By Emily A. Dagger
Arizona Daily Wildcat
October 3, 1997

Newman Center not "useless"

Editor:

I am writing in response to Dana Labarry's September 30 letter to the editor. Having skipped the Perspectives page on the previous day (September 29), I had not read the letter to which she was responding (Mike Mason's "More Zone 1 Parking Needed"), and I was appalled that anyone could suggest that buildings such as the Newman Center were "useless."

But then I found my copy of Monday's paper. I read Mr. Mason's letter. And now, the only thing that I can be appalled at is that Ms. Labarry has nearly completed her education without having been introduced to the works of Jonathon Swift.

Swift, as you may or may not know, was the author of "A Modest Proposal." In this work, he outlines his excellent plan for "preventing the children of poor people in Ireland from being a burden" by eating them. Now, before anyone writes in to damn me fo r suggesting that eating children is an "excellent idea," please read on - Swift's "Proposal" is a SATIRE, one of the most masterful satires of any age. Swift makes quasi-logical arguments to support his initial, outrageous statement, before pointing out that the English had been "eating" (oppressing) the Irish for centuries already.

See where I'm heading yet?

Similarly, Mr. Mason makes quasi-logical arguments to support his initial claim about levelling "useless" on campus buildings before ending by pointing out that the UA has already done much the same thing with off campus buildings it deemed "useless."

Ms. Labarry, I applaud your valiant defense of the Newman Center and the services which it provides. Your only flaw was in not quite understanding what it was that you were trying to attack.

Emily A. Dagger
English junior