In response to Thursday's letter to the editor written by Mr. Bodie Stewart - a linguistics instructor here at Ohio University - and to the vocal minority that has publicly criticized and condemned me ... (which, by the way, I have no problem with. I am not easily offended. Oh, and I loved the posters around campus. Ha-ha, classy.)
Thank you for your contributions. Admittedly, I am pleased that the labeling I had previously bestowed upon you was probably most responsible for the elicitation of positive comments from several in the student body. God forbid the thought police squelch our freedoms so as to silence the descriptive nature of our writings ... more so when one side (the self-proclaimed tolerant) becomes the decider of what is fair. You all address freedom of speech, yet your tolerance extends merely to your front door. It's funny though, you are tolerant only until your views are compromised. And when that happens, you feed us (the people who have differing views) to the lions and the liberal media elite.
As well, you might be interested to know that the self-labeling I ascribed to myself was edited out by The Post. So, for the record, here is how I actually signed off on my original letter: Evan Webb
Ohio University Student Senate (Republican Neo-con Right Wing Extremist
and member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy). Hopefully you will find some solace in knowing a self-deprecating manner exists.
Thursday's letter contains the following statement: The fact that a member of Student Senate would publicly cajole dissenters into no longer airing their opinions ... That statement is not only NOT a fact
it is completely and utterly false. My letter to the editor contained multiple requests for input from students, particularly dissenters, and additionally thanked those who do provide input; I believe the exact words were, Kudos to those who have.
You may wish to re-read my letter focusing on the substance as opposed to the sarcasm and various adjectives used in order to elicit a greater response rate, a tactic obviously proving successful. However, doing so might require an effort on the part of some to come in from the cynical periphery and actually get involved -perhaps a truly terrifying concept.
I am reminded of Theodore Roosevelt's words regarding the 'man in the arena', and not just the portion of the quote most often heard which begins, It is not the critic who counts ...
but the somewhat unheralded sentence which followed that paragraph: Shame on the man of cultivated taste who permits refinement to develop into fastidiousness that unfits him for doing the rough work of a workaday world.
Sincerely,
Evan Webb, The Labeler
Evan Webb is a sophomore studying aviation and business and a member of Student Senate.
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Opinion
