|
To the Editor:
I was really disturbed by the letters in the recent newsletter
blasting Islam, the religion, as the cause of Sept. 11. Harpur College
was my initial exposure to humanistic ideas and ideals, and these
letters shattered that image.
To accept the tenet of these letters would mean to empathize with
the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe because of Israel's brutal
occupation and treatment of Palestinians. However, to say these
actions are based on Judaism would belie the number of Israelis
who are peace activists, army reserves "refuseniks" and
conscientious objectors. Similarly, we would have to blame Christianity
for the Crusades and the Ku Klux Klan, as well as what appears to
be the imminent slaughter of innocent Iraqis by the United States.
People take the teachings of their cultures, whether it's the Old
Testament, New Testament, Quran, U.S. Constitution, Mao's Little
Red Book, The Communist Manifesto, The Wealth of Nations, Confucius'
sayings, etc., to justify their individual world views and actions.
You cannot blame the mass of people who believe in these teachings
for the crazy and evil actions of a relative few.
-- Arlene Ptaszek Halfon '61
|
To the Editor:
I wanted to let you and your office know what a great job you have
done with the Alumni Journal. I especially enjoyed page 9
of the summer Journal --Madeleine Smithberg was an Italian
classmate of mine in 1981, in Professor Pellegrini's advanced [Italian]
conversation course. It is nice to see that someone attributes her
very successful career development to having learned a foreign language.
I use the article to inspire my foreign-language students at Chenango
Valley High School.
I'd also like to commend your office on a job sensitively well
done on the aftermath of Sept. 11. The events and ceremonies observed
by Binghamton University and the Alumni Office have indeed served
to honor and remember those members of our collegiate community
who lost their lives in the horrific attacks against our country.
Wishing you all the best,
-- Al DiRusso '85, MA '87, MAT '93
| EDITOR'S NOTE: Reader comments and reactions to articles
in the Binghamton Alumni Journal are welcome. Please
limit them to 200 words and mail to: Office of Alumni and Parent
Relations, Binghamton University, PO Box 6004, Binghamton, New
York 13902-6004; fax: 607-777-2654; or e mail: alumni@binghamton.edu.
Letters to the editor represent a diversity of viewpoints and
do not necessarily reflect the views of Binghamton University
or the Alumni Association. |
|
