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Letters to the Editor

To the editor,

I am writing this letter in regards to a certain cartoon, that, in the opinion of many, exemplifies ignorance. It is so easy to resort to the use of stereotypes, whether they be used in jest or otherwise. However, I pose these questions to the author: are the feelings of those being ridiculed ever taken into consideration? Also, has the cartoonist ever investigated the true nature of sorority women, or was he merely going off what he has learned from Saved by the Bell reruns? These topics are what perplex me the most. If you, however, are unable to answer these anomalies set before you, then please, allow me the honor of giving a brief lesson in the many attributes of sororities.

These organizations, in which you belittle, have proudly given their time (approx. 17,000 hours) to the service of the community, and have raised nearly $52,000, in the past year alone. But these humble statistics must mean so little to you. Sororities, and Greek-Letter organizations in general, have produced some of the nation's most refined and respected leaders/citizens. Needless to say though, at The University of Arizona alone, nearly 70% of all campus-wide leadership positions, are held by Greek leaders. However, these statistics are not nearly as humorous as those found within your comic strip.

Why dwell on fact, when ignorance can produce such unparalleled humor? I find it most unfortunate that this letter ever had to be written. In an ideal world, a writer, who is an essential aspect to such a powerful medium, would understand that their words can be construed as being quite offensive. With the knowledge that this specific cartoon is merely one of a series, my hope is that you are mindful of the power of your words! Do be careful, for this need not happen again.

Marci Dobrow

Panhellenic Association President

Flag is heritage, not hate

To the editor,

I just finished reading Nick Zeckets article and I must say he has been trained well by the national news media and modern day educational system. How is it someone living a continent away has the arrogance to think he is qualified to write on the subject of the Confederate Flag to begin with? Oh yea, I forgot. He is a product of the superior liberal left coast mentality and thinks his intellect far exceeds all of us dumb "rednecks" here in the South. His stupidity concerning the flag issue and about those living in the South is laughable.

Resulting to such colloquialisms like "Billy Bobs" & "Sally Sues" Mr. (and I use that term in jest) Zeckets indicates himself as big of a racist as those he seeks to indict. He steps way over the line linking those of us who proudly proclaim our Confederate heritage on the same level as those animals who represent the KKK and inflict harm on black people. Way over the line!

In this day of political correctness and the changing of how history is taught in schools to fulfill a particular agendas, I find it refreshing there are those in South Carolina who have the backbone to stand up to these vicious attacks. It's also interesting to note most of those doing the majority of the name calling are folks who have never set foot in the South and know nothing first-hand about those they seek to discredit.

I would like for Mr. Zeckets to examine the real causes behind the War Between the States. He obviously has no clue as to why the war was fought to begin with. He can start by discontinuing to refer to it as the "Civil War". Considering the South had no intention of taking control of the government a "civil" war did not exist. Get rid of the ridiculous notion the war was fought over slavery. The ordinary foot soldier was fighting to protect his homeland from an invading army. The vast majority could hardly afford a cow and a few chickens, in no way could they even think about owing slaves. The number of slave owners was a tiny percentage of the South's population. When the Union army invaded the South it was to reestablish the Union not to abolish slavery.

Considering the large number of slaves being held in the North and the border states Lincoln didn't consider freeing slaves until the war effort was in desperate need of able bodies. One of Lincoln's chief motives behind the Emancipation Proclamation was to provide those bodies for the dwindling Union army. It was aimed only at freeing slaves the South and had nothing to do with those being held in the North. However, it did allow the army and navy to begin enlisting blacks into their ranks. That didn't sit to well with many in the North and the result was the bloodiest riot to ever take place on American soil.

The 1863 NY City riots cost almost a thousand lives (mostly black) and destroyed more than $1.5 million worth of property.

Mr. Zeckets, before you seek to proclaim yourself an authority on a particular subject, do everyone a favor and do your homework. It might keep you from making an even bigger ass of yourself.

Doug Glenn

Clemmons, North Carolina