ASUA could find better use of funds than paying for show

I am shocked and appalled after reading Friday's article regarding the "now" free ASUA comedy show and the reasons by which it was free. There are only two reasons for which I could see it being made free and neither is logical. The first would be that they wanted to make it a free event. If this is so, why wasn't it free from the beginning and why was it still $25 dollars for non-students? The second reason would be that, "· students got really excited about it ·" but I guess I was sick the day the rally cries of "We want Andy Dick!" were being chanted on the Mall. After doing some research, I found out that ASUA borrowed approximately $15,000 to put on the festival and, due to contracts and such, would have to spend approximately another $15,000 if they wanted to buy out only 1,000 seats to give away for free. Now $30,000 is a lot of money and I have heard some other demands for students that this money could be used for. Granted, seeing Andy Dick and Second City (a comedy troupe from Chicago that most people have never even heard of) is high on every student's list of demands, but I don't think this is something that was done in the students' best interest, as the article made it seem. [Read article]

A recent string of in-your-face protests on campus has left a sour taste in many mouths. A minority group of radical protesters has co-opted the anti-war movement, and now daily interferences with student life in the form of disruptive civil disobedience.

They jeer at passersby from street corners, waving obnoxious signs such as "War: Peace :: Fucking: Virginity" and "Who would Jesus bomb?" They prevent students, pro-war and anti-war alike, from peacefully enjoying even the most routine activities ÷ such as eating lunch ÷ without having to step around fake-blood-soaked bodies on the floor of the food court of the Student Union Memorial Center. [Read article]

Newly elected Congressman Raul Grijalva, who represents UA and its surrounding area, cast what could be the most controversial vote of his first term last week. Joined only by 12 other Representatives, he voted against the $78 billion plan to pay for the war in Iraq. While Grijalva's vote is justified by the fact that the president is asking for tax cuts and carte blanche spending power in the Middle East, at the same time, the rest of his argument is even more persuasive. [Read article]

Operation Iraqi Freedom is not even three weeks old and United States troops are inside Baghdad, with victory in sight. And yet, many of those who oppose this war continue to undermine the efforts of the very people who are providing us with that victory.

There are many who claim that they oppose this war, bur support our troops. Please explain to the rest of us patriotic citizens exactly what you are doing to show that support. [Read article]