Act Responsibly or Resign

To the Editors of The Crimson:

Noel Ignatiev is not an anti-Semite. However, he is seemingly unfit to be a non-resident tutor at Harvard College.

Although I disagree with Ignatiev's opinions with regard to the recent placement of a toaster oven for kosher use in the Dunster House dining hall, I had no reason to respond to his complaints until I saw his remarks in a letter in the March 18 Crimson.

Ignatiev asserts that "whoever calls me an anti-Semite will face a libel suit." House tutors are supposed to set an example for the Harvard community, to foster rational debate and social interaction.

Although tutors should not tolerate bigotry, neither should they respond to it with a knee-jerk threat. Ignatiev's letter makes him seem more like a petulant child than a responsible adult, more like a person in need of guidance than able to offer it to others.

I am forced to wonder if Ignatiev leads any sections or tutorials with the same attitude in mind. Does he threaten to sue his students for wasting his time and effort if they say something inappropriate or disagreeable?

If a student says something that he finds insulting, does he threaten to whack them upside the head with a two-by-four to teach them the error of their ways?

It is unfortunate that anyone might suggest that Ignatiev is an anti-Semite. It is even more unfortunate that Ignatiev could not respond to such perceived charges in a rational manner that would foster thought in the Harvard community rather than suppress it.

If Ignatiev cannot maintain the measure of decorum that is appropriate for a non-resident tutor, he should resign. Jol A. Silversmith '94