The Griffon News

by Casey Nichols, English Literature

Too often, bad behavior by an individual, or individuals, of a particular race is spread across the entire race like a patina of rust.

I am, of course, referring to the editorial entitled “Have some respect, this isn’t High School,” in which the editorialist does just that.

Bad behavior is not black behavior, and to make ‘disrespect’ a racial issue is, in fact, an act of disrespect and ignorance.

I am white.

I am male.

I am also gay, which makes me a minority.

Let me assure you that the dubious actions of notable figures such as George Michael or Senator Larry Craig have absolutely no bearing upon my own actions. The same applies to other minorities, who should fall into rank with the black students this article has offended.

This leaves us with the issue of bad behavior. I’ve witnessed a fair bit of it in my three years at Western.

I’ve seen vandalism scrawled on restroom walls that disgusts me.

I’ve seen a fight or two.

I’ve witnessed students take phone calls during classes.

I’ve come across many students of many backgrounds who think that the most basic rules of politeness don’t apply to their situation.

The behavior problem at Western is not about race, but about a bit of youth mixed with a grand sense of entitlement.

One might say the latter is a function of the former, but it seems to me that youth can be outgrown, entitlement often isn’t.

Youth is answering a cell phone during convocation; entitlement is refusing to put it away when asked.

Youth is arriving late to a class; entitlement is entering a classroom to use a computer during a class. 

Youth is yelling profanities loudly across the student union; entitlement is damaging the property in the Student Union.

Entitlement is telling those that do not conform to a certain mode of behavior to “go home,” which is the default insult when we stereotype the behavior of another group.

“Go home” is shorthand for “You don’t belong here, (insert ethnic/gender/sexuality slur)!”

This attitude is simplistic and serves neither the Western community nor the students who desperately need to learn how the adult world functions.

These students have not learned the mode of proper behavior in their home community, so shipping them off isn’t going to educate them.

It seems that in these cases, the Western community has the opportunity to create outstanding citizens.

I speak for myself and many other members of the Western Community when I say to the students who’ve exhibited the bad behavior on campus:
Stay.

Mature a little and realize that our planet revolves around the sun, not your life.

Make up for your bad decisions.

And, please, behave yourself!