Eating disorders can become a private and painful dilemma

Dear Editor,

I want to offer praise to Audrey Wagstaff for her courage in addressing the subject of eating disorders in such a personal manner with her Dec. 7, 2006, column “Anorexia Can Become Serious During Holidays.”

Wagstaff offers a glimpse into the hellish world of shifting mirrors and hissing voices that won’t let one forget the number of calories in a bagel, granola bar and banana. Too often we hear the statistics about and trite reasons for eating disorders without exploring the daily suffering and manic thoughts which eating disorders cause.

Yes, they are “about” control, but they are also about the rejection of self, rejection of life. They are a manifestation of the justified fear of living in a society which projects contradicting messages – like magazines that juxtapose an article about positive body image next to an advertisement for diet pills.

As a recovering bulimic, I want to support Wagstaff’s call for a conscience effort of the general public to please stop announcing the number of calories in the holiday treat you are eating. You don’t know how that may be affecting the person next to you.

Danielle Seidita

Senior Psychology Major

President Lefton deserves more credit for first semester work

Dear Editor,

In the Dec. 6, 2006 edition of the Stater, I came across a very interesting topic, “Evaluating the President.” This is not the best approach to rate our university’s president on his first semester.

Regarding the availability to students, he is more concerned with setting the bar and getting to know more important issues at the university rather than minor issues with student organizations. Lefton communicates, in a way, by sending out a university-wide e-mail: In a Flash – Weekly Message From President Lefton. There, at least he is attempting meanwhile conquering the beginning struggles of his university presidential career. I don’t remember Carol Cartwright e-mailing students, except for her retirement e-mail. Secondly, TV2 broadcasted the Lester Lefton Show. He put himself out there for questions and a chance to answer them earlier in the semester. Why didn’t anyone see this? Probably because of the lack of advertisements.

Regarding proper feedback, when was the last time any university president asked for the student body feedback when it came to any Kent State issue? Treating students respectfully? Seriously, who isn’t sarcastic?

As for school spirit, I believe this needs to be addressed immediately. There was one very obvious act of school spirit from the president as he held up the wagon wheel during the celebration of the victory over rival Akron. However, prior to this feat, President Lefton made the statement in the Monday edition of the Stater, September 18: “I’m much more concerned about academics … if we win some football games, it’ll be fun, but we do a good job in our intercollegiate programs.” Athletically, this needs to be reconsidered; however, academically, this category is right on.

Furthermore, school spirit needs to be addressed to an even bigger source: the Daily Kent Stater. On the front page of the Stater on Monday, Nov. 20, 2006, the headline read: “Kent Celebrates Game Day” as a reference to the Ohio State/ Michigan game. Last time I checked, we all attend Kent State University. I understand that this was a “big game” and that the Stater writes all of the university sports on the last page, but should that have really been the front page headline?

Before you go and bash the president on his first semester, maybe you should evaluate him after a few semesters.

Wade Kratzer

Sophomore architecture major

James Buechele

Sophomore broadcasting major