McDermott column off base
On Thursday the Wildcat published a commentary by Tom McDermott. In response, I will not talk about the fairness, or the lack thereof, of the election. I only want to point out that in the article, Mr. McDermott wrote that "the poorly-spelled signs... were indicative of the lack of civility that characterized the election."
Two things to point out to Mr. McDermott. If he wants to talk about lack of civility, you should talk about the Republican hoodlums that were flown into Florida from all over the country to threaten local election officials with physical violence, and then were called "concerned citizens of Florida" by the Republican spin machine. And secondly, if misspelling a word is a sign of one's lack of civility, then, since he can't even speak properly, let alone write, George W. Bush must be a Neanderthal.
Roberto Mendoza
political science junior
Dorm fire alarm a rude prank
To all the fire-alarm pullers out there, I am not amused. The 600-some residents of Arizona-Sonora are not amused. Thursday night, I, along with my dorm-mates, was rudely awakened at 3:30 a.m. to the lovely sound of the fire alarm. Hastily throwing on slippers and jackets, we made a mass exodus to the parking lot, where we were forced to stand outside in freezing temperatures for almost an hour. Some residents crowded into the nearby Texaco convenience store just to get warm, while its employees graciously let us stay. Many girls I know were already sick with colds and other respiratory illnesses, and worried that being forced to wait outside in the coldest part of the day would make them feel even worse. Fingers, toes and faces were becoming painfully frozen. One girl even remarked, "You know, cold is the best way to die."
Dramatic? Sure, but we were really cold.
Now, is this really a necessary part of college life? If it has to happen, though, I think measures should be taken by Residence Life to ascertain more quickly that the alarm is indeed false, and let everyone go back to their warm beds before an hour has gone by. Finally, for those of you looking for some funny prank to pull in the middle of the night, try to resist the fire-alarm pulling urge, otherwise 600 very angry residents will not be laughing.
Caroline Pederson
English freshman
Fight song a part of UA
This could be the first time that I have written in about something non-political, but it is something I feel very strongly about. My passion for my political views is second only to my love for the University of Arizona. When I decided to come to the UA over the University of San Francisco and a number of other small schools, I did it because I decided that I wanted the big school atmosphere with the sports, Greek life and marching bands. I am big into school spirit, and have been an Arizona fan since I was a small child. I love the UA and hearing "Bear Down" every day makes me very proud to go here. If I didn't want to hear school fight songs, and have a school where athletics was important, I would have gone to St. Mary's in California, or the University of San Diego, across the street from where I went to high school. Bottom line, you knew what you were getting into when you came here - if you really don't want "Bear Down" spirit every day at noon, transfer or go spend a couple of semesters at Pima Community College.
Manuel R. Espinoza
political science junior
Spiller column rings true
Truly amazing - I finally agreed with and really enjoyed a column written by Cory Spiller. His Feb. 7 column, "Stop that tune at noon" was a refreshing change from his predictable way-out liberal drivel, which is perhaps only intended for the shock value.
Anyhow, I could relate to his latest piece on two accounts. I, too, had a neighbor with musical pursuits. When I used to live in an apartment, that of course had thin walls, I lived by a woman who recently got divorced. She told me that she wanted to "take charge" of her life after being inspired while watching Oprah. That surge of newfound confidence landed her taking voice lessons. In her quest for confidence, she would belt-out her off-key renditions of various songs from "The Sound of Music" at different times of the day, almost everyday.
Also, another way I could identify with Spiller's column is on the "Bear Down" spiel. I've gotten out of class located by Park Ave. several times around noon, only to be greeted by the cheery school anthem, "Bear Down" being played somewhere northeast to where I am. At first I thought it was the faithful marching band, but after hearing it played a few times, I got smart and caught on that it must be a recording. Yet "Bear Down" has another meaning for me. I am a nurse, and every time I hear or see the phrase "Bear Down" around campus, I don't think about school spirit. In medical jargon, the word has a little different meaning - and I hate to say, it's not the prettiest of sights!
Sharon Platt
journalism non-degree seeker
