A few corrections for Boyd\nTo Mr. Boyd, concerning your article "Transportation plan approved" in Friday's IDS, I agree that your report was mostly accurate, and I'm pleased you recognized my costume to represent Abraham Lincoln. But if you would do a little research, you will find out that Lincoln's address that starts "Four score and seven years ago..." is his famous Gettysburg Address, not the Emancipation Proclamation. In addition, you may be interested to know that even though Mr. Lincoln was the first Republican elected president, he was the second to be nominated. The first? John C. Fremont in 1856. \nDavid Sabbagh\nBloomington Common Council, \nDistrict 5
Taliban doesn't need any more evidence \nIn the last week, it has come out in an article on CNN's Web site that the Clinton administration tried to give the Taliban evidence many times about Osama bin Laden's guilt in other terrorist incidents. Many who are against the bombing complain that it is only fair that we should give the Taliban evidence. They should stop using the argument that the United States is in the wrong for not providing the Taliban evidence in the Sept. 11 attacks. A former Clinton administration official has stated that they had tried to provide them evidence and that they would not accept it. Taliban members have proved that they are blind to evidence we give, so giving them evidence only means possibly compromising the safety of the people who obtained the evidence.\nWill Fiudlay\nGraduate student
Brand hiding the truth\nPresident Brand, why are you so afraid to let the public know the story behind your decision last year? The vigor with which IU has refused to release this information makes things seem very suspicious. After all, Coach Knight sent a letter stating that he had absolutely no objections to IU releasing his personnel file. So it's hard to believe the administration's actions are some attempt to protect Mr. Knight.\nThat only leaves one conclusion for us to draw really. IU's administration acted unprofessionally and perhaps even illegally in this process.\nAll of us know about the lawsuit regarding the president's breaking the Open Door policy at IU. Whether a judge rules in favor of IU or not, most people know what you did, President Brand, and the secretive actions of all this are shameful. It is actions like these that lead to the public's distrust of public officials. The people of Indiana have a right to know the whole story.\nWe may never get that opportunity now, but don't think for a minute, Mr. Brand, that most of the alumni of this great University don't know that you acted disgracefully during this event, and we won't forget about it, either. Someday -- and that will be a very happy day for most of the IU alumni -- you won't be the president of IU anymore. Perhaps your successor will release this information so that the people can know the whole truth. Until that day, IU won't be seeing a dime of my money.\nMark Ward\nAlumnus
Financing of trip not an issue\nI would like to correct the implication of the headline to your lead story of November 5. I did not finance Scott and Sean May's trip to Texas. Scott May is an employee of Cook and has access to the corporate plane, independent of any intervention on my part; in fact, he has used the plane previously without my involvement. While I was pleased to make the trip with my close friends, the Mays would have traveled to Texas even if I had not gone along.\nStephen L. Ferguson\nIU Trustee\nExecutive Vice President,\nRegulatory and Legislative Affairs,\nCook Group, Inc.
Editorial presents narrow perspective on war\nThe narrow perspective presented in the IDS editorial, "Afghanistan Strikes Should Continue," (Oct. 31) is disappointing. The article leads its readers to believe this war has only attacked the Taliban and Osama bin Laden. While this may have been the intention of our policy makers, the reality is quite different.\nAfghanistan is a nation suffering under the cruel regime of the Taliban. Prior to our bombing campaign, the U.N. reported 500,000 children living as disabled orphans. In early October, a U.S. missile killed four Afghan U.N. relief workers in their sleep. The current war has reportedly already killed 1,000 civilians and destroyed two Red Cross relief warehouses. 7.5 million Afghans are in danger of starvation as winter approaches. \nNot only did the IDS misrepresent the effects of this war on civilians, but also insults our integrity as Americans. The article points to the horrible wrongs of past nations as a form of rationale to continue attacking Afghanistan during Ramadan, stating "fighting during World War I and World War II did not let up during Christmas or Easter." World War II was a time when nations witnessed unspeakable crimes against humanity including the Holocaust. It is unfortunate that these are the standards to which the IDS holds our nation.\nInterestingly, the IDS makes the statement that "no one wants this war to drag on any longer." With this statement, I wholeheartedly agree, as I am sure many terrorized Afghans would too. \nPunishing the perpetrators of the Sept.11 attacks is just. Bringing the people of Afghanistan to its knees is not.\nNuha Elkhiamy\nSenior
Make your own American Dream\nThe great thing about the American dream is that it exists not in one tangible shape, but rather is the ideological vision of a future shaped by a nation's storied past; by the infinite number of different backgrounds of each American that through daily interplay combine to create the greatest cultural diversity imaginable; and by the patriotism each of us feels deeply rooted in our souls that, although we overlook most days, never diminishes or disappears, yet only grows stronger by time. The American dream is no one dream much in the same manner that there is no one set of characteristics to define who is American. \nThe ability for each of us to live with and learn from our friends and family each of a storied past, present, and most certainly each with their own epic future to come, allows each of us to form a vision of our own Uncle Sam. No, he is not the short, white haired man clad in our nation's colors. He is not even necessarily a man, or short, or old. The great thing about the American dream is that each of us, through our experiences and future aspirations has our own view of him. We must each carry on with that which enables us to wake up in the morning and to carry out actions that make us proud; proud to be ourselves, proud to be living in a land that promotes opportunity and entrepreneurialism, and proud to know each and every one of our neighbors and friends who share not their common backgrounds with us, but the wisdom and lessons learned through being themselves, being part of a great society, and being Americans. \nBelieve in the greater good of people and that every just cause will prevail in time. Nothing of great price is granted simply for the asking; hard work and determination must be involved. The American dream is not easily obtained and is not easily forgotten. It is this that causes dissenters to fear the resolve of Americans, and it is this that makes us an invincible people. So please let each of us take a moment to reflect on who we are and where we are headed. Let us each take a few minutes to imagine our own Uncle Sam. Let us each take a lifetime to shape and live our own American dream.\nRyan Pfeniger\nSenior
