Referee alienated loyal fans

This is a response to Mike the Referee's letter about Icecat fans crossing the line. First, I must say that I was rather impressed that he could read and respond to the article. After all the calls that the referees have missed this season, I was under the impression that he was probably blind as a bat.

I am not going to give Mike too much credit because, although he proved to the world that he could form words into sentences, he also showed everyone his ability to misrepresent the facts.

On the game in question, there was no soda thrown from section 120 onto an opposing player. This accusation is completely false. In fact, I nearly fell out of my seat when I read that bogus claim. Furthermore, there is no validity in Mike's claim that the entire section was thrown out of the game. We opted to leave after witnessing the ejection of an innocent fan.

Mike also says that the Colorado State Player has more talent in his big toe than I have in my own body. After seeing Colorado State play hockey, I know this to be false.

With the insults and disrespect thrown in my direction, you would think that perhaps Mike is a Colorado State fan, or worse, he might even be an ASU fan. I don't think responding to my Jan. 15 letter to the editor was in Mike's best interest. He has now alienated the most loyal section of fans in the TCC.

On top of that, he has personally insulted me by making a baseless claim about my athletic prowess and questioning the class of a large group of devoted fans. Mike told me to yell at the officials and of course drink (my) beer? That's exactly what I plan to do.

I can't wait for the next home game.

Paul Bentz
mathematics education senior

Tuition must be 'as free as possible'

It's too bad that the author of the Jan. 18 letter by the recent graduate Alan Barkwell, did not learn that Article 11, Section 6 of the Arizona State Constitution clearly specifies that university tuition rates "shall be as nearly free as possible." As the spouse of a doctoral candidate, and parent of future UA alumni, I support even lower tuition rates for Arizona residents. The Arizona Board of Regents should raise tuition rates for out-of-state students. My belief is that if a college education would be "as nearly free as possible," then society, in general, would be better off.

Octavio Barcelo
UA field training officer

Don't knock punk rock

This is to address Sanders Fabares' review of Unwritten Law's Elva. Just because you get to review a "punk" CD doesn't mean you have the right to define punk for the rest of us! Was the review about Unwritten Law or about punk music? All you did was say, "this song sucks," and, "this one is about love." Music is a constantly evolving genre, and if it were always the same it would be boring, just like if every movie had the same ending. Your grade of the CD may be valid, and I haven't heard it yet so I don't know if I agree, but that doesn't mean you can knock punk.

Maybe you could take a lesson from Assistant Professor Charlie Bertsch and "expand the definition of punk music instead of fitting the record-store definition." Or maybe you would consider that "selling out."

Cristin Carey
psychology senior

Proud Sugar Ray fan

I'm sorry Dave that not all of us can be musical aficionados such as yourself. People like what they hear and should not have to listen to your psychobabble about what is good and bad music. Just because I do not read underground magazines, or seek out young and exciting bands in clubs, does not mean that my musical tastes are any better or worse than yours. If you really did love music, you would be knowledgeable enough to know that the point is to get people interested and listening to music, not to have protests because a band that you do not favor is going to play Centennial Hall. The content of your letters is more "Aural Diarrhea" than anything Sugar Ray sings.

I am a fan of Sugar Ray and a proud owner of their music.

Jeremy Cooper
microbiology senior

Respect 'hall bums'

I'm writing in response to Daniel Cucher's article "Hall Bums Get Ax." His statements that "upperclassmen should be familiar with the multitude of off-campus alternatives to the residence halls and "All one needs is a bike, a roommate or two and about $350 a month" are presumptuous. I just transferred here as a junior this semester, and I'm already familiar with the surrounding apartments. But for someone who actually pays for his own tuition and his own living arrangements, I find that it is more economical for me to live on campus. I don't know what kind of job Mr. Cucher has where he can afford $350 a month in rent, plus all the extra bills that come with living in an apartment, plus gas going to and from the university, plus his tuition and books, but for some of the "hall bums," this is the best living arrangement we can make for ourselves.

Karen Ellcessor
political science junior

Left to blame for poor education

This is in response to the Issue of the Week writers who criticize the education package that was signed by President Bush. I think it's so funny when liberals act like they know everything - nothing could be farther from the truth! First of all, the urban school districts that have been failing have been controlled almost exclusively by the leftwing (e.g. school boards) for more than 50 years! How come in all that time have no new ideas been created?

Out of this liberal control over education also comes teacher salary methods · something my mother, a teacher for 26 years, knows all too well. No matter how much a teacher excels at reaching children, he or she will never make a penny more than a bad teacher with the same amount of experience. Isn't socialism wonderful? Finally there was the education package that Clinton worked so hard for. Sure, he delivered more teachers to classrooms across America, but his plan was all about quantity and had nothing to do with quality. Now on nightly news programs we see stories about children not being reached and teachers who are unqualified to teach the subjects that they are assigned to.

It seems Democrats have proven time and time again that their dominance over education has regressed public education. Watch out who you criticize and place the blame where it belongs · sharply to the left.

Charles A. Peterson
history sophomore