Letters from alumni about Dr. Ruth Westheimer

June 23, 2003

What's in a name? PAW is behind the times.

In M. Marks's interview of Dr. Ruth ("A Moment with..." PAW April 23, 2003), Haganah was euphemistically described as "the Jewish underground military force."

It is current editorial practice to label such underground military groups as "terrorist" organizations. Certainly Haganah's weapon and tactic of choice was terror. It was the only weapon available, as is often the case with underground nationalist military formations whether they are called IRA, ETA, PKK, EOKA, PLO, or Hamas, etc., etc., etc.

Has the passage of time and success dignified and sanitized Haganah's operations? Couldn't we emulate Dr. Ruth and "tell it like it is."

Robert Morgan '65
Venice, Italy

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June 14, 2003

I find it hard to imagine anyone (except a misogynist) who would NOT endorse a device designed to help women "achieve faster, more intense orgasms."

As someone who did his second junior paper on the history of female sexual satisfaction in literature, I can assure you that the subject has considerable academic merit. As someone who lives in the 21st century, I am simply astounded that someone would actually use the term "women's liberation movement" in a pejorative sense.

Matt Ferraro '00
White Plains, N.Y.

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May 30, 2003

For some years I have been disappointed with PAW and the University. However, with "A Moment with..." in the April 23, 2003, issue of PAW, I feel that the absolute bottom of decency has been reached. Is this an indication of the school's continued direction?

H.H. Smith ’48
Dallas, Pa.

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April 22, 2003

One of Dr Ruth Westheimer’s activities not noted in the article about her (A Moment With, April 23) is to endorse the sale of a mechanical device that helps "women achieve faster, more intense orgasms."

To have Dr. Westheimer teaching a course at Princeton is just one manifestation of the conquest by the women’s liberation movement of what used to be one of our finest universities.

Christopher Sherman ’55
Andover, Mass.

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