By Phillp M. Bailey
Our last issue of the school year, readers; so what lessons were learned?
My first lesson is comprised in four words: public pressure changes people. Former Louisville Patriot Editor in Chief and IFC President Joey Wilkerson taught me this. The bright, open-minded, amiable and idealistic journalist took my columns and some fledgling letters to the editor as personal attacks — they were not intended as such. Many in the community did question Wilkerson’s motives for editing a paper that compared using ebonics to Affirmative Action, and whether he wanted to be known as The Patriot’s lawn jockey.
Although Wilkerson stubbornly remained editor in an effort to “make change within,” he eventually learned his colleagues’ shrewd tactics first-hand and resigned. I apologize if he felt personally maligned. I hate to say I told you so, Joey, but …
My second lesson: controversy is random. For instance, while a circus was made about the remarks of Sociology professor John McTighe, little huff was made over the shrewd attacks of Accountancy professor Benjamin P. Foster. While making accusations of liberal bias and prejudice in column after column, Foster created his own Palmer Raid via mean-spirited and erroneous grievances against a colleague, History professor John Cumbler, and a student, Political Science major Ken Walker.
“I filed grievances against people who made statements or posted flyers making inaccurate and inciting statements,” Foster said. “Those statements in my opinion … warranted sanction under university guidelines.” Suggested sanctions included expelling Walker and mandating Cumbler take a microeconomics course. When SNCC asked Foster to publicly explain his reasoning, the good doctor declined, citing, of all things, public pressure.
I understand the political waters are filled with sharks on both sides, but going after a person’s livelihood should be grounds for a reprimand, especially when evidence presented is the opinion of an apoplectic faculty member with a political agenda and a grudge.
Final lesson: a weekly editorial is a means of access to the public sphere that hopefully sheds some light on a shaded issue or two. I was glad that many readers were introduced to and shocked by the heinous stabbing of Lamartez Griffin. A hate crime is serious, even in a state where high school seniors wear Confederate flags as prom dresses (bad culture, meet bad taste).
We still need to answer the ineptitude and powerlessness of SGA, which was marked by a mini soap opera with the off-again, on-again, off-again popularity of Sarah Hester. Whether you care or not, itís questionable to call a body of representatives a government when it cannot impact the real-world problems of students. That includes a childcare facility, freeze on tuition increases and impacting Kentucky politics in a collegiate united front.
Oh, and one more thing: let’s not forget the evolving Social Security debate. Last week, while campaigning in South Carolina, President Bush openly embraced benefit cuts on the wealthy and raising the cap on the income subject to Social Security taxes. Still, the president is complimentary and cozy with privatization. The embrace of progressive resolution may just be a pivot to the far radical right.
Class dismissed.
Phillip M. Bailey is a junior double-majoring in Political Science and Sociology, Chair of the U of L SNCC and a columnist for The Cardinal. E-mail him at: pbailey@louisvillecardinal.com
