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| Forced volunteerism is abomination |
To the Editor:
Kevin Delury’s
article on forced volunteerism is astonishing, courageous, and correct.
Forced volunteerism is an abomination. It is not horrifying solely
because of its mistaken altruistic premises; it is evil because
it makes no distinction between coerced (forced) action and free
choice. If community service had any moral import - which it does
not - it would be demolished the second that the government (or
its agents in state-run schools) made it mandatory. The moral is
the chosen; a virtuous action, however wonderful it may be, loses
any claim to morality when it is sparked by the threat of force.
Charity and service are not primary moral issues. They’re not
even secondary. They are tertiary, made possible by the virtues
of rationality and productivity. And even if someone is rational
and productive, it would be immoral for that person to give his
or her time and money freely to any panhandling grafter. In any
case, virtue is not the sum of the alms one throws to beggars. Virtue
is to be found in rationality, independence, productivity, integrity,
honesty, justice, and – the sum of all virtues – pride.
Who are the real benefactors of humanity? Are they the Gandhis of
the world teaching us to renounce the material world? Are they martyrs
on the cross, preaching the virtue of sacrifice? No. They are people
like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and the Wright Brothers – the
creators who light our world, open its doors, and allow our body
and spirit to take flight.
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Brandon
Byrd
ASU Objectivist Club
(828) 265-6841 |
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| Know your facts before commenting |
To the Editor:
In response to
Monica Middleton’s letter, “Tragedies should be priority
over MTV.”
It is important for students to check their facts before making
and voicing their opinions. Student Programs verified that this
university spent absolutely no money on MTV coming to our campus.
MTV has a travel budget for just these events.
Unresearched comments are the reasons rumors spread so violently
around ASU.
Also, ribbons provided by the Student Government Association were
not the only way for students to pay their respects to the victims
of 9-11. Students did not come to the SGA asking for us to do something
in remembrance of 9-11. It was the decision of this organization
to do something simple and allow students to personally choose how
they wanted to reflect that day.
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Emily
McDermott
SGA Director of Student Affairs
em45858 |
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| Students pay to attend, not get paid |
To the Editor:
In the Sept.
4 issue of The Appalachian, Will Gillespie announced his view that
all students should be tested for drugs as a prerequisite for obtaining
eligibility to attend Appalachian State University. This, Mr. Gillespie
stated, “would prepare students for the real world.” I
do not use, nor do I advocate the use of narcotics, but Gillespie’s
idea is disturbing nonetheless.
While it is true that in the real world people are tested for narcotics,
it is also true that in the real world people are paid to show up
everyday. At a university the opposite is true. The students pay
to come here. Mr. Gillespie misses that crucial difference between
college and his so-called “real world.” In the real world
time spent on the job is the employer’s time. At a university,
time spent on campus is the student’s choice. If the use is
excessive and problematic then students will have to face the music
in the form of lower grades and ultimately less job opportunities
in life.
That’s as real world as you can get, Mr. Gillespie. Let’s
assume that the vast majority of those mature enough to see the
value of a college education are also mature enough to show self-control
without it being shoved down their throat.
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Ian
Granucci
ig51018 |
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