Letters to the editor

>Forwarding 'sweatshop free'

Martin Luther King Jr. once said "An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." It is easy for us in middle-class America to avoid the harsh realities of working in a sweatshop. Sweatshops are a major problem and I guarantee the clothes you are wearing as you are reading this are made from the sweat, tears and even blood of someone who is being mistreated. Furthermore, the school you are attending does not have adequate systems to protect from purchasing clothes that are not made safely.

President Bob Bruininks has made the first step in addressing this issue by forming a committee to discuss the Designated Suppliers Program, a system that would ensure our apparel is made "sweatshop free." I would like to urge this committee to sign the University on to the working group of the DSP.

Kim Marek

University student

Wanting real news from the Daily

Today's content in The Minnesota Daily covered the suicide of an actor, sex and crime. A classical approach to grab the reader's attention. Yet none of it was inspiring, motivational, or particularly important and informative. The Daily could have written about Pakistan's food shortages, the WHO's report on civilian deaths in Iraq, or about racist sub-prime lending, which has lead to a crisis in home foreclosures occurring nationwide. Such topics may not at first appearances be directly related to the University community, but it is needed information that serves and educates us. The Daily's hands are not tied like many newspapers that are profit-driven and aim to please advertisers.

Therefore, I urge the Daily to write and report with the freedom the University's funding provides you - with integrity, honesty and the aspiration to truly inform and educate the community you serve.

Celeste Finn

University student

MPD: Too fat?

Congratulations to Sergei Dmitriev ("Crime victim busts imposter," Jan. 23). He should get a medal from the Minneapolis Police Dept. Instead, Sgt. Stiller complains, for which he should receive a dozen jelly donuts with extra lard. The sad truth is that many MPD officers are clinically obese, making them physically unable to serve and protect. It is telling that the criminal escaped because the police took 20 minutes to respond to Dmitriev's 911 call.

Paul Scheurer

reader

Franken's poor conduct

Al Franken's traveled around the state to college campuses trying to get the votes of young people. He has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on television commercials trying to portray himself as a nice guy. He even enlisted his fourth-grade teacher to give a testimonial about what a nice boy he was in elementary school.

In one fell swoop Franken showed that he lacks the class, maturity and decency to be a United States senator.

Earlier this month, at Carlton College, Franken attacked a Carlton College student simply because the kid was a conservative - and because the kid didn't want to get in a photograph with Franken.

Franken didn't get into a civil conversation with him, according to an article in the Star Tribune on Jan. 23. He viciously demeaned him by mocking his body language and his speech.

This is an adult man who probably could be this young man's father.

The worst part of all of this is that the young man tried to get through an uncomfortable situation by having the class to try to shake Franken's hand and basically say, "Hey, no hard feelings."

Instead, Franken refused to shake his hand and essentially said, "who cares" and walked away with his staff dragging him away.

What kind of person goes out of his way to taunt a young person who clearly was nervous and uncomfortable? What kind of mean streak do you have to have to attack some college student who simply happened showed up to hear what you had to say?

Franken thinks that he has earned the right to run for the United States Senate because he used to live in Minnesota 30 years ago.

Franken deserves nothing but contempt for his treatment of this young man. At a minimum Franken owes this young man an apology, not the excuse his staff gave that Franken was tired and had a long day.

Shame on you Al Franken.

Abdul-Rahman Magba-Kamara

chairman, U of M College Republicans