Much more to UCLA than fraternities
As an alum and an ex-fraternity member (house will remain
unknown), I couldn’t agree more with David Burke’s
Sept. 27, 2002 column, “Frats not epitome of
“˜coolness.'” Everyone wants to belong, be cool,
and have the world think you belong to a “hot frat” as
an undergrad. Such garbage ““ I gave my frat pin away to a
drag queen. That’s how much I cared about
“Fratland.” I wish I could go back to those undergrad
years and do them over and never join a frat! The friends I missed
and never saw again were the wonderful dorks you described in your
column. Enjoy UCLA for all the diversity and wide variety of
students it can provide. Forget frats ever existed ““ I
have.
Michael P. Richards,
Life Member, UCLA Alumni Association
Editorial board misuses its power
As a former Daily Bruin staff and editorial board member, I was
disappointed with the abuse of power displayed by Bruin editors in
their choice to run the editorial “Dahle inconsistent in
words, actions” (Viewpoint Sept. 30, 2002).Â
It is clear — indeed, the board says so in the first line
of the editorial — that the Bruin’s editors used the power
of the press to run their editorial on the same day that they
chose to run David Dahle’s response to an earlier
editorial.Â
But in the interests of fairness ““ not to
mention journalistic integrity ““Â it would behoove the
Bruin’s editors to let responses run on their own
merits before trying to head-off critical voices. Not
only would an editorial written on the day following Dahle’s
response been timely, it would have been fair.
What are you guys so afraid of?
Brian O’Camb
Alumnus 2001
Students should pay their way
In response to the editorial “Public, not students
should fund UC,” I would like to offer a contrary viewpoint.
I have only been a California resident for about a month now, but
let me hazard a few guesses. First, most California taxpayers
have not and will not attain an undergraduate college degree or
otherwise higher level of education from the UC. Second, UCLA
graduates and UC graduates in general can expect a significant
premium in the marketplace for their services when compared with
those of lesser levels of education.
If these two assertions are correct (which I suspect they
are) the Daily Bruin editorial seems to be suggesting that most of
California’s working persons are obliged to subsidize younger
Californian’s attainment of a valuable credential. A
college degree provides its recipients with significantly
higher salaries and much greater career options. With
that in mind, isn’t it fair that those who reap the
rewards of a college degree are those same persons
who incur the cost of such a differentiating distinction?
Robert Hoblit
Class of 2004, Anderson School
Iraq not a real threat
In Steven Krakauer’s piece titled “United States
must eliminate terrorists, Hussein quickly,” published Sept.
22, 2002, he mistakenly asserts “(Saddam) Hussein poses a
threat.” But there has been no evidence Saddam Hussein had
anything to do with the Sept. 11, 2001 bombings. Bombing Iraq may
or may not eliminate “the tainted regime he runs,” but
moreover, it will cause the death of millions of innocent
civilians.
It was, after all, the overthrowing of Afghani leaders in the
past by the U.S. government that caused the emergence of al-Qaeda
terrorist groups in Afghanistan. There is little doubt that in
bombing Iraq, whether or not it will kill Saddam Hussein, more
terrorist groups will emerge from the rubble and ruins of the
country. I don’t know for sure if “delay will mean more
bloodshed,” but I do know serious and critical contemplation
about war might produce a better plan for dealing with the
world’s terrorist groups and spreading freedom and peace.
Rushing into a war with Iraq is far from the solution. I suppose
it is always easier to rush into war when one is not in danger of
being sent overseas to kill or be killed. I urge Mr. Krakauer and
President Bush even to consider that as swift as America’s
“extermination of the terrorist cells (might) be,”
still swifter will more terrorists cells resulting emergence.
Americans need to really consider the pros and, moreover, the cons
of war with a country like Iraq, where hatred for America is
already prevalent.
Sona Bekmezian
First-year biology student