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The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

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    Ron Drake better alternative to Grijalva

    (In her letter in Sept. 21’s Arizona Daily Wildcat,) Sophia Saucedo asked us to “”do our homework”” before judging Ron Drake’s opponent Rep. Raul Grijalva. Well I’ve done my research, and the facts speak for themselves; our current congressman is completely out of touch with reality. For starters, Grijalva just recently refused to recognize the heroic work done by the New York Police and Fire Departments during 9/11. In addition, our congressman voted against pork-barrel spending reform (HR 1003) and voter fraud protection (HR 4844) while voting in favor of lowering restrictions placed on convicted child predators (H.AMDT 527). I seriously doubt that Saucedo believes that such action is in tune with the interests of our community. Clearly our congressman has been reelected because he has had no strong opposition.

    Fortunately this year, former Avondale Mayor Ron Drake is running against our representative. Drake has made a name for himself by leading Avondale to the third-highest percentage in job creation in the country, according to Money magazine. Drake is a moderate candidate who promises to work to improve our universities, provide funding for Tucson’s horrible transportation infrastructure and fight to bring high paying jobs to our community. It doesn’t take much research to realize Grijalva is an ineffective, out-of-touch congressman. I encourage Saucedo to do her homework on Ron Drake; she will be glad she did.

    Bryant Conger
    senior majoring in public management and policy

    Longing for a bygone Facebook

    This week has been a sad one in the life of a college student. Despite the deep depression I am suffering, I felt it was my civic duty to express my disappointment in the recent changes to www.facebook.com. For the past two years I have accepted it as one of my family members; gleefully accepting friend requests, chuckling at the groups I joined and anxiously waiting to see if a special someone would poke me back. But now…that is all lost. For Facebook took a glorious networking tool of the college student and reduced it to a database of despair. Now, when I sign in, I hide my head in shame, for I feel like a stalker. And now, couples must face the difficult decision of whether to tag each other on their profiles, or put “”it’s complicated,”” or simply remove the “”single.”” They must making this decision knowing that their choice will be seen by hundreds if not thousands of people.

    In closing, my parents often use the phrase “”I remember when”” to signify when movies were $1 or burgers were 75 cents. Well, perhaps I am getting old, for now I find myself saying, “”I remember when Facebook was fun.”” How I long for the days of old, and how I sob at what my precious Facebook has become. R.I.P. Facebook, Sept. 5, 2006.

    Tyler Carrell
    finance senior

    Graf not right for Arizona

    As if Arizonans needed another reason not to vote for Randy Graf come Nov. 7, the ultraconservative has refused to sever ties with a leader of the Ku Klux Klan. This obvious nod of support coincides with Graf’s decision to vote against a bill that would have banned the burning of crosses, a common practice of white supremacists. Graf also is a senior adviser to a group led by a self-described “”white separatist.”” Furthermore, even national Republicans have abandoned their support for Graf by pulling critical ad buys. The facts are there, and the choice is clear. Graf is not right for Arizona.

    David Martinez III
    pre-education senior
    president, UA Young Democrats

    BMI cutoff for models only a publicity stunt

    I am writing in regards to Michael Kors’ much-lauded move to ban models with a body mass index less than 18 in his Madrid show. Most of the media, including Wildcat writer Lillie Kilburn in her Friday column, have praised Kors for his “”unprecedented”” move. I, however, would like to suggest that Kors’ actions are nothing more than a publicity stunt and will do nothing to change the body types of the models who walk down the runway.

    If one does the math, a model who is 5-foot-8 with a BMI of 18 would only weigh 118 pounds. Considering that the average weight of models ranges from 110 to 125, this new requirement really doesn’t affect many models. Furthermore, according to “”The Anorexia Workbook,”” a BMI of 18 is considered underweight and a person with a BMI of 17 would meet the weight requirement for being diagnosed with anorexia. I want to clarify that just because one meets the weight requirement for anorexia does not mean one has anorexia because this diagnosis is contingent on many other factors. Yet one who has a BMI of 17 would likely appear emaciated. On the surface, it appears that Kors is helping to move the modeling industry more in line with what the average woman looks like. In reality, however, Kors has done next to nothing to put more realistic-looking women on the catwalk.

    Jessica Wertz
    family studies and human development senior

    Prop. 103 deserves a ‘no’ vote

    One of the many frivolous propositions facing Arizona voters this November is

    Proposition 103, which stipulates that English shall be the official language of the state of Arizona for all governmental purposes. Prop. 103 would also prohibit discrimination against a person because the person uses English in any public or private communication.

    Sound ridiculous? It is. While such a proposition may be the result of the “”cultural backlash”” from the effects of globalization, Arizona voters need to turn out to the polls and show that they are not afraid of something as ridiculously harmless as the blending and interchanging of cultures.

    As Carlos Fuentes, a prominent Mexican author and candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature, once said, monolinguism is a curable sickness. I could not have said it better, and I hold that learning a second language is exactly the same as learning to read. It opens up a whole new world of people, cultures and literature that was before unattainable. It is to expand one’s mind and horizons beyond their cultural limits. In today’s rapid transformation into a globalized society, such a mental expansion is not only desirable, it is necessary.

    The proponents of Prop. 103 have nothing to fear. English not only will not die out in the state of Arizona due to large numbers of Spanish-speaking residents, but it will continue to expand throughout the world as the dominant political and trade language, therefore no law is necessary to “”protect”” it. Arizona itself derives much of its rich identity from the abundant variety of cultures to be found here, including both Native American and Mexican linguistic, architectural and dare I mention culinary influences.

    So students, please fight for openness, rationality and the taco in your hand by voting NO on Prop. 103 in November.

    Brian McArthur
    junior majoring in Spanish

    Why Republicans will maintain control of Congress

    I know, I know. I hate to be the bubble-burster. I know there has been lots of “”buzz”” about Democrats taking either one or both houses of Congress. And as an independent, I would like to state for the record thatÿI think America is due for a change in power.ÿHowever,ÿwhenÿI attemptÿto look at this somewhat (I repeat, somewhat) objectively,ÿI give the edge toÿthe Republicans.ÿHere’s why:

    1.ÿRepublicans have a solid base.ÿHowÿis it that with seemingly no recent accomplishments and a gradually worsening war in Iraq that there are still three out of every 10 people supportingÿPresident Bush? These 30 percent will inevitably vote strictly party-line in upcoming elections.ÿ(Unfortunately, the person who thinks Iraq/Iran/Afghanistan are all the same country has just as many votes as you do.)ÿ With a base like this, Republicans already have an advantage over Democrats.

    2.ÿDemocrats areÿmissing opportunities.ÿInstead of focusing on whatÿDemocrats’ strong issues are (health care, minimum wage,ÿunemployment) they are trying to match the Republicans issueÿfor issue.ÿ So Democrats get stuck talking about national security, border control and illegal immigration. In these issues, conservative opinion is the majority.ÿ

    3.ÿRepublicans get the right people to the polls. Sadly enough, the politicians don’t get elected by popular opinion; they get elected by the opinion of those who vote. With about 40 percent of Americans voting in the previous two elections, it makes a pretty big difference what 40 percent of the population votes. Whether it was gay marriage in 2004 or illegal immigrants here in 2006, Republicans will beat the issues that they know will get their voters in the booths in November. For instance, take immigration.ÿEven though Republicans cannot solve the problem of 12 million illegal immigrants in our borders, people will still vote for them in the election.ÿThey don’t have to actually do anything to get these votes, just talk up the issues, then watch the votes come pouring in.ÿAnd luckily for them, the issues will still be around for many election years to come.ÿ

    Just remember, the UA has 36,000-plus students.ÿWe can affect this election. Your vote does matter.

    Kerwin Ross
    political science sophomore

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