Editor's Note:

In the spirit of April Fool's Day, yesterday the Wildcat Opinions staff fabricated the new basketball ticket policy. Students will not need a minimum GPA to purchase basketball tickets next year. Thank you to the few students who wrote letters and defended the student body against this fictitious policy.

GPA requirement for tickets was a great April Fool's joke

Very funny April Fool's joke. I lost it when I read and actually believed it. I almost walked into Likins' office and was going to tell him I was transferring. And trust me I have sworn I would never transfer for any reason. Great joke.

Lucas Doub
communication junior

Wildcat staff Îgot me' with a good April Fool's Day story

I was shocked to see that basketball tickets would be restricted to those with a 3.0 GPA or better, especially in light of the less-than-passing exam that had been returned to me minutes before. Fortunately I noticed the "April Fool's Day" heading and was able to calm my racing heart long enough to get the joke. Good one, guys. You got me.

Keith Taylor
geological engineering sophomore

Bush shouldn't use our troops to fulfill his Îpersonal agenda'

According to President Bush, one of the reasons he is sending thousands of American soldiers into harm's way is because he wants to respect the U.N.'s resolution 1441. If he believes that the U.N. should respect it, why is he acting against the U.N.'s wishes and going to war? Yes, the Iraqi regime is not legitimate; nevertheless Bush should be the last one pointing that out, when is not 100 percent clear that he really won the 2000 election.

During the 2000 campaign he always claimed to be a "uniter" not a divider. Well · he either lied, did not tell the truth or he sucks at it, because the country is divided over the war and many nations oppose his decision. Didn't he say that the war would last days? Now he says that it will last a long time.

If he is so worried about WMD, why isn't he going after North Korea, who has been more aggressive toward the U.S.? Oh, because there is no oil there! Bush ordered the invasion to begin earlier than planned in order to protect the oil fields from the Iraqi military. Is that one factor that caused our men and women in middle of the Iraqi desert to run low on supplies? When President Clinton destroyed al-Qaeda training camps, Republicans criticized him for "using" the military to distract Americans from domestic issues. Where are those Republicans now? Even our most loyal ally is disagreeing with Bush on who should take over Iraq after the war. Bush wants to ensure that oil in Iraq will remain under his control and that action will very likely be seen as an act of imperialism, which the international community will react to negatively.

It seems to me that Bush is using America's security as an excuse in order to fulfill a personal agenda. I support my troops.

Oscar Cordero
political science senior

ÎOn the Spot' feature a Îgem,' writer has good humor, talent

I recently moved to Tucson, and have found much joy in reading Rebekah Kleinman's "On the Spot" feature. I have heard rumors that the feature is being cut or that Mrs. Kleinman will no longer be the interviewer for it. I don't know if either rumor is true, but I hope that "On the Spot" continues to be published and that Mrs. Kleinman will continue to write them. Her sense of humor is fresh, exciting, and original, and is one of the main reasons I pick up the Wildcat. Some friends of mine from California recently visited me here in Tucson, and we all took turns reading her various "On the Spot" features out loud and cracking up. One of my California friends regularly sends me links to her archived interviews. Rebekah Kleinman is great and "On the Spot" is a gem in the Wildcat. Please keep it that way! Viva Rebekah!

Wes Oswald
Tucsonan

Columnist has a clear view of democracy and patriotism

I wanted to commend Phil Leckman for his Monday column "Support, dissent and assembly necessary." Although I don't agree that supporting the protesters is more important than supporting the troops, his comments on democracy were right on the mark. I just hope that the people who label anti-war protesters as un-American will read a history book and realize that, as Mr. Leckman says, "It is difficult to imagine what is more American than dissent."

Julie Gerace
microbiology freshman

Dale only supports human rights when it will be beneficial to him

In response to Friday's letter by Shane Dale, "War protesters ignore human rights in Iraq," Mr. Dale claims to support human rights but he has never and will never support any human rights organization on campus. Has Mr. Dale attended an Amnesty International meeting on campus? The answer is no. I (an anti-war protester) attend those meetings regularly.

Amnesty International is the largest international human rights watchdog group in the world. Did you know that it has condemned the U.S. for its 13-year war (err, I mean oppressive sanctions) against the people of Iraq that killed an estimated 500,000 people? In addition, two months before the fighting broke out in Iraq, they began requesting that the United States send human rights inspectors to Iraq. The U.S. has not.

Iraq won't let Amnesty International in to inspect the human rights violations in the country, and the conditions are probably bad, but wait! The U.S. won't let Amnesty International inspectors into the Guantanamo Bay (Camp X-RAY) where the suspected terrorists from Afghanistan are held.

The truth is that Mr. Dale has no knowledge or vested interest in human rights. If he really cared he would volunteer, or at least take the time to inform himself. Mr. Dale is an opportunistic ignoramus. He champions human rights only when it benefits his small little worldview. If you want to talk human rights let's talk about Plan Colombia, Camp X-RAY, Vietnam, and Iraqi civilian casualties (to date: 478-586 people according to iraqibodycount.net). Mr. Dale needs to stop talking about things that he obviously knows little about. Mr. Dale's letter, in short, makes me sick. He uses the guise of supporting our troops as an excuse to sit on his ass and not be involved. To be fair, Mr. Dale is not the only one. Every "pro-war" person I have ever met has never attended a human rights vigil, event, or meeting.

This goes out to all those who think the human rights situation is bad in Iraq. If you really believe in "your" truth you would attend a vigil, join Amnesty International, read Human Rights Watch (www.hrw.org) or even show some signs of caring about the nearly 500 innocent Iraqis who lie dead or dying at this very moment. You all make me sick.

Shawn Nock
engineering physics sophomore