Deciding to respond to The Primary Source is always a hard decision. Should one really scold a group of people who write only to incite resentment and draw attention, trying hard always to mask their goal as conservatism? The comments in the Source bear little merit as insightful conservative thought, so to make up for its inability to understand political issues properly, the publication turns to its other inability: humor.
In the Oct. 20 edition of The Primary Source, in its "From the Elephant's Mouth" section, the magazine takes a jab at President Bacow and implies insulting ideas about his values, his religion and his attitude towards homosexuals. Furthermore, the blurb suggests offensively that Tufts Hillel is a homophobic student organization. I'll admit, I read the Source from time to time, and I occasionally laugh at what I find inside its pages. Someone there knows how to craft a funny joke. But, whoever wrote this item of commentary has misunderstood the delicate craft of criticism, and instead has crafted an erroneous, defamatory and slanderous statement that could only be construed as a "joke" by the bored and sorry likes of The Primary Source.
The blurb suggests that President Bacow's presence at Parent Weekend Shabbat was a tactic meant to impress "gullible, tuition-paying parents" into thinking that our President is "humble and pious." It also states, speciously, that his appearance at Shabbat services at Hillel was the first time he had been this semester. The implication that President Bacow would arrive at Hillel in order to excite and arouse Tufts' Jewish parents is downright vicious. It is not the place of The Primary Source to comment nor is it its place to count the attendance of President Bacow at Hillel. To imply that he would attend for some ulterior public relations motive is simply disrespectful. To then continue to comment that President Bacow shows up at Hillel "once a year" is just absurd. President Bacow need not defend his religiosity to anyone, regardless of the fact that he was at Kol Nidre services, attends Hillel several times throughout the year, and maintains a quiet but firm Jewish identity on this campus. Seriously, is there someone at the Source whose job it is to count how many times Bacow goes to Hillel every year?
For those who do not know, there is a Bible portion in the book of Leviticus that details a list of sexual practices regarded biblically as wrong. Included in this list is the much debated line, Leviticus 18:22: "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is an abomination." The Source insinuates the possibility that President Bacow, who attended Hillel, a Jewish organization, might be homophobic himself. Never mind that the list of abominations mentioned was not read at Tufts Hillel. Never mind that the article doesn't make it clear if President Bacow was present at the reading of this passage. Never mind that this intimation is horribly offensive to President Bacow. And certainly, never mind that this suggestion is offensive to Tufts' Jewish community as a whole. By supporting the Old Testament, Judaism does not support homophobia. The far-fetched connection attempted here is ridiculous.
The rest of this edition's "From the Elephant's Mouth" includes further rips on gays and on President Bacow's wife, Adele Fleet Bacow. I'm not quite sure what the Bacows, the gays or Tufts Hillel did to The Primary Source to garner such harsh criticisms, though I'm sure someone is going to tell me that it was all meant as a joke. Let me make it clear to the writer of this blurb: you are not funny, and your insinuations, while they are inflammatory and have earned you attention, demonstrate that you simply lack the skills it takes to write an effective, dignified commentary. Write something intelligent and worthwhile. After all, do you really care whether Larry Bacow wears a yarmulke or not?
Jon Adler is a sophomore majoring in English and minoring in Mass Communications & Media Studies.
