College has it bad for Whitman
The College masturbates to Walt Whitman.
Come on, you know it. The College fantasizes about old shriveled up men with long beards.
You have to wonder why the College is so obsessed with Walt Whitman, and why it put on such an extravaganza in honor of him and his work. I'm only kidding about the College's self-pleasure with good old Walt, but what's really important are the implications of this program for our students.
Students should always take advantage of a program like this. The College succeeds in providing an open, thriving atmosphere for students to learn about ideas and cultures foreign to them; an environment that bears accusations of being "liberal," but still, the College is supplying educational experiences.
But I think there is a great problem with the process of education here. Students are provided with a bevy of information on worldviews and the way the world works: but what do we do with it? We throw it away. In one ear and out the other. Students don't take the second step in education: establishing their "faith:" why they believe certain things and how to live accordingly.
In David Brooks' book "On Paradise Drive," he explains students' main priority: "On the whole, professors love and admire their students, but they are a little disturbed by how non-contentious they are, how willing they are to jump through whatever hoop is placed in front of them for the sake of pleasing teachers, mentors, or the achievement system itself."
So, I ask all of the College to stop polishing the sword, have some balls and question what is known as true, and have a faith that is alive and evident in your life. Celebrate yourself.
Andrew Croft
Wanted: Anti-oppression editor
In the article "Three more patients escape from hospital" I was not at all surprised to see full descriptions of the two African American patients who escaped from the Trenton Psychiatric Hospital. Nor was I surprised to see that the two white patients were not described at all ... let alone by race.
I understand that the two white patients, one of whom was found dead at the hospital, the other of whom was found and returned, are no longer a "threat" to students at the College (Country Club Apartments), but I am still a little perplexed as to how this detail that can be equated to the racist reporting on Katrina and racial profiling by police, could be ignored.
It may seem like a "minor" detail in reporting left out, but when those "minor" instances repeatedly happen to "minorities," it begins to add up to a larger web of oppression called racism. It doesn't help to fight the system of racial oppression if The Signal continues to make whiteness the "normal," invisible race.
Please, I encourage The Signal to look into getting an anti-oppression editor to look over all articles submitted.
Maren Cummings
Someone appreciates The Signal?
I just wanted to thank you for noting that it was despicable of the College not to inform the student body about gubernatorial candidates Doug Forrester and Sen. Jon Corzine's appearances at the College on Monday.
This is an intellectual institution and having a statewide gubernatorial election coming up and not notifying the student body when the key members are actually coming to debate their views is outrageous.
Eugene Muchnik
