The Lastlast Word the word Sneesby ’47 Letter Draws Response
How odd that Jack Sneesby ’47 feels the Ripon Magazine doesn’t support the ideals of the alumni. But then self-described conservatives often seem to think their values are the only valid values, even in a pluralistic society. Ripon College exposed me to a wide range of ideals, and while my own views were libertarian then and are still now, surely we can recognize the importance of exploring all views. The public square offers us the opportunity to evaluate and think for ourselves and not to isolate ourselves intellectually, socially or culturally. Also odd is that Mr. Sneesby feels Europe is an example of “decline.” To many of us who visit or have lived there, we can see first-hand the many successes of contemporary Western civilization in providing quality health care, entrepreneurial opportunity, fine public transportation and, most especially, cooperation amongst allied nations to advance the cause of individual rights and freedom, and the rule of law not of man. The Euro is not as strong as it is against the value of the dollar because the European Community economies are not functioning well. Not perfect, but pretty well. And life is more than economics. That Ripon students journeyed to the inauguration of our President is an important story, irrespective of the President’s political affiliation. Let us celebrate the students’ interest in our political process and recognize that diversity in all respects helps make us a more perfect union. Leon Pascucci ’75 Los Angeles, Calif.
I read Jack Sneesby’s rather nasty letter about Ripon College not supporting his right-wing political views. Mr. Sneesby seems to have forgotten that the purpose of an institution of higher education is supposed to be “fair and balanced” (to quote what must be his favorite TV channel). Back in the 1950s, when I was
the editor of the Ripon College Days, then-President Frederick Oliver Pinkham attempted to foist a “conservative institute” on the school, headed by right-wing philosopher Russel Kirk. In the paper, I opposed this attempt to politicize the college; the faculty and most of the students took my stance on the issue, as did a number of alumni. The project was — thank goodness — dropped as it should have been. One other point about Mr. Sneesby’s letter is that he claims that Republicans donate more money to causes than Democrats. He’s correct — because most wealthy people are Republicans who are conservative because they don’t want things to change — after all, they have theirs! They have money to donate to such conservative causes as the NRA, anti-abortion groups and right-wing political candidates. Most of their causes are minority causes in this country, but they usually win because their money buys votes. Democrats are equally generous to their causes, but most of them are not at the same economic level as Republicans. Ripon, in spite of being the birthplace of the Republican Party, should remain politically neutral. John A. Stoler ’56 San Antonio, Texas
I was saddened and appalled by the letter … from Jack Sneesby ’47 that ran in the spring edition of the magazine. Mr. Sneesby was objecting to the article in the winter edition about the trip of some Ripon students and faculty to the inauguration of President Barack Obama. I was saddened because the letter indicates that Ripon apparently failed miserably in the late 1940s in educating Mr. Sneesby. Even if some professor got him to briefly think for himself, it is clear that his mind subsequently slammed shut. Mr. Sneesby apparently missed the class in which a professor must have repeated the oft-used state-
ment of the French philosopher Voltaire who said, “I disagree with your statement, but defend to the death your right to say it.” In Mr. Sneesby’s world, there is no room for diversity or disagreement. But that is not the world Ripon prepared me, or thousands of other students, to enter. It taught me to seek freedom and reason, not narrowmindedness and repression. I am appalled because Mr. Sneesby seeks to lump together Republicans, conservatives, free enterprise, capitalism and religion and equate them as forces for good while labeling and packaging together liberals, Democrats, socialists, progressives and big government as forces of evil that are designed to destroy the United States. Mr. Sneesby’s reasoning is a slur on the concept of the liberal arts and smacks of the era of the Witch Hunts in the 1950s. I am also disgusted by Mr. Sneesby’s position that the trip by some students and faculty to attend President Obama’s inauguration is a “direct slap in the face of those who give financially.” A quality institution such as Ripon must encourage diversity and free thought, and any suggestion that it prevent students and faculty from attending a historic event is a direct slap in the face of the College’s very purpose. I defend Mr. Sneesby’s right to shift his financial support to a college that has a reputation for being conservative and very narrow-minded. But I, for one, will continue as I have in the almost 45 years since I graduated from Ripon contributing as much as I can financially to the College to help it remain as freethinking and diverse as it can be. Sincerely, Craig T. Ferris ’65 Chevy Chase, Md.
Upon reading the diatribe of Mr. Sneesby … , I could not believe that he had
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