Editor, I was a participant in the recent World Language Expo, and I was also present at the table representing the Philological Society at UNM. First of all, I feel that your reporter was misrepresenting herself by not announcing that she was with the Daily Lobo before she started asking questions.
Editor, Deluge, flood of rain, tornado - these words evoke a sense of hopelessness and hope at the same time in the city of New Orleans at the beginning of 2007, almost two years since the hurricane season became a nightmare for thousands of citizens. Some lost their lives because of bureaucratic incompetence, and others because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Editor, My heart goes out to my fellow veterans who have received such horrible care at the Walter Reed Hospital, the premier site of health care for those who have served and been severely injured. What happened at Walter Reed is the tip of the iceberg.
Editor, Jump on board the environmental locomotive if you will not accept any sort of dissenting arguments to global warming. Movie stars, sports figures, politicians and thousands alike are joining the new sacrificial faith. They tell us that we can avoid Armageddon if we follow them blindly.
Editor, ASUNM elections are approaching, and candidates will become more active on campus to seem involved and appealing. I have a suggestion for candidates looking to reach out: Campaign to make textbooks affordable. The average student pays about $400 a semester on textbooks, which is about one month's rent.
Editor, On March 8, the world is recognizing the importance of females throughout the past, present and future on International Women's Day. Oftentimes, the roles of women in society are undermined through stereotypical assumptions made by those with many psychological and sociological problems.
Editor, One of the many blessings of living in this country is freedom of speech. However, after passing by Smith Plaza last week and witnessing religious proselytization, I noticed that the event quickly devolved into inaccurate and hate-mongering speech about the Islamic faith and culture.
Editor, Mental health clinics provide help to a large aggregate of mentally ill patients with severe psychotic conditions. Many of these patients require more than one anti-psychotic medication to become or remain stable. In November 2006, Gov. Bill Richardson - along with ValueOptions, the mental health administrator for Medicaid in New Mexico - changed stipulations set out in the ValueOptions mandate by allowing only one anti-psychotic medication per patient.
Editor, Last Wednesday, I stopped to listen to an argument between Christians and Muslims taking place in front of Zimmerman Library. I stopped for only a few minutes, but what I heard was exceedingly telling. As I arrived, one of the Christian preachers was scoffing at a story from the 18th sura of the Quran about a group of monotheists who hid from persecution in a cave and slept for many years, awak ing in a changed world.
Editor, I am a volunteer at the Agora Crisis Center and a psychology major at UNM. Recently, I was requested to assist someone who was threatening suicide. I was able to persuade this person to go to UNM Hospital for an evaluation, after I felt that I had done all I could to help.
Editor, The term "gay marriage" sets up a dichotomy that should not be present in our society. Framing the issue in terms of gay and straight leads to arguments supporting a separate but equal approach - marriage for straight couples, civil unions and domestic partnerships for gay couples.
Editor, As a member of two GPSA regent selection committees - in 2002 and 2004 - I take great umbrage at the content of Diane Albert's letter in Monday's Daily Lobo for this simple fact: The selection committee never selected Rosalyn Nguyen as one of the candidates whose name was forwarded to former UNM President Louis Caldera for consideration.
Editor, Though I have found it difficult to stomach past commentary from the impudent and self-righteous right hand of columnist Scott Darnell, I must agree with a point he made about Al Gore on Friday. As a cheerleader for a more progressive national energy policy to address global warming, concerned Americans expect Gore to be the archetype of a carbon-neutral lifestyle.
Editor, I have been in love with certain men. I treasure mutually passionate romance with a man but do not want a license from any state for my deep romantic connection with him. I want him to stay with me because he wants to stay with me - not because he feels stuck with me in a legal cage called marriage or civil union.
Editor, Is it me, or does the Lobo men's basketball team play more as a team when J.R. Giddens isn't in the game? Granted, he had a long-overdue good game in the Lobos' final home appearance of the season, but just as head coach Ritchie McKay got canned, so should Giddens.
Editor, I am writing to say thank you to an exceptional person, Rosalyn Nguyen, for her service to UNM and to the state of New Mexico during her two-year tenure as student regent. Nguyen has demonstrated the qualities of a true leader, working tirelessly behind the scenes to lobby state legislators, meet with the Board of Regents and advocate for UNM with Gov.
Editor, The SUB should not be used as a concert hall. On Friday, a co-worker and I were enjoying a nice lunch in the SUB when our conversation was muted by the deafening sound of a marching band. Thankfully, the band played for only about five minutes. But during those five minutes, I noticed people having to yell at the food vendors just to have their orders heard.
Editor, I was dismayed Friday by columnist Scott Darnell's factually incorrect and logically incoherent piece on energy conservation. Darnell rightfully objected to former Vice President Al Gore's massive personal energy bill and lack of frugality. However, his claim that Gore does not participate in a voluntary program that uses renewable rather than carbon-based energy is an outright lie.
Editor, I would like to share my thoughts on the topic of riding the UNM shuttle bus. I need to vent, because I find this means of transportation an atrocity - not because of the service, but because of its patrons. I feel that common courtesy has been lost.
by Mario Hernandez Daily Lobo columnist Society has always told us that love is all you need. It seems, however, that love isn't all you need. To be legally wed in the U.S., you need more than love - you need a man and a woman. While still a minority, gays are more apparent and more abundant these days.
Solutions by The State News
