Friday October 5, 2001

More to Nasim than has been said

I am amazed by the findings of Ms. Thompson's letter in the Wildcat yesterday. I am glad that she was able to draw, from simply sitting around Saad in class and looking at a picture of him, aspects of his character that I never knew existed in the years I've known him. The logic of the argument "if someone doesn't move their feet in an aisle, then they are an Islamic extremist and believe women should be stoned for going out in public" is some new kind of logic that I am unaware of. It has opened my eyes on campus, and I now realize we're completely surrounded by these terrorists!

Furthermore, they're not only of Middle Eastern heritage, but also every other culture on this campus. So, thank you, Ms. Thompson for letting me know that now whenever I see a foot in the aisle, I should run screaming and immediately call the Secret Service because the person probably has 20 pounds of explosives strapped to their chest that will detonate when the professor says "pencils down."

On a more serious note, I don't approve of someone making up the story of a hate-crime just to get attention. However, in knowing Saad, the thought of him in a library bathroom writing "DIE MUSLIM" on his forehead while looking in the mirror is somewhat ridiculous. There definitely is something wrong that maybe he was trying to escape by confessing.

John Ryan

graduate student

Nasim brings shame to Muslim community

I agree with Cathy Thompson wholeheartedly that Ahmad Saad Nasim should be punished for lying at a time when people's careers and, more importantly, lives are at stake.

Mr. Nasim brought shame to the entire Muslim community at the University of Arizona, and is obviously a mentally disturbed person judging from his deceitful actions. That being said, it is important to understand that hate crimes against Arabs, Muslims and those people that appear to be of Middle Eastern origin, are an unfortunate reality. Amnesty International (www.amnesty.org) had a press release yesterday stating that over 540 attacks on Arab-Americans and 200 on Sikh-Americans have been reported since Sept. 11.

We should not let the actions of one mentally disturbed person be used as a yardstick to judge the actions of other people who may be of the same ethnic or religious background.

Omar Khawaja

business management senior

Officer, Muslim Students Association

UA sports foster pride

I would just like to say to Connor Doyle, great article. Too often these days the so-called "smaller" sports are blamed for budget concerns. When the fact is, athletics allow many a platform to propel themselves into a bright future. Those athletes who are not going pro are getting an education, and more often than not, excelling in the classroom. Athletics brings recognition to the university not just when we are in a bowl game or the NCAA tournament. When the swim team goes to Texas, or the golf team wins the national title, people take notice.

Our athletes are ambassadors for the school. The mere fact that the board blasted golf is a sign that quick fixes are their idea for a solution. How much did the regents make last year? Why does UA not have housing for all of its freshmen? I don't think that the women and men's golf budget is the reason. I think they need to examine their stance and realize blaming the athletic department is the wrong move.

We should take pride in the fact that we do have athletic champions as well as academic champions. The combination of the two gives the university credibility as well as a sense of pride in being a Wildcat.

Tyler Painter

communications senior

Wildcat staffed with leftist zeroes

I cannot help but feel, after reading your online edition, your paper is staffed by a huge bunch of leftist zeros.

Now look at Mr. Nasim, I mean, what a cad. How can you all want equality, when the Talibans are such cruel people to their own women? Women and children are virtual slaves and mere property to them. Oh, right, got to be non-judgmental about these people and not stereotype them.

And the article by Cory Spiller, for someone who wants us all to be non-judgmental, here he is calling all gun owners "wannabes" and "monsters in training." How putrid. Are all police, who use guns, monsters? Are all military personnel monsters? Oh, right, the terrorists did not use guns - I guess they are politically correct. Evil is in the heart, not in what instrument you use.

And now the Wildcat opinions board wants us to start saying "vagina" all the time so it is equal to "penis." Tell you the truth, saying such words in public is crude. I know TV uses these a lot, but instead of saying, "Well, OK, let's all be crude and calling everything dick, pussy, and now Vagina." Yes, let's all be crude. That is the American Way, right? So liberating.

I really don't think your paper will ever see anything but a far left slant, but then, I don't want to be judgmental.

Paul Hacker

Tucsonan

UA should raise Spiller's tuition

Once again, I have to thank Mr. Spiller for writing a truly thought-out, passionate, well-written comment in Thursday's paper that for once I absolutely agree with. We should raise his tuition.

Now, don't raise mine. Just his. I mean, I've looked forward to the ILC as much as anybody, despite the fact that I'm not a freshman (the class it was designed for, supposedly), and, even before the budget problems, it wasn't due to be completed until after I graduate, whenever I can pull that off. Nevermind that my tuition has been hiked steadily each year to pay for this center.

Also, there's the matter of the Student Union. While the concept of having a food court-type area with most of the eateries in one place was a fine idea, I have to wonder whose idea it was to designate half the indoor space that the old McDonald's on the second floor of the old SU used to have. But that's OK, they already raised my tuition for that too.

But entirely aside from the fact that I'm paying more than I should right now, the teachers do need raises, and the projects that are underway need to be completed. Mr. Spiller has been nice enough to offer to foot the bill. I say we take him up on his offer.

Justin Hogg

computer science senior

McDermott letter hypocritical

Tom McDermott is in stellar form with his scathing letter to the Wildcat. His hate-spewed venom is sweeping the nation. However, he is caught playing the left-wing card when his conservative allies are guilty of the same thing.

McDermott's quote, "pathetic grab for attention or a means to advance a political agenda," couldn't be more true than in the cases of Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and recently-axed National Journal columnist Ann Coulter.

These hate-mongers from the right used this tragedy to advance their narrow-minded agenda that would be more aligned with the Taliban. It is no shock that these people have no shame, no spine and no backbone. We shouldn't expect anything less.

Joseph Mam

geography freshman

Yesterday's events are overwhelming

On Wednesday morning, I was overwhelmed by the amount of law enforcement vehicles that passed by me as I was on my way to school at the university. At that time I had no idea what all the commotion was about and brushed it off thinking it was another car accident or something. But after reading about the horrible incident, written by Arek Sarkissian II, my heart dropped and my mind was overflowing with anger.

If there was anything that the University of Arizona community could do to let that unfortunate individual know that we are all feeling her pain, and will do what we can to resolve or at least alleviate the situation, psychologically, I would most definitely participate... or do anything to help that person - because lord knows what she must be going through.

My deepest sympathies go out to that certain individual.

Aaron Logsdon

undeclared freshman