Dear Editor:ÿ
Thank god the Democrats have a young Republican like John Stapleton giving them advice for the next four years (Moore problems for Democrats, Nov. 15, 2004). Maybe he is the next Karl Rove. His accusations that Michael Moore is anti-American and harmful to our troops are laughable. Dissent is an American tradition, and the war in Iraq is illegal (see Kofi Annan), immoral and unnecessary. The fact that Stapleton is still here spouting his views at AU after ratifying the war with his vote on Nov 2 just proves his hypocrisy. Hey John, it's time to lace up your combat boots and ship out to Baghdad to show that you're not a chickenhawk.
Let's see, Moore is rich, has polarizing views and uses the troops to press his political agenda. Oh my gosh, he sounds a lot like George W. Bush! The only difference is that Moore wants to bring the troops home while Bush is responsible for the deaths of more than 1,000 American soldiers.
Isn't it wonderful that we live in a country where the president can wrap himself in the flag and commit war crimes in the name of the American people? The problem with the Democratic Party is that it didn't stand up to Bush and the neo-con chickenhawks in his cabinet who have promoted preemptive war and all of its pitfalls for our future security.
Moore makes movies to make people think. He also happens to have a great sense of humor, which he uses at the expense of Republicans. "Roger and Me," "Bowling for Columbine" and "Fahrenheit 9-11" cover diverse issues such as outsourcing, violence and democracy in America. The world is a dangerous place, and blindly following our leaders as Stapleton would have us do will put America at risk in the 21st century. ÿ
Rick Sanchez Graduate Student, SPA
Dear Editor:
I wrote this editorial because I bet my friend that I would stop using the word "like" if she would stop saying "I don't know." I guess you know who, like, won! She had an idea based on the recent increase in proposals to eliminate fall break - namely, why not eliminate a whole month of school from the fall semester? OoooooK! That's what I thought when I heard her idea, but let us ponder the suggestion.
Fall semester begins in August, but you can't really count the week when August flows into September because it's all about meeting new people, going to parties, watching people walk across the Quad and discovering what not to eat in TDR; about executing reconnaissance for possible dates, drawing a white line in the middle of the room so your roommate knows his/her side and waiting in line to buy books for class and arguing about why Beeghly, Kreeger, Watkins, and soon-to-be Katzen aren't on the Quad; about getting the bad news that everybody has to do general education, learning that AU doesn't have an American football team, but does have other football teams - soccer, and asking why your professor and classmates never show up to your class at Ward Circle; about discovering the hard way not to go to the fitness center between 5 and 7 p.m. if you want to work out, realizing that your academic adviser set you up by placing you in the 8:30 a.m. section, understanding that not only does the library have four levels, but you can order books from other local universities as well, and class.
Throwing out this week, we get a solid five weeks of classes until fall break. After fall break, things go smoothly, with the approach of Thanksgiving break signaling the end of another five weeks of classes. Two weeks later, as classes end and exams pave the path to winter break, the semester is over.
With my friend's idea, the semester would begin in August using a similar pattern, five weeks of solid classes. However, as October arises, students will receive a true fall break lasting one month. Therefore, we will return revived and refreshed in November, not expecting another long break until after finals with winter break. In regard to Thanksgiving break, it remains because it is only a few days off to serve more as a rest period than a true break. As for my friend's idea, it seems a little unrealistic at first, but after giving the idea some thought - a whole month break away from AU during the semester and it's not because you're sick - think of the possibilities!
Mark James Senior, CAS
