In publishing ‘racist’ column, News acted irresponsibly

To the Editor:

“Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.” That’s the adage as I always heard it, but according to Xiaochen Su, we can’t get rid of the babies fast enough. Forget the bath water, he implies, just start by chucking those little brown babies out the window!

That’s what Mr. Su’s argument boils down to: a racist plea that the U.S. government engage in ethnic cleansing. While he starts out by unfavorably comparing the United States to Japan and Western Europe, it seems that we should really be emulating China. Perhaps we should just institute a Zero-Child Policy for any person of non-native, non-Caucasian descent — not that there will be any left after we tax and starve these gleefully evil populations to death.

Mr. Su didn’t mention exactly which minorities are so inconsiderate as to “continue to reproduce.” Given that they’re too stupid to understand the “country’s economic dynamics” — that having children is expensive — he should probably make this explicit.

When I pass a family in the street, I want to be sure I know whether it’s a pack of reproducing animals stealing my birthright or a valuable addition to the economy; only then I can decide whether to throw stones.

While we’re simplifying things, maybe we should just put the old “Whites Only” signs back over the doors to our educational institutions, nipping the ambition of any uppity minority right in the bud. Apparently, that whole civil rights movement thing worked, and these days, everyone thinks they deserve an education. What gall!

Perhaps we should also put similar signs in the aisles of grocery stores: After all, our government is now in the business of starving its citizens. Doesn’t the sound of crying babies as they starve to death ring prettily in your capitalist pig ears?

I can’t continue in this vein for long; it’s too easy to mock Mr. Su’s ridiculous suggestions for population control, and more important, it’s too painful. What bothers me most about this article is that I read it in the first place — shame on not only Mr. Su, but on the News for printing such garbage.

For that’s what this article is: trash. I don’t doubt the News’ commitment to sparking debate amongst its readers, to engaging the community and to providing perspectives that represent different segments of the community. I do, however, expect them to do so while maintaining certain journalistic standards: a lack of overt racism, I thought, was a bare minimum.

Mr. Su paints a picture of non-whites as a ragged bunch of poor, uneducated, unintelligent, violent, lazy thieves, with the sole caveat, “notwithstanding exceptions.” Had he written that the U.S. government sterilize minorities, I doubt that the News would have published this piece; yet when he suggests we make baby food inaccessible to undesirables, it is considered a debatable point.

It is not, as every one on the News’ staff surely knows. Tabloids may use sensationalism in order to attract readers, but the News should know better.

Austen Kassinger

Oct. 9

Kassinger is a sophomore in Davenport

College.

Su’s ‘simplistic’ argument neglected history

To the Editor:

Xiaochen Su’s laughable assumption of the existence of a so-called “native Caucasian population” is probably news to the large population of Native Americans who still call the United States home.

It’s probably also surprising to the millions of descendants of African slaves who have been living here since 1619, which, any Wikipedia search will tell you, is a year before the Mayflower arrived with its settlers, British immigrants.

It is white, rural dwellers who make up the overwhelming majority of public assistance recipients in this country, a trend reflected in over 15 years of government data. While politely referred to as a retirement fund, Social Security is actually the largest welfare program in the country. But it is hardly ever stigmatized as such.

A little bit of research would show the problems that Japan is suffering the very reason Su compliments it. Consistently low birth rates have shrunk the working population.

Japan is actually attempting to entice immigrants to come and take jobs, an idea that would certainly horrify our columnist. Ireland, which has experienced crippling economic depression over the past decade, has suddenly been greeted with an economic upswing and now has one of the fastest growing economies in the EU. The reason? Immigrants.

Socioeconomic problems in this country wear a seemingly brown face. It seems that only blacks can be on welfare, while only Latinos can be immigrants. Su’s simplistic arguments reaffirm this, while reiterating tired hyperbole of a decidedly racist and classist bent.

So yes, let’s tax the poor and make it even harder for them to eat. Let’s just make them homeless. Furthermore, let’s forget that the history of the United States was founded on the backs of those, white or otherwise, who left their own distant shores for the promise of a better life.

Amber Joseph

Oct. 9

Joseph is a junior in Pierson College

Resolved: Reengrave the Statue of

Liberty

To the Editor:

In response to Xiaochen Su’s October 9 op-ed on immigration, we have composed the following lines. We’re, like, totally sure that they’re what Emma Lazarus really meant.

THE NEWER COLOSSUS:

“Keep, ancient lands, those without cash!” cries she.

“Give me your rich, their children and au pair, Your ballers, shot-callers, who know: no lunch is free. The ones who need no kindness, help, or care. (And some Italian models would be key.) I’ll hide my lamp — I never learned to share!”

If we had more time, we’d totally tackle that part of the Constitution that’s about equal protection. You know the part we mean. Yeah, that one

Joshua Batson, Lily Rothman

and Paul Selker

Oct. 9

The writers are seniors in Davenport College.

Old-fashioned Yale vigilantism will be thieves’ downfall

To the Editor:

Yesterday, a rogue invaded one of the entryways in my residential college to plunder the valuables of some sleeping freshmen. Yale students from the old era would never tolerate such an act.

Do you think Eli Whitney ’(17)92 or William Howard Taft ’(18)78 ever got mugged? It makes me wonder: whatever happened to good old-fashioned sleuthing?

I am not proposing anything drastic, just a rag-tag group of students who operate out of a tree house or some other homemade structure and serve as our resident detectives. These students, or as I will call them, “gumshoes,” live close to the action and have a firm grasp of the various personalities that inhabit New Haven. No case is too big or too small for these courageous sleuths.

Durfee’s supply of Butterfingers gone missing? Someone released all of the mice in the science lab? A grad student lacerated after being beaten with milk crates on Lynwood? Just another caper for your Yale gumshoes.

I’m sure the Yale and New Haven police are more than capable of handling the paperwork, but let’s have our gang crack these crooks. You’ll be surprised at how often they find clues: a sweaty glove, a box of matches with an address printed on them or even a conspicuous trail of footprints. We don’t need any fancy gadgets or gizmos; this isn’t CSI: New Haven. A few magnifying glasses and some good old fashioned know-how will do the trick.

We’ll also need a loveable anthropomorphic animal like Scooby Doo to lighten the mood during the adventures. We’re already wearing the cardigan sweaters, just toss a flashlight in our hand and we’re detective wiz-kids. Gee golly, mystery solved; that’ll be 25 cents please.

You’re probably thinking “this sounds like a brilliant idea, but isn’t it a bit dangerous?” First of all, no. Second of all, Yale ingenuity coupled with a child-like innocence will protect us from any real harm that could arise.

Various schemes like a fake mustache disguise, an elaborate trap involving trip wire and a wooden cage, and your classic hide-in-the bushes-until-they-stop-looking technique will apprehend any perp and leave Chief Perrotti grinning, saying, “Those darned kids did it again.”

So, bicycle thugs and villains beware: Your misdeeds are numbered now that the Yale gumshoes are on the trail. After all, Nancy Drew did it, and I heard she got a 1300 on her SATs.

Doug Lieblich

Oct. 9

Lieblich is a senior in Timothy Dwight

College.

Witness: YPD passes buck instead of preventing crime

To the Editor:

As a third unmentioned witness in the investigation of the thefts committed in Timothy Dwight College early Sunday morning, and a victim of Sgt. Steven Woznyk’s criticism for failing to report to the police immediately, I feel the need to correct some of his and the News’ erroneous comments concerning the incidents.

Though I don’t claim justification for my delay, I should point out that as I was in the TD courtyard after the first incident occurred, I know that, contrary to Woznyk’s claim, the police had already left TD by the time the second incident took place.

Since neither I, nor my roommate, who was asleep at the time of the robbery, got a good look at the thief, it didn’t seem necessary to us that we be questioned by the police at 5:30 in the morning.

Instead of blaming me and my roommate for failing to report the second theft, perhaps Sgt. Woznyk should ask the several officers who were in TD why they didn’t tell me to keep an eye out for anything suspicious as I wandered the courtyard, talking on the phone.

If they had done so, I would have taken more than a passing glance at a young African-American man in a red shirt descending my entryway stairway at 5:30 as I returned to my room.

Sam Post

Oct. 9

Post is a senior in Timothy Dwight College.