Monday's editorial "Endorsements don't belong in the newsroom" was right on the money. In the wake of the New York Times' Jayson Blair scandal and Dan Rather's professional misgivings, media credibility is at its all-time low and newspapers should drop the tradition of endorsing presidential candidates.
As you mentioned, reporters have a difficult job, and not [all are] knowledgeable of the constraints they face. They have, at times, tremendous responsibility, and now more than ever, they have to disregard their political beliefs and remain professional. This includes being ready to uncover truths that may not help their preferred candidates for office or win them friends in the industry.
The press has a job to do, and official newspaper endorsements fairly or unfairly hinder that.
--Christian Palmer, ASU alumni
Vela's opinion on God questioned
That God is loving couldn't possibly mean that God could think an honestly-held opinion wrong. And that is why religious folk should not "take sides" against "political issues" like American slavery, nationalism, apartheid, run-amok capitalism, social Darwinism, total war, homophobia, sex slavery and spousal abuse.
Thank you, Vic Vela, for showing us the truth -- religious people should just shut their mouths about prison torture because God is forgiving.
The Christian tradition -- the only one Vela sees fit to attack -- has always balanced God's goodness with a healthy view of human sinfulness. Western social justice began in the Bible. If Vela wants to cherry-pick puerile doctrines, invent his own religion and use it to keep his flock the hell away from politics, that's his choice. Don't try to force it on the rest of us.
--Brandon Hendrickson, religious studies senior
Kerry's ancestry news to him
It's one thing to attack a candidate for his policies. It's another to attack him for his ancestors, particularly when you use ridiculously incorrect information [Joe Irving's letter, Oct. 19].
John Kerry didn't hide his Jewish ancestry in his House and Senate campaigns because he didn't know he had Jewish ancestors until one year ago, thanks to the Boston Globe.
It's asinine to think Kerry chose his name for political purposes. The Kerry name was chosen by his grandfather, Fritz Kohn, a Jewish Czech who decided to escape anti-Semitism by choosing a new name for his family. They dropped a pencil on an atlas, which happened to land in Kerry County, Ireland, and ta-da, the Kerry name was chosen more than 100 years ago.
So what drives someone to look at half the facts and make ridiculous assertions about John Kerry? Because they can't talk about a failing economy, they can't talk about failing diplomacy and they can't talk about a failed president.
--Cole Hickman,
President, Young Democrats
World Nation news too narrow
Over the past few months, I have noticed that the World/Nation section in The State Press very seldom speaks to what is truly going on in the world and in this nation. Let me say that I am truly aware of the impact and importance of this election and plan to cast my vote along with millions of other Americans on Nov. 2.
The problem is that with the number of students who read the paper, it is a wonderful opportunity to educate people on what is going on outside of our little bubble called the United States.
Things like the Northwestern Oil spill and the famine crisis in Ethiopia are topics that youth need to hear. I like The State Press and truly read it on a daily basis, but let the writers/editors not forget the power of communication that is in their hands.
--Lauren Winston-McPherson,
ASU student
Hanson too right
I would like to engage in a true discussion about the merits of both candidates in this election -- less than two weeks away -- so why am I having to wade through the infantile points made in Macy Hanson's last editorial?
Has he been feeding from the same trough as the rest of the right-wing commentators? Do we really want our political debate to be reduced to the level of Ann Coulter, who accuses all Democrats of being traitors to this nation?
--Prabhat Shrestha,
ASU alumni
