Letters to the editor

A devastating attack

To the Editor:

On Thursday, March 11, Spain's culture and way of life was devastated by the horrific terrorist bombings of three main train stations during the morning rush hour. As a Spanish citizen going to school at Penn, I feel angry, sad and powerless in the face of the uncertainty concerning the attack. Imagine the moments of desperation that I lived as I tried to contact my family and friends (who live in Madrid) to make sure that everyone was OK and safe. Fortunately, they are fine.

Exactly 911 days after Sep. 11, the bombings in Madrid -- that have now taken the lives of over 200 people -- are the deadliest terrorist act in Spain's history. Whether the supposed terrorists are ETA (the Basque separatist terrorist group) or Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda, the massacre of 11-M has taken the lives of innocent men, women and children of many nationalities only three days before the national elections.

With screams of "Con las victimas, con la constitucion, por la derrota al terrorismo" ("With the victims, with the constitution, and for the fight against terrorism") and "Asesinos" ("murderers"), over 2 million people took to the streets of Madrid on Friday night to express their feelings against terrorism and the sadness of the tragedy. However, we stand united as a country and as a people of peace and solidarity in the fight against terrorism not only in Spain, but also worldwide.

Hundreds of cars are left on the parking lots of the Atocha, Santa Eugenia and El Pozo train stations from people who left that morning to take the train to work but who will never come back. My sadness, my desperation and my anger won't bring them back, but my personal fight for what I believe and my voice against terrorism will certainly find sympathy among all of us.

Juan Hernandez

Wharton '05

Still a rock star

To the Editor:

The choice of Bono as the graduation speaker has only continued a trend of sub-par Commencement speakers over the last few years. Yes, Bono is an interesting personality. Yes, his work with Third World debt and AIDS is both highly laudable and compelling. But his selection is demeaning to the University, the Commencement ceremony and the Class of 2004.

Much like Desmond Tutu and Jim Lehrer, Bono is perfectly suited for a Social Planning and Events Committee speaker series. He is very accomplished in many fields and his experience would benefit students who could ask him questions and generate a discussion. Commencement addresses, while not as important today as they have been throughout history, have always been considered platforms for new ideas and furthering the debate on many issues. A notable example of this is the fact that the Marshall Plan was first put forth by Secretary of State George C. Marshall at Harvard's Commencement in 1947. While Bono does laudable work, I cannot imagine him delivering a high-profile speech that would garner any media coverage or find its way onto C-SPAN.

Oddly enough, it has been the SPEC series in recent years that have attracted speakers who are better fitted for Commencement addresses. A former secretary of state and a Middle Eastern queen are both well situated to give Commencement-worthy addresses. These are speakers who would attract the attention The Daily Pennsylvanian claims Bono will.

In the end, we have a rock star as a Commencement speaker -- an interesting rock star, but a rock star nonetheless. Maybe if the Class of 2005 is really lucky, Britney Spears will be available next year.

Evan Smith

College '04

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