Editor, How sad was my first May Day here five years ago when I learned that the day was not, as in most places around the world, the celebration of Workers Day. It was explained to me that the U.S. celebrates something called Labor Day the first Monday of September.
Editor, Green has become the color of choice as of late, but who is reaping the profits? Crayola or mother Earth? I am going to be a pessimist and complain about what our society values as important. I find it sad that the green revolution has been around for decades but could not find a voice until being exploited by politicians, celebrities and big corporations.
Editor, The U.S. approach to criminal justice has fluctuated throughout its history. Presidential administrations experimented with alternative programs during the '60s and '70s. In spite of this, today's prisons are overcrowded with nonviolent offenders. This is due to a retributive approach to crime and punishment.
Editor, UNM cannot afford to have the Albuquerque Kings wheelchair basketball team forced off the main campus in Albuquerque. Rigid mind-sets plague potential and possibility at UNM. We all must work together to build an inclusive campus that will attract all students to attend UNM and build a diverse learning community.
Editor, The recent ruling by the New Mexico Human Rights Commission against an Albuquerque wedding photographer is worrisome on several counts. When Vanessa Willock asked Elaine Huguenin to photograph her same-sex commitment ceremony - not a wedding, mind you - Huguenin declined because of religious convictions.
Editor, I am writing in response to the article on the Rev. Michael Venyah published in the Daily Lobo on April 21. First of all, let me say how thoroughly disappointed I am that the Daily Lobo chose to portray Venyah as a martyr who is burned, punched and the like.
Editor, Here we go again. Thanks to a recent New York Times expose, verifiable and documented proof that the American people were lied to and manipulated into supporting the illegal war in Iraq has come to light. Instead of congressional hearings and condemnation, this revelation has been greeted with a great big yawn by most Americans.
Editor, This is in response to Mark D. Erasmus's letter published in the Daily Lobo on April 18. First, it is incredibly disrespectful to use such hateful commentary during Islam Awareness Week. This is when Muslims are taking time to educate and inspire the uninformed in a peaceful, nonintrusive way.
Editor, I love a good debate in the Daily Lobo. I've been an undergraduate, graduate student and staff member at UNM for 28 years, and I always like to see students get worked up over a good cause. Of course, I wish Agora Crisis Center wasn't the target, but that's OK, as it gives us an opportunity to be in the public eye and remind people of what we do.
Editor, I have to say that after reading Andres Saenz's letter in Thursday's Daily Lobo, there are a few contentions I have. Many have deeper philosophical inferences and require more elaboration space than I can use, but I'll try to touch on the basics. My first question is, what mandates that when two people have sex, they be bound emotionally and spiritually to each other for the rest of their lives? I'm not sure if he meant it literally, but there are many people who get divorces, end relationships or are in abusive relationships.
Editor, Last week's three-part series on disabilities was very good. The online video was excellent. Kudos to Xavier Mascareñas and Joey Trisolini for a great editing job on the video story. Originally, two people in wheelchairs were interviewed for the wheelchair accessibility article published on Thursday.
Editor, Graduate and professional students face significant challenges regarding the use of our organization and its funds. This electoral season allows us an opportunity to debate issues and decide the direction in which we want to grow. I call on the candidates for Graduate and Professional Student Association president to champion the following issues: The regents pay little more than lip service to student recommendations for allocation of student fees.
Editor, My decision to run for Graduate and Professional Student Association president is a personal investment not only in myself but also other students, the University and New Mexico, as I believe in the power of "us" to come together and work for change.
Editor, My name is Danny Hernandez. I am a Community and Regional Planning and Public Administration combined master's degree student, and I am running for the position of Graduate and Professional Student Association president. My qualifications are my professional experience, my long record of making positive changes and my distinct vision for GPSA.
Editor, We would like to clarify some statements made in Jeremy Jaramillo's letter in Wednesday's Daily Lobo. RHA and the entire residence hall community recognize the need for Agora Crisis Center as a student support center, and we respect the work that they do.
Editor, I'd like to take this opportunity to share with the UNM community an event happening this evening on Johnson Field. Take Back The Night is an event to shatter the silence surrounding rape, sexual assault and domestic violence. This event will include speakers from many Albuquerque-based agencies and organizations, a candlelight vigil as well as the Clothesline Project.
Every Monday morning, I receive an e-mail from President David Schmidly - the entire University does. This is good. He is the first UNM president to engage in a regular communication with all of us, including retired farts like myself. The letters are like a 21st-century version of Roosevelt's fireside chats.
Editor, Last week, former President Jimmy Carter began a self-appointed diplomacy mission on what he refers to as the road to peace. Carter's private Middle East peace process was criticized by the U.S. administration, and Israeli officials chose not to be included.
Editor, As much as Spring Storm offers an opportunity for students to volunteer their time, it also has negative impacts upon the UNM community. We live in one of the SRCs alongside Johnson Field, and the music from Spring Storm was so loud Saturday that it was impossible to concentrate on schoolwork.
Editor, The world's population was 1 billion in 1850, 2 billion in 1930, 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in 1986 and 6 billion in 1999. More than 6 billion of us are alive today, six times as many people now as were living less than 200 years ago.
Solutions by The State News
