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Show OP NIO N G WEDNESDAY 128 Daily Utah Chronicle 1 $50 is CHRCKlCiE'S W W America not be intimidated by thugs end We will too much 1 V assassins.' for replacement befriend them. r J bus pass Fifty dolors can buy any ski of things: a full-da- y to a local ski resort; a used U'Xtbuuk from the U book-rfxre and even a new, IA'D player. It can also buy a a replacement UTA card made of plasJified paper that allows U students to ride TRAX and the bus for free. Hut if you lose your card, you w ill pay a $50 fine. This is outrageous. Both the U and UTA are concerned that students will share their passes with iiher people who are ineligible to participate in the free ridership program. The S50 fee acts as a punitive fine students are more likely to hold on to their passes to avoid paying the fine. Everybody loses things. The ED PASS is designed for commuter students who take more than one bus to get to and from school. It is especially easy for them to misplace persona items, including a flimsy bus pass. Sometimes there is a replacement fee associated with misplaced items. For example, if a UCard is lost, damaged or stolen, U students must pay a S25 fee to receive a new one. A missing driver's license costs only $13 to replace. And a replacement credit card is free. The $50 fine for a misplaced ED PASS would be easier to swallow if students could easily get away with sharing their passes with other e; low-grad- LD-PAS- people who should not have access to them. But the cardholder's name is printed clearly on the pass and a UCard which provides photo ID and verifies a student's status at the U is required to verify ownership of the If bus drivers are really doing their jobs, it would be impossible to use another person's card and sneak a free ride. If anybody manages to work around the system, it is only the fault of the bus drivers. But with long lines during early morning and late afternoon hours, it is too time consuming to check every student for supplemental ID. If UTA and the U's Commuter Services are so concerned about preventing use of the by ineligible parties, one possible solution would be to print a photo ID on the pass itself. This would also eliminate the need for UCard verification. Another alternative would be to place a special sticker on the UCard with the eligible student's name and expiration date printed on the sticker. This would eliminate any confusion as to the rightful owner of the ED-PAS- ED-PAS- S pass. It would also alleviate unnecessary costs in producing thousands U Commuter of Services and UTA should have considered these and other alternatives before imposing exorbitant fines on students for making an mistake. reflect the majority opinion of The Daily Utah Chronicle Editorial Board, 1d the editor are strictly the opinions of the author. The forum created on the Opinion Page is one based on vigorous debate, while at the same time demanding tolerance and respect. Material defamatory to an individual or group because of race, ethnic background, gender, appearance or sexual orientation will be edited or will not be published. Unsigned vv editorials (dilonal columns and letters School yx LdnI.." LETTER 10 THE EDITOR Have compassion for illegal immigrants Editor The Black Plague. Genocide. AIDS. And now, illegal immigration. Over the whole illegal immigration "crisis," it is disturbing to me that people do not even look at the very basis of the problem. How does one become a perpetrator of this most heinous crime? I think if anyone can cross a border without being shot by our border patrol (thousands have died), I think he or she should become an honorary citizen, like Cuban refugees. It seems stupid and shal low that the argument of why it is bad for society is that American tax money is spent on it Ed like to see the statistics on that and then I'd compare them to the exploited wages and treatment they get. But I guess you're right. They deserve it they are doing something illegal, just like jaywalkers. California is not bankrupt because of illegal immigrants, they are bankrupt because companies like Enron take advantage of its citizens and its government. Our great country was founded on illegal immigration as we waltzed onto the Native Americans' land, but don't get me started on that All I ask is that people take a step back and realize they, as well as us, are people just trying to live, provide for their families, build a working society and a chance for their children to have a better life. I'd give up a dollar a day for that because I know I would greatly appreciate the same treatment. Have some compassion. Mike Greene juiiiui, juiiuiuyy point counter point Libya's capitulation is a boon in the War on Terror Bush's assault on global terrorism proves successful After being wrong so isn't there a where shame begins to set in? Looking over the last three years, every single Democratic prediction has been proven wrong, and not in a small way. A full recounting of every errant claim advanced by leftists would take volumes. Highlights include the claim that Afghanistan would defeat the U.S. military ("look what they did to the Russians"); that invading Iraq would cause the collapse of moderate regimes like Egypt and Saudi Arabia; and that a wave of refugees would flee occupied Iraq. Well, when I last checked, Afghanistan was adopting its new constitution after being defeated in roughly three weeks; Egypt and Saudi Arabia have yet to collapse; and millions of Iraqis are celebrating freedom, getting new jobs and reading one of the 400 new Iraqi-ru- n local newspapers. Liberals were utterly, totally, wholly wrong. We live in dangerous times, times that liberals are for. Sept. 11 proved that the terrorist threat to America was a clear and present danger. International terrorism, coupled with the weapons of mass destruction produced by rogue nations, could wreak far more damage than the 19 hijackers of Sept. 11 could even dream. To combat this threat, the Bush administration launched a comprehensive assault on global terrorism. We targeted terrorist networks, worked to cut off funding and began pressuring the dictators who provide terrorists with weapons, money and support. long-neglect- i 3. But Bush's policy has still destroyed US. credibility newspaper, Khadaffi has sent a delegation of five "top government officials" to open diplomatic relations with Israel, a longtime Libyan enemy. g Just one week ago, UK paper The Guardian reported that Libya had also surrendered a shipment of left-win- Jasyn Jones Opinion Columnist We introduced democracy to peoples who have known only subjugation. To do this, we have worked with any nation willing to aid us. We have forged a global coalition against terror. We have taken our case before international bodies, where appropriate. We have convinced former supporters of terror Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to cut off their support. Those rogue regimes that would not comply like the Taliban and Saddam Hussein have been dealt with. Even Muammar Khadaffi, 30 year dictator of Libya, has responded to our pressure. Libya has long been a supporter of terrorism, including attacks on American troops in a nightclub in Berlin and the downing of Pan Am Plight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. The Khadaffi regime has suffered international economic sanctions for its support of terrorism. Yet this dictator has after h a series of negnine-mont- otiationssought readmit-tanc- e to the community of nations. He has promised to hah his WMD programs and his support of terrorism. Khadaffi's surrender is already bearing fruit. As reported by Nazareth's Kul uranium enrichment centrifuges. These centrifuges are banned technology, used solely for the purpose of producing weapons grade uranium for use in a nuclear bomb. No country is supposed to be able to purchase even one, but Libya had 1,000. 1,000 high-spee- d This news is hopeful Khadaffi's move bolsters his credibility but also worrying. If Libya could acquire these banned technologies so easily, what of Iran, North Korea, Syria or other aggressor states? Clearly, nuclear proliferation is more pervasive than anyone thought. Reasonable people are entitled to wonder why this international dictator became a would-b- e statesman. The answer, given to the London Spectator in April 2003 by Silvio Berlusconi, prime minister of Italy, was simple. Khadaffi said that "I will do whatever the Americans want because I saw what happened in Iraq and I was afraid." Having pursued the correct course in Iraq, we are rewarded not only with the removal of Saddam Hussein, but also with the capitulation of Khadaffi. Once again. Bush has been proven right and his arrogant, sneering liberal critics proven wrong. letters 'chronicle, utah. edu there is one area in the Bush has failed the United States, it is foreign policy. To act like President Bush's swagger of arrogance has done anything but embar- bombs. Terrifying the rest If rass, injure and offend this country is just plain crazy. He has done more to encourage proliferation and sabotage international peace agreements than any leader in recent history. Let's recap the last few years: He managed to launch an unprovoked, unfounded and unending war with Iraq. He abandoned the of the planet into obedience SsdMK v.wjtiiJk '.Mir- Kathleen Gurr Opinion Columnist disastrous string of Bush induced international failures. Of course Khadaffi was afraid after the United States invaded Iraq in fact, most of the world was frightened. Such an erratic, unilateral Missile Treaty. He decision to invade would successfully alienated most of alarm anybody. the international community But scaring the occasional while reinforcing internationrogue nation into submission al stereotypes of America as doesn't make the world safe an egotistical, and it certainly doesn't gain the United States any respect bully that doesn't play well with others. He refused to or trust around the world. It establishes foes by putting support the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, potentially other countries on the defenprovoking another arms race. sive. It reinforces American-aime- d He refused to enforce the fury, increasing susNon Proliferation Treaty. picion and, consequently, And under Bush, the United proliferation. An inconsistent States is trying to develop foreign policy founded on new nuclear weapons for the fright is both shortsighted first time since the end of the and precarious. Cold War. The conservative claim Bush's actions destroy that it's good to convince American credibility, aggrathe rest of the world that the vate proliferation and proUnited States may attack at duce a climate of mistrust any time is illogical, danand international tension gerous and nothing to brag about. Last week, expressing unseen in decades. To label the Bush administration's concern about Bush's arroforeign policy a sensational gant mishandlings, Maureen success is to blatantly lie. Dowd reiterated President In the international arena. Clinton's argument that Bush's actions amount to a "unless America wants to miserable catastrophe. The occupy every country in the effects world, maybe it should conpotential long-terare terrifying. centrate on making friends instead of targets." There's Libya's agreement to disa promising idea: invest mantle weapons of mass American resources in builddestruction is a solitary achievement in an otherwise ing relationships instead of PLEASE SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR TO Anti-Ballist- ic self-absorb- m LETTERSCHRONICLE.UTAH.EDU is absurd and asking for trouble. An effective foreign policy develops and maintains international agreements based on trust rather than fear, cooperation rather than intimidation. Libya's dismantling of weapons material is praiseworthy, but as a whole, the Bush administration's foreign policy is disastrous. Our long term stability and credibility are undermined when Bush bullies other countries into surrendering, worsening an atmosphere already steeped with rapid proliferation and growing mistrust. If this policy of intimidation continues, the United States won't have allies it will have hostages. Not only has Bush alienated the rest of the world, he has also done a terrible job of fighting terrorism. Contrary to conservative claims, there has been no "comprehensive assault" on terrorism. In fact, the only things that have been comprehensively assaulted under Bush are Iraq, the economy and the average American's intelligence. The Bush administration's foreign policy has destroyed any credibility and respect the United States may have had in the international community. His international actions have sabotaged peace agreements, intensified weapons proliferation and heightened mistrust. Despite short-terprogress. Bush's arrogance is jeopardizing American security. The United States deserves more than his pompous pretension; it deserves the world's respect, not its terror. m letters chronicle, utah. edu |
