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Nurses support UPTE cause I wish to correct some statements that were made in last week’s article “UC med centers may not be prepared for health disaster” (Daily Bruin, News, Oct. 17). It was implied through a misquote that I agree that the UCLA Medical Center is safely staffed to handle a public health emergency. This misquote was used to undermine UPTE’s position that the Medical Center needs to take steps to improve its readiness by improving wages and staffing for its employees. I want to make clear that the California Nurses Association stands by UPTE and its members efforts to secure a fair and just contract. In no way should my assertion that RNs will work hard in a health emergency be interpreted as contradicting UPTE’s position that the medical center needs to do more for all of its employees. Furthermore, as the paper of record for thousands of UCLA students and employees, the Daily Bruin’s staff should be ever diligent to confirm quotes before they run in print. When pressed about the readiness of nurses if an emergency situation happens, I did respond by saying nurses have call lists in place; some units have babysitting lists and other procedures in case many nurses are needed at once. Ask each individual CNA or UPTE member if they are ready to help and they will say yes. Is UCLA as an institution ready to respond? If management’s unwillingness to accept that people are paid inadequately, and that short staffing even exists is any indications of their preparedness, then I say UCLA is not ready. It is unfortunate that you chose not only to misquote me once, but then used it again to support your ill-conceived editorial (“UPTE’s public claims mislead, are unjust,” Daily Bruin, Viewpoint, Oct. 18). It is clear that you did not talk to any people who actually do the health care work at UCLA. You instead chose management’s version. You claimed “it is unreasonable to expect the Medical Center, or any hospital to be staffed for an attack they cannot predict.” Fine, but would you agree that is reasonable for the hospital to pay competitive wages and staff the institution properly, regardless of the situation?

Kristin Eldridge California Nurses Association Labor Representative

Vossoughi’s view valiant – and silly In response to Shirin Vossoughi’s column, “Marketing war – should you buy it?” (Daily Bruin, Viewpoint, Oct. 30): Shirin Vossoughi, when a virus hijacks one of your cells and begins making copies of its own DNA, do you try to read through the propaganda of your emotions and the propaganda of pain that tells you the virus is “bad?” Do you shed tears of sorrow as your body expels the innocent virus struggling to make its way in the world? If you do, you are a just person – who is destined for a short life.

Derk Lupinek Class of 1996

Hargis shouldn’t force his opinions In his letter “db/articles.asp?ID=16971>Editorial lacking in proof, substance” (Daily Bruin, Viewpoint, Oct. 26), library assistant Jonnie Hargis states that UCLA suspended him for “Thought Crimes.” But I don’t think the university was really interested in what he thought. The issue was what he said and the circumstances under which he said it. While UCLA, as a public entity, may very well be legally prevented from regulating speech anywhere on campus, there is nevertheless a fundamental difference between someone expressing himself on Bruin Walk, where we are free to stay and listen or walk away, and someone expressing himself in the workplace. People should have a right to speak, but they shouldn’t be able to force others to listen. And so I find it interesting that even as Mr. Hargis trumpets his own right to free speech, he also faults the university for failing to protect him from “personal harassment in the workplace.” I have to wonder, did that harassment include words that he didn’t want to listen to? As for the question of Israel, Mr. Hargis reveals his lack of objectivity by saying that his characterization of Israel as a racist, apartheid state has been confirmed not only by the U.N., NGOs, etc., but by “the world as a whole.” Such thoughtless use of hyperbole, as well as the confrontational tone throughout his letter, does point out one of the benefits of allowing unregulated free speech: some people do a better job of discrediting their opinions through their own words than anyone else ever could.

Chris Norlin Class of 1988

Anti-gay feelings lack suitable logic I am writing in response to Monday’s Viewpoint submission, “db/articles.asp?ID=17000>Depiction of homosexuality unnecessary” (Daily Bruin, Oct. 29). I would like to invite Donte Dollar-Wright to produce any evidence to support his assertion that homosexuality is “at best” a biological anomaly. The only expert Dollar-Wright quotes in his article is Eminem, who I do not consider a reliable scholar on biology or any other science. Like many people who claim to have moral sensibilities, Dollar-Wright can simultaneously be offended by articles and depictions of homosexuality while embracing a misogynistic and violent artist who is not even intelligent enough to defend his art. According to this article, if a person is not a “normal homo sapient who can procreate,” then there are no moral grounds to oppose those who express hatred of that person. Well, I fathered a child in a previous heterosexual relationship so I am a normal homo sapient who can procreate. I now identify myself as homosexual, but because I have demonstrated my procreative ability, I am “normal” by Dollar-Wright’s twisted logic. Any man who claims to be heterosexual but has not fathered a child is now under notice that he may be targeted for hatred by Dollar-Wright. Of course, Dollar-Wright leads off and finishes his article with a call for decency. The substance of his article is how much homosexuals deserve the hatred that is directed at them, but he wants us to believe that he is protecting UCLA students from offensive material ... while quoting Eminem. How sad.

John Pipan Graduate student Computer science

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