University of Virginia Library

Full Of Controversy

Rapier Praised

By Chuck Woody

If you like controversy, you
will like the current issue of Rapier,
the University magazine of satire
and broad discussion.

The featured article is "Marijuana
in the South" and leads
"it should be remembered that
it is a federal crime punishable
by five years imprisonment for
possession of marijuana. This
makes reporting the facts considerably
more difficult." Perhaps this
is an understatement; the story is
based on hearsay and generalities.
It also a snide, offhand remark
about Ed Ford, president
of the Student Council, which has
nothing to do with the story. Admittedly,
an interview in which you
can not quote and name people
directly is difficult to do, but the
structure and writing of this article
is very poor. For example, the
College of Charleston, South Carolina,
"is typical of what is happening
all over the South" is a
statement hard to back up. Other
comments were: "One student said
that he knew 'for a fact' that the
Administration (at UNC) pays
spies to find marijuana-users."

The Where and the Who," a
picture story of marijuana in the
south, was very clever and funny,
particularly the spoofs at North
Carolina and Tulane.

"Mrs. Charlie," excerpts from
an upcoming novel by Richard
Peck, a former assistant professor
of English here and now at Temple
University, adds the professional
touch which makes the magazine
worth reading. The story is like
"Catch 22" in style and promises
to be an interesting book.

Robert Rosen, Rapier's editor,
has a knack of saying the obvious
in "Some Thoughts on America."
For example: "Let's face
the facts. Communism has more
appeal to some underdeveloped
countries than does Americanism"
...or "We have to judge the Communists
on their merits, compared
with all the tyranny and brutality
just as common throughout the
histories of other nations." The
story is also difficult to read since
the columns of print are too wide.

"The Acid Test: Sgt. Pepper's
One 'N Only Rock Has Come
of Age and So Have The Beatles"
is a fantastically good review of the
record. The article is reprinted
from the Harvard Summer News
and was co-authored by Charles
K. Ribakoff a student here.

Alexander Theroux's "The Confessions
of Mrs. Motherwell (a
play in one act)" is an excellent
example of the type of student
writing available on the Grounds.
It is a clever bit of satire about a
reporter trying to interview Mrs.
Motherwell about Edwin's funeral.
The play is well worth reading.

"Israeli Victory: Jewish American
Loss?" is an excellent essay,
a well thought out and intellectual
discussion written by Mr. Rosen.
He has the interesting bias that
while the Middle East War made
the American Jews "proud of their
people," it will in the long run
cause a gulf in between American
and Israeli Jews.

"My Son Killed A Man" by
Howard Marshall is not up to the
quality of the magazine and is a
poor short story. The Rapier editorials
fall in the same category.
The Negro problem, marijuana
and Vietnam editorials offer
nothing new. It seems it is too
easy to slam issues instead of
criticize constructively.

Generally, Rapier is attractive in
appearance. The cartoons and artwork
by Richard Kempson are
very good. By all means, buy the
magazine...it's worth it.