Freedom of expression does not equal freedom to vandalize
To the editor:
Anger. Shock. Disbelief. Those were three of the many feelings I felt as I watched a fellow student write the word “fascism” across an Israeli flag hanging in Bowles Plaza during a celebration for Israel’s 54th birthday.
At a school where dialogue, not vandalism, is often used to express one’s political views, it never occurred to me that a student might turn to destroying a national symbol of Israel in order to express his opinion. As I watched this particular student deface the Israeli flag, I did not fully understand what he was doing or why he was doing it. I understand that he was trying to make a point and express his beliefs, but personally I do not see how vandalism is an effective way of doing so. This student merely wrote the word and walked out of Bowles Plaza without any explanation to defend his belief.
So as I watched this student deface the Israeli flag, I went through a number of emotions. Anger, because defacing an important national symbol, whether it is for America or for another country, is disrespectful. Shock, because I was witnessing a possible hate-crime taking place. Finally, I felt disbelief given the recent rally in Washington D.C. in which Israel was depicted as far as possible from being fascist. During the rally it was emphasized repeatedly that the United States of America stands in solidarity with Israel, the only democratic country in the Middle East. Another reason I was in disbelief was because this student chose a very cowardly way of expressing his feelings, rather than having an open discussion with someone where different views could be shared. I feel that if this student truly wants to get his point across it would have been better expressed in a dialogue with someone who supports Israel’s government.
The right to free speech, the most important freedom given to us in this country, is guaranteed only until it infringes upon the basic rights of other. I am not saying that this student should not have expressed his beliefs; rather, his expression should not have infringed on someone else’s property rights. As students on this campus we should feel free to express our opinions in an appropriate and respectful manner, whether they be verbally or through the display of a symbol, without the worry of being ostracized or the fear of the symbol getting defaced.
Erin Pickar
Arts and Sciences
Class of 2004
Drugs not allowed in campus housing
To the editor:
A recent article by Courtney Miller about the Residential Life policy on searching for drugs in a suite owned by ResLife poses an interesting question: do I care that this is how ResLife handled the situation? In a word, no.
All of the complaints of discrimination and everything else aside, there is a fundamental point that is being missed. Drugs are not allowed in Residential Life owned housing, plain and simple. Regardless of policy and how much it is or is not enforced, you need to know that you are taking a chance when you break the rules. ResLife has better things to do than be on 24 hour “weed-watch,” so the people who get busted are going to get it bad.
If you don’t think that this is real-world enough for you, look at the policy for the MetroLink. Tickets cost only $1.25, and plenty of times people are tempted to ride for free since the fare-checkers aren’t always around. But if you are caught without a ticket, you will have to pay a $500 fine. Now since some days the MetroLink may give out 10 fines, and others 0, it makes the policy inconsistent.
Granted drugs and MetroLink tickets are not on the same level, but the whole point of this article is that the inconsistency does not matter. You KNOW that you are doing something wrong, but you are taking a chance doing it anyway. This means you have no one to blame but yourself.
I’m not against people smoking pot, just people complaining about the consequences afterwards.
Aneel Damle
Co-Coordinator WuHealth Network
Arts and Sciences
Class of 2004
Recycling a tradition at WILD
To the editor:
As some one who has helped establish the recycling program as a student and now as the campus Recycling Coordinator, I would like to understand further what the staff meant by its editorial on April 5th.
For the record, there have recycling bins in place for the past four WILDs with the help of CEQ and Facilities, and I have personally witnessed each one being more successful than the one before, in terms of reduced contamination and the amount left on the ground. I agree that the pick up of what is left on the ground including trash should not be left to Spann and a few caring souls, but I am curious to know what else you are asking for when you say “this policy should appropriately be handed down from up on high.” I would sincerely appreciate any thoughts about how we can better the system as well as recognition to a few folks who have worked hard to respond to students’ needs.
Nate Dewart
Recycling Coordinator