This week’s issue spends a lot of time discussing love at Antioch. Our readers hear it from our staff, faculty, and even our layout editor. Given the amount of attention given to this topic, it would seem redundant for my editorial to also discuss love at Antioch, but I am talking about love of a different kind, and a different Antioch.
In Roman times, Antioch was the largest city east of Constantinople. It was also of great importance to early Christians. One of these early followers of Jesus was St. Ignatius, the third Bishop of Antioch. It is to old Saint Iggy, rather than Saint Valentine, that I turn to for a lesson in love.
St. Ignatius was captured by the Romans, and sentenced to death in the Colosseum. During the long journey from Antioch (in present day Turkey) to Rome, he was subjected to all kinds of hardships. His writings tell the grim tale: “I fight with wild beasts, by land and sea, by night and by day, being bound amidst ten leopards, even a company of soldiers, who only grow worse when they are kindly treatedâ€. Yet his beliefs did not waver, and he actually attracted large crowds of followers during his trying journey, turning desperate times into an educational experience. Upon arrival in Rome, Ignatius was taken to the Colosseum and put in front of a bunch of hungry lions. His love of his beliefs was so great that right before he was torn apart by these bloodthirsty beasts he is reported to have cried out to his followers “I am dying willingly for God’s sake, if only you do not prevent it. I beg you, do not do me an untimely kindness. Allow me to be eaten by the beasts, which are my way of reaching to God. I am God’s wheat, and I am to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, so that I may become the pure bread of Christ.†This is true love, though certainly not of a romantic disposition, but love for a belief system and ideas.
As we at the Antioch of modern times face the wild beasts of disappearing financial aid, disintegrating facilities, and dwindling student services, and possibly the ultimate test of our ideals, the closure of our institution, I ask those who truly love this place, and its virtues and principals, to remain steadfast. Follow the example of St. Ignatius, and if the death of the college does transpire, let your love move you closer to everything it represents, even as we are ripped to shreds by the merciless teeth of the Board of Trustees. Love, Live, and Prosper.
Happy Valentines Day Molly!
-Edward Perkins
Category: From the Editors
Letter From the Editor – Bryan Utley
Love at Antioch
Does love exist at Antioch? Since this paper is coming out on Valentines Day it was only natural for most of the record staff to focus on the topic of love. People couldn’t stop talking about it during this week’s staff meeting and at first I was that bitter gay man but then I seriously sat down and started to think about this hallmark holiday. Growing up I didn’t believe in love as seen in the movies instead I came from the school of thought that it was a feeling necessary to have in order to propagate our genes. After all our species will die if we stop doing the nasty. Of course modern synthesis does have a few shortcomings I happen to be one. The feeling of love does exist at Antioch for example I know many couples who share that feeling for love with one another I did for most of my Antioch career (lets hope their relationships don’t end up like mine). To be honest I usually dread this “love†day but this year it might be a little different. I am surrounded by the people I love everyday and I am apart of the community I love and I work with some amazing people, that is what this day should be about. Tell your friends, coworkers, lovers and pets that you love them because life would be lonely without them.
Love
Bryan Utley
From the Editors – Edward Perkins
The Giants Super Bowl win was significant for me, but this had nothing to do with the events on field. As a Manhattan native, I’m always glad to see a local team win a title, but this had little to do with my emotional response to a most unlikely championship. I didn’t even realize the implications until the very end, when I was suddenly struck by a somber but triumphant wave of nostalgic memories.
My first conversation with former Dean of Students Jimmy Williams began with a conversation about sports. We were in his office, and I noticed various items of New York sports memorabilia, including the Giants and Jets, our two football teams. I being a Jets fan, and Jimmy a Giants fan, we discussed the merits of the two franchises. I didn’t know Jimmy was a New Yorker until this point, and this friendly conversation created an instant sense of familiarity and camaraderie which was present throughout all my later encounters with Dean Williams, who I came to regarded as my closest friend within the Antioch administration. Jimmy’s recent selection as commencement speaker can be seen as a glorious return to his former community, and the Giants return to the top of professional football provides the perfect metaphor for his return to Antioch College. Continue reading From the Editors – Edward Perkins
From the Editors – Bryan Utley
I am writing this editorial as a gay man. Before I came to Antioch I worked in politics after my graduation in 2002 from Malcolm Shabazz City High School. At Malcolm Shabazz I had many friends. Most of them loved politics. We all ended up becoming political science majors at Oberlina, Antioch and Hampshire, and Beloit College. My best friends were Timothy Benton, Joy Spear, Sol Kelley Jones, and Mark Rasmussen. I learned tonight that one of my close friends has past away. Timothy Benton died of an overdose of oxy cotton earlier this week. Tim was a fourth year at Beloit College. I remember how wonderful my time with Tim was he was one of the smartest people I knew but he was always depressed because being a bigger gay man in this society, as we all know sucks. He had body image issues that dogged him throughout his whole life. Tim was a beautiful person, smart, funny, and charismatic. Even though he was younger than me he taught me a lot about life. I was an asshole before I met Tim. He sat me down with that voice of his and taught me humility. He taught me that there always was another side to issues. I feel guilty because I could have been there for him but I wasn’t. I imagine him now as I write that he would be laughing that so much energy is going into his death. He would have made somebody extremely happy I am just sad that I didn’t get to say goodbye. Life is tough but you take it in stride. Tim I love you god speed Buddy.
I dedicate this to you Timothy Benton
Your friend
Bryan Utley
Editorial by Jeanne Kay
On September 1st, 2006 I was walking through the streets of Yellow Springs, two huge suitcases behind me, looking for Antioch College. I hadn’t visited before. I didn’t know what any American college looked like. (Actually, I still don’t know.)
I got scared at first. I’ve told the story many times of how I missed the class photo because I was busy sobbing “I want to go hoooome†in Weston Hall. I was twenty one years old and had crossed two oceans, two straits, one canal in the past three years but I was scared to death. It was the first time I had to live on my own, as an adult, in the world. At 16 I had dropped out of school, and at 18 I had raised anchor to flee an unbearable reality and sworn to come back only when I felt strong enough to fight everything that had made me leave in the first place. But I felt completely lost, helpless and had no idea what to do with myself when I first set foot on the Antioch campus. Something had been missing from the trip, apparently, because I didn’t remember why I was here or what in me made me believe that I was up to the task of living in the real world.