Our college experience can most readily be defined by one word: change. Often times, the hardest thing about sparking change is realizing that the spark is even needed. Sometimes we Duke students take for granted just how intelligent we are. We see things and instantly make connections that seem so apparent to us; we often overlook the fact that it might not be evident to everyone else.
For example: A wealthy businessman donates a building to his alma mater under the conditions that beer and wine be readily available. The students are starving and would literally kill for late-night food and, of course, another easy source for underage drinking (but this time, it's on campus and on tap!). The restaurant wants to make money, and holy crap would they ever if it opened right now.
We Duke students look at this situation and instantly recognize the easy solution: open Tommy's. Our fatal flaw, thus, is that we assume that the administration, Larry Moneta, Dicky B., Mike Krzyzewski, or whoever it is that makes the decisions around here recognizes this solution as well. Maybe they don't. It's possible that they are simply not as smart as us. Yes, I said it. I think I'm smarter than Dick Brodhead, but there's really only one way to prove that: that's right, a fight to the death. He may be physically imposing and have a voice made to read trashy romance novels in front of large audiences, but I think I could outwit him, and I just don't want to die without a few scars.
Another example: A stripper accuses three students accepted into this University as "leaders of the future," or whatever Brodhead says to the freshmen at orientation. Now, being Duke students, we understand that the University has only one choice in this situation: Support the students, the "leaders of the future," until the very end.
Our bad. We thought the choice was obvious, so we didn't bother to fight for it. Apparently it takes a 1,500 on the SAT to have a sense of faith, trust and, dare I say, respect for the fellow Blue Devil.
A third example popped up recently in the news. It's in no way related to Duke, but simply too good not to mention. This is kind of a throwback for most of us: The O.J. Simpson murder case.
At the time, us future Dukies, current elementary schoolers, were apparently smarter than the American judicial system. We knew that man was guilty. But, he was ruled innocent. And now, the unimaginable has happened. O.J. is writing a book called "If I Did It" where he describes "in gruesome detail," according to MSNBC, the killing of his ex-wife and Ron Goldman-hypothetically.
You have got to be f***ing kidding me. Even if he somehow didn't kill them, what kind of sick bastard writes a book about how he would have killed his ex-wife? Look at the example we as a country are setting for the rest of the world. We're letting a crazy scumbag like O.J. Simpson make $3.5 million. It's almost sicker than my own obsession with Flava Flav's love life.
Once again, those in a position of power will do nothing. If the United States was truly a developed nation, someone would have the stones to step up to the plate and say, "Hey, I know we have this whole 'double jeopardy' thing, but this man needs to go to prison. What's say we get a drunk stripper to claim he raped her?" Sometimes the ends justify the means.
I guess the U.S. Government and the Duke administration are pretty similar after all. Both have too much power, both have Dick's for Presidents, and both appear totally inept when it comes to recognizing the opinion of their core.
Honestly, if the University cares more about its own reputation than its own sense of community, and cares more about appeasing its challengers than standing up for its students (both the lacrosse players and the student body as a whole), then why should we care about the University anymore? They damn well don't seem to care about us.
The answer is simple. As I always say, when in doubt, turn to the movies, and what movie depicts the art of revolution better than V For Vendetta? Thus, I propose, as a symbol to those in charge, on Nov. 5, we storm the Duke Chapel, just like V in the movie. It's either that or Cameron, and I assume Cameron is out of the question. The school needs more than just a building right now. It needs hope.
The j's been packed and twisted, folks. It just needs to be sparked. Now, who got duh lightuh??
The Morning Wood made a guest appearance during the Pi Phi lip-sync performance. Tom Segal wants to give shout-outs to the Ladies of Chick-fil-A, Mr. Ieger, The Loop and The 'Dillo. He wants to apoligize for any harm he may have done, and will do anything necessary to prevent any further spitting in his food.
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