LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Sense of security shattered

To the Editor: The person did not see me and managed to open the window and crawl in. I decided to look for a local policeman on the streets, but I found none. I tried flagging down a police van but was unsuccessful. Finally, I reached Allegro's Pizza at the corner of 40th and Spruce streets. I went inside and asked the person taking orders to call the police. He smiled at me and told me this was none of his business, and if I wanted to call the police I should go do so myself. This is what I proceeded to do. I just wanted to inform you of this total lack and degradation of social responsibility. Students form a large part of Allegro's clientele, but obviously nobody is out there to garner and build good will. After calling the police, I can relate to the fact that it is quite a hassle, but still?. Pai-Liang Chung Engineering '94 Electrical Engineering Graduate Student n To the Editor: On Sunday, March 18, around 10 p.m., several harrowing screams pierced the serene neighborhood at 23rd and Locust streets, an area that is frequently traveled, well-lit, and therefore seemingly safe. Just up the street, I found the victim trembling, slouched over, her head in her hands, whispering, "He had a knife, he had a knife." Around the corner ran three guys, armed with a hefty chain, returning from their pursuit of the fleeing assailant who was likely alarmed by his victim's screams. Moments later, three more breathless gentlemen arrived; they lived nearby and had similarly bolted to the scene. Someone else ran to call the police, another brought water and a third offered a blanket to the stricken young woman. Windows up and down the street showed the outlines of concerned faces. She, a member of the Penn community, wasn't injured, though she thinks she managed to bite her assailant's finger during the skirmish. She was not robbed of any belongings, either, but her confidence, her sense of safety and security, were torn away. They were torn from us all. Primarily, this story serves to remind us to always practice street smarts. Yet we need to watch not only our individual backs, but those of our neighbors as well. In taking care of ourselves, we must take care of our community, for such a community is necessary to truly have safe neighborhood streets. When something isn't quite right, investigate it, call the police, turn on your outdoor lights, do anything. At least 10 people came to the aid of this stranger last weekend, and their quick response may have helped avert a possibly greater tragedy. When I eventually left, the authorities even had a suspect in custody. Finally, cheers to all of those who responded to this stranger's distress call. And to the victim, whoever you are, we in the neighborhood are sorry you had to be the one to teach us that we aren't always safe, even here at our own homes. We have learned from last Sunday night's events the importance of community involvement and concern. Hopefully, the "bad guys" will think again before returning to our streets. Bryan Huey Materials Science Doctoral Student New access policy decried To the Editor: The recently introduced policy of the law library ("Law library changes policy for undergrads," DP, 3/6/96) to interrogate undergraduate students before entering is ridiculous. What's next? Should Law students be forced to justify their presence in the Van Pelt or Furness libraries? In a practical sense, the Law School has closed its research facility to undergraduate students. If, as Law School Student Body President Michael Williams states, "a lot of undergraduates were coming in [and] eating, smoking and talking?" the library should discipline those responsible -- not the entire undergraduate community. Jason Busch College '97 Antics don't amuse all To the Editor: This is in response to Nathan Smith's disturbing column, "Classroom craziness" (DP, 3/5/96). I was deeply, deeply offended by his flagrant lack of respect for Penn faculty, his fellow students and the criminally insane. As a classmate of his, we have had ample time to note his disregard for the Penn intellectual climate surrounding his feeble mind. First off, Smith's column expresses utter disdain for an education that's worth every penny that we, as students, pay for it. Our money is invested for the sake of education, not pyrokinesis! How would he feel if his professors set him on fire: I have it on good authority that several of them would like to. Now let's address the assault he made on his classmates. Those of us "stiffs" who are here to learn were seriously disrupted by Smith's exhibitionist display and general impropriety last Halloween. I personally experienced a serious inconvenience when Smith blocked my view of the chalkboard with his impenetrable 'do. This column is just another example of the liberal conspiracy against the criminally insane. It's one thing to make jokes at one's own expense, but when you start messing with the criminally insane, that's a whole 'nother bucket o' chicken teeth. It's time our society started respecting those of us who have chosen an alternative lifestyle: vegetable monogamy, insanity or just general incomprehensibility. What is this, America? This hate-mongering filth farmer is just another part of the conspiracy to undermine our educational, penal and institutional infrastructure in this here United States. In conclusion, Smith and his monkey-loving kind should keep their galavanting and cavorting about with the devil in the closet? where it belongs! Biz Carlton Education Graduate Student Clearing the record To the Editor: In the article about the closing of the campus HIV testing site ("Campus HIV test site will close," DP, 3/6/96), you attributed to me the following remarks: "I don't care if we only find one positive a year. Anyone who has been sexually active since 1978 should be tested." I absolutely did not say this to your reporter; Michael Spence did and I do not agree with him. The term "sexually active" is way too vague to use when recommending testing for HIV. For instance, a person whose sole sexual activity is to masturbate may consider him or herself sexually active, yet there is absolutely no need to panic them by suggesting that this very sexual activity puts them at risk for HIV infection. Furthermore, the date 1978 is entirely arbitrary. What puts people at risk for HIV infection is the type of sex they had or are having (namely, unprotected intercourse), not when they had or have it. In addition, the article states that I agreed with remarks made by Jared Miller, a FLASH member. At no time did your reporter ask me to agree to disagree with the quote you attributed to Miller. I know him to be a stellar peer health educator on this campus, and I know that he shares my frustration over the test site's closing. That much we clearly agree on, and that sentiment is what really counts. Public health issues, especially those related to HIV, require special care in reporting due to their personal and political nature. I am confident that your reporter intended to wrote an accurate story that affirmed the good work of the campus HIV test site. Although the basic information in the story was indeed accurate, some of the quote were clearly not. Kurt Conklin Student Health Health Educator Editor's Note: A correction reflecting much of the information Conklin offers ran in the "Corrections and Clarifications" box on page 2 on March 7, 1996. However, Conklin requested that the DP print his letter in its entirety because of the other information it includes. Bombings deplorable To the Editor: I am writing this letter on behalf of the Muslim Students Association concerning the recent events in Israel and the occupied lands. I am writing to clarify the position of Islam. Islam lays down strict rules of conduct for most all situations in life, including those of war. Islamically speaking, the targeting of innocent civilians is not allowed. This fact is made very clear by a number of traditions of the Prophet. Those who commit such acts have overstepped Islam's bounds. This is not the first time that I have made these points in the DP, but unfortunately there is a need for re-emphasizing these points now, considering that very few of the recent media reports have taken the time to present the Islamic point of view. In looking at acts like these, we should not merely stop at condemning those who perpetrate them. Those who conceive of horrible acts like these are usually driven to them in desperation. Mere condemnation of their deeds, without addressing the factors that led to such measures, cannot solve the problems at hand. Since the signing of the Declaration of Principles on September 13, 1993, about 200 Israelis have been killed as a result of the ongoing violence. However, during the same period, at least 270 Palestinians have been shot dead by the Israeli army or the settlers. It would be hypocritical to condemn one side while ignoring the misdeeds of the other. As a Muslim, I deplore the injustices that may be committed by either of the sides in this conflict. I urge the Israelis to abandon their policy of assassination of political and military leaders of the Palestinian side and the policy of collective punishments, which only inflames the passions of revenge and helps to keep the cycle of violence going unabated, and I urge the Palestinian elements involved to halt attacks on Israeli civilians and look for more peaceful ways to solve the problem. So long as people are denied political means of resolving such conflicts in a just and equitable manner, they will resort to violence. I hope that all parties involved will exercise restraint in the future and work for a mutual settlement. Then only can we hope for a lasting solution to the Middle Eastern problem. Shabeer Abubucker College '97 Muslim Students Association President Taking crime seriously To the Editor: Last year, the Wharton School prosecuted a student for bringing a gun into Steinberg-Dietrich Hall. This year, the University chooses to ignore the presence of a loaded weapon on campus, in the recent incident (oops, it was officially classified "not an incident") involving an assistant to University President Judith Rodin. To talk in flowery phrases as she does, yet allow this sort of dissonance on an issue as important as safety, makes her truly the "paper doll" president. Several stores in the 3401 Walnut building have now been robbed at gunpoint, one graduate student has been gang-murdered, and what has been the visible reaction on campus? A Smurf village has been erected -- those cute little kiosks. Are we really going to wait until someone physically on the campus is raped or murdered before these issues get taken seriously? It looks like we are? J. Spencer Martin Finance Graduate Student

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