Letters

QUOTE/UNQUOTE "When will Dartmouth and universities across the United States recognize the great need for political diversity among the faculty?" JOE R. EISAMAN '47

Time and Space

IT SEEMS TO ME THERE IS ANOTHER book waiting to be written—if it hasn't been already—about the many, many little coincidences and narrow openings through which life as we know it has managed to ooze successfully. The preponderance of matter over antimatter mentioned by Professor Gleiser ["Star Gazing," July/Aug] is only the biggest, others being the fact that ice floats and that numerous physical constants just happen to be in the narrow window that makes us all possible. A marvelous conglomeration of coincidence indeed! (I also wonder often why more people can't accept a God that set up the Big Bang so that all this happened—without having to become personally involved after ward.)

Hanover, New Hampshire

Standing in awe of Marcelo Gleiser, I wish to offer an alternative to the Big Bang theory, a classic example of linear thinking. Could there have been time, space, energy and matter before such an event? Is it possible that all time and all things might exist contemporaneously? That everything that is always was and always will be?

What we believe may be no more than a matter of limited perspective. The inability to prove or disprove a theory does not deny its possibility.

Dallas, Texas

Professor Marcelo Gleiser's statement "I'm not any kind of religious person—I don't believe in God—but I think a key attitude that a scientist should have is doubt" testifies to the shallowness of his intellect and the depth of his pride.

Little Silver, New Jersey

Don't Bet On It

Tom Grey's approachto gambling ["No Dice," July/Aug] fails to address the illegal forms that constitute nearly half of all wagering in this country (most of it sports-related). Where new legal gambling opportunities are offered, illegal gambling also increases.

Grey's notion of "gradations" in gambling is bizarre. While certain forms of gambling are more likely to be addictive, pathological gamblers typically pursue their self-destructive behaviors in whatever gambling opportunities are available to them.

While I am glad at the light Grey sheds on a societal problem, I wish his campaign would: subject the whole arena of gambling activities to public scrutiny; identify the 5 percent of gamblers in need of treatment; require gambling proprietors and personnel to take an active role in that identification and referral; train treatment providers and fund the treatment; and research the underlying causes of the pathological behaviors.

Colesville, Maryland

Editor's Note: The writer, a psychotherapist, isthe author of You Bet Your Life: The Burdens of Gambling (University Press of Kentucky).

Eating In

Regarding "Food Fight!" ["Din-ner at Dartmouth," July/Aug] I doubt Chris Millers inspiration for the food fight Animal House was an event occurring ring three years after he left the Hanover Plain. More likely, Millers inspiration came from the mother of all food fights in the fall of 1958, as I recall, following Dartmouths victory over Princeton for the Ivy League football title. Every student with a meal pass to Thayer was docked $1.25 to clean up the place.

Miller '63 arrived in Hanover the following year, by which time accounts of the fracas had grown to legendary proportions.

Kingwood, Texas

Not Mentioned in "Dinner at Dartmouth" were the half-dozen so-called eating clubs located in private homes from the late 1920s to 1942. Each served 15 to 50 individuals in the community. Waiters like myself earned our meals.

With the advent of food rationing in 1942 and turnover of students during the war, the clubs went out of business.

New Braunfels, Texas

Diversity of What Kind?

Perhaps Professor Langford is right about the need to increase the number of minorities on the faculty ["A Diversity of Ideas," July/Aug].

But when will Dartmouth and universities across the United States recognize the great need for political diversity among the faculty so students get better balanced views on foreign and domestic issues?

Another feature in the issue addresses this very concern when Tom Grey ["No Dice," July/Aug] says: "I love the sweet smell of democracy. When I fight I want a network. I want liberal. I want conservative. I want Republican. I want Democrat. I want all my bases covered."

Isn't the same political diversity due students (and bill-paying parents) from faculties?

Beverly Hills, California

Interesting thatthe interview with Professor Langford was headlined "A Diversity of Ideas" but focused almost exclusively upon racial/ethnic diversity—as if more black and Hispanic faculty recruits can be qualified solely on the basis of their race or ethnicity rather than upon the quality, creativity or diversity of their thoughts, or their ability to communicate ideas.

The argument implies that all white faculty members think more or less alike. If a white faculty member were to suggest that blacks or Hispanics as a generalized and stereotyped group represent a monolithic body of ideas and attitudes, the suggestion would (and should!) be immediately branded as unacceptably racist.

I'm all in favor of a very broad diversity of ideas—to be freely expressed and respectfully considered—but I'm not aware of any racial or ethnic criterion that makes one individual's diversity more valid than another's.

East Winthrop, Maine

Defending Sen. Gorton

I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THE sentiments expressed by Oliver Bernstein '03 in his recent letter ["Letters," July/Aug] regarding the environmental record of former U.S. Senator Slade Gorton '49 ["What Ever Happened to Slade Gorton?" Jan/Feb], Judging Slade's many accomplishments solely on the analysis of a highly political organization is no way to evaluate a 40-year career in public service.

Having worked for nearly a decade on Capitol Hill as an environmental policy analyst, including a three-year stint as an advisor to Slade, I can assure Mr. Bernstein that the League of Conservation Voters is notorious for isolating a tiny percentage of votes and misrepresenting them for partisan gain.

A thorough analysis of Slade's record examines his tenure as chairman of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee from 1995-2000.Tw0 of his many achievements in this capacity were providing record funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and saving the Forest Legacy Program from elimination. Responsible conservation groups such as the Trust for Public Land have recognized Slade for these and many other conservation accomplishments.

I commend Jennifer Avellino '89 for her evenhanded, accurate and revealing portrait of this unique and refreshing public figure. Dartmouth should be proud to call Slade Gorton one of its own!

Arlington, Virginia

I was amused by the recent comments made by Oliver Bernstein about my brother, Slade, who was actually a practical environmentalist.

Slade was the author of a bill to tighten the gas-consumption standards for SUVs and for years promoted many bills to improve the environment of the State of Washington, even though he came out for the timber industry and the lumberyards during the spotted owl controversy. As it turns out, he was right on that issue, since it's now known there are well over 10 times the number of spotted owls claimed to exist by the hard-core environmentalists.

Prior to the last election, which Slade lost to Maria Cantwell, the Sierra Club endorsed and praised the congressman from the Vancouver area for supporting the Columbia River Restoration Act authored by Slade.

Slade served his state and country faithfully for 32 years and still does as a member of the 9/11 Commission. It will be interesting to see if any member of Bernstein's class of '03 ever serves our country as well.

Needham, Massachusetts

I will admit to Mr. Bernstein that I supported and voted for the "sordid" Senator Gorton. I found him to be an honorable and pragmatic politician.

Mr. Bernstein should be aware that Senator Gorton particularly incurred the wrath of so-called environmentalists by coming out against their campaign to breach the Snake River hydroelectric dams. He didn't do this because he hated wild salmon. He questioned if it made sense to spend a billion or so dollars to remove several thousand megawatts of clean, renewable electricity so you could spend more billions to replace it with fossil fuel or nuclear plants, all of which would be vehemently opposed by the dam-busters.

If Mr. Bernstein wants to smear politicians who don't stand up to League of Conservation Voters standards, perhaps he should take a closer look at some of those with high grades.

Spokane, Washington

Mr. Bernstein is Entitled to disagree with Senator Gorton's votes on environmental issues, but his personal attack is rude and uncalled for. DartmouthAlumni Magazine should have omitted the last two sentences of Mr. Bernstein's letter and not let itself be utilized for one member of the Dartmouth community to castigate another.

Whitesboro, New York

Flowery Praise

I was delighted to see the nice article about Dr. Bill Ballard ["The Allure of Beauty," May/June]. I have always thought he deserved more space on your pages. Thanks to Henry Homeyer '68 for the very nice job on Dr. Ballard's ladyslipper project.

Keene, New Hampshire

A High Note

The deftly written, wonderful sketch by Cliff Ennico '75 of Duke Ellington's visit to STE house ["Reminiscing In Tempo" May/June] made me laugh and cry at the same time. It's one of those Dartmouth memories that are indelible. Thank you, Cliff, for sharing it.

New York City, New York

As an avid jazz and Big Band enthusiast, rarely have I enjoyed an article more than Cliff Ennico's. He captures a precious and intimate moment in time with one who was then a living legend.

Chicago, Illinois

The Power of Poetry

How wonderful of my classmate and Dartmouth trustee Susan Dentzerto expound on the pleasures and significance of poetry in uncertain times ["The Affirming Flame," May/June]. Like millions of others, I look to the Bible as a book of great poetry. Isaiah concludes his 40th chapter with words that will comfort me until my dying day: "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

New Canaan, Connecticut

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