Texan scolds OSU about protesters
Let me be the first – well, if not the first then one of the first – to offer my hearty congratulations for expanding your horizons. In the past you’ve made yourself an embarrassment to the state of Ohio. You’ve made yourself an embarrassment to the Big Ten conference. But Wednesday you made yourself an embarrassment to an entire nation in front of the world.Trying to shout down speakers like Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Defense Secretary William Cohen and National Security Adviser Sandy Berger – or any speakers, for that matter, on any topic – isn’t only irresponsible and disrespectful, it’s ignorant. If you, Ohio State University, truly believed whatever Albright, et. al., was about to say was stupid, dangerous, warmongering nonsense, the sensible course of action would have been to let them say it so the world could have recognized it for what it was. If that wasn’t enough, one could always resort to asking intelligent questions to attack propaganda and lies.Again, I congratulate you for avoiding such a wise à and obvious à course of action to take the road less traveled.You, OSU, managed to drag our nation’s reputation as a clear international leader into the equivalent of a drunken brawl outside a college-town bar. I found myself wondering whether you expected the cops to show up, just like they do whenever any fraternity party gets out of hand.You must be proud, OSU. Think of it: you managed to show disregard for public debate, disregard for the United States’ diplomatic position, public disrespect for our elected and appointed leaders and exhibit your propensity for disruptive, belligerent behavior – all without telling the rest of us why some of your students, at least, oppose our nation’s Persian Gulf policy. In fact, you gave the clear impression that those students haven’t the faintest understanding of what that policy is.Yes, I congratulate you, OSU, for establishing your reputation and holding it high for the rest of us to see. I was impressed, and I know many others who felt the same way. Some hide their ignorance.Thank you for showing the courage and boldness it takes to flaunt it before the world.
Ken WalkerHouston, Texas
