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Opinion
 

Letters to the Editor

Dorm network problems have been solved, referred

To the editor:

Jim McCormick's opinion column in The Daily Cougar, "Dorm Networks Acting Up Again," (Opinion, Jan. 24), while provocative, was somewhat misinformed. Throughout Fall 2005, Residential Life and Housing Information Technology, in conjunction with University Computing and Telecommunications Services, worked to improve computer network reliability. Individual problems were identified and referred to appropriate personnel for resolution. 

Some problems that were identified include the use of wireless and wired routers in rooms; virus, Trojan and worm-infected computers; and incorrect settings on the computers. 

The use of wireless, wired routers and hardware firewalls is prohibited in resident rooms by University policy because they are often configured incorrectly, causing University provided network services, such as WebCT, to be unavailable. Academia is the primary intended use of the student network in residence halls.

At the beginning of each semester, including this spring, a copy of the RLH-IT network policies was made available to each resident, which explained that the Internet may contain hostile programs, viruses, worms, Trojan horses and other files that adversely affect computers. 

The authentication process, implemented this spring, was designed to limit the impact these hostile programs can have on residents. We continue to work to resolve remaining issues, such as having to re-authenticate more than once a semester, and expect to have this completed soon.

During winter break, each telephone, cable TV and Ethernet connection in every residence hall room was inspected and tested. The authentication system was implemented, which caused some student network outages in bringing this system online. This has been corrected. 

Students who are still having theses problems, or experiencing new problems that arise during the semester, should contact RLH's Service Request System, which can be accessed by telephone or online (3-6060, option 5, or fixit.housing.uh.edu). The Web site can be reached from any computer and acknowledgement of acceptance, rejection or status change is immediate through an automated e-mail process. 

Andy Blank
executive director
Residential Life and Housing

It's ‘Our father,' not your father

To the editor:

In her commentary on Brokeback Mountain, Melissa Correa ("Film raises questions about gay discrimination in society," Opinion, Wednesday) raises many good questions and comes upon disturbing answers. For a society that proposes to take "democracy" to Afghanistan and other "blighted" places on Earth, we have our own blight to deal with. And it ain't pretty.

She blames "society and our parents for encouraging the idea of anti-homosexuality." The specific part of that society that is most responsible for anti-gay prejudice is the conservative church, which is horrified of what it doesn't know or understand and uses anti-gay prejudice to create an enemy in order to raise funds.

I invite people interested in the truth to come to a meeting of PFLAG-Houston (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and to meet supportive families who love their children exactly as they are.

The PFLAG program on Sunday at St. Paul's Methodist Church consists of a panel of two male couples and one female couple who have been in committed long-term relationships for many years. Further information is available at www.pflaghouston.org.

Sue Null
PFLAG-Houston
1967 UH alumna

Some situations may warrant abortion

To the editor:

In response to Nick Somarakis' Thursday opinion article, "Government should support birth control," abortion is an emotionally loaded subject in the United States -- truly, it is emotionally loaded anywhere. It involves the ending of a life, or a potential life, and it is a very good thing that the issue is discussed openly by our society. An abortion should never be undergone lightly, and, understandably, the majority of the debate rages around unplanned pregnancies and the justifications for placing constitutionally permissible restrictions center around the stereotypical, and far too numerous "unwed, young mothers." 

Though the majority of abortions performed may be on young, unwed women, there is a subset of women who undergo abortions for other reasons, which are less tied to morality and more relevant to the frailty of the human body and the imperfection of the process of creating new life.

The process of gestation is fraught with dangers to both the mother and the child, and when the danger becomes clear and present to the mother, such as liver failure through HELPP syndrome or pre-eclampsia, few would argue the child's life outweighs hers. These are the type of abortions that are referred to as "medically necessary to preserve the mother's life." 

There's a grayer area here, though, and one that is at risk with the hollowing out of Roe vs. Wade: abortions performed because of serious defects in the child. At 20 weeks, a friend of mine found her baby's brain was growing outside of her skull. There is no cure for this. The child has no chance of survival once born. 

Distraught beyond all words, she had to terminate the pregnancy and end her child's life. Her life was not in danger. She would not qualify for an exemption if abortion were illegal, but should she be forced to carry this child "to term?" What is gained in such a case for either the mother or the child? 

The decision of what is right can only be made in such a circumstance between the doctor, any appropriate specialists and the mother. This is not an issue that can or should be legislated or even decided in the courts. It is immensely tragic, and in this situation the mother deserves our respect and compassion, whatever choice is made.

There are other conditions that may call for such a decision, including genetic diseases, untreatable defects to the heart, lungs and brain that doom the child to no life or a very short life full of pain. 

The women who have to make these decisions can be anyone, even the same women who are very much against ending a pregnancy simply because it is unwanted. They may now face the unimaginable pain of ending a pregnancy, ending the life of a wanted child because that child has no hope for survival.

Why do I refer to the fetus as a child? Because it is one, and all of our hopes and dreams are in our children. Some children will never be able to realize those dreams, because of genetic defects or other problems. Their lives may be lost, but that does not mean their mothers' mental and physical health should be sacrificed along with them.

Denise Hewitt
history junior

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.