Columnist ignores beauty, purpose of Israel celebration

Mr. Schivone, your article about Israel is extremely upsetting to read (“”Dissenting is the best way to honor Isreal, Feb.24,2009). It is hard for me to understand how you can criticize a celebration that represents the pride and joy people have for this beautiful country.

Israel Week is a week to celebrate the amazing country that many students on this campus have visited and fallen in love with. In no way are we trying to bash or present hateful views towards enemies or neighbors of Israel. You say there “”is not a single piece of literature on the other 10 million people it is literally as if they do not exist””. This is untrue. For example, in the “”Visit Tel Aviv and Jerusalem”” exhibit in the Santa Cruz room on the 3rd floor of the union there is a poster that reads “”religions have one place in common”” and shows the symbols for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

How the people of these religions “”do not exist”” is ridiculous when posters such as this and others try and show the commonalities in the religions and cultures who share this region.

You stated that “”the people coordinating do not care or simply have nothing to say about the roughly five million Arab and Palestinian people””. Israel extends their borders to these people, unlike other Arab countries who will not even accept Palestinian refugees. Israel’s culture is so intertwined with Arab culture due to being in the same region with them, it is impossible to exclude them. It is absurd to say “”the people coordinating do not care”” about these people when if you look into the events on the mall there is hookah and a Bedouin tent, which is not strictly Israeli.

Israel Week is simply a week of celebration and in no way trying to exclude or bash anything. Israel Week is an educational event that is geared toward allowing people to experience and learn new things. Students should be able to form their own opinions after this educational week, not before the event happens due to a negatively written article.

Rachel Sampson

anthropology sophomore

Critics of Israel belong to disgruntled minority

Mr. Schivone is absolutely right. What gives Israel Week the right to ignore the Arab-Israeli situation when it is such a significant element of Israel? A few key points that Israel Week overlooks: The terrorist organization Hamas plants bombs in hotels, cars, and restaurants, and trains suicide bombers, adults and children alike. It is considered honorable to serve their cause by sacrificing themselves to destroy their enemies. Hundreds of people die every year by their own hands, and killing innocent men, women, and children is a wonderful bonus. Israel Week fails to recognize this. In 2005, Israel forcibly removed its entire military and civilian population from Gaza, hoping for peace. In appreciation, they receive the constant wail of rockets launched from homes, hospitals, and schools in Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of lives are disrupted daily, both Israeli and Arab. Rockets don’t discriminate. Israel Week fails to recognize this.

The day after the United Nations accepted Israel as a sovereign state in 1948, Israel’s neighbors attacked, their purpose to “”push the Jews into the sea.”” Sixty years later, the death wish lives on. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has vowed that Israel “”will soon be erased from the geographical scene,”” striking fear into the hearts of Israelis, Zionists, and Jews around the world. Israel Week fails to recognize this. Although Israel’s history is littered with strife and death at the hands of others, she is an incredible cause for celebration. She has not only survived but thrived for 60 years despite facing the worst that humanity has to offer. Her struggle began even before her birth. There is so much to celebrate in Israel’s existence alone. Israel Week applauds the good in her: the technology, medicine, diversity, liberty, love. It’s a travesty to see people trying to drag her down to their own dishonorable level.

Israel is a democratic nation, and in every democracy there is a minority who opposes it. I thank you for bringing this minority to our attention. And I thank you for providing me and my fellow members of an outraged majority with the opportunity to let the truth be known.

Lara Erman

media arts junior

New class-standing system no problem for responsible students

In response to Heather Price-Wright’s criticism of the proposed new class-standing system, I don’t see what the problem is. 120 units is required to graduate (128 for Engineers). I don’t see why it shouldn’t be that if you complete 1/4, you’re a sophomore, 2/4, you’re a junior, 3/4, you’re a senior, and all and you graduate. Taking the minimum requirement of 12 units every semester simply will not allow you to graduate on time (save taking summer school).

So yes, taking only those 12 required units will affect your ability to graduate. Why is it the administration’s responsibility to let students take only as many units as they can handle. Shouldn’t that be the student’s responsibility? The administration’s responsibility is to provide clear and concise guidelines on a path that is required to graduate.

If a student can’t handle that path, then he or she needs to get help resolving the problem. Taking five years to graduate is nothing to be ashamed about.

David Knapp

electrical engineering senior

Police Beat provides entertainment for alumnus

Thank you, Daily Wildcat, for keeping the Police Beat tradition alive. I always enjoy stories about “”a green, leafy substance”” or minors in possession.

Keep up the good work and Bear Down!

UA alumnus, ’05