‘21’ Discriminatory Casting Unjustified
Several years ago, when I first heard that the best-selling book <i>Bringing Down the House</i> would be made into a Hollywood movie, I was beyond excited. However, now that ‘21’ is out, no matter how much I try to rationalize the casting decisions behind this film, I remain outraged as an American. I will attempt to explain why Hollywood’s discriminatory casting process behind this film is offensive, why over 600 members on a Facebook group have called for its boycott, and why several prominent newspapers and blogs have criticized this movie, with one writer even calling it “moving Asian Americans to the back of the bus.”
Letters to the Editor
The pro-independence protests that Tibetans around the world kicked off this past week should be allowed to continue in a peaceful manner. Timed to coincide with the 49th anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s escape from Lhasa, Tibet to Dharmasala, India, these protests stand for an impressively sustained defiance against the Chinese political machine. It is most disappointing that neighboring India has decided to detain protesters for no apparent reason. It demonstrates India’s willingness to bow to China’s political wishes for the sake of maintaining relations. While this may be the correct diplomatic move, no individual who cares for the well-being of other human beings should be able to genuinely accept it. It is a heinous crime. The monks have the right to non-violent protest and let them exercise it, be it in Lhasa, New Delhi, Kathmandu, or Washington, D.C. If human rights are sacrificed so easily now, what will happen in the future when the economic clout of certain countries grows? As the Olympics approach, let us all remember we are human beings and not let others be treated so trivially in the name of superficial purpose.
Letters to the Editor
<i>This letter is in response to </i>The Tech’<i>s March 4 article on the death of Robert M. Wells ’08:</i>
Corrections
The March 4, 2008 article on the birthday of Random Hall incorrectly referred to the death of Elizabeth H. Shin ’02 as occurring six years ago. Shin died in 2000, eight years ago.
Support Graduate Pass/D/Fail
The MIT Mission states: “The Institute is committed to generating, disseminating, and preserving knowledge, and to working with others to bring this knowledge to bear on the world’s great challenges.” Many of the challenges facing the world today, ranging from curing diseases to tackling energy issues, from harnessing information technology to understanding brain and mind, require solutions that span multiple disciplines. As a result, scientists and engineers increasingly face the need to be versatile in their knowledge, and also the need to work with colleagues from different backgrounds.
Letters to the Editor
<i>This letter is in response to Kevin Wang’s March 4, 2008 column, “Not Even Fit For a Last Meal”:</i>
Corrections
The Feb. 26, 2008 captions for the Bexxxley Roxxx Some More concert incorrectly identified a band as The Peaches. The band is actually called The Pears.
Financial Aid Leaves Out Middle Class
The article about the Senate requesting MIT’s information on endowment and tuition on Friday, Feb 22, makes things sound reasonable enough, but it’s glossing over some of the ugly facts underlying MIT’s financial aid policies.
Letters to the Editor
If I were to say that the NFL’s governing body is smarter than the administrations of our nation’s wealthiest universities, would you believe me? People may look in wonder at the nature of the statement, asking themselves “How could a handful of individuals in the sports business outwit those that are responsible for educating our nation’s brightest students?” The answer is simple: they understand that their own success depends on the success of the group.
The Necessity of Hope
On Tuesday, Wisconsin handed Barack Obama his ninth consecutive victory in the race for the Democratic nomination. In state after state, Obama’s speeches have drawn together thousands of people from all backgrounds to stand up and shout “Yes we can.” But, as Obama-mania fades in the coming months, the focus will turn to where each candidate stands on the issues. Political pundits have repeatedly argued that although Obama is inspirational, he doesn’t address the “meat-and-potatoes problems.” David Brooks of the New York Times calls Obama’s message of hope “vaporous.” So what are his policies? This question is being echoed more loudly with Obama’s increasing success in the primaries. While I agree that Obama should provide a more concrete outline of the policies he wants to enact and how, it is my opinion that his message of hope represents a world-view that will have a real impact on questions of policy.
Letters to the Editor
Historically, MIT’s role in promoting science policy is unparalleled. Vannevar Bush EGD ’16 had a key role in the massive mobilization of the science community during World War II. But even in peacetime, he lobbied for the creation of the National Science Foundation. MIT Presidents Karl T. Compton and James R. Killian Jr. ’26 also helped shape U.S. science policy in this era.
Corrections
The Feb. 12, 2008 article “Green Hall Residents Will Leave In Fall and Thetas Will Move In” incorrectly stated that fewer beds will be available to undergraduates in fall 2008 after Senior Segue ends. In fact, the same number of beds will be available. Though 103 fewer beds in graduate dormitories will be offered to undergraduates, Green Hall will provide housing for 46 Kappa Alpha Theta members, and 57 spaces have been reserved in new graduate dormitory NW35 for students who will eventually occupy W1 when it becomes an undergraduate residence.
Student Living Demands Student Input
As we students enjoy a passing resemblance to having lives and would be delighted to contribute meaningfully to MIT’s decisions regarding how students live — that is to say, regarding housing — we are continually dismayed at how little attention the administration pays to student input. But are we surprised? A reading of <i>The Tech</i>’s archives suggests that even “ten-yeared” students should be anything but.
Corrections
<i>The Tech</i>’s Feb. 8 feature about the 2008 BattleCode contest incorrectly noted that the “Best Team Name” award was given by BAE Systems. It was actually awarded by the BattleCode directors.
Letters to the Editor
Your February 5, 2008 Year in Review issue contained glaring errors in the section about the death of Daniel Barclay ’07, in sharp contrast to your newspaper’s usually-high standard for reporting.
Letters to the Editor
While I thought The Tech’s recent Year in Review issue did an outstanding job of representing the triumphs, controversies, and other stories that profoundly affected MIT over the past year, I am troubled that, in all of the issue’s 36 pages, not once does the word UROP appear. The student-driven research for which MIT is supposedly so highly regarded is barely mentioned, even while eight pages are dedicated to MIT’s athletics program. Although The Tech selected nine athletes to showcase as “Profiles of Dedication” — a title well deserved — that phrase could just as easily have been applied to any number of UROP students. To be sure, I do not mean to slight the student-athletes who devote so much of their time, energy, and passion to excelling in their chosen sport or sports. But I find it strange that even here at the Massachusetts Institute of <i>Technology</i>, we still seem to value articles about athletics above stories about academics.
Corrections
The “The Tech Asks…” feature in <i>The Tech’s </i>2007 Year in Review misspelled the name of a popular Afghan restaurant near the Cambridgeside Galleria. It is Helmand, not Helmond’s.
The Year in Tech Editorials
Incorporating perspectives built upon institutional memory and the paper’s untouched archives, <i>The Tech’s </i>editorial board weighed in on several matters of importance to the MIT community this past year. Below find editorials on what we consider to be some of the year’s most important topics.
MIT’s Missile Defense Cover-Up
Over the past seven years, the MIT Corporation has been actively concealing evidence of scientific fraud at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, relating to the effectiveness of a national missile defense system. During that time, the U.S. has mis-spent nearly $70 billion of national treasure on a flawed system, and MIT’s name has been used to lull the nation’s decision makers into believing that the defense might work. My aim in writing this article is to provide the MIT community with facts so powerful that anyone who reads them will understand that the actions of the MIT Corporation in this case have ignored the nation’s best interests.
MIT Students Go Global
The constant barrage of news about climate change, energy shortages, environmental degradation, disease, and war demonstrates the challenges and dangers of an increasingly interconnected world. However, in the face of these grim realities and predictions, it is reassuring to witness the real-world, international successes of MIT students. By working with communities around the world, MIT students create positive outcomes that have transformative effects. The more MIT students participate in international public service, the better chance we have of creating a world where interconnection is an asset and headlines can be positive.