After reading the April 13 article on the possible return of the draft, I was saddened, though not surprised, at the lengths certain media will go to promote a political agenda. Though printed as a front page story, the article, based on an old news story, was merely a propaganda piece.
Although the article describes the bill proposed by Rep. Stark in great detail, it fails to mention that it was actually proposed in January of 2003 before the start of the Iraq war. Also, the intention of the bill was to protest any involvement in Iraq rather than to fill any actual military needs. Based on these facts, I think it is fairly clear that the purpose of the article was to scare possible draftees, i.e. college students, into opposing the occupation rather than to convey any relevant information. Upon reading the article, it becomes clear that the author made a blatant attempt to mix old news with growing concern about the U.S. future in Iraq in order to further his own political agenda.
In the future, please refrain from printing articles such as this one on the front page as actual news, but rather in the opinion section where they belong.
The writer of the letter ?Want health care? Work for it? obviously cares a great deal about the quality of his education and is therefore right to demand some attention from his TA. As a TA, I also care about this ?feeble-minded freshman's? education, so I will recommend a few courses for him to take next semester, so he won?t repeat the errors he made in this writing.
First, the writer should consider taking a course in criminal justice. In this course, he can learn about legal standards such as ?innocent until proven guilty.? What evidence does he have that a TA spraypainted Bascom Hill? Why would he assume a TA did it? Second, the writer should take a course in statistics. There, he will learn that it is impossible to draw conclusions from a sample size of one. I apologize that your TA was too busy playing video games to talk to you. But perhaps he is a statistical outlier? Maybe he is not a typical TA?
Third, the writer should take a course in economics or sociology. If the writer thinks his TAs are bad now, wait until the state government takes away our free health care! Why would a laborer work for an employer who is offering to pay him $2000 less per year than other employers? Taking away free health care would undermine the University?s ability to compete for qualified graduate students. That is why everyone, from Chancellor Wiley on down, supports the TAA?s position.
Finally, the writer should consider taking an ethics course. Why should he wish harm upon all UW graduate students simply because he had a bad experience with one?
With this course of study, I think the ?feeble-minded freshman? will turn into a very knowledgeable UW graduate someday.
