In response to front page news story Dec. 7, 2005: When reading the news article last week about the Race and Gender program at Northern Kentucky University, I had to refrain from laughing.

I have no issue with the content of the story, but rather one of John Stone’s concerns (founding president of the African American Studies Club). I am writing this with respect towards Stone and do not consider my thoughts to be a personal attack, but instead a refutation of his observations and conclusions about the political science department at NKU.

It was printed that Stone was “concerned about conservative influences in courses taught in the political science department.” I found this concern to be unwarranted. In my four years of experience with the political science department, I have found a nice balance of ideological differences among professors, and an objective outlook on materials and theories taught in the courses, as well as a respect for differing viewpoints.

I would hope that Stone does not qualify courses containing any amount of views opposite to his own as unsatisfactory.

Since it is noble of us to consider political theory as a gray matter and not something black or white, let’s continue that philosophy with the content of our courses. I am not concerned one bit with courses containing both liberal and conservative outlooks on subjects.

Aaron Hines

Senior

Political Science