Jordan River Forum

IU a bargain for in-state students I am tired of reading articles that involve students (who coincidentally ALWAYS happen to be Indiana residents) complain about the increase in various fees. This was most recently illustrated in Matt Mattucci's article "On-campus laundry fee considered" (March 9). I am an out-of-state resident paying over $20,000 a year for my education at IU. This is a very reasonable, if not border-line inexpensive price for the college experience IU provides. Most schools comparable to IU on the East Coast cost over $30,000 annually. It seems to me all articles written on fee increases are (possibly subconsciously) biased toward only Indiana residents' views. I don't think Indiana residents understand what an amazing deal they are receiving for their in-state costs. Most Indiana residents who attend IU should gladly accept the change in specific fees. The $100 (RHA) or $15 (bussing) increases every year in specific programs are minimal, and well worth the money. I hope in-state students understand they will still be getting an amazing bang for their buck regardless of these fee increases. In-state students should be more appreciative of the amenities and experiences IU provides for such a small fee that across the country are becoming harder every year to find. Michael Tanney
Senior Uncle Sam wants everyone I am writing in response to Melanie Sims' March 11 column entitled, "Uncle Sam's rolling on dubs." As a former Marine (I was honorably discharged last August), I feel it is my duty to fill in some holes left in Ms. Sims' article, both in her military and social views. First, she says the military is targeting the hip-hop community -- blacks and Latinos specifically. The reality of this new recruiting stance is it is not aimed just at blacks and Latinos. The hip-hop community is a huge portion of young America today, and that isn't limited to blacks and Latinos. The Armed Forces mainly recruit kids right out of high school, and the hip-hop culture has had a major influence on that age group. All four branches of the military also advertise on a variety of different television programs, in Maxim magazine, in Source magazine and on billboards on all of America's roads. To say they are trying to manipulate minorities is ludicrous. Enlistment to escape negative alternatives in the civilian world isn't limited to minorities, either. In my five years of service, the average enlisted man I knew wasn't exactly a Nobel Prize nominee. Not too many people are sitting in a recruiter's office thinking, "Hmm … should I take that scholarship to Harvard or join the Army?" This IS the alternative. Mentioning Shoshana Johnson/Jessica Lynch brings up my final point. They are in headlines because they're women. While the media is making this a black and white issue, people forget all the men that were captured or killed in action. Everything these days seems like it has to come down to demographics. These are all AMERICANS fighting and dying to protect the freedom and interests of the United States. Blacks, Latinos, whites -- they should all be proud of what they're doing for us, and we should reciprocate by giving them our total support. When a soldier or Marine is in that fighting hole, putting his life into another man's (or woman's) hands, it doesn't matter what color they are. When the bullets start flying, everybody's green. Brian Doberneck
Sophomore Anti-Harrassment Team defends play Various offices on campus have been the recipients of a fax filled with hate and threats regarding the upcoming play, "The Laramie Project." As members of the GLBT Anti-Harassment Team, we want to express our outrage that such communication was sent to our campus, and we want to invite all of campus to stand together in support of "The Laramie Project," a dramatic work that poignantly tells the chilling story of Matthew Shepard, a victim of a brutal GLBT hate crime in 1998, and the aftermath of his murder. Any incidents of harassment or hate based on sexual orientation can be reported to the team through reportit@iu.edu. We encourage you to see the show and to stand together against hate in whatever form it may show itself. Doug Bauder
Ramona Bolden Fether
Malcolm Brown
Jayne Edmundson
Pam Freeman
Pam Huggins
Debbie Melloan-Ruiz
Jonathan Rossing
Bill Shipton
Jorg Vianden Stains found in laundry editorial The IU Residence Halls Association was very disappointed in the staff editorial published March 9. The story that was printed that same day was for the most part, correct and well written, however the editorial was misleading and factually incorrect. First, RHA is not proposing this idea. The plan was brought by our laundry service supplier to Residential Programs and Services. RPS then brought the plan to RHA in 2003. After being discussed by the previous administration, it was brought back to RHA in April 2003 as soon as the current administration took office. After hours of discussion and an emergency meeting, the plan was defeated. This issue has yet to come back to this administration in any formal fashion. A disturbing aspect of this editorial was the implication that RHA and RPS are not taking the possible problems of this program into account. Through meetings with our representatives from Maytag, problems were brought out and discussed. At that time RHA felt the program would not suit our students. Some of the schools who are prototyping the program or currently have it in use have an on-campus population the size of only one of our 11 centers. Use by off-campus residents is an issue, but usage would be traced and such occurrences could be stopped after putting a system in place. As for an increase in machines, the representatives had no problem going to facility to facility to try to maximize the space laundry areas utilize. What was most disappointing was the accusation that this program is a result of "corporate pressure." RHA only does what the residents want, and each center president stands by the views of their individual residence centers. RHA is a non-profit organization and does not make money. It is hurtful that the IDS would publish something like that about another student organization without gathering all of the facts. It seems that the editorial staff did not read the story printed a few pages away in the same edition and only pirated misquotes of RHA representatives. If the writers of this editorial would like further information, we would welcome them to come speak with us. Andrew Walker
Sophomore and Director of media relations for the IU Residence Halls Association Column merits four adjectives Kudos to Asma Khalid's column "Dancing for dissension" (March 2). Miss Khalid, in a world I find depressing, it makes my day to read a youthful, upbeat, intelligent and witty column. Thanks for brightening my day. Victor Katz
Bloomington Everyone deserves a birthday March 11 was my birthday, and I was celebrating 22 years of life. On this day in Ballantine Hall, a group from the "Feminist Majority Foundation" was raising awareness to "Save Roe." They are for keeping abortion legal, and they are telling people to "urge Senate leaders to filibuster any Supreme Court nominee who won't support Roe, and take action on the latest anti-women circuit court nominees" (www.feminist.org). These women have missed the point. The anti-abortion movement is a movement that is against nothing but the killing of innocent babies. It is for life! If I were to lop off a baby's head the moment after his birth, I would be jailed and hailed as a heinous murderer. Yet, when a woman goes in and kills her baby, it is hailed as a great achievement of the 20th century, that a woman can have a "choice!" This is ridiculous, and against all things good and right. Abortion is nothing more than murder. The FMF is against life. Do not save Roe. Utterly destroy it! The way America goes on this issue decides whether we are for life or for death. Let the babies celebrate their lives as I have been able to celebrate mine. Let justice be done. Brandon Pickett
Senior