Hoop squad gives time to worthy cause
Kudos to Jason Gardner, Richard Jefferson, Gene Edgerson and all the other Wildcat basketball players who came out and made a contribution of their time to Lame for a Game. It was a fun and memorable evening, not least of all when Gene lifted a little boy up for a slam dunk, Jason fell over backwards in his wheelchair, and Richard made a not-so-subtle comment about all refs being bad, "in case y'all didn't watch the Duke game." I went to 11 men's basketball home games this season, but this was at least as memorable as those were. This year's Wildcats are the best ever! Thanks for the memories.
Jennifer L. White
psychology and political science senior
Alum's statements off base
For days I've been reading letters in this paper about how the Fourth Avenue riots have tarnished the image of this campus. Seldom do I make the time in my hectic schedule to actually respond to these letters, some of which I have mixed emotions about, but the letter submitted last Friday by alumnus Mark Gilliss absolutely warrants my attention. Now in my senior year as a member of the "Pride of Arizona Pep Band," I had the very fortunate experience of accompanying the Wildcat basketball team through all phases of the NCAA tournament. With my trombone I sat in a folding chair on the court, five feet behind the basket, in a seat that a starving college student could never have been able to afford otherwise. I spent my spring break in Kansas City, the week after that in San Antonio, and then witnessed a truly amazing journey to the Final Four in Minneapolis. Mr. Gilliss is right. Coach Olson and the entire team demonstrated to us and to the world a very class-act character in the face of defeat. I submit to Mr. Gilliss that the university community is really a microcosm of our greater society. As in all societies, the UA does have its weak links. We cannot expect that a major university of our size is without its tactless individuals.
I sincerely hope that Gilliss will not continue to judge the moral integrity of this institution by the actions of a few. If indeed he is proud to be an alum of the UA, then be proud always, and not only when it is befitting to you. I hope that Gilliss will reconsider his decision to send his daughters to school elsewhere. They can reach the UA Admissions Office by calling (520) 621-3237. I have no regrets, it was the best phone call I ever made. Bear Down!
Sam Andress
music education senior
"Pride of Arizona" Pep Band
Reparations ad reflects racism
The issue is not one of free speech. The issue goes beyond "reparations for slavery." The issue is that the advertisement written by David Horowitz was racist. And the real problem stems from different people's concept of what is and is not racist. Racism is the negation of the humanness of others. Racism is the ideology necessary for institutions of oppression, such as slavery, to function. Racism is refusing to acknowledge that these ideologies continue to exist even if the institutions have been officially abolished.
Racism is simply ignoring that racism exists. Racism is invalidating other people's experiences. It is easy to trust your own experience as the only experience, the correct view of the world. It is more difficult to understand the stories and experiences of different people. Yet these stories and experiences are just as real, just as valid.
Horowitz's arguments attempt to examine social and economic phenomena without considering their ideological causes. His concept that "reparations · have already been paid" is based on the assumption that all of slavery's effects are no more, including any racism toward African-Americans. Yet current events, such as the brutal murder of James Byrd in 1998, are blatant evidence that racism still pervades our society. This existence of racism is a part of American society and therefore affects every American citizen. Horowitz's claim that "most living Americans have no connection to slavery" attempts to place the argument in a historical context without considering the state of modern society. Every American lives with the after-effects of slavery.
Social justice educator Jesus Trevi–o makes the following comparison: Imagine that your job is to go to the bottom of the ocean and explain to a creature, who has always lived there, what water is. You say, "It's everywhere, it's all around you, can't you see it?" but the creature will not see. Only when you remove it from its world, and show it air, will it see water for the first time.
David Horowitz has not seen air.
Beyond Tolerance
UA student club
