Letters to the Editor
Date 3/9/2000 12:00 AM | Topic: Letters to the Editor Student voices environmental concern While sitting in the cafeteria last Thursday night at 7:15, I noticed the amount of paper left on the tables. The paper, of course, was from Chips. It appears that students read Chips for roughly five or ten minutes, and then set it down for good. Nearly every student who wishes to read Chips will take their own copy out of the box, rather than pick up a "used" paper laying on a table.
It would be a better use of technology and paper to publish Chips on Luther's homepage, rather than 2000 copies. Each copy equals roughly 18 sheets of paper. Students could easily look at Chips at anytime they wish during the current publication week. If a student wanted a hard copy, Chips could be printed on standard paper.
Although the editor of Chips may feel this could reduce the number of readers, I feel the amount of paper being wasted is a much greater concern.
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Brian Mohrlant ('02) Student responds to Headless Norse In response to the Headless Norse article, "Anti-smoker Discrimination," let me say that I feel the author misrepresented his or her argument and ultimately missed the point.
Yes, the smell of smoke is very disturbing to many, but isn't it more appropriate to realize that it is not the smell that people have a problem with but second-hand smoke? That's why smoking in public establishments and in airplanes has been banned in most states; not for the smell, but for the health hazard it presents to non-smokers.
If smoking was a disease or illness that could not be avoided, I would understand the author's arguments. But to my understanding smoking is a choice. I'm sure there are many who will try and convince me that smoking is addictive and it is hard to kick the habit;. Unless I'm mistaken, there have been numerous accounts of smokers who have successfully quit.
Basically, it's your choice to smoke. If the college wants to make it a rule for smokers to smoke a certain distance away from the Union or other buildings, quit whining. You're choice to smoke is a health hazard to others, and the college is just trying to make campus a healthy environment for all.
So in response to the author's claims of sympathy for smokers who choose to smoke outside during the cold winter and hot summer-and to use his or her own words-"if whining was a herdable offense," the author would be leading the sheep.
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Tim Meendering ('02) An unfair punishment? I am slightly confused by this campus. I have always been under the assumption that Residence Life was here for us, the students. To my surprise, this doesn't seem to be the case.
Most people have heard of the group of six guys who got kicked out of Baker Village. Why? They had a party. This party was not busted, it wasn't out of control, and it was over by midnight. In fact, campus security made two trips out to the village, both times they asked if the volume of their music be turned down, and when asked if the party needed to stop, both times security answered no.
These gentlemen did end up causing $55 worth of damage. They got a stain on the carpet and had a small hole on the ceiling, both of which are easily fixable. Nonetheless they got kicked out over this.
If I remember my Luther history correctly, last year a group of football guys caused over $3,000 worth of damage in Farwell, and an entire cluster had to be fixed. If everyone on campus got kicked out of their rooms for $55 worth of damage, many people would be short a room, including myself.
There's more to this story though. When these gentlemen approached Residence Life about this, Residence Life said, "...we are going to make an example out of you ..." Give me a break! It certainly seems to me that Residence Life has forgotten that they are here for us, the students. Luther students pay $20,000 plus for school, I don't think it's asking too much to require more than $55 worth of damage, and a party that didn't get out of hand, to get kicked out of one's room. But maybe I'm way off base ...
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Julie Nunnink ('01) Calling for greater representation I am responding to the article printed in the February 17 edition of Chips entitled "Presidential Profiles." To the casual observer, the article appears to be an informative profile of the candidates. Upon more casual scrutiny, however, one finds the article lacking in several ways. First of all, not all of the candidates were even profiled.
Secondly, I am curious to know how you went about determining what the "big issues" were. Go beyond the web sites which, while extremely valuable, are only one valuable resource for candidate information. Would you base any other analysis on one source only?
The bottom line is, when you try to report on only some of the issues, you end up doing a disservice to the public. You are not giving the whole picture, but rather a selection of what appears to be randomly chosen issues or issues that matter most to the reporter.
The article spoke of the ignorance of the voter and the need to educate. If Chips wishes to take on the responsibility of educating the voter, I implore you to do it right and give the full picture of these candidates.
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Jacob Egge ('01)--
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