Campus Protests on South Africa

Our son, Josh, is entering college this fall and we are concerned about the quality of education these days. But we are very proud of the college students and faculty members who, after a decade of political silence, are finally making themselves heard again.

Quite apart from the inhumanity of apartheid itself, colleges have the social responsibility to speak out on all important issues. Instead of merely providing the students with four years of fun, or even the training for marketable skills, they must use the resources endowed by society to teach students to think, for themselves and for others. Only then can colleges be the conscience of society as they should, providing an indispensable idealistic balance to our pragmatic politicians and frequently complacent public in this still-immature democracy of ours.

We don’t want Josh to go through college to learn all about ethics and still be a selfish person. Campus activism is applying what is learned in the classroom. It should be welcomed by all parents and educators as a part of our children’s educational process that may just make them better citizens of democracy, instead of additional members of the me-first generation. We may just get our money’s worth.

And thank you, demonstrators, for speaking out for us.

DAVID and FLORENCE HON

Brentwood