Student Mocks Pulraj's Opinion

Editor:

In your last issue, you featured an absolutely hilarious article by Kavin Paulraj titled “War on Terrorism Has Deadly Consequences All Over the World.” When I first read this piece, I immediately thought that I was reading Palestinian propaganda. I was angry – nay, enraged. “I must write an angry letter immediately!” I said to myself. But, upon closer examination, I noticed more contradictions and nonsensical arguments than I could count. It was then that I realized I had fallen for a joke. Not just any joke, mind you, but the funniest parody since “A Modest Proposal.” However, I am worried that some of your readers might have missed the joke and may still believe that Mr. Paulraj is the mouthpiece of one of the sickest, most twisted regimes on the planet. Let me explain: You see, Mr. Paulraj claims to be disgusted with the way the USA has relied on and supported “repressive regimes” across the world. He then goes on to show his disgust for crazed religious zealots like Jerry Falwell. This is serious stuff. But hilarity and guffawing ensue when he then pretends to show sympathy for Palestinian cause. How funny to feign sympathy with a ruthless, barbaric, theocratic regime who encourages its youth to blow themselves up at pizzerias in order to get repeatedly laid in heaven! And as if that’s not whimsical enough, the only liberal democracy in the entire region is cast as his villain. Now THAT’s funny! I mean, why side with a murderous right-wing theocracy like the Palestinian Authority (who thinks that women should either be in the kitchen with a baby, or in a pizza parlor with a bomb) when you have a country right next door that offers western freedoms to ALL of its citizens regardless of sex, race or even religious creed? As if we don’t know that there are Arab Muslims serving in the Knesset! HA! Thank God he didn’t mention anything about Israel’s “oppressive occupation” of the West Bank – during which literacy has soared -and infant mortality plummeted to almost nothing; I’d have lost consciousness from laughing!

Mr. Paulraj’s piece is sheer brilliance....almost Cyrus Dioun caliber, actually. Though I am sure your Pomona peers instantly recognized the joke, I fear students at the lesser Claremont Colleges, like myself, will be unable to grasp the humor of Mr. Paulraj’s writing without laborious study.

Perhaps a disclaimer at the top of the page would help avoid this problem in the future.

In awe of your majesty,

Tom Meyer CMC ‘03