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Much more to UCLA than fraternities

As an alum and an ex-fraternity member (house will remain unknown), I couldn’t agree more with David Burke’s Sept. 27, 2002 column, “Frats not epitome of ‘coolness.’” Everyone wants to belong, be cool, and have the world think you belong to a “hot frat” as an undergrad. Such garbage – I gave my frat pin away to a drag queen. That’s how much I cared about “Fratland.” I wish I could go back to those undergrad years and do them over and never join a frat! The friends I missed and never saw again were the wonderful dorks you described in your column. Enjoy UCLA for all the diversity and wide variety of students it can provide. Forget frats ever existed – I have.

Michael P. Richards,

Life Member, UCLA Alumni Association

Editorial board misuses its power

As a former Daily Bruin staff and editorial board member, I was disappointed with the abuse of power displayed by Bruin editors in their choice to run the editorial “Dahle inconsistent in words, actions” (Viewpoint Sept. 30, 2002). 

It is clear -- indeed, the board says so in the first line of the editorial -- that the Bruin’s editors used the power of the press to run their editorial on the same day that they chose to run David Dahle’s response to an earlier editorial. 

But in the interests of fairness  – not to mention journalistic integrity – it would behoove the Bruin’s editors to let responses run on their own merits before trying to head-off critical voices. Not only would an editorial written on the day following Dahle’s response been timely, it would have been fair.

What are you guys so afraid of?

Brian O’Camb

Alumnus 2001

Students should pay their way

In response to the editorial “Public, not students should fund UC,” I would like to offer a contrary viewpoint. I have only been a California resident for about a month now, but let me hazard a few guesses. First, most California taxpayers have not and will not attain an undergraduate college degree or otherwise higher level of education from the UC. Second, UCLA graduates and UC graduates in general can expect a significant premium in the marketplace for their services when compared with those of lesser levels of education.

If these two assertions are correct (which I suspect they are) the Daily Bruin editorial seems to be suggesting that most of California’s working persons are obliged to subsidize younger Californian’s attainment of a valuable credential. A college degree provides its recipients with significantly higher salaries and much greater career options. With that in mind, isn’t it fair that those who reap the rewards of a college degree are those same persons who incur the cost of such a differentiating distinction?

Robert Hoblit

Class of 2004, Anderson School

Iraq not a real threat

In Steven Krakauer’s piece titled “United States must eliminate terrorists, Hussein quickly,” published Sept. 22, 2002, he mistakenly asserts “(Saddam) Hussein poses a threat.” But there has been no evidence Saddam Hussein had anything to do with the Sept. 11, 2001 bombings. Bombing Iraq may or may not eliminate “the tainted regime he runs,” but moreover, it will cause the death of millions of innocent civilians.

It was, after all, the overthrowing of Afghani leaders in the past by the U.S. government that caused the emergence of al-Qaeda terrorist groups in Afghanistan. There is little doubt that in bombing Iraq, whether or not it will kill Saddam Hussein, more terrorist groups will emerge from the rubble and ruins of the country. I don’t know for sure if “delay will mean more bloodshed,” but I do know serious and critical contemplation about war might produce a better plan for dealing with the world’s terrorist groups and spreading freedom and peace.

Rushing into a war with Iraq is far from the solution. I suppose it is always easier to rush into war when one is not in danger of being sent overseas to kill or be killed. I urge Mr. Krakauer and President Bush even to consider that as swift as America’s “extermination of the terrorist cells (might) be,” still swifter will more terrorists cells resulting emergence. Americans need to really consider the pros and, moreover, the cons of war with a country like Iraq, where hatred for America is already prevalent.

Sona Bekmezian

First-year biology student