Fay Prize Changes Lamented

To the editors:

Now that Radcliffe's undergraduate functions have been merged with those of Harvard, a vigorous effort seems to be underway to eliminate gender bias from formerly Radcliffe-related opportunities. The recent flap over the Fay Prize is only one example; some prizes offered through the Office for the Arts are now no longer limited to women. I am troubled that the Dean's Office is not taking this opportunity to eliminate gender bias from all Harvard-related programs. For instance, the Shaw Fellowship for graduating seniors and the Paul Revere Frothingham Scholarship are available only to men. Why the effort to eliminate "reverse discrimination" when good old-fashioned discrimination still flourishes in official Harvard-administered prizes and scholarships?

Logan S. McCarty '96

April 14, 2000

The writer is the House Fellowship Advisor and a Resident Tutor for Eliot House.

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Award with Consistency

To the editors:

I was saddened to read that the Fay prize will not be awarded this year, and that the College is considering that the prize not be restricted by gender in the future. As a resident tutor at Currier House for several years during the 1990s, I remember with great pleasure several winners of the Fay Prize from the house. Their achievement was extraordinary, both academically and in "conduct and character."

But the point is also that the women who have won this prize over past years make up an extraordinary group who provide leadership and mentoring to the best and brightest female students of the graduating class each year. That is something unique and precious.

Should the College mistakenly change the criteria for the eligibility for the Fay prize, I trust that it will also change all the senior prizes, including the athletic awards, that are restricted to men only. I wait to see how it deals with one specific prize whose criteria I recall includes "manliness!"

David M. Kidger

April 14, 2000

The writer was a Resident Tutor at Currier House from 1992 to 1998.

Not-so Comic Stereotypes

To the editors:

In as school that is as "enlightened" as Harvard claims to be, it is deeply disturbing that its main student newspaper would publish racially demeaning and ignorant pieces on a regular basis. Any article that portrays Asian-Americans as slanty-eyed, socially inept caricatures would immediately receive a barrage of protests. Despite its derogatory stereotypes, "The Misanthropic Mister Chu" has run this entire semester without much controversy. The student body has mistakenly dismissed it as "harmless," because it appears as a comic strip.

What students must realize is that comic strips can be as--if not more--effective at spreading intolerance as a racist article. Comic strips are easily read and this gives them an opportunity to convey their (negative) message. Furthermore, comic strips rarely incite the intellectual analysis and discussion necessary to combat the racist imagery --the audience digests the stereotypes almost unconsciously. Most of all, comic strips present visual symbols that exert strong influence over public perception of minorities. It stands for the intolerance and dehumanization Asian-Americans have faced and continue to face in this great nation.

In light of today's heightened hysteria and xenophopia--such as the racial profiling in the Wen Ho Lee case or politicians' demagoging of China --the consequences of stereotyping can be disastrous. While hate crimes in the U.S. are decreasing as a whole, violence against Asian-Americans are on the rise. As a leader of intellectual discourse and reason, Harvard has the duty to represent the best of this nation's interests. A school newspaper that continues to feature a racist comic strip clearly accepts racial intolerance. Should this really be our message?

Lei Juliet Wei '01

April 14, 2000

The writer is the vice-president of the Asian American Association.

Forgiveness Forgotten

To the editors:

"Lift High the Cross" (FM, April 13) could critique evangelical Christian groups. The piece may also be an affront to Christianity in general. I profess to be Catholic, and though I may not agree with the tactics of all the groups participating in Jesus Week--which would normally be called "Holy Week" on traditional liturgical calendars--I loathe denouncing them all.

I take issue specifically with the possibility that even "Hitler can be forgiven" as a way of ridiculing salvation through faith. The speaker can only be accused of a lack of imagination; people often use Nazism as an example of absolute evil.

The quote's significance lies not in a name that makes most readers recoil, but rather in the possibility for people to do good. Though different denominations espouse varying views on salvation, many insist on the possibility of forgiveness for crimes--no matter the severity.

The piece unwittingly insults a central theme of Christianity, namely that sins can be forgiven. If even criminals can hope for change, others who have committed far less serious infractions will be permitted to do good. It allows healing and reconciliation between transgressors and victims and facilitates a path to peace--essential for interpersonal relationships and international diplomacy.

Tzu-Huan Lo '03

April 16, 2000