**09:04 am - On Harvard's closed campus**Today President Drew Faust of Harvard sent everyone an email trying to explain the ongoing policy of requiring ID's to get into Harvard Yard. I sent the following reply. I have been by Harvard Yard many times during this period of siege mentality. Since that single event, which did in fact require a response, I have seen no sign of any assault at the gates or threat to Harvard's peace and security.This is an age of overreaction to every perceived threat. Once the United States boasted of having the world's longest unguarded border; now it sees everyone coming in as a threat, to people's jobs if not lives. The MBTA conducts pointless spot checks of people's bags (which any vaguely competent terrorist could easily work around by going to the next station) and does its best to make people feel afraid.Harvard has joined the age of fear, becoming as far as I know the only major civilian university in the United States with a guarded perimeter. Harvard had, up to this, embraced openness, making knowledge available to everyone. This is part of the Harvard university Library's mission. Giving in to fear and guarding the gates goes against the spirit of openness. It also goes against it in fact, making life more difficult for anyone with legitimate business on the Harvard Campus.It does nothing for security. Most of Harvard is outside the Yard and is as vulnerable as ever.This siege mentality is useless. It should come to an end immediately. Are lonely guards going to be patrolling Harvard Yard's gates during the winter break?