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Show opinion/ MONDAY-NOVEMBER 7*2005 from Ihe left from Ihe the liberal position that incremental reOpinions Writer forms can save our system. Liberty cannot be maintained when people are disenfran, Our esteemed editor posed the question chised by money. I think that political equality is an idea to me as part of our Left and Right series: "Why are you a liberal?" The simple an- symbiotic with economic equality; every swer is that I'm not. While it is easy to criticism of economic equality can be apsimply characterize people as liberal or plied to political equality. If human nature conservative, it generally does violence to is takirig advantage of any situation for the complexity of political positions and one's own benefit, why do we ostensibly to the general positions of the individual. allow someone that option in democracy? I am not conservative because I do not be- Furthermore, if human nature is "bad," it lieve there is much in our system worth doesn't matter whether the government or saving, and I am not a liberal because I a corporation determines the distribution. don't think the redemption of our system of goods and services, "human nature" is possible through incremental changes. I will still unethically take advantage of every situation. Claiming things about so-am a libertarian leftist. I hold my position for the simple sake called human nature doesn't really answer of freedom. I believe that one should have the question of the superiority of capitalthe freedom to do whatever one wishes, so ism or various forms of socialism, because long as one does not forcibly harm anoth- each is subject to human nature. Additioner. It is the creative aspects of human exis- ally, it seems that the system now is mortence that realize human freedom. Simply ally failing. This system has the possibility put, we are most human when we are do- to increase production, but it chooses not ing what we love. That can mean painting to for the sake of profit. For example, we a picture, it can mean singing a song, or have the capacity to feed every single perit can mean rebuilding an engine. A good son in the world. Yet, under capitalism, if society is a society that allows individuals we removed the governmental incentives to restrict production, we would overproto fulfill their nondestructive desires. This leads me to support democracy or duce thereby over saturating the market some form of representative govern- and crashing-it. This systemic problem ment. The basic idea is each can't be fixed by liberalism. individual Furthennore, if we examine the distribushould be able tion of economic power shouldn't we deto have some sire a similar sort of equality? If someone say in how had the equivalent political power of the the larger so- large corporations or the richest individuciety is mov- als, wouldn't we be horrified? The acceping politically. tance of economic inequality rests on a However, I don't dubious distinction with the political. know that the sysFinally, I view this world of participatory tem we have now re- democracy and economics as possible and ally works. Political beneficial. If one looks to the open-source parties dominate software, one can find through Linux and everything and the Open Office free non-capitalist products campaign finance which are just as good as the capitalist alsystem under- ternatives. Furthermore, they progress in mines the very no- a democratic and non-authoritarian way. tions of a representa- It is not competition that forms the basis tive democracy. for economies, but it is cooperation. The We must make position that competition brings the best is fundamental logically absurd. War is the most complete changes in the and total competition, but it seems morway our "de- ally reprehensible to say that war brings mocracy" oper- the greatest good. We should look for new ates before it modes of cooperation to increase both our can honestly be political and economic freedom the way called demo- war does not. cratic. I deny j ricjltt Why be Republican? Left wing but not liberal Gregory Luncero A5 Bryan Horn Chair of UVSC College Republicans In my role as chairman of the College Republicans at UVSC, and as an active member of Republican government, . many people ask me "Why are you a Republican?" I wish to answer that question with a.few points. First of all, government is great. I think learning about the development of the world's greatest democracy is one of the greatest things we can learn as citizens of this nation. When one learns of the trial, the hardship and the courage of our founders, it makes one's heart burst with the American spirit. Second, The Republican Party is the party of the people. We are a party of great ideas. We as Republicans put those ideas into action. We are a party that supports the promotion of individual worth and capability of every citizen. This is why Republicans are actively working to enable citizens to stand on their own two feet, to depend less on the government for their basic needs. Third, we are a party that has vision. When the Democratic Party was founded by Andrew Jackson, it was a party of progress, passion and purity. By the late 1960's that dream and drive brought us to the shores of France at D-Day, to the gates of Berlin, and the temples of Toyko. The Democratic Party brought us there in victory. It then landed us on the moon, where we took that great "small step for man" and "giant leap for mankind." Then, all of a sudden, quite recently, things began to change. After the rise of the Republican Party in the 1980's, Democrats lost their vision. They lost all touch with reality. Granted, Bill Clinton was elected for eight years, but what did he do that we will forever remember his presidency? I think we can all think of one thing, but is that one thing something our children should be proud of when studying the history of our nation? What have the Democrats done to show they have a vision, an agenda, a plan to fix the problems? I have been listening with a glass to the door in hopes of hearing an answer. I listened as John Kerry said,, "I have a plan..." and "Help is on the way!" In the sudden aftermath of those two declarations, and as the people leaned forward in anticipation of hearing the answers to all our problems...silence, except for the chirping of the crickets. Nothing...no vision, no plan. Fourth and foremost, we are a party of diversity. We are a party that allows all views to be heard...from the right wing Hannity to the left liberal Juliani, we welcome it all. We are a party that embraces diversity and opinions of all sides. Democrats have lost that. They are only interested in one voice....the voice of Howard Dean, and anyone who thinks like him. They are only interested in the left of the left voices of Clinton, Schumer, Durbin, Feinstein, Rangel, Boxer, Daschle, and Kennedy. There is no room for anyone fairly moderate. There is no room for Democratic Senator Zel Miller, or even for former vice-presidential nominee Joe Lieberman, an orthodox religious Jew. You either speak left, are you must keep your mouth sealed. Democrats have resorted to the hateful spewings of their chairman Howard Dean, who calls Republicans "Nazis", "Terrorists", and "A bunch of white Christian rich men." They are a party that twists the laws to fit their agenda, and will do anything to gain a vote. It's great to be Republican! It's great to be on the winning side! We have a vision, a plan, and a priority. We are putting our world back together one piece at a time. This is why I am a Republican. Courtesy graphic/DreamworKS 2,000 Death Tragic, but worth the cost Dear Editor, We did it. After three long years, we finally hit 2,000 casualties. Let us mourn the loss of our countrymen. But let's not make their deaths in vain. I'm looking at this previous week's paper and I see a picture of "UVSC Professor Alex Caldiero and students .from his Beat Generation class" and I see someone holding a sign that asks "Why 2k?" Clever play on words indeed. But I have a question for you Professor Caldiero: Why 300k? Why did the world lose 300,000 Kurds? Why are we not mourning their deaths? 300,000 is 150 times 2,000. That means that there are 150 times the families crying, that means that there are 150 times the tears shed. Quit being selfish. We're there. We're going to be there a bit longer. There is a job that needs to be done. We removed Saddam Hussein from power- a dictator that killed his own people. But he only killed his own people, so it's really none of our business, right? Wrong. It is our duty as human beings to protect against genocide. We have lost 2,000 soldiers: marines, sailors and airmen. A life is a life; it is something to be mourned over when lost. But do not dwell. Pick up the pieces and drive on. It is a sad day indeed that we lost 2,000. But our military men and women aren't giving up because of it. All of us in the military have lost friends. I know people that I attended basic training with are already in Iraq, and dead. I mourned the loss of my friends. But I didn't let it affect me in the long run. I kept working, kept moving, because I knew there was a job to finish. Drive on. Professor Caldiero. Drive on. We've all dealt with loss. Pick up the pieces and keep moving, people. If we forfeit, then we've already lost. Battle of Iwo Jima, WWII. Total time: 36 days. Total Casualties: 19,938. Operation Iraqi freedom. Total time, so far: 2 years, 8 months. Total casualties so far: 2,000. Does anyone see the parallel I'm trying to draw? In 36 days we lost almost 20,000. In less than 3 years, we've lost 2,000. Does anyone see the difference in the time to casualty ratio? The casualty rate of this war is phenominally low. We're making a small sacrifice to enhance the lives of others. 300,000 dead Kurds. Do you care, professor? It doesn't seem so. — SPC. Tom Leishman U.S. Army P.S. To anyone who has read my opinions inserts and is wondeing why I'm not in Iraq yet, my deployment date was moved to January. Courtesy graphic/ Disney Ihe goo<T\ the bad Ihe ugly Idler/ lo Ihe editor Thank you to SPC Tom Leishman Dear Editor, Normally when I write in I have some soap box to stand on, some issue to discuss. But this time instead of my usual ranting and raving I just wanted to say thank .you. I want to say thank you to SPC. Tom Leishman, who wrote into the paper last week and to all the other men and women who go to fight for freedom. Mr. Leishman is returning to Iraq as a member of our country's military. SPC. Leishman like so many other American soldiers volunteer everyday to fight our countries wars whatever and wherever they might be. In all the sound bites, hype and rhetoric, we often forget that those on the front lines are people too. And yet too many of us, who feel that our place in Iraq is wrong, take it out on those who answer the call of our country's leaders. Now I want to make it clear that I am opposed to the war in Iraq. But that is neither here, nor there. I also want to make it clear to all those American soldiers, both at home and abroad, how grateful I am for the choice they have made to fight for our countries freedom. Now I don't know if you can be against a war and still have gratitude and respect for the soldiers who fight the war. I guess what I am trying to say is that not everyone opposed to this war is without respect and gratitude. And to Mr. Leishman, thank you again for what you do and for helping us remember underneath that helmet and Kevlar vest is a human doing what they feel is their duty. Sincerely, Ihe good For the first time since the legendary #12 called it quits, the Utah Jazz have a point guard—and win their first game. Ihe bad CNN gets rid of Aaron Brown in a never-ending chase with FOX News for ratings. Look for American Idol's Ryan Seecrest or singer Michael Jackson to replace him (both have much larger appeal based on annual viewer statistics) — Brian Maier LETTERS TO THE EDITOR * E-Mail letters lo uvscopinions@hotmail.com • '.-. * The NetXNcws room is located on campus in SC220. . • * All letters become property of NetXNews and may be edited for content, specifically clarity, length or other concerns at the discretion of the Opinions Editor. * Letters between 50-250 words are encouraged and those letters marked by their succinctness are more likely to be published. * Letters must be accompanied by Full name, address, and phone number for verification purposes (contact information will not be published). Occupation, title or major is optional. • . ,'•'.-': • ^ . Ihe 119I1J Kevin Federline makes his hip-hop debut on the internet. Need I say more. v- |