2008 Woodie Awards
RSSNarrow-minded views harbor hatred
Letter to the editor
By Steven W. Shuldman, '10
Issue date: 11/9/07 Section: Opinion
I guess I didn't fully comprehend the extent of the narrow-mindedness that surrounds both the school and its greater community until reading the Nov. 6 issue of The Brown and White.
In her inauguration speech last spring, President Gast spoke about the importance of a center for Islamic studies to widening Lehigh's perspectives on the world. This is a crucial step for Lehigh to start seeing the world beyond the giant metal star on the mountain.
Although I wasn't expecting the surrounding town of Bethlehem to embrace diversity (read: non-Christians), I was disappointed in the vehemently negative response to our attempt to broaden perspectives. Indeed, this is a sad day for Bethlehem when it's revealed that a large amount of the population sees a center for Islamic studies as a welcome wagon for international terrorism in their beloved little town.
However, an even bigger shock to me came when I saw Andy Rice's letter, "Invitation to Dalai Lama Shocking" (Nov. 6, 2007). I couldn't believe people so close-minded could be a part of our school.
The Dalai Lama's visit is a significantly rare opportunity. By no means should we blindly turn our backs without examining other ideas and opening our minds to how other people view the world. We have no right to affirm what we believe in as the grounds for salvation or to know that it is even right.
Narrow-minded, scared views like the one expressed in Rice's letter are the same beliefs that drive the fundamentalists who spend so much time refusing to enlighten themselves to the beliefs of others that they foster hatred.
In addition, most of his facts about Lehigh weren't even straight. Lehigh was actually founded as an Episcopal institution, but the affiliation was dropped shortly after so the university could receive secular funding. Our philanthropic founder's name was Asa Packer, not Packard. We should be thankful Lehigh will have the opportunity to host someone who promotes the kind of open thinking that will help to end conflicts around the world. What if the Dalai Lama felt the same way as Rice? Would he decide not to come to Lehigh because too many people don't feel the same way as he? Thankfully, he is open-minded enough to share his opinions, and to back them up with actual research, with people he knows might not agree, but are respectful to others.
Enough of this dim-witted narrow-mindedness. Even as a devout Christian, I can see it as high time that people at both the school and its surrounding community begin to realize that unless we're open to the world around us, we're only instigating more misunderstanding, hatred and conflict, from Bethlehem to Baghdad.
In her inauguration speech last spring, President Gast spoke about the importance of a center for Islamic studies to widening Lehigh's perspectives on the world. This is a crucial step for Lehigh to start seeing the world beyond the giant metal star on the mountain.
Although I wasn't expecting the surrounding town of Bethlehem to embrace diversity (read: non-Christians), I was disappointed in the vehemently negative response to our attempt to broaden perspectives. Indeed, this is a sad day for Bethlehem when it's revealed that a large amount of the population sees a center for Islamic studies as a welcome wagon for international terrorism in their beloved little town.
However, an even bigger shock to me came when I saw Andy Rice's letter, "Invitation to Dalai Lama Shocking" (Nov. 6, 2007). I couldn't believe people so close-minded could be a part of our school.
The Dalai Lama's visit is a significantly rare opportunity. By no means should we blindly turn our backs without examining other ideas and opening our minds to how other people view the world. We have no right to affirm what we believe in as the grounds for salvation or to know that it is even right.
Narrow-minded, scared views like the one expressed in Rice's letter are the same beliefs that drive the fundamentalists who spend so much time refusing to enlighten themselves to the beliefs of others that they foster hatred.
In addition, most of his facts about Lehigh weren't even straight. Lehigh was actually founded as an Episcopal institution, but the affiliation was dropped shortly after so the university could receive secular funding. Our philanthropic founder's name was Asa Packer, not Packard. We should be thankful Lehigh will have the opportunity to host someone who promotes the kind of open thinking that will help to end conflicts around the world. What if the Dalai Lama felt the same way as Rice? Would he decide not to come to Lehigh because too many people don't feel the same way as he? Thankfully, he is open-minded enough to share his opinions, and to back them up with actual research, with people he knows might not agree, but are respectful to others.
Enough of this dim-witted narrow-mindedness. Even as a devout Christian, I can see it as high time that people at both the school and its surrounding community begin to realize that unless we're open to the world around us, we're only instigating more misunderstanding, hatred and conflict, from Bethlehem to Baghdad.
