Shelton’s plan a departure from King’s dream

Apparently, recently appointed President Robert Shelton wants to start his term off with a bang, judging from his high hopes for increased Hispanic enrollment (yesterday’s “”Shelton Wants UA 25 percent Hispanic””). While I too believe that everyone should have an opportunity to receive a higher education (provided that they are qualified), I hope that this new resolution of Shelton’s does not in any way lead to discrimination of non-Hispanic applicants. I remember when I was applying for college, and I always balked at the “”race”” category. Should I leave it blank? Lie? Check the appropriate box next to “”White/Caucasian””?

The simple and somewhat harsh truth is that no matter how much we want to believe that race is no longer an issue in this country, sometimes it seems like race is all that matters. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said in his famous speech, “”I have a dream that (people) will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.””

Well, that dream still isn’t a reality, because if I was being judged on my character, I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t matter what my race was. I am all for the increased enrollment for Hispanic students at the UA … as long as it doesn’t mean students of other races will be rejected because the administration wants to fill a quota.

Allisyn Keyser
senior majoring in physiology and creative writing

England lovable, despite faults

I have to say I was slightly annoyed by the sweeping generalization Lillie Kilburn made in her editorial, “”Now, for someplace completely different.”” In it, she claims that anyone who’s actually lived in the U.K. has been disenchanted by the experience and has realized they are truly American at heart.

I have personally had the privilege of studying at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. It was not all roses and teacups, that’s for sure. I did see a drinking problem, heard annoying music (Top of the Pops, anyone?) and even had the privilege of stepping in vomit. And yes, I know that breathing the air in London is worse for your lungs than smoking eight cigarettes a day.

However, as gritty as things could be, I’m ready to pack my bags and go back at a moment’s notice. England holds more inherent charm for me than anywhere in the U.S., and I’d gladly go back, even if it meant never tasting another good tortilla as long as I live.

Maybe it’s that I love history that makes me not mind that the buildings are a bit crumbly. Despite the pop music, the independent music scene is amazing. (I spent every Friday listening to acoustic music in an 800-year-old pub.) And even though the Norwich bus drivers were on strike more often than not, I loved the idea of a place where cars weren’t deemed a necessity. In addition, I appreciated the fact that university students in the U.K. spend less time in a classroom and more time doing independent research than they do at most American colleges.

In the end, I don’t think I can quantify what it is about England that I love, or why I want to go back. I just ask that those who are serious about visiting give it a chance – it’s not paradise, and you won’t be removed completely from the problems of the U.S., but you may find that you love it on its own merits. I, for one, would prefer a medieval church (Norwich has upwards of 30) to a cactus.

Maybe not an American at heart,
Jennifer Picard
creative writing senior

Wildcat’s grading gets a fail

In response to the failing grade for “”Desecrating a day of remembrance,”” (in Friday’s Arizona Daily Wildcat) the Daily Wildcat opinions board should use their journalistic skills of observation before passing judgments. The Wildcat graders claim that on Sept. 11, the speakers at the Alumni Plaza alternated between “”protesting and praising current political leaders,”” most likely President Bush. However, this claim is erroneous: While there certainly were protests, there was no praising of any current political leaders. And concerning politics, there were no orations from either the College Republicans or, by the looks of it, from the Young Democrats. Indeed, if the Wildcat opinions board members present were more attentive, they would have noticed that the general message of all speakers was that the U.S. is wrong. Yes, the speakers varied in their protestations. Some criticized Israel, others read poetry against violence and still others, such as the sharp-minded Richard M. Eaton from our department of history, urged for peaceful resolution for the problems related to Sept. 11. Yet the speeches predominantly involved a medley of theories about how President Bush is essentially the modern equivalent of Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. To the confused individuals who embrace these ideas, Sept. 11 represents the day when the leaders of the U.S. government began their tyranny over American citizens.

Sure, one could easily condemn these demented opinions, but as the Wildcat itself said a few days earlier, this so-called re-examination of Sept. 11 was to be “”a public inquiry of discussion, perspective and debate.”” Do those involved with the discussion deserve a failing grade for their controversial opinions? Perhaps, but the answer to such a question deserves a better explanation than the one offered. On the other side of the fence, if the Wildcat aims to fail the College Republicans for their booth between the plaza and the UA Mall, perhaps it should rethink its own perceptions. To many Americans, the tragedy was no accident, hurricane, earthquake or volcanic eruption. Sept. 11 was a deliberate and premeditated attack by America’s enemies, quite similar to the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. How to deal with those enemies is naturally a matter of policy that depends on the representatives we elect. For helping the UA remember Sept. 11 and for quietly and solemnly setting up their usual booth offering voter registration to all, the College Republicans get a pass. For inaccurate reporting, self-contradiction and the unremarkable composition of five sentences based on a gut reaction, the Daily Wildcat gets a fail.

Daniel Greenberg
political science freshman

‘Refuse and Resist’ correct to question, condemn status quo

I would like to voice my frustrations in response to the letters claiming that Refuse and Resist’s political action Sept. 11 was exploitive and in “”protest”” to the remembrance of those who passed. While Sept. 11 serves as a day to remember those lost, it also warrants, at the very least, a reflection on the consequences of that day. To not re-examine the many implications this day has had on the world would, in fact, be a disservice to those who died. Our grief is not a cry for war, despite what Bush says.

Our demand to drive out the Bush regime is labeled as “”unreasonable”” by those who wish to remain engaged in politics “”as usual.”” But in the current situation – in which torture is normalized, murderous wars are launched and planned, power is concentrated in the executive branch, theocracy is increasingly imposed and science is suppressed – in short, when fascism is being put in place – there is nothing more reasonable than to demand what to some seems to be impossible.

Politics “”as usual,”” working within the killing confines of this political system, will only suffocate the potential for real change. Joel Shooster is right in stating (in his letter in Friday’s Daily Wildcat) that Refuse and Resist does not represent the voice of the Democratic Party. And as for “”hurting the Democrats,”” the Democrats are doing that themselves. Their complicity in all the crimes of the Bush regime is a betrayal of the people they claim to be for and shows their true face. The Democrats won’t save us. It is up to the masses of people to take responsibility for the situation in which they live and fight for a world worth living in, for all of humanity. To ask for anything less is unreasonable.

Rather than hoping for a mythical pendulum to swing back in November, why not do the only thing that can truly reverse the disastrous course we are on? Why not hit the streets on Oct. 5 and help create a movement that can change history? Check out www.worldcantwait.org for more information.

Stephanie Woods
veterinary science senior, Refuse and Resist president