Letters to the Editor

Square

Political prisoner deserves to speak and live

Ben Maendel’s commentary “Death penalty serves no justice for minorities” (April 30) was right on the mark.

More specifically, Mumia Abu-Jamal is one of the most important political prisoners in the world today. The rulers are desperate to silence this revolutionary through death, and they have moved repeatedly to silence him as he is forced to wait to die. They have not been able to fully accomplish their temporary goal; we must protest and fight their attempts. They have not been able to accomplish their permanent goal; we must do everything to stay their barbaric hands.

For those with any sensitivity to justice, every moment of his time on death row is an eloquent accusation against the system.

Daniel C. Boyer
Curry College student

NU shouldn’t have to share with city

As if the Marino Center and Tobin Scholars Program weren’t enough, Northeastern would like to continue its philanthropy toward the city of Boston by giving it space in the Registry Building, should we acquire it. I understand that the university wants to maintain a good relationship with the city, but it is a tragedy that students and staff should be subject to substandard and inefficient residence hall and office space while city employees enjoy what we have paid for. The Registry represented many possibilities for students and staff, such as more modern living, office or classroom space. Instead, the university decided that six of the nine floors would better serve the Whittier Street Health Clinic and Boston School Department.

This decision will have many other costs for the tuition-paying members of the Northeastern community. Police and maintenance service will often be required by these two rent-free tenants. These services will be paid for by university revenue generated primarily from our tuition. These factors will also result in a delayed response time for students requiring service from Northeastern police and plant maintenance, both of whom are already understaffed and over burdened.

When we decided to invest our college years and hard-earned money in a Northeastern education, we assumed that all decisions made by the administration would be made in our best interests. Every professor who shares a small office, every resident student who has to commute or pay exorbitant rents because our university could not accommodate them and every student who is forced to sit on the floor of their classroom because there are not enough seats, should realize that there will be a city employee — who came to this university only because their job required it — enjoying their private, carpeted, air-conditioned office space while you struggle to get by.