In response to Eric Baldwin’s letter to the editor, I would like to apologize, on behalf of civilized society, for placing mandates on you and others to prevent murder, theft, rape, and all those other things that we decided people should abstain from. We are sorry for “forcing people to behave in ways they do not want.”
The purpose of having those who attended Focus the Nation vote was to encourage institutional change. This change would reaffirm Cal Poly’s commitment to sustainability. As for your argument that change should come from the little people and not just the large players, you are correct. You just missed the point. Everyone who voiced their opinion, including you, is a “small player” at this institution. The idea which got the most votes was forwarded on to the larger players here on campus to show them that there is a want out there for change.
Sometimes it takes a mandate because not everyone is willing to change for the collective better. For example, the recent financial crisis has resulted in thousands of people losing their jobs, pensions, homes, and quality of life. Talk to anyone affected by this mess and I think the majority would demand changes in how financial institutions function. In Cal Poly’s case, the campus community is simply saying that they would like to get more “education and opportunities” via a G.E. class. I encourage you to take any and all educational opportunities you can throughout life to learn more about sustainability since you will miss the opportunity here.
David Hansen
biology senior