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Letters to the Editor
Response to Hayward
I am writing in response to Matt Hayward’s letter that appeared in last Thursday’s (“Choice is right,” Oct. 17) editorial section. Mr. Hayward was offended at my reference to those who wrote letters protesting the methods used by a pro-life group that visited campus in October. My allegation, that the people who wrote the letters were uninformed, stems from this premise:
A.) The (University) Chronicle did not delineate between the pro-life group (who arrived on Monday), and the foaming-at-the-mouth preacher who held his performance on Tuesday. The events were poorly reported and, thus, those who responded to the article were uninformed.
B.) The premise behind any engagement of debate within the public sphere is that the other side is ignorant of your information. This is seminal in the abortion debate. The pro-abortion side believes me to be ignorant of the right of women to choose abortion. I am not offended at their thinking me ignorant. I am offended at their position. I, in turn, believe that abortion supporters are ignorant of the truth about a baby’s right to life. To take offense at the premise behind a discussion rather than the discussed issue itself is a rather useless expenditure of emotion.
Furthermore, regarding the display of pictures of aborted fetuses (Latin, for “little one”), they are meant to be offensive. I am offended by them. The difference between Mr. Hayward and me is this: whereas he is offended by the display of those images, I am offended by the content of those images. If they offend you, ask yourself why. If they are wrong to look at, then perhaps the action they depict is wrong to do.
It has long been the intent of universities to broaden and illuminate the minds of students, and I believe that this endeavor is most effective when people are free to engage in open, intellectually honest debate. We need not shy away from issues because they are tough. With nearly 15,000 babies aborted in Minnesota last year (according to the MN Department of Health) and an election happening this year, the issue is too pervasive and too important to be met uninformed.
For people on both sides of the issue — do some research on the statistics. Check out a biology book and read the chapter covering pregnancy. Find out where Norm Coleman and Paul Wellstone stand on abortion. And, for the sake of another 15,000 potential children, do not be afraid to stand up for what is right. Even if it does happen to offend somebody.
Nathan Brennan
Senior, English Major
Janda needs diversification
As a person that follows SCSU football very attentively, I would like to express dissatisfaction with Matt Janda's football coverage.
It seems praise, by praise I mean mention, isn’t proportionately distributed for SCSU’s performance this season. Every week one can pick up the (University) Chronicle and find out what Keith Heckendorf, Ben Nelson, or Nate Loughran had for lunch.
Don’t get me wrong, each aforementioned player is skilled at his position and is surely a great asset to the team, but don’t we need to recognize more players? What of the offensive line that has afforded Heck time to pass for that copious number of yards, and Birkel to run circles around opponents?
What of unsung linebackers like seldom mentioned, strong-side junior linebacker Shane Rohman, who leads the defense with 10 more tackles than anyone else. Is the “quarterback of the defense” not in an important leadership role? In the only article quoting Rohman this season, his garrulous nature proved an entertaining facet of the game coverage. Apparently 20 percent more tackles than anyone else on the Husky defense isn’t notable. Janda must be forgetting the dearth of linebacker tackles last season. Evidently, ignoring the existence of the stellar offensive line wasn’t enough of an aberration.
As a reader and newly self-appointed ombudsman of Husky sports, I have a challenge for Matt Janda, who, I must say, is clearly a talented writer. Matt Janda needs to fly free from the conformist flock of sports journalists and cover Husky football ethically and objectively. We spend our time in academia not only to improve ourselves for the world in which we’ll live, but to improve the world in which we’ll live for ourselves.
Zachary Wade Petersen
Junior, Communications
University of Minnesota
Vote Wong
The candidates in this year’s Minnesota Senate race, Paul Wellstone and Norm Coleman, are both out to serve their own interests — not Minnesota’s. Both candidates have left many Minnesotans bitter about big money politics, and the good citizens of Minnesota are not to be blamed! You, Minnesota, deserve better!
Let's do something about it! The best choice for U.S. Senate should be someone who has lived a life that hardworking Minnesotans can relate to, who has an admirable attitude towards attaining goals, and will use common sense answers to solve today's problems. If you can identify with attaining goals through hard work and persistence, then write–in George Wong for U.S. Senate.
George Wong knows what it takes to accomplish goals. He started as an impoverished immigrant and worked long and hard to make his restaurant business successful for 30 years. George Wong has overcome tragedy in his life — from seeing his mother die when he was 5 years old, to seeing his own daughter die in front of his eyes. His attitude towards overcoming that is very admirable indeed and explains how he has become a winner in life. He has always had one approach to doing a job: Do the job right.
Do career politicians still live by the same simple concepts today? Did Mr. Coleman and Senator Wellstone sweat alone in a kitchen for 15 hours a day for 30 years? Cast your vote for George Wong, he is a man who has been through the school of hard knocks, and knows what takes to get the job done — the right way.
Eric Wong
Senior, Economics
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