Keep sports page real

What is the deal with the sports picks today? Cats vs. trees · having the copy chief that doesn't know the difference between a baseball and a hockey puck choosing the winners was a travesty to sports. I am almost completely turned off reading the sports page. Have some respect for the sports fans out there. If someone were to make a stupid article or comment on the Arts page about one of the moron DJs at KAMP radio, I am sure it would be a whole issue of angry letters. All guys have left is the sports page.

Don't take that away from us.

Chad P. Schneider
marketing junior

Campus childcare center beneficial

When I read the Wednesday Issue of the Week concerning childcare on campus, I was not surprised. After all, I can appreciate that you have no children or responsibilities that would require such a personal and financial price. And while I don't begrudge your naivetŽ regarding the childcare needs of student-parents your opinions reveal that you have neither the experience nor knowledge to adequately address struggles that student parents face in their attempts to attain adequate childcare.

It was an easy assumption for most of your editorial staff to conclude that I had a child out of wedlock, thereby requiring welfare-like assistance from the university. You are incorrect, but regardless of my marital status and income, I believe that state-funded educational institutions should make room for students from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. Ultimately, the issue at hand is not about the recent budget cuts (as many of you remarked), although that is a mighty convenient excuse for not providing childcare.

The issue is that our university ignores the needs of its student parents and that we all attend the ONLY Pac-10 school to be so negligent. A childcare center on campus would not only benefit student-parents, but faculty and staff as well.

Kat Sabine
womens studies graduate student

UA full of hardworking parents

As a student and mother of twins at the University of Arizona, I found the array of commentaries on childcare in Wednesday's paper, none of which appeared to be written by parents, to be largely naive, uninformed and condescending.

Let's start with the illustration of a disheveled young woman who looks like she's angry at the world: This is an offensive and sexist depiction of parents at this university. Although a few columnists touched on the diversity of student parents, I think that it is necessary to reiterate that people become parents under many circumstances and decide to go to school for various reasons. Yes, some parents at the UA are single, working-class women working on an undergraduate degree. However, some are also single, working-class women in law school. Some may be men whose wives work full time. Some may be single men. Many are couples that are both working on advanced degrees.

I, personally, am married, have sufficient education to earn above minimum wage and have a spouse who works in the professional world. In addition to being a young, dedicated mother, I attend graduate school because I think that critical thinking and the ability to construct informed opinions are important. They might come in handy during parenthood, too.

I make this point to clear up some of the gross stereotypes presented in the commentaries, but it shouldn't really matter. People with kids are a viable part of the university community, no matter how or why they became parents or students.

Another point that seems to need clarification is that students with children do not expect free childcare from the university. However, recognizing that parents are part of the student body and offering support in the form of convenient affordable childcare, would be nice. No, the university is not obligated to do this. Neither are they required to provide a recreation center where students can exercise, but they do, and every single student helps pay for it with their fees. (The recreation center actually provides childcare, which is great. It does send a puzzling message, though).

And enough with budget crisis arguments! The university has figured out how to do a major overhaul of the entire campus in the last few years; they could find a way to build a childcare facility. By charging reasonable fees, the center could also be largely self-sustaining once it was built.

Finally, an on-campus childcare center could actually benefit more than students who are parents. Many other major universities across the country integrate their childcare centers into learning tools and employment opportunities for students studying things like early childhood education, family studies, and child psychology.

A childcare center on campus would be a good investment for this university and a good source of support for hardworking students with children. I don't think it is an unreasonable request and neither do many of the UA's peer institutions that have on-campus childcare centers.

Liz Weslander
Mexican-American studies graduate student

Misters not acceptable on UA campus

Has it escaped the notice of Luke Fletcher and his buddies running for ASUA positions that we live in a desert where water is growing ever more scarce? Misters will only waste a resource that is sorely tapped as it is. If it is hot outside (pay attention novel concept following), go inside! If you want water wasted on green grass, why are you here? Leave.

We don't need your kind putting a strain on what is already a precious commodity in our fair city!

Kay Bonal
Tucsonan

No Catholic is ashamed

On Feb. 18, the Wildcat published a column written by Laura Winsky. Nowhere in her article did Laura suggest anyone should be ashamed, yet her story was titled, "Oughta Be Ashamed." Who? Ms. Winsky? No, not she. Shame perhaps on the headline writer?

Ms. Winsky did start her column with "Now is not a great time to be a Catholic." As a 63-year practicing Catholic, I have found every day - every time - as a "Great Time" to be a Catholic, as do hundreds of millions of Catholics throughout the world; tens of millions of Catholics in the United States and probably over 100,000 in the Diocese of Tucson.

The vast majority of us do our best each day to "practice" our faith. Because we are "practicing," (and I say this tongue in cheek), none of us is yet perfect, whether laity, priest, bishop or cardinal. We are still practicing.

No Catholic is ever ashamed of practicing the faith because of the missteps or foibles of a few.

The column also said: "In Roman times, Catholics were thrown into pits to be eaten by lions for entertainment." True indeed, it was the cruelest form of persecution. Persecution of Catholics continues today, in one form or another, throughout the world, some would say (I included) even here in Tucson.

About 40 years ago, our University of Arizona booted the Catholic Newman Center off campus because it did not want "islands of religion" on campus!

The chapel of the present Newman Center is named for St. Thomas More, who was beheaded because of his Catholic faith by King Henry VIII. His head was placed upon a spike on London Bridge! Yes, the same London Bridge that today spans the water of Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Oh well!

John E. Makkai
Tucsonan

ASUA needs student body support

Like many students probably did yesterday, I read the two letters that berated the current and future ASUA governing body. It seems to me that some have come to believe that ASUA simply does nothing for students on campus. This could not be further from the truth.

I have the privilege of talking with current senators Doug Hartz and Jennifer Reece on a fairly constant basis. In one letter, they are attacked for their ongoing campaign to institute a fall break for students in the future. I know for a fact that both Hartz and Reece are working very hard to see that this is accomplished. However, this is only one of the many projects that ASUA is trying to accomplish for the students. On the other hand, this letter favors a governing body that will allow students to be more comfortable with green grass on the mall and a misting system on the union patio. While this does seem to be a genuinely good proposal, I believe that it will be taken care of in due time (hint: when the construction is finished) no matter what governing body is at the head of ASUA.

What many do not understand is that ASUA depends on student involvement. They are elected by the student body for the student body. While I'll agree that ASUA has to better keep some promises, such as obtaining more student seating at the basketball games, they cannot do this unless the student body supports them fully. This is not limited to just basketball seating but any other issue. How can one expect ASUA to accomplish their goals for the students without the students? Granted, they will not be able to accomplish everything but if the student body would just voice their opinions more, then maybe more could be accomplished. Then maybe we could have a fall break and just maybe we could sit center court, front row at the basketball games.

Andrew Clark
molecular and cellular biology senior