The Hillsdale Forum - Fall 2006-07

the

hillsdale forum Fall 2006

Volume IV, Issue I

the Dilemma of Higher Education

by StephAni Francl The election is over and the Democrats have taken the Congress. The war in Iraq forced the unemployed, disgruntled citizens of America to speak out via the election against their dominantly Republican government, or so says the opposition. But the war in Iraq is not the only issue on the ballot these days. While jobs and the war are important, these topics jeopardized the election commercials at the expense of other very important issues, such as education.

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In this issue...

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Politicians commonly use education, and more recently higher education issues to get the American public up in arms concerning the future welfare of our country. If the children of today lack proper education, the adults of tomorrow will fail to carry on the American dream. We poor college students deserve the subsidization of the government to ensure the continuation of our beloved democratic-republic. Both Democrats and Republicans have dumped millions and millions of dollars into the system in order to impress the local voters.

*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*% No Soap and Toothbrush #@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@ !*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*% Needed Here #@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@ ... !*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*% One Student’s #@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@ Examination of !*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*% Hillsdale’s #@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@ “Clean” Campus !*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*% -page 7#@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@ !*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*%#@!*%

Our very own President Larry Arnn pointed out the problem in his recent essay, “The Crisis and Politics of Higher Education” published in the Claremont Review of Books and Imprimis. (Currently, the essay can also be accessed via the Hillsdale College home page.) He, being a true believer in Hillsdale College and the idea of remaining true to one’s founding, noticed that “since September 11, 2001, defense spending has risen 47 percent, while higher education spending has risen 133 percent.” Complain as they may about spending

on the war in Iraq, the Democrats in conjunction with the Republicans have blown the lid off of education spending in the last six years, and it doesn’t help the national deficit. All this money going out makes one wonder what the institutions of higher education are doing with the funding. The Intercollegiate Studies Institute took up this very question in their recently published study “The Coming Crisis in Citizenship” in which they examined what was being learned by students at 50 institutions of higher education nation wide. -continued on page 3

The Ballots Have Been Cast! --Who Got Elected-? --Where Do They Stand-? --What’s on the Line-full story pages 8-9

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Fall 2006

As Hillsdale College students, we all know the meaning of busy. From writing a paper to reading a book, there are a million things that come ahead of watching the news, which is why we’ve decided to bring the important stuff to you! In Germany, for the low cost of $25, one can hire Bernd Dressler of the Separation Agency in Berlin to break-up with one’s significant other. The more elaborate breaking-up packages can go as high at $65, but one must have at least three reasonable reasons for breaking up before Mr. Dressler breaks up with your significant other for you. Talk about cold. The FBI is now investigating the Los Angeles police after viewing a videotape released on YouTube.com that shows officers repeatedly beating a suspect in the face while he cried out that he could not breathe. Can you name all the Supreme Court Judges of the Roberts Court?: Samuel Alito, Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Anthony Kennedy, Chief Justice John Roberts, Antonin Scalia, David Souter, John Paul Stevens, and Clarence Thomas. (No, this is not news, just something you need to know) Whitman College cancelled classes Thursday so that students could attend a symposium on race and diversity after several pictures of students wearing blackface made it onto the internet causing a campus wide controversy.

After making racist remarks that air in the new Borat film, two North Carolina fraternity brothers are suing the makers of the film, claiming they were tricked into making the remarks.

The average American with AIDS will live 24 years, and spend over $600,000 on treatment.

Ernest Charles Pusey, 111, is Florida’s only living World War I veteran and received his long-delayed medal for his service on the battleship USS Wyoming nearly 90 years ago.

Democracy, Hugo Chavez-Style: For workers at Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, supporting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez isn’t a choice; it’s a direct order. On one poster, highlighted in capital letters, it says “He who is not with Chavez should not be in PDVSA.” It encourages workers to be vigilant of their colleagues and to turn in anyone who does not appear to be “identified with the process.”

It is now under speculation that the mass surrender of 500 Taliban and al-Qaeda prisoners in November 2001, during the opening phases of the Afghanistan war was a ruse. It led to a prison riot in an aging fortress in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, which was suppressed by a band of American and British commandos. Only 85 prisoners survived to be captured; among them was John Walker Lindh, the so-called “American Taliban.”

After a Huston landscaping business refuses to do business with a homosexual couple, they are kicked form the Assoc. of Professional Landscape Designers, and sent hate mail and death threats.

The number of overseas graduate students going to school in the US has increased after the three year decline following September 11th in 2001.

Al Qaeda says they will not rest until our pretty White House is a ugly black pile of rubble.

The Supreme Court continues to hear arguments to uphold the disputed “Partial-Birth Abortion Ban,” weighing in on the constitutionality of a law banning a surgical method to terminate a pregnancy. Robert Gates became the new nominee for the office of United States Secretary of Defense after Donald Rumsfeld’s resignation earlier this week. He is currently president of Texas A&M and was the 15th director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

In California, Orange Coast College votes not to recognize the Pledge of Allegiance, and bans it from meetings.

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forum theHillsdale forum Stephani Francl Emilia Huneke-Bergquist

Editors-in-Chief Julie Robison Copy Editor Gina Gallutia Brian Johnston Stohn Nishino Jeremy Marshall G. Stolyarov II Staff Writers The Hillsdale Forum is a student publication distributed four times throughout the school year. Questions? Comments? Submissions? Contact The Hillsdale Forum: [email protected]

-education from page 1 Twenty-five of the schools were selected based on information from the National Center for Education Statistics’ Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. The other 25 percent were elite schools hand selected based on the US News and World Report’s rankings of the nation’s colleges (which we’ll come back to later). These schools were selected to show both a broad overview of what America’s college student is learning, as well as the difference between an “elite” education and a non-elite education. The results are astounding. The college with the most “value added” (Value added is the increase in knowledge of graduating seniors over incoming freshmen.) was Rhodes College, and the second, Colorado College. Ranking at 50, 49, and 48 respectively were Johns Hopkins University, UC Berkley, and Cornell University. All of these come in well behind Utah State University (14) and the University of New Mexico (7). The areas of question addressed in the study included common historical and political topics such as the Jamestown Colony, the Form of the US Government, Women’s Suffrage, and World War II. Students showed an increased value added in many of the categories, though the largest “decrease” in value added came on the subject of Marbury v. Madison. However, the topics that showed improvement, albeit only a little

“The Coming Crisis in Citizenship” College seniors failed the “Civic Literacy Exam” administered by ISI with an average score of 53.2%. All statistics courtesy of ISI.

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were disturbing: the Origin of the Doctrine of Separation of Church and State, Plato’s Republic, the Founders Understanding of Moral and Political Knowledge, the Enumerated Powers, and Traditional Just War Theory. The fact that these “value added’s” are improving is encouraging, but here is the discouraging part: In each of these categories, incoming freshmen got less than 39 percent of the questions correct. And the seniors who improved on the subjects improved by, at most, a margin of 3.2 percent. From the recent election results, it will be no wonder to you which was the least understood category from the list: Traditional Just War Theory. Today’s voting citizen’s grasp on just war theory shows in the wishywashy voting tendencies displayed in the last three elections which relied heavily on the war issue. Thank Heavens for Hillsdale College, which, like it or not, now forces each of its graduating students to take a course on the US Constitution; at least we know our stuff. However, this is not recognized by the general population or by the general media. In the US News and World Report’s rankings of the nation’s best liberal arts colleges, Hillsdale doesn’t even make the top 100. We fall somewhere in the top 120. This, in itself, is frustrating, but the methodology of the rankings will make one pull their hair out

Of the 50 schools surveyed, 16 schools’ seniors scored lower than freshmen showing a negative value added.

Civic learning is significantly greater at schools with traditional core curricula.

in aggravation. The most heavily weighted criteria used by US News is what is titled “peer ranking.” Peer ranking means that the president, provost, and admissions dean of each college sends in their ideas of how all of the other colleges in their category rank on a scale of one to five with five being the best. Hillsdale’s number: 2.2. Though frustrating, Hillsdale’s rank among the other liberal arts colleges is not as important as the actual task undertaken by the college. The fact is that Hillsdale College was founded in 1844 to “furnish to all persons who wish…a literary, scientific or theological education as comprehensive and thorough as is usually pursued in other colleges or theological schools in this country, and to combine with this, such moral, social and artistic instruction and culture as will best develop the minds and improve the hearts of the students.” The most recent anthem of Hillsdale – “Educating for Liberty” – takes up this challenge in a modern day battle cry. Hillsdale College, though imperfect, fulfills its mission and its Articles of Association; if only the same were true of the schools shown to be struggling to “add value” to their students.

Civicly educated citizens are more actively engaged in voting, volunteer community service and political campaings.

ISI‛s American Civic Literacy Program‛s Findings

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debate

Fall 2006

A Travesty of Mercy: the Andrea Yates Story of other human beings. That is, every human being must not infringe on other human beings’ lives, liberty, and property. This responsibility is the fundamental imperative underlying all civilized human interaction; without it, rights could not be honored and would remain in perpetual jeopardy. Furthermore, because individual rights are eternal and inalienable, the responsibility to honor individual rights is likewise eternal and inalienable. It does not depend on the internal or external condition of the individual in question.

where individual rights are honored and enforced, we should implement measures to punish infringers so as When a wild or domesticated animal to prevent further violations. The loses control over itself, enters a rage, deterrent effect provided by permanent and kills or maims a human or another punishment will discourage many animal, that act is sufficient for the would-be violators from ever resorting animal to be rightly put to death. The to crime. Even animals are subject to animal has shown irrefutably that it the effect of deterrence; a hungry wolf cannot exist in a civilized setting; it will not attack a flock of sheep if the cannot behave without aggressing on shepherd aims a gun at the predator. individual humans’ lives and property. “Mentally troubled” humans are far The animal is not given any second more intelligent than the animals— chances; it is not “rehabilitated” and so their ability to understand and be no one entertains the delusion that just affected by deterrence should be even because the animal killed or injured greater. someone already, it If the deterrent will not kill or injure effect fails anyone again. in a given Yet when a human 1993— Andrea and Rusty Yates Wed situation and being loses control 1993-2000— The couple have five children, four boys and one girl the permanently over herself, enters 1999— Andrea seeks psychiatric help for the first time, and is placed on medication. damaging crime a “depression,” and June 20, 2001— Off medication for only a few days, she takes her children into the bathroom is committed systematically drowns and drowns them. Hours later, she confesses to Huston police. nonetheless, her own five children, July 2001— Andrea indicted on first-degree murder charges in all five deaths. permanent she is not only spared August 2001— Yates pleads not guilty by reason of insanity, and the prosecution reveals that they punishment for execution—she is not intend to seek the death penalty. the criminal even locked away in September 2001— Jury finds her competent to sand trial. will minimize prison to suffer for her March 2002— After a half hour of deliberations, a jury sentences her to a life sentence with no parole future crime by vile and murderous for forty years ensuring that acts. Instead, she is March 2002- 2004— Yates moves back and forth between prison and psychiatric facilities the offending absolved of any guilt January 2005— A Texas Court of Appeals reverses the capital murder conviction person never in the brutal murder January 2006— The re-trial begins and Yates pleads not guilty by reason of insanity in the murders violates another and put in a mental February 2006— Yates is given bail on the condition that she submit herself to an institution until trial. person’s rights hospital, where she Later this month she turns down an agreement giving her only 35 years in prison. again. Thus, receives food, lodging, June 2006— The re-trial beings. the principle and medical care at July 2006— The jury returns with a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. of permanent taxpayers’ expense. punishment This—in its stark Information compiled by Laura Weisman of Chron.com for permanent essence—is what the violations of “not guilty by reason Honoring individual rights is easy; her responsibility to honor them. Any rights leads to a worst-case scenario of insanity” verdict given to child a person in a vegetative state can time she forfeits that responsibility, of one criminal incident per violator murderess Andrea Yates means. The bizarre argument underlying this manage it perfectly. Such a person she also forfeits the higher standard of and a best-case scenario of none due verdict is that because Yates allegedly will not kill other people, injure them, treatment pertaining to human beings. to the deterrent effect. With lesser violations of rights— Mercy and help offered to those who did not have control over her own restrain their freedom, or steal their thoughts, emotions, and actions during possessions. Violations of individual especially those where the harm can could not restrain their active violations the murders, she can be absolved rights are always active; they require be compensated for by fines or other of others’ rights constitute a bizarre from guilt and punishment for those an individual to move her body in reparations—the offending party need attack on the civilized imperative of murders. It is questionable that Yates some way as to deprive another of life, not be permanently restrained, because honoring all individual rights. Mercy even committed the murders without liberty, or property. The responsibility the damage can be undone. However, to those who killed “in cold blood”— knowing their full implications and to honor individual rights is in essence where the damage is permanent, the though still unwarranted—makes wanton evil. However, even if we a responsibility not to act in certain punishment for the damager should be more sense. The “cold-blooded” killer permanent as well. Two categories of knows the evil of his deeds, but he still accept that premise, it follows that her ways. The human being not only has rights infringement meet this criterion: has control over his mind and body— punishment should only be greater than his ideas and his actions. There exists responsibility over her actions; she has murder and permanent injury. it would have been otherwise. If we, as civilized, moral people, are an extremely slim chance that he Every human being has the inalienable responsibility for being responsible moral responsibility to honor the rights over her actions. If an individual concerned with attaining a society -continued on page 11

by G. Stolyarov II

suffers from “mental problems” that prevent this control, she inhibits her ability to lead a life proper to a human being—to the extent that these problems are present. If these deficiencies harm only the individual and no one else, then the individual still maintains her essential humanity— for she still has enough self-control to fully respect the rights of others. However, if an individual with “mental problems” harms other people, she should be punished to the extent that she violates their rights. Their rights are sacred and immutable—and it is

Andrea Yates: A Timeline

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Czech Republic: modern example of democratic influence against the communist regime that was violating their natural rights. They followed in the footsteps of the The Czech Republic, formerly a part of Czechoslovakia, has much in common American people who consented as a with America. It is a democracy. whole to fight for their unalienable rights Vaclav Havel, quite like our George in 1776. Both peoples, 200 years apart, Washington, was the extraordinary fought, by choice, making a statement statesman who, in 1989, led the charge to the world that they would not be against the oppressive communist trampled. And they won. We won. Our regime. The Czech people now love heritage left it to us, their posterity to their freedom and covet their rights. preserve the sacred, secured rights and Beyond being a European nation that to pass them on to our offspring. “I remember when I first heard someone as a whole loves America and looks to it as a fellow bastion of democracy and say ‘What about Havel for president,’” freedom, the Czech Republic has paved Oldrich “Olda” Cherney, former head of the way for the founding of democracies security under President Vaclav Havel and Executive Director of the Prague in the modern world. Churchill claimed that, “Democracy Securities Studies Institute recalled in is more vindictive than Cabinets. The an interview this June. “I thought it was wars of people will be more terrible than crazy!” Havel was an idea man; a man those of kings.” The lines have blurred that could lead in the intellectual world between the soldier and the civilian. In of political a monarchy, the king hires soldiers to philosophy fight for him against his adversaries, but and theory, Olda in a democracy the populous supports but the war effort through their investments, t h o u g h t their votes, and their enlistment to H a v e l fight the war. “Democratic institutions would never gave expression to the will-power of take on the millions,” Churchill explained during leadership of World War I. The expression of the the country. The people’s will was displayed in the Czech Republic as the citizens peacefully recovery of demonstrated in December of 1988 the government by the Czechoslovakian people was unique because of the lack of bloodshed throughout their revolution. It began on November 16, 1989, and the government takeover was completed by December 29, 1989. In just over a month, the Czechoslovakian people had, through words backed by the ideals of the populous, mandated that the oppressive Soviet government be abolished. It was termed the “Velvet Revolution.” Yet those involved in the efforts remember it differently. Oldrich “Olda” Cherney addresses a group of students “‘Velvet Revolution’ is a sound bite” made up by the at this years Geostratic Journalism Course in Prague.

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by StephAni Francl

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Built nearly five-hundred years ago, the historic Charles Bridge is still the only way to cross the Vltava River into Old Town Prague. press.” Olda countered. The Velvet Revolution was not velvet; “it was not gentle.” While there was no bloodshed,

I remember the first time I heard someone say ‘Havel for President,’ I thought it was crazy! -Olrich Cherney it was a battle – the final battle – for the opinions of the people. Olda clarified, “It was a revolution of minds, of attitudes.” As Kristi, a fellow Czech who works with the People in Need Foundation explained, “[Havel] was the unification factor.” Czechoslovakian opinion changed gradually throughout the mid-1900’s, seeping into various parts of society a little at a time and culminating in the revolution of 1989. Jaroslav Kurfürst, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington DC who was in college at the time of the revolution summarized Czech emotion: “Havel was a hero for me.” Kristi explained what sets Havel apart as a statesman: “He has the talent to look at things a different way.” Havel believes that the people are generally good, Kristi elaborated, and as such he is very much an idealist. Havel

“basically sacrificed his life” to lead the revolution; he gave up his privacy – everything. The principles Havel wrote and lived by in 1989 are the same principles Havel still writes and lives by today. He has become something of an institution in the Czech Republic. Havel made a difference in Czechoslovakia and in the world not because he is any greater a human than you or I. Havel has made a difference in the world because, like our Founders, he chose to sacrifice his own comfort and ease to live by the principles in which he believed. And what makes Havel and the Czech Republic’s story so exceptional is the fact that the changes of the world, and specifically the change of the world toward democracy, allowed for a bloodless overturning of a nation’s regime. It was democratic ideas, thoughts, and attitudes creeping into the minds and hearts of the Czech that forced the Soviet government to leave their offices. Winston Churchill explained of unjust rulers such as the Soviets were in Czechoslovakia: “They are afraid of words and thoughts! Words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home, all the more powerful because

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-continued on page 6 Photos courtesy of Stephani Francl.

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Julie RObison

opinion

Fall 2006

And it was all yellow...

the fight against tainted journaism continuesoutlet and stay wary of glossy pictures

question the government: why does the questioning stop there? One cannot only question the government but everything and everyone! Nothing is too sacred to be tampered with. What people need to realize is that the media is fallible as well. It is viewed as a legitimate and noble institution in American society. In reality, the media is just another facet of commercialism, selling ideas and stories to the American people at the expense of what is pure and true in this country. The media needs to fear the people; it needs to feel an obligation to tell the utmost truth, no matter what the circumstance, because it should know that if it doesn’t, people will find out and call them on it. This is not the first time the media has had a significant role in shaping Americans’ thoughts. A little over a hundred years ago, a new phenomenon in the world of an infringement of rights and have since news broadcasting was introduced to the let down their basic defense system, public. It was called yellow journalism Yellow giving themselves over to the Media and it was sensational. journalism is journalism that exploits, Machine. Americans, earnest about not being distorts, or exaggerates the news to blindly misled by authority, have the create sensations and attract readers. It tendency to overcompensate by putting was especially influential on the Spanishtheir trust elsewhere. They allow their American War, own judgments to be replaced by the significantly opinions of political pundits. The c h a n g i n g media has become a tool of society; A m e r i c a n specifically, television, as it is prevalent policies and and omnipresent to nearly all Americans. p r e j u d i c e s then Television has been lulling Americans from Yellow to sleep with lies and half-truths for on. the last half of the century. They have j o u r n a l i s m become programmed, accepting and was created by not questioning many of the stories Joseph Pulitzer heard on television. It has been drilled and William into Americans for so long to always R a n d o l p h (all logos courtsey of cnn.com, msnbc.com, Hearst as their papers competed for sales. With newspaper prices dropping to the foxnews.com) point where anyone could buy a paper, Government policy tends to be a very convenient scapegoat for America’s problems. However, the problem may not lie solely within the government but the way the government is portrayed to its citizens. The media, it can be argued, can be more deceptive than even the government’s most wily ways. This is because the U.S. population more readily listens to the media than to their own government. The media is looked at as an ally with the people, exposing The Man’s corrupt policies, conniving under dealings, and general mishaps. It has come to be the general consensus that if news is printed or said on the air, it must be true. This is the downfall of American liberty and freedom. Americans are constantly on guard against the government in case of

more people became informed. The only downside was that, in the articles, the line between fact and fiction became very smudged. H e a r s t reportedly said to illustrator Frederic Remington “You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war.” This lurid sensationalism and type of investigatory reporting set a new standard for American journalism. Today the legacy of yellow journalism carries on as the press continues to show bias and misrepresent facts; from the War in Iraq to Hurricane Katrina to the tragic death of Terri Shiavo, what America is experiencing is modern-day yellow journalism. During the 2004 Presidential Election, 60 Minutes ran a story concerning President Bush’s service in the National Guard. The slanderous story was based on four documents which later proved to be bogus and resulted in the firing of three CBS executives and Dan Rather stepping down as CBS’s evening news anchor. A new epoch has begun in American politics as President Bush’s presidency further reflects his lame duck status, the War in Iraq continues, and Democrats gain control of the House and the Senate. Nonetheless, it is not too late to set a new standard in the American media by breaking the cycle of faulty journalism. It starts with the American people demanding the truth, not a hyped or puffed up story. One should check and double check sources the media cites as their information

and technical terms that can portray a very different picture than the actual circumstance. In the movie A Few Good Men, when Lieutenant Kaffee demands the truth from Colonel Jessep during a trial, Jessep tells Kaffee “You can’t handle the truth.” Americans need to realize that it is insulting that the media would not be wholly truthful because it implies that the media does not believe Americans have the capacity to handle the truth. Not only can Americans handle the truth, they should demand it and expect nothing less.

-From Page 5 they are forbidden. These terrify them. A little mouse - a little tiny mouse! -of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.” The free elections held in May of 1989 saw the Czech people vote a majority of non-communists into the legislature. It was not just the government that changed – it required a change over a period of time in the mindset of the people to prepare them for democratic freedom. When the revolution officially began on November 16, 1989, the people were ready, and within four days, over 100,000 people converged on Prague to demonstrate to the government that they meant business. The communist regime was ending. The world had changed. Stephani Francl, a senior from Central City, Nebraska, and former editor in chief of the Hillsdale Forum, went to the Czech Republic this summer with the Collegiate Network’s Geostrategic Journalism Course. She spent a week in Prague studying international journalism and affairs at the Prague Securities Studies Institute, which was founded and is directed by Oldrich Cherney.

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Monday...Tuesday...Hillsdale Days! Julie RObison by

In my first few weeks at Hillsdale, one of the things that surprised me the most was the apparent lack of swearing on campus. I was walking down the hallway with two friends when I let an expletive slip. One of my friends stopped in her tracks. “What did you just say?” She asked, her eyes widening and narrowing in the same glare. I looked around nervously to see if there was actually an evil minion looming in the shadows who had said the word in my voice. The moment was awkward, but we continued walking without further incident. I did not always swear. My parents used the traditional fear tactics; if they ever caught me saying bad words, my mouth was promptly washed out with soap or my tongue scorched with Tabasco sauce. Back then, however, bad words were calling your siblings derogatory names like “Stupid,” telling anyone to “Shut up,” or using the everforbidden word of “Crap.” We lived in a Golden Age. I remember in the fourth grade having to read a passage about beavers aloud to the class. I said the word “dam” and my classmates snickered into their books as they incorporated beavers and dams into our daily classroom conversation.

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“What are dams?” “What are dams made out of?” “Why are dams called dams?” Our teacher shushed us and tried to move on with the lesson but it was too late: we had caught the Bad Word Bug. This infectious disease followed us through middle school and junior high, where we experimented with a few shocking words from time to time. It wasn’t until high school that the Bad Word Bug went from common cold to epidemic. I say I had to go to an allgirls’ school to learn how to swear. Most people scoff when they hear this. “Didn’t you go to an all-girls’ school?” they ask. “Girls don’t swear. It isn’t ladylike.” “Didn’t you ever swear in high school?” I ask in return. Then comes the dreaded reply: “Not really.” Imagine: over six hundred plaidskirted girls in one building. They come from all over the city and so did their vocabularies. Swear words were the new adjectives and it was never long before certain words crept into one’s own vocabulary. It was a kind of freedom, a rebellion against the system. If caught, profanity of any kind resulted in top punishment. Nevertheless, it was flagrant. We took every chance we had to break the rules in that cloistered atmosphere and that included swearing.

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We all know that swearing is rude…but, what about all the other little tips and tricks we need along the walk of life? Never fear, with the Hillsdale Forum’s Pocket Guide to Manners and Etiquette, you’ll never be without your best behavior.

Never carry on a private conversation in company. --Be on time, and if you know you’re running late--make a phone call. --Do not start or end a realtionship via text message or instant message. --If you need to ask someone if it is trashy, don’t wear it. --Should you excuse yourself midmeal, place your napkin in the chair, not on the table.

Always RSVP to an event. --Never bring up an ex girlfriend/ boyfriend while on a date. --When attending a fancy dinner, use the silverware on the outside first, and work your way in. --Dramatic confrontations should be avoided at all costs. No one needs to hear about it. -Unless service was terrible, leave a good tip.

Coming to Hillsdale was a different type of culture shock than the one I had experienced upon entering high school. Hillsdale is filled with many people, but, despite the intensity of some storytellers, one does not often hear swearing. I have received some of the most impressive looks of shock and surprise upon the utterance of an expletive. “Everyone is so clean-cut here,” I once thought to myself after receiving yet another scandalized look. “They are such goody-two shoes.” Hillsdale often feels like a scene out of Happy Days, cut out of Wisconsin and pasted into this obscure town in Michigan. I wholly expect Richie and Potsie to walk across the quad any day now. I’ve witnessed high fives, frequent smiles and an alarming number of argyle sweaters around campus. I immediately became suspicious. “What is wrong with these people?” I thought. This thought was usually followed by a “What have I gotten myself into?” Yet I knew, deep inside, that they were not the ones that needed to change. With the exception of eccentric teachers and the traditional sailor-mouthed students that frequent college campuses, a majority of the Hillsdale student body choose not to curse. Everyone has their reasons. In the Bible, Colossians 3:8 says “But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander and abusive language from your mouth.” On the secular side, arguments for why one shouldn’t swear include that swearing is bad for society, it corrupts the English language, it lowers the speaker figuratively in the eyes of others, and it is simply not socially acceptable. One must realize that there is more to swearing than the word being used; it is the idea behind the word. Where does one draw the line between ‘good’ words and ‘bad’ words? One does not swear because one likes the way the word sounds. If that were so, people would go around saying words like “juxtaposition” or “pasticcio”. Rather, one curses for the shock value, the position one takes, or the achieved status. This is why it is important to understand the offensive

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nature of cursing. There needs to be a standard for the English language. Luckily, there is a cure for the Bad Word Bug: not swearing. This seems to be Hillsdale’s preferred antidote to break the vicious swearing cycle. The lack of swearing at this school is strange but refreshing, like rain on a day while the sun is still out. Coming to Hillsdale forced me to clean up my act. While I admit to occasionally lapsing back into my old school girl ways and saying whatever words fall off my tongue without a second thought to my neighbor’s ears, I’ve decided to put an end to my sailor days; out with the old words and in with new ways to express myself in a non-offensive way! It has not been a major phenomenon; no one has paraded a marching band down Hillsdale Street in celebration of me holding my tongue. I doubt if many even notice my new vocabulary. I, on the other hand, have noticed it in myself and that is the best feeling because I know that my clean-cut self is making a difference by not subjecting anyone’s ears to unwanted words and, of course, not offending God is always a good feeling. During Fall Parents’ Weekend at Hillsdale, I had the pleasure of showing my parents around campus. They laughed at my stories and reminisced back to their own glory days at their university as we ambled along. They discussed the lovely weather and how Hillsdale was the quintessential college campus, but, to my disappointment, neither mentioned their newfound admiration for my improved vocabulary. Amidst our walk, I was suddenly startled at the sight of a rather large squirrel, despite my daily exposure to them. “Holy Crap!” I said, surprised that a squirrel that large mustered up the energy to leap as it did. My father frowned disapprovingly at me and did not hesitate to inform me that “Crap” was a base word used by criminals and scallywags and he never wanted to hear me use it again. I sighed and continued walking. Gee Whiz.

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election

8 Just in Case You’ve Been Living Under a Rock for the Last Week...

Fall 2006

the United States did this election thing ---and well--let’s just say it was not too pretty. Oh, you want details? Then read on:

House Seats: 203 Senate Seats: 49 House Seats: 232 Senate Seats: 51 ind.

House Seats: 1 Senate Seats: 2

Quick Facts:

by Jeremy Marshall

Election Day not only brought poor news to Republicans nationally but in Michigan as well. The Michigan House of Representatives for the first time in eight years has gone to the Democrats. Michigan’s Democratic Party now holds a 58-52 majority, though still a minority in the state Senate. Adding to the woes for Republicans is the 56% victory that Governor Granholm scored over Dick DeVos’ 42%. The loss came as a surprise to many considering DeVos had led or tied in polls with the Governor for the past three months. The chance for school reform, eliminating the Single Business Tax, slowing environmental regulation and bureaucratic expansion has been diminished. Not to say that Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam, circumspice, the state motto, will be replaced with some Bolshevik slogan, but conservatives in

Michigan will have to wade through some rough waters. This defeat partially mirrored the national fiasco that turned over complete control of the Congress. Michigan Republicans were able to maintain a significant majority in the state Senate. Similar to the national election, Republicans at the state level have been displaying unconservative tendencies throughout the past few sessions, including Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema’s ill-timed minimum wage reform. Regarding the ‘progressive’ agenda on a national level, Newt Gingrich commented on November 9th that the election was a loss for Republicans, not conservatives. On the national level he was correct but this election killed the

chance of sending a conservative to Lansing. The man was Dick DeVos, the politically active businessman out of Ada, Michigan. DeVos was a co-chair of “Kids First! Yes!”, the group that led the school vouchers proposition in 2000. He recently went as far as to say overturning Roe v. Wade would be ‘delightful’ on Ave Maria Radio. DeVos recognized the effects complicated regulations and taxations were having on businesses and gas prices. There are certainly cases in Lansing where inaction and poor leadership should have been punished, and Governor Granholm should have been the first to the chopping block. It is truly unfair that national politics and the Presidency lost the race for this potentially great Governor.

--John McCain is said to launch an exploratory committee concerning the 2007 presidential election this week. --President Bush’s Crawford Concressmen is a Democrat --South Dakota first state to ban abortion --Arizona first state to ban same sex marriage -- Dems control the house for the first time since 1994

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Does my vote really matter? by Brian Johnston

After looking at the title of this article, you might be thinking that I am here to complain that my vote does not matter because it is not going to influence who wins. But I am not here for that reason. Perhaps a more appropriate title would be, “Does Anyone’s Vote Really Matter?” I used to be naïve, thinking that elections in America today really matter. During the 2004 campaign, I spent numerous hours listening to talk radio, watching Fox News, or reading letters to the editor about why George W. Bush or John Kerry should win. I would get angry every time some pundit would come on TV accusing Bush of lying about Iraq or defending Kerry’s disgraceful Vietnam service. I thought the future of this country depended on who won. As I write this, just days before the midterm elections of 2006, I keep hearing how desperately we need Dick DeVos to beat Jennifer Granholm, or how crucial it is that the Republicans maintain control of Congress. While I did vote for DeVos and for Michael Bouchard over Debbie Stabenow for U.S. Senate, I do not exactly see this election as Armageddon. In fact, I am not really all that concerned about who wins the presidential election in 2008. Since we are at Hillsdale College, you probably are thinking, “But we can’t let Hillary win! You don’t want Hillary to be our next president, do you?” Well, I certainly do not want Hillary Clinton to be our next president, but in the long run I really do not think it matters whether she wins in 2008 or not. Four years of any one person in office is not going to dramatically change the direction this country is heading. For some historical perspective, let us take a very brief look back at other major eras in American political history. As our new republic and Constitution was trying to find an identity, the election of 1800 provided two completely different visions of what the Constitution meant. On the one side, there were the Federalists led by John Adams, who valued highly the supremacy of federal power over the states and believed those powers were broad. The Republicans led by Thomas Jefferson, on the other hand, believed in very narrow and defined federal powers and in state supremacy.

Andrew Jackson believed that the Constitution gave him the power to demand that the Union stick together during the nullification crisis and said that the people could vote him out if they disagreed. Abraham Lincoln believed that he could violate one principle in the Constitution if it was necessary to hold the Union together, while opponents of both believed that the Constitution allowed for secession if a state believed the federal government was acting unconstitutionally. Progressives such as Woodrow Wilson believed that the Constitution needed to evolve in order to keep up with the contemporary problems that the Founders did not see. Readers may have an opinion about which of these policies are right and which ones are not, but notice a word that I mentioned in each of these examples: “Constitution.” When was the last time that any politician running for any office used that word? No matter where politicians stood on issues, it used to be that the Constitution was always recognized as supreme. Most American voters today do not care about the Constitution or even know what it says, so consequently politicians do not care either. The Progressive “living” view of it may have planted the seeds for this downfall,

but at least Wilson acknowledged the Constitution’s existence. This may be one major reason why judicial activism is a problem today. We view the Supreme Court as the “final arbiter” of constitutional questions, a power that they have happily assumed because politicians often believe that if an action is unconstitutional, the Supreme Court will “figure it out.” If the American people do not know what their true rights are, the Supreme Court will not hesitate to take them away. Applying this to the situation today, Republicans and Democrats may fight over some issues, but theoretically they really are not much different. Conservative candidates may tout their record of fighting for lower taxes, smaller government, prolife, more freedom of religion, etc. But have conservatives really made any progress on any of these issues recently? In nearly six years of the Republicans controlling the Presidency and both houses of Congress, has government gotten any smaller? Are we any closer to ending abortion? Do we have more freedom to publicly express religion? The reason we are not making any progress is because politicians today have

Courtesy of USBCI.

no fundamental believes behind their stances on certain issues. For example, Republicans support Bush’s efforts in Iraq, while my suspicion is that most Democrats oppose it because Bush is the one who decided to go into Iraq, as evidenced by many prominent Democrats publicly warning of the dangerous situation in Iraq in the past. The point here is that, without a fundamental view of what the Constitution means and what officials’ true duties are, politics will be nothing but squabbling among elitist politicians who could really care less about what the Constitution says. Once politicians get into office, they will inevitably support policies that increase government power and intervention. Contrary to what many politicians campaigning for office say, their job is not to “change the world,” but to follow the Constitution. I do not see how this trend can ever be reversed. Here in 2006, I would like to think that a Dick DeVos could come into office and solve all of what is wrong with Michigan, but I doubt it. I probably will continue to watch election night coverage on TV in the future, but as I do, I might just keep asking myself, “Does this all really matter?”

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DEMONRATS!

by Gina Gallutia

Sure, it certainly feels like the end of the world is coming. The Dems have won the House and the Senate, including a Demonrat Muslim Congressman. The truth is that this is the beginning of hope! We are not all going to die. And it is very possible that we might just have a better life for it in twenty years, after just a little period of pain and suffering. Machiavelli, our favorite evil political philosopher, and many other wise men have pointed out that the absence of fear in a republic causes the corruption and the eventual destruction of that regime. This the Islamic nation understands. They have had a lifetime of hate built into them. This hate really only boils down to fear. Men hate what they fear and Islam fears corruption by the vices of Western Civilization. They hate our pornos, our homos, and our sluts (and even our right to foetal carnage). Those Muslims that live in our vile bog must protect their

election

children from our sleaze and our sludge by instilling a hatred of little old us. This explains why the near terrorist attack coming toward us on a plane from London a few months ago was planned and executed by third generation British citizens. Those that see the democratization of the Middle East smell our putrescence coming their way and threaten to destroy us from afar. Fear brings men together, whether it be culturally or nationally, and unites them against a common enemy. If one is in constant fear of his life, earthly or eternal, he has not much time for vices. Fear keeps men pure of heart and mind. In America we have distinct lack of fear, except in the radical corners such as this ‘Dale. We do not fear greatly or even understand the affects of our corruption on our children, or on our safety. But if the Dems are as bad as we really believe they are, if they are going to impeach Bush and get half of us slaughtered by terrorist attacks, then maybe just maybe we

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will again become as pure as the driven snow. Fear only brought us together and reminded us of the importance of piety for a short time after September, 11th. Not even that knocked our brains from our pants completely back into our heads. It is true that we were partly robbed of our fear by the constant suggestion that we must love our enemies. Muslim religious leaders were insinuated into every type of religious celebration, because out of fear of hate crimes we would not want to be exclusive. We were told by politicians not to hate or fear Islam, and that it was not Islam that attacked us. But if the damage is great enough, we will stop listening to them. We will begin to recognize and then fear and hate our enemies as they fear and hate us. Perhaps it is wrong to hope for death and destruction, but if this does not work, if the Demonrats are only Democrats then perhaps this is the beginning of the apocalypse. Courtesy of USBCI.

-yates from page 4 an extremely slim chance that he might be “reformed” during the course of his imprisonment and upon release pose no further danger to individuals’ rights. Such a chance should typically not even be considered, but extreme cases are conceivable where it might be more significant than usual— as in the case of Raskolnikov in Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment. But keeping a “mentally troubled” murderess from permanent punishment is like letting a rabid dog who has bitten and killed five children remain on the loose or even residing comfortably in a veterinary facility. There is no guarantee that this woman will not kill again—unknowingly, unpredictably, unwarrantedly, and uncontrollably. No civilized, rational methods are available to assure her future safety to others. Andrea Yates’s drowning of her own five children—an act abhorrent to natural law, moral conscience, and civilization itself—clearly demonstrated her as being worse than a rabid beast. The rabid beast enters an occasional wild and indiscriminate rage, but Yates—being human—could still kill systematically, though ostensibly without recognition of the implications and consequences of such an act. Yates, a human, is far more capable of inflicting harm than a mere animal. If we rightly put violent, murderous animals to death—though the animals, too, do not recognize the consequences and implications of their actions—then it is even more fitting that Yates be terminated as soon as possible. Permanently imprisoning Andrea Yates was the least the court could have done to prevent further violations of rights on her part. Alas, even that act was rejected by those who would use mercy to perpetuate savagery.

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politics

Fall 2006

Chafee’s place in GOP

to vote against the authorization of response, the National Republican Laffey is pro-life he is doomed in military force in Iraq in 2002, the Senatorial Committee (NRSC), Rhode Island. That’s an interesting only Republican to vote in favor of chaired by Sen. Elizabeth Dole twist considering both the Republican Lincoln Chafee is an interesting reinstating the top federal tax rate of (R-NC), started pouring money Governor Don Carcieri and the case. He’s the junior Republican 39.6% on upper-income taxpayers, into Chafee’s campaign. As a Democrat U.S. Representative Senator from Rhode Island who was and the only Republican to vote result, prominent Republicans Jim Langevin (District 2) appointed in 1999 to replace the against confirming Judge Samuel such as Sen. John McCain (Rare both staunchly pro-life. late 5-term Senator John Chafee, Alito to the Supreme Court. On top AZ), Senate Majority WHIP Mitch Chafee outspent Laffey by a his father. He won a term in his of this, Chafee openly didn’t vote McConnel (R-KY), and Laura considerable margin and his own right in 2000 by a large margin for President Bush in 2004 and he Bush came out and endorsed campaign turned out many and was up for reelection this year. expressed interest in switching his Chafee in the primary. Rhode independents and disaffiliated Chafee is a nice, charismatic man. party status to Independent had the Island’s Republican Governor Don Democrats in the primary. Thus, He’s a family man. He turned Republicans not gained seats Carcieri also endorsed Chafee. Chafee defeated Laffey by a 54% to things around when he in 2004. So, going off of There are some interesting notes on 46% margin. The Republicans got was mayor of Warwick, his record, Chaffee seems the party’s decision to aid Chafee. what they wanted, a saved seat to RI, and he talks about more like a moderate-liberal The $1.2 million they spent on possibly save their majority. Wrong. being tolerant and Democrat than a Republican. Chafee leading up to the primary Chafee went on to loose the general working in a bipartisan On September 8, 2005, was the second most spent on any election to Rhode Island Attorney manner to get things Stephen Laffey, Republican candidate runner up to Sen. Jim General Sheldon Whitehouse done. However, Mayor of Cranston, RI, Talent (R-MO). That’s $1.2 million (D) by a 53% to 47% margin. despite the fact that announced his candidacy for that was not spent on Michael Steel Following the election Sen. Chafee he is a member of the U.S. Senate. Laffey, although in Maryland or Sen. George Allen was asked in a press conference if Republican party, he in Virgina. he would remain a Republican in has the most liberal Lincoln Chafee not as conservative in the likes of Rick W h i l e the last 2 months of his term, he voting record out of any Santorum, is well to the right of the party had this to say, “I haven’t made of the Republicans in the Senate. Chafee. He is pro-life, supports claimed any decisions. I just haven’t even In fact his voting record is more winning the war on terror, wants that Laffey thought about where my place is.” left than some Senate Democrats. to cut government spending was not This being said, the Republican across the board, make the tax winnable, Party gave him a generous $1.2 cuts permenent, and privatize Laffey is million to defeat a conservative social security. At first he Mayor of candidate in the primary. was a low-profile candidate. Cranston, The American Conservative Not long after influental RI, where Union ranks the votes of members conservative political action Democrats of Congress based on how committees (PACs) began Stephen Laffey outnumber conservative (social, fiscal, and endorsing and funding Laffey, Republicans foreign policy) his/her voting record beginning with the Club for by a 7 is. The American Conservative Growth PAC, a fiscally conservative to 1 margin. Many pundits and Union rated Sen. Chafee’s voting organization. With the possibility of politicians claimed that because record as 12% conservative in Republicans losing the 2005, and 30% in his 6+ years Senate, the Republican in the Senate. His 2005 voting Party went on alert with record was by far the lowest of the these endorsements for Senate Republicans, lower than 16 Laffey. The Republicans Senate Democrats (including Russ saw the situtation as Feingold), and the same as 4 Dems this: Rhode Island is (including Hillary Clinton). Chafee a fairly liberal state. was one of the few Republican Lincoln Chafee is pretty senators to vote against opening liberal. Steve Laffey is up ANWR for drilling and was one more conservative. Thus of only three Republican senators Laffey has no chance to vote against the Protection of of winning the general Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, We are looking for a dedicated staff of editors, phoelection. So, if Laffey which banned lawsuits against gun tographers, and writers, sound interesting? E-mail wins the primary it could manufacturers and distributors. cost Republicans the He was also the only Republican [email protected] for more information. control of the Senate. In

by Stohn Nishino

Arnold says,

“Flex Your Conservative Muscle” Write for The Hillsdale Forum!

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