Letter to the editor:

As Wildcats, many of us consider The University of Arizona a home. The inspiring network of people and enriching environment that we are surrounded by at the UA would not be possible if the university itself was not as accessible or affordable. The opportunity to spend such formative years here is due to students that came before us who were willing to use their voice.

For the past 39 years, the Arizona Students’ Association has represented the student voice to advocate elected officials. ASA’s efforts are focused on keeping education at the UA available to as many people as possible, as well as at ASU and NAU.

ASA brings the strongest student voice possible before the Arizona state Legislature. This ensures that our best interest is considered when it comes to legislation on our education. House Bill 2169 is a bill that would eliminate the Arizona Students’ Association in retaliation for a group of students expressing their political opinion.

The bill is anticipated to pass the Committee of the Whole and now is only a signature away from becoming law.

I urge you, as a student with a voice, to use that voice to contact our governor to tell her why she should vote “No” on HB 2169. Rarely have we seen such a pressing opportunity to stand up as a student body and tell our government that we have the ability and the right to decide how our school is run. This bill is only intended to do harm to a student organization and limit the student voice, which is unacceptable.

Using our voice, both individually and collectively, to contribute to our school community is what is means to be a Wildcat.

Now is the time is speak out and ensure that future students have a chance to experience everything our school has to offer.

Please take five minutes of your time today to call or send an email and ask Jan Brewer to say “No” to HB 2169.

— Theresa Delaney, ASA intern and UA student

Online comments

In response to “Gay athletes would do well to go public” (by Dan Desrochers, March 27):

Why? It’s not like you’re another race. You just think differently than others. I could make the same argument that there needs to be more Libertarians in the four major sports because the Libertarian community needs it.

— J

In response to “Stanford animal rights activists fail to beef up argument with comparison to civil rights movement” (by David Weissman, March 26):

What an uneducated editorial. Maybe this journalism major should do some research before publishing something this embarrassing. But … he helped make the point of the animal rights group quite nicely.

In the days of slavery (which by no means are over), slaves (of any color) were treated like we treat animals today, including castration without any type of anesthesia, selling the offspring without any concern for the parents and children, denying them feelings, self-awareness and any type of intelligence, etc.

There is actually a really good book on this topic which anybody writing about this should read: “The Dreaded Comparison: Human and Animal Slavery” by Marjorie Spiegel.

— PhoebeS