Letter To The Editor: Kudos

Dear Editor,

I want to applaud Inquiring Minds (Issue 3, September 27) for posing the question, “Where’s our Elie Wiesel?” The Waltonian is not alone in wondering why the range of speakers at Eastern often seems pretty narrow.

I, for one, have wondered if Eastern has considered inviting President Jimmy Carter to speak, whose life in retirement has certainly reflected the ideals we say we value. Perhaps the administration should have fewer Windows speakers each semester, thereby being able to pay for “bigger” names, such as Anne Lamott.

I do not know the history of the “Windows on the World” series, so I cannot speak to its original intent; however, over the course of my time at Eastern, I have noticed that more faculty have been asked to speak, rather than bringing in outside speakers.

It is good to hear members of this community, but we need to be enriched by outside viewpoints. A pastor recently told me about asking a famous Princeton professor to speak at his church. When the pastor asked what the professor’s speaking fee was, the professor replied, “You can’t afford me, but I want to come anyway.”

Maybe we should just ask, and see what happens.

Sincerely,

Kathryn Lee, Ph.D.