By James Robles
Arizona Daily Wildcat
February 27, 1998

Likins just doing his job

To the Editor:

President Likins is doing what he should be doing, both in the world of business, where money is the instrument that accomplishes goals, and in the world of politics, where money is the mechanism that produces outcomes, though, indeed, it makes for some strange bedfellows, and, invariable, makes whores of its players (and I am not referring to Clinton). In the world of free minds and free markets, where the prevailiing econimic system is capitalism, a cursory glance around this campus alone will reveal the large number of t-shirts, shoes, caps, jackets and backpacks carrying the Nike logo, making it obvious and clear the message we are communicating to Nike. Is it because we don't know, don't care, or do know, and therefore support, Nike?

Rather than attacking and condemning President Likins for properly performing and fulfilling his role as president of the University of Arizona, we should instead, each one of us, individually, be looking internally and there examining the personal committment, if any, that we wish to make on this issue, and then collectively, if we so choose, speak to Nike in the language that it will understand: "Reebok, Converse, Champion, Fila, Jansport, Avia, All Pro, Mitre, Saucony, Spalding, New Balance, Rockport, Brooks, Adidas . . ."

James Robles
Sociology Senior