The Holtonian

Those are good thoughts, Holton. You are a wise cat, for a spaceman.

I wouldn't be too hard on the Droners, though. Part of the college process is figuring out how far is too far, with humor, beer, or anything else. And if you look at my posts, you can tell that for some of us, some time after college might be needed too. (You will also note that for some people -- I'm not naming names, but it should be kinda obvious -- an entire lifetime isn't long enough.) Jesus is still tinkering with all of us. I think the blogosphere is just one more place for that tinkering.

Good points. I'm fuming at the moment because when my sister attempted to make a point about how articles like the one causing all the controversy make minority students feel unwelcome, rather than responding to her post, certain people who will remain unnamed resorted to ad hominem attacks on the way that she dresses. While I expect college students to act immature, when it's the people who are supposedly mature adults making the irrelevant personal attacks, it's not really setting a good example.

Here's my over-valued two cents: 1) I am vehemently in favor of free speech, so I can't say that they should be shut down. 2) A concept we seem to have gotten into our heads in America is that people have the right not to get their feelings hurt or be offended. That's not in the Constitution. 3) The issue comes down to being between the authors and the people they hurt, and further still comes down to their motives for writing what they write, which is between themselves and God.

In response to Kathryn's post, I would say that going after someone's style of dress for political comments they made is immature. Just immature.

I don't know what the big fuss is about. At my time at CC I definitely heard plenty of ebonics thrown around from the bball team (Phil Farmer, anyone?) and I sure as hell saw plenty of sweater vests in Sanderson.

Chris this is exactly what I meant when I jokingly said that you were a straight man (it was of course also meant in the "straight is great" sense, too). You stand up tall and point the finger where it needs to be pointed, without being a jerk about it. I thought that article was pretty mean too, especially to that poor girl. Even if it wasn't necessarily racist, I doubt it did anything to help race relations at Covenant (and, despite what some (mostly white, I'd say) people would probably (and even rightfully) like to think, race relations are still a problem in America, even if we've come a long way (and we have)). So, like I said, this is what I meant by you telling it straight... this is also why you're my favorite chattaperson to read (although Mesh probably comes in a close second).

Oh, and my dad appreciated your comments. I think he's a swell pastor too. Even though I've given up on convincing him to cut the mustache (I think that if Wesley Willis were still alive, he'd write cut the mustache, not cut that mullet).

For the freaking record, I never went after rebekah's critique of the drone, whether via ad hominem OR dealing directly with her arguments.

If you look back closely at the progression of the conversation, after Rebekah made her first comment I made a comment saying that I thought it was great that Rebekah was posting at that I thought she was a fine intramural hockey player (since she was on my team). I didn't mention her argument there, but I simply gave a hello-shout-out.

Then Mesh made a joke about The Drone folks also being naked, which is a reference to Rebekah's infamous nudity letter thingie that got everyone in an uproar when we were at Covenant.

I then made a comment 'bout how I always found it funny that Rebekah wrote that letter when she was also infamous for her short-shorts.

There's the progression of the conversation. I wasn't even addressing her concerns with the Drone article, I think they're great and fine etc. The joking is related only insofar as it occured in the same post as her comment.

Also for the record, by poor girl I meant the reportedly hot one with thin-skinned friends, not the Brightbill.

"The Brightbill"

awesome

The biggest, saddest thing in my mind is the general lack of anything positive in the drone. I understand where the author is coming from in some of the articles. I understand where people are coming from as far as free speech and a general attitude of "self-criticism is helpful and funny too". The problem that I have more and more with it is more than anything, it tears people down. The funny thing is is that it not only tears down those who are discussed in the article, but also the writer. I think holtie is right on in the sense that cyncism will poison any joy that you might find in life, and honestly, as Christians, we really have more reason to bold-face hope than anyone else. That is why stale, cynical churches sadden me so much. So in the end, I guess I just wish that the writers of the drone, whoever they may be, snap out of it over the next years, grow up and try to see covenant for what it is: A great place to grow and learn, not a place to cynically take potshots at fellow brothers and sisters in Christ just b/c there may be a speck of truth found within the criticism.