To the Editor:
I would like to respond to Allison MacDonald's letter in the Thursday, March 1 issue of The Dartmouth. As the coordinator (and an attendee) of the Gold Coast's program on Safety and Security with Sergeant Rebel Roberts last fall, I would like to clear up a few of Ms. McDonald's statements. At the informal program intended to educate, not "scare" students, Sergeant Roberts talked about different aspects of campus safety, including the door locking policy, and explained the ease of using a proximity card ID based access system. Ms. McDonald then raised her perfectly valid concern about privacy issues.
However, contrary to what Ms. McDonald wrote, Sergeant Roberts was not "confused" by her statements. Sergeant Roberts understood and listened to Ms. McDonald's concerns. Replying to Ms. McDonald's rash statement that she didn't want someone watching her every move, Sergeant Roberts explained that a handful of S&S officers could not possibly track the movements of thousands of students, constantly entering and exiting buildings. (Not to mention the fact that S&S officers have more important work to do.) But the computer records could possibly be useful if a crime (or emergency) occurred --- though not necessarily to identify the students committing the crime.
Ms. MacDonald also writes that she tried repeatedly to make Roberts see her side of the argument, only to receive the same response over and over again. However her rendering of the event is again incorrect. Rather than trying to clearly and maturely present her opinion to Rebel Roberts, Ms. MacDonald acted inappropriately at the event. She resorted to raising her voice and even throwing dirty looks at Sergeant Roberts. I had never been so embarrassed by a fellow student or uncomfortable at a college event as I was that night. Ms. McDonald verbally attacked both Sergeant Roberts and her fellow S&S Officers. Nevertheless Sergeant Roberts responded politely and she is to be commended for maintaining her composure in such a situation.
I admit that I do not share Ms. MacDonald's opinions. However I do respect her opinions. What I do not understand or respect is the method she has utilized to present those opinions. Whether or not she agrees with Sergeant Roberts, the entire Safety & Security office, or the College, Ms. MacDonald should present her opinions in a polite manner, and in no circumstance should she use an Op-Ed letter to further attack Sergeant Roberts' intelligence and competence. Ms. McDonald's words and actions are very demeaning, inappropriate, and, frankly, immature. If Ms. McDonald intended to persuade readers that this access system would violate students' privacy, she should have stuck to her point. Instead she used eight of her 13 sentences to slam Sergeant Roberts' actions and words at an event she cannot even accurately remember.
In closing, I would like to offer a few words of advice: attacking the character or intelligence of your opposition does not effectively present your case, Ms. MacDonald. All that you do is sacrifice your own credibility and opinion.
