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Show 4 Opinion Why lie about Santa? MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2014 WWW.WSUSIGNPOST.COM SOURCE: ILLUSTRATION|TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE The power behind negative labels By KELLIE PLUMHOF columnist | @kellieplumhof Words are undeniably a great source of power and persuasion. Words can be used to ignite the flame of rebellion, spark emotion in those we haven’t even met and tell stories that otherwise wouldn’t be heard. On the flip side, words can be used to tear someone down. Retard. Every time I hear or see that word, I cringe. The word has been warped, twisted and made to be synonymous with lesser. I feel fortunate to have grown up with the family and experiences that I did. My parents would never use or allow any derogatory words in our house. I don’t remember hearing the word retard, or the phrase “You’re so retarded!” until I had reached school age. As I progressed in school I was able to have experiences and friends who taught me to be sensitive towards those who were different. I was able to participate in a special education class as a peer tutor during three years of high school. This gave me an opportunity to work with my fellow classmates who had disabilities. The people I met while in this class gave me a deeper understanding of those with disabilities. They opened my eyes and heart. The experience was unforgettable and still impacts me to this day. I’ve heard the defenses for using these types of slurs. Those who use these phrases will often try to say that they aren’t really talking about someone who is mentally disabled, but instead are just saying something is dumb. This argument always leaves me wondering why they didn’t just use the word dumb in the first place. Instead of using the term retard for a new game you bought that doesn’t work right, or a friend who just did something foolish, why not dive into the vast depths of the English language and choose a word that is better suited and not offensive? Using the word retarded is not only an inaccurate description of someone with a disability; it is hate speech. When the word retard is used interchangeably with dumb, it implies that the speaker thinks they mean the same thing. The use of this word isolates and stereotypes an entire group of people. Those with disabilities are not lesser. They are not stupid, dumb or lame. They are people just like you and I, and they deserve the same amount of respect. The word retard is no different from any other type of slur. Discrimination can come in any form, and can cause serious damage to those subjected to it on a daily basis. To you, what seems like an innocent joke about a “slow” moment your friend just had may actually be a hurtful term for a person near you or their loved ones. Instead of using our words to tear people down, we should use them to lift others up. Even if you’re just joking with your friends, you never know who might be listening. Despite the old sticks and stones saying, words do hurt. When we choose our words carefully, we are being wise and considerate to those around us who may be affected, directly or indirectly, by a disability. Comment on this column at wsusignpost.com American culture is littered with various Christmas traditions involving Santa Claus. We can all remember when we had an unbreakable belief that Santa Claus was real and delivered Christmas gifts to all the nice children in the entire world. Santa Claus is so embedded into our culture that it has become socially acceptable to lie to children about his existence. In fact, it is more acceptable to lie about Santa than it is to reveal the truth. Almost nobody tells their children the real truth about Santa Claus. In high school, I sat in on a class where a teacher was debating with his students about whether or not it was a good idea to tell children that Santa is real. Almost all of the teens in the class thought it would be cruel not to build up the elaborate dream of Santa. And it’s true. Santa is magical. Almost everyone can recount stories of their childhood, waiting up for Santa to come deliver presents and falling asleep before they had the chance to catch him. I would bake cookies with my sister to leave out. always surprised when there was a bite missing in the morning. KATE KONCHAR @konchstar columnist My friends told me even more extravagant stories about their parents leaving flour footprints in their kitchen where Santa might have walked through, even stomping upstairs, making it sound like reindeer were on the roof. Even in the malls, kids can’t wait to go sit on Santa’s lap to tell him all about the gifts they want to find under the tree this year. When kids see two Santas at the same time, parents might tell them that the imposters are Santa’s helpers. But the high school teacher made a good point. He did not believe in killing the kids’ dreams. He simply wanted to expose his children to the truth. He never wanted to lie to them – about anything – including something as pivotal as the validity of Santa Claus. Parents lie so passionately about Santa’s existence, and spend the entire period of their kids’ childhood convincing them that he is real. But as children grow, it becomes less and less acceptable to continue to believe in Santa beyond a certain age. My 9-year-old brother Alex is at that age now. A lot of his classmates are beginning to understand that their parents are the ones who put the presents under the tree, and Santa is just a hired hand at the mall. Alex, however, holds to the belief that Santa is real. He tells me that he gets presents every year because he still believes. Our parents were a lot like the high school teacher. They never once lied to him about Santa. They always told him that our dad is the one who works hard to be able to afford gifts for us every year. Yet Alex clings to the idea that Santa rewards him for being nice, not naughty. A lot of students on campus have children around this age as well. When do they begin to let go of the lie, and instead tell their kids the truth? With Christmas just around the corner, what will they choose to do this year? Comment on this column at wsusignpost.com Why it’s worth being a non-trad student done for a myriad of reasons, but the curiosity on the part of the students’ peers should not fall @kafabee on the question of why columnist they’re in school, but the understanding of what it means to the student. I’m nearly 30 years old, For me, obtaining a happily married and I higher education means have two children in grade following my dreams to school. I have a union job, a the top and having fun mortgage and plenty of big while doing it. The colboy toys. I’m living the life of lege experience has alan average, American midlowed me to push my dle-class family man. I’ve writing, both academialso been a college student cally and journalisticalfor the past five years. ly. I’ve worked on staff SOURCE: DERRICK GAINSFORTH I’m currently winding at two different college down a bachelor’s degree in Derrick Gainsforth joined The Signpost staff newspapers, interned teaching journalism. With this fall and willl soon have a bachelor’s degree. with a popular, Utahmy nights spent working, based magazine and my days spent in class and piles could actually focus on. I subse- created pieces with true inforof homework filling my weekends, quently spent the remainder of my mational value. At the top of this I’m often asked why I torture my- high school class time writing. dream sits the tools that allow me self by staying in college. “Why fill In my early 20s, I enrolled in a the ability to teach my craft to othyour glass when it’s already full?” drafting program at a local trade ers — tools that say I am qualified they’ve asked. They seem to be- school. I had understood that ob- to responsibly pass on the inforlieve that I will not make the same taining a degree would automat- mation I’ve obtained. To me, this kind of money working in my de- ically equate to a higher-paying means I have value. gree field as I do in my average, job, but as I sat during my first seIt’s inadvisable to heckle or blue-collar job. It seems many of mester in that drab classroom, at- detour someone who wishes to my critics do not think it’s “worth tempting to again learn a subject I pursue a higher education. I also it” for me to finish my education. didn’t care about, I instinctively fell think it’s socially irresponsible to During adolescence, I was nev- into the same pattern that I had so assume that higher education is er too fond of school. I was that many times before. I zoned out a waste of someone’s time. A coldistracted kid in the back of the and could not focus on the subject lege education is entirely left up to classroom, desperately trying to matter. I began to realize that I was the student, and so is the intended grasp the concepts being taught not going to survive in college if I outcome. If someone chooses to but then — hey look, a squirrel. I wasn’t doing something I loved. go to school, for whatever reason, eventually just stopped caring. Being a student should not au- they should be encouraged, not I got too far behind and then I tomatically mean that one is seek- discouraged, to do so. simply stopped listening. I discov- ing a professional career. What ered my affinity for writing and it should convey is that one is Comment on this column at wsusignpost.com found that it was the one area I seeking knowledge. This could be DERRICK GAINSFORTH Editor-in-Chief Skyler Pyle skyler.pyle@gmail.com Features Editor Danielle Murphy june241995@hotmail.com Digital Content Coordinator Timothy Potter timothy.potter@aol.com Adviser Jean Reid Norman jeannorman@weber.edu Opinion Editor Kate Konchar kathrynkonchar@gmail.com Science Editor Liz Ruttenbur lizruttenbur@weber.edu Photo Editor Kaitlyn Johnson kaitlynjohnson9@yahoo.com Ad Manager Shelley Hart shelleyhart@weber.edu News Editor Matthew Kunes matthew.musicman99@gmail.com A&E Editor Abby Payne Abigail.Payne@hotmail.com Webmaster Andrew Leon Andrew.E.Leon@gmail.com Office Manager Georgia Edwards gedwards@weber.edu Sports Editor Michael Grennell mjgrennell@gmail.com Lead Copy Editor Kelsy Thompson a.k.hunter@live.com The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University Students. Student fees fund the printing of this publication. Opinions or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university. 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