Wal-Mart not evil, merely a well-run business

In reading the column "Quit shopping at Wal-Mart," I believe that Dan Post should have tried to persuade the reader a little better. I believe that Wal-Mart is run well from a business perspective, but I agree it does not treat the people making the products correctly. I think that if people do not want to get treated the way they are at Wal-Mart, then they should not apply there.

I understand that Wal-Mart is the biggest corporation in the U.S. and the people running it are doing a good job. The main part that I do not agree with is how the people making the products in China are being treated. They get paid pennies to make something that sells for thousands of dollars. Overall I don't think Wal-Mart is terrible because they have the cheapest prices. If people want to get treated with respect. then do not work there.

Jonathan Cohen
undeclared freshman

Ousted comic has constitutional rights

Why has "Out of Water" been pulled from the comic section? It is very funny. You guys swear in your comics, and I can't imagine that Michael Irish has said anything overtly offensive. There have been plenty of comics and articles that bother me, but because one person is running the paper it is deemed acceptable material.

Michael Irish has his freedom of speech, and as a reader I look forward to his comic. Most of the comics aren't funny this year, and now you're taking out one of the few good ones. This is clearly an overtly liberal newspaper, but now that he says some things you don't like he loses his comic. Thanks a lot for supporting "freedom of speech."

Brian Tukey
economics sophomore

Vegetarians of all stripes must be embraced

Although the humor of the column was not lost on me, I would like to elaborate on some interesting points that Scott Patterson brings up in "Confessions of a vegetarian." As a vegetarian and a recent vegan, I definitely welcome everyone who wants to call themselves a vegetarian to do so.

People have complex and evolving reasons for dietary preferences. Concluding that all nonstrict vegetarians are hypocrites ignores the diverse reasons people are inspired to change their diet and lifestyle. It is also interesting to continually see the onus of legitimacy placed on the vegetarian individual. When was the last time a vegetarian demanded of a meat-eater the reasons why they have the diet they do?

While some may be obsessed with titles ovo-lacto-pesca-flexitarian-freegan etc., I embrace all vegetarians. I do this in recognizing the significance of a widely variable and transformative movement that defines itself through compassion for humans, animals and nature.

Joss Jaffe
landscape architecture graduate student

Time to 'step up' war on AIDS

The AIDS epidemic is an absolute monster. Since the 1980s, when it was first discovered as a worldwide killer, it has continued to kill at an alarming rate. Could we really point the finger at our government during the 1980s for not taking this disease serious at the time, when no one from the Reagan administration would dare to say the word "AIDS" in public?

AIDS is the No. 1 leading cause of death among women in the U.S. between the ages of 25 to 34. People might not even know they are infected with the disease and still can spread it to other people. So you could spread it to your partner and not even know you're doing so.

What about other countries worldwide that are in worse shape than the U.S. (like Africa and Asia where the disease is taking out a huge portions of the countries' population each and every year)? What I'm trying to say is that Dec. 1 is AIDS Awareness Day, so to show your support to end the fight against AIDS. Enlist in the war on AIDS and step up to the plate.

Nick Olson
journalism freshman

Only anti-American liberals take issue with U.S. policy

Alan Eder's column "A citizen's foreign policy" is a testament to his ignorance. Americans don't perceive themselves in a place of shame; it is loud minority of far left anti-American liberals who are playing "the world hates us" card. America is in a great place in the world.

Bush's foreign policy has worked wonders for this county. A nation is supposed to put itself ahead of everyone else; anything else would be ridiculous. People who think America is on the wrong track should think about who hates us. Bush's foreign policy is not the reason Europe hates us; they hate us because our single country passed their entire continent economically and militarily and they just can't take it.

Either that or they really did like the man the French filmmaker called "Uncle Saddam."

Eder goes on to say how great it is for some Americans to call themselves Canadian. Let me share a quote from a high-ranking Canadian official "Damn Americans, I hate those bastards." Is this recent comment any way to repay the country that has been providing security for the continent?

Alex Hoogasian
political science junior

Bernsen story 'jumped the gun'

I believe the Wildcat may have jumped the gun on reporting the allegations against ASUA President Cade Bernsen. Let me preface this by saying that I find Bernsen's actions morally reprehensible and am glad that the two ladies stepped forward and reported his conduct. However, their allegations did not warrant a feature-length article on the front page of the Wildcat. At least not yet. 

What we have at the present moment are allegations. The dean of students has not yet had an opportunity to investigate and make a decision as procedure provides. When reporting an issue as serious as sexual misconduct, the Wildcat should wait for the process to run its course. 

As long as I have been here (way too long), the Wildcat has been nationally respected for its professionalism and quality of staff. This story turned the Wildcat into your neighborhood gossip announcement. I hope that in the future, when handling such serious issues, the Wildcat displays more patience, consistent with its outstanding reputation. 

Shar Bahmani
second-year law student

Napolitano addresses the needs of the people

I am writing in response to Michael Huston s column ("Where have the candidates gone?"). Although Mr. Huston has let his political biases blind him, the people of Arizona are apparently more concerned with results than political ideologies. Janet Napolitano holds such a high approval rating because Arizonans remember the state of Arizona before she was elected. They remember the $1 billion deficit that Jane Hull left and have seen it replaced by a $300 million surplus without any increased taxes or extreme budget cuts. They remember the sluggish economy that Napolitano inherited and turned around with a current 4 percent growth.

The large senior citizen population of Arizona has seen their standard of life increased with Napolitano's Copper Card plan, which saves seniors $100,000 a week on prescription medication. Arizonans have seen these results and have given their approval.

Huston also attacks the governor for overruling the decisions of the state's democratically elected representatives. Excuse me, but Napolitano is also a democratically elected representative. She was elected by Arizonans with the understanding that she would do what she believes is in the best interest of Arizona. If the people wanted a governor that was going to appease the Republican legislature, they would have elected Salmon.

Janet Napolitano has done exactly what her electors asked of her. She has remained true to her campaign platform and has made a great deal of progress in the areas that are most important to the people of Arizona (health, education, jobs). Because of these accomplishments, Janet Napolitano will easily be re-elected by the voters of Arizona who are less concerned with political ideology and more concerned with actual results.

Justin Ervin
political science junior

Wildcat should reconsider comic's ouster

I read the paper often, and it's been a frequent complaint of my friends and mine that the comic section lacks quality material. There are so many strips that either have no material worth reading or artistry so bad and confusing that it could be mistaken for that of a kindergartner's.

Recently it came to my attention that the "Out of Water" strip was no longer appearing alongside its rather lackluster compatriots. I for one am very disappointed. Michael Irish has a sense of humor that I enjoy, and I had found that on a daily basis his strip was really the only one worth reading. I can think of at least three strips that are far more worthy of being cut than Irish's. Please reconsider the removal of his comic. Since its disappearance, the Wildcat hasn't been the "great paper" we all know it can be.

Fletcher White
international studies junior

Greater caution needed in Bernsen story

I am writing to express my outrage and disappointment in the Wildcat's reporting of the sexual harassment allegations being levied against ASUA President Cade Bernsen.

I have two grievances: First, that the Wildcat reported the year and major of the women making the allegations. Most places of business and organizations afford the highest level of protection against retaliation to those who filed sexual harassment suits. The university is one such organization. By publishing the year, major and position of those filing the complaints, the Wildcat has essentially published the names of those filing the complaints.

Couple that information with technology like Facebook.com, and the Wildcat has exposed the two women who have filed complaints to retaliation and further harassment. This violates university policy. Even if the women came to the Wildcat, the editors should have exercised greater caution when it came to publishing this information. I only hope that no one will take any action against the two who have filed complaints, as I have been approached about who the two women are by people smart enough to figure it out.

My second complaint is over the level of explicitness used in describing the allegations against Bernsen. While I am not stating my beliefs as to President Bernsen's guilt in the matter, the information published in yesterday's Wildcat may forever affect Bernsen's future, regardless of his guilt. That information is something that could come back to haunt him even in the case of his innocence, and in America, I always thought that the accused were innocent until proven guilty.

Also, when coupled with the fact that it is quite easy to figure out who has filed a claim against Bernsen, the Wildcat has afforded those who wish to harass the two women with the perfect ammunition: the exact details of their humiliation. This is the most disappointed I have felt with the Wildcat in my 2 1/2 years at the university because the right (of all parties involved) to privacy has been violated.

Michelle Gregory
ASUA club advocate
junior majoring in political science and history

Bernsen story 'jumped the gun'

I believe the Wildcat may have jumped the gun on reporting the allegations against ASUA President Cade Bernsen. Let me preface this by saying that I find Bernsen's actions morally reprehensible and am glad that the two ladies stepped forward and reported his conduct. However, their allegations did not warrant a feature-length article on the front page of the Wildcat. At least not yet. 

What we have at the present moment are allegations. The dean of students has not yet had an opportunity to investigate and make a decision as procedure provides. When reporting an issue as serious as sexual misconduct, the Wildcat should wait for the process to run its course. 

As long as I have been here (way too long), the Wildcat has been nationally respected for its professionalism and quality of staff. This story turned the Wildcat into your neighborhood gossip announcement. I hope that in the future, when handling such serious issues, the Wildcat displays more patience, consistent with its outstanding reputation. 

Shar Bahmani
second-year law student

Napolitano criticism riddled with errors

While reading Michael Huston's column ("Where have the candidates gone?"), I was frustrated to find so many factual errors. Call me crazy, but I thought journalists were supposed to check their facts.

Perhaps Mr. Huston didn't find it important to research his subject matter, writing that Janet Napolitano has vetoed "restrictions" on abortion, like parental consent for minors. This is completely incorrect. The Arizona Legislature passed a law requiring minors to have the consent of a parent to have an abortion in 1999, before Janet Napolitano was even in office. The column also incorrectly states the governor has vetoed a ban on partial-birth abortion. The federal Legislature passed a ban on partial birth abortion in 2003. So it would have been hard for Napolitano to veto it, as she isn't the president.

Additionally, Mr. Huston writes that Napolitano has used veto to "overrule the decisions of the people's democratically elected representatives." Well, maybe it's easy to forget, but the governor is also democratically elected.

I understand the writer's point; he critiques the Republicans for not getting it together and finding a good opponent in the gubernatorial race. However, his gross errors completely discredit his opinion of Napolitano. It just seems a tad hypocritical to criticize others when he can't get it together himself and use actual facts in his column.

Allison Dumka
political science junior

Bernsen not afforded shield from public scrutiny

As a society that is quick to hand down judgment through the use of libel, we must be reminded that the accusations Cade Bernsen faces are just that: accusations. There are only three people who know the truth, but we owe him the right to innocence until proven otherwise. Our sexual conduct laws have been designed to shield the victim from public scrutiny, but unfortunately this right cannot be afforded both ways. If in the future the allegations prove to be false, let's hope the laws we've created work in the same manner to protect Bernsen, who would be the true victim. 

Ryan Hulett
engineering management senior

Affectionate gay men need 'all the help they can get'

Thank you for your column on the daily life experience of gay men ("Gay PDA at the UA OK?"). I am one, so my daily life experience is something in which I am well versed. I also attend the University of Texas at Austin, a similarly liberal campus in the middle of a so-called "red state." So our campus is also a place where holding hands with someone of the same sex gets only "slightly batted" eyelashes. But, take one step out of Austin, and the jeers begin.

Driving down the highway, we've been screamed at because of our rainbow colored "Kerry '04" sticker. We've been given the bird, and once even almost "accidentally" run off the road. Because of a bumper sticker?

I enjoyed reading your column. Thanks for taking risks in your pursuit of material. We need all the help we can get.

Joshua Howton
University of Texas at Austin

Bernsen's character makes sexual misdeeds unlikely

I have been a close friend of Cade Bernsen for some time now, and I know him and the people he surrounds himself with very well. I could not ever see an incident like this occurring, much less repeatedly. His campaign and position have been controversial ever since he announced he was running. I feel very strongly that this is an issue that has been blown out of proportion, if it is not a straight lie.

I would be more than willing to bet that as soon as justice is carried out, Cade will be cleared of all charges and these women will be silenced once again.

Dani Edelman
elementary education junior