Editor, As I sit outside Popejoy Hall every afternoon waiting to go home, I notice that the majority of people violate one basic rule: Look both ways before you cross. It is as simple as that, and yet I have seen maybe only three people this week even look both ways.
I never thought an African-American would one day be in the White House - that is, until Sen. Barack Obama came along. Compared to his competitors, Obama has a number of advantages. Unlike Sen. John McCain, he is not an advocate of military solutions and staying the course in Iraq, even if it takes another 100 years.
Editor, I don't get to read the Daily Lobo as much as I'd like to. However, I did see some letters in the Friday issue regarding the issue of flying the flags of foreign countries and about the desecration of the Mexican flag episode. I can see the manner in which Peter Lynch removed the flag was sub-optimal, but why would UNM fly the flag of another country on campus to begin with? I realize the academic and college population are required to furnish these opinions and perspectives.
Editor, The decline of Western civilization is apparent driving in Albuquerque or going to Wal-Mart. Have Americans always been so stupid about everything? The reason the U.S. needs to get the hell out of Iraq is because the reasons we were given for getting into Iraq, simply stated, were a pack of lies.
Editor, Peter Lynch had no understanding of American law when he committed his act of unconscionable vigilantism, and it is clear from his most recent tirade that he has learned nothing. As before, he made a massive error by referencing the U.S. Flag Code which, in all its clauses, says "should" and never"must.
Editor, Was Peter Lynch not guilty? His petty misdemeanor deserved every bit of punishment he received. His probably artificial apologies and ROTC status does not make him immune to the law. "Justice for all" includes Lynch. He complains of the reverse racism that he suffered, but for what reason did he pull down the flag in the first place? Had it been a Confederate flag, would he have torn it up so violently? I think he deserves to be punished for the anger and disrespect that he caused.
Editor, I find it disconcerting that Vicki Johnson wrote another letter likening Israel to China published in the Daily Lobo on Monday. Her response to criticism is particularly insulting. She suggests that those who disagree with her only do so because they have been socialized into a system that somehow parallels the Chinese Communist Party propaganda.
Editor, In a letter published in the Daily Lobo on Monday concerning Chinese and Tibetan people, the phrase "brutal suppression of minorities" in reference to Israel and Palestinians caught my attention. I want to pose the question: Who is suppressing whom? Hamas and other Palestinian terrorists in Gaza have fired more than 400 rockets and mortar shells into Israel since the beginning of January.
Editor, It greatly saddened me to read the letter by Peter Lynch published in the Daily Lobo on April 9. I do believe the Daily Lobo made the right decision by publishing it, for any person deserves the right to express his or her opinion. However, I am saddened that after nearly seven months, there is still animosity in the air over this incident.
Once again we are hearing, mostly from conservatives and sponsoring corporations, that no matter what the abysmal human rights record of China is, the Olympic protests are politicizing the games and are unfair to athletes. Further, according to Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics, "The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle.
Editor, Sen. Barack Obama's pastor, the Rev. Jeremy Wright, ignited a media firestorm of criticism and controversy over several remarks he made. Meanwhile, Sen. John McCain won the endorsement of televangelist John Hagee, who repeatedly rails against Catholics and demands the U.
Editor, I have been found guilty of a petty misdemeanor and received a stern punishment despite the fact that I attempted repeatedly to apologize and replace the Mexican flag. I ask that action be taken against the criminal act that provoked me, that of breaking a federal law.
Editor, Now that the flag incident is over, we believe it is a good time to look back and reflect on what really occurred. Clearly, this was an incident that polarized most people into siding with Peter Lynch or El Centro de la Raza. Looking back, I find it hard to fault Lynch for his patriotism in not wanting the flag of another country to fly alone.
Editor, "A wolf in monk's robes, a devil with a human face, but the heart of a beast" is how the Dalai Lama is seen by Zhang Qingli, secretary of the Communist Party Committee of Tibet Autonomous Region. Protesting Tibetan monks are called "Buddhist scum" by Chinese Public Security officials, who declare, "The next plan of the Tibetan independence forces is to organize suicide squads to launch violent attacks.
Editor, I am glad dictator Fidel Castro has resigned. I urge everyone to watch the documentary "Improper Conduct," which exposes the persecution many Cuban writers, gays and dissidents suffered under his regime. The UNM Fine Arts Library has this video. If I had lived in Cuba and expressed my strong convictions as I do here, I would have been harassed, arrested, tortured, imprisoned and maybe executed.
Editor, The housing department of UNM has been holding students hostage instead of treating them like customers. UNM has begun a policy that does not allow residents to opt out of their housing contract at the end of the first semester, forcing them to live on campus for an entire academic year.
Editor, I want to say that I am a supporter of the Second Amendment. But I wonder if people have thought through all the reasons for carrying a weapon - concealed or otherwise - on campus. Carrying a weapon is not a deterrent to mass shootings. People who are going to try and stage a mass killing seem to have a death wish already.
Editor, I was surprised to read from the U.S. flag code that there is nothing law enforcement can do if the flag code is broken. I believe the Supreme Court should authorize a federal fine or penalty for anyone who violates the flag code in order to preserve and respect the sovereignty and dignity of the American flag.
Editor, On March 27, you published yet another hateful response by Vicky Johnson against Israel. This time, Johnson compared Israel to China and the Palestinians to Tibetans. Although the errors in most of her arguments and facts have been addressed previously by readers here, I would like to point out that many of the Tibetans actually identify with Jews in the diaspora, not with Palestinians.
Editor, I will not argue that Peter Lynch should not have gotten any punishment for destroying the Mexican flag. Though I feel his anger was justified, destroying someone else's flag is stepping over the line. However, I feel this whole unfortunate situation could have been avoided if people were more aware of flag etiquette in this country.
Solutions by The State News
