Jones detrimental to Bruin Republicans
I was shocked to read Andrew Jones’ submission about the
affirmative action bake sale, “Bruin Republicans deserved
face time” (Feb. 7).
The thing that surprises me the most is how broadfaced the Bruin
Republicans perceive affirmative action to be. An attitude like
Jones’ is one of the main reasons why UCLA no longer has
affirmative action programs. Taking affirmative action to be only
about race is absurd.
In many admissions point systems, race counts for just as much
as coming from a economically disadvantaged community. I would hope
the president of one of the larger and more prominent political
organizations on campus would not try to generalize such a
controversial subject to his own benefit (and consequential
embarrassment), but then again I suppose that is why I am not a
Republican.
I would also like to personally thank Jones for implying that
the minority community of the Academic Advancement Program defaced
a Bruin Republican sign. His submission seems to be nothing more
than a final desperate attempt to create controversy.
Well, Jones, your point was received the first time much to you
and your organization’s own detriment.
Tracy Madrid
Third-year, political science
Jones simplifies affirmative action
I congratulate Andrew Jones on his submission about the
affirmative action bake sale (“Bruin Republicans deserved
face time,” Feb. 7).
This article and the demonstration that spawned it managed to
reduce one of the most complicated and inflammatory political
issues of the 20th century into an incredibly simplified and
asinine bake sale.
As a black woman, I can admit that affirmative action is not
perfect. In some cases white men and women might feel shortchanged
or discriminated against.Â
However, Jones and his group are not so quick to protest against
the well-known phenomenon of nepotism (which blatantly favors
whites) practiced at the majority of prestigious colleges and
universities in the United States.
The level of discrimination some people might feel as a result
of affirmative action is nowhere near the discrimination most
minorities feel every day.
Jones claimed that affirmative action is “degrading”
and “racist.” His article shows that he
hasn’t the slightest inkling as to what those words mean.
Valerie Dickerson
Graduate student
Schwartz makes absurd claims
In regard to Joel Schwartz’s column “Armed student body a
better crime deterrent” (Feb. 10), the first logical
conclusion is that Schwartz watches too many Rambo movies. His
fanatical obsession with vigilantism is yet another reason to keep
guns out of the hands of would-be-heroes. If, as Schwartz absurdly
claims, the University of Arizona nursing students were armed, then
not only would three professors be dead, but so would innocent
students hit by stray bullets.
To actually think that students taking an exam could shoot an
assailant without hurting others is enough reason to make gun
ownership as cumbersome as possible. By looking to the crime
statistics of other countries we can easily see that the solution
to violent, gun-related crimes is simply less gun availability.
Yashar Ettekal
Fifth-year, biology