Calendar Reform

To the Editors of The Crimson:

Thomas Meyer's editorial of October 27 on the subject of Israel's calendar raises some serious considerations for the United States as well as for Israel. For while beginning next fall all Israeli publications will have the Hebrew word for "destroy" printed on them, less than three scant months later. American calendars will bear the imprimatur "1984." Is it sheer coincidence that by rearranging these digits we get "1948," the year of Israeli Independence? Allowing that year to be named 1984 could be seen as American support for Israeli militarism, and should be avoided at all costs.

But how to rename the year? It is a perplexing question. Like the Israeli Minister, I tried picking at random a combination of numbers which would add up to this desired number, and the results were ominous: 1984 can be written as 1300 (thus frightening triskadecaphobes for an entire year) plus 666 plus three sixes (which would offend religious people as well as those who saw the "Omen" movies.)

Surely, a new approach is needed. I suggest that the United States simply skip the year 1984 altogether, with all of its chilling Orwellian connotations, and go straight ahead to 1985. While this would mean many sacrifices--I personally would have to forego my graduation--it is the least Americans can do for their country: it would allow the United States to pull ahead of Russia in the Time Race: and, since there would be no 1984 election, Ronald Reagan would continue to stay at the helm of this great nation until 1988.

I wish to congratulate Mr. Meyer and the Crimson staff for showing us all the great importance of calendar headings in geopolitics. I hope that future editorials will keep us informed of similar unsuspected connections between international relations and those subjects which, but for The Crimson's guidance, most of us would consider banalities. James Orenstein '84