Opinion

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Obama's Cabinet choices show that change isn't forthcoming

Editor, Is it a coincidence that practically all of Barack Obama's appointed cabinet members are former associates of the Bill Clinton glory days of the '90s? Why is Obama begging Hillary Clinton to accept his secretary of state job? Do they have to do the hard work for you now while you receive all the praise and glory? Rahm Emanuel, Eric Holder, Tom Daschle, Bill Richardson and Joe Biden - all of these folks are not new, fresh faces like you told your blind followers.

UNM lost irreplaceable voice, poet with Harjo's resignation

Editor, The Nov. 17 letter by UNM student Corey S. Davis suggests that Joy Harjo "found it unbearable to work in an environment that promotes personal freedom." The "personal freedom" Davis refers to is the freedom for tenured faculty to act unprofessionally, to participate in unhealthy and unethical faculty-student interactions and to endanger students' well-being.

UNM must provide role models for American Indian students

Editor, It was really disappointing to read the article about Joy Harjo leaving the Creative Writing program at UNM because of one individual's behavior. Harjo said this person's behavior is problematic to the extent that the department "has been deeply compromised," and the best instructors are leaving or are in the process of leaving.

Column: Broadening Kennedy's vision

Considering the economic and political challenges facing the United States and the world today, and given the lessons learned in foreign assistance since it began after World War II with the Marshall Plan, now is the time that the Peace Corps should amend the role that its volunteers play in international development.

Vouchers would make schools focus on quality of education

Editor, There is a lot of talk at UNM about making the school more environmentally responsible. A new degree is even being offered in sustainability studies. In keeping with this trend, the University and the state government should also consider making UNM more fiscally responsible.

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Money for coaches' salaries can be better spent on academics

Editor, I'd like to say good riddance to Rocky Long because, let's face it, paying a coach $750,000 is a joke. That money could be used for academic purposes and hiring and maintaining student employees as well as faculty. That money could be used for lab equipment and other more important things on campus as well.

Long's resignation signals end of whining, sucking up

Editor, After 11 years of mixed success, Rocky Long has stepped down. Yes, he had some success. Yes, the team has improved since he became coach. But I am glad to see him go. Rocky got a raise, but instead of improving team performance, the team got worse.

Abortion not an argument men should be involved in

Editor, I am getting tired of reading all of these letters, mostly written by males, condemning the legalization of abortion. The thing is, even if abortion became illegal, it would not stop. It would merely take us back to the bad old days when you had to resort to a back-alley butcher to rid yourself of an unwanted pregnancy.

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Giving fetus right to life negates mother's control of her body

Editor, In Benjamin Sanchez's column, "Abortion a modern-day injustice," he claims abortion is analogous to slavery. This is absolutely irrational. He is accurate in saying slavery denied black people their "fundamental human rights," but there is no basis for a reasonable comparison between that and the fetus in the womb of a woman.

Faculty should be appreciated for working hard for low pay

Editor, Rocky Long, our former football coach, made $750,000 a year. As a proud UNM instructor, counting the grading time, the course preparation time, the time for teaching, student conference time, committee time and service time - I am paid about 15 cents a month, and there's a freeze on my pennies.

It's shameful to see students make homophobic comments

Editor, I take great exception to the homophobia expressed in a recent letter to the Daily Lobo, "A society of Schraders would lack government, infrastructure," on Nov. 13 by UNM student Andres Saenz. While Saenz may find others who sympathize with him for attacking Don Schrader's decisions regarding taxes, personal medical coverage and income (to say nothing of his constant near-nudity), Saenz jettisons any goodwill his points may have earned him by opening his letter with, "Don Schrader is an overtly gay man who contributes nothing to our society.

Students should be active in discussion of smoking ban

Editor, On Nov. 3, President David Schmidly announced he created a committee to help make the campus smoke- or tobacco-free. The committee had its first meeting last week, and the next meeting will be held Dec. 19 and 20 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. The meeting on Dec.

Pink card fee increase will benefit University, students

Editor, I'd like to point out a couple of things I feel were glossed over in the Daily Lobo article about the increase in pink card fees. First, this is not an across-the-board change for all pink cards. It only applies to pink cards that change credit hour totals.

Students have suffered most in Creative Writing controversy

Editor, I would like to remind your readers and staff of those who have been most affected by Joy Harjo's resignation and the interdepartmental rift that has been occurring for more than a year now: the creative writing students. Students, after all, are the reason an educational institution exists, right? And most everyone still involved - except for the students - cannot remember this.

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Abortion means killing a baby no matter how you frame it

Editor, Please, Jillian Downer, tell us how society is better because we have unfettered abortion. I ask that you not use slogans, mantras or the other distracting straw-man words that ignore the true issue: Abortion means killing a baby. Downer, your letter in the Nov.

People should be more open to Schrader's lifestyle, views

Editor, To me, UNM is a place that is supposed to foster an enlightened and tolerant society. If so, Andres Saenz has missed that part of his education. Why is he so narrow-minded, intolerant and hostile toward gay men? I don't know Saenz, but when he wrote that Don Schrader is "an overtly gay man," I don't think he meant it as a compliment to Schrader or any other gay man.