Column off base
Jessica Lee must hold her audience in very low regard when she can't even bother to get the facts straight before writing a column. In last Thursday's "Issue of the Week: Collision Course" Lee implies that the United States is intentionally aggravating relations with China to stave off a contraction in the economy. I fail to see how Lee can draw such a conclusion when there are a number of widely available news accounts that negate Lee's theory. A basic Internet search would reveal a story published on April 9 first by The Associated Press, and later by The Washington Times, which states that China is preparing an underground test of a nuclear weapon, an action which would be in violation of a 1996 treaty signed by ourselves and the Chinese. The same search directed me to a story published on April 7 in The Washington Times, which details China's destabilizing deployment of nearly 300 missiles opposite Taiwan. And we're supposed to believe it's the United States that's aggravating relations, Lee? As far as her comment that wars boost economies, suffice it to say that Lee's economic knowledge couldn't fill a thimble.
Rob Anderson
economics junior
Letter writer should "get help"
I'd have to say I know what funny is. My entire life I've been around funny people, I've seen funny movies, I've even been lucky enough to make a few funny remarks. Of all the things I've seen, heard or read "The Hot Dog Stand" is definitely not one of them. Really nothing on the so-called "comics" page of the Wildcat is what I would call "funny." Actually I think the funniest thing in the wildcat are Cory Spiller's columns. The one about how everyone should boycott shops on university because they use the dreaded "Pigeon Repellent" had me rolling.
When I read Gavin Ekins letter my immediate thought was that this fool had been paid off. Then it seemed as if he did not actually know the so-called artist and that he actually found the feces substituting for comedy of the comics page funny. So I juggled between the two thoughts for a while and came to the conclusion that Mr. Ekins has absolutely no idea what funny really is. Sir, my utmost apologies, had Al Gore won the election, I'm sure there would have been a government subsidized program for people like you, in which you would sit through countless hours of movies such as "Tootsie" and "Porky's," much like Alex in "A Clockwork Orange" was subjected to. But since nasty ol' Bush won the election, you won't get that opportunity. Since you'll have money in your own pocket you'll have to go out and rent these movies. Sir, I implore you, get help, if not from Comedy Central, get help somewhere.
Scott Pressnall
history sophomore
Media unfairly portrays China
It is discouraging to see how the U.S. media has portrayed the whole situation. Where the White House admits in its letter to China that the "whole picture" was yet unknown, FoxNews and MSNBC were quick to imply with great certainty that it was totally China's fault. From day one, the words "standoff" and "showdown" were the words chosen to describe the situation, and it was apparent the news media wanted a brawl. They agitated the public and went out of their way to portray China as the enemy.
I am Chinese by race though not by nationality, and I regard myself a Wildcat by education. To hear students at Fiddlee Fig watch the news and mutter "stupid Chinese" loud enough for everyone to hear is not an experience I particularly cherish. I had hoped that somehow the news would do its job in providing a balanced and objective viewpoint on the incident. Callers who managed to get through to Mr. O'Reilly on FoxNews were undoubtedly agitated. The unfortunate ones who sympathized with China were put in place as Mr. O'Reilly "set the records straight." One viewer called in to say that the Chinese in the United States did not respond not because of fear, but because they "were shy." Mr. O'Reilly's response? "Yeah, and I'm the Easter Bunny." So much for objectivity.
There are so many more instances of the news media's forays into selective editing. I do not seek reprieve or apology. I only ask that for those of you who think of the Chinese government as a lesser government or the Chinese people as less civilized, remember the last words of Edith Cavell before her execution by the Germans in World War II: "I realize that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone." We too, shed a tear when our own scientists are held in your prisons on allegations of espionage.
So who walked away the victor of the showdown? Those who learn not to believe all they hear. Those who learnt tolerance of another culture.
Lucian Teo
management information systems junior
