Letters to the Editor

Author: [no author name found]

To the Editor:

As a Middlebury parent, a working journalist, and a one-time editor of The Cornell Daily Sun, I was dismayed by Andrea Gissing's resignation as Editor-in-Chief of The Middlebury Campus. In my view, the debate over Rudolph Giuliani represents Ms. Gissing's finest hour, the liveliest and healthiest discourse I've seen in The Campus this year.

Giuliani's doctored photograph from the March 17 issue was essentially a political cartoon. By their nature, cartoons trade in hyperbole. Some will argue that it is in bad taste to compare anyone with Hitler. President Liebowitz goes too far, however, when he attacks The Campus for "an unacceptable and embarrassing ignorance" of the Holocaust. I'm certain that Ms. Gissing and her staff understood the obvious differences between Giuliani and Hitler. What's more intriguing, though, are the similarities in the two men's policies: their wholesale use of slave labor, known as "workfare" in New York, their contempt for the law, as in Giuliani's illegal persecution of welfare recipients and the homeless and their ruthless scapegoating of minorities. To whitewash Giuliani's record is to betray "a gross misunderstanding of history," in the president's phrase.

In the wake of President Liebowitz's unfortunate lecture to the editors and now of Ms. Gissing's resignation, can anyone doubt the chilling effect on the next Editor-in-Chief faced with a controversy?

A press is only free when it can be uncomfortable and disagreeable to those in high places. By this standard, a free press at Middlebury College appears to be in jeopardy. I urge Ms. Gissing to reconsider and to finish her job.

Sincerely,

Jeff Coplon

Middlebury Student Parent



To the Editor:

In an era when business executives, community leaders, politicians of all persuasions, religious leaders, entertainment and sports figures and yes - even educators - are quick to shirk any and all responsibility for their actions, it is very refreshing to see a college student recognize and take responsibility for one's actions and the effect one's decision has on a larger community. Andrea Gissing's last editorial could have been anything but the heartfelt apology it was; that she addressed the issue and her role head-on speaks volumes about her character and the type of young woman she is. But I might be biased, for unlike the rest of the Middlebury community, I have had the pleasure of watching Andrea's every move from the day she entered this world. You see, I am her father and I am very proud of my daughter.

Sincerely,

Paul Gissing

Middlebury Student Parent



To the Editor:

Where's the love for the new Febs? We show up in the dead of winter, invigorate the campus, shower it with our laughter, smiles and "boundless energy" and what does it do to thank us? It complains that we are up at all hours of the night drinking, smoking and generally recreating "Animal House." But before we are placed on double secret probation, are not we allowed a rebuttal?

One of The Middlebury Campus' Opinions Editors went on a personal vendetta against a couple of Febs and ended up libeling our entire class. One of my favorite lines was when she told us to "grow up." Grow up? In the fall this editor was on campus spending a night every weekend drinking alcohol - illegally I presume - while our Febs were spread out across the world doing a myriad of activities. This is just a sampling, but some worked on presidential campaigns, while others traveled solo to six different continents, saved lives as EMTs or established a tutoring center in the Dominican Republic. the list goes on and on. Tell me, who really needs to grow up?

Secondly, even though I am a Feb, no one told me about the policy that precludes Febs from being assigned homework. This allows us to party at all hours of weeknights and piss off as many of the studious upperclassmen as possible at least that is what I gathered from reading that piece. Also, since when were sophomores anointed upperclassmen and allowed to pass judgement as such?

Do not misinterpret this rebuttal - the February admissions class of 2008 does not wish to have qualms with any individual - however, this fight was brought to our doorstep and we are not going to take abuse like that sitting down.

Sincerely,

Alex Garlick '08.5