Friday, June 5, 1998
Letters
Little changes have big effects
I am writing in response to an editing error in my recent
Viewpoint submission ("Stop fighting racism with more racism," May
28) that resulted in my severe misrepresentation.
A sentence that originally read "It is only when peoples of all
colors can learn to treat peoples of all other colors with dignity
and respect that we can expect to live in peace" was changed to "It
is only when people of color can learn to treat people of other
colors with dignity …" Not only did this change radically deflate
my argument (that racism must be fought on all fronts and in all
peoples, not just in those to whom the submission was a reaction),
it made me sound like a victim-blaming racist fool.
It is my sincere hope that some good will come of this. Editors
at all levels need to realize that when someone chooses to hold
their views up to scrutiny in the Viewpoint pages – especially
those concerning topics as complex and volatile as racism – every
word is chosen with extreme precision and care.
Any alteration of those words, no matter how small it may seem,
has the potential to cause exorbitant damage. I only hope that this
letter is not too late to repair it.
Kimberly Mackesy
Fourth-year
English and communication studies
Voice of citizens must be heard
I am absolutely disgusted at the un-American tactics of some
so-called "civil rights" groups, including the Mexican American
Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the American Civil Liberties
Union, the Asian Law Caucus and the Multicultural Education,
Training and Advocacy, who filed a federal class-action lawsuit in
San Francisco Wednesday to block Proposition 227. Proposition 227
passed overwhelmingly with 61 percent of the votes.
I don’t think the opposition understands what it means to
"vote." Let me once again use my American Heritage College
Dictionary Third Edition to define vote: "To decide the disposition
of (a formal expression of preference for a candidate for office or
a proposed resolution of an issue), as by electing or
defeating."
This freedom and right to choose who we want in office and which
resolutions we want passed, is the foundation upon which the United
States of America was built. Once this freedom and right to vote is
compromised, everyone’s freedom is threatened. Californians
overwhelming showed their support for Proposition 227 Tuesday. This
lawsuit filed by the aforementioned groups is a slap in the face to
each and every citizen who voted. These groups are saying that our
voice – our majority voice – does not count and that it was useless
to vote on Tuesday. To them, I say that we, as proud American
citizens, exercised our right to vote and it was not useless
because Proposition 227, just like Proposition 209, will become the
law in the near future.
We, the English for the Children supporters, are fighting those
groups in court and will prevail. And we will have those teachers
who will not comply with the law fired from their jobs. We need
competent teachers who will teach children English, not teachers
who will "play politics" with our children and disobey the law.
Marlon A. Cicero
UCLA Bruin Republicans officer ’98-’99
UCLA Young Americans for Freedom