Collegian Weekly was wrong: “Townie” is an appropriate term

Is this issue with the residents of Hillsdale really about stereotyping? I don’t think so. As a Hillsdale College student from a small town in Idaho, I can honestly tell you I have no beef with people from rural areas.

I did not walk onto campus and decide that I would add “townie” to my vocabulary and be prejudiced against them. In fact, two of the first people I met at Hillsdale were Rhiannon Angell and Michelle Long, both residents of this town, both great friends.

I did not use “townie” until I was pestered constantly by those down the hill from us—water balloons and insults hurled at us while we were walking at night, bikes were stolen, girls were attacked. What are we supposed to have respect for? What did we do to deserve this?

They think we’re all rich and snobby, but that’s merely their own stereotyping. I can think of very few people on this campus that are wealthy and none that are snobby.

We call some residents “townies” because of the way they treat us. I happen to work in town and love all the people that I work with. Hillsdale residents as a whole are not “townies.” Those who act childish and threatening are.

How many times have Hillsdale students vandalized city property? I’ve never heard of any incidents. How many times have townies vandalized school property?

Perhaps if the city would punish these offenders a little more efficiently, the vandalizing would stop and the incoming freshmen class would never hear of the word “townie.”

DeAnna Wendland, ‘07

Hillsdale: Remember (our) black history

One of the unfortunate circumstances involved with attending Hillsdale College is that many of the students take great pleasure in the lack of political-correctness present here. While this may be responsible for a number of things, both positive and negative, it has come to my attention recently that the library, or any other part of campus for that matter, has completely failed to recognize the fact that Februay is Black History Month.

Our college could have helped recognize and celebrate this part of our culture in many ways that would have required very little extra effort. Doing so would have helped to keep discussion of many contemporary race issues at the forefront within our intellectual community.

It also would have helped to foster understanding and respect for a group which is extremely under-represented on our campus.

Hillsdale College has a very long history of standing against segregation and prejudice in the past. This history should also be celebrated during this month.

In the past, Hillsdale College welcomed famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass to speak on campus.

The Charger football team took a stand when it declined an opportunity to play in the 1955 Tangerine Bowl because the bowl organizers would not allow Hillsdale to play unless they took the field without the four black players who were on the team.

As you can see, Hillsdale College has had a number of incidents in its past which show a history of tolerance and racial understanding—which should be remembered during the month of February.

To ignore these things is to ignore not only some of the great things about our college, but about our nation as a whole.

I encourage everyone to do their part to help celebrate our college and our nation’s diversity during Black History Month.

Jeremy Urban, ‘07