Carnesale should be “˜officially’
clear
This is an add-on commentary to the Bruin editorial on UCLA
Chancellor Albert Carnesale (“Chancellor
laughing all the way to bank,” Viewpoint, Feb. 1). In
addition to laughing all the way to the bank, Carnesale erroneously
touted another horn during his 40-minute address. The Chancellor
boasted that UCLA has not received any official reports of hate
crimes against Muslim Americans on campus.
He stressed the word “official,” signifying that
unofficially this may not be the case. It is just as naïve to
presume that UCLA Muslim Americans have been untouched by hate
crimes on campus as it is to deduce that zero occurrences in date
rape occurred just because an “official” report reveals
such data. I think we all know more often than not that both kinds
of incidents go unreported due to fear, guilt or indifference.
I don’t doubt the chancellor is aware of this. Assuming he
is aware, however, the chancellor should steer clear from flaunting
a supposedly flawless report when there is public knowledge that
hateful acts of violence persist.
The word “official” all too often functions as a
cover for wrongdoing, apathy and ignorance.
Melany Linder Graham Student affairs officer The
Anderson School
“˜State of Bush’ yet to be
determined
I could not help but feel compelled to write something in
response to Andrew Jones’ column on President Bush’s
State of the Union address (“President
serves tasty buffet to right,” Viewpoint, Jan. 30).
Jones implied the Clinton administration was the cause of the
terrorist attacks because it was “more interested in chasing
skirts than terrorists.” Does Jones honestly think that if
George W. had been in power the last eight years, the attacks would
not have happened?
Simplifying the Clinton administration to “skirt
chasing” is like simplifying Bush senior’s
administration to “throwing up on foreigners.” The
Clinton administration was in power during the most economically
prosperous era of American history. The executive branch did a lot
more than chase skirts.
Jones and a lot of other people need to realize that the war on
terrorism is not a war that can be won outright. If terrorists
really want to strike, they will, even if we double our defense
budget.
Bush is not a good president yet. How he deals with the
important domestic issues like education will decide whether or not
he was a worthy choice on election day.
David Burke Third-year Political science and
English
Controlling women not judges’ place
I am writing in response to Lauren Black’s article
proclaiming that abortion should be illegal (“Abortion
equals murder; it should be made illegal,” Viewpoint,
Jan. 29).
Are there not enough kids waiting to be adopted and put in
foster homes? Are there not enough welfare children barely
surviving? Are there not enough children being abused by their
parents? Why bring children into this world without a guarantee of
a good life?
I am not advocating abortion, but I am advocating teaching young
people about birth control methods at an early age, instead of
making them raise babies before they’ve even fully developed
themselves. Our goal should be to educate about safety and birth
control so that people won’t be faced with
horrible consequences that force them to make horrible
decisions.
And as to allowing courts to make decisions about a
person’s own body: if a judge is allowed to make these
decisions for me, I might as well have the rest of my human rights
taken away as well. I thought this was a democracy. A woman has the
right to choose her own path ““ and the responsibility to deal
with the consequences.
So instead of harshly criticizing those who decide against
bringing a baby into this world without certainty of health and
comfort, Black and others like her should focus on teaching people
about safety so that we can continue to enjoy our freedom to make
decisions for our own lives.
Semhar Fisseha Second-year English