George W. Bush's Credentials Speak?

To the Editors: Why anyone would or wouldn't vote for George W. Bush: George W. is vehemently opposed to gun control, even given the facts of continued killings and violence using guns. He favors large tax cuts instead of paying down the national debt and shoring up Social Security and Medicare. George W. is for banning abortion and repealing Roe vs. Wade. George W. is definitely pro-death penalty. He has ordered 121 executions as Texas Governor. George W. Bush, the 'reform' candidate.

--Ron Lowe, Nevada City, CA

Criticism Always a Two-Way Interaction

To the Editors:

The response of Mr. Gleason to letters regarding his review of Quills contained only one compelling argument; it proved that he is equally incapable of receiving criticism as he is of providing it.

--William Alexander, College senior

Shansi Corrections

To the Editors:

We were very pleased to see an article highlighting the Oberlin Shansi Memorial Association in last week's Review. However, there are a few corrections I would like to point out to your readers: the quotes from OC alumni Fereshteh Hamidi-Toosi, OC '98, Tom Pruiksma, OC '98, Amon Killeen, OC '97 and Sonya Fatah, OC '98 were not derived from actual conversations. Instead Ms. Heron consulted our Rep Letters, available on the main floor of Mudd Library. We invite interested readers to see the Rep Letters for further elaboration of the excerpted quotes. Also please note: Amon is a male and Fereshteh, a female. If you are curious to learn more about Shansi, feel free to visit us at Peters 103.

--Viviane Chao, Oberlin Shansi Memorial Association

Self-Elevation Shows Arrogance

To the Editors:

Just when I was planning to leave on a Tahitian vacation for a week, OO (OB Objectivists) writes a letter announcing their benevolent presence. Thank you for your condescending letter, I always wondered why Oberlin keeps slipping in the rankings. It seems that it is only admitting a few chosen intellectuals (OO members), the remainder of the student body being bumbling Neanderthals incapable of a single reasoned thought, let alone argument. However, in my devolved state of intelligence, I would like to make a few points if I may, your exalted ones. Unless of course, that doesn't make you happy.

What the hell is the RISE of Socialism and multiculturalism anyhow? Are you equating it with fascism or something? Speaking of socialism, you asked "why [should I] live for anyone or any State, and not myself?" There are two approaches possible in answering this question. First, most religions or moral systems view man's compassion for another man as a defining human quality. In this case, you should be compassionate and dare I say self-sacrificing as a step in "achieving the best within [you]" (Ayn Rand Institute), which was what Mrs. Rand was all about anyhow. (A note on that "orgy of self-sacrificing" thing: Where's the orgy? Last time I looked, inequality was on the increase all around. Besides, I always wanted to be in or witness an orgy, so please tell me where I can find it. Thanks.) The second way, you'll probably find more agreeable. There is considerable data to suggest that supporting the public good has benefits for the individual. So, the patriotic façade you refer to is supportive of self-interest, and contrary to your simplistic argument, it doesn't need a totalitarian state to exist per se. If OOs, with all their intellectual capacity, could only grasp this simpler form of self-interest, then it could exist in a "democracy."

Now, concerning your comments about multiculturalism, you asked "how are my identity, my chosen values and my integrity in any way linked to my culture and ancestry?" This question is rather shocking coming from someone boasting of their intellectual grounding. Hmm, let's see. Your identity is heavily culturally influenced since your culture defines the available menu of identities from which you choose. As an example, I'll cite the Yanomamo (An aside - that's the tribe's real name, Mr. Baillet. You should try doing something unique for your comics, maybe research so you don't look so ignorant.). Violence plays a big part in the functioning of unmolested (by the West) Yanomamo culture. For a Yanomamo to identify as a pacifist would be unheard of in that society. It wasn't an item on the menu. While strictly true that you can actively choose your values, they are strongly linked to culture as well. Values vary widely from place to place and culture to culture, but they all emerge from a cultural context and remain tied to it in one way or another. Even your ability to choose from a variety of value sets is related to Western culture and imperialism. Like it or not, you live in a Western society which derived all the benefits from that imperialism. Last but not least is integrity, which is simply standing up for your values and honor. While integrity itself is universal, the ways in which one demonstrates the possession of integrity are culturally specific.

On the issue of anti-death penalty activism - is not justice blind? Because if I didn't know better, I would think she has 20/20 vision and an ulterior agenda to protect and serve the rich and powerful. After all, if everybody pursued their own self-interests and Ayn Rand was right when she asserted that "[s]ince time immemorial and pre-industrial, 'greed' has been the accusation hurled at the rich by the concrete-bound illiterates who were unable to conceive of the source of wealth or of the motivation of those who produce it" (Philosophical Detection, "Philosophy: Who Needs It"), then the rich would need her to have perfect vision to prevent those concrete-bound illiterates from doing something about their stupidity. I guess that's why you formed OO - the old safety in numbers concept. You just never know what us illiterates might do?

Lastly, your contention that "all of these groups (and others like them) are demanding action with little or no intellectual grounding," is ignorant and condescending in the extreme. Most of these groups do their homework, and thus have the intellectual grounding contrary to your seemingly uninformed opinion. You propose reasoned debate and philosophical change. Well, that may work in academia - doesn't always though - the real world is much different. In the real world, there is a time and a place for reasoned debate, but there is also room and a need for displays of sheer might. Just look at the civil rights marches; those were displays of might (personal triumph in the face of tyranny) which produced a still uncompleted paradigm shift in American race relations. Why don't you take a couple more philosophy classes and come down from your golden tower before you spout off any more ill-conceived critiques. Thanks your highness.

--Yahya Ibn Rabat, College fifth-year