Opinion

President Bush compares with tyrannical dictators

Editor, The current Iraq fiasco and President Bush's reluctance to admit the reality of his great blunder is proof positive that no one man, no matter what his real motives may be, should have so much power over life and death decisions. In part because of the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, Bush has power not only over Americans, but also the poor people of Iraq, who have been victimized by an unprovoked invasion, occupation and five years of death, destruction and misery - all allegedly in the name of democracy.

An end to the war in Iraq would make a great gift

Editor, All I want this holiday season - not just for me, but for my entire generation - is a foreseeable end to the Iraq war. It's my generation of 20- and 30-somethings that is losing lives over there. But I'm concerned about the lasting effects, too.

Frat is a derogatory word, not a proper abbreviation

Editor, The Daily Lobo's insistence on using the pejorative "frat" in its reporting about fraternity activities on the UNM campus is a disparaging action, one that also leans toward journalistic bias. Labeling these organizations as frats is akin to the Lobo's readers using derogatory phrases to describe the newspaper.

Uncle Sam encourages education for minorities

Editor, Eric Garcia's cartoon in the Dec. 7 Daily Lobo about Uncle Sam supplying very little education funds to minorities is inaccurate. About 40 students from the Hispanic Engineering and Science Organization recently attended the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists national conference in Houston, where numerous awards and scholarships were awarded to outstanding Hispanic students.

Sigma Chi's insensitivity doesn't speak for Greeks

Editor, In a Dec. 11 article regarding the interactions between representatives from African-American Student Services and Sigma Chi's national headquarters, Michelle Touson, speaking on behalf of African-American Student Services, was paraphrased, "The problem is that most people in the Greek system don't have experience with other cultures.

Gray wolf in need of help from fellow Lobos at UNM

Editor, The name of this newspaper is the Daily Lobo, but just how many lobos - otherwise known as the Mexican gray wolf - do you, I or anyone else come across on a daily basis? That's right - zero. That is probably because the Mexican gray wolf is an endangered species.

Ed toons

In business, greed necessary, not evil

Is business really evil? I have argued both sides of this debate and feel now is the time to take a stand. The answer to this question is a clear no. Business is not evil. Some people are evil. Businesses cannot make decisions, exploit people or steal on their own; it is only the people within businesses who have the ability to act. The corporation, as a whole, is nothing more than an idea. It's time we start to look at the institution of business separately from individual businesses and, further, individual people.

Follow your heart to health

Dear Dr. Peg, While shopping at my local Smith's store, I stopped by the pharmacy to measure my blood pressure. The machine told me that it was 127/75. Is this a healthy blood pressure? Also, what's the relationship between blood pressure and cholesterol levels? What can I do to maintain a healthy blood pressure?

Religious dogma an excuse to ban stem cell research

Editor, Embryonic stem cell research has the potential to revolutionize medicine and save millions of lives. Yet many legislators are frantically working to defeat a measure that would expand federal financing of this research. Why are they and so many others opposing embryonic stem cell research and doing so under the banner of being pro-life? Embryos used in embryonic stem cell research are not human beings - not in any rational sense of the term.

Ed toons

Battle for racial equality not over

It feels like 1954 all over again. The Supreme Court is hearing a case this week against Seattle public schools. The issue? Racial integration.

TVs in SUB train students to be mindless consumers

Editor, It is with increased dismay that I witness our culture sliding under the shadow of complete corporate occupation. People are no longer individuals. Instead, they are classified as consumers, a means to profits. The recent installation of televisions in the SUB to show mtvU highlights the pervasiveness of the corporate complex that now seeks to exert complete dominance over our lives.

Even after hours, hip-hop lives on with Talib Kweli

Editor, Just to let people know, Talib Kweli, after initially leaving when Sunshine Theater security would not permit breakdancers from the audience on the stage, came out again after your reporter probably left. After SpeedOne, a local promoter and a seemingly chill and informed guy, worked things out with security, he said that since people decided to stick around, it was proper to throw an afterparty.

Beware of the liabilities that come with credit cards

Editor, The photo on the front page of Tuesday's Daily Lobo, "Pizza and plastic," was rather disturbing to me, due to the predatory nature of credit card pushers on and around campus. Michael Unzueta and the other students pictured will surrender their personal information to the Citibank corporation.

Wilson's resignation only way to rectify genocide

Editor, I'd like to thank Rep. Heather Wilson for the three-month-old form letter I received on the situation in Iraq. The letter made absolutely no mention of sectarian violence or civil war in Iraq. The letter stated military operations must go forward against insurgent and foreign fighters in Iraq, particularly against al-Qaida.

Unclear if Bush wants Iraq to select own government

Editor, In 2003, President Bush made the decision to invade Iraq and overthrow a despotic ruler. The goal was to give the citizens of Iraq the opportunity to rule themselves in the manner they preferred, which he assumed would be a democracy, modeled on the example of the U.

Bookworms are to blame for failed mission in Iraq

Editor, It has been said that President Bush is not intellectually curious. This is true, but even more important to consider is that he also lacks what can be called street smarts. The end result is the mess we see today in Iraq. It has been noted that Bush was not aware of the Sunni and Shiite dichotomy until six weeks before the invasion, and even then, he is reputed to have dismissed the importance of the matter.

Simple measures can trim fat off obesity epidemic

Editor, According to a recent CNN report, 60 percent of American adults are seriously overweight. Also, 17 percent of American children are overweight. This is quite evident here in New Mexico. Obesity seems to originate from a lack of physical activity, not from gluttony.

Prepare U.S. for more patriots

Not too long ago, this nation marked with mixed emotion - and the usual smear of indifference - the crossing of the 300 million inhabitants mark. Who was this lucky newborn baby? You might call him or her America's 300 millionth patriot. What is the challenge he or she embodies? Overpopulation.