Will the Real Ithaca Please Stand Up? (Free Republic mentioned!)

Copyright © 2003 by The Cornell Daily Sun, Inc. ^ | TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2003 | By ERIC FINKELSTEIN

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Ithaca is Gorges.

Ithaca is Cold?

Ithaca is Gangsta?

Ithaca is Long Island?

Ithaca is the City of Evil?

"Ithaca is Gorges" t-shirts have been a growing craze since Howard Cogan '50 came up with the slogan over 20 years ago. T-shirts and bumper stickers with the famous slogan are seen all over the Cornell and Ithaca College campuses, Ithaca and its surrounding area, and other places throughout the country and the world today.

Until the fall semester of 2001, "Ithaca is Gorges" shirts were the only "Ithaca is..." t-shirts available for sale. Today, one can find many variations on these popular shirts. For some, the varieties are all in good fun; for others, they are part of a politicized analysis of the city itself.

"Ithaca is the City of Evil"

A complete line of merchandise can be found at www.cafeshops.com/cityofevil, displaying the words "Ithaca is the City of Evil." This merchandise has been endorsed by www.freerepublic.com.

According to its website, www.freerepublic.com is "an online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web." It is comprised of forums, articles and links of interest to conservatives around the country.

A post by aptly named contributor "Behind Liberal Lines" at www.freerepublic.com/~behindliberallines, criticizes Ithaca as the "City of Evil," citing liberal sentiments.

"Politics in Ithaca runs the gamut from 'liberal' to 'communist,'" the article says, referring to Ithaca's history of endorsing Democratic and Green Party candidates.

The writer criticizes Ithaca's "alternative" schools and the "educated idiots" who attend school in Ithaca, including its many college students.

Links to newspaper articles displaying news from Ithaca grace the site to show said liberal tendencies.

Some conservatives empathize with the author's point, but do not necessarily agree that Ithaca is "the City of Evil." Paul Chernick '04 remarked, "The author of the website does have a point, but while it is hard to be a conservative in Ithaca, I can only imagine how liberals feel in places like Grand Rapids, Michigan or the Deep South."

T-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, bumper stickers, mouse pads and even lunch-boxes have been decorated with the "evil" slogan and can be found at the Cafe Shops website.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

A post by aptly named contributor "Behind Liberal Lines" at www.freerepublic.com/~behindliberallines, criticizes Ithaca as the "City of Evil," citing liberal sentiments.

Aw...shucks...

But Ithaca is STILL the City of Evil.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

City of Evil bump.

(And hi to all the newbies at lurkers at Cornell today!)

[general_re]

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

- Mohandas K. Gandhi

:^)

[Drango]

This merchandise has been endorsed by www.freerepublic.com.

Minor point, but www.FreeRepublic.com did not endorse anything of the sort. Individuals at FreeRepublic did....

[blackdog]

Ah, I see the obligatory reference to the deep south is made. When you're sinking fast on facts it's always best to reference the deep south.

Mr Finkelstein might be best served by actually getting acquainted with a geographical region before he wants to describe how one might feel there regardless if their political convictions.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

In fact, "Ithaca is the City of Evil" bumper stickers, are available through Free Republic, by clicking here and entering "Evil" as a keyword.

[prairiebreeze]

Bump for Fame!

Prairie

[martin_fierro]

You put it kindly.

I've been told flat-out, Ithaca SUCKS.

[Kenton]

OK, got a question. What the heck is "Ho Plaza" named for? (Given what you've told us about Ithaca, I'm betting it's dedicated to Ho Chi Minh.)

[jigsaw]

BLL, Congrats!

And indeed, welcome to our new Cornell Freepers!

[San Jacinto]

Hey, you're getting around. A friend of mine who knows the assistant mid-level supervisor at the Office of Affirmative Remediation of Past Civil Injustice for the Public Condom Dispensory at Cornell said that one of those 'City of Evil' Tee-shirts had been spotted on campus and the matter would be referred to the Student/Faculty Committee for Hate Speech Studies as a possible crime against humanity.

[blackdog]

Are they series when they claim Ithaca is gorges? This article by Finklestein must be hugh in the local press.

How long until FR is sued for damages to the city? I suspect papers have been served before this morning's coffee, which of course is organically grown by GLBT bean farmers who read translated "Alynsky Books" by candle light in their off hours if it's a cup of coffee enjoyed in Ithaca.

[Maelstrom]

He was merely quoting Paul Chernick.

Your complaint is misdirected.

[randog]

LOL!!

[blackdog]

I thought it seemed a bit out of place. Thanks, and my apology is offered.

[kidd]

To all you Cornell Sun student-readers who have chosen to check out the site mentioned in the article:

Go study. Go to class. Tell your professors that you're paying big bucks for them to teach rather than indoctrinate.

The goofy leftist nonsense that some think is student activism has made it embarassing for alumni (like myself) to admit that we went to Cornell. I have no intention of supporting any program at Cornell until the University demonstrates that it is more interested in academic excellence rather than some lame attempt at recreating the 1960s.

[mhking]

[mewzilla]

Ooooh, sounds like you struck a nerve...Heh heh heh.

Well done!!!!

[mewzilla]

I've been told flat-out, Ithaca SUCKS.

I've been there. The City of Evil does flat-out suck.

[martin_fierro]

Saw the photo from the topless protest. Yeesh.