Justice group crosses line with UA Mall fence
Two years ago, Justice for All offended much of the UA student population by covering the UA Mall with blown-up photographs of aborted fetuses. Justice for All was criticized for being insensitive and forceful. This week, the Social Justice Leadership Center and Chican/Hispano Student Affairs have managed to top Justice For All’s manipulative tactics by placing a fence in the middle of the Mall in memorial of those who died trying to hop the border. While the mortality rate is devastating, UA students and U.S. citizens alike should not be forced to feel guilty about someone else’s risk. The immigrants were aware of the dangers they faced, so how are the consequences of their backfired choices the fault of Americans? Why can’t I freely walk across the Mall simply because immigrants cannot freely cross the U.S. border? At least Justice for All gave students the option of weaving through the tasteless abortion photographs on the Mall. Once again, a rights organization has overstepped its boundaries and inappropriately conveyed its message to innocent citizens and students.
– Laura Donovan is a creative writing junior.
Palin politics: friends first, country second
According to a Sept. 13 story in The New York Times, Gov. Sarah Palin governs her state with an iron fist and under a shroud of secrecy – or at least she did, up until hitting the campaign trail as Sen. John McCain’s running mate. Elected to the governorship in 2006, Palin wasted no time in firing her critics and then indulging in blatant nepotism by hiring highly unqualified friends to fill state-level positions. Palin appointed a high school classmate to the $95,000-a-year directorship that oversees the $2 million State Division of Agriculture, for instance. The friend’s qualifications, you ask? A career in real estate and “”a childhood love of cows.”” I once played that Operation game. Does that qualify me to be the next Surgeon General? Everyone but Palin knows the answer to that question. To fix the damage of the last eight years, this country needs qualified people in high-ranking positions, not a politician’s top eight MySpace friends.
– Justin Huggins is a senior majoring in ecology and evolutionary biology.
British science is natural selection in action
Our English-speaking cousins on the other side of the pond continue to prove that, when it comes to science, they are years ahead of Americans. First, the Anglican Church is seriously considering an apology to Charles Darwin for maligning and misunderstanding his theory, and they are insisting that the Bible doesn’t contradict the theory of evolution. This is probably a publicity stunt, but finding new ways to remove religious fanatics from the mainstream is always a net good. Second, the Rev. Professor Michael Reiss, education director for the Royal Society, resigned from his post after a conflict over some comments he made regarding creationism. Reiss suggested that creationism should be treated as a worldview, not a misconception, and that debate regarding it shouldn’t be quashed if students bring it up – which sounds like a nice, moderate perspective until you remember that it is exactly what creationists want. Maybe becoming a bit more European isn’t such a bad idea after all…
– Taylor Kessinger is a senior majoring in ecology and evolutionary biology, math and physics.
UA should consider additional computer access for students
With the new addition of about 1,000 students to the UA this semester, it might be wise to either consider adding more computers or making the additional rooms that are off-limits to students available, especially during peak hours when people need to print and have to hurry off to class. How many distraught or impatient students do we have to see waiting for something to open up? Not everyone has printers at home, you see. Room 112 in the Integrated Learning Center, which only holds classes maybe once or twice a week, has 30-odd computers that sit all by their lonesome, since the room is only available with card access. I know what you’re saying: “”But there are multiple OSCR locations, and this place, and that place!”” Yes, but the Main Library and the ILC are the one central place where most students are able to use computers and get to class on time. If it is this busy now, what will it be like when midterms and finals rear their ugly head?
– Matt Wavrin is a media arts senior.
