Joshua Magill joshuamagill@hotmail.com
The fact that every one of my classes had a paper due this week caused my brain to shut down. Usually, I can pump one out with ease - I just have a lot to say. This need to speak out is the reason I started my commentary website, which you can find at http://joshuamagill.tripod.com. (You know I had to advertise.)
This week, I couldn't get anything going, so I went to the computer and began searching for anything to write. I started looking at the recent responses and critiques to my website columns and found that one critic in particular made me think. She said, "Do you ever write about anything positive?" My answer, "NOT LATELY!" I started thinking about all the terrible things that have and are happening in this world recently. What, if any of it, was positive? Sept. 11, Israel vs. Palestine, tuition hikes or even the scorn of my English 102 classmates for wanting more from the class - all this told me the world sucks.
That's not all either. Just like many of you, I'm poor, hate that I can't find a parking spot on campus and how the craft shows take over the Student Center. (We should rename it the Community Center. Students no longer seem to be the most important thing on this University.) But is that it? Aren't there more positive issues that we overlook every day? YES! Positive issues are all around us, yet I and others tend to focus on the negative aspects of life. We college students are the future of this great world, and we are allowed to receive an education that will never be taken from us. People are beginning to speak out against racism, discrimination and all types of evil. I know, I know, it's not over, and I'm not saying it is. I'm just saying that these issues of hate are spoken more openly than they once were. That is positive and something to be happy about.
I applaud the African-American writers of the Daily Egyptian who have had the courage to lash out against ignored oppression. Now there needs to be a better acknowledgment of existing racism and a more consistent desire to help with change from the white majority. Also, I enjoy the success of our talented basketball team who deserves credit for its professional representation of our school. Their triumph shows us all that the "little guy" can get it done and that our party school image does not consume our endeavors. I appreciate Coach Weber for sticking with us though there may be better opportunities elsewhere. Go Dawgs!
There is always the other side of the coin - in this case, the football team. We all know the unprofessional way they represented themselves by allegedly brawling with the rugby team. We all know how Coach Kill protects these misguided players by allegedly punishing them according to the team manual. That is laughable. One local newsman had the right idea when he said that the matter should be dealt with in a true court of law. OK, I'm sorry. Some of this isn't positive, and maybe if we quit talking about all these negative issues, they'll just go away. Think about that statement. Does it sound familiar? Let me paraphrase the basic idea of our chancellor: Maybe if we ban alcohol at SIUC, students will stop drinking. The same concept, right?
I don't drink, but that's beside the point. I don't believe banning alcohol on campus is a credible solution. Maybe a mandatory alcohol awareness class for all those students living on campus or even all incoming freshmen is much more appropriate. Along those same lines, ignoring issues deemed negative is not acceptable. We must keep these issues fresh in our minds so that we may find ways to fix them. But we must do this together, rather than fighting against each other. We have ignored racism for so long that it continues, and we have allowed a University administration to walk all over us, the students, who are the backbone of this educational environment.
We cannot literally or metaphorically wage war against our fellow students to solve grudges. We must band together to turn these negative issues into positive issues. Get involved somehow - especially here where you live. We can turn this world and this campus around and make it a beautiful, respectful and educated place to live. Now that's positive.
My Terms appears every other Friday. Joshua is a freshman in secondary education. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Egyptian. To read more of Joshua's work, visit http://joshuamagill.tripod.com
Published on 11/17/05; 12:24:44 PM
