To the Editor:
Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., made a smart move when he chose to speak in Salomon instead of a larger, more impersonal venue such as Meehan ("Obama's request caused speech to be held in Salomon," Oct. 18). If I had made it in, I would have appreciated the consideration. However, when I arrived at Sayles for class at 6:30 p.m., the line was already snaking across the Main Green, with hundreds of students excitedly awaiting the speech. I had already given up on getting into Salomon, but I still had hope for the simulcast. Unfortunately, the spillover venue didn't even double the event's capacity.
The University has decided brilliantly to broadcast the talk on IPTV, which I plan on watching. But there is another solution for wildly popular events in the future - why not simulcast on the Main Green itself? The University could project the speech on a giant screen hung over the Faunce steps. They could place speakers around the Green, or maybe broadcast the talk over BSR airwaves, and people could bring FM radios. This way, many more people could be accommodated, both students and Providence citizens alike, who I'm sure didn't have an afternoon to spend waiting hours before the event started. This plan would of course be contingent on the weather and the season. Nonetheless, the University should consider it.
Paul Monnes '08
Oct. 19
