Peninsula Is Still Controversial

The little of Ethan Tucker's recent article, "Student Journal Ceases of Shock," (March 7, 1994) suggests that Peninsula has gone the way of Laodicea.

Yet we find in thee article a student leveling the charge of bigotry, former Radcliffe Union of Students (RUS) Co-Chair Deborah J. Wexler '95 feeling infuriated, and RUS planing a protest rally-because of tan issue Peninsula published this past November.

The only real evidence Tucker presents to support his title is the fact that we haven't brought a campus minister out of the closet lately.

Moreover, while the feature focuses criticism on Peninsula, much of that criticism goes unchallenged. For instance, Wexler claims bias on the part of our RUS survey, because it was conducted during an RUS meeting, at which only 14 women were in attendance.

Let's imagine (against all statistical probability) that as many as five of those 14 women might have been reached had we randomly called on a different night. Wexler is still looking at 46 percent of the campus not knowing what RUS stands for.

By her logic, we ourselves should question The Crimson 's random survey of 100 students, which was likely conducted during a Peninsula meeting, an entire 16 people thereby being "excluded from the polling base."

Finally, Tucker chose not to print any of the explanations staff members offered a less visible campus response to our publication. Comparing the reception of our more recent issues with the reaction to our issue on homosexuality is beside the point.

Not every fight has to be won with a knockout punch. We're confident that we can win any bout on points alone.

However, more and more, the Left seems to be withdrawing from the ring. The Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Students Association reacted to the homosexuality issue as if they had received a knee in the groin . They still don't seem to have recovered.

Last semester, Peninsula provoked widespread campus debate on feminism, with little response from the newly timid Left. Wexler herself confesses an unwillingness to write a simple letter. Do we really expect her to organize a rally? G. Brent McGuire '95   Senior Council Member Peninsula