COLUMN: Guilty as Sin

From Dan Schorr's "Behind Enemy Lines," Fall '93 From Dan Schorr's "Behind Enemy Lines," Fall '93No one would argue that the University is perfect, but it does seem that the criticism Penn has received lately may be far too severe. Are the members of the Penn community really the ignorant, dangerous people that have been portrayed in the media? Former President Sheldon Hackney thinks so. In a recent speech at Drexel University, Hackney proclaimed that, "We are all guilty." Although Hackney was speaking about humanity in general, his knowledge of human behavior most likely originates from the community with which he is most intimately familiar: Penn. And, of course, the individuals in the Penn community all happen to be members of humanity as well. So, each individual at Penn is guilty. But Hackney qualified his initial statement, adding, "We are guilty for acts of omission more than for acts of commission." In other words, even if we think we behave well, every one of us is a sinner, responsible for some undefinable crime against humanity. What exactly is guilt for "acts of omission?" After failing to respond to the now internationally famous campus events of last year, surely Hackney must know. As Jean Paul Richter said, "A man never discloses his own character so clearly as when he describes another's." Psychologists call this projection. But Hackney is not alone in his general condemnation of Penn's humanity. A recent UA letter, which passed by a slim 13-12 margin, stated that, "At Penn, there is a lack of tolerance, respect, and understanding?we are all guilty of this negligence." All of us. Every one. No matter how well you abide by your moral standards, you have, at best, only succeeded in sinning in moderation. We are all guilty. Do Penn's sins make us the twentieth century Sodom and Gomorrah? Will God threaten to smite us all? Will a modern-day Abraham bravely beg for the salvation of our campus? "Suppose there are fifty innocent men, wilt thou not spare the University to save such innocent citizens that dwell there? What if you can find forty innocent people? Thirty?...," he will cry. But just as in the Bible, it won't work. Hackney said it best: "We are all guilty." Yet I wonder whether this is an exaggeration. I would like to know how accurate these accusations are. I need some help with this. Please write down examples of your intolerance and why you should feel guilty and send them to me, c/o the Daily Pennsylvanian. Remember, I expect a thoughtful confession from every one of you. After all, Hackney does. And parents, you can participate as well, for you raised these demons. Share the college experience of the 1990's and confess your sins of intolerance. Some of you may be thinking, "No, really, I can't think of a personal example of intolerant behavior." But we're not only talking about behavior or action. Remember, we're also talking about omission – that is, nonaction. Please write down your nonactions, too. Can one effectively deny crimes of omission and unrealized intolerance? When it is preached that each individual is evil, many fall victim to the fact that it is impossible to prove otherwise. In real courts of law, proof of guilt requires evidence. All that Penn seems to require is non-evidence. The fact that some person feels offended, spurned, or neglected is enough to demand penance from the perpetrator of the crime. Just suppose I believe that every member of the Penn community is English major-aphobic and is guilty of treating us unjustly. This doesn't include you? Prove it. Hah, you can't! You are English major-aphobic, you just don't know it. All that matters is that I happen to feel it. But don't fret, I've organized a special sensitivity seminar for you. If, as Hackney stated, we are all guilty of certain sins, I really resent that I wasn't warned. No one told me as a pre-frosh during my campus visit that I was entering a University where everyone was guilty of intolerance, through commission and/or omission. All I received were letters proclaiming how nice and diverse and peaceful the Penn campus was. I think we can all agree that it would only be fair to send a copy of Hackney's statement along with the UA letter to every applicant for the class of 1998. If we are all intolerant and guilty, shouldn't they know exactly what type of sinful place they might be getting into? Or maybe we're getting carried away. Many of us were taught that guilt is a necessary, powerful emotion that sways us from wrongdoing. However, we have now reached a point where the concepts of guilt and responsibility have been greatly trivialized. If everyone should feel guilt, of what significance is it? Blurring the distinction between action and nonaction sets a dangerous precedent. Rather than being regarded as egregious, reprehensible behavior, blatant acts of discrimination simply become another example of man's intolerance to man. And if everyone is automatically guilty, why attempt to be a kind person? It seems we are all destined to fail, anyway. We are all automatically guilty of some vague original sin. Defining guilt as a predetermined, necessary result of unavoidable nonaction and unforeseen emotions places people in a very difficult position. In an atmosphere in which administrative and student leaders are confessing and declaring the universal guilt of the University, one becomes a snob by simply defending one's own decency. If everyone else is guilty, could you possibly be so high and mighty as to insinuate that you are kind and understanding? What blasphemy! You must be guilty, intolerant, and evil, too. Well, aren't you? What have you done? What haven't you done? Write it down. Send it in. If it turns out that we are not all guilty, that some of us act justly, others act unjustly, and still others fall sporadically along the spectrum in between, then maybe we should rethink our general condemnation of the University and instead focus on specific wrongdoings. But if, as some of our leaders have stated, we are all guilty, I offer the following advice. Study, earn good grades, have some fun, graduate, and then run. Run from this den of sinners, run from this hell on earth. And remember, don't look back. You may turn into a red and blue pillar of salt. Dan Schorr is a junior English major from Valley Stream, New York. Behind Enemy Lines appears alternate Fridays.