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OPINION & EDITORIAL

Your Christmas gift: Lighten up!

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Also by Jason Smathers:

Your Christmas gift: Lighten up! (December 13, 2007)
America in dire need of education on gender identity (December 7, 2007)
Getting off or going down: Is porn destructive? (December 5, 2007)
Catholic group deserves funding, at least for now (November 28, 2007)

by Jason Smathers

Thursday, December 13, 2007

While it seems every week there's a different topic to be outraged over and some event allows me to step up onto my soapbox and proselytize, my message this week isn't designed to shake anyone to the core or signal a call to arms. In fact, that's the exact gist of this piece — I'm taking it easy and so should you.

It started in the mad scramble at the beginning of this pre-finals week. While looking furiously for a potential topic in the local newspapers, I came across my favorite platform go-to topic: segregated fees. I read Kyle Szarzynski's rebuttal to the slew of anti-seg fee Editorial Board pieces and decided a bit of verbal fencing was in order. After all, the ongoing battle between this paper and the supposed bogeyman of the Student Services Finance Committee always requires a few more volleys, and why not fire off one more shot before the year comes to an end? As I contemplated my counter-argument to Mr. Szarzynski, I hit my stride in the argument and stood up from my computer and mumbled, "Gotcha, gravy train!"

That's when I realized, dressed in an absurdly oversized florescent yellow jacket and equally comical headphones, everyone was staring at me as if I were about to pull a knife on someone. I looked, if not insane, at least ridiculous.

The fact of the matter is that while we try to write about issues that matter to students, we have a tendency to overdo it sometimes. Segregated fees is an issue entirely pertinent to students — the university takes a little bit more out of your pocket and gives it to student organizations most students don't use or care about. Seems simple to me, and most students can decide one way or the other how they feel about the system. It can get a little complicated once we get to the front lines of SSFC, but students have a few avenues to act on the issue. And maybe some would, if we didn't beat the issue into the ground.

Yet, that's what we do. When the level of debate rises to Mr. Szarzynski referring to the "putrid stench emanating from the Badger Herald Editorial Page," that's a good signal the debate has becomes too ridiculous to take seriously. What's more, students reading that page would likely respond by shaking their head and turning the page.

If we want civic engagement on this campus, turning a debatable topic like seg fees into some sort of "war of financial liberation" is entirely counterproductive. As one friend said to me, "I'm just so tired of people making this subject a 'do-or-die' situation."

It happens all the time in the mainstream national media. They take an issue like the election and sensationalize aspects of it to the point where people just don't have the energy to address the situation. While we would all agree the Iraq war deserves all the attention it gets, a constant parade of death on television is too much for the public to take at times. Every issue is "crucial" or could lead to "imminent disaster" when we touch on it, but when the major ones that actually deserve those adjectives don't receive the necessary action, it's because the coverage resembles a "surround of force" rather than a call to arms.

Frankly, people don't act until they see someone who puts their mind at ease. Just look at Mike Huckabee's rise in the polls as further example. He may be a right-wing conservative whose policies seem hostile toward liberal politics, but even I find myself liking him. His casual personality is a sigh of relief among a bunch of bickering children who grapple with each other during every debate. Plus, anyone who uses Chuck Norris in a campaign ad has to have a pretty good sense of humor. And that's what wins "hearts and minds" in America — proving that you're a human being just like everyone else.

Sure, for those trying to change the world, the argument may fall flat — it doesn't matter if citizens want to take it easy, we have real issues that demand attention and action. However, living your life trying to fix everything is no life at all, and the average American, and student, realizes that. Sure, the political elite may work tirelessly to secure votes and we journalists may dedicate whole weeks to "exposing the truth," but we don't often speak the same language as the rest of the community. A little humor never hurt anyone, and light-hearted topics are a necessity to keep the public calm. After all, why do you think we call segregated fees "the gravy train?"

If we ever intend to galvanize the public and promote action on any number of political campaigns, we have to give the public a break and ratchet down the intensity. Students have limited schedules, tests and personal crises to deal with before they get to something like segregated fees. If these issues seem more like an ongoing tragedy rather than an easy fix for an engaged public, no one's going to pay attention.

So here is my final plea for the semester: Just rest. The world will not collapse while you spend time with your families or take the time to see old friends. Frankly, if we ever want get anything done, we need to take down the stress, have a drink and regroup our thoughts. Believe me, society will be better off for it.

So in the meantime, happy holidays.

Jason Smathers (jsmathers@badgerherald.com) is a senior majoring in journalism and history.

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Kyle Szarzynski (December 13, 2007 @ 1:53am):

I think, for once, I completely agree with a published criticism of my opinion. Yes, the issue is hardly one to get red in the face about, though I wouldn't recommend telling Porton that.

Of course, I could be consistently immature about the whole thing and scream: "You started it!" The Board's articles on the seg fee subject, after all, weren't quite as lighthearted as this one, to say the least. Instead I'll carry my load of the blame and re-state the disclaimer about myself as written on the colmunist bio page: "I'm not nearly as serious or determined as my columns would indicate."

All in good fun, I hope.

Anonymous (December 13, 2007 @ 3:42am):

oh smathers, how cute. you spend the entire semester raising serious and important issues for the student body, but then when someone suggests you may have gotten one wrong we get the "i was only playing, jeez, calm down" speech.

If only we could believe that such a "laid-back" attitude really did permeate the editorial board of the herald. unfortunately once you've trashed an extremely hard working and well meaning county board supervisor for spending his time fighting for social justice, there's really know playing the cool card ever again...

Anonymous (December 13, 2007 @ 3:58am):

Oh, believe me, I don't kid about anything I say. However, sometimes, you need a break. And I think everyone else does.

And believe me, anyone who thinks I'm trying to play it cool obviously doesn't know how horrendously awkward I am.

Anonymous (December 13, 2007 @ 4:11am):

well, i do share the sentiment that we could all use a few weeks off...

and btw, i suppose working at the bh till 4am would demonstrate pretty strong feelings for something as well;

so don't relax too much from it, there's an awful lot of sifting and winnowing yet to do...

Anonymous (December 13, 2007 @ 2:37pm):

i think someone as been reading my comments on the CB about the "tool patrol"
or perhaps i am just as egomaniacal as i joke you guys are to assume my comments would make any difference

anyway, nice piece. you guys seriously needed to lighten up.

Anonymous (December 14, 2007 @ 2:09am):

"unfortunately once you've trashed an extremely hard working and well meaning county board supervisor for spending his time fighting for social justice, there's really know playing the cool card ever again..."

1. It's no.

2. Ashok screwed up and the BH is holding him accountable. Too bad Ashok is never at his meetings! Lamer!

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