Horowitz lecture worthwhile

I did two things worth mentioning yesterday: First, I read Grant Myers’ column (“Stupid is as stupid does in BU’s past, present” April 2), and second, I went to listen to David Horowitz speak at the School of Management.

In his column, Mr. Myers points out all of the reasons why he probably doesn’t get along with many people and why he shouldn’t have come to Boston University in the first place. I’ve taken some time off since graduating from high school, and some might find it odd or amusing that I am a 22-year-old sophomore.

During my travels I’ve found a few things to be true. One thing is rarely do you find a large group of people that think exactly as you do. Perhaps Mr. Myers is the one being a bit sophomoric as he attempts to enlighten us with his take on the outside world after not even a year away from the shelter of home and parents.

Mr. Myers would have been well off to attempt to integrate ideas of cooperative efforts among people with differing viewpoints in his writing. Although I cannot say I adhere to any or all of the views of the BU College Republicans, or to Mr. Horowitz’s ideas for that matter, but I did find it thought provoking. Mr. Horowitz expounded on the need for a sense of bipartisanship not only on the part of the Congress, but also on the part of citizens that make up this country.

Instead, Mr. Myers’ column does nothing but create a sense of divisiveness in a school that is already rife with segregation. I’m sick of hearing cracks on the College of General Studies, and while I do not mind the knocks on Silber or Westling, such remarks do nothing to create a sense of unity on this campus. I would like to see a football team as much as the next person, but Mr. Myers could surely have spent his time more productively if he wanted to make his point.

In his lecture, Mr. Horowitz spoke extensively in response to the stir created by his ad, which delineated his views on reparations to families of former slaves. His argument in his defense was well thought out, and at times, convincing. He described words as “weapons of intimidation,” which I think to be true in many cases. Mr. Myers’ article is a great example of this. I am dismayed to think that it was nothing more than a sarcastic attempt at humor, but the only thing humorous about it was the disproportionate amount of words dedicated to the waffle-irons in the dining halls. Mr. Myers, where were you going with that?

Every time I go to hear a lecture at BU or in the Boston area, I feel like my tuition is worth that much more. Mr. Horowitz certainly provided a different point of view, which I can say inspired me to think more critically about certain situations. Mr. Myers achieved something of the sort; however, if he should happen to read this, maybe he should try to communicate his views in a manner that doesn’t pit every section of BU against the rest.

Christopher Byrnes

CGS ’03