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Signatures
Dear Dec,
There are people at the University of Virginia (and, I suspect, in the rest of the world) whose egos are larger
than their hearts, whose beliefs in what is "right" supersede the right treatment of others, whose dedication
to the truth is truly a facade of immaturity and a travesty of real human understanding. And I
say to those people (one of whom is sometimes me and everyday a Cavalier Daily writer):
STOP TAKING YOURSELVES SO SERIOUSLY, YOU FREAKS!
For the last six weeks, I have witnessed this suspension of reality in my own part of the world as the Chair
of the Student Council Elections Committee. I have seen people vie for positions of "power," transforming
into what is known as candidates (empirically defined as teleologically challenged individuals immune from
the norms of ethical standards whose existence depends upon the "enemy"). I have observed friends place
"ideals" above friendships in their campaigns for other friends. I have witnessed an active willingness to
misunderstand devolve into paranoia and a one-upsmanship game of betrayal, mistrust, and
anger. I have seen it all among people who generally are respectable and well-intentioned,
and who don't realize I'm talking about them.
And I have been disgusted by it all.
I understand now why the American "politician" is so maligned: people don't get any more mature or less
petty in Washington D.C. They just become older and more powerful. But here, at U.Va., we're just
students. We're here, supposedly getting an education, to learn about life in this world we call "real." Yet so
often we forget that, in the scramble for reputation, in the struggle for membership, in the "community" of
trust, in the vocalized disbelief about the remarkable pettiness of others, in the thrill of thrusting ego
into the fray, that we're dealing with other people whom we know and (pretend to)
understand. For cryin' out loud, there's not even any money involved! Yet.
I'm talking about Student Council. I'm talking about the Cavalier Daily (and the Dec). I'm talking about
the Honor Committee, the Judiciary Committee, the pretension of student self-governance, and all those
students out there (students of life -- that's all of us, you freaks) whose passion on one side is
balanced so intricately and perfectly by their blind spots of apathy on the other.
Seriously, there are things to take seriously and other things to take seriously only to a limit. Personally, I
was reminded of -- no, taught -- this a few months ago with the sudden surfacing of the reality of life and
death and pain. I remind others who were affected by Sean Bryant's death not to forget this lesson: there are
things to take seriously, like the education we seek about life, our friendships and family (remember?
family?), the way we recognize and understand our personal and interpersonal challenges, and the need to
stop and take a moment to laugh at ourselves. And there are things to take seriously only to a limit ‹ like
the reputation which belies and misrepresents the true self, the things we hear other people heard, and
whether or not and wherefore the Darden school failed to vote. Living a life of ego is forgetting
what life is.
Take a reality check, you freaks. We're here for more important things than the titles we
carry and the accomplishments we claim.
Yours Truly,
Dear Declaration,
I was disappointed and a bit disgusted to read the headline for the review of Sling Blade in last week's issue
which read "'Tard Core." I thought we could expect a bit more from The Declaration. To rely on derogatory
junior high slang words is lazy and irresponsible, especially coming from a publication which generally
seems to consider itself (and usually rightly so) one with more talented, aware, and sensitive writers and
staff than most others on grounds. I don't know who actually writes the headlines for articles, whether it is
the author him or herself or staff members. Regardless of who wrote the headline, though, I assume
someone is responsible for checking the overall content of the paper before it's published, and I am truly
surprised that this reference made it in. As someone who has an uncle who is mentally retarded, I find it
offensive. As an average reader, I find it uncreative and trite. I can think of a number of other slang words
used to refer to minority groups that carry negative connotations that would NEVER appear in your paper.
To print one which refers to a minority group whose members most likely can not even defend themselves
is unfair. I know this slip was most likely unintentional; I only ask that more sensitivity be shown in the
future, even if it means putting in a little extra effort.
Sincerely,
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