Daily Egyptian Editorial 05
Sponsored by 710 BookStore - - - http://www.seventen.com/DE Columnist: What are you talking about?
TyJuan Cratic
On Sunday night, my friend and I were talking about the state of students at SIUC. When I was in high school, I dreamed of attending a college that was like the ones depicted on television. No, not the typical party school with students going to class with a hangover and pulling major pranks on the chancellor.
I mean, I sat and daydreamed about sitting in a coffee house and talking about politics, world affairs and other important issues with fellow intellectuals. I dreamed about talking with liberals and conservatives, debating ideas and taking action to change the world.
Was my daydream just that, a daydream?
I'm sure there are a few students, so far I have just encountered one, that are able to sit and have a civil debate over abortion and not turn it into a shouting match, with me on the receiving end. The same goes with other topics such as affirmative action. I wonder if students discuss serious topics?
All of this leads me to the question: has our campus become just so polarized that moderate people who want to debate on social ideas and theories choose to just stay below the radar? I have been at SIUC since Aug. 2003, and in that time, I have watched those on the far right and the far left interact on campus. Both sides seem to be shouting so much that neither even bothers to listen to the other side.
On a trip to Chicago, I hung out with the College Democrat chapter at Columbia College and had fun. No we didn't drink ourselves to stupidity, nor did we go to a bar that was too loud and crowded. And we didn't talk about "airhead" issues, like who was wearing what and who said what to whom. Those didn't seem like topics that would ever have a lasting effect on our lives.
One of my friends said, "I think I chose the wrong university to go to. Where are all the intellectuals?"
I understand where she is coming from, but I refuse to think that there are just a few students at SIUC that feel the same way that I do. I refuse to think that students don't care about global issues like Iraq, the War on Terror, poverty, wire tapping, cartoons and rioting. I think students do care about state issues, such as the budget, education, state funding, ethics laws and primary and general elections. Not to mention local and school issues, Saluki Way, the retention rate and affirmative action.
And that one thing I seem to keep ranting on - textbooks.
I could be wrong. Maybe I am, but my heart says I'm not. I truly believe students do care about these issues, I do believe that there are students that don't just shout unintelligibly about these issues - but have a reasonable debate. If you are out there, it's time to make yourself known.
The Daily Egyptian, the student-run newspaper of SIUC, is committed to being a trusted source of information, commentary and public discourse while helping readers understand the issues affecting their lives.
The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester. The Pulse, Carbondale Entertainment Guide, is published once a week on Thursday.Last update: Monday, February 27, 2006 at 7:46:36 PM
Copyright 2009 Daily Egyptian Editorial 05