Letters to the Editor

Buses to Yale were a team effort

Regarding 'Two buses chartered for Sat. football game' (Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007):

It seems as though The Daily Princetonian has been too kind to me. While last November's buses to Yale were a significant triumph for the USG, it undermines the contributions of other USG members and ODUS staff (particularly Josh Weinstein '09 and Shelley Jannos, respectively) to credit me solely with the chartering. Such a triumph could only have been the result of a team effort. Rob Biederman '08 USG President

Accepting criticism

Regarding 'University offers a wealth of religious accommodations' (Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007):

As a devout Hindu and a recent graduate, I am delighted to see more attention paid to the needs of students who follow religions with minority representation on campus. Nevertheless, I was troubled by the characterization at the beginning of the article that materials critiquing a religious tradition are somehow "offensive." Certainly such materials have the potential to be offensive, and there is a real problem if there is material circulating that presents conclusions based on inaccurate information. Admittedly, this is something that Hindus and other members of religious minorities have to confront all the time. But if we are going to be spending our college years in a marketplace of ideas, we have to accept the fact that people are going to attack our most deeply held beliefs. No group at the University should have to apologize for circulating controversial material criticizing a religious or spiritual tradition as long as they have done their homework first. I would propose that the solution to making Princeton even more welcoming to all faiths lies not in creating a politically correct facade of mutual acceptance, but in doing everything we can to make students aware of what the most orthodox members of different faiths actually believe and practice. Perhaps this will lead us to discover more common ground with our friends and classmates of other faiths. At the least, it will integrate more experiences and viewpoints into our marketplace of ideas so that when we do criticize each other's deepest beliefs (as we all inevitably will), we can do so knowledgeably, with honesty and compassion. Anand Dharan '07

Setting the record straight

Regarding 'Merwick site zoning discussed' (Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007):

As the person quoted concerning the Princeton Borough Police, I would like to correct the record.

The words attributed to me referred not to the Borough Police but to the Princeton Township Police.

Further, the opinion attributed to me was not my original thought. The opinion belonged to the author of a letter to the editor that appeared on page 14A of the Princeton Packet, Friday, Oct. 19, 2007. That Packet letter refers only to the Township Police.

Thus, at the Borough Council meeting where I was quoted by your reporter, I merely read aloud the letter to the Packet, stating the opinion of someone else who was referring to the Township Police.

I have never said, and I do not believe, that the Borough Police are under-worked. I disagree with the Borough's decision to hire two additional officers., but I do so not because I believe that the Borough Police are under-worked.

Thank you for the opportunity to correct the record. Roger Martindell Princeton Borough Council