Agreeing to disagree

To some, it may seem absurd to think that one's opinion would be subjected to objection, but I guess that is what conflict is all about, right? In the Feb. 26 edition of the Daily, I came upon a letter to the editor that I found illustrative of a common misperception that I find unfortunate and irresponsible at Tufts.

The letter, written by William Elder '04, is an opinion entitled, "Can't we all just get along?" It discusses the conflict that readers of the Tufts Daily repetitiously encounter: Person A does something that Person B finds offensive, then Person B reacts with some inflammatory rhetoric against Person A. Likewise, I will take on the role of Person B. Fortunately, at a "liberal university" like Tufts, opinions always have consequences.

This issue of conflicting ideologies, ethics, and opinions on campus is not an old one, and it is not one that will go away soon. The concentration on these conflicts of opinions is particularly important and relevant in light of today's on-campus relations between different student organizations and entities. In politics, elections are coming up and the Tufts Democrats and Tufts Republicans are likely to get into some heated campaigns for their respective candidates. In ethics and morals, tensions are consistently fluctuating in relation to what words we can say (c**t and vagina) and what types of activities go 'over the line' (such as the Sex Fair at Mayer or The Vagina Monologues).

Issues including Hill Hall's recent loss of its beloved Resident Director Tim Hegan and the Tufts Debate Society's recent controversial Alcohol Policy Forum utilizing Resident Assistants as speakers have exacerbated often tense student-administration relations. These are all issues that some may find superfluous and unnecessary. However, in a school with such a diverse student body, it is important to remember that some people take things more personally than others -- and we should respect that.

I find a contradiction in Mr. Elder's philosophy -- a philosophy, might I add, that is shared by other people on this campus. In his letter, he reflects on why cannot "people please just lighten up," and how many people on this campus "don't even know how to 'lighten up'." He uses examples such as the recent Vagina Monologues' brush with the Tufts Republicans on what is considered "appropriate" on campus. He says about this issue that, "the next time you see "c**t" written on the ground, either 1) Go see The Vagina Monologues...2) Giggle like a school-girl (like me)... 3) Be slightly offended, and let it slide. It is a dirty word, not something that we need to take to the authorities."

In rebuttal, I first point out that his defense of such profanity is in direct contradiction to his argument that we should lighten up -- if we should lighten up, and let things slide, than the issue of people getting offended by such language should not upset him, correct?

Secondly, I would like to "crystallize" why things should not just "slide" and why some people are justly offended. Everyday, on campus, there are prospective students walking on campus, and often times they have families with them, and with those families are often children. I recently heard of the exposure of a seven-year-old to some profane or "indecent" advertising on campus.

It is a fact that some people will be offended and (while I am not advocating who is in the right or wrong here) their right to explain or vent their concerns to the general public should not be taken lightly or be neglected.

We, as a student body, need to respect the ideas and beliefs of everyone, whether or not we see eye-to-eye. Calling people's ethical standards "insignificant" is ignorant. We need to remember that people will say what they think on this campus, and people will react. If the natural order of things were to "let things slide," and if the only venue of "fun" were to "go crack open a beer," than our society and our school would be unproductive, and quite frankly, boring. The word "fun" is not exclusive to drinking and partying -- to some, it may be studying and it may be writing to the Tufts Daily, to others it may be singing or it may be acting in a play like the Vagina Monologues. Whichever way you look at it, it is important to remember that we are all different, thinking beings with different ideas, beliefs, and standards. Can we all just get along? Yes, we can -- we all may not agree, but we should agree to disagree, or at least respect to each other's views. Each person will decide what offends him or her, and what they will take in reaction to that offense. "Lighten up?" Let's first get people to respect each other's differences, and then we will work on that.

Andrew L. Savini is a freshman with an undeclared major.