MVC FYI

We want to express our concern regarding the reference to Mount Vernon College students in The Hatchet’s April Fool’s editorial, “Screw the Ellipse!,” (p.4). The reference to Mount Vernon College students as, “our bitches” was offensive, disturbing and grossly inappropriate. The Hatchet’s response thus far has been to indicate that the editorial, like the rest of the issue, was intended as a joke.

It is unfortunate that The Hatchet’s editorial staff does not understand that using sexual, racial or ethnic epithets is not funny. Equally offensive was the reference to Mount Vernon women in the possessive as “our” bitches, a further dehumanizing and humiliating verbal gesture.

There has been a consistent, condescending tone in The Hatchet’s coverage of Mount Vernon College, suggesting that Mount Vernon students are substantially different from GW students or that the women’s college experience is somehow an inscrutable one.

Mount Vernon students are no different than GW students; in fact, many have been taking courses at GW through the consortium for years. We also go on to graduate, law and medical schools, run for public office and contribute in successful ways to our communities, just as GW graduates do. You might be interested to know that while fewer than four percent of college-educated women graduated from a woman’s college, those graduates are disproportionately represented as corporate managers, in political leadership positions and among recipients of graduate degrees.

More than 8l percent of women’s college graduates continue their education beyond the undergraduate level. Could it be that in addition to being insensitive to the power and significance of language, you are ignorant about the substance and importance of women’s education? We have to wonder if The Hatchet would have been so willing to describe American, Catholic, Georgetown or even current GW women as “bitches,” or think it amusing to suggest they dress as Playboy bunnies and serve GW men.

We have accepted The Hatchet’s apology. More importantly, we hope this experience has brought some light to the darker corners of The Hatchet mind and that you will join the rest of the educated world in respecting and valuing women and the institutions committed to their education, including the George Washington University at Mount Vernon College.

We look forward to future opportunities to assist The Hatchet in providing insightful, accurate and valuable coverage of the George Washington University community.

-The students of Mount Vernon College

Acronym correction

The April 6 issue of The Hatchet contained the article “Israel celebrates 50 years” (p.5) that incorrectly translated the name of AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

AIPAC is not a political action committee (PAC), does not rate or endorse candidates and does not contribute to campaigns. AIPAC is a grassroots lobbying organization that seeks to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship by working with Congress and the administration.

-Adam Segal president of GW Friends of Israel