Letters to the Editor

An impregnable fortress

To the Editor:

I wholeheartedly applaud the administration's decision to require all students and employees to wear visible identification. I have never wanted to be a normal citizen of Philadelphia. Rather, I would prefer to be marked clearly, such that everyone knows that I am part of the world's most vigilant institution of higher learning.

Of course, since all students will be marked in this fashion, any visitors to campus will stand out clearly. The many citizens and sundry guests that pass through our beautiful campus will feel ashamed that they are not part of our newly regimented organization. Realizing that Big Sister watches over all her charges, they will fear and respect Her authority. Someday, anyone who even thinks of treading our campus will recall that they are in no way part of the University community and that their absence is paramount to that community's safety.

In fact, why stop at ID cards? Someday, they too will be insufficient. Eventually, we should wear uniforms in order to distinguish ourselves further from outsiders. Watchtowers should be installed at the four corners of campus, with armed sentries patrolling atop all buildings. To discourage trespassers, Spruce, Sansom, 33rd, and 40th streets should be excavated and replaced with a moat.

Hopefully, the new and improved security system will ultimately include a gigantic titanium- domed cage, outfitted with radar and missile launchers, that encompasses the entire body of campus. That way, no uninvited person or vehicle will ever be able to penetrate the impregnable fortress that is Penn. That will be something for which I can truly be proud of taking out thousands of dollars in loans.

Rebecca Berkowitz

College '05

Spoon-fed solutions

To the Editor:

This is a response to Mark Fiore's column ("Students to Soldiers," The Daily Pennsylvanian, 9/24/01). Why is it that Mr. Fiore is so concerned with the tiny minority of people who don't support a war in response to the recent attacks? I have seen no coverage of anti-war sentiment in the mainstream news media, while the headlines and banners prematurely declare war. As for our elected representatives, only one congressman voted against giving the president blanket power to declare war. So Mr. Fiore needn't worry or be annoyed. A few college students won't stop him from getting his war.

But what if Mr. Fiore were to look beyond his annoyance, and listen to what this nearly silent minority is saying? They may not agree with sending troops and bombs into Afghanistan, but they may share his sense of outrage at the attacks, and, dare I say, even his patriotism. The sense of powerlessness, grief and wounded pride may be the same, only the response is different.

I cannot imagine what people in Afghanistan may be going through right now -- millions of innocent people who now have yet another reason to fear for their lives.

If Mr. Fiore were to examine the true source of what is annoying him, he may find it is his conscience.

Alex Welsh

Biomedical Library

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.