To the editor: My son dreamed of going to UCLA since he first visited campus at age 11. You know, Dad was born there, Mom worked there, Grandpa was in medical school there – Bruin blood. In high school he ignored counseling and only applied to one school: UCLA. (“'Unacceptable': Why it took police hours to quell the attack at UCLA's pro-Palestinian camp,” May 1)
He graduated in 2020. Next month he will earn his master's degree.
The night the camp was attacked, while trying to help a fallen campmate, my son was attacked by a man who hit his head with a long wooden board with nails protruding from the top, a potentially weapon. lethal. He was taken to two hospitals and released the next day with a concussion. More CT scans and MRIs await you.
While students were attacked without intervention for hours, my son feels betrayed by his beloved school. We spend a lot of time and money on football coaches and recruiting athletes, and apparently not enough on preventing campus skits.
Big global issues will always inspire protests and opposing views. I'm on the side of free speech and student safety no matter what, what about you?
Brad Kearns, Stateline, Nevada.
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To the editor: When Jewish students fear for their safety on American campuses and the White House takes little action, the American Jewish community finds itself in a situation previously unimaginable.
Like our ancestors before us, we are forced to ask ourselves: should we stay or should we go?
A Judenrein America will no longer reap the benefits of Jewish innovation in medicine, science, or technology. Our time as a world power will end and American citizens will suffer the consequences.
Leslie Fuhrer Friedman, Culver City
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To the editor: My wife and I are a couple of UCLA alumni who got married on our beloved campus. Count on us for future donations to UCLA. We support an annual UCLA scholarship fund, but nothing more.
The reprehensible and violent dismantling of the peaceful tent camp was shameful. Just after standing by while hooligans attacked peaceful protesters, this was UCLA's response?
This is the real story: Hamas committing murder and taking hostages is terrible and horrendous. But Israel's response, starving a million people and killing more than 30,000, most of whom are women and children, is bad. What a shame for UCLA.
Tal Ross, Oak Park
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To the editor: I am a UCLA student who attended during the era of protests against the Vietnam War. No camps were allowed, but there were many noisy marches and freedom of speech prevailed.
The mistake UCLA administrators made was allowing camps to be established in the first place. Among other things, it prevented all students from accessing Powell Library (during midterms) and historic Royce Hall was damaged with graffiti and broken windows.
My heart is full of sadness.
Ann C. Hayman, Westwood
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To the editor: For anyone who grew up in the 1960s, the scenes at riot police colleges are familiar.
It's as if we never learned anything from that time, especially that student protests are not treated with riot police, batons, etc. It simply inflames the situation and focuses dissent on the force being used, adding fuel to the fire.
The way to respond is with honest dialogue, not repression, admitting mistakes when they are made rather than constantly redoubling their efforts.
Martin Usher, Thousand Oaks
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To the editor: Seeing the photos of campus buildings defaced with posters and spray paint was truly distressing.
While it pales in comparison to the horrors in Israel and Gaza, protesters gain nothing by damaging property in cities thousands of miles away. Protesters harm their cause by vandalizing university campuses.
I hope some help clean up the mess and that the courts assign those arrested to help repair the damage they caused.
There are many things people can do to help the people of Gaza; Destroying public property helps no one.
Carol Mathews, Redwood City, California.
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To the editor: It seems that it was okay to demonstrate in the streets, sometimes violently, against the Vietnam War when one could have been affected, but when students who have nothing to gain demonstrate against the unnecessary killings in Gaza, they are branded as anti-Semitic and worse things. .
What about the pacifist generation?
John Lalonde, Camarillo
