Iraq forum was to discuss, not debate
I also attended the forum Wednesday night. I honestly was embarrassed by the behavior of my fellow attendees. The whole time I couldn’t help but ask myself if the obnoxious “protestors” blurting out from the back of the room were the same 63 percent who didn’t know who Hans Blix was. The speakers had interesting points of view, to say the least.
By the way Ms. Green, maybe you were not listening. Mr. Ward Reilly did not give a firsthand account of the Vietnam War. He did not even serve in the Vietnam war; he merely served with people who had served.
I think a viewpoint that is very important but not considered was that of the actual people serving our country. The marine who stood up said he’s ready to go and do his JOB. My husband is a sailor in the U.S. Navy, currently deployed and is proud to be doing his JOB. Our servicemen are not “war happy,” they are following orders. They would love nothing more than to be home with their families, but they are doing what they signed up for: protecting the rights of me and you.
Next time you all decide to spray paint some T-shirts, why don’t you make them say “I support our troops.” I would be more than happy to wear one of those.
One thing Ms. Green and I do agree about is the sense of pride I felt by being at the forum, exercising my constitutional right. But at the same time don’t forget who gave you all that right.
Finally, there is one more reason the forum was unsuccessful. I don’t believe anyone in that room listened to anything other than what they wanted to hear. I don’t think that anyone’s mind was changed by the speakers. If you didn’t come to listen and try to gain a new perspective then why did you come? This was not a protest, it was a FORUM for discussion.
Kristen Fisher
Senior — Biological Sciences
Leave the protests to those who must fight
It is hard for me to understand why anyone who is not in a branch of military service would protest a war with Iraq, because they are not the ones doing the fighting. If anyone should protest, it should be the service members.
I am a member of an infantry unit in the National Guard, and if someone asked me how I felt about the war, I would tell them that if I received “the call” I would be relieved because the anticipation has been taking its toll on my life. To make a long story short, I am just ready to just go in and come back home.
Charles M. Adams
Sophomore — Accounting
Bus proposal beneficial to all
In Friday’s paper, there was an article about the Student Senate discussion of a new bus tracking system that would allow students and the Capital Transportation Corporation office to keep track of the buses. I think this is a really awesome idea from which pretty much everybody would benefit. It seems the few times I rode the bus, I always ended up waiting 10 minutes for it to come. With this new box transmitting signals to a satellite, students could keep track of the bus and know exactly when to run out the door. We all know it is too hard to time the buses because sometimes they are on schedule, but other times they are behind one another.
The downside is the $30,000 cost, but I think it could be done. If they are raising student fees to make renovations to the Union and several other projects, what is another $50 added on our fee bill?
Katie Gravois
Sophomore — Mass Communication
A correction from the editor
In Chris Perry’s Feb. 20 letter to the editor “Discussing the evils of Saddam Hussein,” a change that altered the letter’s meaning inadvertently was made during editing.
The final paragraph should have read that people should consider the past evils of Saddam Hussein “before you judge those protecting your freedom to disagree.”
The Reveille regrets this error.