The Red and Black

Injury did not teach all that the disabled feel

In Mark Anthony Thomas' column "Injury leads to deeper grasp of access issues" in Friday's edition of The Red and Black, Thomas makes a disturbing statement. He says, "I understand how disabled students on this campus feel." This comes after Mark had to hop up stairs on campus for seven weeks.

In the article, Mark also tells us he loves to write. As a writer who loves to write, I beg you select your words more carefully. I would like to suggest that you may know everything there is to know about being a student with crutches on campus; however, you know nothing about having a disability.

Matthew Clapp senior cognitive science and philosophy

"Opinion Meter" lacked perspective

This letter concerns the "Opinion Meter" in Friday's edition of The Red and Black. One section ridicules the attempt by a group of graduate students to organize a union at this university.

I do not expect a column titled "Opinion Meter" to contain sophisticated analyses of the issues it addresses. However, the smug self-complacency of which this particular comment reeks identifies its writer as a typical member of the class of the over-privileged under-educated.

The irony is that this comment appeared on the 1st of May, the International Day of Labor, which likely escaped attention by The Red and Black, as did the past 150 years of history, during which countless battles for the rights of the working majority have imbued this nation with a bare minimum of social justice. The existence of unions and their use of tactics such as picketing and strikes have contributed greatly to worldwide progress toward justice and equality.

We all profit from this progress, those who have given their lives for it as well as those whose uninformed ridicule threatens to undermine any advances we have made.

Annette Freyberg graduate student political science

Conformity is one part of human experience

Ever since I read Josh Massey's column on conformity in the April 22 edition of The Red and Black, I can't get it out of my head. How long has the concept comforming to society been accompanied by negative connotations? Since the hippies?

I totally agree with the author that conforming is something that enters everyone's life - it can't be avoided. But it seems there's a general fear that's been implied with the word. If it's unavoidable, why fear it? Because it means losing (or giving up) a bit of individuality.

So what? For everything lost there is something gained.

What's to be gained by conforming? The security of knowing that in some way the conformer stands together - united - with a particular group of people. I don't see anything wrong with being secure. Every living thing needs it.

It seems those who accuse people of conforming are the ones, dare I say, who are afraid to criticize themselves. If you look at the well-known concept that there are no truly unique ideas, why does it scare people to admit that they're like someone else?

I guess because people seem to think individuality makes them special. Under that notion I could say Stalin was a pretty special person. But seriously, folks, it's not so hard to realize human beings are good whether they know they're conforming or not. Being alive can be a hard thing to do.

Let's give each other a little credit for making it as far as we have and wish each other luck in the rest of our lives. Perhaps a good display of love for each other can help us overcome the fear of losing something by conforming and bring us closer together.

Nuri Adams junior international studies

Vegetarianism combats mankind's destruction

This is in response to Edward Reeves' anti-vegetarianism letter to the editor in Friday's edition of The Red and Black. I am writing in defense of all that is living in this world that we humans take advantage of. So, this is for you, Edward:

Go veggie? I do think so! This letter is meant to alienate all meat eaters. You can eat whatever you want, but maybe you can't help being wrong.

Reeves is right - most vegetarians do keep their personal decisions to themselves, but people like him make it necessary to speak out. His sorry shot at the cow was nothing but blind ignorance in an attempt to justify your wrongs. If anyone should be hunted with a hammer and considered fodder, it is the human race.

We have spent hundreds of years raping our land and its creatures to provide for our own selfishness. Through the efforts of vegetarians and other compassionate people, we can work to give back what we have taken and protect all that is left.

Oh yeah, keep this in mind. If you want to go vegetarian, all the power to you, and while you're at it, let the world know!

Britt Brzoza junior business

Residence hall workers deserve more respect

I am writing in response to Jenna Jenkins' letter in the April 23 edition of The Red and Black in which she accuses University Housing staff in Mell Hall of being inefficient.

Jenkins said she sees workers in the Mell lobby "doing nothing but watching TV or sleeping." Employees everywhere are entitled to breaks during their work day. The staff she sees have chosen to spend their breaks watching television. There is nothing wrong with that.

She then goes on to say, "if they are supposed to fix things, why is the door still broken in our bathroom?" As far as this, and the broken air conditioner she complains about, go, it is not the responsibility of this particular staff to correct these problems.

The workers who she sees inside of her residence hall are part of the custodial staff. It is not their job to "fix things" but instead to perform daily upkeep of the buildings.

The maintenance staff are in charge of repairs. A few of the doors in the bathroom of my floor were in need of repair. I spoke with the head of maintenance in the community and he explained to me that once the parts were in, the bathroom stalls would be fixed.

As a member of University Housing staff in the Hill Community, where Mell Hall is located, I know there is a simple procedure to follow when an air conditioner, or anything else, is broken.

Walk down to Hill Hall, fill out a work order, and turn it in. Once this is done, be patient, because maintenance receives several work orders a day, especially for air conditioners. It may take time, but it will be fixed.

This brings me to my last comment. Be appreciative of the University Housing custodial and maintenance staffs. They work hard at keeping the residence halls nice places to live. They are doing the best job they can.

If Jenkins is unhappy with their performance, the maintenance staff is taking applications for student help. Perhaps she should apply.

Andrea Iraggi sophomore early childhood education

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