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Show PAGEA5 An open letter to President Bush from a single mother Loraine D. Glueck Guest Opinion Writer Dear President Bush, I realize how busy you arc, with all the world in chaos over Iranian and North Korean nuclear potential, tsunami victims, the waning value of the U.S. dollar, etc. But I hope you have a moment to read this letter and attempt to understand my perspective. I won't give you a sob story - I'll just give the facts. I am a single divorced mother of three children. We are on food stamps, Medicaid, and housing. 1 work, and I go to school full time. It has come rather forcibly to my attention that you intend to cut housing funds, leaving thousands homeless, and increase military spending by approximately $81 billion. With all due respect, Mr. President. 1 am having much difficulty understanding how taking my home away to build a missile will accomplish peaceful world relations. It took nearly a year for us to net into a home as it is - we have Readers Forum... LETTERS TO THE EDITOR * E-Mail letters to uvscopinionsC«'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Letters must be accompanied by full name, address, and phone number for verification purposes (contact information will not be published). Occupation, title or major is optional. Letters with an asterisk at the head have been abridged due to length and space considerations. If you enjoyed reading the abridged version visit www. netxnews.net for our reader's original uncut letter. Cellular division Dear Editor, I would like to address something that has been troubling me for quite some time now. Personally I would consider myself to be a somewhat shy individual, but occasionally I like to break from my shell and make conversation with someone I don't know (particularly girls). However, this task has become increasingly difficult because of the use of cell phones. Many girls are guided through the halls of UVSC with these silver instruments attached to their hand and skull. Lately I'm beginning to see cell phones as "extensions." Author Edward Hall defines an extension as, "An invention or scientific breakthrough that permits man to solve problems in satisfactory ways, to evolve and adapt at great speed without changing the basic structure of his body." An example of this is the telescope. When someone looks through a telescope, that person can see objects millions of miles away. But while looking into space, the viewer can't see anything else around him. Please keep in mind, my fellow students, when you're on the phone with someone who isn't there, you're missing out on people and events that are there. While the rate of technology increases, we further distance ourselves from everything that is human. Don't let this happen. Brett Smith Provo Behavioral Science Major UVSC can't balk community values Vagina Monologues inappropriate newspaper's liberal bias Dear editor, I would like to address the string of events that many consider the . reasons that UVSC did not receive the DLC. Regardless of where you may live, to a great degree, you will have the influence of the community in the decisions you make. Granted they cannot overrun you, but plain common sense tells us that if we want to get things done in the long run, we have to give up smaller things in the short term. We as a school cannot underestimate our community. We are them and they are us. There cannot be a "just ine" mentality, but rather there must be one that is inclusive of both the school and the community. This is not a far-fetched idea and can be met in a way that will leave both sides happy. Take for instance, the Vagina Monologues. The purpose behind them is great but the way they were portrayed is not becoming of an organization such as this school or its affiliates. I agree whole heartedly that women who have been abused in such a manner deserve and need help to cope with the serious scars that are left after such an incident. However, I do not agree that it is • something that should be just flippantly talked about like it was the gossip of the day. We can and must do better. I see a continuing liberal slant in the articles found in the newspaper. I would hope the news could be presented in such a fashion that reader's opinion is determined by how the reader feels after reading the information in an article and not because they have been swayed by the writer's opinion. Sincerely, Jon Fairbanks Cedar Hills already been homeless twice while waiting for housing funds to come through. I don't want to have to tell my children that I don't know where we will live anymore. And when they ask me why, what do I say? "Blame manifest destiny and NAFTA?" I'm sure you or one of your many advisers, writers, or what have you will be able to come up with an eloquently worded speech explaining to us lower - class citizens why we must sacrifice our homes so other lower - class citizens of other countries can be bombed and lose their homes as well. I look forward to your attempts to convince me of the correctness of these actions; however, I am quite doubtful that I will be swayed to vote Republican in the future if my family ends up in a hopeless... er... homeless shelter. Pardon the Freudian slip. I suppose my final point is: How can you hope to make peace with other countries if there is no peace within your own? People are literally dying to come to America and live in our wonderful world of op- portunity. But if I have no home, all my opportunities will be lost, the so-called American Dream shattered. But I will not be surprised. Sincerely, and with all the respect one can give, Loraine D. Glueck "If you look at a thing nine hundred and ninety-nine times, you are perfectly safe; if you look at it the thousandth time, you are in frightful danger of seeing it for the first time/1 -G.K. Chesterton Legislature underfunding UVSC, "community values" hypocritical Dear Editor, I fail to see how the legislature believes UVSC does not have it's priorities in the right place. We want to build a LIBRARY! Utah's roads, evidently, are more important than the education of thousands... and we sit here and wonder why this state is in the condition it is in. Our teachers can't afford to drive on the roads our legislators want to fix because they don't pay them enough! Who has the core value issue? This was a state that was founded on principles of freedom, knowledge, and learning. The pioneers that settled this area wanted to be able to do what they wanted because people were suppressing them and not allowing them to follow their hearts. HOW THE TABLES HAVE TURNED! When a College wants to promote diversity in an area that desperately needs some serious culture, the "community" wants the heads of those in charge. How did Kay Anderson, become voice of the community? He acts and talks like he's the Mayor. I didn't see him on the ballot. He speaks of the community backing him. Who is he talking about? How did he become the moral representative of the "community?" How can someone be so sheltered, against being open minded, freedom of sp'eech, and the value of well roundedness and be considered a pillar of an upstanding community? I would also like to thank BYU. Your honor code, which a fraction of your student body follows, has made UVSC look like the little red devil you want us to be. Let's face it, this community bleeds blue. It is a cesspool of pride, short sighted, light minded, hypocrites. Any institution that boasts that, "The Universe is our Campus," has a serious ego problem. How has UVSC become a threat to the community and culture? Michael Moore came to present his side of the story. He thought that things in this country needed to change. He should have been able to come and express his views to a people who are willing to listen and evaluate what he says and make a decision based on what he said. We should have wanted to understand where the other side was coming from. We should have embraced him with arms outstretched. This country is based on hearing both sides of the story. Just because it may not be a side you want to hear doesn't mean it shouldn't be heard. That is sooooo j ignorant. This is a state that spends over $5 billion less on education than the national average. And we*want to build roads instead of libraries. Caleb Reeve Read Caleb's letter "Heckle, Heckle," at www.netxnews.net where he teaches our own Sports Editor Ryan Meeks how to heckle at sporting events. ASUVSC V.P. of Academics lays out rationale for support of tuition increases Dear Editor, In the February 21 issue of the College Times I was quoted as saying, "I'm for these [tuition] increases." What was left out was my reasoning for why I am for these increases. Since the publishing of that article I have received a number of complaints from students and I would like to explain my reasoning. First of all, if more students came to me and told me they were against the increase, I would fight against it. Since only 15 showed up to the hearing it seems that most people don't care. Second, a large portion of this tuition increase is going toward getting more advisors. Our school, along with most others in the state take a hit because of lack of advisement. In the State of Utah, it takes an average of 5 years to graduate with a 4 year degree, largely due to advising-related problems. I don't know how many of you have tried to meet with an advisor 8%, and 12%. I have seen tuition go from $800 when I was a Freshman to over $1200 now. I consider a 5% increase to be very modest. Unfortunately, until we start getting more funding from the If more students came to me and State we as students have told me they were against the [tuto eat the cost in tion] increase, I would fight against second-tier tuition. it Since only 15 showed up to the I would encourage all of you to contact hearing it seems that most people your legislators and let them know how don't care. the lack of funding is hurting us. on a regular basis to discuss your progress, but it is very difficult. Thanks, Not to mention that a large number Leland Page of "advisors" are full-time faculty ASUVSC V.P. ofAcademics also. Orem In the past three years our second-tier tuition has gone up 16%, How would Jesus treat homosexuals? Dear Editor, What are the values this so called "community" of Utah Valley exactly? Is it simply fear of something most of us don't understand (and maybe don't want to understand) that has made the comrriunity so discriminatory toward homosexuals and women speaking about violence committed against them? I would think most of the valley's citizens being members of the . LDS church would make us more accepting toward people who differ from us in race, sex, or sexual preference. The LDS church was persecuted and driven from place to place across the Nation because the members had different beliefs than the majority of U.S. citizens at the time. And here the descendants of persecuted people are turning around and telling Homosexuals they can pack their bags and leave town because we don't want them here because they differ from the LDS "norm." Talk about hypocrisy. What are we telling Homosexual students who attend UVSC? Are we telling them to pack their bags and go north to the University of have? Or would Jesus treat them with the kindness he treated everyone? You decide. Face it Utah Valley, homosexuals are here to stay whether you like it or not. So instead of having the Federal Government come to force civil rights down our throats in the next to twenty years Face it Utah Valley, homosexuals ten we need to get active are here to stay whether you like it and learn what we can about this new or not. So instead of having the fed- culture. For this I eral government come to force civil applaud UVSC for offering more diverse rights down our throats in the next classes to educate ten to twenty years we need to get those of us who want to learn more about active and learn what we can about our unique neighbors. Isn't that what this new culture. college is about anyway? Offering many diverse views so students their liberal views here as they're can develop their own views and from California? It sickens me to iwuiink the ones they have? Unless see such a W.A.S.P. attitude in my of course you don't see anything own backyard! Does anyone honestly think Jesus wrong with living in ignorance; just do everyone a favor and keep your would treat Homosexuals and ignorance to yourself. women speaking about violence and life to be less than human like the way many Happy Valleygoers James Neel Utah because we aren't allowed to make them drink out of separate drinking fountains? Or what about the students who come to UVSC from out of state and don't share our opinions? Do we tell them to go home because we don't want |