What kind of totalitarian state are we living in when you can’t stroll through the quads in the outfit of your choice? If people were offended by Louis Perwein’s lack of clothing last week, perhaps they should have politely asked him to change. Instead, they resorted to calling in state forces to impose their values on a fellow citizen. Louis Perwein is guilty of violating nobody’s inalienable rights. Rather, his rights were violated when the eight police officers swarmed in. The police callers owe Louis an apology. Meanwhile, the police should get back to focusing on real crime, where someone’s rights are in jeopardy of being violated. The U of C police force was not created to arbitrarily push around other citizens at your behest.

Rich Page

Masters candidate in Public Policy

Harris School

I’d like to respond to the writers of Friday’s editorial “A Word to the Streakers” because I feel that I am somewhat of an expert on the etiquette and philosophy of streaking. It was inexcusably rude of you in your last paragraph to essentially say “fat people are gross and shouldn’t streak.” This may be your feeling on the issue, and it’s fine for you to think that, but don’t abuse your editorial position by saying hurtful things. Besides, streaking is not pornography for an audience. It’s an ephemeral instant of freedom for the streaker that can be experienced by fat and skinny people alike.

In the past as well, the Maroon has demonstrated a lack of understanding of the nature of streaking. Last year the Maroon made the poor editorial decision to publish a photograph of naked Polar Bear Runners on the front page. Streaking is expressly not about cameras and taking pictures to look at after the event. The fact that it’s short-lived and spontaneous is the entire point. You would need to get the streakers’ permission to publish their naked photographs—participation in a momentary streaking event does not imply consent to be photographed for permanent ogling.

With that said, I agree with your point that streakers must move quickly. Hanging around the quads naked, as one alumnus reportedly did Thursday, is public indecency, not streaking, and should be treated as such.

Jessica Winter

Third-year in the College