Editorial falls short of real solutions
I found the editorial regarding the ban on Iranian students
studying nuclear technology at foreign universities (“Ban
impedes enrichment of students, not uranium,” Oct. 27)
enlightening, yet inconclusive.
While the Daily Bruin is correct in asserting the right of
students of all ethnicities to an unabridged education, the
recommended “solutions” fall short of a pragmatic plan
for dealing with Iran.
Telling this administration to “encourage cooperation and
dialogue” with a nation who has made no secret of its
intentions to wipe Israel off the map and with a slogan of
“death to America” is a futile exercise in
idealism.
Prescribing impossible negotiations with hostile regimes falls
far short of a measured and practical response.
Jeff Travis
Third-year, political science
As one of 38 million, this school is mine
“UCLA is owned by the people of California. All 38
million.”
I’ve been seeing this tagline all year when I log on to
MyUCLA or watch football games, and I have a serious bone to pick
with the advertisers.
They say that, technically, as a California resident, I am one
of the owners of UCLA. But what does this mean exactly?
The definition of the word “own” is “to have
or hold as one’s own; possess.”
What I am unclear on is what part of UCLA I own.
Do I own the parking lot, resident halls and professors too? I
mean, it would be way too cool to go up to a professor and say,
“Hey, did you know that I own you?”
But I think the advertisers mean that I own the educational
aspect of UCLA. This is not specified in the ad, but logic would
dictate this.
Suppose, however, that I am an illogical person.
Technically then, that means I own anything that can be
associated with UCLA.
Therefore if I want to take an elliptical machine from the
Wooden Center, I should be able to take it without any hassle.
I mean, not only am I a California resident, but I actually pay
a Wooden Center fee. I should just go by and request that it be
delivered to my apartment. I’ll even pay the delivery
fee.
If I get hassled by anyone for trying to take the machine, I can
just say, “Hey, I own UCLA. It says so on MyUCLA, so
what’s the problem?”
It would be pretty difficult to prove me wrong, since there are
no specifics as to what part of UCLA I own.
Unfortunately, however, I remain a logical person. Therefore I
will have to go on assuming that I own the educational aspect of
UCLA.
I still would like to have that elliptical in my apartment
though.
Jeanette Aldana
Fourth-year, sociology