Letters to the Editor

>Where are the facts?

I am a frequent reader of the Daily and especially the opinions section. However, I was quite disappointed by the facts, or lack thereof, contained in Evan Long's column, "A needed change to the health-care system" on Thursday.

The column begins by appealing to the rising costs of health care as nearly a sixth of the gross domestic product, but then it later states that, "As for cost, we cannot put a price tag on the health of future generations."

In the same paragraph, the column hints at problems of socialized health care in other countries but dismisses the problematic factors of such and later says, "There is no reason not to implement a universal health care system."

There is no fact within this point. Ten minutes of research on Google would have made this obvious - 10 minutes! While I respect the writer's opinion, the facts are simply neglected throughout the column.

Even in the first paragraph, the column blames baby boomers for escalating costs, but current research shows that only a very small percentage of the growth in health care costs (less than 10 percent - it varies on the research) is because of the aging baby boomers.

Another error in the first paragraph is saying that eligibility for Medicaid increases as baby boomers age; Medicare is the program for those over 65.

Columns written with no facts are essentially lies. The Daily is not the National Enquirer. I think the opinion section should contain opinions, but I do not believe opinions should be included that do not have facts. However, the column, "America, the hypochondriac," also from Thursday, is well-informed and based on facts.

Corbett Jackson

master of health care administration candidate

The full picture

This is in response to T. Hewitt's April 10 letter to the editor. Hewitt raises some important points that would come to anyone's mind if the picture presented to them is taken at face value without much digging into it.

Most of the points Hewitt has raised were thoroughly discussed in the recently concluded Islam Awareness Week, which Maggie Habashy mentioned in her column and she encouraged the readers to attend to educate themselves about Islam.

The speakers in Islam Awareness Week specifically mentioned that most of what we see today being done in the name of Islam is not Islam but it is Muslims; it is important to make a distinction between the two. Over time, Muslims have not made enough efforts in understanding their own religion and act in ways contrary to the teachings of Islam.

Muslims are human beings just like people of any other faith and no one on this earth is perfect. It is important not to form opinions about a faith and its followers based on a spiced up headline in a newspaper or a dramatized video on TV.

Just to bring home the point, Hitler did not represent Christians or Germans, neither did Stalin represent the Communists. Similarly, people involved in today's acts of cruelty do not represent Muslims or Islam.

In general, there's a lot of misinformation or lack of information about Islam present these days. I encourage anyone seeking accurate information about Islam to research a little more deeply. One good resource for getting most questions about Islam answered is the Al-Madinah Cultural Center on campus, where your colleagues will very much appreciate the opportunity to have a conversation about this topic.

Sahban Ozair

graduate student

Cutting student fees

Recently Vice Provost Rinehart was granted the opportunity to do the right thing by the student groups on the Twin Cities campus and review the decisions of the fees committee. Unfortunately it seems that he did no such thing.

The proceedings that were held seemed as if they were merely a technicality. Rinehart had no intention of reconsidering or overturning some very poor decisions by a fees committee that has historically been skewed against student groups that actually work for something greater than the University. The groups that had their funding cut provide a valuable service to the University community, educating and empowering students.

The decision that I completely do not understand is the cut to MPIRG's funding. They have a refusable and refundable fee. It is not mandatory and it is a group that is open to any student on campus. MPIRG should be the kind of student group that is encouraged on campus, not discouraged by cutting funding.

I know that this letter will probably make no difference to Rinehart or anyone in his department, as they apparently don't care about the good of the school, the students or the community. But no good will come from the cutting of student groups' funding. All that it will do is continue to broaden the disconnect that the students have with the University.

Student groups are the backbone and the social conscience of the University and without them there is no community. Let's all thank Vice Provost Rinehart for encouraging apathy at the University.

Ryan Barnes

University alumnus

Minnesota Public Interest Research Group alumnus