Letters and Emails

Professor corrects moral misunderstandings

MS. SNYDER'S MORAL confusion in the Oct. 3 issue of The Santa Clara embarrasses me as a teacher. Perhaps we don't often speak clearly because of political correctness. Let me remedy this.

Stoning a woman to death for having given birth 10 months after her divorce is abominable and revolting. Period. So are child rape under the guise of arranged marriage (Middle East and India), the sexual mutilation of little girls (a large swath of Africa and some of the Middle East), slaving (the Sudan, today), the systematic neglect of girls leading to higher mortality (India and Pakistan), forced late-term abortion (China) and even gender-selective voluntary abortion (India, Pakistan, China). Wearing interesting clothing and being a member of a poor society does not give anybody a free pass. Poverty is frequently associated with evil doing; it's easier for the prosperous to be virtuous. Disapproving of some American practices, such as the death penalty, does not give you an excuse to excuse barbarity in others. If only the morally perfect condemned evil, evil would always triumph. Here is a more interesting moral issue: suppose our government were motivated enough and skillful enough to spirit away the young Nigerian adulterer and her baby. How bad should you feel? Suppose a Nigerian guard lost his life in the process? Five? One hundred?

Incidentally, "Shari'ah" is not a sect but the Arabic name of Islamic law. Perhaps some credentialed Muslim members of this community will tell us whether torturing single mothers to death is really required by Islamic legal principles.

Jacques Delacroix

Professor of Management

Staff member defends San Jose Spartans

I AM VERY disappointed that a Santa Clara person could have such a narrow mind. It is clear that you are quite unaware of the strengths of San Jose State and the recognition it receives in many areas of academia. In fact in many arenas, I would have to say that Santa Clara could learn a lot from SJSU and is even inferior to it in many regards.

SJSU has a fine selection of faculty and staff, some of which I personally know, and some of which also work here on a part-time basis. SJSU also offers numerous programs that simply can't be matched or do not even exist at Santa Clara. If you'd like full details, I invite you for a personal education in my office.

Not being a sports person myself, I can't speak with authority in this area. Santa Clara may indeed be superior at most of them, but again, SJSU also offers sports that Santa Clara does not. In the grand scheme of things though, this is not important to me, as too much emphasis is placed on sports anyway and in my humble opinion, contribute little to cultural advancement. I'm sorry that SJSU has angered you with their dribble, but be man about it. Why stoop to that level? Why insult people who may be less fortunate than you? Pardon them for not being rich. Believe me, intelligence has nothing to do with it. There are plenty of bright people there as there are here, and plenty of dolts as well.

Don't misunderstand me, Santa Clara is a great place with a great reputation (in some areas, but completely lacks a reputation in others). But SJSU also has a great reputation in many disciplines as well, and not so great a reputation in others. Your insults make you look like a very insecure person. Try being more positive, and think before you bash.

Daryn Baker

Lab Manager

Biology Department