Earth - Our Ground to Play or Plague?

Earth Day is like a birthday. A happy birthday. It seems to serve two purposes - one, to pay homage to the fact that the Earth still remains in existence; two, to thank our lucky stars we exist on it. It should be a basic element of development to learn that one should respect the space in which one finds oneself. We don't trash our friends' bedrooms (at least, we shouldn't). We don't trash our own bedrooms without at some point practicing the great art of procrastination through cleanliness. And most of us need to clean eventually in any case for their own mental stability.

So this relates to Earth Day how? It's very simple. Contrary to the opinions of some students here at Oberlin and at other prestigious colleges and universities, the Earth is not just floating around in space for humans to completely plunder and ransack for our own benefit. Sure, it makes for a great argument - man, it's here, we're here, we need this, this and this, so let's take, take, take. Um, sorry. Progress is a good thing, but only if it maintains and preserves other good things in existence.

It would be tragic for future generations to gaze with awe upon old Ansel Adams photographs of mountains, or upon old paintings of trees and forests, or even upon old family snapshots taken while fishing at the river. These things should be and need to stay in existence for the good of all. What's the point of cutting down trees to build a shopping mall so you can buy another Abercrombie shirt? Does happiness come from new clothes, faster planes, and fancier cars, or from experiencing life in its most basic and raw form, experiencing the wonders of not only human life but animal and plant and fish and rock and fungus life? The latter seems the most natural and visceral response.

This is not to say everyone out there prefers hiking to shopping. But to be fair to both hiking and shopping enthusiasts, as well as those who thrive on both, doesn't it make sense to provide adequate places in which to hike and shop, instead of systematically and consistently replacing one with the other in the name of progress? Life without beauty might be a life not worth living. And while certain J. Crew dresses and certain Armani suits might definitely be considered beautiful, let us not forget or disregard the natural beauty of our environment. So, cheers, and here's to a happy birthday.

GF Once Again Battles BDSM

Shrouded in a more pleasing acronym and featuring a revised mission statement the SMBD club has once again fallen under the scrutiny of the General Faculty. Now known as SECURE (Students Exploring Consent and Understanding Regarding Equity) the club is currently petitioning the GF for a charter. But let's not be fooled - and the GF sure wasn't, this is still the same horse just with a different saddle on it (or harness, if you please.) More vocal members of the debate consider sadomasochistic behavior an immoral act that harms the community - not only on a widespread ethical level but also in student retention and enrollment. Conservative applicants may be scared away by what they consider morally debasing acts in a College sanctioned setting. So some faculty members refuse to support the pending charter (and the other charters that have been submitted in the past two years) on the grounds that such a club will fracture the community and discouraging enrollment. SECURE satisfies the requirements of a chartered organization and argues that their First Amendment rights allow them to cultivate their interests with Student Activity Funds. The critics maintain a semi-laudable reason for their censure of SECURE: the institutions plummeting national ranking. At the same time they resent the threat of SECURE to their own moral standards - which is also a legitimate gripe. Just because a view is conservative does not mean it should be ignored in a wash of liberal ideology. Oberlin's rankings are slipping, and this should be a major concern of anyone who plans on walking out of here with a diploma in their hands - a document whose value will be dependent on the integrity of the institution today and in the future. Maybe the faculty's concern over the College's position within higher education should focus their efforts are more productive goals. Eliminating programs that receive marginal funding from the College will not solve enrollment problems. Increased attention to student advising, class availability, faculty appointments and student resources will service Oberlin College better then sweeping SECURE underneath the carpet.