Comics admirable
To the editor,
The cartoons in the Wildcat are hilarious. Much better than the ones in the Arizona Star. I admire the artists for the dedication it takes to publish a strip every single day. Of the comics you currently run, "Voice of Doom" is my favorite. I really like the "stuff I hate" line. Perhaps it is crass and offensive at times, but isn't everything? If you can't take it, don't read it!
Kris Brown
Electrical engineering freshman
Complaints justified
To the editor,
I just had to write a response to today's comic. People are not caring because you have offended anyone, its mostly because your comic is not funny.
Your jokes are stupid, its obvious that you dropped out of comedy school.
"Children of the Night" was never funny, and neither is this one. So here is your goal, find Jim Burgess and beg him for knowledge on how to write a decent comic. Maybe you will learn a thing, or maybe how to be funny?
Oh my God! I think I just invented a new concept, The Hotdog Stand being funny. In my lifetime it may never happen, but you know what, maybe it will happen in my children's future. Yea right! That has the likelihood of happening as a sorority girl or a frat boy discovering the cure for AIDS.
Joshua James Scott
Tucsonan
America has enemies
To the editor,
America has no enemies? Iraq would not gladly detonate a nuclear warhead in Teheran if they thought they could get away with it? Jiang Zemin would not run roughshod over Southeast Asia and Japan if we removed our military support? Yugoslavia would be a quaint little hamlet of southern European bliss? Mr. Spiller's opinion is neither educated nor correct on the issue of military spending, although his point does have some merit. No, America has no barbarian hordes knocking on the borders waiting for the chance to invade (unless you count the Canadians), but what we do have is far more insidious. Because of our world policing actions, a practice which I neither agree with nor support, we have made many enemies. As an illustration, have you ever had a friend tell you to "stay out of this" when you tried to mediate a quarrel? If you have any doubts about this, I recommend that you recall the images of U.S. soldiers being murdered and dragged through the streets in war-torn African cities. Or the killings of U.S. aid workers in East Timor. Even Japan has been protesting the U.S. presence because of the repercussions to their own political relations with neighboring countries. Wherever we go we seem to make enemies. Perhaps it is because of the decisions our leaders make (thank God for elections), or perhaps it is our ignorant Western Way, but there is a reason that the U.S. Passport office has a list of countries you should never visit under the guise of an American flag. So perhaps military spending should be increased, but redirected towards our own protection rather than bossing the rest of the planet around. There are more constructive ways of affecting change than jumping into the middle of a cat-fight and expecting not to get scratched.
Jacob Lauser
Tucsonan
Equestrian event worthy of Olympic status
To the Editor,
In reference to the commentary "Equestrian in the Olympics" in yesterday's Wildcat, it is obvious that Kamy Shaygan has very limited scope or knowledge of events that do not pertain to college life. While I'm sure that in his mind Twister takes great athleticism, he obviously has no idea of the strength and endurance that equestrian sports demand.
Not only does the rider have to be in good (if not great) physical condition, the horse must be at the pinnacle of fitness to successfully compete in international events. Also, these riders and their horses must be completely focused and work in unison with each other, which requires years of training and preparation. From an economic standpoint, the equestrian events are a billion-dollar industry in the United States alone.
In other countries, the governments support and control the equine industry because it is so vast and popular. In France and Germany, for example, this is not only a pastime, but a government subsidized industry. While equestrian events may not be Mr. Shaygan's favorite sport, he fails to realize that there is more to a sport than merely athleticism. Those that compete in archery and air rifle competitions simply stand in one spot. Does this mean that it should not be a recognized sport? Of course not, since it takes great skill and precision, just as equestrian events do.
I doubt Mr. Shaygan could control 1,200 pounds of muscle between his legs.
Kendra Suhling
Animal science graduate student
