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Frogs and humans
Scott Robinson '69 Mill Valley I would like to praise writer Ayala Ochert for her profile of Tyrone Hayes and his ground-breaking amphibian research. Ochert displayed an understanding of the complexity of the issues that most other journalists lacked in their reporting. Amphibians all over the world--frogs in particular--are in serious decline, and we humans are mostly to blame. We've converted prime habitat into tract housing, polluted the air and water with gender-bending chemical cocktails, contributed to increased UV radiation, introduced non-native predatory species, and more. But thanks to Hayes, Professor David Wake, and their colleagues at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, we're beginning to understand just how heavily we've impacted amphibians. The question remains, however, whether or not we can undo some of the damage. Deanna Spooner '90 Eugene, Oregon Moose and men Your article on the 100th anniversary of the Faculty Club ("Of Moose and Men," December) awakened many memories. What you call the "ancient" faculty club was fairly new when I waited tables there in the late 1920s. For the evening meal, we served on several well-known faculty, including Ernest O. Lawrence of cyclotron fame. We weren't too busy, so we overheard lots of interesting conversations. Paul Sheridan '30 Sacramento Memories of Tien The touching article by Dan Mote about former Chancellor Tien ("Remembering Chang-Lin Tien," December) prompts me to share an anecdote that epitomizes the man. In the fall of 1993, my son Jonathan, who was then 13, and I were sharing lunch at the Faculty Club. Chancellor Tien came through the room on his way to a meeting. As was his habit, Chang-Lin stopped and personally greeted faculty by name at their tables as he made his way through the dining room. He stopped at my table, said hello, and introduced himself to my son In the summer of 1996, Jonathan and several of his high school chums were touring campus. Chancellor Tien happened to be out on one of his famous walks across campus and came upon this group of teenage boys. He immediately greeted Jonathan by name, welcomed the boys to campus, and encouraged them to apply to Berkeley. Needless to say, this encounter had a lasting effect on all present. Professor Clayton Radke, Ph.D. '71 Department of Chemical Engineering Berkeley I am proud to have been at Cal when Chancellor Tien arrived, and even prouder that his signature is on my diploma. I remember when he came to a women's volleyball game; he was the first chancellor ever to attend a women's volleyball game. I also remember when Grace Rualo Asuncion was murdered in Eshleman Hall. Chancellor Tien was with members of the Filipino Students Association within hours. He was there for us after the shooting and hostage-taking at Henry's. He was there with us during the Berkeley fire. Chancellor Tien was always there, being present, bearing witness, being empathetic. I still love, admire, and wish to emulate Chancellor Tien. John Saroyan '94 New York City The December issue was especially evocative of great Cal memories. Carolyn Jones's article, "How the Axe came back," captured the entire surprising season and its all-important finale. Professor Mote's tribute to Chancellor Tien covered the many levels of that man's humanity and greatness. Eleven years ago, as my wife and I were helping our freshman son move into his dorm, Tien walked into the room and began to pitch in. My son didn't know who he was, but when he was introduced, he thought it was the epitome of cool that the chancellor would take the time to greet the new kids in that way. None of us will ever forget the gesture. Finally, Doug Brookes's reminiscences of Bill Slottman ("Recalling Cal") were beautiful. Bill was as warm and decent a man as I've ever met. He was also the best lecturer--by a long shot--I had in my four years at Cal. I was one of many old Blues who told him, in later years, that he was the best teacher I'd ever had. I'm glad I did. Tim Comstock '68 Sacramento Speaking freely In a letter in the December issue, Professor Raphael Sealey criticizes Watson Laetsch's November review of the book The Free Speech Movement: Reflections on Berkeley in the 1960s, edited by Robert Cohen and myself. Sealey says that Laetsch erred in calling the FSM "successful," since free speech has been honored here only if the speech was "fashionable." Sealey then comes up with three cases from the 1980s and '90s of speakers whose presentations were interrupted or curtailed by hecklers, the most notorious case being that of Jean Kirkpatrick. Sealey has every right to take note of these incidents, especially since there has been and still is a tendency among a minority of political activists to deny free speech to those with whom they disagree. But he does us a disservice by failing to note that this minority view has been strongly challenged by most people whose names are associated with the FSM, as was widely reported in the local press when some people questioned the free speech rights of Benjamin Netanyahu in 2001. And if Sealey has actually looked at the book, he knows that Mario Savio himself criticized the interference with Kirkpatrick's speech and affirmed his belief in free speech for everyone. Professor Reginald E. Zelnik Department of History Berkeley |
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