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Show ™ SUMMER UTAH CHRONICLE C•PINION www.dailyu tahchronicle.com Friday, June 24, 2005 Nature chose moms and dads Offended? Change the channel Editor: I write in response to Connie Anast's letter to the editor ("Homosexuals make great parents," June Editor: It was very heartening to know, and I am extremely thankful, that Jared S. Ellis will allow others an opinion ("Liberal PBS doesn't deserve government funds," June 22). I, too, am barraged with disagreeable thoughts on a daily basis. My solution has been to either change the channel or turn off the offensive communication, I do this whenever I see or hear President George W. Bush, and so far it has been very effective. Dorothy Elizabeth Greenland 22). library Staff Give PBS a chance Editor: Jared Shane Elliss wrote about the mythical liberal bias of PBS and NPR ("Liberal PBS doesn't deserve government funds," June 22). He challenged folks to prove him wrong. Elliss, you made the accusation, and in the process you offered no examples to prove your point. Not even one. You're challenging us to prove you wrong? I don't think so. If anything, you should be the one offering proof. Don't talk about a liberal bias if you don't have a laundry list of concrete examples that prove you're right. Hint: Opposition to the war in Iraq or discussions regarding the ethics of folks like Tom DeLay are not the sole domain of liberals. I used to believe there was a liberal bias on PBS and NPR. Then something amazing happened: I stopped spewing about biases and decided to see for myself what they were really all about. Long story short, I no longer accuse them of biased reporting. Until you offer concrete examples to illustrate a liberal bias, Elliss, I have no choice but to assume you are merely parroting what the Limbaughs, Liddys and Hannitys of the world are telling you. Erik Ratcliffe Junior, Graphic Design THE CHRONICLE'S VIEW Don't miss the Utah Arts Festival ou don't have to be a billionaire to be a patron of the arts—you just need seven bucks. :; The 29th Annual Utah Arts Festival is going on right now at Library Square in downtown Salt Lake City, and U students should check it out before it ends on Sunday. The price is reasonable—$7 for adults and free for kids younger than 12. You can even download a discount ticket form on the festival's Web site at www. uaf.org. The festival is also easily accessible by TRAX, so you can avoid traffic and feel good about not wasting gas. The arts festival offers musical, literaryf theatrical and dance events. The festival also places a strong emphasis on multiculturalism, showcasing art forms from Ireland, Cuba, Chile, Brazil, the Middle East and other places around the world. The U has a high number of non-traditional students with families of their own, and the arts festival is a great opportunity for them to spend time with their kids. A day at the arts festival will cost a family less than a trip to the movie theatre. Furthermore, kids will learn more from the arts festival than they'll learn from a Saturday matinee at "Herbie: Fufiy Loaded." With arts programs in public schools losing fund- ing, the obligation to teach children about the arts falls upon parents. The task of raising well-rounded children with knowledge of the arts might seem intimidating to parents, but it can be done in ways that are painless for both parents and kids. This festival is a great opportunity to introduce kids to the fine arts in a way that is fun, not preachy. Students taking summer classes should take a . break from their midterms and spend an afternoon • enjoying the entertainment and food that the festival has to offer. In addition to being a fun event, the arts festival is a good cause. Those who choose to make their living in the fine and performing arts aren't always the most highly valued members of society, as their annual income usually reflects. We can all agree, however, that without artists and artisans, our world would be a much more boring, much less colorful place. It's important to support the arts, and attending the Utah Arts Festival is one great way to do it. It's a good cause, with good entertainment and _ good food. What more could you ask for? . Regardless of whether one believes gay marriage to be ethical or not, one cannot dispute the fact that the fundamentals of biology prohibit gay couples from having a baby. Based on the notion that has been explained to me by gay friends— that they are born gay, as opposed to growing up and changing—then my question is, why does nature choose them to be gay? With the point of view that one is born gay, it leads me to believe that there is some sort of purpose. Nature doesn't just haphazardly run its course through time, but is very precise in its decisions. So what does that mean? Well, unless nature is choosing to eradicate the entire human family, I, see no alternative suggestion except that nature chose those who are gay , to not have children. Why else a r e • they gay? * • • As studies have shown, many homosexual couples that have chil- , dren raise them comparably with^ t those of heterosexual couples. ( •, So where is the problem? I argue r • that it is not with the parents of .• -.-, the children, but with the children", themselves. ,,-, Nature chose thousands, if not.^ , _ millions of years ago, that humans 7 would be able to propagate by hav ing a male and female breed. There-, fore, the offspring would be able^o, -. call upon a mother and a father; n q t just one sex, and not two of one sex, : Unfortunately, in our society jve.. ^ i have taken nature's decision that,-,? humans be raised by a mother and v a t father and replaced it with whatever our own selfish desires suggest. ,.- v - -, Instead of thinking how g r e a t . . - . z a gay parent could be at raising.a-, - child, think of how nature chose.. - , . children to be raised. Nature chose;* that human children should havethe right to a mother and a father. Clayton Perkins Junior, Business Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of The Summer Utah Chronicle Editorial Board. Editorial columns and letters to 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, religion, creed, gender, appearance or sexual orientation will be edited or will not be published. .. ••, • . r Fight for your right to party Students support Crimson Nights, so funding should be guaranteed C rimson Nights, one of the most successful events at the U, has had its funding put in limbo by ASUU. Previously, the Union Programming Council was given a lump sum with which they organized Crimson Nights. Now UPC has no guarantee of funding from ASUU whatsoever. ASUU wants the flexibility of being able to say, "OK, UPC—here's the money for October's event. Come see us after it's over, and we'll decide if you get more. Now kiss my ring." The problem with this scenario is that every single Crimson Nights event will be up in the air until ASUU deigns to grant some funds, or UPC manages to find an outside source to front the cash. Regarding the decision to allocate money to UPC on a case-by-case basis, John Poelman, ASUU vice president, expressed concern about the quality of future Crimson Nights. He asked, what if it sucks? Though he was quick to add that he didn't think that would especially be the case, the implication was still out there—Crimson Nights could suck, and why would ASUU want to fund that? Though it's noble to want to hold student groups accountable for the funding they receive, is "sucking" really going to be the standard of success? Does ASUU really want to go there? Last year, ASUU senators averaged 75 percent attendance at their meetings. Last year, ASUU threw a Homecoming Dance and funded a concert with Habib Koite and Bamada, neither of which was well-attended. Yet their money is still guaranteed by the ASUU Constitution. If sucking is the standard, shouldn't we wait until the end of the year to give ASUU officials their RuthAnne Frost tuition reimbursements? Shouldn't we wait to fund Homecoming Week until after we see how Redfest goes? After all, we're going to start evaluating Crimson Nights on a case-bycase basis—even though it was one of the most successful productions the U put on last year. Is it really fair for ASUU, one of the least student-supported organizations on campus, to be telling one of the most successful organizations on campus what is good for the U and what isn't? to continue. - -^ ASUU wants to be able to evaluate The fact that thousands of students the success of Crimson Nights and didn't even bother to vote in ASUU,. •, then allocate UPC funding. elections speaks for itself. , i£) Yet when it comes to giving stiASUU should continue to fund pends to their members, who evaluCrimson Nights and make it a ates ASUU? Redbook rule — _ _ ASUU evaluto guaranates ASUU. tee Crimson hough it's noble to If we reNights' funding ally want to in the future. want to hold student start holding Students like it;1, groups accountable for the individuals and ultimately and groups student fees funding they receive, is accountable will wind up for the funding "sucking" really going to paying for it. they receive, We should be the standard of success? keep the maybe we ought to have _ _ _ _ momentum students decide from last year's what's successful and what's not. Crimson Nights going—and start The fact that thousands of students considering taking money away from attended Crimson Nights last year is people and programs that do suck. , a huge indication that U students enletters® joy Crimson Nights and want them chronicleMtah.edu Tony Poulson Send letters to the editor at letters@chronicle.utah.edu |