To the Editor:

I'm afraid that I've never considered television to be a violation of the Modern Orthodox principles of YU, and Nqnz Sryfraguny's letter to the editor in the September 26 issue ("Block the Box") did little to dissuade me from that viewpoint. First, Mr. Sryfraguny would do well to realize that TV use at YU is, in fact, controlled. Pay-per-view channels and channels that offer graphic and extremely obscene programming are not shown. Instead, we as students get a choice of programs that offer drama, comedy, features, sports and news. If this doesn't comprise madda, then we should also remove internet access from dormitories (far more 'uncontrolled' and prone to complete and total abuse than the television use here).

Mr. Sryfraguny recommends that if students want televisions, they should buy ones for their rooms. But that is one of the best things about the public TVs- they allow us to refrain from buying private ones, thereby saving us money and keeping TV use under control. By the same token, if Mr. Sryfraguny does not like television, no one forces him to go to the lounge and watch it.

Television can allow us to expand our intellectual horizons and take a look at the best of what Western civilization has to offer. If I have any complaints about televisions at YU, it's that they aren't available at the Muss Hall dormitory. Let's put one in the Muss lounge and give those students access. Sure, some shows may be pure nonsense, but if this college can't trust its students to differentiate between jewels and garbage, then it may as well stop giving us Bachelor's degrees.

Let's give YU students some credit, and give television some credit as well, because both deserve it.

Alan Goldsmith
YC '05