To the Daily:
On Sept. 17, the Daily printed two letters claiming that the Half Shekel campaign "supports illegal acts," ("Half Shekel campaign supports illegal acts," "Article did not give the whole story"). The two authors, Saladin Ahmed and Aaron Stark, charge that the United Jewish Appeal subsidizes housing in occupied Palestinian territory - a direct violation of a U.N. resolution. Unfortunately, this information is incorrect.
The original quotation from the Sept. 14 Daily article about the Half Shekel Campaign was abused and falsely presented ("Three-year-old Half Shekel campaign kicks off again"). The quotation states that UJA helps "... Jews in places like North Africa and Russia emigrate to Israel." Stark and Ahmed assume that this means immigration to the West Bank. This is a false assumption. As a matter of fact, the UJA clearly states its position that, "UJA/Federation funds are all spent within the 'Green Line.'" This means that no money is given to Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
Furthermore, the UJA is a champion of improving Arab-Israeli relations, spending $82,000 last year on Arab-Israeli Coexistence programs. Contrary to Stark and Ahmed's beliefs, UJA and the Half Shekel campaign are indeed noble causes, working to repair the world.
If you would like more information about the charitable projects UJA supports, you can visit its Website at http://www.uja.org.
Jeremy Fogel
LSA sophomore
To The Daily:
Unbeknownst to many LSA students, the University's School of Music is among the finest in the nation. Our school continually ranks within the top five in the nation, and it is no wonder; our faculty includes world-renowned performers, expert conductors and Pulitzer Prize-winning composers. It is with sadness that we have lost a great member of this pantheon, as composer William Albright died on the evening of Sept. 17.
Dr. Albright was one of the most notable composers of the latter portion of the century, creating many significant works for organ, piano and orchestra. Always open to new ideas and means of expression in music, Dr. Albright became known for his compositions for electronic media. He served as the chairman of the composition department here at the University's Music School, a department that has continually been rated No.1 in the nation. It is ironic that, so often, it is only after the death of a creative individual that his art is appreciated by the general population. We in the music community can only hope that our colleagues outside the field of music might listen to the art as its practitioners live. Students here at the University have access to a rich sampling of culture. If they make time to attend the free concerts given by the student orchestras, composers' forums and choir concerts, they would appreciate the hard work and carefully practiced art that is music, an art that William Albright mastered.
Ariel Barnett
School of Music
To the Daily:
In the Sept. 9 editorial "Choice protection," the Daily salutes the FDA's approval of the new PREVEN Emergency Contraceptive Kit. The editorial board views the new drug's market release as another liberation for the American women that"has been available to women in Europe for years." The contraceptive is notable for its ability to prevent pregnancy within 72 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse. The PREVEN kit's FDA approval means expanded options for women who choose to have unprotected sex.
The PREVEN kit should be an exceptional solution for emergency cases, such as rape. But many students may consider the new morning-after pill an easier way to have unprotected sex. Rather than advertising the new drug and therefore encouraging people to go out and obtain a prescription for it, the Daily should first familiarize students with the options they already have.
Thousands of new University students read the early September editions of the Daily. Considering the number of parties that take place during this time period that often involve alcohol abuse by first-year students, it is essential to think twice before having unprotected sex. The editorial hardly mentions the risks of AIDS or other STDs, yet it proclaims the women's freedom to "control their own bodies." Before getting in the line for the new drug, let us ask ourselves, does it really give us more options, or just limit us to unprotected sex with no alternatives?
Farage Yusupov
LSA junior
To the Daily:
I was incensed after reading the article "Hockey ticket prices hit all-time high" in the Sept. 17 Daily. The article reported that Bruce Madej of the Athletic Department said that hockey ticket prices were raised because the department found that the previous ticket prices were much lower than ticket prices at other schools with comparable hockey programs. I ask, how is this a justification for raising prices?
In college sports, selling tickets should not be a competitive business. I'm not going to go start watching Michigan State home games in Lansing if I find out they have lower ticket prices. Similarly, Minnesota fans aren't going to come out to Ann Arbor unless the Gophers are playing here. The cost of the tickets is not a factor - supporting your own school's team when they play at home is.
When I found out that season ticket prices had increased this year, I assumed that the arena needed some renovations, there were a lot more games or that the hockey program was having trouble supporting itself. But according to the Athletic Department, that's not the reason. So we can deduce that last year's ticket prices were high enough to support a national championship team and its home arena. Where is all the extra money going?
Madej admitted that the new price may discourage students from attending the games, but he predicts that most season ticket holders are too fond of the team to refuse to pay. Is it right to take advantage of the fans this way? I say no. I refuse to be exploited by the Athletic Department.
I encourage other disgruntled fans to send a message to the Athletic Department.
Gerald Good
Rackham
To the Daily:
The letter "Airbags do not protect women and children" (9/17/98) caught my eye for personal reasons. Two weeks ago, my cousin and two of her friends were involved in a head on collision with a car that crossed the centerline of the road while doing 85 mph in a 45 mph zone. All three occupants of her vehicle walked away from the accident. Neither the driver (male), nor the front seat passenger (female) received life threatening injuries - thanks to the seatbelts, airbags and careful engineering of the car.
I grieve for the 65 children (51 of whom were not properly restrained in safety seats) and 47 adults (34 of which were not belted) killed by injuries related to airbags. Hopefully, technology will advance sufficiently to eliminate those statistics.
But one should weigh the fact that almost 3,500 people have been saved this year by airbags before proclaiming that the automotive industry was remiss in manufacturing cars with this life-saving feature.
Scott Partridge
University alumnus
09-21-98
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