Out of 100 people randomly called by TheCrimson, only a handful said they had read anyPeninsula issues this semester.

One writer, who wishes to remain anonymous,believes few students actually read the journal,which is door dropped to all campus dormitories.

"The pieces are well reasoned, but not so manypeople read them," the writer says.

Students polled who read Peninsula say theydisagree with most of what the magazine prints.

"I don't think they're factual," says E. AndrewGriswold '97, one of the students polled. "I agreewith a lot of the opinions in there, but I don'talways think they give the other sides a fairshake."

Another student who participated in the surveyis dismissive of the journal.

"I think they're all pretty much bigots," saysMichelle Lai '97, one of the students polled."It's not really convincing. It's really obviousthat the people writing are from an exclusivegroup."

But Bowdren says the magazine has more alliesthan people are willing to acknowledge.

"One of the things that everyone seems not topay attention to is that we get supportive phonecalls," she says. "That's the characterization ofPeninsula that no one likes to realize."

In fact, Peninsula's councillors,guardians and auxiliares are actually a tight-knitstaff, what members call the "Peninsula family."

"[The titles are] loosely based on the PlatonicRepublic," he says. "We wanted to keep ahierarchical structure, but at the same time takeaway some of the potential for personality clashesthat you find in other magazines."

Peninsula staffers say the opinions they sharemakes the magazine a haven for conservatives."They're aren't many of us on campus," says SarahA. Gervase '97.

Bowdren says she feels the familial nature ofPeninsula is important.

"Given the ideology espoused by most members of Peninsula, most likely they would be shunned anywhere else," says Bowdren.

According to McGuire, one of the magazine'sgoals is to comfort conservatives who feelisolated on campus.