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Show WWW.NETXNEWS.NET MONDAY • MAY 15 • 2006 TETI letter/ to the editor Response to Hendricks firing Dear Editor, After reading about the firing of Todd Hendricks in the April 10th edition. I feel persuaded to defend Mr. Hendricks. It is about time that someone tried to open students1 eyes about student elections. Personally, I won't ever vote for a student official because I feel they are all corrupt. I can't believe the amount of money that "we" as a school trust them to handle. We shouldn't have to pay for their weeklong "training" vacation in Florida SQ they can golf, but we do! I applaud Todd for his courage, and wish that more people would realize the ugly truth. — Kale Moore In defense of Dr. Steven E. Jones Dear Editor, In the April 10th edition of NetXNews, Dr. Allan Firmage. Professor Emeritus, Civil Engineering at BYU, stated that BYU Physics Professors, Steven E. Jones, "presentations are very disturbing." Dr. Firmage is referring, of course, to the nation (wide alternate media attention to the 9/11 research of Dr. Jones) exposing grave deficiencies in the Governments official account of what occurred on September 11, 2001. Dr. Firmage seeks to refute Professor Jones' conclusions of pre-set demolition, yet he doesn't even take on the big issues. Why, for example, did World Trade Center Building 7 Collapse on the afternoon of September 1 Ith, in what many described a picture perfect demolition. The majority of American's are not aware of the collapse of this 47 story high building. There are few who have seen video footage of its collapse. This was the third steel frame skyscraper in world history to collapse due to fire, thefirsttwo occurred that same day: World Trade Center Towers 1 and 2. Stunningly enough, the 9/11 whitewash commission never addressed it; they didn't even give one single paragraph, not a sentence, not a word to the collapse of Building 7. And this was an investigation? If Dr. Firmage and others are out to refute conspiracy theory, then please address the issues Dr. Jones and others of Scholars for 9/11 Truth bring up, such as the collapse of WTC 7. Those disparaging Dr. Jones and his research never address the big issues and the core of his argument. Dr. Firmage is right that all students who would support a conspiracy theory should investigate all details of that theory. Amen Dr. Firmage, Amen, (full letter online at www.netxnews.net) —Shaun Knapp Student Member, Scholars for 911 Truth LETTERS TO THE EDITOR * E-Mail letters to uvscopinions@hotmail.com * The NetXNews 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). Time for change O kay, so here's a little quiz for you to take. The goal is to try and figure out what group, association or corporation the people referenced in the list belong to. When the answer is revealed at the end, I am sure that most of you will be surprised by the answer. 1.) 36 of them have been accused of spousal abuse. 2.) Seven have been arrested for fraud. 3.) 19 have been accused of writing bad checks. 4.) 117 have either directly or indirectly bankrupted at least two businesses they were involved with. 5.) Three of them have served jail time for assault. "big government," it is hard to believe the wealthy members of Congress when they say they wish to stop the big spending associated with elections and change how money is raised in the process. Especially when these same congressmen and women 7.) 14 of them have been arrested on drug-related chargrely on these large amounts of money to get by. Even Utah's es. own Orrin Hatch (one of campaign finance reform's biggest supporters), is not immune from the problem and has said 8.) 21 are currently defendants in a lawsuit. that a full overhaul is '"highly unlikely." While I understand that running for a governmental of9.) Eight of them have been arrested for shoplifting. fice, costs a lot of money, I think it is time for a change. Lets put a cap on the total amount that can be raised and 10.) Finally, 84 of them have been arrested for driving spent in a campaign. How about a cap of two-three million while under the influence during the last year. dollars? If we made it a low, but still large enough number, then So can you figure out who this illustrious group is? Is it we would see more corporations and PAC groups spreading members of the NFL, NBA or Major League Baseball? 1 Perhaps it could be a poll of students at any major univer- their money around. They would have to get behind different candidates, thus bringing the little known, but well sity in the nation? qualified politicians back into the forefront. Well, I guess its time to give all of you the answer: Other than Barak Obama, when is the last time, that we The group that these criminals mentioned above belongs had a young politician who was not from a well-known to, is the United States Congress. How did this happen you may be asking. Well the answer family cause a big stir on the political scene? It has been awhile and now it is time for that to change. is quite simple. Money. We need more people in power with good character, inNo matter what you have done in the past, as long you have your hands in either your own deep pockets or in someone stead of having Coneress littered with criminals and the else's then you can basically get yourself a seat at the table morally corrupt, just because they have more money than in some form of government. That is unless your opponent their political opponents. has his hands on more money than you do. But perhaps more than anything, it is just time for a In this age of so-called "campaign finance reform" and change. 6.) 71 of them cannot get a credit card due to their poor credit history. Be careful what you protest for Dave Gillespie lies that, if success had followed them, would have changed history for the better? Or did they fail for a reason? "Take a stand." "Revolt against that One such protest that is not commonwhich is wrong." The actions that sur- ly thought of is the anti-war marches of round these sayings are as American as the Civil War. Most Americans today apple pie. Rebelling against authority would look at the Civil War as a necesis what America is all about. From the sary conflict that changed America for Boston Tea Party to recent immigration the better. At the time, though, many in protests, peaceful revolts have existed the North rejected the war and rallied and thrived since the countries found- in violent protests. At the start of Amering. ica's bloodies war, anti-Lincolns ramAlthough taking a stand is historical paged through the streets protesting the and is often beneficial to our society, president. Peace Democrats demanded is it always right for the present and the war to end from the very beginning future? This is the question that must and were viewed by Republicans as rest in our minds as we ponder what traitors. we believe and will peacefully protest When this overlooked history is prefor. When looking for the validity of a sented, questions come to mind. What protest, pondering history can help us would this country be if President make the decision of whether to protest Lincoln had given into these protests? or not. What would the level of racism be? No Our elementary history books in- doubt life would be much, much differformed us of the great protests that ent—for the worse. shaped our country for us today: BosRecently, our eyes have seen two maton Tea Party, Civil Right marches and jor rallies of immigration rights' and anti-Vietnam rallies. But are these pro- anti-war movements. Two Saturdays tests validated by history? What about ago, a peaceful group of 300 gathered protests that failed at their respective on the Salt Lake City County Building time, and then likewise missed the cut to actively protest the War in Iraq. Led in our history books? Were they ral- by Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky AnOpinion Writer COLLEGE TIMES now online ' derson, their chant was "No More" to the Iraq War. Other free speech rhetoric included: *'We need to bring our troops home - alive, now" and "Who really is using weapons of mass destruction?" Around the nation there have been other protests, including a 20,000 man march in New York City. Then on May 1st, we experienced the walkout of foreign immigrants to demonstrate their worth in the United States of America. Previously, we saw marches demanding respect and amnesty for those illegally residing in the country. We as Generation X live in a remarkable historical time. As such, we must choose where we stand. Without going into pros and cons of war and immigration rights, it is imperative we look to the present and future of our current actions. Are the U.S., Iraq and Middle East better off with soldiers there attempting to keep the order or is it better to leave the Muslim countries to themselves? Should we demand illegal migrants to become legal or leave the situation as it is and has been? Take a stand but ponder the results. History will judge us for it. |