Opinion
 

Letters to the Editor
 

The senselessness of war 

To the editor: 

I have attended UH as both an undergraduate and as a graduate student, and there have been few instances where I have been sickened by something I read in the Daily Cougar. My revulsion hit an all-time high as I read Matthew Bean's "Iraq deaths tragic but inevitable" (Opinion, Tuesday). 

Mr. Bean had only one cogent point -- when you send soldiers into war, they die. But taken in its entirety, Mr. Bean's "argument" makes about as much sense as the policies of the president he defends. 

Mr. Bean notes that soldiers were necessary because we could not have ousted Saddam Hussein with a "troupe of tap-dancing mimes." Well, no, but the pretext under which the United States entered Iraq was concocted with all the skill of Mr. Bean's aforementioned mimes. No weapons of mass destruction and no chemical weapons were found. The only chemicals found were Uday Hussein's stash of Viagra. The world probably is a better place without Hussein in power. 

The point of this response is not to suggest that "we" would be happier with Saddam still in power. The United States is in fact engaging in nation building "from the ground up," but if the goal of such nation building is self-determination for Iraq -- a red herring the United States has dangled in front of millions the world over since the 1890s -- then the United States should get out. Self-determination begins with "self." Mr. Bean notes, as a defense for American actions, "no country changes government without bloodshed." I would remind him that this government changes every four to eight years with no bloodshed. 

Clayton Lust, 
alumnus class of 2001

SFAC intrigue

To the editor: 

I couldn't agree more with The Daily Cougar's Staff Editorial on Tuesday ("No Strings Attached"). The Student Government Association's favorite tactic for control and for its own benefit is to stack committees like the Student Fees Advisory Committee so that every vote goes SGA's way. 

Vice President for Student Affairs Elwyn Lee has a long history of using SFAC hearings to leverage his power over some organizations and to punish those organizations he dislikes. 

My experiences with Lee during my tenure as editor in chief of The Daily Cougar (1995-96) were combative and fractious. Mr. Lee attempts to exert control over student independence at UH with a mixture of bluster, intimidation and coercion. I always thought that the vice president for student affairs should be an advocate for what is best for UH students overall. Instead, he seems to be a traffic cop who tries to predetermine the outcomes of the SFAC hearings based on what he wants. 

If Lee really represented the best interest of all the students, he would question the ridiculous amount of student money that goes to bail out the mammoth deficit in the UH Athletic Department. 

Bobby Summers, 
alumnus class of 1996

Straight-shooting coach

To the editor:

It was good to see Coach Curl chosen for your first interview with UH Athletic personnel. Joe Curl has a sincere interest in students and it is not confined just to the student athletes. He spoke to my class of pharmacy students on the topic of leadership and they found him thought provoking and inspirational. He never ducks a question as your interview indicates, and he speaks his mind without double-talk, which is a quality to be admired. 

William C. McCormick, 
pharmacy professor
 

Letters to the editor are welcome from all members of the UH community and should focus on issues, not personalities. Letters must be typed and must include the author's name, telephone number and affiliation with the University. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters are subject to editing for clarity, language and space. Letters may be delivered in person to Room 151, Communication; e-mailed to dclettrs@mail.uh.edu ; or faxed to (713) 743-5384.Send comments to dccampus@mail.uh.edu