It is Durrani, not Republicans, who deserves the Îpoop' label

In regard to Mariam Durrani's "article" on Nov. 6, "GOP gets what it deserves: cow poop:" It looks as though someone loves to form their opinion off of MTV's "Rock the Vote" marathons.

As a proud Republican, I can say that Democrats are the ones who pushed our economy into this "slump." First of all, with Sept. 11th, those who looked to their credit cards as God, finally saw reality. With fear that nobody could pull them out of poverty, people stopped spending. Thus, the fall of the economy. Also, how can you base an opinion off of one matter of security? Sure, matches are dangerous, as taught in kindergarten, but so are scissors, or even pencils. I believe that you have forgotten the aspect that anything sharper than a spoon can cause damage, or even put an eye out! So what are you trying to prove? Would you not want utensils on your in-flight dinner?

Do you honestly believe that you could be on a nickname basis with a man who's trying to get things done? President George Bush is trying his hardest to make up for the piss-poor excuses of leaders we have had in the past. At least we can be assured that President Bush is getting love at home rather than looking for it in the Oval Office. Then there's Gore. It is simply stated in the name and party ÷ a sore loser.

So let me leave you with a "mascot" for the Democratic Party: flesh-eating bacteria. As hard as it tries to survive, it is rejected, and there will always be someone smarter trying to wipe it out. Maybe there are a few Democrats out there eating their own words, and maybe there are others like myself feeding them with their own medicine: "cow poop."

Maria T. Reed
political science freshman

Two-party system much more stable than multiparty system

I'm writing in response to Aaron Klassen's letter titled, "Don't just lose the symbols, forget GOP, Dems altogether," and Chad McNichol's letter, "A vote for Salmon against principles for Libertarians," published Thursday. In these letters, there is the overall sense that simply adding more candidates with more differing values to our current voting system would make our republic more representative of the views of the majority.

I must strongly contest this premise. Our current system is designed to work with a two-party system. You cast a vote for one or the other. As soon as you allow more than two parties/candidates, our electoral system becomes severely flawed.

The obvious example is the 2000 Presidential election. Few would contest that Al Gore would have won the election if it weren't for the presence of Ralph Nader on the ballot. Nader "stole" votes from Gore, making him lose key areas, and therefore lose the race.

To simply advocate adding more candidates and/or parties to our current system is, in my opinion, foolhardy at best. We need to reform our system to allow for accurate portrayal of the people's wishes when there are more than two candidates on the ballot. I had hoped such reform could be started in the wake of the 2000 Presidential election, but it never came to pass. I am left with hope for the future, but I must hope that reforms are sweeping, and not simply the addition of more candidates.

Geoffrey H. Wathen
physics doctoral student

Difference between UAPD and UA Parking and Transportation

David Homes (Thursday letter, "A thank you to the UAPD for protecting the campus"), while obviously angry about his own violation of campus parking rules, needs to learn to do a little research before spouting off complaints. The least he could do is actually read his parking tickets.

Mr. Homes, UAPD does not hand out parking tickets ÷ that's done by Parking and Transportation Services, a completely different department that has nothing to do with UAPD. Considering how much lower UA's crime rate is than the rest of Tucson, they do an excellent job of protecting campus. I think you owe them an apology, Mr. Homes.

Anthony W. Nelson
criminal justice senior

Security at airports can't be blamed on the Republicans

Speaking of screwed-up personal agendas, let's talk about Mariam Durrani's section in the Nov. 6th's "Issue of The Week." Once again you have managed to take a subject and turn it into your own personal opinion about "Georgie" and the Republicans.

You claim that the Republican Party is made of "poop" and that the cigarette companies have lobbied the President to take matches and lighters off that list. First off, I don't think that people should give up matches or lighters on their plane trips because I think it's the responsibility of security to make sure that people don't have bombs to light in the first place. Because if security continues to do a piss poor job, then in three years, all we'll be allowed to have on a plane are soft plastic chopsticks to eat our pseudo-food with. Even then, I'm sure you'll find some way to blame that on the Republicans, as well.

Which brings me to my second point: I'm sick of hearing you whine and cry about the way Republicans run the country and how Georgie does such horrible things. It's one thing to say that a party doesn't fit with your views and that you don't agree with our leader, but it's quite another to constantly whine like a little child and link every problem in the world to him and his party. Maybe screaming got you something when you were younger, but we're in the big people world now, Mariam, and that doesn't fly here. I believe that everyone is entitled to their opinion and everyone has the right to print and say what they want to, but when you start to sound like a broken record, that's when you know you need to find something new to whine about.

So forgive me if my piece isn't funny, but your actions require me to label you for what you essentially are: poop, because that's all that comes out of your mouth. So I ask this of you: Are the people who govern our country really concerned with national security, or are people like you leading us to a life of plastic chopsticks?

Chris Mazzarella
veterinary science junior

Current basketball ticket system is Îhardly a fair and equal' one

I am very disappointed in James Kelley's Thursday article, "Student hoops seats dubbed ÎZona Zoo.'"

In the article, he stated, "Most of the students earned their tickets crushed in the crowd during last Monday's ticket sales at McKale." This was hardly a fair and equal system on the part of the McKale ticket office and also a horrible event to be caught up in. The people who received tickets are the ones who turned to pushing and hurting other students, including my roommate and myself, in order to receive tickets. If anything, those who received tickets last Monday morning are the least deserving of all those who are true UA basketball fans.

I don't feel as if this people should be credited for "earning" their tickets and our university should not be encouraging and rewarding those students who have exhibited such selfish and violent behavior.

Amy Ulibarri
political science sophomore