SCARLET AND BLACK

 

 

talk of the town

by iredncka nelson

some impressions (mm the last two
weeks including “more and better t?)
politics ~ a iollow up, grinnell style,
to ierry rubin,” and some "reflections
on pets, amerlca and life in general."

for lack or literary imagination re-
sulting trom overexertion on compre-
hensives, l have outlined my work ior
today in the grand style oi college hul-
letins. many other subjects could be de
scribed in this manner. a few are “the
care and leading ot baby cats, from
birth to the development of limitis,"
“the problems of rediscovering tlle
pastoral climate and style — economic
and social complications," and “the
development oi acute senioritis — per-
spectives on time-space disillusio .
merit." these describe various condb
tions of the inhabitants of 8271/2 broad
street at this point in time.

on politics:

events of the week past have pointed
out that there is a unique treasonable—
ness about most grinnell students. i am
reierring to our recent “demonstra-
tion” in the context of what has gone
betore, and will most likely continue to
be a strong tradition in political action.
grinnell students have not resorted to
violence yet. and i think their sense at
priorities will rule out this kind of ac»
tion. it this is the case, thanks are in
order from the administration and other
established iigures or our community.

1969 — a year of radical demands
and means has not yet capitulatcd
grinnell — we have not bombed, burn-
ed or otherwise molested any idols ot
capitalism, neither have we engaged in
any violent conirontation with our iig<
ureheads ior power, i‘rcedom, or “revo-
iution for the hell of it,"

whether we are to be condemned or
patted on the back is not important to
me. i think my tellow students might
agree that those moves are up to our
“opposition” or, to put it mildly and
metaphorically, “to you, mr. j
as bob dylan says. we aren’t much oi a
threat in any case, though it has been
stated that we are the harvard of the
midwest, we haven't behaved in a like
manner. also, we are not like those uni-
versities with their super-bigness and
complexity. our decisions and actions
may lay claim to more time out ior
pondering (which seems desirable) or
they may serve as an indication that we
are actually rather like vegetables in an
age or steel, concrete and plastic punch
cards. pick whichever you will, only
realize how odd are our local politics.

let me remind you that change is one
inevitable consequence of life, and revo-
lution is a descriptive term for that
.very same eiiect. this college will hava
In change and it had better get on with it
test. there are numerous proposals ﬂoat.
ing around which need the support of tho
most local politicians among you, which
means: each of you out there.

student initiated courses

nongraded courses in all department!

The Scarlet 81 Black

Student Newrpaper oi
Grinnell College,

Grinnell, Iowa

An independent news-
Mwﬂttum paper published weekly.
"ehcxcept during holidays

and examination periods,

g = by the Grinch c
3% g iniiine on Student no i
a)” ciiions Subscrlprio
mowrhsrdw rate soon per

year

. MICHAEL omunon
. SusAN KAnsER
business Manager onuce STROM
Stair snriin Andrews, bavld sine.
Yhmogrnphen Dirty Funk.
Blll Raiteny, cnns viiiighn
xiiihy Bull Nell rlscher,
k, ken nicks, l<lt Leder-
Molly McGuire, Alice nogon,
Tom Thom-s, nlch Wickslmm.

school

Edﬂot
Associate Editor

boomers .
redo

ior iour years

equal student-faculty representation

on all committees

increased living options

revision oi the saga contract —— to

fight. indigestion where it starts

. r to mention just a iew.

students are not shirkers oi respon-
sibility, for witness the numbers of
them who have taken under tllelr wing
various small domestic animals. this
type oi beastie depends on us and we
measure up to their needs the mundane
etiort ot caring ior thcm holds good re-
wards like affection and loyalty. allow
the pets to stay, and watch the people get
more lovable and loving right along with
their puppies or kittens.

if you don‘t like animals, search out
others of your kind and have a “hue
man's only” dormitory.

on america:

locked in a t.vr tower, balding, with a
dashing prince standing in a iield or now-
ers at the ground iloor entrance, but
unable to get in the door, tor the way is
blocked by a derth oi junky products and
principles in concrete tom 7 bundles
and bundles and bundles or junk, keeping
you imm your salvation.

Where The Truth Hurts
By TOM THOMAS

How much does it really matter which
way the ilag illes?

is anybody going to do anything about
oomps?

is there any signiﬁcance in the loot
that halt the iaculty seems to be going
through an identity crisi

What exactly is John Crossett trying
to prove?

Are all my iriends really leaving?

what did the poverty conference ac-
complish?

Why is everybody unhappy?

Will Dari Cheiietz ever had true happi-
Bess?

Does smoking dope really change any-
body’s outlook on life?

Where are you. Jesus Christ, now that
we really need you?

Do student advisers do anything?

How many people here are sexually
hung up?

What's going to happen to Ted Slick?

Why wasn't Bernadine Dohrn (SDS)
more human?

Why was Jerry Rubin so human?

How many people realize that one
day’s work, even by a whole 250 people,
isn’t gomg to end the war?

Do the people of Iowa really under—
ltand Richard 'nn’ner?

ls Grinneli going to be any ditierent
next (all?

How much of an eiiect will one term
paper have on my lite?

is Henry Wilhelm some sort of a plot?‘

Can 1 really LOVE someone?

Who’s going to save the world — I
or them?

Am I on us or u them?

How many people trom here will i
remember utter l graduate?

why doesn’t it at least Seem like
Ipring?

Am I going to have to sign any more
petitions?

what’s going to be the next petition
that l’ll sign?

A lot or people are trying to win on the
issues — is anybody trying to solve
them?

Does student government exist in the
context of reality?

What is the real world going to do to
me?

Will anybody read this column this
far?

what will be on the flagpole tomorrow
morning?

Why does the truth have to hurt so

t he sun shine in!

LETTERS

Notes On Abortions

To the Editor:

1 would like to add a personal loot-
note in Molly Malcolm’s excellent artie
cle on abortion which appeared in last
week's 58:13. Some years ago while I
was a student nurse in a large teaching
hospital and later, working as a surgical
nurse, 1 saw a large number of young
women briitalized by abortionists; on
one occasion 1 attended a girl who died
trom massive hemorrhage betore we
could wheel her to the operating room ~
devastating prices to pay for a surgical
procedure which, when peiiormed by a
competent physician in sterile surround-
ings, carries virtually no lite or health
hazard. This nation’s attitude toward i1-
legitimacy, plus its deplorable lack or
consistent social consolellce, has led us
to foster thousands of abortionlsts who
operate outstde the law, who, for the
most part, are without training and who,
in a real sense, despite surtace kindness,
are cashing in on human suilering. But
we must be careiul when we blame only
the law, The medical protession is also
to blame tor its too willingness to escape
such ”delicate decisions” by turning
them over to lawmakers. And most to
blame is our persistent attitude of basic
unconcern for social welfare.

Miss Malcolm inteerewed only un-
married women in their late teens or
early twenties This is not typical oi
the average woman seeking abortion. She
is in her late twenties or early thirties,
is married, and has three or more chil-
dren. It is estimated that two thirds oi
women seeking abortion tall roughly into
this category l-ler distress is more likely
economic; another child would be hard
to feed, hard to clothe. Her marriage is
more than likely unsound and her own
emotional state approaches hysteria.
This woman and the unmarried woman
who fears the shame of pregnancy, dis-
covery and interruption of college or or
a job, as well as the woman who tears
that she is carrying a deiormed child or
the victim of rape or incest — all of the
women who are actively seeking abortion
7 have strong personal reasons ior do-
ing so and are convinced that these rea-
sons alc justified.

What concerns me is simply how much
chance any woman now has, two or
three months into a decidely unwanted
pregnancy, of making what we would all
consider a Wellrreasoned decision, and of
escaping what could quite conceivably
be serious psychological consequences
later on — often much, much later on.

Today no reasoned decision is possible
because there are no alternatives. Bear-
ing an illegitimate child in shame and
secrecy or meeting up with an abortion-
ist in a country motel are simply not al-
ternatives. The problem then is how we
can provide alternatives that take into
consideration the problems, the lite sit»
nation it you will, ot the woman seeking
abortion and still not adapt a callous at-
titude toward any human liie. it is
enough to say “this child would have
been better off not born," but for every
child with a tragic, unwanted childhood
who has grown up emotionally desolate
there has been another child with a tra-
glc, unwanted childhood who's human
spirit has been adequately realized, 1,
for one, Could not make such a decision
lightly,

it goes without saying that our pre-
sent abortion laws are totally without re-
gard tor the individual rights and dig
nity or anyone. They protect neither the
child nor the mother; they actively en-
courage experiences such as Miss Mal-
colm reported and tar more serious ones.
But I believe that it would be totally ir-
responsible to simply repeal such law:
without attendant social legislation that
would provide ior excellent counseling
tor women seeking abortion, that would
trovide for iar more help ior women who

Friday. May 2. not

choose to carry their children to term,
that would give greater aid to adoption
agencies, foster homes, etc And this in
to say nothing about the needs tor pover.
ty programs that would help iamilieo
not be destroyed by another child, more
mental health centers ottering marriage
counseling and child guidance clinics.
and agencies that would take the mater.
ials ot birth control out of the hands 0!
the drug companies and put them into
the hands oi the people.

i am certainly not against abortiona
There are many, many instances in
which it is the only possible solution 4
the physical or emotional danger to the
woman outweighs the rights at the un-
born child. But i should like to know
that the woman has had every chance to
seek out alternatives and to make a mar
ture decision. And I believe it is a great
wrong when the decision to abort must
be made because society, in its attitudes
and its practice, has tailed again.

Rosemary Ingham
1126 Broad St.
Grimell, Iowa

Gordon Explains Flag Action

To the Editorl

I feel compelled to correct the mis<
conception that i had no part whatsoev-
er in the ilag inversion episode and
that the act was one of a single student.
l originally wished to abstain trom my
comment upon my act, feeling that it
was entirely selﬂexplanatory. However.
so many statements have been issued in
deiense oi the act and as an interpreta.
tion of it, i teel 1 must make my reason:
ior inverting the ilag much clearer.

I would love to say here, as other:
have tried to assert, that the act was
done out of concern for my country.
Being honest, it would be more correct
to say that my act was an impulsive re<
action, meant with a more antagonisliu
rather than constructive motive Never
did I expect the reaction that followed
Hany oi it—the crowds, Chlet Peters,
Crossett, Wheat, the armed drunk
scoutn-laster, the rationalizations. Noth-
ing has brought out more or the worst
in Grinnell in my two years here, and 1
am glad my impulses have enlightened
many of that factr We in Grinnell at best
can only be impulsive and antagonistic.
My deed was no more or no less noble,
courageous. or lmportant than the burn-
ing or a draft card or the spilling or
blood on draft tiles. The real significance
of my act lies in the sick Symbol it
really did not need to deiile. The flag
stands for blood, the white race, and
our future—Red, White and Blue.

I welcome all others to iollow niy
tootsteps. Experience your first inversion
ebut don’t apologize and don’t expect
applause. Realize what you’re not doing.
Rash and impulsive deeds such as
mine have a place in the triteness oi
Grinnell life as a vent ior our frustra-
tions and nothing more. I ask that my
act not be forgiven or condemned, but
be iorgotten —- lett to the annals oi
Grinnell triVi .
Jettrey 1;. Gordon

Get the Ft: cts

To lhe Editor:

I am writing in response to last week's
editorial ”Hillbilly is Overthrowii By
Queen oi ihe Mountain." You seemed to
have conillsed rumor with fact. There
have never been plans tor ten men to
live in German House, as you stated in
your editorial. Next year there will be
six men llvmg oit campus in a German
House. Perhaps it Would be well ior you
to be sure oi iniormation beiore you
print it in your paper.

Those of us who are interested in liv-
ing in German House believe that it is a
start in “locking the boat” ior coed-
ucational and oft-campus living situa-
tions.

Mary Homerin

 

