By Jeff Snyder
Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language defines the word university as “an institution of learning of the highest level.” If that is true, God help us all.
This will be my final column in The Cardinal. Graduation is just one research paper away. I had planned to use this column to reminisce about my college experience and thank those who have helped me along the way. Unfortunately, the events of this semester have made it impossible for me to feel much remorse over the end of my college career. The majority of this column is dedicated, therefore, to all of those mental lightweights on campus for whom I feel so much pity. Here is the recognition you so richly deserve for your shortsightedness, banality, and mendacity.
Biggest Overreaction of the Semester
Hands down, the award goes to the perpetrators of the worst racial incident on campus since I have been a student here. Not the TKE’s, who merely showed immaturity and a lack of good taste in their choice of Halloween costumes. This award has been well earned by Ricky Jones, Ede Warner, Carlton Brown, and James Sye. These intellectual Lilliputians have proven that racism does not only wear white faces. Jones spoke about his “enemies” and “death to the cowards”. What sane person can feel that tasteless Halloween costumes are more racially harassing than that? How about a movement to get him fired for creating a hostile atmosphere? Well, congratulations guys. You got what you wanted (your names in the paper), but you took a case of private and legally protected (though juvenile) expression, which had nothing to do with this campus, and turned it into a vast racial divide.
Bravo!
Runner-up is this category goes to the University of Louisville. The U.S. Supreme Court stated, in Healy v. James, “state colleges and universities are not enclaves immune from the sweep of the First Amendment.” That means you do not punish students simply because they exercise their right to free expression in a way that is unpopular or distasteful. Since the incident took place at a private party, sanctioned by neither the fraternity nor the university, it is the epitome of arrogance for U of L to claim jurisdiction in this matter. In America, we do not punish a group for the actions of a few individuals, so why is the entire fraternity being penalized? You have given in to the demands of a very small but vocal group of agitators. Shame on you!
Dumbest Things Said in The Cardinal Last Week
This was a tough category with many worthy candidates. The winner is Bonnie-Lyn Dunlop, a Law Student. I had stated in a previous column that without our military strength during World War II, we would probably be speaking German, Russian, or Japanese today (i.e., that we would have lost the war). Bonnie-Lyn responded by saying that would have been okay, since a little cultural diversity is not so bad. Good call, Bonnie-Lyn! Being ruled by Hitler, Stalin, or Tojo for the past fifty years would have been a real party.
Runner-up in this category goes to new Cardinal columnist Josephine Khamisi. She feels that we should not worry about the “thought police” censoring our speech because “you don’t have free speech, at least not the way you perceive it.” Maybe Josephine forgot about that pesky little document we call the United States Constitution. Kudos to Josephine, the first journalist in American history to deny the existence of the First Amendment.
In Closing
The vast but silent majority of U of L students, faculty, and employees are good, well-meaning, and thoughtful people. They are here to learn, teach, and work. They succeed in spite of the fringe elements that have turned this and other campuses into places that have less in common with reality than most episodes of “The Twilight Zone”. To all the anti-globalists, radicals, and P.C. media hounds I say this: do not ever leave campus for the real world. You are hopelessly ill equipped for it.
A Word of Thanks
Some of the best people I know are in the Department of History, where I would like to thank Professors Kebric, Cumbler, Blum, and all the rest for their patience, dedication, and knowledge. They work very hard with little recognition and are the reason that dedicated students can receive a world-class education in history at U of L.
I would like to express my appreciation for my parents, family, and friends who have supported and assisted me during the many long years of my college career. Finally, I could not have done this without the love and support of my fiancee, Lisa. Thanks, everyone.
Jeff Snyder is a senior history major and columnist for The Cardinal.You can contact him at [email protected].
