National championships make everything better\nAs a former player for Dr. Richard Holdeman and a former friend of Josh Block, I was outraged by your article entitled, "Turmoil Abounds in IU Club Hockey Team". First and foremost I would like to thank Dr. Holdeman for helping me become a better hockey player, and more importantly, a better person. The years I spent with the Hoosier hockey family was an incredible experience I will never forget. \nIt is hard to even think of the many great things that Dr. Holdeman did for the team and for myself during my time with him. Near the top of the list would be going to games from NYC to Anaheim and always leaving with the respect of the community and teams that we visited. I appreciated the many things he did for me off the ice as well, especially when he and his wife Amy held a baby shower for my wife Matty and soon to be son, Lyndon. \nI voted last year for Josh Block as the president because I knew that he had enthusiasm and was committed to try some new things, and was my friend. I also knew that Dr. Holdeman was always there if Josh overstepped his boundaries as president elect. I had no idea of the malicious intent he had to remove Dr. Holdeman so that he could finally get the starting goalie position. Josh and his cohorts' coup on Dr. Holdeman sabotaged the entire last season for the players and fans of IU hockey. Many of my best friends and teammates were cut so they would not be an influence to bring Dr. Holdeman back. For such a personal mission, many Hoosiers who had played three seasons for the team were ruthlessly cut, including All-American and current first string senior goaltender Brandon Tucker. Brandon of course should have started ahead of President Block, or at least taken some playing time from him had he not been mysteriously cut. \nJosh Block and the unnamed coach were the real scandal. The way in which Josh manipulated the IDS is just another example of his ruthlessness that caused so many wonderful people to have a real terrible year. I would like to conclude with a thanks to the many senior players and team managers who didn't realize that their last career game came one year too early in Anaheim and they would never see a senior night for themselves.\nA final good wish to all the returning players and tryout invites. Nothing good can come from being negative and carrying this bad omen into the new season. What this team has already overcome should make the stuff on the ice seem easy. \nSports are a great way to relieve the stresses of life, but national championships make everything better!
Thomas Orr\nFormer IU hockey player
Eat your veggies, America, especially the talking ones\nThank you for covering presidential candidate Chris P. Carrot in your article about the Democratic National Convention ("Groups use amusing tactics to promote serious issues," July 29). PETA's 7-foot-tall talking vegetable may not be on the official ballot, but that isn't stopping him from sharing his vision of a healthier, more humane America by urging people to get back to their roots, not to mention their fruits, vegetables and whole grains.\nEating meat contributes to heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases, and studies show that vegetarians are far less likely to die of heart disease or cancer. Healthy meat-free diets provide plenty of protein and nutrients without clogging up our arteries like meat, eggs and dairy products do.\nAnimals on factory farms never see the sun, breathe fresh air or feel grass under their feet. They are torn from their mothers and endure painful procedures without painkillers. They often have their throats slit while they are still fully conscious. \nChris P.'s plea is for all Americans, whether they are Democrats, Republicans or Independents, to incorporate vegetarianism in their personal platforms. Students can get a free vegetarian starter kit by going to GoVeg.com.
Sincerely,
Amy Skylark Elizabeth\nPETA Correspondent
Democracy not quite enough\nThe issue of global warming is one that reaches beyond the question of whether or not the atmosphere is indeed heating up because of the long enduring emission rates of greenhouse gases. Although debate may continue regarding whether global warming is real or not, another issue worth examining, in my view, is whether democratic systems of government are effective in protecting society's welfare against systematic long enduring threats such as global warming.\nAs people may agree, democracy appeared to harness a collective intelligence of a population for purpose of protecting the population's welfare. Candidates for political office are elected on the basis of how well they represent the views and interests of the populace.\nBut just what are the interests of the populace? Are society's long enduring survival interests always aligned with the collective interests of a given population?\nIt appears to me that in the early stages of global warming where no imminent threat appears present to a given populace on earth, regardless of how threatening global warming can be expected to be for future generations, a given populace cannot be expected to democratically elect leadership that mandates sacrifices on the populace for purpose of responsibly addressing the global warming issue. The single lifetime interests of citizens comprising the populace will not be sufficiently aligned with the multiple lifetime interests of the society they live in.\nBut it could be that the global warming issue needs addressed strongly in its early stages in order to safeguard life on our planet from threat of future extinction. For this reason, it appears to me that democracy may be an inadequate means of governing all issues relevant to a society's welfare in the 21st century.
Sincerely,
Joe Kinney\n1980 IUPUI graduate\n1983 IU graduate
Decision-makers avoid input\nThe fate of your Monday, Aug., 2 editorial came true: with only three students and two actual riders (including myself) of the Bryan Park Shuttle attending the Bloomington Transit meeting -- and organized homeowners out in force, complete with stickers and statistics -- away went the Bryan Park Shuttle, to be replaced with the Winslow Park Shuttle. This latter shuttle -- also running on small streets, near schools and homes -- simply moves the problem of transportation of students from the south side of town from one part of town to another. \nAs I contemplate paying a $15 athletics fee for a debt I had no hand in creating for the fall semester -- and the increased number of "A" permit-only spots in Atwater, decreasing the available garage parking for students -- I wonder why so many small but important campus and city decisions are made when most students aren't in town. These decisions further divide students (even long-term graduate students like myself) from permanent residents -- who, if last night's meeting was any indication, feel definite hostility towards us.\nAs for me, I'm just going to drive to campus -- along with the other 500 or so Route 7 riders who weren't heard at last night's meeting, and create more campus congestion. Too bad I can't help but go through Elm Heights and Bryan Park on my way. \nAs for the suggestion at last night's meeting that students are lazy and should park at Bryan Park and walk to campus -- I'd like to see these homeowners walk from Main Library to Bryan Park on a brisk, moonless evening in February.
Donna J. Drucker\nGraduate Student
Strength of character beats out purported record flaws\nWhat a fitting title ("More than Words," Aug. 5) for Mr. Adkins' column. Providing no more than words concerning John Kerry's record, Mr. Adkins echoes the call of talk radio partisans and lazy news media reporters and pundits. Lacking a single fact or quote, the column rather contains trite bumper-sticker statements for President Bush's campaign.\nI wish to look at a few of Mr. Adkins "words" and turn them into facts so we can get back to debating the issues in this election. Mr. Adkins suggests that Democrats subscribe "to the idea that if someone hears something repeated enough, they will generally accept it as truth." Sounds like the Republican play-book, given that a majority of the U.S. population still believes Saddam was linked to the 9-11 attacks. In his own article Adkins echoes the President's call that Iraq is part of the War on Terror, despite the 9-11 Commission's report that concludes there was no operational support of al Qaeda from Iraq and the larger "War on Terror" is too broad, deterring focus from the real threat of radical Islamic extremism.\nJohn Kerry does not run from his record in the Senate. With nearly 20 years in the Senate, Sen. Kerry had 57 of his proposals passed, including: accountability of Vietnam MIA-POWs, the fight to save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the COPS Program. With 11 years in Congress, VP Cheney had 2 proposals passed. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has had no sponsored bills passed as leader of his party.\nIt is a "personal attack" to say that John Kerry has "few signature achievements" in the U.S. Senate. Perhaps he did not "achieve" in taking a $5 trillion surplus and turning it into a $5 trillion deficit in 3.5 years. Let the people decide if achievement rests in working in Congress to serve the citizens with 100,000 more police on the streets and continually standing for better support for our Veterans.\nI agree that "strength is more than tough words." And until President Bush can run on his record and debate the issues, my vote goes to the strength in John Kerry's character.
Brian Wasik \nGraduate Student
