« Letter to the Editor: Of all the things to complain about | Main | Letter to the Editor: Sexual assault victims seek opportunity to commiserate »
November 08, 2005
Letter to the Editor: Hamline should keep “silly” traditions
In response to David Lueth’s article in the Oct. 25 edition, I am once again amazed at the self-righteous, rhetoric spewing do-gooders who believe they are at fault for nothing. Who feels the need to write a column about why students did not attend inauguration ceremonies? Someone who has yet to take responsibility for their actions. Sure, it’s easy to say, “Hey, I wasn’t involved, so I didn’t go,” when the truth of the matter is that people didn’t attend because they don’t care.
Unfortunately for the Hamline community, this only goes to show that however important an event is to the greater community, the inner community of students is often careless about “fancy ceremonial” occasions with “silly robes.” Not to mention the suggestions by Lueth were on the verge of being ridiculous. To quote briefly, Lueth believes “A large formal inauguration seems like a throw back to Victorian times,” and that “values have changed,” implying that somehow the inauguration didn’t hold up to the students’ values. What values were being represented? Honesty, integrity, respect? Terrible. Those values have changed and are no longer applicable today, or at least in Lueth’s opinion.
And as for updating the ceremony, maybe the faculty could get liquored up in good college fashion and have a dance party to the latest Lil’ Jon favorites “Get Low,” and “Crunk Juice.”
I think Lueth is missing the point. Ceremonies are supposed to be “old fashioned” and provide an opportunity to experience history, in the traditional sense of the institution. And forget spending money elsewhere. If you want to help, organize a benefit yourself and quit pretending to fight for the impoverished or the victims of hurricane Katrina when you spend nearly $30,000 a year on a college education. Why don’t you dispense with the formalities of the education and donate your college tuition to the people displaced by the hurricane? Take responsibility for your actions. You don’t care about ceremonies, not because you weren’t involved but because you and the majority of students on the campus just plain don’t give a damn. I can only imagine your thoughts on the ceremony formalities of graduation, with “silly diplomas” and “funny hats.”
-Bryan Brocksome ‘08
Posted by msveum at November 8, 2005 12:08 PM