Meeting on Neutral Territory

I love walking through the UMASS campus center. I do so on my way back to my office after teaching class every monday, wednesday, and friday. I love it not for the decor (70s concrete), not for the food (cafeteria-style), but for the quasi-street fair atmosphere. For those of you who aren't at UMASS, the campus center main thorough-fair is often lined with tables. Tables are set up by student organizations, vendors, and clubs. You can buy cheap sunglasses and earrings, learn about the fencing club, or sign up for the next Habitat for Humanity spring break trip. The arrangement of tables (whether by chance or design) is always interesting, and makes for some great people watching.

Today the "Stop the Occupation of Iraq" table was right across from the "Air Force National Guard" table. So, on one side you see a pacifist in birkenstocks and long hair...and on the other, you see 3 uniformed clean-cut Air Force recruiters. When I walked through the hall a second time, one of the recruiters had crossed the border and was deep in conversation with the pacifist. I would love to have eavesdropped on that conversation...


On a related note, last spring I walked through the student center and spied the "Cannabis Reform Coalition" table, next to the "Chabad House" table. As I walked by, the orthodox jew was showing the cannabis guy how to wrap tefillin. It was surreal.

Wouldn't it be great if everyone with a strong viewpoint was forced to sit next to a person with a divergent view point on a regular basis?