LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
By Daily Bruin Staff
Feb. 6, 2006 9:00 p.m.
USSA deserves credit for mobilization
Over the past six months, the United States Student Association
has led the fight against the largest cuts to student aid in our
nation’s history.
Although I am happy to see that the Daily Bruin covered the
student campaign (“Congress trims federal aid,” Feb.
2), the story failed to credit USSA for its nationwide mobilization
of college and university students.
As the oldest and largest national student association, USSA has
been advocating and organizing for access to higher education since
1947.
As one of the organization’s member campuses, UCLA has
helped to lead the way in the fight to make an affordable education
available to all students.
In the campaign against the deficit reduction bill, USSA’s
efforts generated over 30,000 contacts with members of Congress by
students.
This massive mobilization is a historic achievement for students
and it is important to recognize that the efforts of the University
of California Student Association mentioned in the story were only
one part of this campaign.
Jeannie Biniek
USAC external vice president
Editorial overlooks response to cartoon
I was disappointed with Monday’s editorial (“Cartoon
controversy shows bad judgment,” Feb. 6). While the column
does criticize the Jyllands-Posten and governments that have
censored the cartoons, it seems to have no problem with the utter
chaos that erupted afterwards.
Was the goal of the cartoons to criticize aspects of modern
Islam? Yes. Did publishing the cartoons turn out to be a bad idea?
Obviously. Does either of those things excuse the abhorrent
reactions of certain protestors? Not by a long shot.
Clearly, there are many factors at play in this mess. We forget
how intertwined religion and politics are in the Middle East and
that the majority of Muslims are against violence.
The editorial was right: “The conflict is the result of a
series of serious misunderstandings.” However, it left one
thing out: No matter how complex this issue is, the conflict is
primarily the result of people who have given up their very
humanity in favor of honor and retaliation.
The real issue is that no matter how offensive an image is, it
is infinitely more offensive to destroy life in response. And that
is something that all people should know.
Sonja Anderson
Third-year, study of religion student
