Vote based on merit, not bad campaigns

When biases spiral out of control and slander is spewed in all directions, no one is safe from its poisonous effect.

If you thought you got past playing childish telephone, think again. The Associated Students of the University of Arizona election season has sparked more than just debate this year. Unfounded rumors are flying about candidates in the ASUA elections, and while some may hold a sliver of truth, it is past the point of whisper mills and turning into just plain slander. We truly believe that the goal of everyone involved in this election is to help elect the candidates they support. Do UA students have malicious intentions? We do not believe so. From what we have observed, no candidate has directly slandered another candidate to our definition of the term. However, sometimes people who hold themselves to the highest ethical standards can get caught up in the excitement and the hype of a university election. “He did this,” “She said that,” are becoming much more than salon gossip, and it must stop.

We would like to apologize publicly to every candidate who has felt personally attacked. Whether this is by other candidates, by slanted media coverage, by listserv rumors or by any other student. We feel strongly that it is time to end the slander and misconstruction of the facts and get back to the true spirit of elections.

ASUA elections are meant to be time of promoting qualified candidates to the student body and allowing students to make a fair and educated decision about who they would like to represent them. It is also meant to be a time of creative campaigning and an overall buzz of activity on campus.

Any printed or other personal attacks against candidates do not just harm the victim of the allegations. Negative campaigning ultimately hurts the accuser as well. Should one candidate be elected, the question will always remain: Was his election on the basis of his own merit or rather the negative rhetoric launched against his opponent.

Ironically, the organization that these candidates are working so hard to be a part of takes the biggest hit of all as a result of the negative publicity. ASUA’s accomplishments this year will be muted by the negative undertones of this election for at least a year, regardless of who is elected. ASUA has more than minimally served the students of the university this year, and it would be a shame to bury those accomplishments in negative publicity.

Therefore, we ask you students to help us. Do not believe all that you hear and read. Educate yourselves on the issues that face students and the candidates who will best represent those issues that matter to you. Candidates, run a clean campaign. Help us retrieve the true spirit of student body elections and in turn elect students based on merit and accomplishments rather than heresy and fabrications.

Sara Birnbaum
ASUA executive vice president
Jordan Miller
ASUA administrative vice president
• This statement is not intended to reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of the University of Arizona.

Wildcat shouldn’t endorse candidates

Did anyone from the Wildcat even attend the presidential debate on Monday? You have got to be kidding me ... Cade for president? Supporting a candidate who has never been involved in ASUA is one thing, but endorsing a candidate who just transferred here from a completely different school is quite another. I have had the opportunity (if that’s what you want to call it) to hear Cade speak on many occasions. His statements and platforms lack content, specifics, and most importantly, knowledge about the internal workings of this campus and community. Unfortunately, Cade has only been a Wildcat for a few months so his reputation has not had the opportunity to grace this campus. As a fellow journalist, might I suggest doing a little more research at good ol’ University o f Texas, Austin ...

Colleen Strauch
journalism and communication junior

Minute men raise important issue

I read the article online that was written by one of your editorialists that describe the Minute Man Project participants as a bunch of crazies that are going to terrorize the illegal aliens attempting across the border. This is definitely not the case. We are a group of people who are staging a peaceful rally to bring to the attention of our elected representatives this problem. For your publication to write such irresponsible propaganda about a venture that you have not made the effort to find out the factual who-and-what borders on slanderous and should be condemned! Shame on you!

Walter Wilson
Minute Man Project participant

Vagina not offensive, part of anatomy

It is sad that “wise people” have allowed a student to make it through the university system without a basic biology class. In response to Tawfik Maudah’s letter in Monday’s Wildcat, I would like to offer the following reply: Tawfik, you are a college student for God’s sake, don’t be so dumb! How is it that a college student can’t even utter the word or even write it down? Let me write that word down for you: vagina. The vagina is a part of the female body. Fifty percent of the population has a vagina. The other half has a penis. Vagina. Penis. Nothing disrespectful or out of taste, just anatomically correct names. Despite your apparent fear of human anatomy, your outrage helped OASIS with their campaign: I would not have known about the chocolate vagina if not for you. I am sure the OASIS Program would like to thank you; after all, any publicity is good publicity.

Andrea McFarland
microbiology junior

Animal treatment on fur farm appalling

Every time I read the Wildcat, it seems as though everyone has problems: the student section sucks, tanning booths rip you off, religious zealots are speaking on campus. About two weeks ago, I saw something that has changed my life forever. I am a member of several animal charities/groups and I received an e-mail from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals about a year-long sting on fur farm practices overseas (China was featured in the video) — fur that gets sold to the United States. What I witnessed was a raccoon, helpless to defend itself, having his head beat on the ground. Then the camera panned to the raccoon, who by the way, was still alive and blinking, but was bleeding from the nose. Then a couple of men strung the helpless animal up by his tail and skinned the raccoon alive, all the while he was trying to get away. The skinned raccoon was tossed on the ground and waited to die. He looked up at the camera once as if to say “What did I do wrong? What did I do to deserve this?” I couldn’t even finish watching the rest of the video because I was bawling. These animals have real problems — they’re being tortured and they’re suffering. Please don’t wear fur and spread the word around about the horrifying practices on fur farms.

Erin Tucker
grad student renewable natural resource studies

Moore’s campus visit cost UA donations

The donors have spoken! ASUA and others thought donors were joking in October when they said they would no longer give their money to the UA over the lack of a conservative speaker. Now, thanks to the Wildcat, we know they are keeping their word.

Yes, their money was not used to fund Moore’s appearance. However, you have to realize that when you are giving your money to a university, you want to know that your views are getting equal airtime as well. Those donors that are telling UA telemarketers to look elsewhere have every right to do so. This just proves that Moore’s show is not a dead issue, yet ASUA still fails to realize that they made mistakes and those mistakes have great consequences.

One of those is cheating the university out of money from donors because they refused to find a conservative speaker. Welcome to the world of accountability, my ASUA friends! Pete Seat
theatre arts senior
UA College Republicans

Wildcat seems to lack objectivity

As someone who diligently picks up a Wildcat every morning, I have been extremely disappointed in the Wildcat’s lack of objectivity throughout this ASUA election. When did the Wildcat turn into a tabloid, geared toward slandering candidates?

I hope, in the future, the Wildcat will make more of an effort to be fair. After all, isn’t that what a good newspaper should strive to do? Kim Bui
finance junior

Bernsen endorsement article well written

I was truly moved and impressed by the Wildcat endorsement of Cade Bernsen for ASUA president. Not merely the actual endorsement, but the article that accompanied it. It showed tremendous journalistic quality and merit. So much so, in fact, that when talking to a friend, I said, “Now that’s an endorsement!” Kudos to the writer of the piece and the Wildcat for writing nearly as passionate as Mr. Bernsen is about the UA and all Wildcats.

David Martinez III
secondary education sophomore

Men also subject to domestic violence

Cassie Blombaum’s March 1 article, “Victims of domestic violence stay silent in fear” is a lesson in missing the point. Blombaum rips a page out of the gender feminist textbook, blissfully implying that domestic violence is great to talk about as long as we never acknowledge that it happens to men.

You can tell an article hasn’t been proofread when it quotes a 1998 survey finding that nearly “1 1/3 of American women” report being raped or assaulted during their lifetime. While feminist statistics are usually invented, a mixed number makes you think they’re just not trying anymore. Regardless, don’t let the typo distract you from the more important issue.

Programs like the OASIS Program are on the forefront of perpetuating a domestic violence industry that coddles females like powerless victims and teaches men that they are criminals in waiting. Prominent scholars have devoted books to debunking this mythology, but it seems the message has not been delivered. Last week, a Los Angeles district court upheld the decision of a “domestic violence shelter” that refused to offer services to a man. The man, who was beaten so severely by a woman in a blatant act of domestic violence, could not walk at the time. Unfortunately, activist feminist judges only scratch the surface.

Domestic assaults committed by women currently represent about 10 percent of reported cases (a statistic you’d never know reading Blombaum’s article). However, independent behavioral studies dating back to the 1970s confirm over and over again that the sexes abuse each other in equal numbers. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that women initiate violence on a much more frequent basis. Naturally, women are quick to argue that violence against men is often playful or humorous. It’s tough to take that position seriously after reading about how a married woman is almost twice as likely as a man to threaten her spouse with a knife or gun.

I can’t explain how aggravating it is to show Blombaum’s article to my female friends and watch the brazen sexism sail over their heads. In a college newspaper, we can’t have so-called news articles championing the myth that domestic violence is simply men battering women. These misconceptions run deep enough without the Wildcat’s support.

Jon Knutson
MIS, operations management senior

RAs put effort into Black History Month

As two residence assistants of the stadium residence halls, we strongly disagree with Rhonda Burgess’ statements regarding Black History Month in the dorms (“Black History Month ignored in dorms” Friday). We do agree that it is very important to all residents and they should have the opportunity to learn more about it. This month is about courage, perseverance and the accomplishments of outstanding African-American heroes. People of all races are influenced by these great leaders — which is why we celebrate them today. In the past, we have participated in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day marches to show appreciation for black history.

Ms. Burgess’ article was both deceitful and extremely insulting to the Navajo-Pinal residence hall staff and community. She assumed that none of us appreciated Black History Month and concluded that inadequate emphasis was placed on this holiday. Fifty percent of the stadium RAs dedicated their bulletin boards to Black History Month. Interactive MLK trivia, poems by Maya Angelou and advertisements of on-campus events relating to the holiday are only a few of the many items that are displayed on these bulletin boards. The hall director gladly spent her Saturday afternoon designing three separate “Black History Month Corners” located in the three most common areas in the dorm and each expand over three walls. These corners include pictures, quotes, life histories and famous stories of African-American heroes. Ms. Burgess did not confront any RAs or the hall director about the “presentation” of these materials. Ms. Burgess cannot take credit for “organizing and decorating” the corners since the hall director took this responsibility upon herself. Either Ms. Burgess does not explore the dorm or she does with her eyes closed because Black History Month could not have been celebrated more obviously.

All halls are communities that involve RAs and residents. There is no question that we’re willing to work with the residents — this is why we enjoy our job. Instead of complaining to the Wildcat about personal issues, we recommend taking the time to speak with us and let us address the situation together and collaborate. This way, we can avoid insulting messages that mislead and dramatize a perfectly manageable situation.

Sheila Khayami
accounting junior

U.S. needs updated drinking policy

I think it’s time for the world superpower to update its drinking policy after hearing word of Jake Cohen’s arrest for selling to minors with ZBT. Had this action occurred anywhere else in the world there would have been no problem with underage drinking. As a Canadian, watching a country send young men and women to put their lives on the line overseas, however not allowing them to have a drink ‘til they are 21 makes me shake my head. Screw the metric system, it’s time for America to update its drinking age.

Shaun GillisMcKale Center needs to be expanded

Your (The Wildcat’s) views are far too shortsighted. (McKale) arena needs to be enlarged to 25,000 seats. If this is not possible, Arizona needs to build a new arena.

If the university has taken out the amount of loans in the past that do not generate additional revenues, they should be willing to take out a loan that generates additional revenues.

State tax dollars can pay a portion of the costs. Travelers who visit the city can pay a portion of the costs. In fact, a mild increase in student fees can pay a portion of the costs.

If it means that we have to cut out a couple of non-revenue sports from the budget, I am sorry but we need to get it done.

By the way: It is about supply and demand. It is always about supply and demand. They do teach this type of stuff at your university. You just have not been out on your own to fully understand and appreciate this concept that helps shape democracy.

Bruce Lerner
UA alumnus

Actions during dorm fire harmful

I also live in Kaibab-Huachuca residence hall and was also just getting out of the shower when the fire alarm went off. I was outside in a bathrobe for an hour and a half! You printed a comment from Eshawn Peterson where she stated that an RA would come by every once in a while and tell us 15 more minutes. That is incorrect. They came by once to tell us 45 more minutes. Other than that all of the time frames that were given were from other residents talking. Ms. Peterson is in the process of going through RA selection for the 2005-2006 school year and I am unsure of why she should be so demeaning to a group of people that only have our safety in mind. As for the people complaining about not knowing it was a real fire and it was cold, are they supposed to have different alarms for real fires and just drills? And yes some of the RA’s were threatening write-ups and fines. But if you are irresponsible enough to stay in the building you may be endangering a firefighter’s life if you stayed in your room or in the shower and got caught in the middle of the fire. Those firefighters who are there working to control a fire would have to risk their lives to save yours. I think they put their lives at risk enough without having to worry about people that don’t want to leave the building because of the weather, what they are wearing or just pure laziness.

Jillian Frodsham
undeclared freshman

Chocolate vaginas great, not offensive

This is in response to the wonderfully absurd letter “Front page vagina inappropriate.” It proved that the chocolate vaginas and vagina monologues were in fact absolutely correct in emphasizing that vaginas aren’t given their deserved attention. I was extremely amused to read it had shocked the person in question as to wondering, “What has the world come to?” A question I think of when I see articles about acquitted rapists in Pakistan, suicide bombers under the age of 13, or (on a lighter note) UA’s terrible campus drainage system that never fails to ruin my favorite pair of socks. As for whether we would be offended to see “celebration of masculine identity” in the form of chocolate phalluses, I would say not at all. I don’t think anyone would ever resort to wasting their time doing that as it is completely unnecessary, as everyday is celebration of masculine identity! The chocolates were intended to make people acknowledge how wonderful vaginas truly are and not about decency or being offensive. Hurray for vaginas. Especially yummy overpriced chocolate ones.

Shloka Mangharam
creative writing and studio art freshman