The Bruin takes the last straw
Editor:
The Daily Bruin finally broke the camel’s back. Your Nov. 21
unsigned editorial, "Times of emergency demand solidarity," was
that final straw.
In Viewpoint day after day before the Nov. 8 elections, we
calmly stood by and read your irrational, unsubstantiated articles
blasting Gov. Pete Wilson and Proposition 187 which were given
headlines large enough that Ray Charles could see. We had to use an
electron microscope, however, to read the few rational,
well-thought-out articles by supporters of Wilson and Proposition
187 which you probably only put in to pacify the one of two
politically normal people on your staff.
Now, we read this practically full-page editorial that was full
of nonsense and double-talk, the same garbage that has been in
those articles by Roseanne Marquez (we think that’s what her name
is) except without the obscene language.
We are now going to give the rational argument as to why anyone
who would get arrested during that Nov. 17 demonstration is an
idiot. Chancellor Charles Young, the great man that he is, is in no
position to give support or opposition to a state law. He is not
part of the legislative process, for those of you who have not
satisfied UCLA’s American History and Institutions requirement.
Hell, we think the state highway speed limit should be 65 mph,
but do you see us pressuring Young into issuing a statement? No.
Our energy is better spent pressuring state senators and
assemblypeople and even the honorable, much-maligned Wilson. So for
those who got arrested last Thursday, we thank you for giving UCPD
some practice and we hope your community service hours are
well-spent.
The editors of the Daily Bruin should also be charged with
conspiracy for promoting hate and civil disobedience. Then again,
the First Amendment prohibits that, so we implore someone within
the Daily Bruin to make sure to print only constructive articles
that are worth more than the recycled paper they are printed
on.
Scott Burros
Undeclared
Freshman
Michael Urcan
Undeclared
Freshman
‘Report’ plays with fire
Editor:
In "My report on the superfluous Prop. 187 protest," Nov. 21,
Nikao Yang knew he was playing with fire and would get burned.
It is the reality and sad truth of the existence of
"superfluous," "bitching," sophomoric fools such as himself who
feel it necessary to spout jargon and then run. Yes, the democratic
process worked in passing the racist initiative Proposition 187,
but it worked to serve the needs and pleasures of a certain class,
the WASP class, who I must add were among the first immigrants.
Did it ever cross your mind that perhaps not all Americans were
able to vote, because somewhere in the electoral process they lost
their absentee ballot or didn’t register? The democratic election
process isn’t as efficient as good old Amerikkka believes. Perhaps
if Yang were not so narrow-minded he would have heard the validity
in the speakers’ arguments last Thursday: Proposition 187 is not
merely an issue of Chicano immigrants; it involves all immigrants,
including you.
The young woman Yang criticized was strong and proud enough to
stand up and speak passionately in front of a large crowd, and if
he felt so upset about her incoherence he should have stepped
forward and presented his "introduction, body and conclusion."
I guess we all aren’t leaders. And Proposition 187 has not died
in the court: just Monday morning it was announced that two women
were carded in Stockton. Guess the proposition has thawed out!
Viviana Garcia
Third-year
Mathematics/history
Stop the war on the poor
Editor:
So the "newt" Order in the new Congress begins with a great
idea: Cut off all welfare benefits to mothers and dependent
children after two years … no safety net, and if welfare parents
have not found work after two years, their children will be removed
from the home and placed in foster care.
That will show those welfare types that the American people mean
business this time. That’s right, folks, foster care, which,
morality issues aside, would cost four times as much as the welfare
benefits … are we really serious, America?
Is this the sort of "change" the new majority has in mind? So
much for less government intrusion in private lives.
If you are a welfare recipient, or a woman faced with a
reproduction decision, or a 4-year-old looking forward to Head
Start, or a hungry senior citizen standing in a community food bank
line, look for government to be in your life in a big way.
Why not just round up all the poor and send them back to where
they came from … oops, many of them came from the middle-class,
and got lurched lower during those great Reagan years … oh well,
no matter, we will always have the poor among us, the New Testament
says …
But all the major religions and prophets are really quite clear
on what to do with the poor: WE MUST HELP THEM. Not use them as
convenient scapegoats because the Big Pie is indeed shrinking. What
moral cowards many of us are!
Yes, reform the present welfare system; it sorely needs it.
Break the dependency that the system often fosters, but, do this
with a humane, comprehensive, truly serious plan that would employ
job training, education, family planning, jobs, jobs, jobs! Not
uncaring, draconian, family-destroying foolishness that only covers
temporarily the deepening roots of poverty …
The War On Poverty has now become the War On the Poor, and may a
merciful God forgive our great Land for this most recent version of
"survival of the fittest."
Solomon Matsas
Staff, Registrar’s Office