In response to Nicolai Brown’s column, “Through logic, I beat terrorism,” sometimes we readers are fed gospel claiming to stem from “facts and logic.” But, when logic is nowhere to be found, one cannot not help question the writer’s rationale. It is true Mr. Brown gives us facts referring to maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate. What I am calling to question is not his facts, but his analysis of the facts. There are two major problems with Mr. Brown’s column.

First, it is inferred from his column the Democratic and Republican parties are focused on the exaggerated war on terror when they should be focused on improving the quality of health. Last time I took a civics class, I was told this responsibility belongs to the Department of Health (DoH). When I say DoH, I mean the DoH, not the sole focus of the Democratic and Republican parties. So why not attack the DoH and its apparent ineffectiveness?

Secondly, how can he possibly compare the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to the infant mortality rate? Sure, statistically it looks as if childbirth is a bigger threat. Colin Powell once said, “Experts often possess more data than judgment.” Let’s use our “logic” on this comparison. Whether it is infant death or car accidents, they happen sporadically throughout society, the vast majority of them from circumstances and causes independent of each other. What sets the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks apart from these independent accidents is 3,000 infants dying across the nation during a year are not linked to one phenomenon. If 3,000 infants died in a single hospital during the span of a couple of hours, you can bet a national emergency would be declared and the issue launched to the forefront of politics.

The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks happened in a very short span and were clearly linked to a single group, a single phenomenon and a single choice made by a man leading the terrorists. Mr. Brown was right about something, however. There was much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. We should be thankful for our servicemen fighting and dying to protect this nation.

Anthony Gertz

Senior

Political Science