Editor:
This week has been quite a week in the Arizona Daily Wildcat. Although I find some of the information interesting, others funny, I am concerned about the continued insensitivity to special populations in our society.
Monday's editorial cartoon about AIDS and population control was an unnecessary demonstration of poor taste by the editorial staff. What purpose did such a cartoon serve in either entertainment or educational value? To further stigmatize persons living with HIV infection and/or AIDS, the editorial staff again chose to use callous language for the heading "Cartoon insensitive to AIDS victims" (Sept. 21) for the BGALA response. The choice to potentiate the public's perception that persons living with HIV and/or AIDS are 'victims' is one that the media, including the Wildcat, should avoid at all costs, especially coming from an educational institution.
Furthermore, yesterday's "Plebes" comic by T. Eric Mayhew, served no purpose what-so-ever. Another parody on the overused Pepsi and Coke battles really has no humor nor value, especially when it is not raised to a higher level of wit or cleverness. Quite the contrary, Mr. Mayhew was out-of-line when referring to nursing home residents as "hags," "corpses," "geezers," and that they should "rot in hell." Most residents in nursing homes and long-term care facilities are not there by choice, moreso by necessity. These people are not necessarily "old" nor are they "lonely and sad." Health care professionals, family members, clergy and volunteers work endlessly to make such an environment a pleasant and comfortable place to live.
No population deserves to be ridiculed or belittled for any reason. This serves no purpose other than showing our own failures as a society. If the editorial staff and readers of the Arizona Daily Wildcat would like to understand people different than themselves, many opportunities exist throughout the Tucson area. Maybe this would provide more insightful information for the readers to ponder throughout the day.
Joel Gray
UMC Senior Research Nurse