I'm a sophomore currently living in Brownstone and would like to clear up a misconception that made its way into the Monday, Monday column.
I write knowing it's a humor column, so I do not wish to make this a big deal.
I'll admit that, before I rushed, I had also heard a rumor that Brownstone was substance-free. But after rushing and getting to know the dorm, I know that this is not the case. Just like members of other selective houses (with the exception of the newly created group called "Wellness"), those of us in Brownstone are free to make our own decisions about alcohol.
In addition, Brownstone is not affiliated with Brown dorm on East Campus.
There are people in Brownstone who drink and those who chose not to drink, but the decision is always left to the individual. The column is a concern to me because it gives an inaccurate impression to students who might consider rushing for the house. It is important to clarify that Brownstone is a social dorm that does not make decisions about whether or not its members can or cannot drink.
Jane Chen
Trinity '08
Co-Rush Chair of Brownstone
St. Patrick lured snakes
With the approach of the Christian feast day of All Saints (Nov. 1 in the Western liturgical calendar), perhaps The Chronicle should consider hiring several additional fact checkers, and possibly a myth-and-symbol checker, to deal with coverage of worship in Duke Chapel.
In the Oct. 3 article on the Chapel's "blessing of the pets" ("Pets receive blessings at service") you report that this annual ceremony takes place in conjunction with "the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, who is the patron saint of animals famed for driving the snakes out of Ireland."
A British colleague at Ecumenical News International, who is something of a stickler for syntax, remarks, "if animals won't drive out snakes, what will?" But are animals famed for doing so?
It is my suspicion that your reporter has confused St. Francis with St. Patrick. I hope for the sake of the student athletes that Duke will not soon confront Notre Dame's Fighting Irish.
Rev. Theodore Gill
World Council of Churches
Geneva, Switzerland
Blue-White tickets on sale
Tickets for the Blue and White game Oct. 22 are on sale Wednesday until 4 p.m. or until they are sold out at the ticket office in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Students get one free ticket and may purchase a maximum of two tickets for their parents at $20 each, cash or check only.
Lauren Troyer
Pratt '06
Head Line Monitor
Harriet Miers not qualified
Sandra Day O'Connor, Laura Bush and many other female leaders have called upon President George W. Bush to name a woman to the Supreme Court. He has indeed done that with Harriet Miers, his nominee to replace O'Connor. The problem is, despite having ovaries, she is not qualified to serve on the nation's highest court.
I am not saying that she's unqualified because she's a woman, nor am I saying she's unqualified because she's extremely conservative. I'm not even saying she's unqualified because she's one of President Bush's closest friends. I'm saying she's unqualified because Harriet Miers has never been a judge.
True, she has almost 18 months of experience as White House Counsel. She also has 5 years of experience as a private attorney. In order to do these things, she's probably a smart lady. However, she has never been a judge. I have as much judicial experience as she does (maybe more-on take-your-child-to-work day, I got to bang the gavel once when I was 8).
I don't agree that we automatically need a woman or a minority as our next associate justice of the Supreme Court. We should have the person who is most qualified, regardless of gender or skin color. The most qualified person is certainly not someone who has spent a grand total of zero hours behind the bench.
Come on, Mr. President. You can do better than this.
David Shiffman
Trinity '07
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