War protest Tuesday
Tuesday, March 20 is a national day of student protest against the U.S. war in Iraq, with anti-war activities happening on more than 60 campuses. Here at the University, students are organizing a protest on March 20 at noon in front of Coffman. March 20 marks the fourth anniversary of the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq.

I am a clerical worker on campus, and I am planning to participate in this important protest. My union, AFSCME Local 3800, has passed resolutions against the war and has participated in prior anti-war protests. The war is a worker's issue because it is young working class people who are the ones fighting and dying in this war. And for what? For oil, profits and geopolitical maneuvering. The war takes vital resources away from programs that meet human needs and diverts them to the war machine.

Student protests helped turn the tide against the Vietnam War, and again this time students are taking the lead in organizing protests to stop an unjust war. That's wonderful and I hope to see hundreds or even thousands of students protesting on March 20. But even better would be to see thousands of students and workers together calling for an end to the war. That would be a force to be reckoned with!

We can make it happen on March 20. I encourage all University workers to come out to Coffman on your lunch break at noon on March 20 to join with the students here at the University and across the country in calling for an immediate end to this terrible war.

Brad Sigal
Executive office and administrative specialist

Prosecutor firings
When asked about the way the Justice Department and Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez handled the controversial firings of eight U.S. attorneys, President Bush said he was less than pleased. Among his complaints was the lack of "straightforward communication." He also said: "What was mishandled was the explanation of the cases to Congress, and Al (Gonzalez) has got work to do up there." In other words, Bush gave the Justice Department and Gonzalez the old "do as I say, not as I do" treatment.

The Bush administration's strongest talent is its ability to not follow the rules and to avoid answering questions, and get away with it no less. The six-plus years of Bush's presidency have been built on dishonesty, deception and the lack of "straightforward communication" with Congress - and, more importantly, the American people. In fact, it is now coming out that Bush himself, as well as usual suspect Karl Rove, might have had their hands in the allegedly politically charged firings of eight U.S. attorneys.

This is the danger of removing the checks of the legislative branch. From 2002-2006, it is easy to see why the administration got away with everything it did when the Republican-controlled legislative branch was willing to label any questioning of the president as either unpatriotic or partisan hackery.

Things are different now though: The Republicans no longer control the legislative branch. It is time for Congress to get a spine and require the administration start answering questions about their actions instead of being satisfied with whatever it is that Tony Snow is saying on that particular day. Luckily for our country, it appears this is finally starting to happen. It surely helps that opportunistic politicians will drop allegiances at the drop of a hat to get re-elected.

To be fair to Gonzalez and Bush, though, it is easy to see why they are dishonest and secret. Their closest friends, Karl Rove and Dick Cheney, have taught them well. To use another old saying, "monkey see, monkey do."

Bobby Kahn
University undergraduate

Mental suffering
I commend columnist Kate Nelson for sharing her experience ("Stifling the stigma - and not ourselves," March 9). She realized that she could no longer continue the emotional charade of portraying the "Susie Sunshine" image that has been the norm in her family.

I'm sure she is not alone, particularly in these parts, where the "Minnesota Nice" mentality makes some prefer to stick a poker in their eye rather than possibly "offend" another by shedding a tear or two under duress. It takes courage to "go against the grain," and is never too late to realize and change the dysfunctional and unhealthy behaviors from our upbringing.

I heard a pastor say recently that many of us need to learn how to control our emotions, so they don't go wild and control us, and I certainly agree. However, if we always put on a happy face when we feel like crying, we not only suffer on a mental level of denial, but will likely see imbalance manifested in our physical bodies as well. Thanks, Kate, for the reminder.

Rachel Hudak
University staff