To the editor: Parts of his article about the tense situation on the UCLA campus illustrate a critical problem with the current American political situation.
Without taking a position on the issues, I note that striking graduate students were allegedly shouting, “UC, UC, you're no good, treat your students like you should.”
Successful negotiations do not occur when the focus is on the opponents' supposed character flaws rather than the issues to be discussed. “You're no good” is a personal attack that says nothing about the validity of any complaint or desired change, and these students are not little kids who can't understand the difference.
A similar demonization of the political opposition prevents conservatives and liberals from having productive debates about the real problems facing our country.
Instead of “UC, UC, you're no good,” maybe try “UC, UC, do something good.” It fits the rhyme scheme just as well, puts the issues at the center and doesn't start by claiming that the other side is made up of reprehensible people. That would be a model for all of us.
Jeffrey Brown, Yorba Linda
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To the editor: If UCLA “has essentially become a police state” after failing to protect pro-Palestinian protesters on campus from attackers, how about a quick referendum among just UCLA students and employees? The question: Do you want security guards outside buildings and parking structures on campus?
Perhaps consideration should be given to including risk assumption options for new contracts for employees, and offers and conditions of acceptance for students old enough to vote and parents of students not old enough to vote.
Barbara Burke, South Pasadena
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To the editor: If Hamas had not attacked Israel on October 7, almost 1,200 Israelis would not have been killed, Gaza would not have been bombed by Israel, thousands of Gaza residents would not have been killed, and there would have been no protests against Hamas. Israel War on the UCLA campus or anywhere else.
Why does The Times ignore these facts in some of its reporting on this topic? Hamas should be blamed for everything related to this crisis.
Greg Sirbu, Redondo Beach
