Letters to the Editor: Protesters need to stop accusing the other side of being terrible people

To the editor: Parts of your article about the tense situation on the UCLA campus illustrate a critical problem with the U.S. political situation now.

Without taking a position on the issues, I note that striking graduate students reportedly were chanting, “UC, UC, you’re no good, treat your students like you should.”

Successful negotiations do not occur when the focus is put on the alleged character defects of the opponents rather than the issues to be discussed. “You’re no good” is a personal attack that says nothing about the validity of any grievances or desired changes, and these students are not little children who cannot understand the difference.

Similar demonizing of the political opposition keeps conservatives and liberals from having any productive discussions about the real issues facing our country.

Rather than “UC, UC, you’re no good,” perhaps try “UC, UC, do some good.” It fits the rhyme scheme just as well, puts issues at the center, and doesn’t start by asserting the other side is composed of reprehensible people. That would be a model for all of us.

Jeffrey Brown, Yorba Linda

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To the editor: If UCLA “has essentially become a police state” after a failure to protect pro-Palestinian demonstrators on campus from attackers, how about a quick referendum of only UCLA students and employees. The question: Do you want security guards outside buildings and parking structures on campus?

Perhaps consideration should be given to including assumption of the risk options for new contracts for employees, and offers and acceptance provisos for students old enough to vote, and the parents of students who are not old enough to vote.

Barbara Burke, South Pasadena

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To the editor: If Hamas had not attacked Israel on Oct. 7, nearly 1,200 Israelis would not have been murdered, Gaza would not have been bombed by Israel, thousands of Gaza residents would not have been killed, and there would have been no protests against the Hamas-Israel war on the UCLA campus or anywhere else.

Why does The Times ignore these facts in some of its reporting on this issue? Hamas should be blamed for everything related to this crisis.

Greg Sirbu, Redondo Beach