Kenyon College - CASE

letters
To Our Letter Writers
The Bulletin welcomes letters of 300 or fewer
words. Letters to the editor may be used for
publication unless the author states the letter
is not to be published. Letters may be edited for
style, length, clarity, grammar, and relevance to
Kenyon issues. Please address submissions to :
Editor, Kenyon College Alumni Bulletin, Office of
Public Affairs, Gambier, Ohio 43022. Letters may
also be submitted to alumni@kenyon.edu.
Photographic blunder
Your fall 2011 cover story (“Jubilant Jump”) celebrated
the success of the $240 million “We Are
Kenyon” campaign. The moment was captured
with a photo of eleven ecstatic students cheering
on the steps of Rosse Hall. As one of Kenyon’s
proud African-American alumni, I was hurt,
embarrassed, and angry when I noticed that
none of the celebrants was a person of color. The
College is reportedly much more diverse today
than when I graduated in 1983. One wouldn’t
know from the cover photo. “We Are Kenyon”
refers to whom? A little forethought could have
avoided this photographic PR blunder. Kenyon
deserves better.
—Jeremy V. Johnson ’83
An iffy question
In the Fall 2011 Bulletin (Letters), Megan B.
Pomeroy ’90 corrected an error regarding “if
Kenyon wasn’t” versus “if Kenyon weren’t.”
However, she mistakenly said that the word if
“always takes the subjunctive.” This applies only
when the statement is contrary to fact: “If I were
the editor of the Alumni Bulletin, I would have
caught that error.” However, there are many
cases where “if” can be used with statements
that may or may not be true, and in those cases
“was” is appropriate: “If I was overstepping my
bounds in pointing out this additional error,
then I am sorry.”
—Joe Stollenwerk ’95
A sentence beginning with “if” takes the
subjunctive only for conditions contrary to
fact. For conditions that exist or may exist, the
subjunctive should not be used. “You wouldn’t
be reading this magazine if Kenyon wasn’t
special to you” is entirely correct: it is a safe
assumption that readers of this magazine have
special feelings for Kenyon.
—Julie Kuzneski Wrinn (married to Steve
Wrinn ’91)
Tattoo traditions
I was troubled by the letters in the last Bulletin
variously referring to the tattoos of Kenyon
students as “depraved,” “disreputable,” and acts
of “debasement,” and suggesting that tattoos are
“hallmarks of gangs and criminals” and indicative
of “psychopathy.”
The fact is that tattoos no longer carry the
stigma they did for earlier generations. As a
student at a prominent law school, I found
that tattoos were common among my peers.
At the Silicon Valley law firm where I represented
startups and tech giants, tattoos could
be spotted beneath the business casual attire
of my colleagues and clients. And now as a law
professor, I note that both students and faculty
members, like me, are among the growing ranks
of the tattooed. Very few of us, I assure you, are
gang members, criminals, or psychopaths.
The history of tattoos did not start with
Hitler and end with the Hells Angels. This
culturally blinkered account neglects rich traditions
outside of our own. The word “tattoo”
entered our language after Captain Cook’s
voyage to Tahiti, where the locals had practiced
the art for generations. After Cook’s return
to England, something of a trend emerged in
British high society, with no less than Edward
VII and George V embracing the art form. That
is to say nothing of Japanese tattooing, which
dates back to the paleolithic era. Humility
suggests we hesitate before dismissing a practice
that emerged and thrived independently across
these diverse cultures.
—Aaron Perzanowski ’01
Memories and joy
Every issue of the Bulletin brings great memories
of the past and joy at the present and future!
Thank you very much.
—John L. McKenney ’48
editor’s note: We are happy to know that we
didn’t go grammatically astray. But we still
appreciate Ms. Pomeroy’s reminder to write with
care. And, of course, we do hope that Kenyon is
special to our readers.