When I decided to go hear Harry Wu speak about his experiences in China and his view on Chinese prisons and prisoners, I had expectations. I anticipated that I might leave the lecture more informed about an unfamiliar issue, angry about injustice, sad about suffering human beings or even sick about the things I would see in the video and the stories I would hear.

These were my expectations. I went with an open mind, intent on hearing what everyone had to say.

I left the lecture disappointed, frustrated and embarrassed. What could have been an evening of shared information, open communication and respectful debate, was everything but.

It seemed to me that very few people attended that lecture with any expectations except that what they would hear (or not hear) would simply reinforce their already made up, rock-solid opinions.

As various people tried to drown out Harry Wu’s opinions, snickered at students’ questions, yelled at other audience members to sit down and “shut-up” or otherwise disrupted and tried to monopolize or manipulate the presentation, I sat there embarrassed for us all and wondering what any of us was accomplishing.

What a waste of time and opportunity, two rare commodities.

Make no mistake, I’m not suggesting that anyone should sit passively, keep their opinions to themselves or refrain from raising their voice (literally and figuratively) in order to be heard. What I am suggesting is that we show a lot more respect for opinions, cultures and individuals than what I saw [Tuesday] night, or there will be no hope of ever working it out.

Jill K. Franke

Graduate student

Human development/food science