Cabinet shows competence, not Bush
I would like to respond to the opinion of Tom McDermott on the competence shown by President Bush during the recent standoff between the United States and China. As a person who enjoys parsing words, I couldn't help wondering what McDermott implied by saying that "the firm - yet skillful - diplomacy of Secretary of State Colin Powell and the other members of the administration during this standoff have demonstrated the strength of the president's resolve to the world."
First, it baffles me how the diplomacy of someone else could prove one's own resolve. Is it because of Bush's strength of resolve to the world that the members of his administration showed such skillful diplomacy? It is true that the administration passed the first major test. But it seems that that doesn't show Bush's competence at all, unless you want to say that being able to assemble such a group of talented people in the first place is all there is to the competence of a president.
Jun Yang
second language acquisition and teaching graduate
Big business good for country
In Jessica Lee's article "Breaking through the Astroturf," she remarks that "the only true green movement in this country is that of the dollar." I completely agree with her, except instead of feeling disgust as she does, I feel pride. America is the first country in the world to allow men to independently create their own wealth, and this is the crux of our freedom. I am sick of watching the men and women behind big businesses be damned by the media and idealist 20-somethings for their "greed" and lack of environmental concern. I think we need to take a step back and appreciate all that "big businesses" have done for our country and our world.
Now for all of you who just scoffed at the idea of appreciating "evil" corporations, I ask you to imagine your life without them. Unless you are some Julia Butterfly tree dweller you most likely are wearing something that was produced in a sweat shop, you are sitting in a chair that was created by destroying one of the billion trees that inhabit the earth, and most of us use a computer software created by the biggest big business of all, Microsoft. Just look around you; our world would crumble without the innovation and hard work of the greedy, selfish businessmen that much of the media wants to destroy. What is even more disturbing than all of our environmental crises is the way the media has stigmatized ambition, achievement and wealth as being greedy and wrong. Our country would be even greater than it is today if more people had the drive and determination to produce and achieve like evil big businesses.
MacKenzie Hyde
psychology freshman
TPD provoked riots
Did it ever occur to our politicians or the media that mobilizing a massive riot police presence actually is a major reason why rioting happens? Heavily armed and shielded militias of riot police on our streets angers people and stimulates violence. There is no excuse for senseless destruction, but how much less damage and injury would there have been the night of April 2 had TPD taken a more peaceful tact? We need an independent, community-based investigation of TPD's conflict-encouraging approaches.
Daniel Patterson
Tucsonan
Assisted suicide a blessing
I never thought that I would see the day, but I actually agree with something that Cory Spiller wrote. It was surprising that Mr. Spiller did not switch sides halfway through the article as he usually does. This issue hits particularly close to home for me. Two years ago, my father finally succumbed to brain cancer after battling for close to 15 years. At the end, he suffered a stroke that left him incapable of speaking, paralyzed totally on one side and wholly unable to care for himself. My father had to deal with something similar since my grandfather suffered from multiple sclerosis and was bedridden for most of the time I knew him. It pained my father terribly to see his father in such a condition, and he vowed to never live like that.
Having had 15 years to think about and prepare for something like this to happen, my father filed a living will. I thank God that he did. Caring for my father while he was in that condition was the hardest thing I have ever done. Thinking about the pain and sorrow in his eyes still brings me to tears. My mother and I stood by him the 15 days it took for him to slowly starve to death. We watched him dehydrate, his skin turn sallow and leathery. We fought against family that did not want to honor his final wish. I prayed that the doctor would end his misery, and there were many times that I wished I had the courage to help him pass.
These memories are not kind ones. It would have been much better for everyone if we could have remembered him going quickly and with dignity, not wasting away. Those of you who are against assisted suicides should think of yourself in a similar situation. I hope it never happens, but if it does, I sincerely hope that the laws will enable your loved one to pass quickly.
Anthony Jensen
management information systems junior
Catholic church misrepresented
I am writing in response to "Freedom For Life or Death" by Cory Spiller. I have accepted the fact that Mr. Spiller does not like to research the subjects he writes about, but I still feel obligated to correct an error he has made. Mr. Spiller is correct in stating that the Vatican is opposed to euthanasia. Catholics believe that God is the "Master of Life" and that "we are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us" (catechism of the catholic church). It is easy to see, then, why the Catholic church opposes euthanasia.
I understand that Mr. Spiller may not agree with this assessment and he is free to do so, but he should not misrepresent the church. He does this when he states, "The Vatican also believes that anyone who commits suicide automatically goes to hell." This is an untrue statement. The Catholic church believes that suicide is a sin, but the church does not condemn those who commit suicide. In the catechism of the Catholic church it states, "We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The church prays for persons who have taken their own lives." That does not sound like the church has condemned anyone, does it?
In the future, I kindly request that Mr. Spiller take a few minutes to make sure his statements are true.
Michael Cali
accounting and finance senior
Letter off base
I think that it's wonderful that people who can look forward to nothing but pain and suffering in life can now choose to end it with dignity and be remembered the way that they want to! No one has the right to tell you that you cannot choose your destiny when you have no hope.
I just wish that Mr. Nasim supported his letter as well. It should have been titled "Dutch society horrifying" instead of the misleading "Legalization of assisted suicide horrifying." His letter basically compares assisted suicide with several things our society considers bad instead of actually addressing the subject. He should realize that in legalizing assisted suicide, the Dutch do consider the "life of a good citizen" important by respecting his right to end that life.
Joshua White
microbiology senior
Hot Dog Stand makes other art look good
I don't think that Mr. Ed Santander has any clue of the pure brilliances of the Hot Dog Stand. He has the effect correct but, he doesn't realize the efficiency that he does it with. This man has achieved what few can do. He is able to completely undo what five other good comics have achieved with just three blocks of pure art. Ingenious! He is like the opening comedy act that makes every comic after him seem good. This, my fellow UA students, is a skill; not a lack of it. So for all of you that are privileged enough to know Cody, remember to count your blessings for knowing such a talented individual. I can only hope to one day be graced with this man's company.
W. Gavin Ekins
industrial engineering senior
Response to rioters unreasonable
With all of the letters and articles in the Wildcat and the large amount of national attention directed towards the University of Arizona over the reaction to our loss that occurred on Fourth Avenue, one begins to overlook the facts of the event. The most important one being that the majority of the people arrested for the unreasonable destruction were not students at the university. Ten of the 17 arrested for major offenses during the riot, including the overturning and burning of vehicles, were fans not associated in any way with the university, except for their role in bringing the huge amounts of negative publicity that are constantly being thrown in the faces of the students. The student body is, for the most part, completely innocent. Sure, many students went down to Fourth Avenue for a good time, to take advantage of what might be their only opportunity to watch our basketball team play in the NCAA Championship in an atmosphere that promised to be exciting and spirited. This doesn't mean that they are to blame. Students at any university would have done the same thing. Who would want to miss the chance to be a part of an event this huge? How did the desire to be down on Fourth Avenue for the game become so huge you ask?
This leads me to a second important fact, which is being constantly overlooked; the media had done its part in charging the atmosphere with its constant reminders of what happened in 1997 and its forecast for even more dramatic happenings this time around. The media, the police department and the university all had their part in publicizing the Fourth Avenue atmosphere on Monday night. I don't see why everyone is acting so surprised, we all knew that something big was going to happen that night.
This is not an excuse for the actions of anyone on the night of the championship game. The destruction and looting of anyone's personal property can never be excused and is unacceptable behavior. It's just that I feel like those of us who are responsible students and were so on Monday night (the majority of the student body here at the university) don't deserve the criticism that we are receiving nationally and locally. Everyone should look at the facts and all of the factors leading up to the "riots" and re-evaluate the judgments being made against our school.
Jessica Reinhard
visual communication major
