Letters

Thursday, May 9, 1996Rally lies

Editor:

On May 6, the Daily Bruin set a new standard for journalism.
Everything you reported in "Anti-immigrant rally draws 200" was a
complete misrepresentation of the facts.

The rally, which numbered over 700 Americans (not 200), was
anti-illegal immigration, not anti-immigrant. American Spring had
nothing to do with the rally. It was organized by Voice of Citizens
Together, United We Stand America, California Coalition for
Immigration Reform, and Americans for Family Values.

No one from American Spring was even invited to speak.

The rally wasn’t limited to Caucasians. Speakers included Ezola
Foster, a black teacher from Bell High School; Terry Anderson, a
black businessman from South Central Los Angeles (his remarks were
featured on Channel 11 Sunday night ­ so try to get around
that!); Bill King, former chief border patrol agent, and State
Senator Richard Mountjoy, as well as the undersigned and others,
including Irv Rubin of the Jewish Defense League.

Illegal immigration has all but destroyed California’s schools.
Moreover, it has eroded our tax base to the point where support for
higher education will now collapse.

Americans were on Wilshire Boulevard on May 5, fighting for the
future of the young men and women who attend UCLA.

One wonders why their efforts would be met with flat-out lies in
the Daily Bruin.

Glenn Spencer

President, Voice of Citizens Together

Southern defense

Editor:

Tim Burke’s column ("Should South Campus secede from college
‘union’?," May 8) was thought provoking and just dead wrong.

He explains South Campus from a North Campus perspective. That’s
like asking the plantation owners about slavery. He sees South
Campus people that study all the time, don’t drink coffee or smoke
and don’t party.

Sorry, but the only people who do study all the time around
South Campus are your pre-meds. But I imagine that there are also a
few North Campus people who are also concerned about grades, such
as anyone going to law or business school.

As for not drinking coffee, I guess you don’t see the science
books that pop up at Kerckhoff or The Coffee Bean on occasion. And
we do need the caffeine for all-nighters that "only" South Campus
people have. And so what if we don’t smoke? At least we South
Campus people will live a little longer in this cruel world of
ours.

Finally, Burke concerns himself with freeing South Campus from
our "bondage of studying." Sorry, but the main reason I go to UCLA
is so I can educate myself. Perhaps North Campus should worry more
about itself than us on South Campus, because the more
"differences" he brings up, the more similarities we have. And we
do know how to party. We just don’t leave such a big mess
afterward.

Frank Atwood

Third-year

Civil and environmental engineering

Vocalized feelings

Editor:

Thank you, Shauna Robinson, for vocalizing what I have been
feeling but have not had the courage to say. As a woman, I’ve
shared your fears, your anger. I too know many wonderful and caring
men, but the one or two asses in the crowd always spoil my view of
men, at least momentarily.

Of all the wonderful men I have been friends with or dated, it’s
the stalker and other creeps who stand out. I hate that because
there are asses out there I have to watch what I say, where I go
and what I wear. If I wear a tank top, I am ogled by men because
they think that I am trying to attract attention. Or if I go to a
club, men don’t take no for an answer; they never assume that maybe
I go to a club just to dance.

I hate that in my job, I’ve encountered asses who try to
intimidate me with their size. I feel that no matter what situation
I go into, I must always be on guard and prove myself before I get
any kind of respect.

What kind of society disrespects women and breeds fear into our
hearts? Ours. Boys are taught to be aggressive, and that strength
and power are "masculine" characteristics. Girls, on the other
hand, are taught to be compassionate and nurturing. We’re taught to
dismiss boys’ overly aggressive actions ­ after all, "boys
will be boys."

I’m thrilled that you are taking a self-defense class. You are
channeling your anger and making it something positive. As for
myself, I kickbox; it is something I do for myself. This reason
alone makes it empowering for me. So thanks again Shauna, for
giving words to the fears, thoughts and anger that many of us
experience. You have, in your courage to speak out, empowered the
rest of us.

Lynne Fukumoto

Third-year

Physiological science