Aglow with color, the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts was dedicated October 11. A three-day launch festival followed, with more than 50 performances and other events. Photography by Jason Smith. wallpaper_final_v3.indd 1 10/25/12 6:02 PM Any department which ran the spec- trum from Knight to Lange had to be LETTERS intellectually open.” Indeed, Milton Friedman, AM’33, himself said that when he arrived at the University of Chicago in the 1930s he encountered a “vibrant intellectual When I received the Sept–Oct/12 Magazine, I was quite pleased to see a photo by atmosphere of a kind that I had never Adam Nadel, AB’90, on the cover. When he was featured in the Sept–Oct/04 is- dreamed existed”; yet his supposed sue, I tore out his profile and saved it. Nadel was one of the reasons why I decided followers today rejoice in the destruc- to pursue a photojournalism career at the age of 32 with no background in pho - tion of that atmosphere. tography. I quit my job as a high-school Robert Michaelson, SB’66, AM’73 teacher and earned a master’s degree Evanston, Illinois The piece about Mr. Nadel in journalism from the University of in 2004 helped change my Missouri, where I have worked for five The feeling was mutual years as a university photographer. Thank you for including a snippet in life, and consequently the Although I haven’t completed work the Core (Editor’s Notes, “Wish You lives of my students, for at the level of Nadel, I nonetheless Were Here,” July–Aug/12) about Mi- love documentary photography and chael Jones, AM’83, PhD’88, AM’12, the better. integrate photojournalism into my who recently resigned as associate public-relations position whenever dean of the College. Some of my fond- possible. I also teach two classes in the Missouri School of Journalism, where I est memories at the University see encourage students to make good stories. me sitting opposite Jones in his office The piece about Nadel in 2004 helped change my life, and consequently the discussing, philosophizing, or sim- lives of my students, for the better. I have enormous respect for his work and ply chatting about the day’s events. hope he continues to make a difference in the world with his photos. Jones didn’t have any of the egotism Shane Epping (formerly Conterez), AB’95 or pomposity that one would expect Columbia, Missouri from a man in his position. Despite the demanding nature of his work, his door was always open to me, and he never failed to make me feel wel- War without tears depression, and indeed that the stimu- come, valued, equal. As his student, I The letter from Stephen J. Breckley, lus was if anything far too small—then had thought that something about his MBA’68, John R. Flanery, MBA’06, they were miseducated. distinguished demeanor demanded and William P. McCoach, MBA’75, in The paper “Beginnings” by the respect; in time I realized that it was your Sept–Oct/12 issue (in response distinguished late economist Hyman his respect of me as an individual that to a Jul–Aug/12 profile of economist Minsky, SB’41, may provide the best made him so worthy of my respect. Austan Goolsbee) demonstrates an insight into what happened to econom- My years at the University would not attitude that is distressingly com- ics at Chicago. He wrote, “Today, eco- have been the same without his sage mon among Chicago MBAs. If they nomics at the University of Chicago is guidance and genuine support. were taught that we should have done associated with a special methodologi- Elodie Guez, AB’01 the opposite of what the Obama ad- cal, ideological, and doctrinal position. Fort Myers, Florida ministration did, e.g., have no stimu- It was not true of Chicago during the lus—though all economic evidence years I was there. The department had Free-market morality demonstrates that without the stimu- room for radicals like [Oskar R.] Lange, Contrary to D. J. Brennan, AB’80, lus package we would now be in a major liberals like [Paul] Douglas, middle of MFA’02, (Letters, Sept–Oct/12), I the roaders like [Jacob] Viner as well as believe the American sense of free- the beginnings of a conservative group market capitalism does indeed have a in [Frank] Knight, [Henry] Simons, moral foundation, in that it inherently and [Lloyd] Mints. Furthermore, even respects and protects the personhood, those who were most clearly the intel- abilities, rights, contracts, and responsi- lectual ancestors of the present Chica- bilities of individuals. No other system go School—Frank Knight and Henry on the planet does, or ever has done, as Simons—were not, at least in the un- much or as well, morally or otherwise. derstanding of this young student, as American free-market capitalism’s rigid and ideologically hard as today’s moral foundation is broad and deep. It whitehouse.gov ‘Chicago types.’ If we used Thatcherian assumes free and enforceable contracts language, the Chicago conservatives of within a framework of law that also the late 1930s would be ‘wets.’ Econom- limits and punishes the use of fraud and ics at Chicago in the late 1930s and early force in contracts. It assumes Declara- 1940s was open, rigorous, and serious. tion-declared, Constitution-protected 4 the university of chicago magazine | nov–dec 2012 letters_v10.indd 4 10/26/12 9:45 AM that the rule of law is no more and has Not that conscription was abolished LETTERS been replaced with a mere spectacle forever. It was reenacted in WW I and of the law—as various scholars and upheld in an atrocious Supreme Court thinkers have been pointing out for decision whose author, Edward Doug- some time now, and as Posner indi- lass White, has a classroom named for cates (though he seems more inter- him at the U of C Law School. ested in seeking ways to justify this There are other passages in the Fed- Eric Posner’s expression of faith in new state of affairs)—it might be ap- eralist papers that show the army was public opinion as a check on presidents propriate to rename the law school the to be composed of paid professionals, evinces no concern with the sources School of the History of Law so that it not conscripts. There is compulsory of that opinion. We find no echoes refocuses on the problem of just what military service, but under the militia of the views of Robert Hutchins and was the rule of law, and whether or not clauses, not the army clause. Learned Hand about concentrated anyone should care. There are a lot of tyrannophobes control of the media, perhaps because Magnus Fiskesjö, AM’94, PhD’00 who consider private firearms a check it is much easier for Mr. Posner to ac- Ithaca, New York on tyranny. Their notion is ably rebut- cess our few significant newspapers ted by a paragraph in Federalist No. than for other Chicagoans with less Are objections to violations of con- 28. A paragraph in Federalist No. 46 well-rewarded opinions. stitutional restrictions on presiden- shows what the security of a free state In the long run, there will be no tial power merely to be dismissed is, and it is not interaction between the “freedom from fear” or public opin- as “tyrannophobia,” as Eric Posner president and the people. The debate ion if the executive can detain or do does? Tyranny is in the eye of the on the Second Amendment says noth- violence at will; checks on the execu- beholder. A lot depends on which ing about private firearms, but rather tive, not electoral ceremonies, are the side of it you are on. Tyrannopho- anticipated a current tyrannophilia. distinguishing mark of free societies. bia from the sending end might seem Bill Wendt, MBA’76 This was once seen more clearly than like tyrannophilia on the receiving Long Beach, Indiana it is now. “Even in England,” Ambas - end. Is the interaction between sador Eric Phipps mused in the wake of president and public more effective Mink remembered the Night of the Long Knives, “death than a check and balance? It was good to be reminded of the re - may come on a summer day, but not dis- Before the U of C community dis- markable career in the US Congress of patched from Downing Street.” misses anything as tyrannophobia, it Patsy Takemoto Mink, JD’51, a Uni - Nor is it clear that most citizens be- would do well to read James Madison versity of Chicago Law School class- lieve “that they benefit from having in Federalist No. 37 on one class readily mate of ours from Hawaii (Legacy, most policy being made at the federal uniting and oppressing another, creat- Sept–Oct/12). Among her achieve- level.” The nationalization of moral ing a state of nature in which weaker in- ments was the development of much- and social issues, in which academic dividuals are not protected against the acclaimed Title IX programs that lawyers have played too great a part, stronger. And as stronger individuals opened up opportunities dramatically has produced a society, economy, and are induced by the insecurity of their for women in this country. polity that are neither functional nor positions to submit to a government Patsy’s service in the House of contented. that protects the weaker as well as the Representatives (beginning in 1964) George W. Liebmann, JD’63 stronger, so are more powerful classes.