Letters to the editor

Constitutional rights should not be abandoned to prevent violence

In Thursday’s Skiff, Associate News Editor Hemi Ahluwalia expressed a number of excellent ideas about how to reduce violence in our schools. However, she lost me when she departed from focusing on the responsible party and advocated restricting or eliminating the inherent rights of the innocent and law-abiding. By far, the most egregious “solution” offered by the anti-rights crowd is their frequent contention that the citizens of this country should be willing to give up their fundamental rights in the (vain) hope that it might eliminate violence in our society. As Benjamin Franklin said, “They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety” (Historical Review of Pennsylvania).

Whether Ahluwalia’s proposals would have the intended effect is highly questionable. Indeed, solid research by John Lott and others suggest that such actions would be counterproductive. More importantly, yielding any of our constitutionally protected rights should be as offensive to us as it was to our forebears. Imagine, if you can, Thomas Jefferson or Patrick Henry ceding their fundamental rights to mollify those who brought violence to this country in their day — it boggles the mind! Where do we stop? Should we give up the right of free speech to prevent political incorrectness? Or freedom of assembly to avoid potentially hostile gatherings?

The column asserts that as the “Constitution states we have the right to bear arms to protect ourselves, but do you really think our forefathers meant an automatic weapon?” In fact, our forefathers made clear in their letters, journals and other communications that the automatic weapons of their day were precisely the focus of the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment does not protect hunting or sporting rights — it is intended to preserve our inherent right and responsibility for self-defense, whether from oppressive governments, or other predators. Wise men and women understand that the ability to exercise God-given rights may be abrogated only by tyrannical governments, and that is precisely why the Second Amendment was adopted.

Let me leave you with the words of Jefferson, one of the authors of our freedom, and more farsighted than most. “False is the idea of utility ... that would take fire from men because it burns, and water because one may drown in it; that has no remedy for evils, except destruction (of liberty). The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such nature. They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes ... such laws serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.”

— Gregory K. Stephens
associate professor of management

Other Greek groups perform large amounts of service as well

I hesitated in writing this letter at first, because I knew that it would be taken as a representation of every African-American sorority on campus. But it’s not ... it’s the representation of one member of Zeta Phi Beta. Even though the member numbers in my organization are small, we do just as much, if not more, community service as the Panhellenic sororities. Zeta Phi Beta sells Greek Scrap Books, in which 20 percent of the proceeds go to the March of Dimes. Alpha Kappa Alpha holds the First Steps Step Show, which Panhellenic organizations compete in, to raise money for a scholarship fund for high school seniors. Delta Sigma Theta also holds a high school step show to raise money for its philanthropic cause.

Aside from those fund raisers, we also do community service events. Members of Zeta Phi Beta participate in the mentoring program with the Boys and Girls Club. We also participate in community service activities such as Meals on Wheels, speaking at local schools, participation in and facilitating job fairs and hospital volunteer work as well.

The Skiff mentioned that one Panhellenic organization requires three hours of community service each semester ... we do three community service hours in one day. This letter was not written to put anyone down, because every sorority has a basis on community service, whether its members be black, white, purple or green. I also didn’t write this letter for recognition, because community service done only for recognition is invalid from the beginning. I wrote this letter to prove a point: Whether you choose to acknowledge us or not, we are here, we exist and we continue to thrive at a campus like TCU.

— Taria Mathis
senior English major

Editorial policy: The content of the Opinion page does not necessarily represent the views of Texas Christian University. Unsigned editorials represent the view of the TCU Daily Skiff editorial board. Signed letters, columns and cartoons represent the opinion of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board.

Letters to the editor: The Skiff welcomes letters to the editor for publication. Letters must be typed, double-spaced, signed and limited to 250 words. To submit a letter, bring it to the Skiff, Moudy 291S; mail it to TCU Box 298050; e-mail it to skiffletters@tcu.edu or fax it to 257-7133. Letters must include the author’s classification, major and phone number. The Skiff reserves the right to edit or reject letters for style, taste and size restrictions.