Academic claims unfounded
In response to Brad Salmen's article, "Four things your Macalester professors will never tell you,"(Opinion, Nov 9) I would like to identify several problems. Salmen's fourth point concerned the "real"state of our planet according to Danish social scientist Bjorn Lomborg. Lomborg disagrees with environmental "doomsayers"who believe that we are destroying our environment with unsustainable practices. Salmen adds, "Somehow I doubt Lomborg's book will be assigned reading in any environmental studies class."
To begin with, the premise of the entire article is that as Macalester students, we must be critical of what our "progressive liberal"professors feed us. Therefore, I was surprised when I noticed that Salmen fails to follow his own suggestion while discussing Lomborg's book. Salmen, though sometimes critical when discussing other issues such as gender and crime, completely fails to examine Lomborg's argument in the same manner. Simply because Lomborg presents a position that co nflicts with a commonly held view does not mean his argument is valid.
I would also like to point out that Lomborg was assigned reading for my Globalization and Environment class (cross-listed in the International Studies and Environmental Studies departments, taught by Brett Smith) this semester. We identified several fallacies in Lomborg's ideas, such as the fact that he relies mostly on statistical evidence and then fails to explain it. Although Lomborg downplays the human impact on our planet, even he admits that it has been significant. Not surprisingly, Lomborg has become a poster boy for right-wing politicians who wish to eliminate environmental regulations in order to prevent restrictions on large, heavily polluting corporations. I hope Salmen unde rstands who he is supporting when he adopts this argument, and what implications it has for our future. I understand Salmen wants to prevent spoon-feeding of material by professors to students, but his article often fails to deliver because it is unfair an dclearly not well researched. I also wondered whether his slightly pretentious tone results from his status as an all-knowing senior. I hope he understands that everyone here on campus isn't as ignorant as he thinks.
Amy Margolies '04
I want to reply to the false statements and malicious insinuations made by Mr. Brad Salmen (Opinion, Nov. 9) regarding the Environmental Studies Program at Macalester College.
In his article, Mr. Salmen writes that readings such as The Skeptical Environmentalist by Bjorn Lomborg, whose anti-environmentalist positions are well known, will not be used in your classes and claims that such readings will never be assigned in any env ironmental studies classes.
Mr. Salmen is not an Environmental Studies major and has never taken the very classes he criticizes. For example, for ENVI 88, the Environmental Studies Senior Seminar, we have used as a textbook Taking Sides: Clashing Views on C ontroversial Environmental Issues by Theodore D. Goldfarb. This book contains an equal number of articles by both pro and anti-environmentalist authors. Students must read both and the class is divided into groups defending each position regardless of stu dents'personal opinions. We follow the same methodology in ENVI 55, Environmental Analysis and Problem Solving, where students are regularly asked to defend diverse positions on environmental issues regardless of their political views. We do all this with the clear purpose of presenting all sides of the issue and making students understand other people's opinions. The final objective is to ensure that students are able to think critically and check the facts so, unlike Mr. Salmen, they do not make statements that recklessly disregard the truth while casting a veil of suspicion on the integrity of others.
Aldemaro Romero, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Director, Environmental Studies Program
Macalester united for soccer
Last Friday, during the men's soccer game, we witnessed a great deal more than collegiate sport—we saw our school come together. When I think of our student body, I think of diverse, open-minded, inquisitive people. But while such attributes were the prime motivation for my enrollment here at Macalester, it seems that somewhere along the way they have also served to curtail our school spirit and harmony.
I was born in England but grew up in Colombia, Mexico, France, Kazakstan, and Syria. Close friends aside, most people here at Macalester know me as "the British guy,"or "one of the soccer players."This doesn't seem quite right. We all have a tendency to classify people whom we know little about—nationality and sport simply make this easier. The problem stems from the inference that when someone calls me a "soccer player,"other people know what he or she is talking about. I came to Macalester with the hope of escaping narrow-minded thoughts of racism, homophobia, religious conflict and gender discrimination. Instead here at Macalester we seem to judge people by the sport the play, their major, or who they sit with at dinner.
Last Friday all this was forgotten. For two hours our student body yelled, danced and chanted—we found our school spirit. The type of collective jubilation that erupted when Kimani scored our equalizer should not be limited to a two-minute-a-year existence. As he ran towards us in celebration all he could do was halt and stare in utter disbelief. "I couldn't believe this was happening at Mac,"he told me the next day. Around me,people wept tears of joy and release. Before that goal I sat surrounded by my close friends, after it I had hugged so many people I was eight rows from where I started and beside complete strangers. It did not matter.
Our support not only means a lot to our athletes and performers but enhances our own social circles. Let's be proud of the talents our fellow students possess, and help develop them further. While I have heard both positive and negative stereotypes for each athletic team and social group on campus, they should not exist amongst such a bright, diverse, open-minded group of people. What we saw last Friday was a proud, united student body—let's keep it this way. Next time you meet someone new, set aside those prototypes and see if you can break the barriers. If we all do the same, hopefully soccer playoffs will no longer be the only 120 minutes a year that Macalester is united.
Ned Brown '04
PBDC holds forum Nov. 27
A group of seven students have undertaken a project that concerns you! This coalition, stemming from multifaceted perspectives, has labeled itself the Programming Board Design Committee (PBDC). The PBDC was created by MCSG in order to create a Programming Board. The Programming Board will both serve as a resource for student organi zations logistically and financially, and provide mass campus programming
On Nov. 27 the PBDC will hold a student organization forum. The PBDC wants to get your input on the design of the Programming Board. Your ideas, thoughts, and concerns are extremely important as the PBDC begins to shape this new group. The PB will have a big impact on the events and cool happenings on campus that you all take part in on a daily basis. The PBDC has brainstormed three possibilities for the structure of the Programming Board that we will present on Nov. 27.
Furthermore, the MCSG has proposed to raise the student activity fee from $128 to $168. This increase will allow the eventual programming board to have a pool of money available to support student organizations.
If you have questions about the role of the PBDC or the creation of the PB, please contact Sarah Keiser at x6485.
Taous Khazem '02
