This is a brief reply to Joshuah [sic] Mello’s letter about the resistance seen on the part of CSHCA to the proposed building of dormitories here at UMB. My concern is with the language with which Mello chose to express himself. It hardly does him or the UMB community in general much credit when he chose, in his letter, to resort to name calling and ad hominem attack. He also went one to trivialize the concerns of the CSHCA.

This tone was hardly an appropriate mode of expression for a college student. It was offensive not just because of the importance of the subject matter but also for the consequences it will have for other students here-it is bound to tar the reputation of UMB students. If a student who is about to graduate expresses himself in a tone fit only for school yard ranting what does that say about the quality of education at UMB? So much for the civilizing values of a UMB education.

The only effect Mello’s harangue can have is to further alienate the residents of Harbor Point from the UMB community, convincing them that loutish behavior is the norm here and hardening their stance against dormitories; after all, why would they want louts permanently housed in their community? At least now they have the benefit of seeing them leave at night.

However, this unintended aspect of Mello’s letter was not unwelcome, at least by me; he can have only furthered the cause of those opposed to building dorms here, albeit unwittingly, and for this I suppose he must be congratulated.

Adam RossiCAS ’04