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University of Houston
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Opinion
 

Letters to the Editor

Columnist off the mark about Israel

To the editor:

Adil Saleem's opinion piece ("Hamas wins, world still scary," Jan. 30) about the election of Hamas is full of inaccuracies. While Saleem is right about Hamas calling for the total destruction of Israel, being a terrorist organization and refusing to recognize Israel, he makes erroneous claims about what Israel has done.

The areas commonly known as "Israel's occupied territories" were gained in the 1967 war, and do not violate international law. Israel's administration of the West Bank since 1967 replaced Jordan's control of the land, which Jordan gained during the 1948 war with the newly established state of Israel. Jordan never actually had legal sovereignty over the West Bank and Gaza, though it is now under Palestinian control because Israel ceded the territory in the interest of pursuing peace.

Also, Saleem's reference to Israel's "cloak of religion" as the reason for its right to exist assumes Jews have no religious connection to the land, yet Jews have lived in Israel and these so-called "occupied territories" for thousands of years.

Saleem errs again when he claims America only wants puppets rather than democracies in the Middle East. The Bush administration wants s two-state solution, with a secure Israel and Palestine thriving side-by-side. 

Despite what Hamas has said about Israel, the Bush administration and many Americans hope a new regime for Palestinians eventually will result in a two-state solution reinforced by security and peace. It is sad that Saleem does not share this hope.

Kristopher Clancy
Spanish junior

Bookstores are on our side, as much as possible

To the editor:

Jim McCormick's opinion column, "College bookstores all about the Benjamins," (Jan. 31), while not actually naming any bookstore or quoting any professional in the bookstore business, proclaimed several incorrect facts and myths regarding campus bookstores. 

We understand that most college students live on a budget. Students asked us for more used books and we plan to deliver. We buy books all year long, no matter where you bought them.

Publishers issue new editions of textbooks frequently. They do this partly as a result of changing information but mostly to discourage the sale of used textbooks. When a new edition of a title is released, the previous edition loses its value. 

Our cost determines our price. When the publisher sets no selling price, we add a minimum mark-up of 25 percent to our purchase cost to cover our expenses of operation. For other textbooks, the price is determined directly by the publishing companies. They sell us the book at a set cost and establish the selling price we must follow.

In the first week of school, you can return textbooks you no longer need for a full refund in the original form of payment with a receipt. If you change your schedule or drop a course within the first 30 days of class, we will give you a refund with proof of the schedule change and a receipt.

Where does the money go? First, the publisher takes an average 67 percent of the price, 9 percent to the author, 2.5 percent to the freight companies, 14 percent to the college and 7.5 percent to the campus bookstore.

Beyond all that, the bookstore supports the campus community with jobs for over 200 students annually; $25,000 annually in scholarships; yearly student internships; staff/faculty/alumni discounts and campus event donations. Our business is about relationships, and we appreciate our students, administration, staff and alumni.

Felix Robinson
general manager, UH Bookstore

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.