Viewpoint’s errors are embarrassing
I noted that Rachel Sizgorich’s recent column,
“Celebrity boycotts act against free speech” (April 4),
contained a glaring factual error. In condemning boycotts of
anti-war celebrities as McCarthyism, she inaccurately titled
McCarthy as “General” and later sneered that he was a
“drunken general.” McCarthy was a senator, not a
general.
To make another observation: public boycotting of a
celebrity’s work in no way acts against free speech rights.
Only the government can infringe on these rights. If Sizgorich has
trouble understanding this, perhaps she should more carefully read
the First Amendment before writing about free speech.
Such errors are sadly typical in Viewpoint. I urge The Bruin to
tighten its standards: at this rate Viewpoint will become the
laughing stock of college newspapers.
Frank Nilsen History, class of 2003
Science needs diversity, too
Eric Davidson’s submission, “Considerations of race
have no place in scientific arenas” (April 4), is indicative
of why contemporary science is held back by false notions of
objectivity in public life.
As someone who has worked in the computer sciences field for
several years, both as a programmer and an ethnographer, I’ve
seen the serious consequences that can occur from an
engineer’s limited exposure to diverse cultural backgrounds.
The World Wide Web, a tool whose very name invokes a universal
notion of accessibility, initially assumed that all potential users
would be versed in a Roman-derived writing system (not to mention
free of physical and learning disabilities). The creators have been
quick to realize and rectify these painful shortcomings.
It is incorrect to assume race is a binary toggle:
“on” in the living room and “off” in the
lab. To have an extensive understanding of racial and ethnic
dynamics is essential to today’s scientific work force. The
author would be well-advised to note the number of engineering
firms filing Supreme Court briefs in support of affirmative action
at the University of Michigan. Major corporations, such as
Microsoft and General Electric, support such policies because
diversity pays for itself, through access to new markets and
products dreamed of by folks from a wide array of backgrounds.
Martin Luther King Jr. was correct in saying character matters
more than skin color. Had he uttered those words in the spirit of
Davidson’s interpretation, a great many people would have
been stuck riding at the bus’s rear instead of designing
it.
Patrick Hug Fourth-year, anthropology