Letter from SAGE misleading

To the Editor:

Re: “Abortion column makes false claims,” Letters, Jan. 23

I would like to address certain statements made by Adriane Bracciale in a letter to the editor on January 23 concerning the Cornell Coalition for Life’s GAP display in October of 2005.

Shortly after CCFL reserved space on Ho Plaza for GAP, we noticed that a reservation had also been made for SAGE. Whereas the webpage stated that our space was reserved by Sandy Czelusniak ’07 for GAP, it stated that SAGE’s space was reserved by the Dean of Students — not then-SAGE president Adriane Bracciale ’07 — “in case SAGE wants to counter-protest.” Forgive us if we misinterpreted that to mean that the space was reserved by the Dean of Students as a courtesy to SAGE.

CCFL did appreciate the “overly generous offer” to share the audio equipment, but the purpose of GAP, like other displays we have sponsored in the past, was to be quiet and peaceful, let the pictures speak for themselves and talk only with passers-by who were actually interested in discussing the issue.

The Cornell Coalition for Life also welcomes open debate. Our idea of debate differs from SAGE’s in that we would rather not take turns yelling at passersby or spend a half-hour screaming and standing rudely in the middle of a display that we disagree with — as two SAGE members did on Nov. 14, 2006, during the Cornell Coalition for Life’s Cemetery of the Innocents display.

Tristen Cramer ’09

CCFL President