CUE helps keep UCLA in check Regarding the
editorial “University
correct to “˜fess up to its error,” (Daily Bruin,
Oct. 25): The Coalition of University Employees represents the
18,000 clerical employees of the University of California system.
CUE ratified a contract with the UC in December of 2000, and the
CUE-UC agreement clearly spells out clerical workers’ rights
and protections that are legally binding. Any violation of clerical
workers’ rights as set forth in the contract is a grievance
that the union seeks to resolve through the grievance procedure. On
Sept. 14, 2001, Jonnie Hargis was suspended for five days without
pay for responding to an unsolicited e-mail sent by a coworker. YRL
management sent out a new policy on use of e-mail that was more
restrictive than university policy. This policy would have had a
profound impact on everyday communication. CUE filed a grievance
over these incidents because everyone’s rights at the
workplace had been violated. To date the university refuses to
acknowledge that it attempted to sneak in a new work rule and use
it to justify discipline after the fact, which is in blatant
violation of the CUE-UC Agreement. The union seeks a “make
whole” remedy, asking the university to address three issues:
1) unjust disciplinary action, 2) illegal creation of a new work
rule, and 3) how to ensure a healthy, safe work environment ““
which is the university’s legal responsibility as an
employer. The university has addressed only the first issue, and
that is the reason why CUE has appealed the grievance. We
appreciate that the Daily Bruin is reporting on the everyday work
conditions of clerical employees because we keep the university
working.
Claudia Horning and Sara Faulds Coalition of University
Employees
War results need not be public The editorial,
“Public
needs truth to check on government,” was truly an outrage
(Daily Bruin, Oct. 24). Unlike the editorial staff, I do not
believe that “our leaders have an obligation to show its
citizens the bloody side of war.” Our leaders’ chief
obligation is to protect the lives and property of American
citizens. Right now, our leaders’ obligation is to prosecute
this war with as much force and violence as is needed to kill those
responsible for the events of Sept. 11. Why is it that the press is
dependent on our government for information as to what is occurring
in the war? Oh, that’s right. The Taliban has a big problem
with the notion of a free press. Unlike the Daily Bruin editorial
board, I have more faith in the information I receive from
President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld than I do in the self-serving
propaganda issued by Osama bin Laden and the Taliban.
Gregory McGinity Graduate student The Anderson
School
Westwood should not be corporate I was very
disappointed to read that the Daily Bruin recently celebrated the
opening of a Ralph’s grocery store in Westwood as if it will
be some sort of great benefit to the community and the student
body. In fact, the presence of Ralph’s, as well as the other
chain stores in Westwood, is another distressing sign of the
continuing homogenization of once-distinct Los Angeles
neighborhoods. The Daily Bruin should act more responsibly than
this. Where we once had locally-owned shops, we are now inundated
with stores that spend their profits far from the communities in
which they reap them, giving nothing in return. How many florists,
grocery stores, pharmacies and bakeries have these giant
supermarkets driven out of existence? The answer to
Westwood’s ills is not by turning it into yet another
Westside Pavilion, 3rd Street Promenade or Century City Plaza, but
by allowing it to develop its own distinct character. You can keep
your Ralph’s. As for me, I’ll continue to shop happily
at Breadstiks, which has been a Westwood fixture for the past 25
years, has friendly staff and cheaper prices to boot.
Barry Trachtenberg Venice
Homosexuality immoral, doesn’t deserve
respect Many of the angry letters written in response to
“Campus
contributes to wrong behavior,” (Daily Bruin, Oct. 18)
were emotionally charged but lacking in rationality. Most people
missed the gist of what Amirkhani was saying. Contemporary society
sees the word “moral” as an outdated notion of
pointless religious piety without actual social purpose. However,
objective morality does have a purpose. According to Webster,
anything moral relates to principles of right behavior. In the
sense that Amirkhani argued his point, homosexuality is wrong. It
is immoral. Amirkhani’s and my own main concern, however, is
not whether or not people recognize the way things should be
sexually and abide by the rules of morality. Concern arises with
the current fervor with which gay political and social
organizations seek to flip the basic ideals of morality and social
order that many consider to be healthy and productive ideals for
America to hold. There are actually some people who see the growth
of pro-homosexuality sentiments as a small part of an expanding
political malignancy of special social interests getting undeserved
attention and sponsorship from government and government-controlled
agencies, like municipal and city governments, public schools like
our own UCLA, and even with lawmakers. Coming Out Week was not just
an attempt to teach people to accept homosexuality as right. It was
a display of political clout. Many people do acknowledge the fact
that Coming Out Week is wrong and undeserving of a community-wide
celebration. Most people would have a problem with the fact that
whatever group was behind it got the support and advocacy of the
school without their consent, if they were aware of the
implications. Most of the public does not detect the larger social
disunity that is nourished by the flourishing of narcissistic,
egocentric “self-pride” interest groups, including gay
groups. Pro-homosexuals consistently cite their presumptuous belief
that Amirkhani’s view does not represent the consensus of the
UCLA community as an objective verification of righteousness. These
people believe popularity is a moral barometer, proof of their
blatantly narcissistic character. Amirkhani used an objective
approach to the issue. Most of the public, however, is not familiar
with the myriad of psycho-social infirmities associated with
homosexuality. Homosexuality is inextricably linked to suicide,
disease and violence. It is linked to depression and nymphomania.
And it is almost often connected to some form of sexual perversion
or promiscuity. In fact, within the last few weeks, I read two
utterly repugnant articles in the Daily Bruin giving advice to male
readers on how to have good anal intercourse with or without a
partner and how to have good oral intercourse with people you
don’t know. That kind of crap does not deserve to be printed
in a paper meant for the enjoyment of all, gay and straight alike.
Most disconcerting of all is the fact that pro-homosexuality is
almost always coupled with baseless political oppression-mongering.
This is where the conservative right comes in. This is where I come
in and everybody else with good sense comes in. This is when it
becomes imperative that the urge to empathize with those who cry
“victim” is rejected, in the name of fairness and
equality. Why do I have to open up a “respectable”
newspaper, our beloved Daily Bruin, and read that trash? How did
the homosexual left gain enough clout and respect to have these
kinds of articles printed? The permissive and destructive gay left
has way too much power ““ and respect. More power and respect
than it deserves.
J. Daniel Williams First Year Civil
Engineering