UA should Îdemilitarize' by eliminating ROTC program

Albert Einstein (who is generally considered to have been an intelligent man) said, "You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war." In other words, in order to achieve peace, we must boycott the business of war. The notion of seeking to create peace through preemptive force could only have been devised by a seriously shortsighted, mentally inadequate little man such as President Bush. His true legacy will be the blowback we're sure to suffer if he forges on with his immoral and hairbrained plan to attack Iraq.

And yet, the overgrown children of ROTC (Really Obnoxious Testosterone-driven Chumps) were, once again, inappropriately allowed to prove their validity by rappelling down the side of the Henry Koffler building here on campus. Aren't they supposed to be over in Iraq preparing to kill innocent noncombatants? The only sight more disturbing than ROTC's highly offensive and moronic display was the gaggle of onlookers mesmerized by it. It really isn't that astonishing, folks; some people feel the need to abrogate their identity and define themselves by perfecting war games. Why waste your time staring at people who have devoted their lives to the art of violence?

Don't fall for ROTC's blatant recruitment ploys. An institution of higher education is no place for asinine military exercises. The massive number of troops and artillery used to defend the U.S. wouldn't be necessary if U.S. foreign policy didn't enrage and inspire hatred in the citizens of so many other nations. Remember: War is also terrorism!

Demilitarize UA ÷ evict ROTC.

Michael Lewis
linguistics senior

State university students must work to prevent future hikes

Once again, nearsighted vision will affect the quality and integrity of the state university system. Regardless of hearings allowing students and community members to voice opposition to tuition changes, the Arizona Board of Regents has already made it apparent that a massive tuition increase is inevitable. Little can be done to stave off the $1,000 increase for in-state students, nor for the burden about to besiege out-of-state students. The larger problem facing the students who can still afford tuition at state universities is an uncertain future.

Students and community members have been blinded by the enormous increase proposed this year. However, what will happen when the ABOR decides to increase the tuition rate another 5 percent per year after this year's increase like they did during the late 1990s? After this year, even the smallest tuition increases effectively cost nearly $200 a year and will continue to compound each year. We must oppose the additional $1,000 dollars that will be levied against us during the course of our undergraduate career in the next few years.

If, as expected, the regents increase tuition next Thursday, students and student leaders must demand that the ABOR collaborate in order to ease undue burden. Students must demand that the regents protect them via moratorium for the next three years after the increase, or universities will continue to suffer from the failing vision of Arizona politics.

Michael Kosak
ASU communication and justice studies junior

UA should seek to diversify faculty as well as student body

I find it ironic that while the lead story in Wednesday's Wildcat is about an admissions proposal to diversify our campus, a few stories down sits an article about yet another Iraq forum in which all faculty participants oppose any U.S. led military action. This, of course, is nothing new or unexpected when it comes to college professors at major universities. If President Likins is truly concerned about a diverse campus here at the University of Arizona, perhaps he should consider faculty diversity as well.

Devin McNamara
political science senior

UA professors, other liberals Îfoolish' to oppose Iraq war

Regarding the event put on by Beyond Tolerance, "Teach in: motivations and wisdom on the pending war with a Iraq," I have to say calling what those professors had to say "wisdom" is a stretch of the imagination. This semester, as well as last, classes have been filled with self-righteous, egotistical, quasi-socialistic professors spewing their hatred for President Bush and the American way. I did not come to college to attend one-sided brainwashing secessions; I came for an education.

These professors then take their radical beliefs and host special "forums" and what they are now calling "teach-ins." Instead of presenting both sides to an issue, they practice the demagoguery academia is famous for and tell everyone that they are a "diverse" group of individuals. "Diverse" to liberals means a person attending one of their functions fall somewhere in between the Green Party and communism. Another fatal mistake the left makes is instead of attacking the war, the left only attacks President Bush personally and equates him with Hitler, claims America is a terrorist nation, and falls for the French's "give peace a chance (with brutal dictators) and we will prevail" philosophy.

Not one of these silly peaceniks was bothered by the fact that real communists under the clever disguises of, "Not in Our Name, A.N.S.W.E.R.," and the Workers World Party, were organizing the major "peace" demonstrations. This is why moderate America has not shown much interest. Every one of these events is full of radical, America-bashing, socialistic trash. For everyone else, I say we buy these foolish appeasers all one-way tickets to the beacon of appeasement, France. They can snack on French cheese and wine that the rest of us boycott and wait for the next country to roll their tanks down the Champs Elysees after the French claim they "need more evidence".

Charles A. Peterson
history junior