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To the editor:
It is unfortunate that the recent coverage on the situation involving Allison Fine has been unfair both to Fine and to all students who feel obligated to speak out in their own defense. The one-sided information that has been published does not inform the community of the many months that Fine spent working one-on-one with members of the Thresher to address her concerns regarding what she perceived to be the paper's ongoing sexist editorial content. In response to her efforts, the outgoing editors printed what Fine took to be a vindictive and harassing attack of her in the "Trasher." This year's Thresher coverage does not give Fine much-deserved credit for exhausting every possible means -- including organizing meetings and writing public letters -- to address her concerns directly with those involved without invoking the student judicial process. Fine dealt openly and respectfully with the Thresher and its staff in all of her efforts, and it is sad that the Thresher has failed to reciprocate this professionalism by providing nothing more than a one-sided view of last year's events. Regardless of the outcome of the current situation, your coverage has produced a chilling environment of its own. Namely, an environment in which Rice students feel that they may be publicly attacked for having the courage to disagree with the Thresher . Fine dedicated a tremendous amount of energy to further the campus dialogue on sexual harassment by focusing on the issues. In return she has been subject to a hurtful personal attack that seems to have forgotten her original valid concerns with the Thresher . Fine is a strong individual who will move beyond this treatment. When a Rice student chooses to remain silent in the future because of your unbalanced presentation of this issue, then the Thresher 's disservice to the community will be fully realized. Maryana Iskander Wiess '97
This item appeared in the Opinion section of the September 26, 1997 issue. |
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