Letters

Masturbation proclamation

Editor:

Female voices were noticeably and unforgivably absent from "The
stigma of self-pleasure," The Daily Bruin’s May 8 article on
masturbation. Women were hardly mentioned and no female
psychologists were quoted, save a virtually prehistoric comment
from Masters & Johnson. As far as I can tell, only one female
student got to air her views, although that student wasn’t
specifically identified as female.

Shame on you, Daily Bruin. When half of UCLA’s student
population is all but ignored by a Daily Bruin reporter writing a
major feature, I call that sloppy journalism. I don’t mean to
frighten you, but women enjoy masturbating too. And some of us
aren’t embarrassed to admit it. Next time, try asking us.

Jane Garcia

Junior

Women’s studies and

Political science

Two wrongs don’t make a right

Editor:

This letter is in response to Aisha Jones’s May 8 article,
"Affirmative action must right past wrongs." Marina Bogorad
obviously has the ability (an extremely rare one, on this
particular campus) not to take herself so seriously, to step aside
and examine the issues with a clear mind. So if this is what you
call "messing with a sister of color," should I be afraid for my
life?

I commend Bogorad for her courage (although there should be no
reason for fear), as well as her unusual levelheadedness. Jones, on
the other hand, seemed to be too busy worrying about what is best
for her, rather than what is best for the greater good. There is
always the chance that I, especially as an engineering major, was
accepted to UCLA with the help of my gender. I’ll never know, but I
can tell you this for sure: I would a hundred times rather know for
a fact that I got in based purely on my ability and that I was
treated exactly the same as the rest of the applicants. It’s a
matter of self-respect, not to mention that I firmly believe in my
anti-affirmative action stance.

You say that affirmative action must right past wrongs, but
since when do two wrongs make a right? And since when is racism a
good thing? Doesn’t it seem strange that a people, who for years
have been chanting "do not judge us based on the color of our
skin," are suddenly saying "judge us based on the color of our
skin"?

Aisha, once you stop thinking about yourself, maybe then I will
listen to what you have to say.

Jill Ruszkowski

First-year

Mechanical engineering

One ticket to Cuba, please

Editor:

Bruce VanDenburgh’s May 3 contribution to Viewpoint ("The appeal
of living in our right-wing country") was long overdue. I have also
experienced this blind anti-Republican, anti-American rhetoric on
campus. These groups would like us to believe that Republicans are
responsible for everything from unemployment to premature
ejaculation. Blanket indictments that all "right-wingers" have
ruined the country demonstrates that such socialist fanatics are
incapable of rational, meaningful debate. Such sweeping accusations
do very little to foster an academic environment conducive to a
respectful exchange of ideas.

Perhaps one should not feel too upset. Take comfort in knowing
that these socialist zealots who constantly bitch about capitalist
America would be the same people who will be begging to work for a
greedy corporation 10 years from now. Unless they plan to live in
Cuba or North Korea, there is no future for their limited political
philosophy.

Eric Leung

UCLA student