The writer is the co-Chair of the Committee for the Equality of Women at Harvard.

A Right to Gamble?

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To the editors:

Rachel P. Kovner's disappointment with the Progressive Student Labor Movement's "illiberal left" position on Harvard's financial involvement with casinos betrays a basic misunderstanding of what it means to live in a liberal society (Editorial, "Puritanical Progressives," Feb. 21).

Kovner (and much of the Left) supports political liberalism, or the right of citizens to be free from the "Puritanical" judgments of the state. Liberalism requires the government to tolerate institutions like casinos, regardless of their social costs. Kovner rightly notes that this doctrine seems to be violated by John Ashcroft's moralizing approach to American law.

But she falls into the trap of applying the political rule of tolerance to an issue that does not involve the state. In no way does it violate the spirit of political liberalism for people to act individually against institutions that harm us.

If the high social costs of gambling outweigh the benefits of the fun of casinos, then progressive activists, Christians and all people with consciences should work together to eliminate it. If not, then maybe we should follow Kovner's suggestion to buy a Megabucks lottery ticket today.