THE PUBLIC MIND: CAPE NATIVE SAYS ARTICLE ABOUT THE CITADEL WAS FICTION WRITING AT ITS BEST (WORST)

To the Editor:

After reading the article entitled "What is the Citadel?" by Rick Reilly that appeared in a September issue of Sports Illustrated, I felt that it was my responsibility to write to my hometown, to the people who know me, and tell them how incredibly false and misleading this article is.

At first all I could do was laugh and smile at how Mr. Reilly portrayed The Citadel as a place of torturous injustice and treacherous discipline. It is funny only because it is so obvious to anyone who knows the school that Mr. Reilly does not. It really sounds as if he read a book review of "The Lords of Discipline," rented the movie "Full Metal Jacket," read some second-hand news clips from last year, sat down and wrote a third-rate piece of fiction. It is sensationalism at its best(worst).

However, to simply call this trash sensa~tionalism does not disprove any of the lies that found their way to print. Unfortunately, some of the lies are based on a few actual occurrences, traditions and rules, but for me to attempt to correct all of Mr. Reilly's errors of ignorance and lies about The Citadel and the fourth-class system would require at least a six-page paper of my own.

What I can do is tell you in short what The Citadel is, or at least what it is to me. When I first arrived I was a little nervous, as most any college freshman is on the first day. I thought I knew what to expect when I said good-bye to my parents and walked through the heavy iron gates of fourth battalion, but nothing I had ever read, seen or done (with the possible exception of football my senior year under Coach Bob Levy) could have prepared me for the next nine months. They were without doubt the longest, hardest months of my life. It was a year of fear and frustration, of late nights and early mornings, of brotherhood and inspiration. It opened my eyes to the future and closed the door on my past. Freshman year, however, is only the foundation upon which the next three years are to be built.

Where freshman year left off, sophomore year began. My first tastes of freedom and responsibility, although just tastes, were to be the first bricks of Citadel manhood to be laid on the foundation of freshman year. This year was nearly as bad as the first because although I was no longer a knob(freshman) and had more free time, I was still very limited in what I could do and where I could go. Sophomore year also saw a drop in my GPA and a change of majors. I also found myself staying one step ahead of The Citadel's disciplinary system, which would have seriously restricted my already limited freedom. That is not to say I did not have my fun taking my chances with the system. With the completion of my second year came a newly found confidence and a desire to succeed and not just get by, in the face of adversity.

I have now begun my junior year. It has already been one of significant decisions, but I have been able to make these decisions with confidence. I foresee this year going smoother than the last two as I am more able to influence events and the people around me.

The Citadel was and never will be a cake walk, but it has been well worth the time and effort I have put forth thus far. I am far more confident and assertive than I ever was before college and I can only hope I will continue to grow and become better able to rise to any situation that may present itself to me. I give full credit to The Citadel and its system of education for my development to my present stage. It is a good system that works, but it is not for everyone. Unfortunately some do not find that out until they arrive. It sometimes ends up in exaggerated excuses to save face instead of admitting that they were not suited to The Citadel's rigorous system of learning, thus giving sensationalists material to write articles outlining the dark shadows that creep inside the walls at night.

It is a shame that such stories are created in an attempt to destroy our character. I have now come to accept, if not expect, such slander from closed minded individuals who cannot accept that others way of living or learning could be comparable or, heaven forbid (if they will allow me a belief in heaven), better than their own.

A. Charles Zoffuto

The Citadel

Charleston, S.C.