Death Notifications Editorial
Dear Editorial Staff,
Understanding that your purpose in writing daily commentary about the most trivial subjects is to elicit a response from your readers in this “slow” week, I am repulsed that you would, in the desperation of an approaching deadline, choose to insult the University and its members, both former and current, by printing your insipid and thoughtless response to something as deep as a death notification. Had you thought for one minute that the persons being mentioned were once a part of this University and that their contributions to this institution, in fact, lead to the prosperity and reputation that we respect, you would have refrained from such base comments. I find it hard to believe that receiving the notification that someone’s father, mother, mentor, or friend has passed would be a waste of your time, my time, the University’s time, or any of our money. Had you thought that these people meant something to the University, that they were once a part of this great community that we all cherish, and that their memory is one that the University wishes to be acknowledged, you would be embarrassed to have even held such insolent thoughts. I am insulted that one could so disgustingly demolish the sentiment of one’s passing, especially since that person was and is a part of what makes this University a whole.
Though I may not have known a deceased retired faculty/staff member or student, I feel that it is appropriate for the University administration to notify the community of its loss, both in support of those who knew him/her and of that person’s family and friends. I do regret that someone so concerned with the fashions and plastic cups of recent news would harm the reputation of our community by saying, not only, that we do not care about our members, but that we would rather not waste our time having to read about their deaths.
If you don’t want to read a message, it takes one second to click the delete button in Webmail — hardly a waste of time. The message was actually 4 KB — hardly a waste of space in your inbox. It might have taken 10 minutes to write the notification — hardly a waste of someone’s work effort. If your retort is that bulk email is less touching of a method for communicating such news to faculty, staff and students, I suggest you propose another method that doesn’t “waste money” — from what I gather, this one doesn’t.
Kelly Devlin
Senior, majoring in Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Staff, Office of Conference Services
Dear Daily Campus,
With reference to the editorial on “when some geriatric . . . croaks,” does the editorial board remember “For Whom the Bell Tolls”?
Richard D. Nelson
W.J.A. Power Professor of Old Testament
Dear Daily Campus,
It greatly offends me that you have chosen to chastise the administration for letting the community know when one of its members has passed away. That’s one thing unique about a University, it is a community. As a community we should care about our current members, our past members and our members to come.
I have been part of this community since 1974, both as a student and staff member. I know many of the names that appear in “Death Notification”, but many I do not. However, when I read that anyone from this community had died, it causes me to pause for just a moment and reflect on how important a community of support really is.
Julie A. Wiksten
Alum ‘78, ‘92, Director of Auxiliary Services
Blaze A Trail of Prayer for Pope
Pope John Paul II’s flu and tracheitis moves us to prayer and sacrifice for his health, continued pontificate, and reign. This may be continued through Lent, beginning Ash Wednesday, February 9th. The Pope’s frailty, age, and Parkinson’s disease reminds us of human mortality. Additionally, it shows that he has made a complete gift of himself, as living martyr and alter Christus, for the inviolability and absolute dignity of all human life, regardless of creed, young or old, rich or poor, innocent or guilty, in sickness and in health.
The news comes on the eve of the feast of St. Blaise, (February 3rd) a fourth century Bishop and martyr. For having saved the life of a child who was dying, choked by a bone which had stuck in his throat, the Church recognizes his prerogative for healing all diseases of the throat. He received the crown of martyrdom in 316 A.D. in the persecutions under Licinius in Armenia. He was scourged, deprived of food, had his flesh torn, and was beheaded. Please pray and invoke St. Blaise for his constant intercession for the Pope’s intentions.
Totus Tuus Maria
Matthew Clarke Dalrymple
3rd Year Law Student
