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| Prohibition leads to profitable products
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To the Editor:
I’m writing about the thoughtful letter from Mett Ausley,
Jr., MD.“METH ON THE RISE” (10-14-03). I’d
like to add thatthere’s one law, if passed by Congress,
that would completely put the illegal meth labs out of business
overnight.That would be a law making pharmaceutical grade
amphetamineslegally available in local pharmacies for pennies
per dose.90 years ago when all types of recreational drugs
were legallyavailable in local pharmacies for pennies per
dose, we didn’t haveclandestine drug labs or drug related
crime. And drug dealers,as we know them today, didn’t
exist.Increasing law enforcement efforts will only make the
productmore profitable. No product can be eliminated
by making itmore profitable.Oklahoma and Missouri have some
of the toughest anti-meth laws in the country, yet meth use
and production is at record levels in Oklahoma, Missouri
and dozens of other states.Prohibition doesn’t work.
It never has and never will, exceptto assure full employment
for those doing the prohibiting.When alcohol prohibition
ended in 1933, 100 percent of the “bathtubgin”
producers went out of business for economic reasons and they
have stayed out of the business for economic reasons.the
U. S. murder ratealso declined for 10 consecutive years.
Have we learned any lessons? Not yet.
Kirk Muse
kirkmuse@cox.net
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| How desperate are ASU's football fans?
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To the Editor:
Are you kidding? Students tore down the goal post following
the Mountaineer’s win over 10th seeded Georgia Southern?
Gone are the days when such spirited celebrations were reserved
only for quality wins over top seeded teams, regardless of
how intense the rivalry.
Although Saturday’s win was the most stellar performance
from our team this year, the fans celebration is evidence
of how desperate our season has actually become. Which team
will benefit most following Saturday’s game?
Georgia Southern.
They will rebound and make the playoffs because it’s
expected and their six championship banners provide motivation.
ASU’s mid-season glory may simply be a tease during
an otherwise mediocre season where overachievement in one
or two games is erroneously mistaken as playoff potential.
Georgia Southern and Furman aren’t near the quality
teams they once were, neither is ASU. Until ASU begins producing
quality wins, especially during the post season, ASU will
be nothing more than contender imposters satisfied with average
results. Every year since the mid-1990s ASU has lacked the
inspiration to be consistent and achieve the greatness once
displayed against powerful Marshall and Georgia Southern
teams.
Saturday’s win only extended the Mountaineer’s
chances of being offered a consolatory invitation to the
playoffs, thereby adding to the legacy of a coaching staff
beyond its usefulness.
The question remains, are the Mountaineers a quality program
worthy of making the playoffs, advancing beyond the first
round, or has the program surpassed its glory content with
average wins and below average coaching?
Eddie Smith
Alumni ’97 ‘99
charlie@rivercto.net
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| Investigate before pointing the finger
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To the Editor:
Ira Woodring is wrong. The Pagan Student Association never
has and never would support the promotion of religiously
bigoted views.
As president of PSA, I assure you that we were not responsible
for the Satanic graffiti scrawled in the tunnels. Many symbols
were as derogatory towards Paganism as they were toward Christianity,
thus we used club funds to remove them. Mr. Woodring said,
"the remarks disgusting∑they had to be painted
over in the days that followed." Yes, WE painted over
the slights, if you were not clued in by the cheerful "Bright
Blessings," etc. signed by the PSA in its place. What
convinced you that PSA made the remarks we painted over when
no evidence whatsoever supported that? The assumption was
fueled by prejudice, not logic.
After investigating (something Mr. Woodring did not do),
we found that the culprits were freshmen, having ties only
to a cannabis plant and a social complex.
As a Pagan, I am sickened by the derogatory letter that had
no basis in fact. Mr. Woodring's insults were more widely
broadcast than any tunnel painting, expressing his own bigotry.
The PSA is an all-inclusive club, welcoming students of many
faiths. Christians regularly attend, and they will attest
that we are not the intolerant monsters Mr. Woodring believes.
We are even a multicultural club, promoting diversity on
campus!
PSA condemns hate toward any faith. In the future, please
attend our meetings or stop by our contact table on the 31st
in the Union for more information before placing blame.
Hope Butler
President of PSA,
asupagan@hotmail.com
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| Drive to Blowing Rock not issue in ABC
2004 |
To the Editor:
Before I make an idiot out of myself, let me say I'm in favor
of ABC 2004.
I have an honest question for the students. How many of you
really drive to Blowing Rock just to drink liquor at inflated
bar prices? How many of you like brandy or scotch with your
chicken tenders?
Let's be serious.
In more than two years on this campus, I know nobody who
goes out of town to drink liquor in bars. Those who do must
love driving the 15 minutes to Blowing Rock to buy their
drinks, stay a few hours, and drive back. Sounds like a pretty
sad existence.
And yes, I have to say that it will only increase the levels
of irresponsible student drunkenness on campus. How many
more drunk, liquored up jackasses shouting out of their car
windows do we really need?
Personally, and I know I speak for a good amount of people,
I prefer drinking my liquor in a comfortable environment
with friends.
I'll turn 21 in three months and maybe if this referendum
gets on the ballot in April and passes I‚ll even vote
for it, but it‚s unlikely I‚ll be rushing to
the nearest restaurant for a 3-4 dollar mixed drink. Let‚s
admit it: a bottle of vodka and a pitcher of Kool-Aid is
a lot cheaper than a round of drinks for ten people.
I do believe I‚ll save my money and stick to the ABC
store in town.
Corwyn Sergent
Sophomore, English major
cs48292@appstate.edu
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| Lighter Side serves up more than health
food |
To the Editor:
I believe that Appalachian State University students are
not aware of alternative food choices on campus. This can
be seen by the very small numbers of students who visit the
“Lighter Side” of Welborn Cafeteria. Although
most students know about the “Lighter Side,”
where it is and that it offers vegetarian menu choices, they
seem to misunderstand what kind of food is served.
People are quick to assign health and veg food stereotypes
to the “Lighter Side” without giving it a chance.
True, there are tofu and soy dishes often associated with
vegetarianism, but there are also many options like fresh
vegetables, pastas and salads that everyone can enjoy. Also,
there is nothing wrong, contrary to the popular stigma, with
eating vegetarian foods, they are healthy and offer some
variety that is not usual in most students’ eating
habits. Aside from the flavor and variety of eating vegetarian,
the foods help reduce the number of animals killed each year.
Regardless of one’s stance on animal rights, most people
can agree that killing less animals is generally a good thing
and it is very easy to start doing. I am not suggesting that
everyone at Appalachian should become a vegetarian. I’m
just asking people to look more closely at their options,
and maybe try something new. Eating vegetarian just once
a week will help reduce the animals used in the food industry
and it might even expose students to some new favorites.
Foster Hunt
Sophomore, English major
Ah54495@appstate.edu
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| Animal testing not always effective |
To the Editor:
The recent article on animal testing ("Animal testing
is worth saving a human’s life", Oct. 9) neglected
many relevant facts about this important issue. Contrary
to what the article implies, animal testing is not always
effective. The Physicians’ Committee for Responsible
Medicine reports that, because of physiological differences
between species, the effects of a drug on one species cannot
be reliably extrapolated from the results of tests performed
on another species. Many drugs have caused unexpected side
effects, sometimes death, in humans that were not indicated
in any animal test.
The possible alternatives to animal testing include epidemiological
approaches, clinical research, in-vitro research and computer
modeling. Many medical professionals support these methods
for the degree of accuracy resulting from direct study of
human health. Companies such as Pharmagene rely solely on
these methods because of their cost-efficiency and ability
to provide fast, dependable results.
From an ethical perspective, it is worth noting that the
leading causes of death in America (heart disease, cancer
and stroke) are lifestyle diseases. Is it right that animals
should be probed and mutilated so that we can excuse ourselves
from the consequences of our own irresponsible living? To
say that animals are “being made sick” is an
understatement.
To learn about burn wounds, we must inflict burn wounds.
To reveal the lethal dosage of a drug, the animal must be
pumped full of medicine until it dies.
Can we really justify these often unnecessary and possibly
inconclusive experiments?
I believe it is in everyone’s best interest to support
the development of alternatives to animal testing.
April McGinnis
Senior
ASU Box 05511
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| Serious relationships not bad thing |
To the Editor:
We both found this article to be slightly inaccurate (“The
ups and downs of falling in love", Oct. 21). Granted,
there are numerous melodramatic, ape-like territorial and
jealous idiots that are searching for “another person
who caters to [their] particular brand of retardation”
found on university campuses nationwide. We’ll give
you that. But these are the people that aren’t ready
for serious commitments for fear that they might, just might,
find that one person they could spend the rest of their life
with. And that’s a horrible thing—knowing that
you’re unconditionally loved.
We are both so cursed to have this one person in our lives
right now and wouldn’t have it any other way. For all
the people on campus that are in serious relationships, kudos
to you for going “through life without a lick of reason
or common sense.” We don’t think we’re
lacking anything. Anyone in a serious “I-could-marry-you”
type of relationship has the ability to overlook the meaningless
hook-up, and see that it’s OK, no it’s amazing,
to find one other person to “trudge” around campus
with holding hands and sharing the occasional kiss. The title
of this article was a little misleading, and perhaps should
have been titled “I don’t have a girlfriend/boyfroend
so I’m bitter.” So we apologize for all the people
in serious relationships who apparently annoy the heck out
of ya’ll. We only hope that you should be so lucky
someday.
Good luck with your search and please leave us some peace,
because someday you too will understand.
April Stewart
Junior
As48951
Chelsea Burch
Sophomore
Cb56462
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| Freedom of expression overlooked |
To the Editor:
Ira Woodrings’s letter to the editor titled “Don’t
paint obscene remarks in tunnel” is almost as ridiculous
as Leslie Rasimas’ article on dreadlocks. First off,
the tunnel is known as the “free expression tunnel,”
is it not? It is an opportunity for students to express what
they believe, in art or in words. Unfortunately, I did not
get a chance to see what was painted on the tunnel. Regardless
of what it was, the Pagan Student Association had every right
to paint it. If you don’t like what is painted, look
the other way, choose the other tunnel. But saying that the
Pagan Student Association deserves the same respect as the
KKK is quite irrational. I am not a member of either organization,
but I am really curious to see your reasoning behind that
statement.
Is it because they both express dislike toward something
in life, even though their beliefs are totally opposite?
If that’s the case then you might as well say all seven
of the Christian organizations on campus deserve the same
respect as the Klan since there is plenty of evidence of
hate in Christianity. I applaud the Pagan Student Association
for expressing their beliefs and encourage them to continue
to do so. Unfortunately, there is no Atheist Student Association,
so I do not have a club for my beliefs. Then again, maybe
it is better off that way, one less minority club to upset
people who do not understand the concept of free expression.
Josh Kleinstreuer
Freshman
Jk57488
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