2_________
Opinion
WEdNEsdAy, J anuary 26, 2000
TI he CI ac I camas P rint
Student complaint against Epstein raises questions on academic freedom vs. prejudiced opinion
Instructor's comjnent
Radical techniques challenge students td'think
n response to Salena De La
Cruz’ invitation to bring dis
tasteful material to the sur
face, I am writing this letter.
You offend me, as well as some
of your better-versed colleagues.
The Print seems to have a knack
for taking decent human beings
and demeaning them to the point
of ridiculousness. Your personal
political views interfere with your
articles, which either are very in
telligent or extremely biased. If
someone else’s views or opin
ions differ from your own it
doesn’t mean that I am right or
you are right. It means we have
other beliefs that are influenced
by cultural, religious, or
ethnicity. This is called diversity.
Instructors seem to be a favored
topic these days and I have
found your choice of victims dis
turbing.
Both Dean Darris and Donald
Epstein are known for radical
techniques that challenge the
students to think for themselves.
Darris, despite his reputation as
an intelligent instructor, was
singled out for blame during the
I
Jennifer Rankin debate. The only lem started.” ASG President
plausible explanation for this James Gould took on the topic
outright insult to a man, who was as well by stating, “I had a feel
merely consoling a friend, is a ing, when I saw Dean Darris there
[at the hearing],
personal
that he was push
agenda against
ing Jennifer.”
his views. In
Then the Print
the issue of
went on to as
Nov. 17, 1999
Business
sume that Darris
was in control on
Manager Karl
Katzke
re
the Rankin de
Colleen
fense, stating,
marked in ref
BW. Baird
“Several times,
erence to the
Student
after Darris com
removal of Jen
municated with
nifer Rankin,
her, Johnston
“Unfortu
nately, everything she hears is passed a note to Rankin and her
through a sieve of her ideas and attorney.” This is a useless waste
morals, which have been twisted of journalistic effort that could
and bent through the ideas she be used to cover topics that have
has learned from her mentors and valor and some semblance of
advisors.” In the issue of Nov. truth. Spreading rumors and in
19, 1999 President John Keyser sults will not encourage respect
was interviewed and stated, from your intellectual patrons or
“When Jennifer wasn’t happy college instructors. I see repeti
with some of the answers that tion in these actions against
she received from the student Donald Epstein.
Epstein is an admitted Right
services side, I think she got dif
ferent answers from Dean Darris, Wing Republican; I am as well. I
and I think that’s where the prob believe in capital punishment, the
If you don't have
anything intelli
gent to say...don't
say anything at
all.
right to bear arms, defense
spending, equal rights, and I
can’t stand feminists. In some
circles that makes me a bigot, and
a chauvinist pig. However, most
intelligent people would not be
inhibited from learning because
of differences of personal views.
Most students who are serious
about education find mediocrity
boring. Epstein spends the extra
effort to bring his students the
truth and the realism of whatever
time period or part of the world
they are studying. Judaic stud
ies included, especially taking in
consideration that he is an expert
of the field and is a member of
that respected and ancient reli
gion. The context in which he
stated “better of dead than ho
mosexual” was used appropri
ately in the study of Greeks vs.
Jews, and the Holocaust in which
homosexuals were also tortured
maimed and killed. Historical re
search will back up both ac
counts. If you are infuriated by
Jewish history and beliefs, then
read the Old Testament, or the To
rah, and argue with writers who
have been dead for thousands
of years. I urge you. however, to
not make the mistake of mixing
personal feelings into an objec
tive study. Like the young
scholar who aspires to be a
teacher, and appears asinine in
public view.
To Joshua Alexander: If the
real world is ugly and scares you,
then go home and watch a TV
program in which everyone
agrees and lives happily ever
after holding hands. The time
has come to put childish fancies
away and let the sun shine into
your eyes instead of through
rose colored glasses. And a
piece of advice to the Print... a
responsible advisor should set
an example and not let the Print
stoop so low in their journalistic
standards, by picking on two of
the finest instructors on this
campus.
“If you don’t have anything
intelligent to say...don’t say
anything at all.”
Colleen BW Baird
Student
Are instructors teaching personal bias in class?
D
ear Editor:
I’m writing in response to
the article regarding Dr. Donald
Epstein, instructor for the Judaic
Studies/Holocaust class, and the
letter titled Words will never hurt
me’” that appeared in the same is
sue of The Clackamas Print.
I personally believe there is a dif
ference between a child’s rhyme
about sticks and stones and giv
ing students the permission to hate
a group of people. Additionally, the
laws in this country relating to li
bel evidently are based on the
premise that words can badly hurt
you. It’s my feeling that encourag
ing hate and prejudice should not
be taught in public schools be
cause of the serious damage it can
cause. To me it seems evident that
it causes senseless and brutal mur
ders, such as that of Mathew
Shepard. Intolerance can put a ter
rifying end to a life. I also think of
the Columbine School massacre.
Does anyone know what inflamed
the hatred in the adolescent mur
derers? Were ‘sticks and stones’
in the form of racism and name-call
From the interview Dr. Epstein
ing part of it?
I am not objecting to Dr. provided to The Print, I gathered
Epstein’s right to teach the Judaic he feels that we, as students, have
Bible. If that Bible states, “People been brainwashed by those
are better off being dead than be preaching political correctness. He
ing a homosexual,” he has a right also appears to feel that by being
and obligation to tell students that. outrageous, his words not mine, he
will teach students
Just out of curi
to think. I fail to
osity, where in
see how teaching
the Judaic Bible
students that all
does it say this?
homosexuals
The course is
would be better
also titled “Ho
off dead because
locaust”. Please
the Judaic Bible
understand, in
says so inspires
no way do I
Tam Oliver
much thought,
mean to mini
Student
even on his part.
mize the atroci
For critical and
ties that were
creative thinking
committed
against the Jewish people. I can to take place, it takes some knowl
not and do not want to imagine the edge and exploration of all the is
amount of hatred it took for the sues. Of course, students can de
Nazis to reach this level of human bate his opinions and religious con
cruelty. Yet, the Jews were not the victions with him in front of the
only people tortured, imprisoned class. However, it appears from Dr.
and exterminated during the Holo Epstein’s comments that they sim
caust. It also happened to the gyp ply drop the class. Could the rea
sies, political prisoners, regular son for this be that a debate be
prisoners, Jehovah’s witnesses, tween a teacher and a student can
be unfairly biased in the direction
and homosexuals.
Intolerance can
put a terrifying
end to a life.
f ‘‘
I
of the teacher because of the dif
ference in power held by each of
them? Could it be that someone
who has taught in front of a class
room and has information available
to someone with a Ph.D. could
make a fool out of that student?
Could it be that it is difficult to
stand up in front of a classroom
and defend homosexuals because
someone might think that you are
one (... and you are not, or you are
and don’t want anyone to know it
because you’re afraid?) These are
questions that need to be an
swered.
I would also like to take issue
with Dr. Epstein’s statement that
homosexuals think the Bible is in
valid. What proof does the man
have of this? Is it not conceivable
that a homosexual group is com
prised of individuals that have dif
ferent thoughts just like any other
group? Is he aware that there are
many homosexuals that have reli
gious convictions? Additionally,
which Bible is he talking about?
His statement “That which is
morally wrong should not be legally
right” somehow reminded me of
the reason we separate church and
state. Can you imagine our legal
system if it were built on all the
religious convictions that are held
in this country? If we decided to
base law on just one religion,
would we at least have a vote on
which one? Would this stir up hate
and dissention? The reason that
the Nazis gave for imprisoning,
torturing and killing homosexuals
during the Holocaust was that ho
mosexuality was illegal. Homo
sexuality was illegal because it
was deemed to be immoral.
I admit that I am not a student of
Dr. Epstein’s and that this letter is
written in reaction to his state
ments quoted in The Clackamas
Print. However, it appears to me
that he could be using his posi
tion as a teacher to teach his per
sonal biases and prejudices. I can
only hope that proves not to be
true, as I assume that someone who
is getting ready for retirement has
taught more than a few classes.
Sincerely,
Tam Oliver
Student
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