Letter: Professors foster open, respectful environment

Editor,

I find it ever so interesting when someone will criticize a group of people for partaking in generalities and political stereotyping by employing those same tactics to make their point.

This is a response to the letter featured in Monday's Daily Lobo, in which Darren Wood writes that conservatism is not being accurately represented in classes and that professors at UNM are guilty of interjecting liberal bias into their curriculum. He accuses the faculty at UNM of demonizing conservative students for their political beliefs and unfairly resorting to inflammatory labels such as Nazi and racist.

First of all, I wholeheartedly doubt that any educated faculty member with one ounce of self-preservation would resort to petty name-calling. Students, on the other hand, are likely to use these terms, as Wood so aptly demonstrates by typifying any person who voices a criticism of capitalism as a communist sympathizer. He further accuses liberals of believing that "If you are white, and especially a white man, you have ruined the planet." Hmm - sounds like Wood is throwing the r-word around as well.

I have taken classes where fellow students have voiced political opinions that were in glaring contrast to those of the professor, and I have been one of those students in many instances. I have found that as long as these viewpoints are presented in a respectful and knowledgeable manner, they add to the discussion and are welcomed by the instructor. However, if a student feels the need to demonize and disrespect others in the class, including the professor, then he or she is quickly shut down.

I have a sneaking suspicion that this may have been Wood's experience, as he so freely interjects inflammatory statements that demonize those who do not happen to share his beliefs in a letter that criticizes such practices.

Everyone has an agenda. It has been my experience that the agenda of most UNM professors is to open a discourse between students in which ideas may be exchanged and challenged in a safe and respected manner. I agree with Wood that alternative viewpoints should be discussed in an academic setting. This actually goes to the heart of the word liberal, which, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, means "willing to respect and accept behavior or opinions different from one's own."

In that case, I hope that all UNM professors share this liberal bias.

Jessie Miles

UNM student