Letter to the Northeastern University Magazine, March, 1994:

While perusing the January magazine, my wife came upon the advertisement on pages one and two. The first page read: "What has 250,000 feet and a multibillion dollar income?" The next page provided the answer: "The 125,000 graduates of Northeastern University." My wife asked me if I thought there was anything wrong with the advertisement. After thinking about it, I realized that it should really have read: "What has 250,001 feet and a multibillion dollar income?" I have a spare leg in the closet.

I realize that sometimes it is easy to forget people are disabled because they don't fit a certain image... The point is, there are many "disabled" graduates of Northeastern. I use quotes because we are all "disabled" in one manner or another, even if the "disability" is only placing mental or physical limitations on others. It's stunning that today, even after passing of legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, this publication would alienate a portion of the population with an advertisement of this type. I'm not offended, but I can understand how other people might be.

—Patrick M. Pickle, BA '91
Mesa, Arizona

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