Let me begin by introducing myself. My name is Jon Warnock. I am the NIU Fencing Club president and primary instructor of the beginner’s fencing class. Recently, Casey Toner visited that class and published an article in Thursday’s Weekender on what he saw. It was offensive, unprofessional and near slanderous.

First, Toner can’t decide what he saw. The fencing is good, and then it is boring. The footwork is “awkward,” then “artful.” This “awkward” stance, might I add, has been developed for more than 500 years to aid in movement, and more importantly, safety. Of course, I can’t blame Toner for being bored. He didn’t seem to pay any attention, which is my second point.

I would expect a reporter to remember the names of the maneuvers he learned: “Advance,” not “Front Skip”; “Retreat” not “Back Skip”; and “Cross-Step,” not “Duck Skip.” He also seems to have forgotten the other three maneuvers he learned … and that he learned about target zones … and basic attacks.

Of course, I can understand Toner missing some of the lesson. He was busy writing. Also, I couldn’t give him any personal attention; I was busy teaching. Toner, and all of the rest of our beginning students, did, however, get personal attention from our flock of advanced fencers. It’s their job to help individual students while I address the whole class. They do this to help people fix problems early and stop fencing’s “bad habits,” not to insult students. And we make sure students know that. But because I could not give Toner personal attention, I offered to answer any questions he had after class. He said he would like to talk to some of the new students and would get right back to me. He talked to a few of them and promptly left.

Which brings me to my third, and most important, point. Toner was entirely unprofessional. We have had reporters from the Northern Star before. They were fine. Toner quotes one of our fencers without quotation marks. He does not mention the opinions of the students he wanted so much to talk to. He describes the fencing uniform as “flamboyant.” As far as I am concerned, the negative connotations implied by that comment elicit a published apology and a firing.

We will, however, settle for less. The NIU Fencing Club would like the Star to send a new reporter, one that can act professionally, to do another article. We don’t ask that Toner enjoy fencing; we simply ask that he represent it as a professional reporter would. And, because Toner didn’t really convey much information, here’s some from the fencers:

The beginning class meets from 9 to 11 p.m. Mondays at the Student Recreation Center’s Activity Room 1. The intermediate class meets from 9:30 to 11 p.m. Tuesdays at the Rec Center’s Activity Room 1. The Fencing Club meets from 6 to 8 p.m. Fridays at the Rec Center, Tennis Court No. 6. Classes cost $10 per semester, and the club costs $5 per semester.

If you try it, good for you. If you like it, great. If you don’t, go with our blessing.

Jon Warnock

President, NIU Fencing Club