Lynch's gender no excuse to exploit soldier
I have had enough of the sensationalizing of Pfc. Jessica Lynch. The only reason Lynch received so much media attention was because she was a woman in the military who was made out to be "America's Sweetheart" by the press.
No female serving in our U.S. Army is a sweetheart, and I personally would be furious to be categorized as one; we are all soldiers, first and foremost. The media just exploited the situation for dramatic flair and human interest and, in the process, portrayed females serving in the armed forces as being weak. Categorizing her just makes it harder on the females serving in the military who fight to be seen as, literally, "just as good as the next guy."
Nine soldiers were killed in that attack, and I do not see a book being written about their lives. Now Lynch says that the military took advantage of her in order to rally support for the war. I do not see the Army receiving any of the money from her book deal.
Those rangers are expected to go out and put themselves in harm's way every day. They are not riding around in convertibles or being featured on the cover of Glamour; those soldiers are still fighting in Iraq, doing thankless work for wages that are so low it can't be for the money - but only for duty, honor and country.
-Elizabeth Roberts
UNDERGRADUATE, SUPPLY-CHAIN MANAGEMENT
Regarding Catherine Portillo's "Hindsight will show true Iraq war," Nov. 10:
Comparing the war in Iraq to 17th century imperialism is very far-fetched. Aside from involving countries and people, there are no similarities.
I agree with Portillo that it will take time for Americans to come to some conclusion about the war in Iraq. However, I would not be so concerned about the views of our future ancestors. We should be more concerned about what Iraqi educators will be teaching their students next year. How will they view the war? What will America look like to Iraqi children?
War has never been black and white. To this day, many of our parents do not know much about, let alone understand, the Vietnam War. Many of us remember only tidbits from the weeklong unit in our high school American history class.
I have faith that what our government is doing is in the best interest of the Iraqi people. Our soldiers are fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves. No one said it would be easy or cheap. There was never a guarantee that every soldier would come home. War does not make it a possibility.
I am honored to be a "benevolent" American. I live without fear of a tyrant. I can say and do almost anything, as can any American. Is it wrong to fight for freedom? Just ask a soldier. Or better yet, ask a veteran.
-Melissa Grivois
SOPHOMORE, ELEMENTARY ED
It angers me to see the almost daily stories bashing the war in Iraq. Sure, maybe the process wasn't handled by the Bush administration properly, but overthrowing Saddam's regime of tyrannical oppression can be considered nothing less than a blessing for those people.
Who is going to argue with the people whose loved ones had their tongues cut out, fingers chopped off and bodies beaten to a pulp? Who was going to tell the guy given an acid bath, or the one who was thrown off a building, "You're just going to have to wait a while because we have to have the United Nations approve our plan first?"
All the people who used to live in fear and hiding now can walk the streets regardless of their religion. That's something we take for granted every day. I don't care if we had "the right" to invade or not; the point is that we are saving innocent lives, and nobody can argue with that.
-Chris Spencer
FRESHMAN, BIOENGINEERING
Immigrants hobbled by citizenship system
I'm not sure whether to cry or to scream when I read that another person does not understand what is going on with immigration today (Matt Snowden's "Illegal immigration burdens taxpayers," Nov. 13).
The problem is not that these people do not want to become citizens or enter the United States legally; the problem is the barriers are set so high and the red tape so great that many of our ancestors from Europe would not even be welcome under the current system.
If we reform the immigration system, the vast majority of these Mexicans (soon to be Americans) will seek formal citizenship. These immigrants love America and want to be involved in democracy, but we hang a sign on the door that reads, "Not welcome."
-Tom Reade
ALUMNUS
All students should have a vote on future fees
I am concerned about the referendum that allows for the collection of a fee from all students to improve the Memorial Union and the Student Recreation Center. Not only do I sympathize with the ASU East students for being left out of this discussion, as a main campus student myself I also feel this has been done behind my back.
Yes, I filled out the surveys. I voiced my opinion that I don't need any more food options in the MU, and I feel the gym meets my needs just fine. Yet someone has decided that I have an extra $181 per semester burning a hole in my pocket, and he or she should decide how to spend it for me. Isn't this the kind of thing that all students who would be subjected to the fee (from all campuses!) should get to vote on? I don't think a mandatory fee is something that can be quietly handled in the student government.
The article earlier this week about students fighting the tuition increase ("Tuition suit moved to Maricopa County," Nov. 10) reflects the fact that people are concerned about how much money they're being forced to fork over. And I don't think that the students who had to drop out due to the tuition hike will be happy to learn that higher education is further beyond their reach because some people feel the gym could be a better magnet for student athletes.
I am very unhappy with the way this matter was handled, and I don't think students should be required to pay for improvements that they don't feel are necessary.
-Betsy Loeb
JUNIOR, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
Kudos to Rak
I can't say too many positive things about the people that I see "dancing" on DDR video games everywhere. If anything, they are not the people you see in the clubs on Friday night. But it was great to read that the article was about how much weight Mike Rak lost (SPM, "Dance Dance Revolutionizer," Nov. 13). Who knows, maybe we will be seeing him in commercials as the new Jared for Konami.
But I think David Blaine still beats everybody with his 40 days in a box. I mean, it's so simple! All of London got to watch him just melt away more than a pound per day.
-Colin Vogel
UNDERGRADUATE, MATHEMATICS
Devil Dish only throws dirt
Joe Watson's ramble about Kellen Winslow ("Devil Dish," Nov. 13) was a waste of space in the school newspaper, as all he did was echo the voices of "Sportscenter" and the national media that made a story out of nothing.
Sure, it's his opinion, but can't he use this space in the sports section to talk about ASU volleyball or how good Tron Smith looked in his first game?
Watson says people are "fed up with juvenile sports figures," but all he is doing is adding attention to an incident that is nothing like "Mike Tyson's ear-biting, child-eating cannibalism."
If he thinks no one likes these sports figures, then why write about him? Kellen Winslow is one of the best tight ends in all of college football, and he acted in pure emotion with the comment that he apologized for the next day.
It sounds like Watson is no better with his word choice, calling Winslow a "waste of a tight end," an "arrogant punk" and a "loser." Check out Winslow's statistics for his college career: He is certainly not a waste nor a loser.
I am tired of journalists who take cheap shots at athletes because of a single mistake, and I think that it makes for poor news in The State Press.
-Tony Shuch
SOPHOMORE, BUSINESS