IN DEFENSE OF COOKIES. WE'RE NOT MADE FROM COOKIE CUTTERS.
I am an older adult student, a mom and a newly elected senatorto the Student Government. I have not yet had a chance to meetAndrew McGarrity, President Elect, who has received both positiveand negative response to the article appearing last week on theAffirmative Action Bake Sale.
I thought the method the Young Republicans used to make theirpoint was very clever and provocative to thought regardingdiscrimination. (Personally, I don't like the idea of paying morefor a product just because of my color.) The points and counterpoints I have read since then have also been very interesting andstimulating. I have only one objection to the manner in which thestudents are presenting their opinions. They are coming acrossalmost as a personal assault on "Mr." McGarrity. As I understand"Freedom of Speech," the objective is to engage in free discussionand exchange of ideas putting forth opposing views as a means ofevaluation to arrive at truth or error.
When I read modern philosophers' ideas on political thought andtheir arguments and objections, I have never seen an attack on themas a person or on their mental acuity. The arguments and objectivesare plainly stated. No slurs, no innuendos, no "dissing" or putdowns.
Every single objection to the actions of McGarrity and the bakesale have had some form of abusive, judgmental attack on McGarrityhimself.
The poor boy is getting a verbal bashing for expressing apolitical opinion (Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Expression)that the Constitution legally gives him the right to do!
According to the philosopher, John Stuart Mill's "On Liberty,"adults should have unlimited personal freedom "as long as it doesnot harm another."
To put someone down because they don't think like you do orexpress their opinion in a way that you would have done is to tryto make them like you. It robs them of their freedom to actindependently and to think for themselves. An objection is simplyan attack on the opinion not on the person expressing the opinion,anything other than that is a form of oppression or mental tyrannybased on a personal bias.
We are all here to broaden our knowledge base so we have a widervariety of tools to make rational decisions as we impact the worldaround us. Using creative ideas to express a point of view is astimulus for personal growth. We are not adversaries in a waragainst each other. We are all really on the same side. Let's focuson the objectives and set up an environment for stimulatingcreative ideas, and thought processes to encourage personal growthand not stifle it.
I enjoy reading the diversity of opinions in Viewpoints becausewe benefit from one another's point of view, but I don't like theuse of the insults or putdowns. It undermines the freedom to be anautonomous individual and it is detrimental to the achievement ofself realization and self worth. Let's begin to think "outside thebox" and not accept what's been passed down to us from generationto generation.
Sandy E. McNatt
Junior
Leadership Development Major
