Opinion
The Vanguard Vision
Complaining about things is something
that no one is really immune
to (although some of us do it a bit
more than others). In the same
sense, we are also not immune to taking
active steps to solve a problem or
fight for a solution to one. Yet, given the
choice, some of us will wait for someone
else to scratch items off our wish lists,
because the thing about complaining is
it requires less effort than penning a letter
to a state senator or showing up at a
committee meeting, and a lot of us do
lead busy lives. »
Last year, the assistant
director of University Housing,
Nick Wagner, loaned me a book.
Reading for fun had become for me
like an ex-girlfriend: even though
it was fun, I didn’t have time for
it, so I had to leave it behind and
felt guilty for doing so and missed
it. Nick convinced me to rekindle
the fire. I borrowed Ishmael Beah’s
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a
Boy Soldier. My father grew up
in Nigeria, and I was aware that
child soldiering existed, but not
until reading the graphic stories
from this book did I understand
well enough the full extent of the
horror of it, and maybe I still don’t.
I recommend that anybody whose
relationship with reading has
fallen apart go back and try again
with this book. And if you are one
of those reading virgins stalking
around campus, this wouldn’t be
a bad first-time experience. Even if
you decide reading is horrible, you
will be a better person for having
read this book. »
Vanguard shares same ethical dilemma as newspaper industry
In response to last week’s Vanguard Vision titled “Newspaper bailout
unlikely to equate to instant integrity.”
How ironic that the Valley Vanguard takes a position against the
government supporting newspapers when the Valley Vanguard itself
is supported by tax-payer dollars. The last ‘Vanguard Vision’ position
was: “Government issued help help may cause ethical problems.” That’s
correct, but does the Valley Vanguard share that same skepticism when
it comes to its own operation? How about the ethical questions that arise
when a newspaper tries to cover an administration, while at the same
time receiving funding from that administration, as well as having members
of that administration on its governing body. »
Albert Einstein once said
“Religion is the incarnation
of the most childish
superstitions.”After a short religious
discussion with a friend from
high school, I was informed that my
religious beliefs composed a one-way
ticket to Hell. This explicit threat reminded
me of an important childhood
experience. »
Whether it’s the ending of the
summer’s sweltering heat
adults look forward to or
changing colors and the beauty
of falling leaves, most are glad to finally
be able to curl up in the coziness
of fall. »
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