Personal Attacks Promote Division

I read with dismay the last paragraph of the letter sent by Meaghan Byrne ’10 (Inbox, February issue). While the sentiments of previous paragraphs in the letter are well stated, personal attacks toward people who hold other points of view serve only to foment further division in our society and reduce the one making the attacks to a lower level. Further, Ms. Byrne eschews the usual sentiment of calling elder people dinosaurs, preferring the term “absolute fossils.” Compared to dinosaurs, one can infer from the passion and totality of that term that Ms. Byrne wishes elder alums dead. While PAW states the usual disclaimer of Inbox content, PAW remains complicit by publishing personal attacks on others, particularly what appears to be the boundless incivility of wishing death on other alums.