Published October 12, 2006

Campus has no need for socialists

The Oct. 6 issue of Falcon Daily announced the Student Organization Committee is welcoming three of the newest student organizations to the UW-RF Community. I was dismayed to find the Socialist Alternative was among these organizations.

I came to this country from the Czech Republic, where I lived in a socialist society for more than 15 years of my life. I was lucky to immigrate to the United States and enjoy the benefits of a functioning capitalist economy.

Some of my friends and relatives were not lucky. Relatively few died in political prisons, but most lost a lot of opportunities in life. There were not many opportunities in “workers paradise,” surrounded by a barbed wire fence, unless you were a member of the ruling elite.

I am not afraid that the democratic system of this country could be overthrown by socialism. However, I have to speak out against an organization on our campus that glorifies one of the world’s most oppressive socioeconomic systems.

I attended the initial public meeting the Socialist Alternative held last month on campus and read what Socialist Alternative stands for at http://socialistminnesota.org/what-we-stand-for.

I thought the “alternative way” of eliminating the national debt was pretty hilarious. I have taken and passed a few economics classes myself. The writers of the following could benefit from those classes, “Cancel the national debt with no payment to the big investors. Use the money to rebuild the inner cities and the infrastructure under union conditions and wages.”

I was not entertained to learn the group is promoting “militant action.” That’s just another reason why I feel this student organization should not be welcomed on our campus.

Jan Pospichal
Employee
       

Smokers spark asthma attacks
I would like to expand on Nicole Aune’s column, “Protect Students from Smoke.”  There is an issue I would like to bring up that on-campus students have to deal with.
I currently live on campus, and my roommate is a smoker. She knows she has to go outside to smoke and be away from the doors, but the smell is still present on her clothing. Like Aune, I have asthma. The smell on her clothing is enough to trigger a reaction. It starts off mild with a headache and red, itchy eyes to serious symptoms such as shortness of breath. That is when I have to use my inhaler. For those students who do not understand what asthma is, try sipping peanut butter through a straw. That is how I feel when I have an asthma attack.

There is a solution to solve this problem: asking students if they want a roommate who is a smoker or a non-smoker. It can be asked in the housing contract when new students are filling them out. This simple question would have students breathing a lot easier. After all, do you want to end up in the emergency room struggling to breathe?

Tracy N. Schoemaker
Student

Safety first for college students
One of my past roommates and I attend the Minnesota Correction’s Association Conference every year in Duluth. When we were students and would go out, we would leave as a group and return as a group. We always made sure of this, or should I say she did. I’m reminded of this often, especially upon learning of a missing college student.  Most recently — the case at UW-La Crosse.

To this day we follow this rule/advise, or what I call a best practice — even as adults when attending the upcoming conference.  Unfortunately when I learn of a missing college student I think to myself and say to my family, friends and co-workers, ‘How can you leave your friend’s unattended?’ LEAVE AS A GROUP, RETURN AS A GROUP. 

We followed this even if one of us met with someone. If my group of friends didn’t know the person, we would let the person part. My thoughts are that we learned to tend to each other from our floor RAs.

Martha Thomford
UW-RF alumna

Don’t ban same-sex marriage
I am new to the area, as this is my first year here at UW-River Falls. Almost as soon as I arrived, I discovered an amendment to ban gay marriage and civil unions was on the Wisconsin ballot this fall.

As I did more research on the ban and its effects in other states, I was shocked by its potential consequences. If this passes, it could drastically affect the safety and security of many Wisconsinites.

In other states where the ban has passed, there have been significant unintended consequences due to the vague language of the second portion of the amendment.
For example, in Utah a group is suing to overturn Salt Lake City’s domestic partnership policy, arguing it “mimics” gay marriage and therefore violates the state’s marriage and civil union ban.

In addition, numerous Ohio judges have ruled domestic violence charges cannot be filed against unmarried people - whether gay or not gay; at least 15 cases have been dismissed.
These consequences, though unintended, have the possibility of stripping Wisconsin families of health care and security. A very real possibility has lead me to believe that voting “no” on the marriage civil union ban is the only fair and logical vote.

Jason Miller
Student