since the death of John's father less than a ear ago; his sister soon to be married; and his brother whose yoke has gradually changed over the telephone. We'll think about the cherry soda, the d Kentucky Fried Chicken, and the Budwciser beer. We'll miss their Christmas three with all its blinking eoloted lights. ice-col- candy canes, angels, Santa Clauses, tinsel and the antique train set that whistles as it passes thiough tunnels and around sharp cornets under the tree. Will they do it all without us? Will our absence be as sad for them as it will be for us? As I sit here in Utah. 2,000 milei from home, frustrated by the fac t that I will not be there, I realize that Christmas means more than presents and patties. It is the one time of ear for friendship and caring It is when most of the woild enjoys a moment of peace. We stop thinking of ourselves and suddenly have an excuse to tell other people we care about them. It is a shame we need an excuse to tell someone we love thein. I, foi one, can't remember the last time I bought my brother a present because care about him. It's like Valentine's Da vol the Fomtho! Julv.Wedo need a day set aside to say, "I love you," or to celebrate peace and an end to war. And, is it really all that bad? What's wrong with atlas of "peace on earth?" I say somiu h the better if it bungs us all a little closer together. We all c hange thiough the years. Each of us grows a little and we broaden our bases. We many and have childien of our own. Wht n we aie t hildren, Christmas isa time for us. For parents. Christmas is for the kids, too. But as we grow up. Christmas becomes a time for our jarents. We want to be with them, thank them for all the Christmases they have given us. and brighten their day1 just a little with small, seemingly uniniiunt things we t an do for them. I'm only sotrv I won't be home to say. "Thanks Mom lor being a great Santa Claus all these vrars." 1 year-roun- d LETTERS LETTERS LETTERS A thletes, dancers are artists Editor: It is particularly disappointing to read another letter (hat, though it attempts to appear Christian and illuminating, does little more than illustrate the same harmful biases and ignorance in its writer. I am referring to Louise Carter's rebuttal to Jackson Jones' account of dating dancers and Mormon women. It appears to me Carter offers herself up as a biased, myopic, person in that she has, in her Monday letter, harmfully fought one injustice by inflicting another by lifting off the stereotypical homosexual labels assigned to dancers and reassigning them to women athletes. For nearly 20 years, I have been a dancer and a Mormon, summation of the and no Jackson Jones, no hyped-u- p sexuality of Mormon women and dancers will infect my convictions concerning these aspects of my life; and certainly not stir them up in a way that would produce such a weak and hurtful argument against someone as limited as Jones proved to be, by delivering a tongue-lashin- g stereotype. So, my aim is not to reproach Jones for the burrs he's tossed into the leotards and the Mormon libidos of women at the University, but to reverse the harm done by Carter in her unthoughtful stamp-out-stereotypin- g self-righteo- rebuttal. Dancing from a young age, Carter must surely be aware of the wonder of motion that our bodies can communicate, of the "powers" that are ours when we commit ourselves to a technical and creative excellence to advance what becomes an obsession to move, use space, use our bodies it becomes the thus, ART, in simple terms. This impetus of is how I have come to interpret my own experience in dance. The point that I wish to make is that this technical and creative push for excellence, for utilizing energy and space, for "saying" something with muscle and bone is the same, very same drive that figures into the experience of the female athlete. Thus, ART, in simple terms. To anyone who visited n; the SEC last Saturday night this message would have been more than clear. The ease of movement, the fluidity of running motion, the powerful spring and training of must ies exhibited by members of the women's basketball team was enviable, was dancing. Any highly trained dancers would recognize the dedication these women demand of themselves to perform, the dedication they demand of their minds and bodies, and any highly trained dancer would envy their abilities to use their bodies. These women athletes apply the same elements to their art form as dancers do to theirs, only one group does it with a ball. ITirough my 20 years of dancing, I have given my body a great deal of room to grow and develop an unquenchable degree of excellence in movement; and, I have not neglected any opportunity to do so. So, in addition to leotards, I added a uniform for four years. In the four years that I played collegiate basketball at the University, I never thought of the experience as being less than the movement experience involving dance. I never quit dancing, with shoes or without. And in those four year I was never acquainted with anyone who merits the stigma Carter assigned to women athletes. I have danced with company members as well as played basketball with players who have continued doing what they believe in despite people who speak and think stereotypically. They know the crippling effects of the attitudes protrayed by such people and leave those attitudes with such persons. Among the members of the women's basketball team, past and present, there are noted: writers, singers, artists, photographers, hallet dancers, modern dancers, gymnasts, musicians, 4.0 students, valedictorians, mothers, and Mormons, Carter. Mormons, who would in fact, shake the hand of "such a pitiful conceited person" as Jackson Jones, and invite him "unto the light." Lyn McCarter Carter letter biased and harsh Editor: In regard to the letter printed in Tuesday's Chronicle entitled "Mr. Cool Jackson on ego trip?," I would like to ask Louise Carter what women's basketball has to do with ballet and Jones the Jock? Wasn't your statement, ". . . and next time you want a date try the women's basketball team," a trifle harsh? am not a member of the University women's basketball team, or any other basketball team, for that matter. I have, however, played on women's basketball teams in the past. I do not feel that women's basketball needs defending. I am not writing this letter for that purpose. I am disgusted and appalled at your comment, Carter. I feel that students, apart from "elite" social figures like yourself, should express their distaste toward snide remarks such as yours. That is the point of my rebuttal. I am confident diat there are numerous students, beside myself, who believe that women who dance are no more dedicated, talented andor "fun to feminine, who date" than women play basketball, (or any other sport, So for that matter). Carter, the next time you feel inclined to express your prejudices, please keep them to yourself. The rest of us would rather not hear your biased complaints. DeAnn Munson I hard-workin- o:i g, |
