In response to Blaine Sullivan’s war on drugs article (War ondrugs drives up prices, March 26): “Everything is permissible buteverything is not beneficial.” Crime and atrocities committed, suchas those that happened to your boyhood friend, are not a directresult of the war on drugs. Crimes such as these are born in thehuman heart.
The solution to the war on drugs has nothing to do with whethercertain drugs are legal or illegal. The solution lies in curbing thenatural desires of human nature. Certain drugs can be made availablefor “medicinal purposes,” but this does not mean abuse of thesedrugs, and the bleak world of drug abuse, will vanish. It isimportant to keep in mind that just because something is legal doesnot mean it is what is best.
–Jamie Snowanthropology junior
BEN ISN’T FUNNY
Benjamin Abel’s opinion piece (“All the liberals deserve eachother,” March 26) is not funny, witty or intelligent. It’s the worstopinion piece I’ve ever read. Even just from the standpoint ofcreativity or style, it’s poorly written.
Abel imagines a new country peopled by liberals. I’ll just discussthe first point he makes; he says that the liberals would reject theU.S. Constitution, because our system is racist, militaristic, etc.
The U.S. Constitution is the liberal’s greatest tool. It’s one ofthe finest documents ever written. The problem is that in U.S.history, the rights guaranteed by it have not been permitted forslaves, black people, women, Japanese Americans, Mexican Americansand others. All of these groups have had to fight every inch of theway just to receive the rights that were always theirs according tothe U.S. Constitution.
In every case, it was conservatives who blocked their efforts toreceive the rights that every U.S. citizen deserves. In spite ofconservative politicians constantly babbling about “freedom” in thiscountry, this word doesn’t mean much to them in reality, as proved bytheir continuing lack of commitment to civil rights for allAmericans. One could easily argue that it is the conservatives inthis country who don’t really believe in the U.S. Constitution.
–Laurence Andrewseducation graduate student
THE DAILY AZTEC NEEDS A TRUE DIE-HARDLIBERAL
I used to love reading the Daily Aztec opinion page. Every time Iwould open up the paper I knew I could expect, over the course of aweek, to see a balanced exchange between liberals, conservatives andthe rare writer in-between. As a solid liberal, and I’m talking toyou, Ben Abel, I fully encourage hearing out both sides to betterunderstand not only the opposition, but also my own beliefs.
And, as a liberal, I am not some America-hating, religion-hating,weenie (did I spell that right, Ben?) who gives up and runs to mommajust because I don’t like the new leader; most of us liberals arenot. I mean, come on, guy! Since when does freakin’ Hollywood washoutAlec Baldwin represent the political left! At least when I pick onconservatives, I pick on those who actually do claim to berepresentatives of their party.
Isn’t it Pat Buchanan who wants to replace evolution withcreationism and, in his latest book, attempts to reveal the dangersof allowing immigrants into the country (including Latin Americans,but not making any reference at all to the exclusion of whiteEuropean immigrants…)?
But Ben is a conservative; always has been. I’ve come to expectand enjoy reading “the liberal ideology as presented by Ben thehard-core conservative.”
But Jared, Jared, Jared. And you call yourself a liberal? In yourlatest article (“Gochez’s views flawed on so many levels,” March 26)you deny that the media is a propaganda machine. And you defend theBush administration as being far from facist. So you’re saying thateverything the media says is true and Bush didn’t support the PatriotAct that allows for the racial profiling of brown-skinned people(Arabs, Persians and Indians or Mexicans who kinda look like Arabs,etc.). Liberal, huh?
Where is the balance? For the past few weeks I’ve noticedeverybody on the Daily Aztec opinion page has put their conservativehats on, jumping on the Bush bandwagon and playing it safe. I demand,as a Daily Aztec reader, more opposing viewpoints. Keep Ben on; hedrives us liberals crazy, but gives us a good laugh, as well. But weneed someone equally radical or at least strongly anti-conservativeto present the other side of the argument because Jared’s lastarticle certainly fails to do that.
Whether they like it or not, liberals and conservatives need eachother to temper their extreme sides. If the Daily Aztec claims totruly be a voice of the people, it needs to be a voice of ALL thepeople. Otherwise, depending on which side dominated, America wouldbe run by the likes of Charlton Heston or Timothy Leary. Now that’s ascary thought!
–Joseph Barrossocial science junior
REMEMBER RON GOCHEZ?
I would like to thank The Daily Aztec for printing Ron Gochez’sletter. I think it is important for San Diego State University andthe San Diego population to know that we have racist bigots who breedwithin our community. HATE IS NEVER OK. We need to know when current”leaders” of any group or potential leaders have an agenda of hateand intolerance.
It utterly disgusts me that Ron Gochez and his slate canpotentially use the power of Associated Students to ostracizestudents through hatred on OUR campus. Even more repulsive is thathypocrite Ron Gochez was strongly involved with the protest thatoccurred during “Future Aztecs Day,” yet he and his posse sold foodduring the event to make money for his organization.
How can he morally justify his deception of the people who aresupposedly (no factual evidence) controlled by the “Jewish-ownedmedia” to give monetary support for his disrespectful, hate languageat an event he publicly denounced?
–Melinda Nusbaumsociology sophomore
Letters Policy
-The Daily Aztec welcomes letters on all subjects, sectionsand stories. Letters may be edited for brevity and libelous orovertly offensive content. Letters must include the writer’s year inschool and major, or professional title. The Aztec offices arelocated in the basement of the Business Administration andMathematics building. Please send e-mail to letters@thedailyaztec.com.
