Nothing wrong with Res Life as a business
After reading Mike Morefield's Friday column ("Res Life Sees Residents as Dollar Signs"), I was a little confused. Okay, I am not going to argue that Residence Life is not a business entity. Well, Mr. Morefield, look around the campus. Which department isn't a business? From the Student Union to the university itself, everything is a business.
And what's so wrong with it? First, he was trying to demonstrate the injustice that Residence Life shows towards residents by running the department like a business. But, he failed to actually quote any unhappy residents. Second, his declaration that communication problems run throughout Residence Life was totally random.
This far in the semester, I think readers want to know about a more interesting topic. Next week, write about the top five places to party on campus; after all, I don't want to waste my precious class time for nothing.
Prashant Rajgarhia
engineering management senior
No need for racial stereotypes
In your Scatter Shot section, you quoted Kanye West and his bold political comment about George Bush. The little snippet of information that you gave about the issue was confusing. The quote was given and explained, "said college dropout Kanye West, showing once again that with his tact he don't need no education."
I'm not sure if this is a harmless joke or is alluding at how cool black people are not educated and don't use proper grammar. Do we need to use these cliché ways of speaking when alluding to anything hip-hop or African-American? I think this view definitely has the potential to reaffirm subtle racism through existing stereotypes.
Anca Niculescu
senior majoring in Spanish and family studies and human development
NAU moving up, but needs more funds
In the response to Northern Arizona University moving up to Division I-A ("Time for NAU to join the big boys?"), the Lumberjacks are in need of money, and it might require an endowment as high as $300 million to achieve such a lofty goal. This is according to Jim Fallis, Director of NAU Athletics.
Additionally, the NAU Skydome would have to be expanded or relegated to non-football sports only. The most likely scenario would have NAU building a football-only stadium nearby. With over 30,000 seats, such a stadium would go a long way to helping the Lumberjacks move up to Division I-A, but more money is needed first.
Paul Pranks
Flagstaff, Ariz.
Minutemen accomplished, exclude racists
I appreciated Dan Post's frank opinion piece on the Minutemen media strategy ("Minutemen show stamina in the media"). His bias is quite clear from the outset, which is fine, but he redeems himself by actually offering a fairly cogent and largely accurate picture.
Two corrections: 1) We do not ask people to keep their racist views to themselves. Supervisors are on watch constantly against racists, as defined by history, who generally cannot hold their views to themselves. We do not put people who might merely be prejudiced in the same category as those who consider a whole race.
of people as subhuman. Everyone holds prejudices; not everyone is racist. If we identify racists, they are sent packing.
2) If the volunteers signing up out here in California are any indication of the average intelligence of the Minutemen, we are far from stupid. In fact, we have some incredibly accomplished individuals including a very accomplished virologist, credited with discovering a strain of the 1918 flu in an original victim. I have three medical doctors who signed up this week, several middle school teachers including one special education instructor, one actor, countless former military and law enforcement officers of the highest caliber, many very successful businessmen, the mayor elect of Altoona, Pa. I could go on for hours.
Dan, I applaud you for having the guts to say what is obvious and the intelligence to see what others cannot. I would ask you to have a more open mind toward the facts of who we are. Come down to the line and talk to people.
Tim Donnelly
Minuteman Corps of California
Immigration issue about more than racism
The worst thing that ever happened to the immigration argument was that we made it about race. Picture a highway in the middle of the desert that turns to dirt at a seemingly random place, continuing south to an unknown destination. Actually, a road like this exists, but the seemingly random place is the Arizona-Mexico border. No fences, no barricades, no checkpoints, nobody.
Now imagine a person inoculated with smallpox. Imagine this person crossing the border, hiding in people's homes for the right price, getting to an airport and booking a flight to any major U.S. city (I wish I could say I made this possible scenario up). Now imagine what happens next.
The concern about borders should not be about Mexicans, it should be about Americans. It should be about the very real dangers of terrorism. It should be about the tax dollars spent on cleaning up after and providing health care for the people that make it across. It should be about the citizens who are beaten, robbed and raped.
I met an elderly man near the border who has three dogs that are now starving because the rifle that he used to kill rabbits for them was stolen by an illegal border crosser. Where's that rifle now? Got free medical insurance? People picked up by the border patrol get treatment if they need it before they are taken back across. Who do you think pays for it?
I can't blame the people that want to come across and have a better life - I would try too. Unfortunately, we live in an ugly world, and getting rid of borders won't lead to hand holding and sing-alongs with the people who want you and me dead. Yes, racism is real, but it's just the tip of the iceberg.
Rob Sulzbach
pharmacy doctoral student