University of Virginia Library

Howard Cosell?

This year, instead of re-doing
the whole show by re-opening
nominations (or, if they did,
keeping it a secret), the
fourth-yearmen will get to choose
between two token candidates
(Fratfreak and Wahoo), both of
whom participated in an election
dripping with fraud. But, then,
rigged elections are a way of
democracy, as we observe President
Thieu in South Viet-Nam.

As for the speakers, most do not
recall that last year's class chose
Walter Cronkite and got Sen. Vance
Hartke. The Indiana Democrat was
not a bad choice, only the Senior
Class didn't choose him. President
Shannon did.

So, this fourth-year class goes
into an election with no campaigns,
no new nominations after a tainted
election and a list of speakers to
satisfy every strain of intellectual
and political excellence (Howard
Cosell?) even though there's no
guarantee we'll get the speakers we
want. Somewhere, dishonesty lurks
at this, um, Honor-bound
University.

Voter apathy, especially among
students, is consistently
condemned. However, it is ironic
that apathy must now be used as a
registration of discontent among
honest fourth-yearmen and those
who dread the thought of President
Shannon choosing their graduation
speaker.