In her column concerning the legacy of Yasser Arafat ('Arafat is no Moses,' Nov. 17), Alexandra Silver '05 carelessly misrepresents the views expressed in the eulogy of Arafat written by Omar Raddawi '07 and me. If Princeton aims to instill in its students argumentative sophistication and intellectual rigor, Silver's piece throws down and dances upon such principles.
While Raddawi and I went to great lengths in our eulogy to lament Arafat's ethical and diplomatic failings, Silver feels no intellectual dishonesty in accusing us of "excusing" them. In truth, Raddawi and I state most unambiguously that the murderous elements of the PLO and the organization's late corruption will forever blemish the Palestinian cause. We believe, however, that a sophisticated approach to ethical deliberation enables us to assert that virtues can exist alongside sins, and that Arafat's failures do not license us to neglect his brilliant success in putting the Palestinian cause on the geopolitical map. Otherwise, we fall victim to the most simplistic kind of Bushian moral vision where world leaders that do evil things are essentially evil and, thus, incapable of doing good.
Silver also claims that we ignored details and twisted facts and yet she does not deign to provide any explicit examples from our article of factual error or details ignored.
Without careful attention to one's rhetoric, discourse (and an editorial page) degrades into a crude spectacle of assertion and counter-assertion. Which, incidentally, is not a bad way of characterizing the history of dialogue between two tribes we know, antagonistic from old times and still shaking their fists blindly at each other today. Matthew B. Saks GS
Selective infanticide may go farther than we want
Regarding 'Bioethics class visits neonatal facility' (Nov. 18):Professor Peter Singer states that "societies throughout history have used selective infanticide for the greater good."
He's quite right. Just look at all the grand things that came about in August 1938 when Adolf Hitler set up the Reich Committee for Scientific Research of Heredity and Severe Constitutional Diseases for the purpose of selecting and killing children who are "mentally ill," "mentally deficient" and physically deformed.
What can possibly go wrong?! Steve Miller Charlotte, N.C.
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The CPUC must not gut its Judicial Committee
Bill HewittEnding the Judicial Committee’s jurisdiction over initial complaints would embolden abuses of power, allowing the administration to evade accountability for University rule violations without the pressure of student and faculty authority.
Ending the Judicial Committee’s jurisdiction over initial complaints would embolden abuses of power, allowing the administration to evade accountability for University rule violations without the pressure of student and faculty authority.
Princeton, let’s adopt a digital prox
Jorge ReyesTo prevent pointless replacement and lockout charges, maximize convenience, and create better access to meals and facilities, Princeton should follow the precedent set by some of its peers and adopt a digital prox system.
To prevent pointless replacement and lockout charges, maximize convenience, and create better access to meals and facilities, Princeton should follow the precedent set by some of its peers and adopt a digital prox system.
What is a Princeton degree really for?
Joel IbabaoSo what, in the end, is a Princeton degree really for? I take a more moderate view: Students should prioritize earning potential — unless they feel irresistibly called to something else.
So what, in the end, is a Princeton degree really for? I take a more moderate view: Students should prioritize earning potential — unless they feel irresistibly called to something else.