Counter is a Constructive Force For Tolerance

To the editors:

It is indeed a sad day when an esteemed Harvard institution such as Harvard Foundation Director S. Allen Counter is subjected to a character assassination attempt such as that unleashed by Adam Goldenberg ’08 Sahil K. Mahtani ’08. Counter has labored with unparalleled enthusiasm to make Harvard the multicultural and tolerant place that it is today. If he chooses to send a shock wave into the system that he aspires to be a beacon of tolerance through his choice of harsh words, then let us be respectful of his disappointment, for his vision for this great institution is unwavering.

Over the years Counter has provided refuge for the less heard and represented voices at Harvard. I had the personal privilege of interacting with this courageous man. He went to great extents to empower students from all walks of life to realize their dreams. His respect for this institution is beyond questioning; so is his aspiration for its potential.

Instead of digging into past irrelevant files in what could only be a smear attempt, we should follow his example by expecting no less for Harvard. An apology is indeed in order, one from Goldenberg and Mahtani to all of us who have been inspired by Counter’s bold integrity.

MOHAMAD AL-ISSISS ’00
Cambridge, Mass.
May 23, 2007

The writer is a former president of the Harvard Society of Arab Students.