OCR Text |
Show MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20,2010 THE SIGNPOST The Signpost Viewpoint Education is for everyone The illegal immigrant amnesty debate found itself at the heart of American debate this week, as the DREAM Act continues to move toward a vote on the Senate and House floors. Misconceptions with the DREAM Act have painted this bill as a free-for-all to citizenship, when in reality the conditions involve spending years in the United States as a lawabiding citizen. The DREAM Act is meant to give children brought into the U.S. illegally a chance to improve their lives by giving these children a chance at education. These children must have a clean record and if they attend college for two years or serve in the U.S. military, then they have the opportunity to become citizens. For the children raised in this country, their home now, this opportunity will give them a chance at a future that was never there before. Education is not for the few; it's not for the elite or special. Education should be available to every person, whether he or she legally belongs to a nation or not. Children brought into the U.S. and raised here as citizens are just as much Americans as any of us Comical Corner enrolled at Weber State University today. The only separation is that they don't have the physical documentation that would allow them the same privileges that we have each day we go to class. Who does it serve to keep these people from advancing, from having the chance at a better future? Does it hurt the armed forces to take in people willing to be taken away to the Middle East just for the chance to be a legal part of our nation? Does it hurt the higher education system to produce high-caliber students that will add skilled and trained labor to our work force? These are the at the top of their classes, are questions we should be asking. denied the ability to seek higher Who does the DREAM Act hurt? education is obscene. This country should open its doors to Now this bill is attached to those who want to seek a brighter a defense reauthorization bill future in this country. And that's already headed no one has earned for a vote. This week, or deserves that if the scheduled more than the procedural vote Education is students who have passes, the Senate not for the few; lived here since floorwillbeopen childhood, speak for debate on the it's not for the the language, have DREAM Act and elite or special. obeyed the law the real heat on and are dedicated to legislators will come the idea of advancing forward. themselves through When we are a nation service and education. that would pass acts like No Child Left Behind, the simple fact that thousands of undocumented Comment on this column at high school graduates, students wsusignpost com. Political Shorts Weber Cares aids financial irresponsibility Michael R. Addams • Signpost columnist Most members of the Weber State University Student Senate went on a hunger strike last week to solicit donations for Weber Cares, a program designed to help starving students. Students who find themselves in need can visit the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership and request a $10 gift card to be used for a single visit at any Sodexo food location on campus. The program was started in response to the concern that some students go three or four days without food, blaming the rising cost of tuition and books. I will never knock the goodwill of those who genuinely want to help another person, but who is this program really helping? In a previous issue of Vie Signpost, it was said that Weber Cares has already been used by 175 students, "illustrating a greater need than expected." The only thing that has been illustrated is that the program has been used, not that it is needed. To receive the gift card, a student is only required to read a note that states the purpose of the program and say, "Yep ... that's me." There is no requirement that a student demonstrate a true need for the assistance. Similarly, there is no reason the student couldn't take a semester off to save enough money to cover the total cost of being a student. I do realize that some of the recipients of this welfare program may truly be in need, but the real problem could be a lack of ability to budget properly. For that reason I have three simple meal suggestions for the financially troubled: 1. Peanut butter and jelly. An 18-ounce jar of peanut butter costs about $2. Jelly costs about the same. A loaf of bread can be found at a grocery store for as cheap as $ 1 and if you visit one of the namebrand bakery outlets in the Ogden area, you can often get two loaves for $1. Throw away the heels and that's 18 sandwiches for $5. Cost per sandwich: 28 cents 2. Ramen. Prices have gone up, bringing ramen noodles to a whopping dollar for five packages. Everyone knows someone with a Costco or Sam's Club card, so why not have them pick you up a case of 48 packs for $7? Cost per bowl of noodles: 15 cents 3. Cereal. A box (or bag] of generic cereal costs about $2, and if you pay attention, you can find sales to get an even better deal on name-brand cereals. A gallon of milk is $2 and that will last through at least two boxes of cereal. Cost per bowl of cereal: 38 cents (averaged) Of course, you will want to make sure you get some fruit and vegetables in your diet as welL A 15-ounce can of peaches or pears is about $1. Green beans are 65 cents. While repeating the same meal day after day isn't always the most pleasant, don't tell me that you can't survive on those three meals. I did for more than two months straight, with only the occasional pizza when I felt like splurging on payday. Perhaps instead of gift cards, Weber Cares should consider providing coupons for the above items and coordinate personal finance seminars. If you give a student a gift card, he or she will eat for a day. But... if you teach a student to befinanciallyresponsible and plan ahead so they don't find themselves hungry ... because they forgot to budget for food... Well, you can finish the rest Comment on this column at cum 'inWrJ J( i| M-fltt '••^'.iliV^;-,)^" tJ. .J L__; A* •w wsusignpost.com. |