LETTERS: An irresponsible photograph

To the Editor: If the DP did not have a more significant photo available, it should have taken the responsible route and simply not printed one at all, or at least shown a less incriminating one. The implications made by that one shot could have a detrimental effect on the lives and reputations of each person shown, regardless of the fine print and regardless of each person's innocence. Bad call, DP. This move was cheap, irresponsible and just plain inexcusable. Thea Clark CGS '97 Grades of the Greeks To the Editor: I have many problems with the DP's 2/12/97 article "Report: IFC, BIG-C grades drop below U. average." Beside the fact that the headline paints the IFC in a very bad light, the article itself is quite inaccurate. The truth is, I was not even called to confirm or to comment on any of the information in the report. Just picture my anger when I studied an article in the DP that comments on one of my chief concerns and responsibilities for this up-coming year. The academic report in question tells of over 20 fraternities that have an average GPA of over a 3.0. It tells of an IFC average at or above the all-male average for the second year in a row. Both of these details were absent in the article. This article has encouraged my drive to work even harder in reaching the 21st Century Plan's goals -- to reestablish the Gamma Sigma Alpha National Honor Society for Fraternity and Sorority members; to encourage research; to work with each fraternity in establishing a tutoring program and to encourage each chapter to work with a faculty advisor. All factors would aid in raising the Greek standard of academics as well as the University's. I applaud the DP for motivating me. I now have the chance to prove much to the IFC, to the entire Greek system, to the University and to you. Jason Judd VP Academics and Community Service, IFC President, Tau Epsilon Phi College '98 Police need fast guns To the Editor: Brendan McGeever's arrogant and impolite letter to the editor belittling the University Police's recent upgrade of personal weapons belies his own bias, but informs us not at all about police matters. Two things seem to be implied: First, the University Police want better guns because, I suppose, police like bigger, better guns as a general rule. You know police? Second, that semiautomatic capabilities are never ever an advantage. The first implication is simply prejudice. The second is simply ill-informed. To give McGeever his due, we all hope the University Police never need the edge that rapid-firing weapons will give them. But it is not at all implausible in this neighborhood to imagine a situation in which such an advantage could mean the difference between a police officer dying in a hail of gunfire, or fending off an attack. Incredibly, these things do happen. Incidentally, his ability to calmly and certainly predict the future is quite impressive. Unbelievable, really. I would add that since the University Police have been armed for some time, that previous tuition dollars McGeever has paid, have already served to "subsidize" the gun industry. As conscientious as he appears to be regarding such matters, I thought it important to make him aware of this. Of annual undergraduate tuition revenue, I would roughly calculate that gun replacement is around .0001 percent of the total, probably much less. Mark West Staff, School of Engineering and Applied Science