Letters to the Editor

No plan for pro-lifers

To the Editor:

I am not one who normally voices her opinion on the abortion debate in a public forum, but ever since I received information about this year's student health insurance plan, I've been contemplating writing to the DP as well as to the Student Health Service director. I felt that now was the time to comment on Penn's student health plan and offer another perspective on treating abortions like other medical procedures.

According to the chart detailing the coverage offered in the plan, "voluntary termination of pregnancy" is covered like any other medical procedure. Because I do not support abortion, I decided when I got the packet of information that I would not take the student health insurance plan.

Since I have always opted for the school-offered plan, I didn't know what the alternatives were. After months of spending time searching the Web and asking around, I realized that a personal health insurance plan was not only much more expensive, it was elusive -- I could not find one that fulfilled Penn's requirements.

Penn does not give waivers for plans that do not cover pre-existing conditions. And the only personal plan that I could find (which cost at least twice as much as the student health plan) does not cover medical conditions that have been treated during the past year. In the end, I was forced to apply for the student health plan.

My intent here is not to revisit all the arguments for or against abortion; it is to express my deep concern with the fact that the University would decide to go with a plan which supports abortion services, and that it is something from which a student at Penn cannot reasonably (and cost-effectively) opt out.

Aileen Kim

Education Ph.D. student

Stein's slap in the face To the Editor:

When I first heard that Ben Stein had been chosen as a speaker at Penn, I was very pleased. Aside from being a fan of his game show on Comedy Central, I felt that someone so knowledgeable of politics and yet humorous would be a fine choice in hard times like these.

Sadly, all that changed when I read an article covering a speech he gave at Chicago's Loyola University, probably in a forum similar to Connaissance.

Upon being asked about his feeling concerning Arabs suffering from the backlash after the tragedy, Stein reportedly had only to say "Well, 6,500 people are being buried, and I can not afford to shed a tear for the Arabs that are feeling the backlash."

He then added "Arabs attacked this country, so I can't be sympathetic toward any Arabs."

The full article can be found at http://www.luc.edu/orgs/phoenix/sept26stein.htm.

At a time when previously isolationist politicians, top of the list being George Bush, are reaching out to the people of the world to create a coalition, Stein's comments come as a slap to the face of such noble efforts.

More importantly, Stein's words are especially hurtful when considering the overwhelming support that Arab Americans, not to mention Arabs abroad, have expressed for America.

As an Arab and a Palestinian, my only hope is that those who attend Mr. Stein's speeches will walk out with Bush's words ringing in their ear, not Stein's. If they don't, the consequence is an America of hatred, intolerance and more violence.

Nabih Bulos

College '02

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