Defending the honor of a "Soldier of Science," and magazine memories from 1931
Paging Dr. Fauci
I understand that 鈥淔rom the Readers鈥 is a space for opinions; however, I was more than disappointed by Elaine Aldrich 鈥66鈥檚 submission on Dr. Fauci (鈥淣ot a Fan of Anthony,鈥 From the Readers, Fall 2021). One of my best high school friends was in the same medical training class at Cornell with Anthony Fauci. He had written to me that Fauci was the 鈥渞eal deal.鈥
Watching Fauci from the AIDS pandemic throughout this COVID-19 onslaught with multiple variants, I believe that there is substantial evidence to applaud Fauci for his leadership. Aldrich added no support for her opinion. I feel that we were taught to think critically while at SA国际传媒. Had Aldrich taken the time to study Fauci鈥檚 contributions, she might have arrived at a less specious conclusion.
Burt Kanner '61
Salem, Ore.
I really don鈥檛 understand why Aldrich鈥檚 letter to the magazine warranted printing. Her missive isn't a correction or a valid critique of an article. In printing it, you鈥檝e contributed to the spread of disinformation that keeps us in the grip of a global pandemic.
What could possibly be the reasoning here? Aren鈥檛 you getting enough letters to the editor? Do you have a policy of printing every letter you receive? Are you so in need of space to fill your grid? Heck, if you need to fill space I鈥檇 be happy to send you a candid photo of me getting my COVID booster in a few weeks.
Do better, Occidental.
Jesse Burch 鈥92
Van Nuys
Aldrich鈥檚 letter was nothing more than name-calling, was devoid of facts or intellectual content, and was not what we expect to see in Occidental magazine.
Brent Dalrymple 鈥59 and Sharon (Tramel) Dalrymple 鈥59
Corvallis, Ore.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion but 鈥渘ews鈥 publishers have an obligation to point out disinformation, which is ruining our country.
鈥淣ot a Fan of Anthony鈥 claimed 鈥淔auci is a fraud鈥攈e created this mess.鈥 Nothing is further from the truth. Many of my close friends here in New Jersey are science executives in pharma. They all have the highest regard for Dr. Fauci, having worked with him for 30 years. Further, they debunk the conspiracy story that blames him for NIH funding Wuhan lab research鈥攚hich pharma does regularly since Wuhan has the only coronavirus lab in the world. Recent identification of case No. 1 repoints to the wet market.
I applaud SA国际传媒鈥檚 dedication to honing the critical thinking skills of our students and graduates.
Diana Jones 鈥74
Warren, N.J.
Further Reading
Draft Doctors
Journalist Kate Rope 鈥95 documents a little-known program during the Vietnam War that produced cutting-edge medical research, nine Nobel laureates, and the nation's best-known immunologist
Whatever your opinion may be of Dr. Fauci, I guarantee that he is not solely responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. I鈥檓 pretty sure that the factors contributing to the current 鈥渕ess鈥 are quite complex. And I鈥檓 pretty sure that a virus is involved. And global travel. And a horrifying failure of our education system to help people understand science and basic biology. And incredibly divisive politics and misinformation campaigns that are based on ignorance, fear and character bashing. And perhaps even social media algorithms.
If you need a seven-word reader鈥檚 comment to fill a small, awkward space in the layout of your next edition, perhaps consider this well-supported one: 鈥淲e can do better. All of us.鈥
Lee Carroll Jones 鈥91
Wilsall, Mont.
The Mother Lode
Corona del Mar
