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Letter Supporting Uyghurs

Open Letter on the Uyghurs For the last several weeks the Uyghurs of Xinjiang have been the subject of increasing harassment of the central Chinese government. A background of key issues can be found at http://bit.ly/uyghur-primer. The death of over 160 people during a short period of time highlights a pattern of abuse against these people that we deplore in the modern period. We demand the following rights for the Uyghurs be recognized: The right to self-determination The citizens of Xinjiang have a right to determine whether they wish to remain as part of China. If so, they are to…

The Real Lesson of 9-11

By Gary Kamiya. Sept. 11 is a totemic date for the Bush administration. It justifies everything, explains everything, ends all argument. It is the crime that must be eternally punished, the wound that can never heal, the moral high ground that can never be taken. Bush’s reaction to 9/11 was to declare a “war on terror,” of which the Iraq adventure was said to be the “front line.” The American establishment signed off on this war because of 9/11. To oppose Bush’s “war on terror” was to risk another terror attack and dishonor our dead. The establishment has now turned…

Harvard and Katrina

September 2, 2005 Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff: The devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina have stunned us all. The loss of life, destruction of property, and unimaginably severe conditions that remain in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are profoundly saddening. Our thoughts, prayers, and sympathies are with all those who have suffered from the storm and its aftermath. How can we as a university help? Let me outline several ways. First, we are contacting our undergraduate and graduate students who live in the region to offer any assistance we can in helping them arrive safely for the fall term.…