Conformity seems to be more important here than just about anything else. I was reminded of this recently when I was told by security that I was not allowed to go wading in the water brought by a flash flood because it was dangerous. This is pure--pardon my French--bulshevic, or bedsheet, or something of that nature. For our safety: that's probably what Big Brother said. To name just a few reasons why this is absurd...

Firstly, the heavy storm had ceased 10-20 minutes ago and was well to the southeast.

Secondly, to the north and the west, from whence the wind was coming, were clear skies.

Thirdly, the water was clean. This is because it was rainwater. Rainwater comes from rain. Perhaps Campus Security or their superiors are unaware of this, but rain is generally clean.

Fourthly, the landscape in the bottom of the valley between Williams/the Mahler and Kiest Boulevard is fairly gentle (though I was delighted to fall into deeper water once or twice). No thorn bushes, not a single rock.

Fifthly, there was to be seen not a single thing floating in the water. No thornbranches or anything.

Maybe those are enough. I could have added something like this: "Sixthly, what on earth is the reason it was dangerous?" If I'd been out there 20 minutes earlier of course it would have been dangerous with that kind of storm, but by the time I was out there the wind had died down, the rain all but ceased, and the lightning was long, long gone. Yet they said it was dangerous. I think I know why they said that.

They needed an excuse. They needed a reason to tell me to conform. They think I'm a problem when I'm out there doing something no one else is doing.

Of course everyone these days is paranoid about being sued, and understandably, reasonably so. But if they were concerned about being sued, or especially about my safety (in good weather, clean water, a 95% tame landscape), why do they permit people to sled in the winter? Last year a person had to go to the hospital because of a sledding accident, but they didn't stop sledding.

I think (consider this the accusation at the heart of my essay) that they let people sled but don't let people go wading after a heave rain because they want us to conform, to do what they want us to do and not do anything else, but they just can't stop people from sledding. Unlike wading, sledding is a major tradition on college campuses. Too many people go sledding.

But even though sledding is a guaranteed way for people to go flying into trees and lampposts and wading is much safer, it's the waders who are told by security to stop. Obviously, either they're (as in, "the them, the they") not thinking clearly, or safety is not their primary concern. Which is it, Campus Security? Which is it, the-them-the-they? Are you crazy or do you just want us to conform, to be enslaved to the way things are, to the way everyone else is and the way you want us to be, to stay in line?

It's not just Campus Security. I doubt they're to blame. It's the whole atmosphere at DBU. I heard a friend of mine, an international student from a former Soviet Republic, say that he came to America to get away from communism, but found it alive and well at DBU. It's not just Security; most of them are nice people anyways; it's the whole danged system. Maybe it's whoever sets the priorities around here or whoever leads us. Maybe it's whoever's structurally at the top; or maybe it's whoever gives out all the money; maybe it's whoever sets out ideals and theological priorities. I don't know who it is.

I'm angry at the system that demands conformity. We're far too short on individuals at DBU. Far too short on free minds. Far, far, far too much conformity. We're a communist regime, minus the sophisticated political and social theories.

The only remaining point to make is this . . . it seems that the reason we're oppressed is the school's longing to have people conform springs from its longing to look like a good Christian school. Rule Number One, Conform!, comes from Priority Number One, Image! I just wonder why it is that the image we seek so often conflicts with the reality.

But I realize the finitude of my knowledge as a human being. Plus, there's the theoretical possibility that I'm incorrect in my assessment of what I see.

That's why oocities.com/dbusnipe supports free speech. There are few things I like more than a reasonable dissenting opinion, presented respectfully. One rare thing I like more than that is Ton's Mongolian. Anyone can dissent: dbusnipe@yahoo.com . Dissent anytime. I know I'm talking about a few people who are reading this. It's awfully easy for me to not hear dissenting opinions and figure it's because you're afraid of the truth. Prove me wrong, or prove the issue by emailing dbusnipe@yahoo.com . Be free and dissent. Don't let every opinion here conform to the Head Snipe's opinion. Conformity is bad.