New student government group stands up for rights of disabled

Hello, my name is Mary Dorsey and I am the executive director for the Associated Students with Disabilities (ASD), a program within ASUA.

Some of the primary goals of ASD are to educate students on disability-related issues, attitudes on campus toward students with disabilities, and work as an advocate of the disabled community to address their needs and bring about change when necessary.

I write this letter to make the campus community aware of the existence of ASD so the students know where to turn to voice concerns about their experiences at the UA and with the various programs that are set up to assist those who have disabilities. Our primary goal is to provide a university environment where all students, regardless of their abilities, may achieve academic success in their college career.

I am very excited to hold this position as I not only have the support of my fellow ASUA Directors, but also the support of the Disabilities Resources Center staff and President Likins and the university administration. If you would like to get involved with ASD or have a concern you feel needs to be addressed, please contact me. Thank you.

Mary J. Dorsey
ASD executive director

Sounds like students finding out Īthe world isn't black or white'

Caitlin Hall, in yesterday's column "Vote with conscience," sounds like a lot of young folks discovering the world isn't black or white. The grayness is confusing and they cannot figure out whether it's the wolf in grandma's clothing or grandma. Some folks never figure it out. Hopefully, Caitlin will.

Philip Goisman
systems programmer, physics

Arizona needs more football fans like those in ĪRed Army'

I am writing in response to Jeff Lund's column (Tuesday, "UA football needs you in the seats") regarding UA fans at the Wisconsin football game. I wanted to let you know that you could not be more correct about the fans at the game and what you said about the games being a social gathering and chance for guys to check the ladies while the ladies are dressed like they are going to a club to catch some stares.

I was very happy to see someone criticize the students and the other so-called fans who do not show up to the games, as well as those who show up late and leave early. The games only cost a few bucks and are a chance to see Pac-10 football. My friends and I feel the same and last season we decided to do something about it and created the Red Army, which you can find at every game, out in front at the 50-yard line.

Chaz Elsten
senior majoring in English

Salmon and other Republicans are not champions of gay rights

Pam Simpson's defense of Charles Peterson is a valiant attempt to persuade us that his sexual orientation did not serve as a barrier to him discovering the wonderful Republican Party. She claims that he is part of a growing band of gay Republicans who look for more from their candidates than simply the waving of a rainbow flag.

I too look for more than flag-waving from my candidates. I look for support on the issues that matter to my community. However, Matt Salmon, candidate for governor of Arizona, is not simply refraining from waving the rainbow flag. He is stomping all over it. He is openly hostile to the idea of Mr. Peterson and other GLBT Americans enjoying the most basic of rights in this state.

As a US Representative, Salmon voted to repeal a law that granted hospital visitation rights and medical benefits to same-sex domestic partners in Washington, DC. He voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act, defining marriage for federal purposes as only between a man and woman. He refused to adopt a non-discrimination policy for his own office. He voted for a permanent ban on federal funds being used for needle exchange programs ÷ among other things, such programs help reduce the spread of HIV. He voted for an amendment that would have gutted President Clinton's executive order prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in the federal civilian workforce. And he voted to ban all Washington, DC couples not related by blood or marriage from adopting children.

Ms. Simpson claims that "the Republican cause is that of a better

America." But for whom? Clearly not for all of those living in America if

Matt Salmon's record is anything to go by.

It seems to me that Mr. Peterson is actually part of a growing band of gay

Republicans who are willing to sell their own civil rights down the river, along with those of countless millions of other Americans, because they believe that low taxes, less government spending and a more powerful military are more important. Do Mr. Peterson and his gay Republican friends really hate themselves so much that they can overlook "their" candidate's biases against them? Without the right to be who you are, where you are, when you want and with whom you want, what good are any of these other rights?

Nick Ray
political science graduate student

Republicans have left Arizona to deal with a dire mess

Pam Simpson's rebuttal (Wednesday, "Democrats so busy criticizing Republicans that they fail to promote a better United States") to an earlier letter to the editor fails to acknowledge the simple fact that hard facts were refuted and it makes one wonder if she even read the article.

If Pam thinks her grand old party welcomes gay individuals with open arms, I would like to ask her to speak with Arizona legislators Karen Johnson, Jake Flake, Eddie Farnsworth along with the Center for Arizona Policy and all the conservative members of the community who wanted to keep the archaic sex laws on the books. Does Pam not recall the Republican National Convention, when the Texas delegation bowed their heads in disgust when Congressman Jim Kolbe addressed the body?

It's amusing Pam would mention how poorly New Mexico has been run under Democratic rule, despite the fact their governor is Republican! Of course, the local College Republican chapter fails to acknowledge the monumental mess our state is in. Arizona is in a budget crisis, a $150 million dollar alt-fuels boondoggle courtesy of a Republican house speaker, an education system that ranks near the bottom, a place where the senior population has to choose between food and prescription drugs, and where many of these same seniors have to travel to Mexico to buy their medications there because of the rising drug costs.

The hard facts are this: Arizona has been under Republican control for decades, and they have left this state in dire mess. Who do you think they blame? Sorry, the leftists, liberals, commies (insert name taken from the CRNC play book) were not in power.

Chris Jones
junior majoring in English