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Letter from the Editor: Confessions of a Failed Astronaut

It was the summer of 1971. I was 18 years old, between my junior and senior years of high school. Standing in my front yard, I could see a brilliant thumbnail of moon, just a bit more than half-full. The night was warm and clear, and I stood there comfortably in my shirt sleeves, staring up and daydreaming. Just on the daylight side of the dawn line--the sweet spot for moonlandings, for reasons of visibility, as I knew from my endless reading--I could make out the bright patch of lunar highlands where Apollo 15's lunar module had landed the night before. Staring at that spot, I could almost see David Scott and James Irwin cavorting around in their lunar dunebuggy. Just knowing they were there--right there--seemed to transform that hanging moon, exactly as the Little Prince's hidden well transformed the desert in Antoine de St. Exupéry's fable.

That night, with the limitless self-confidence of youth, I recall telling myself that someday I would stand where they were standing and someone else would look up at me. You couldn't call it a prayer--it was too haughty for that. It was a promise. An assertion of will. And of course, it wasn't meant to be.

Two moonlandings later, President Nixon would pull the plug on Apollo, and America would be confined to low-earth orbit for the next 30-plus years. For my part, my love of science and math would fall victim to a desire to go abroad, and I would end up shifting my attention in college to the earthbound study of French and English literature. Somewhere in an attic, though, I still have a box full of old, yellowing newspapers and magazines from the Apollo landings. And there's something similar in the back of my head, where space and the future are still synonymous. After all these years, I'm still a space junkie.

Oh, I know the world has moved on since then. Even science fiction is mostly earthbound nowadays, and the works of Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke--Mars colonies and galactic empires--have a retro feel to them. The frontier for youthful imaginations has shifted from outer space to cyberspace. Politicians, too, seem to have lost the capacity to look up and wonder.

Recently, however, the heavens have reclaimed our attention--because of a tragedy and a couple of robot turtles on Mars. All of it, however--even the tragedy--has a quality of déja vu. We've seen it all before. And so it's no surprise that the latest presidential vision of human exploration of space also feels a bit recycled. We've heard it all before, too.

In 1971, I thought I was coming of age in the Space Age. Turned out that I came of age in a post-lunar world absorbed with very earthbound problems. My chief regret, however, is for the magic and the ambition of those times. I hope against hope that this renewed call for American leadership in the exploration of space may spark a new excitement with the future. The future out there.

And silly as it may sound to some of you, I still hope against hope that I will live long enough to look up at a bright red star in the evening sky and imagine I see people there.

—Mark Wood

Letters to the Editor

Diversity of Opinion
The Board of the Pomona College Alumni Association applauds PCM for its Winter publication highlighting the theme of diversity. We commend the Pomona trustees and administration for presenting these issues and for their dedication to preserving the fundamental value of a diverse college community. This issue of PCM was required reading for our most recent board meeting. The Pomona College Alumni Association Board is engaged in an ongoing discussion of diversity and how we can work to dedicate attention and resources to what we deem is essential in developing and maintaining the enlightened culture of a truly great liberal arts college. For the Board,

—Juan Matute ’63
President 2003–04
and Taziwa Chanaiwa ’95
President 2004–05

Your issue on diversity (Winter 2003 PCM) brought up some memories, especially Lee McDonald’s piece, “A history of contradiction”, where an exchange program with all-black Fisk University is mentioned. In the summer of 1951, I hitchhiked from San Francisco to Nashville to meet Stan Wheeler ’52 at Fisk University, where a conference on race relations was winding down. Stan and I then hitchhiked through Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, South and North Carolina and Washington D.C., riding with bigots, bootleggers and Southern apologists, to see if race relations were as bad as we had heard. They were frighteningly worse. But we were encouraged by wonderful conversations when we stayed with a liberal planter, whose family antebellum estate dated to pre-revolutionary times. There were other hospitable Southerners too, but mostly we slept in cheap rooms or buses. On our return to campus, we were able to get the exchange program with Fisk University underway with the help of Dean Beatty and the Associated Men’s Student Body. I hope that it made a difference in the midst of Pomona’s sea of white.

—Don Shearn ’53
Colorado Springs, CO

Requiring diversity is a wonderfully complex concept, especially when one tries to define which are the required categories of diversity. Pomona College has dedicated a lot of effort and resources to ensure that the campus more truly reflects our society in regards to race and economic background, but what about social and political viewpoints? If there are required categories of diversity, then why not require diversity of thought and opinion?

My experience at Pomona showed me that the vast majority of the student body and faculty were very liberal when it came to politics or social attitudes. As a sophomore, I decided to follow my father’s steps and I was accepted as a Marine Corps officer candidate, which caused some consternation among my dorm-mates. In a senior year Government seminar, the professor referred to me as “the class fascist.” I took the comment for the good-humored joke that it was, and it did not prevent me from expressing my views. What struck me was that I did not think that my moderately conservative views were extraordinary in our society, but at Pomona they were most uncommon. Would a professor at Pomona ever refer to a “liberal” student as “the class communist”? Would Pomona students avoid talking to another student who joined the Green Party?

In a liberal arts education, emphasizing intellectual openness and freedom of thought, shouldn’t the inclusion of diverse intellectual viewpoints be at least as important as the inclusion of diverse racial and economic viewpoints? Is the goal at Pomona to represent the true diversity of our society, or is the goal to represent only certain categories of “acceptable” diversity?

—Rocky Herron ’89
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia

Pomona is to be congratulated for its conscious discussions of diversity, as reported in the most recent issue of PCM. I was struck, however, by the curious absence of issues of sexual diversity—gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues. Was this an oversight or an editorial decision? Sexual diversity cuts across class, race and gender. It broadens discussions of diversity, increases their subtlety, and therefore deepens their honesty. To lose these perspectives from the larger debate is a disservice to Pomona’s community. Failing to include issues of sexuality in such a far-reaching review of Pomona’s diversity, PCM reinforces the outmoded view of homosexuality as “the love that dare not speak its name.”

—Craig Kirkpatrick ’81
Hong Kong

In the Winter ’03 PCM, there were 16 pages of articles about diversity, introduced in part by a quote from Bruce Poch: “Pomona defines ‘diversity’ in broad terms, including academic interests, ethnic background, educational opportunities, political views, socioeconomic environment and personal pursuits.” There was no mention of sexual orientation as part of diversity.

While I believe the College has long supported gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) diversity, we seem short on awareness of that support. Certainly the pages that followed Bruce’s quote—though good pieces on race/ethnic/gender diversity—garnered barely a mention of sexual orientation. And when I happened to find Princeton Review’s 2000 listing of the top-20 gay-friendly colleges in America, Pomona didn’t show. (Pitzer was #1.)

Aside from the existence of the LGBSU and a few standout professors’ GLBT work and courses, to what degree has Pomona made GLBT diversity as central to its actions as racial/gender diversity? Knowing Pomona, we’re doing a lot—but if so, let’s hear more about it.

—Chase Powell ’93
Santa Clara, CA

Perhaps one reason why efforts to recruit and retain a diverse faculty and student body have not been very successful is that Pomona’s heart doesn’t seem to be in it. In your feature, “Doing Diversity,” PCM appears to have adopted a narrow, non-inclusive definition of who and what constitutes a diverse population. Nary a mention of gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered students or faculty—except for a parenthetical quote from a student who mentioned their existence on campus.

Over the years I have talked with several gay and lesbian faculty members at Pomona. All have complained of a lavender ceiling, feeling their careers have been stalled by a system that wants to recruit and keep them “in their place.” They speak of colleagues who proudly proclaim them friends in open forums, but make snide remarks behind closed doors. It’s hard to discount these anecdotes when those sharing them have been marginalized to the point of invisibility by features such as “Doing Diversity.” Diversity of thought, of politics, of race, of socio-economic background—all are represented. But not sexual identity.

The days of overt discrimination may have passed, but true inclusion and embracing of diversity are still to come. Students and faculty of color or of diverse backgrounds and experiences can’t help but notice the double standard; how some groups are still not fully accepted or included. I don’t doubt that many of them have nagging suspicions about their own place at the Pomona table.

—Charles Finn ’85
Oceanside, CA

There is “little disagreement on the ultimate goal,” of diversity at Pomona, writes Editor Mark Wood, in the Winter 2003 PCM—“a campus where differences are respected … where individuals of all races are comfortable. ...” Count me in the minority.

When did diversity at Pomona become one-dimensional? Gone or whitewashed is the richness I knew. My classmates included a deaf student, a student struggling with gender identity and students with many first languages. A blind student, one on crutches and one scarred and disabled from a serious accident. Students of many faiths, atheists, libertarians, socialists and Republicans. Rich, poor, fat, thin, Black, White, Latino, Asian, Native American, artists, athletes, musicians and philosophers.
Now it’s much simpler; success is measured by tallying minorities. I understand why professors of color made “a huge difference” to students of color. But what about students who are gay, disabled, or different in other ways? Professor Harry Mullikin made a huge difference to me. He remained an inspiring teacher and, with his partner Gary, a powerful gay role model until a 1999 car accident took their lives.
PCM featured no students or faculty as gay, disabled or fat. The rest of diversity takes a back seat to race. In its unkindest cut, PCM featured Professor Ralph Bolton ’61 outside the section of diversity and wrote that he “purchased [gay poet] Bynner’s Santa Fe estate,” as if into a gay-oriented inn.

Ironically, we read in the same issue that Richard Chamberlain ’56 “would advise gay students hoping to work in Hollywood to keep their sexual orientation private.”
“Here at Pomona, the commitment to diversity runs deep,” writes Wood. What a deep shame that it does not also run wide.

—Steve Kass ’77
Madison, NJ

I applaud PCM for your issue devoted to Diversity. When I was a student at Pomona 14 years ago, diversity was still a buzz word. I commend all your accomplishments and your recognition that achieving diversity is no longer a question of “Whether” but “How.” As excited as I was to read the numerous articles and side-bars devoted to the prospects, challenges and aims for diversity at Pomona, I still had to cringe at the omission of Native Americans.

Although I was only one of literally a handful of Native Americans at Pomona, I feel the education Native American students can receive at Pomona and the contributions we can offer are just as important and should not be dismissed because of small numbers in our population. Although I had an adjustment different from my peers when I first arrived at Harwood dorm, my experience overall was of the highest quality because of the programs already in place to provide support for students (i.e., the sponsor program, the low teacher-student ratio, the opportunity to participate in sports and organizations). In turn, I feel I was able to provide my peers (and professors) with a realistic perspective of Native Americans in our country today.

Let’s face it, America is very ignorant to current issues and realities of Native American people and instead, rely on stereotypes to misrepresent Native people. A little education can enlighten one’s perspective. I remember visiting the admissions office once to ask about recruitment of Native Americans and was told our numbers were too small for Pomona to be able to do any effective outreach in Southern California. Expecting this answer, I showed the admissions officer a map of the numerous reservations and rancherias of Native communities in the L.A. and San Diego region alone. Pomona will never achieve a vast number of Native American students, but that should not stop you from making the effort. Be assured that the Native students you do attract will not only receive the best education, they will, in turn, educate the Pomona community with their unique histories, experiences and insight, and they can only be an asset to Pomona’s aim for true diversity.

—Tiffany Lee, ’90
(Navajo/Lakota)
Albuquerque, NM

I found the Winter 2003 diversity articles in PCM to be both encouraging and disappointing.

Encouraging because articles stressed the importance of making Pomona “a place where people of all backgrounds and ethnicities” can learn together “with differences respected.” And encouraging because of Pomona’s stated goal of diversity of ideas, always important, but difficult to achieve.

Disappointing because of the support for affirmative action with its connotation of admission preferences which is unacceptable to many. Where in the articles were diverging ideas about affirmative action? Also disappointing was The New York Times’ article describing the author’s beliefs regarding Supreme Count Justice Thomas’ inadequacies, and other liberal points of view. If you choose to feature an article by a newspaper with such liberal ideology (authored by NY Times executive editor and as well Pomona Trustee) should you not also have included an article on the subject with rightest emphasis such as something from The Weekly Standard or National Review ... for the purpose of diversity of ideas?

Or is Pomona College, after all, one of those “10:1=Democrats:Republicans” type of colleges without sufficient diversity of political ideas? Alas for the future of Pomona and of our republic if this is so.

—La Verne Fakkema Elliott ’51
Keizer, OR

The modern diversity emperor has no clothes and his statements cannot be trusted. Right on the cover of the current PCM it says “John Payton ’73 led the fight before the U.S. Supreme Court for colleges such as Pomona that are striving to make diversity a meaningful reality.” The “colleges such as Pomona” part, repeated in the “Letter from the Editor” is misleading at best. The issue before the Supreme Court was to what extent the University of Michigan, a state-supported school, could discriminate against white people. As a private institution, Pomona College has much greater leeway in admissions policy; its right to seek a diverse student body, which I support, was not at issue.

I was dismayed to read about the “Day of Dialogue,” an utterly contemptible, politically-correct mass wallow in racial victimology and white guilt. The students were all lumped into one of two groups, white and non-white, then set against each other with questions like “How have you profited from racism?”, which was directed only at the whites. The term “students of color” is merely a convenient rhetorical construct to unite these students against a common adversary, the students of no color, and the event format paralleled this, subordinating and submerging the distinct racial character and identity of black students, Hispanic students, etc., in an attempt to forge a common bond based on enmity toward white people. I could have told Dean Quinley in advance that this would be an unconstructive dynamic not leading to good dialogue. ...

I’m more comfortable dealing with people of other races who approach me with “I’m just as good as you are” rather than “I need a handicap so I can play this course on an equal basis with you.” That’s the difference between man-to-man and patron-to-charity. Because my self-interest lies in the direction of good relationships with people of other races, I will work to promote good relationships, but I don’t owe anybody a damn thing.

—Bruce Murdock ’76
Santa Rosa, CA     

During 38 years as a stock broker, I’ve had some interesting clients one of whom was a Scot born and raised in the slums of Glasgow. “The worst day in Riverside beats the best day in Glasgow,” said he.

His reaction to 24 pages on “Diversity” in the current PCM would have been “People riding to heaven on some one else’s back.” How true.

—John L. Liddle ’48
Riverside, CA

Editor’s Note: When you do an issue on inclusiveness, the worst thing you can do, I suppose, is exclude someone. We knew it was likely that we would slip up somewhere in this regard, but we thought it was important to do the issue anyway. Our apologies to those who felt that what we published was not sufficiently diverse in its coverage of diversity. In particular, rightly or wrongly, it was my decision not to do a break-out feature on sexual identity in this diversity issue—for the simple reason that I thought we couldn’t do the subject justice in the space available. It was not our intent, however, that sexual identity be excluded from our definition of diversity, and I regret that—through omission or commission—we gave that impression to so many of our readers. For what it’s worth, we do intend to cover this part of Pomona’s history and culture in a future issue.

—MW

Remembering Bill Whedbee
I was saddened to hear of the death of Bill Whedbee. He was my colleague for many years, and, through good times and difficult times, he was steadfast in his devotion to his students, his colleagues and the life of the mind. His energy and love of life were infectious; I remember, in particular, the boyish enthusiasm—not without a touch of competitive fervor—with which he would show off yet another remarkable crop of student projects inspired by his teaching. He will be missed by those who knew him, worked with him and loved him. But those who will miss him the most are the ones who will never have the opportunity to study with him: the next generation of Pomona students.

—Jennnifer Rycenga
Half Moon Bay, CA

Pomona Sports
I enjoyed the article about Mike Riskas in PCM (Fall 2003). It was quite a story about his mother removing him from the athletic field. It made me think how supportive my parents were of my athletic endeavor. My mother was a physical education and public speaking professor at USC. Father taught band and orchestra at Citrus Union High School and Citrus College.

I admire Mike Riskas for his effort to build the Greek national baseball team for the 2004 Olympics.

While attending Pomona for two years, I hung out around the athletic department. This gave me an opportunity to help with the frosh baseball team, also proof read for Dr. Sait who was writing a political science book. From Claremont Graduate School, I received my General Secondary Teaching Credential and the Master’s Degree from Long Beach State University.

Presently I volunteer at Woodcreek High School as a track official.

—Charles F. Potter ’40
Roseville, CA

Santa Fe Alums
I was on sabbatical in Italy this past fall when Ralph Bolton hosted the New Mexico alumni reunion at his Inn of the Turquoise Bear in Santa Fe. But you may be interested to know that every Sunday, just up the road from Ralph’s inn at the United Church of Santa Fe where I’ve been the pastor since 1987, we have a weekly reunion of Pomona Alums. Julia Moore, Tom Himrod, Tim Lopez and Amy Hamilton are all members of the United Church, and Maria Hamilton, also a member, is in Pomona’s class of 2006. It makes for a lively and engaging congregation!

—Rev. Talitha Arnold ’75
Santa Fe, NM

Corporateering
I was surprised and pleased to see the review of Jamie Court’s book, Corporateering (although I wonder why it was not listed in the table of contents).

Three comments: The reviewer, Sidney Lemelle, says, regarding the connection between early European colonists and corporations, “the author is best at connecting dots that have never been linked before.” They have.

Also, Court says, according to Lemelle, “corporations gained the constitutional rights [including free speech] of individuals in the mid 1970’s.” Corporations gained the status of “natural persons,” and therefore gained the shelter of the Bill of Rights including free speech, way back in 1886, in a California state court decision which the U.S. Supreme Court let stand that same year. This event seems more truly the pivotal point of corporations gaining the same constitutional rights as individuals.

I recommend an excellent essay by Paul Cienfuegos, with stunning quotes from Abraham Lincoln, Rutherford B. Hayes and Grover Cleveland, “Corporate Rule: a Hidden History,” available at http://www.duhc.org/corpRule_return.html. I read this years ago: it covers both my comments above.

The message of Court’s book would be overwhelming unless one had already noticed how far the U.S. has now come to this definition from the American Heritage Dictionary, New College edition, 1976 (and later) of fascism: “A ... government that exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right typically through the merging of state and business leadership ... with an ideology of belligerent nationalism.”

Very depressing. So I am glad to hear Court’s book is both prescriptive as well as descriptive. And anyone with the chutzpah to buy John Ashcroft’s social security number is lovely.

—N. Gwynn O’Neill ’55
Richmond, CA

Semper Ubi Sub Ubi 2
Susan Wheeler, my fellow classmate, brought a recent item in PCM to my attention. The letter to the editor is from Lawrence Crumb ’58 from Eugene, OR, regarding our class (1983) motto. Just for clarification, the correct translation (I took five years of Latin class) of semper ubi sub ubi is: “Always where? Under where?”

It was a joke, but I am happy to hear that my class has embraced the slogan so completely. I wonder what our class will look like dressed in boxers at our 47th reunion.

—John (JC) Spokes ’83
Minneapolis, MN

We welcome letters from alumni and friends concerning past items in the magazine or, on occasion, important issues at the College. The College cannot publish all letters, due to the quantity received, and does not publish anonymous letters. Letters may be edited for length, style and clarity. When a letter raises significant questions, an appropriate respondent may be invited to reply. The editor reserves the right to cut off debate on an issue after a reasonable period of time. For a full list of magazine policies, see the PCM Editorial Guidelines .