Salahuddin letter throws wood on the fire

Am I reading this right? Did Syed Ahsan Salahuddin just say, "I hope you'll think twice before stepping into an airliner again?" Hold on, yup I just reread it, and that's what it says. How does one respond?

I hope the student population reads this and takes issue. I hope you and somebody who thinks that the terrorist murders committed on our soil are wrong meet in a dark alley. What about me, an atheist, who thinks that September is just as holy as November or December and who does not care about your Ramadan, but about the sanctity of human life and good will toward all.

How does a person in my shoes respond other than thinking, "do all Arabs hate America?" Thank you for making those reactionary American bigots who are attacking American Muslims feel justified. Let's throw some more wood on the fire.

Brent Harris

law student

Flag deserves our respect

I would like to comment on the state of patriotism in our college community. Since the Sept. 11 tragedies. Patriotism at the UA and in the country as a whole has increased a thousand fold. But what does that really mean? People fly flags from their dorm room windows, say they love their country and, by and large, are demonstrating much more patriotic actions then before.

On Wednesday, Oct. 31 I happened to be in uniform during the raising of the flag (reveille) that morning. That meant that I had to stand at attention and salute the flag while the national anthem played. This is the form of respect that I am expected to show during that time. Now, I am not saying that everyone should stop and salute the flag. However, nobody even gave it a second thought. The symbol of their freedom was being raised above their heads to the song of their country, and no one walking around even glanced up, let alone stopped to put their hand over their heart.

I realize that we are in college and are always in a hurry, but how much of a hurry can you be in at 7 a.m. to not give up a minute and a half of your time to stop what you are doing during the anthem of our homeland, and take your hat off, or put your hand over your heart?

The following Friday, I was performing the retreat ceremonies in the afternoon. Someone riding a bike repeatedly jumped his bike directly next to our flagpole as the ceremonies were taking place. Now this is not as serious as the anthem playing, and people should not be expected to stop and take off their hats, but at least show a little respect as your flag is being laid to rest for the evening.

Kyle Williams

mathematics freshman

Ronstadt an excellent council member

Why am I not surprised that Winsky from The Arizona Liberal Wildcat supported the opposition to current vice-mayor and current elected Councilman Fred Ronstadt. Is anybody else worried that this newspaper is the only one in the city that supports Mr. Ronstadt's opposition? The fact of the matter is that Fred Ronstadt and Kathleen Dunbar will bring Tucson a brighter tomorrow.

I question whether or not Winsky actually made it to a City Council debate in the past few months. I was at the majority of them, including town hall meetings, and did not see Winsky. As far as the Pizza Hut murders are concerned, implying that Fred was responsible for that is totally ridiculous.

The gun show at TCC is an important event in Tucson because it generates a lot of money for the people of the city, and I know because I volunteered and worked there this year. Fred doesn't count on the gun lobby to obtain office - perhaps Winsky forgot that Fred was elected by the popular vote of Tucson, not the gun lobby.

Fred is a great Councilman and will continue to provide Tucson with excellent service. While at the polls, vote for Fred Ronstadt and Kathleen Dunbar for Tucson City Council.

Scott D. Weller

political science sophomore

U.S. is not involved in genocide

In Syed Ahsan Salahuddin's letter on Nov. 2, he states that the United States is committing "genocide" by retaliating and bombing Afghanistan. If I am not mistaken, genocide refers to the total extermination of an entire national, racial or ethnic group. My sources may be mistaken, but I am pretty sure that the U.S.'s military campaign is solely aimed at the maniacs who attacked America - unprovoked - and mass-murdered 5,000 people on Sept. 11. Pacifists everywhere are rallying against this war for some reason. I will never understand.

What do they want the government to do? Maybe ask the Taliban politely to step down and hand over bin Laden? Maybe come over and help clean up the wreckage site? After all, it is only fair because they made the mess. Please. There is no other alternative way for the United States to punish those who did this and prevent it from happening again. For America to be a safe place, there is no other alternative but to take military action and the sooner these peace-lovers get that, the better.

It is unfortunate that the Afghan people are stuck in a crossfire, but the only people that can be blamed for that is the Taliban. So, pacifists, if you must blame someone for the plight in that country, blame the horrible government that is operating over there because if the U.S. didn't do anything, it would only get worse over here.

If the Taliban cared so much about its people, it would treat them better to begin with and would never attack a country that would disseminate them and send them fleeing to caves.

Evan Adams

undeclared sophomore

Winsky column wrong

The trouble with Laura Winsky and all the other liberals is that they hate the Constitution. They cannot stand that the Founding Fathers gave us the Second Amendment to protect ourselves. If is far easier to blame inanimate objects for societal problems than to blame the decay of the family and societal morality.

Winsky praises Gayle Hartmann for supporting billboard censorship. This is just one more left-wing attempt, like the television and movie censorship movement, to decide what is and what is not acceptable for other people. Just like gun control, liberals think violence stems from billboards, television and theaters. It never occurs to them that, once again, family breakdown is to blame.

It is also a good reason in their twisted minds to disregard the Bill of Rights simply because it is not compatible with their socialistic agenda. The reason Winsky and every other left-wing radical are praising Gayle Hartmann and Paula Aboud is because the rest of Tucson has come to realize that they are nothing more than bureaucratic radical losers. Even the Tucson Citizen and the Daily Star have given their support to the honorable Fred Ronstadt and Kathleen Dunbar.

The big issue this year is transportation - funny how Winsky left that out of her Commie article. For the last 50 years, the local Democrats have had the same flawed philosophy - don't build it and they won't come. Well, they have been coming every year for 50 years and now we have major problems.

Aboud and Hartmann have no new ideas to bring to the table. Republicans are winning in this county because we offer the new ideas that voters want. Mayor Walkup started Let's Go Tucson, a program to help build the transportation infrastructure that Tucson so desperately needs. Both Fred Ronstadt and Kathleen Dunbar have been heavily involved with Rio Nuevo to revitalize the downtown and boost the local economy.

So go out on today and give Fred Ronstadt and Kathleen Dunbar your support. Vote for people that are working for our community's future. Let the liberals know you are angry. Stop them from leaving us in the dust of progress.

Pam Simpson

communications junior

Smoking on campus is a health risk

I'd like to ask Shane Dale if he enjoys walking through the enormous clouds of smoke that are outside of buildings such as Social Sciences or Economics as he is going to or from class. The anti-smoking rule on the University of Arizona campus is a necessity - not to incriminate those who use tobacco, but to protect the health of the people who choose not to smoke.

Second-hand smoke is a very real danger in our society. Some people have severe reactions to cigarette smoke, myself included. Severe headaches as well as shortness of breath can occur just by walking through a cloud of smoke. I hate the fact that whenever I go to a class in Social Sciences, I have to pass through a cloud of people puffing away. Forget 25 feet, they are actually leaning against the building itself, or sitting on the steps.

The new push to enforce the anti-smoking rule shouldn't make smokers feel like outcasts, but non-smokers shouldn't have to participate in smoking if they don't want to. With the herds of people outside of university buildings, sometimes they don't have a choice.

So I'd also like to ask the smokers, before they light up, to think about if they are going to be the only one smoking that cigarette.

Elsbeth Hoggatt

political science freshman