Post Tagged with: "Letter to the editor"

• Letter to the Editor

  Editorials April 30, 2013 at 3:24 pm Comments are Disabled

  We are writing to formally make a complaint about the two articles in the April 22, 2013 edition of Broadside that contain blatant false statements of fact in the context of a clear intent to defame and/or dismantle Students Against Israeli Apartheid. Erez Cramer’s claims of anti-Semitism and hate speech are predicated on SAIA’s advocacy “through posters” that Israel should be eliminated. He states as a fact that these posters exist and also blame Jews for America’s problems. These posters do not exist. SAIA does not advocate any of these positions, and in fact has spoken against anti-Semitic and other types of hate speech. On April 13, the group posted its “Guiding Principles” to their Facebook page. The final paragraph states, “SAIA maintains a nonviolent and non-confrontational stance in both our actions and our speech. We reject any and all hateful speech, and will not be held accountable for such speech made on our behalf by non-members.” These principles were created before Hala Numan’s article ran in the Broadside. SAIA has not released any “anti-Semitism messages” in any form. Through his opinion piece, Cramer shows clear intent to designate SAIA as a hate group, which is not only damaging to […]

   

• Letter to the Editor

  Editorials February 25, 2013 at 1:55 pm Comments are Disabled

  I am writing to you from Afghanistan, to express my dismay that your school is continuing to take legal action against a veteran who is a state resident. A recent report I read in the Washington Post about Navy veteran Stephanie Kermgard’s protracted legal battle with your school over tuition makes me wary of your institution’s support for student veterans. These reports have indicated a disturbing lack of concern for student veterans—I put the student first because we are, after all, there to learn—and our issues. Particularly with regards to financial aid and VA (Veteran’s Administration) educational assistance, I am appalled to hear that your school administrators consider some military students out-of- state residents; while the vast majority of other universities consider us in-state residents. A bill to fix this is working its way through Richmond’s corridors of power, but does it really take legislation to inject some common sense here? After my current deployment, I had planned to move to Virginia—my fiancée lives in Washington D.C.—to complete my education. George Mason was among the schools I had strongly considered applying to, due to its proximity to DC, great reputation and support for the GI Bill’s Yellow Ribbon program. As […]

   

• Letters to the editor – Sept. 27 issue

  Editorials September 27, 2010 at 3:19 pm Comments are Disabled

  The student secular alliance fires back at Moore On Sept. 13, Alan Moore penned an editorial stating, among other things, that the U.S. Constitution does not mandate a separation of church and state and that the Secular Student Alliance is a threat to American culture. In response to church-state separation, we could go through a litany of court decisions, treaties and comments by the Founding Fathers that prove Mr. Moore wrong, and there are many. What is more important though, is whether we all still understand and agree on its benefits. A secular government is not an atheistic government. It just refuses to take sides on issues of religion. Many theists recognize this protects them and does not hinder them. If schools lead children in prayer, will it be a prayer you agree with? If the creation story is taught in school, will it be your creation story? We’ve spoken with students from a number of theist groups and found almost universally that we share respect and support for church-state separation. But Mr. Moore betrays that his true agenda is political when he attempts to equate non-theism with liberalism. There have been many prominent non-theists who would bristle at such […]

   

• Letters to the editor – Sept. 20 issue

  Editorials September 20, 2010 at 6:15 pm Comments are Disabled

  Moore and the spaghetti monster Mr. Moore’s insulting attack on the Flying Spaghetti Monster is both troubling and disturbing to those students that have been touched by his noodley appendage. The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, or Pastafarianism, is just as real as any other religion and very relevant. In a pluralistic society that prides itself on inclusion and religious tolerance, Mr. Moore’s article has no place in polite circles. Attacks on the belief structure of any other religion would be met with disapproval by other student organizations. I can only hope that there is a similar outcry against this senseless attack on the followers of the FSM. Perhaps Mr. Moore needs to realize that we are a secular society and that a belief in something without any empirical evidence does not qualify him as a spokesman for anything. The Secular Student Alliance does believe in fostering tolerance between religious faiths, it simply does not believe in the need for divine intercession to determine good behavior. Christians in particular are quick to call anything that doesn’t give deference to a non-existent sky fairy an attack on their faith. It is not; it is simply a statement of belief. I […]

   

• Letter to the editor – Sept. 13 issue

  Editorials September 13, 2010 at 3:28 pm Comments are Disabled

  Same-sex marriage has come up again and again over the past few years. This is a topic that lends itself to sound-byte answers and diametric choices. But I think we must truly and honestly analyze the real and complex issues this topic engenders.