To the Editor:
Last week I received an e-mail from a classmate and friend that contained a link to an article by a staff columnist of "The D," Dan Rothfarb, "I Will Raise No Flag" (Oct. 4). What bothers me most about Rothfarb's column is something that has always been a blessing and a curse about Dartmouth itself -- its distance. In this case, distance from reality. Rothfarb's dissertation on the dangers of "jingoism" and unchecked patriotism, as he characterizes them, misses the point. Many people, including Dartmouth graduates, have died. Our country has been attacked. If he wants or does not want to fly a flag, that is his choice. We currently have fighter jets in the Middle East protecting that right.
Think long and hard about it -- what is it that you want to do when you graduate? You can help. For older graduates, our chances to help are decreasing. Case in point: angry and bewildered after the attacks, I went down to an Army Reserve recruiting depot shortly after Sept. 11 to see what I could do. What I found out was quite interesting. They didn't have much use for me. I am 27 years old, and by the time I'd be adequately trained, I'd be 29. The program is designed for college students, they told me.
So think about it. That is all I ask. For some of us graduates, the time to make a difference via our careers is beginning to slip past. So for you, Dartmouth undergraduates, please think long and hard about the world you are going to be entering into, and how active you want your role to be in it. Enjoy your time at Dartmouth -- its pastoral beauty and community of learning are truly unique for undergraduates. But please know that things have gotten a lot more serious than they used to be. And that is important.
