Opinion

Ed toons

Letter: New Mexicans can erase stain in state's history

New Mexico voters have an opportunity to repeal the Alien Land Act in the upcoming election. The law, adopted in 1921, amended the New Mexico Constitution to prohibit land ownership for all immigrants ineligible for citizenship. This was part of the wave of anti-Japanese immigration sentiment that swept across the U.S. in the early 20th century.

Letter: Alcohol abuse prevention starts with the community

Editor, For those who regard drinking and getting drunk as a harmless rite of passage, a thoughtful reading of Thursday's Daily Lobo should dispel any such illusions. Contained in this single issue are three separate accounts detailing the negative impact of alcohol misuse: a bust by campus police of a drinking party in a student residence center, an alcohol-fueled brawl at the Frontier and a student's letter recounting the connection between intoxication and unsafe sex practices that may have resulted in an 18-year-old's unintended venture into parenthood.

Letter: Exhibit by Justice For All displays false information

Editor, We in the section of reproductive health of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the UNM School of Medicine are writing to correct some of the misinformation presented by the Justice For All exhibit displayed on campus last week. This exhibit, already repugnant for the specious comparison between abortion and the Holocaust, its sensationalist graphics and intrusive display, is most reprehensible for its deliberately inaccurate medical information.

Letter: Archaic views of abortion endanger individual rights

Editor, It mystifies me why an undeveloped fetus is worth more than a 12-year-old girl impregnated by her father, whose physical, mental and emotional development will all be compromised by her being forced to carry a pregnancy to term. When medical abortion was illegal and reliable, birth control was not available, induced abortion was still practiced by nonprofessionals under hazardous conditions, killing or maiming many women, whether they were desperate or not.

Letter: State Land Office loyal to big oil; time for a change

Editor, Though we spend the majority of our time on a concrete-and-plaster campus in the middle of this state's largest city, everyone at UNM has a vested interest in the wide, remote expanses of New Mexico. These areas, nearly 9 million acres of state-owned land, are held in trust for the University and every other public school, meaning that interest from revenue gained in leasing this land goes into a special fund for schools.

Letter: Opinions without evidence are bad examples to follow

Editor, Joel Hobbs' letter on Friday made an intriguing point about the recent campaigns of Rep. Heather Wilson and Attorney General Patricia Madrid. After viewing many commercials steeped in flashy colors, pictures of contorted faces, out-of-context information, deeply serious narrative voices, poor attempts at subliminal messaging and little to absolutely no factual basis for claims, I also have opinions about the campaign methods in the race for New Mexico's 1st Congressional District.

Editorial: Vote early or bring a book while you wait to feed R2

I'm not paddling into the rivers of the debate flowing on this opinion page to tell you that you have a civic duty to fulfill by voting in this year's election.

Letter: Quote in veteran article came across as ignorant

Editor, I was featured in an article about veteran students in Friday's Daily Lobo. I was quoted as bad-mouthing philosophy majors. To clarify, Joshua Curtis did not misquote me, and I was pleased with his article. It was an accurate quote, but it came across as pompous and ignorant, which is unfortunate.

Letter: Politicians will represent people who cast ballots

Editor, I am responding to the letter by J.P. Farish in the Oct. 20 issue of the Daily Lobo. I must admit, on election day, one is tempted to settle down in front of the television with a delicious Frito pie, telling oneself that corrupt politicians will feel the wrath of the nonvoter's statement.

Ed toons

Letter: Sidewalk slander at UNM sends wrong messages

I was casually walking back to the building where I work on campus after enjoying the cool weather and having lunch, when I saw the words "Heather the war whore" written with chalk on the sidewalk. Generally disgusted with political slander already, I proceeded to look up to a class of school-aged children playing near one of the water fountains here on campus.

Letter: Letter: Focus on war casualties, not just aborted fetuses

Editor, My first reaction to the display by the anti-abortion organization Justice For All was that it lacked good taste. However, I find the censoring of information coming out of Iraq to be much more horrifying. Americans are too desensitized to the real horror show - not abortion, but this mess of a world.

Letter: Being proud of not voting as dumb as drunken driving

Editor, Eligible voters younger than 25 typically don't vote today, and in my mind, like being uneducated or driving drunk, this isn't something to brag about. But it goes deeper and becomes more practical than that. Do you know why politicians go on and on about the price of prescription drugs and about Social Security benefits, not making a peep about Pell Grants, the price of textbooks or student loan interest rates? It's not because student issues aren't important; it's because student issues aren't important to people who vote.

Letter: Anti-abortion legislation perpetuates poverty cycle

Editor, Many people get confrontational about the emotional nature of the debate surrounding a woman's right to choose, but it's a public finance issue as well. The Bush administration has spent public funds in ways that push an anti-choice agenda, and the public hasn't had much to say about it.

Letter: Voters deserve accurate information on candidates

Editor, Anyone who watches even a little bit of television knows it's election season, as the attack ads air back to back between your favorite shows. Once again, character, ethics and honesty are touted as the cornerstones of the candidates' positions. Even with the very minimal amount of television I watch, I keep seeing Attorney General Patricia Madrid, a candidate for the House of Representatives from New Mexico's 1st Congressional District, in conjunction with an image of her face caught in some unnatural position linking her with all of society's ills.

Letter: Christians who judge gays ignore other parts of Bible

Editor, Some of the Christians that want to educate gays on the Bible could use a bit of educating themselves. For centuries, people have picked out the parts of the Bible that they want to pay attention to and ignore the rest. Some Christians have chosen to take Leviticus' supposed ban on homosexuality and ignore its rule against eating shellfish.

Letter: Abortion is contradictory to forefathers' intentions

Editor, A few weeks ago, my wife and I went to UNM Hospital to have an ultrasound. My wife is pregnant with our fifth child. After two consecutive miscarriages, it is difficult to not expect the same result with this pregnancy. There is a mixture of hope, worry and unexpressed joy for fear of disappointment.

Column: Governor's actions selfish

by Steve Painter Daily Lobo columnist With the gubernatorial election on Nov. 7 quickly approaching, there are some things voters need to know about Gov. Bill Richardson. Specifically, Richardson has paid little attention to the problems of New Mexico during his trips around the world for his own benefit.

Column: Wilson's message doesn't match record

by Mario Hernandez Daily Lobo columnist Although the beat is addictive and the music moving, the song "Won't Get Fooled Again" by the Who is not just meant for dancing. It has a political message that cannot be overlooked and, strangely, has relevance to our political climate.