Pre-debate rally was meant to be partisan

Ryan Johnson is off base when he says, "politically passionate people don't want to hear new ideas or brilliant minds. They want self-validation that they are correct and that the other side is wrong."

Gatherings have different priorities and goals. Some are political forums, appropriate times to discuss issues and platforms in great detail. Others are simply partisan Get Out The Vote rallies, where the focus is on energizing and mobilizing voters who have already studied the issues and are ready to make their voices heard. The latter was the case at Tempe Beach Park.

This pre-debate gathering was a purely partisan rally. Its goal was not to educate, but to motivate loyal Democrats to get out and vote. With 15,000 enthusiasts there in the sun waiting to hear the debate, the crowd was not primed to hear detailed policy statements from pre-speakers. The most we could hope for was name recognition. That's about all you can cram into three minutes.

However, when I am the primary speaker at a gathering and have the opportunity to actually talk with an audience, I spend the first few minutes laying out exactly what the Commission is and why it is important to every Arizonan. I offer details about the concerns I have about past directions taken by the current Commission and explain what I would do differently. I ask for input from the audience, and assure them that, if elected, I will continue to maintain a dialogue with them because I want them to be part of the Commission's process. That is how substantive information is best shared.

Do I decry the devolvement of campaign rhetoric to 30-second sound bites? Yes. Do I try to change that? Yes, whenever possible by using every opportunity offered to educate voters about this critical office that directly impacts every Arizonan, setting gas, electric and telephone rates and overseeing pipeline and railroad safety, among other things. I am - at heart - an educator. But a Get Out The Vote pep rally is hardly the place to discuss environmental portfolio standards, the potential sale of an electric utility, or infrastructure safety audits.

Please do not be so quick to judge a candidate by a three-minute speech at one GOTV rally.

Nina Trasoff
candidate for the Arizona Corporation Commission

Nunchucks don't warrant eviction

I'm writing in response to Wednesday's story on the eviction of Wolfgang Landkamer. This is yet another example of spineless bureaucrats hiding behind "zero-tolerance" policies.

I live across the hall from Wolfgang and know him to be an easygoing and peaceful guy. For Residence Life to evict him on the grounds of him being a threat is sheer nonsense. I know of no one in Cochise Residence Hall that felt threatened by Wolfgang's nunchuck practice.

The Residence Life administration should show some spine and make a decision based on the circumstances of the case, rather than blindly following regulations. Sure, nunchucks are a banned item, but do they really warrant eviction? Why not confiscate the nunchucks, give him a warning and move on?

Nick Borst
economics freshman

Comics meant to make folks laugh

This letter is in response to Samuel Harworth's letter "Cartoon insensitive to serious issue of rape." It saddens me to see that after so many years, people are still turning to the Comics section and reading way too much into the comics.

The bottom line is: They are just comics. They are not there to try and be racist or be insensitive to some major problem. Their purpose is to entertain.

In this particular situation, all that Joshua Parry and Jerald Zivic wanted to convey was a pun, just a simple pun that she was on a roof, therefore she had been "roofied."

I'm quite sure the writers agree that to actually drug someone with the intent of raping them is wrong, and they did not intend to belittle the victims of that crime or say that the true occurrences of it are funny. They are just trying to take a well-known idea and make it funny without attacking anyone.

Allen Fullmer
journalism sophomore

Committee shouldn't touch UA traditions

When I read that the Commencement Policy Committee was thinking about changing graduation traditions to improve student behavior, I was angry due to the fact that many of these traditions are memories that UA graduates will carry with them for life.

For example, there was a suggestion for robes to be put on at the door to McKale Center. This would eliminate the sense of pride a graduate feels as they walk down the Mall from Bear Down Gym to McKale in their robes. I believe that after four years of hard work for a degree (more years for some of us), you'd better have the right to walk down your own campus in your robe. Who cares if you've got three bags of tortillas stashed under there?

This brings up the tortilla throwing. When I graduated last May, I did not think that this was disruptive nor inconsiderate behavior. After all, they're tortillas, and there are worse things that students can bring to graduation. Tortilla throwing has been a tradition for decades. Not only is it fun, but it is one of the many things that makes UA graduation unique.

Lastly, there was a suggestion for a member of each college to talk to graduates about the importance of good behavior. As far as I'm concerned, if you are mature enough to take on a degree and venture out into the real world to find a job, you'd better know how to behave by now. Students don't need to be lectured about behavior. If they want to participate in a tradition such as tortilla throwing, I do not consider that bad behavior.

All of the speakers at graduation knew that tortilla throwing occurs and should have expected it during their speeches. I find air horns far more disruptive than tortillas.

The Commencement Policy Committee needs to take into consideration that graduation is a special event and stricter policies would make it less enjoyable. After all, by graduation time, we have all earned the right to have fun, celebrate, and make memories that will last forever.

Alysson Baumgart
first-year pharmacy student

Israeli wall not a solution to peace in the Middle East

While it seems simple, merely building a wall to divide your group from another group you do not have peaceful relations with is not a solution to peace. There are several key problems with Israel's implementation of this wall. The first is that Palestine is not its own state, but an occupied territory of Israel which is in violation of international law.

Second, the International Court of Justice has ruled that building this wall is in violation of international law.

A third point is that contrary to popular belief, the wall does not just separate Israel from the occupied territories but also separates Palestinian communities from each other which is a grave injustice and not a solution to peace.

This is not a question of "Israel defending itself from terrorism." The fact is that Israel is occupying and controlling a land that does not belong to them legally and thus, building a wall to continue to divide the land that is not rightfully theirs will not bring peace. It is also worth pointing out that according to international law, the Palestinians as an occupied people have a legal right to resist.

I would also like to say that Palestinians are human beings and not just suicide bombers or terrorists as much of the media typically portrays them to be.

Eric Austin
engineering physics sophomore

Cartoons belittle women, seriousness of rape

I would like to add my piece regarding the disturbing content of the Parry Monster and Z-Train cartoons of Monday and Tuesday.

I hope the Monday and Tuesday cartoons were a misguided attempt at humor or at least misplaced social activism. The only success the two cartoons have is to really piss me off that anyone would find a joke of this nature acceptable.

If Mr. Parry and Mr. Zivic wish to promote awareness of rape and/or the dangers of drug and alcohol use, by all means have at it - but in the process, do not belittle women as defenseless or willing targets, men as immoral sexual predators, or condone rape by pasting it as "funny."

I have had three very close friends raped under similar circumstances portrayed in the aforementioned cartoons. I do not find it funny. In fact, the seriousness of rape so rankles me, that even though I am not a big fan of capital punishment, I reserve a special place for rapists (treatment appears ineffective in light of recidivism rates).

Rape exemplifies the worst qualities of humankind, and much more effort needs to be placed on its prevention.

Mr. Parry, Mr. Zivic and the Arizona Daily Wildcat need to seriously reconsider the portrayal of rape to make sure they do not unintentionally support this immoral and harmful crime.

I request a published explanation and apology from the authors of the cartoon, an apology from the Wildcat for publishing the work, and ask the Wildcat to seriously reconsider the provisions for appropriate content.

Philippe Donald
anthropology junior

Duke has right idea for basketball ticket system

Duke University has the right idea for basketball tickets: They make their students line up outside the ticket office the day of the game to buy tickets. This system lets kids pick what games they want to see. Here, many students are forced to give away or sell tickets to games they cannot (or do not) want to attend. The black market for basketball tickets is obscene: $250 is the going rate for seats to the more popular basketball games.

Duke's system is 100 percent fair and doesn't exclude anyone. You can't cheat and buy six Zona Zoo passes to increase your odds of being drawn. There's no clogged phone lines at 6:45 a.m. to buy unclaimed tickets. It gives students the freedom to see the games they want.

The UA's basketball ticket system needs reform, and I say we mirror Duke University - they've got the right idea.

Dan Parmelee
MIS sophomore

Residence Life's weapons policy in dorms unrealistic

In reference to comments made by Jim Van Arsdel in yesterday's article, "Weapons in dorms leads to eviction," he is just being ridiculous when he says, "Anything made to be a weapon will be considered a weapon."

I understand the need to keep the student body safe, but there is a point when you go too far. I use fountain pens, and some of the nibs can be pretty sharp, does that mean that I can expect a knock on my door from UAPD? What about a ballpoint pen? Those can definitely be used as weapons, as any fan of the "Die Hard" series can attest to. Next thing you know, we will all be taking notes with crayons.

There is a fine line between safety and paranoia, and Mr. Van Arsdel has shown that he crossed that long ago with his comments. Or is it just that he and the UAPD have gotten a taste for power and wish to exercise that muscle whenever possible?

Cerridwen Johnson
psychology senior

Zero-tolerance mindset just plain 'silliness'

Possession of chopsticks is now a crime at the UA? Does this mean that Panda Express will be evicted from the Union? They've got whole cartons of 'em. I've even got a couple leftover pair right here in my des ... MY GOD!! IT'S A WHOLE TRAY FULL OF DANGEROUS "SHARPENED STICKS!" (The unenlightened still refer to them as "pencils").

And what's this - Two sharp steel knives hinged together by a pin, often called "scissors."

Now that I've confessed, I guess I can expect the UAPD to be waiting in my office for me when I arrive tomorrow.

After all, Jim Van Arsdel says that "even items not commonly considered weapons have the potential to be dangerous to others."

Hey Jim, does that include the X-acto knives and razor blades found in the various labs and art studios around campus? (And sold in the bookstore). The metal cutting tools and stock used in the machine and instrument shops?

How 'bout all that sharp-edged glass at the mirror lab and OSC? I won't even go into what's laying around the many construction areas.

Remember this silliness, folks: It's called "unintended consequences," and usually happens sooner or later, with even the most innocuous-sounding and well-intentioned rules and regulations.

And remember that once again, gratuitous bureaucracy and its "zero-tolerance" mindset has made you and your school a national laughing stock. Thanks, guys!

Scott Benjamin
senior staff technician
optical sciences center