Irrational Discourse

To the Editors of The Crimson:

Harvard certainly has a wide range of views, and often this leads to the kind of intellectual confrontation that makes a university what it is. Traditionally, the Harvard-Radcliffe College Democrats have stayed out of the fray, in order to avoid making campus issues into partisan ones. But the actions of one group on campus cannot go unchallenged.

This past week, AALARM has revealed its true colors and shattered the myths about its goals that it has spread across campus. AALARM tells us that they are being oppressed by a mindless P.C. mindset which brands any opposition as Politically Uncorrect. Yet when Harvard-Radcliffe Hillel condemned AALARM's recent anti-BGLAD postering campaign, an AALARM leader referred to Hillel as a "political, P.C. hack group." That defines it. If you disagree with AALARM, you are a "political, P.C. hack group."

AALARM tells us it is just trying to further the cause of rational discourse. But in a recent poster, AALARM cited questionable statistics to indicate that most Americans believed that non-heterosexual sex should be outlawed. One of the most basic assumptions of "rational discourse" is that you don't try to outlaw your opponents. It's that simple. AALARM claims they are being oppressed, and in the same breath they want to outlaw those with whom they disagree.

Part of the value of "Community" (which AALARM claims to vigorously defend) is sensitivity to other members within the community. AALARM owes an apology not just to Hillel, not just to BGLSA, not just to the students these groups represent, but to the entire Harvard community. Its deceitful and bigoted actions are an affront to us all. Ron Fein '94   Harvard/Radcliffe Democrats