An Act of Sensitivity

To the Editors of The Crimson:

I take my flag down.

I take it down not because I no longer believe in its original purpose--to show that symbols such as the Confederate Flag and the swastika have no real purpose in today's society except to hurt people.

I take it down not because I no longer believe that we should all make an effort to ban the use of such valueless expression.

I take it down not because I no longer believe that a little offense now will help create a better environment for future Harvard students. Unlike those who hung the Confederate flag, I myself was offended by my flag as one whose ancestors Hitler certainly would not have embraced and, indeed, would have slaughtered en mass had we been a little more accessible. I looked beyond the hurt, however, to something more important.

I take it down, then, because Harvard Hillel and other members of the Jewish community have chosen not to see the more important goal. They have chosen not to unite with other communities to eliminate the displays of such racist and odious symbols as communities in other schools such as Cornell have done.

I take it down because members of the Jewish community have unfortunately and simplistically chosen to frame my individual protest as an expression of the entire Black community, indicating that interethnic conflict looms over the horizon if I do not take it down.

I take it down in the interest of preserving a precarious relationship between Hillel and the Black Students Association, a relationship which dictates that the BSA come out with a joint statement denouncing my action but at the same time allows the BSA to be attacked by Hillel for the display of my flag, though I have not even been a member of BSA for two years.

I take it down, then, in the interest of preventing any interethnic attacks, but at the same time I must point out that my action is an action of individual sensitivity. While I may be sensitive, there are many individuals who are not, and without a policy change we may not be able to "sensitize" the person who hangs the swastika next year, next month or tomorrow. Jacinda T. Townsend '92