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Show !PA~E-1() ..... :... UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OP'INION MONDAY, OCTOBER 9 , 2000 SUU 'dumbing ·down' 'Access' is a recurring column through which students, faculty or staff may comment on issues of concern to our readership. To submit 'Access,' contact associate editor Jessica Blonquist, by phone at 586-7750, or by e-mail at journal@suu.edu. Today's column is by Steven Roberds, assistant professor of political scien~e. While fighting against the institution of slavery in the mid 1840s, newspaper publisher William Lloyd Garrison wrote in the first issue of The Liberator. I do not wish to think, or speak, or write with moderation I am in earnest I will not equivocate I will not excuse I will not retreat for a single inch and I will be heard. I may not have the Garrison's gift for eloquence, but I do share his passion. The slavery ·1 detest is the slavery of the mind and it is contaminating the air and spirit of ·intellectual freedom here at SUU. The vocal and aggressive· forces of intimidation , censorship, dumbing down , and majoritarian tyranny ·contioue to wage war against everything that a university represents. The rich and hisforic tradition of university academic freedom, the unbridled search for knowledge, the eternal love of creativity through freedom and imagination are at risk daily as the agents of conformity and rigidity run rampant. The opponents of a diverse, free, unfettered scholarly community brazenly flex their might and cram down the throats of all who hunger for intell ectual growth their stultifying, numbing , depressing injections of political/religious dogma and truth. I for one will not be at peace with this devil , this bottom feeding insatiable obsessive lust to stamp out genius, brilliance, diversity, difference, . and creativity. . I announce today that. I will speak out, write, denounce, and call upon every ounce of fire and passion in my soul to fight against the prevailing mood of censorship, anti-intellectualism, and majoritarian tyranny that contaminates the envi(onment at SUU. I will not stand by idly while edited movies become the norm, students are told what they may and may not view on the internet, faculty self-censor themselves for fear of offending someone in class , and guest speakers are denied invitations -because they may be too controversial or be at odds with community standards. I will be a thorn, a nuisance, and a constant source of irritation every time intellectual/academic freedom is attacked. · . Betore-the right wing crypto-fascist goons, fundamentalist self righfeous b.ible pounding guardians of truth, and politically correct _J>seudo intellectual jack bootE:d thugs of the far left get their collective legalistic hallucinations in an uproar, this article is not about legal or constitutional rights. While I do believe that current and past internet user proposals would be struck down by the Supreme Court, I do not make that argument here. Instead I argue that the· university as we k,:io~ it is being destroyed by those who think it is just one more place where community values and majority opinion rule. (continued on page 11) SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY· <£PAR CITY UTAH DIRECTING STAFF ANO DESK PHONE NUMBERS: Editor Kamilynn Savage 586-7750 A$soclate Editors Jessica Blonquist 586-7750 Photo Editor Janelle Reichert 586-7750 Copy Editor Mindy Smith S86-1992 Focus Edit°' Camery Lybbert .S86-1992 ·Ar\S Editor Ashley Adams 865-8443 Sports Editor Jasen Asay 865-8443 ~ ' t Sports Editor Jason Erickson 865-8443 Kevin Haring 586-7759 Almanac Editor Stacee Childs 865-8226 Webmaster Jansen Gunderson 586-7750 Ad Designer Andy Sullivan 586-7758 Ad Manager Cami Perkins 586-7758 Adviser Larry Baker 586-7751 Writing Coach Paul Husselbee 865-8556 SENIOR STAFF WRITERS AND REPORTERS' DESK 586-7757, 586..5488 The Univendy Joumel is i:>u"*shed every Monday Thursday ol ll'le ae8demic y.- by for ll'le SIUdenl body of Soulhem Ulah Uf'Nvers,ty It receivu advisement trom the universtty adminislTlbon and lrcm the UIWen,ty'S ccmmun,c,llion department The • - • and opinions e,cpt9SNd in ll'le .Journal .,. tho. . of indMdulll -- do not necessarily tellec:I the-views al Vie lnstilu\lOII. faculy, stall Ot body ,n gene,-, An w,s,gnecl editorial clrlldly al>ove is ll'le op,nion al ..... Uriversity Joumal •• a .... enll!Y, Locters IO ..... e<ieor mtJS1 be typed and include ll'le name and phone runtw Only ll'le name will be printed. N.,,..s wtl not be wttllheld Ul>det tll'f orcumstances and the editor rese,vu editing privileges. l.ettetS must be subm~ted by 5 p m. Tt,u,sday• lof inclusion in Monday editions. by 5 p.m. Mondays lof ThLnday editic<,s, Grievancu, Any lndivlaJaf with a grievance 8981"51 the Joumll/ should dlect suth pr- first to the ecilet. If unr• . that g,ievance 5hould lhen be citKted to the adwer. UnW.,.;ty Joum.i: Office• in SUU Technology &.iking 011 . Mall at SUU. c.<wClty. Utlll ll,4720. ""*" FAX ( 435) 586-5487. ~ r E-mail eddrus. ,ournal@sw.edu • MED ON RECYCU:D PAPER Pl.EASE RECYCLE nffll COPY. L.E AH HARTMANN COMMENTARY Get e,notional, let freedo,n ring_· How do you think change ever happens? Do you ·congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free think social and political change .are orchestrated.by-_ exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of logical robots? Hell, no. The Boston Tea Party was , speech, or of the press; or of the right of the people an emotional outburst, and it helped get us where . peaceably to assemble, and to petition the we are today. To paraphrase a bumper sticker on my ultra rightGovernment for a redress of grievances." . Is there a more stirring sight than the lone wing father's ultra-redneck 197 4 Chevy pickup protester, one facing down a wicked establishment (complete with NRA window stickers and gun rack): A man with a strong opinion is a citizen;· a man and boldly petitioning for change? . I saw a young man last week protesting the without a strong opinion is a subject. I have always been outspoken and opinionated editing of movies, solemn an~ alone. . With his crude, hand-made sign, his earnest (could you tell?), and when I was very young, I beliefs and passion , he was a star-spangled thought everybody else was, too. Then I grew up reminder that our right peaceably to assemble and and became acquainted with a nasty attitude called · voice our unpopular opinions is more American than apathy. Do you know what it means to be apathetic? It apple pie and monster-truck rallies. To me, he was Democracy holding hands with the means you'r!:! so comfortable with your lazy, fastfood, instant-gratification lifestyle that if the King of First Amendment. "I think your protest is wonderful," I told him. "I'm England busted down your door and his Redcoats started rifling through your private papers, you'd roll so ·glad ~omeone out here is speaking his mind.• He leveled a serious glare my way and said, "So over on ·your bean-bag and ask him what -time pick up a sign.· . · "Survivor" re-runs come on in prison. I am as jaded about our political system as you I mumbled quite sheepishly that I didn't care enough about this issue to picket the Sharwan can get, yet I vote., I educate myself on the issues, Smith movie theatre, but I supported his sticking it to and I occasionally fire off hate mail to The Dar~ , the Man. I then signed his petition for the "Third Over1ord of Capitol Hill, Orrin Hatch. There's nothing a four-term senator likes better Option: Some bureaucrat in the soulless un ive rsity . than fat, happy, apathetic voters. A high-profile election is approaching quickly, and administration said . students shouldn 't get emotionally involved in issues such as movie editing I'm sure voter turnout is going to hit another all-time on campus. low. When I read that I gasped out loud and almost fell This is embarrassing; people have died so that we down some stairs. can vote in peaceful, free elections, and people in Don't you believe it students! Don't you believe it other countries are still dying today for the same for one second; you get as emotionally involved as privilege. You may not have the backbone (or -the suicidal you want! The founding fathers risked their homes, families, tendencies)°to stare down a line of Chinese tanks all jobs, and lives so we could get emotional, so we by yourself, but don 't let the bureaucrats and could yell-peaceably- at the tops of our lungs: "I'm politicians make decisions without you. They are public servants, and you are the public. mad as hell, and I'm. not going to take it anymore.· I'm glad the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. never told Tell them what you think of them, and go vote; it's the least you can do. his followers not to get emotionally involved. |