Opinion
shipspeaks@gmail.com April 26, 2011
Making Political Sense Ron Paul for president James Miller
Staff Columnist One congressman predicted the 2008 financial crisis. He knew the fiscal disaster that low-credit policies of both the Greenspan and Bernanke Federal Reserve would bring. His career in Congress began after President Richard Nixon’s elimination of the gold standard. He recognized that cutting the gold standard would lead to an explosion in the money supply and subsequent prices. He has broken with Republican Party leadership on his persistent call to scale down our massive military industrial complex and imperialistic global policy. He is literally the only Congressman to call out the Federal Reserve System for what it is: a banking system run for elite financial institutions who receive newly printed “wealth” before the rest of the population. He understands business cycles and the mechanism of human action through which order is achieved in a free society. And he has never voted once to raise taxes. Texas Congressman Ron Paul has proven time and time again to be the premier example of what a statesman should be. He does not think in terms of offering immediate favors for the sake of getting votes and campaign contributions. The majority of his campaign contributions come through grass roots fundraising. Supporters realize that Paul is not beholden to special interests, but to the interests of the whole. He is despised by those who reside in the highest arches of academia and financial wealth. They know he opposes the policies that subsidize their own well being.
Paul is concerned only with liberty and the long-term prosperity of the country. Though he is often mocked by major political pundits as being “fringe,” Paul commands a small but dedicated base of supporters. Pundits who ridicule Paul fail to acknowledge why he garners such enthusiasm. They are locked into the two-party ideology and acceptance of big government. Why Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich fail to cultivate such support is dumbfounding. Paul represents the third way outside of the nanny-state liberals and war-mongering conservatives. The way is toward liberty and Paul is the embodiment of Jeffersonian democracy. The generation before mine will run the entitlement state into the ground. It is inevitable; there is not enough money to go around. With the country nearly bankrupt with over $100 trillion in unfunded liabilities, the dollar will continue to lead the race to the bottom for all global currencies. Paul has fought against this for more than 30 years and the mainstream media is beginning to catch on. “The Ron Paul Revolution” has already begun and it will be televised. This will be my last column for The Slate. I just want to thank Chelsea Wehking and the rest of the staff for allowing me to write over the past year. My goal was to bring a different perspective to politics and our government structure. If I changed at least one mind through writing, then all the hours dedicated to my column were worth it. I thank everyone that has read my column and supported me in the past.
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Students take a dramatic vow of silence Chelsea Wehking Opinion Editor
Red, purple and pink were some of the colors that covered the mouths of Shippensburg University students and concealed their voices. On April 16, many SU students participated in the “Day of Silence.” This is a nationwide event in which “hundreds of thousands of students nationwide take a vow of silence to bring attention to anti-LGBT namecalling, bullying and harassment in their schools,” according to dayofsilence.org. This article is not about me having an issue with the “Day of Silence.” I find this day too necessary, courageous and admirable. I have participated in the event myself. Rather, my issue is with how some students participate in the event. Around campus that Friday, many students wore duct tape over their mouths. Although this did grab my attention, I do not think it is necessary. My biggest issue with the duct tape if that I perceive it as a sign of weakness. Meaning, I think that the students wearing the duct tape do so because
they cannot remain silent without it. For me, if you feel so strongly about this issue, you should only need your willpower to remain silent. There are many other ways to raise awareness for this day. Like passing out flyers, host an event on campus, or post a stand in front of the library. Some of these particiapants of the “Day of Silence” did organize. Many other organizations about other issues have raised awareness or sparked change without using such unneccassary antics. I know the duct tape getting attention is the idea, but I feel there are other means in which one can grab that same level of attention. However, that could be achieved without the negative
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backlash, such as this article, by wearing T-shirts for the Day of Silence. Not as dramatic, but it could be equally as effective. Using dramatics is not always the best option. In some cases, it can backfire and cause a certain loss in credibility over the cause. Rationale and reason speak louder and remain with people much longer than dramatics. Short-term dramatics gain more attention, but is the dramatics or the message you are trying to convey the most imporant?
‘The Greatest Movie Ever Sold’ sells out Kevin Battersby
Asst. Opinion Editor In today’s world, there has seldom been people who can stand out and take on large entities in an attempt to make drastic changes to what Americans are exposed to. Most people sit idly by as the world is being run for us, not realizing what exactly is happening and why it is so. Lately, a creative individual has used the media, which is the very tool used to tell us how we should think, to enact a new way of thinking regarding subjects that affect our every day lives. That individual attempting to change society is none other than director Morgan Spurlock. Spurlock is probably most well known for his documentary called “Super Size Me,” which followed him as he partook on a journey to consume McDonald’s food every day for a month. It was a statement to show not only what fast food can do
to a person’s body if not done in moderation and with a proper exercise regimen, but it was also pivotal in learning how food and candy corporations manipulate
“The documentarian has decided to create a film that shows the inner working of marketing and advertising companies.”
the public into buying their products. Spurlock continued on his way of exposing viewers to new ways of thinking by creating a show called “30 Days,” which put Spurlock and other individuals in unfamiliar situations to broaden their mind. This show was meant to be impactful and
delivered on that promise. Since these two projects, Spurlock has embarked on a new documentary with a premise meant to poke fun at advertising. The documentarian has decided to create a film that shows the inner working of marketing and advertising companies. The odd part? The film, titled “The Greatest Movie Ever Sold,” will be funded entirely by marketing and advertising. This concept is one of the incredible ideas for a film that I have seen in ages. As a communication/journalism major at Shippensburg University, it is a fascinating insight to have on an industry that is a power house in this country. Hopefully, others are inspired by some of these works and will take risks for the common good. Since knowledge is only useful to those who have it, we need to think outside the box, like Spurlock, and create awareness for such important topics.