so much for being the world's finest educational institution....
Vandals soaked several sexual orientation-related books in urine at a Harvard University library. Is this a hate crime? What happened to intellectual debate?
Libraries should be a place of learning. A place of discovery. A place of understanding. At Harvard University last month, however, the library became a place of hate.
In late November at Lamont Library on the Harvard University campus, someone poured urine on about 40 books that dealt with gay and lesbian issues. The vandalism wasn't reported until this past week because the library was assessing the value of the books that had been targeted.
Pouring urine on a book, no matter what its subject, is asinine. Libraries are places where people come to learn about things they don't know, to explore different perspectives, to examine new ideas. Vandalizing a library book so that it can no longer be used by the community isn't just a crime against the library, but a crime against the acquisition and spread of knowledge, whatever the targeted subject matter may be.
Vandalizing books that deal with lesbian, bay, bi- and trans-sexual (LGBT) issues and same-sex marriage is clearly a hate crime, but if the person that poured urine on these 40 books at Lamont Library was trying to stifle intellectual discussion of homosexuality at Harvard, the act was counter-productive. Academic debate can not be silenced by vandalizing a few books; more likely, the villainous act will spur more discussion about the issues, and highlight the need for more reference material on the subject.
If the person who poured urine on the books really had an opinion about LGBT issues, it would have been better for them to become actively engaged in the debate at an intellectual level rather than resorting to immature vandalism. Those same books that were vandalized could have been used as important reference points for arguments on both sides of the issue.
Lamont Library and Harvard University should use this crime as a launching point for open and frank discussion on homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Instead of just simply replacing the books, the library should use this occasion to highlight other reference material that tackle these issues (from both sides) and hold seminars, workshops, debates, and other programs that encourage students to learn about and analyze the various perspectives that surround the issues. Across campus, it should be clear that honest discussion and critical analysis speaks louder than urine-soaked books.
The role of the university and the library are clear: to foster a spirit of learning, to help people articulate their ideas, and to teach the community to analyze and debate those ideas with intellectual rigor. Stifling a perspective by committing vandalism does nothing to further your cause; Harvard should prove that to its students by encouraging critical analysis and open dialog, showing that the way to get your voice heard isn't by silencing others.
:facepalm:
Vandals soaked several sexual orientation-related books in urine at a Harvard University library. Is this a hate crime? What happened to intellectual debate?
Libraries should be a place of learning. A place of discovery. A place of understanding. At Harvard University last month, however, the library became a place of hate.
In late November at Lamont Library on the Harvard University campus, someone poured urine on about 40 books that dealt with gay and lesbian issues. The vandalism wasn't reported until this past week because the library was assessing the value of the books that had been targeted.
Pouring urine on a book, no matter what its subject, is asinine. Libraries are places where people come to learn about things they don't know, to explore different perspectives, to examine new ideas. Vandalizing a library book so that it can no longer be used by the community isn't just a crime against the library, but a crime against the acquisition and spread of knowledge, whatever the targeted subject matter may be.
Vandalizing books that deal with lesbian, bay, bi- and trans-sexual (LGBT) issues and same-sex marriage is clearly a hate crime, but if the person that poured urine on these 40 books at Lamont Library was trying to stifle intellectual discussion of homosexuality at Harvard, the act was counter-productive. Academic debate can not be silenced by vandalizing a few books; more likely, the villainous act will spur more discussion about the issues, and highlight the need for more reference material on the subject.
If the person who poured urine on the books really had an opinion about LGBT issues, it would have been better for them to become actively engaged in the debate at an intellectual level rather than resorting to immature vandalism. Those same books that were vandalized could have been used as important reference points for arguments on both sides of the issue.
Lamont Library and Harvard University should use this crime as a launching point for open and frank discussion on homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Instead of just simply replacing the books, the library should use this occasion to highlight other reference material that tackle these issues (from both sides) and hold seminars, workshops, debates, and other programs that encourage students to learn about and analyze the various perspectives that surround the issues. Across campus, it should be clear that honest discussion and critical analysis speaks louder than urine-soaked books.
The role of the university and the library are clear: to foster a spirit of learning, to help people articulate their ideas, and to teach the community to analyze and debate those ideas with intellectual rigor. Stifling a perspective by committing vandalism does nothing to further your cause; Harvard should prove that to its students by encouraging critical analysis and open dialog, showing that the way to get your voice heard isn't by silencing others.
:facepalm:
