Harvard Students Care About Animals

To the editors:

Allison A. Melia is wrong to say that Harvard students "don't care" about the plight of non-human animals suffering at the hands of our University and beyond (Opinion, "Monkeys Roam, Even in the Yard," May 1). Many of us do care, deeply, despite the fact that Harvard students were sadly not well-represented at last week's "World Week for Animals in Laboratories."

There are currently two organizations at Harvard devoted to helping animals, one at Harvard Law School and one at the College. The law school organization, called the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, is active, with over 70 members. The College organization, called Vegitas, has over 100 members. Together, these two organizations are busy proving that non-human animals do have allies among members of the Harvard community.

Marc R. Romanoff '01

May 1, 2000

The writer is one of the founders of Vegitas.

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Don't Slight Suffering

To the editors:

While a little tongue-in-cheek humor can bring new perspectives to an issue, Allison A. Melia's editorial notebook trivialized an issue that many Harvard students, contrary to our poor turnout at the protests, actually feel strongly about.

Sacrificing the integrity of the animal rights debate for a cheap laugh--it's the experimented-upon monkeys, and not Harvard students, who are demeaned by Melia's flippant comparison--Melia seems to suggest that "the lack of support" shown by Harvard students somehow invalidates the issue.

On the contrary, the lack of enthusiasm of Harvard students over this perennial concern is only a mark of our apathy and insensitivity. The possible unnecessary suffering of animals is a serious issue, and Melia would have done better to have considered the merits of the protests instead of casually dismissing them.

Matthew B. Sussman '03

May 1, 2000

Interpreting 'The Truth'

To the editors:

M. Patrick O'Donnell (Letters, April 15) in no way mitigates the inappropriateness of his condemnation of homosexuality based on his interpretation of the Bible. The words of the Bible have been used to justify oppression of women, blacks and Jews. O'Donnell should understand that the belief that one has The Truth has been a divisive force throughout the ages.

I recommend Martin Duberman's Cures: A Gay Man's Odyssey to O'Donnell so that he may understand that homosexuality is not a choice (any more than heterosexuality) and that people like Duberman tried a number of unsuccessful "cures" due to the shame he felt about his "sin."

I am grateful for my study of philosophy at Harvard for the ability to attempt to think critically and recommend a course or two to others whose certainty about the truth of their beliefs is a continuing source of astonishment.

Nancy Tobin '49

May 2, 2000

Rights Threats Remain

To the editors:

When Christina S. N. Lewis writes that "the war against Communism is ended," (Opinion, "Have You Heard of Sophonie?", May 3) does she mean that we should no longer be concerned about the rights of people living under the world's remaining Communist dictatorships? Should the fact that the Soviet Union has vanished like a bad dream free our consciences of the burden of caring that in Cuba, for example, political dissidence is considered a criminal mental illness and children are regarded as property of the state?

Fidel Castro is not a threat to the interests of the United States. So what? His record on human rights is nothing short of abominable, as the United Nations Commission on Human Rights recently reaffirmed, and this is something that should concern us all. As should analogous abuses in China, Myanmar, Afghanistan and other countries.

Of course, I agree with Lewis that the economic and political situation in Haiti is deplorable (a situation not helped, incidentally, by the Clinton administration's ill-advised 1994 military intervention on the behalf of ousted president Jean-Bertrand Aristide). I do not believe that it is commensurate with the kind of stifling, Stalinist repression that Fidel Castro continues to wreak upon Cuba. All the same, it seems to me that if Lewis wants to raise awareness of the plight of Haitians, the way to do it is not to deny the plight of Cubans. And I agree that we should treat all refugees equally--all should be allowed to stay.

Kevin A. Shapiro '00

May 3, 2000