By Tara Sweedo
Arizona Daily Wildcat
September 24, 1997

Campus is religious battlefield

Editor:

I am writing in response to Chris Badeaux's "Let Heaven rejoice and Earth be deaf" commentary regarding religious preachers on the campus Mall. I honestly do not agree with the beliefs of the gentleman who preaches almost every afternoon outside of Bear Down, but I do belive that while I am a part of the human race, so is he. I don't mean to sound like I am against those who daily ridicule him by screaming obscenities at the top of their lungs, but please, have respect for your own race, whether they be Muslim, Christian, Jewish, or any religion. The Mall is a public area and we all have the right to be there, if we're studying or preaching. Yes, it may be annoying, but many students study in other places to avoid hearing him.

I am happy to say that I am a Christian, from which I have learned some important lessons of life, including loving others regardless of their race, religion or creed. While I have not preached on the mall, I can still identify that many religions see our campus as a major battlefield for spiritual warfare, for his religion just as much as mine. I hope that there are others who also feel saddened while passing by, watching him being mocked. But I also hope that we would realize that the measure of a man is usually determined by his actions. But to the reader- what do your actions reflect about you?

Tara Sweedo
Journalism Freshman