Letters to the Editor

>Our side of the story

I'm writing in response to two recent editorials: March 22's "Recycling fraud on the bridge?" and Friday's "Prioritizing transportation."

In regards to the March 22 editorial, I'd like your readers to know that Parking and Transportation Services is a firm believer in the value of recycling. We have a long history of recycling in our department.

Not only do we encourage recycling in the office, we even provide recycle containers in parking attendant booths.

Beyond recycling paper, magazines, cardboard, newsprint, cans and bottles in the office, our maintenance and fleet areas also recycle batteries, light bulbs, metal, oil, tires, wheel weights and oil-based automotive fluids. In addition, collected branches and yard waste are given to Landcare for composting.

Your editorial mentioned that trash and recycling is being mixed in the containers on the bridge. For a period of time, that has been the case. We are currently in the process of converting those bins. As they are converted, items from those locations will once again be recycled.

We thank you for bringing this issue to our attention.

In regard to the March 24 editorial "Prioritizing transportation," I must correct your statement on "overzealous parking attendants." Parking and Transportation Services is not responsible for on-campus ticketing and requests that a vehicle be towed only if it is in violation, e.g. parked in a reserved spot.

Mary Sienko

marketing manager of Parking and Transportation Services

Use quotes wisely

I am writing to congratulate you for your generally excellent coverage of Peter Singer's visit to the University on Thursday.

Together, the guest column piece by professor Singer on the moral evils of factory farming, JP Leider's interview and his article on the protest provided the kind of in-depth coverage that I believe the event deserved.

I cannot resist one small complaint, however, about the closing quote of the Friday article on the protest. It read, "It's hypocritical to be an advocate for animal rights but not for human rights."

As an accusation against Singer, this could not be more misleading.

Singer has been an advocate for human rights throughout his career, most notably the rights of the global poor to a basic level of food, shelter and medical care.

I realize that journalistic objectivity leads reporters to quote their sources without critiquing them, but the fact that this quote was left to stand on its own as the closing quote lends it an air of authority. Had he taken himself to be covering the talk in addition to the protest, the reporter could have pointed out that Singer's presentation made clear that he does care deeply about human rights.

Valerie Tiberius

associate professor

philosophy department

Isolated States of America

We are headed toward isolation in this country. Instead of building bridges we are creating walls - visual walls and those we cannot see - walls of fear and hate.

Repressive policies toward immigrants will lead only to discrimination and often times false arrests of the innocent.

We have seen this before. All immigrants, whether legal or illegal, will be looked at with suspicion, creating an atmosphere none of us really wants to live with.

Should we paint red stars on all illegals?

Or should we give them to the legal immigrants so we can identify them?

Should those immigrants who have been here more than five years be given blue stars or 10 years given yellow stars?

Should those who have just come over legally be given purple stars?

How far can we take this?

I am beginning to wonder if this is really the "United" States of America. Maybe we need to rename our country the "Isolated" States of America.

I shudder to think of how the three immigrant families we have sponsored over the past 15 years would have been treated. It is hard enough for the families who come here legally to adjust to life in this country.

What are we doing to ourselves by creating more barriers and obstacles for those who want to come here? A cold and unsettling feeling comes over me when I think about this.

Nan Corliss

Minneapolis