Universities are traditionally known to be places of progress, the foundations of change in the entity that is America. In the 60s, it was the universities that ignited the social revolution that took place during those turbulent, war-ridden years. At this university, clustered deep in the piney woods, judging from the majority of the articles published in the Houstonian, any type of social change is seen as something that must be done by weird liberals, wearing berets, chanting hymns and hugging trees.For one, trying to buck the system, trying to speak one’s mind and state something contrary to popular opinion is looked down upon. The Houstonian, in choosing articles to publish, avoids issues that are relevant and politically charged in the world as it exists today. Coming back from Christmas break, I expected the paper to be loaded with worries about the idiocy of Bush’s ensuing war, fought for personal gain more than anything else. But instead I read about people complaining about parking spaces. Instead I read about bars discounting drinks to further dull students minds into a pit of popular opinion. What struck me as odd is the fact that in the first day of class, at least two people from each of my classes were called off to fight this ‘noble’ war. This is our fellow student, our fellow man and woman, yet they hardly merit a mention in the campus newspaper. Students enticed with college tuition by the military are now being forced to fight in this debacle, being dragged into it by an inconsiderate and oil-hungry president. And the Houstonian prints none of this, still sticking to what they believe will seduce students, still printing the same garbage even after a staff change. In truth, the only place to truly gain any type of information that might be useful outside of the ‘great, burgeoning metropolis’ that is Huntsville is on the Viewpoints page. It is there that one can catch some sign of student involvement with the outside world. It is there that a student can gain views and opinions that might actually help and influence his/her life outside of Huntsville. I know that the Houstonian, in its defense, must print what they think the student body wants. But, some outside news of the greater world is needed. Students should be challenged and not sedated by the news. One thing that I do hope happens in the Houstonian in the near future; I hope they print an article about North Korea forming nuclear weapons before one actually falls on us, instead of printing continuous and monotonous advertisements of local bar discounts. How can students learn to question anything, if the student newspaper, primary source of information for many of us, never prints anything that raises questions?
Joseph Hillnoeticend@yahoo.com