Letters to the Editor
Campus Times
March 12, 1999
Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to last week's column, "Bilingual
advantages immeasurable," written by Angelica Martinez [March 5].
It seems as though Miss Martinez has a strong opinion about the issue of
bilingual education being incorporated into California school systems, but
I hate to differ.
Being also a Hispanic, I found it amusing that she stated in her opening
paragraph, "The population of English speakers has just been outnumbered
by the Hispanic community, which primarily speaks Spanish." Does this
mean every California community? I did not understand this statement at
all, because I know that it certainly does not mean the La Verne community.
I see your point in wanting bilingual education implemented into California
schools, but I do not see that it is the politicians of the state that have
"suppressed" the propositions from being passed. Everyone over
18 years of age has a right to vote, and you should blame the people just
as much as you are blaming California politicians. How can anything be passed
if there is not a majority vote for it?
I disagree with your opinion when you say that "people are taught
to learn a different language as a requirement through grade school."
I never had to learn a different language until I went to high school, and
though I gained knowledge from it, it was not my choice to take two years
of Spanish. In college, it is the same. So many students stress out because
they have to take a year of a foreign language, when they can be focusing
on their major. Unless you are planning to leave the country or study abroad,
as you did; then it would probably be wise to learn the language ahead of
time. And I do not see how knowing Spanish helped you out when you were
studying abroad in France. As far as I know, it is a different language
altogether.
Think about it logically -- would you want your children at an elementary
school in California, or anywhere in the United States, to be taught in
a different language before being taught in English? I know I would not,
and I am not trying to be a humiliation to the Hispanic race. I would just
want them to learn the primary language spoken in America first.
Erica Aguilar
University of Montana
via Internet
Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to an insert that was placed inside the March
5, 1999, edition of Campus Times. As someone who is interning at Project
Sister as an advocate, I was very pleased to see the article by Alisha Rosas
["Ministers, counselors establish support
group"]. With the high number of unreported sexual assaults, it
is very important that the women on this campus know that even if they choose
not to report sexual assault, there is support available. I was, however,
flabbergasted and extremely offended when I opened the pages of the magazine
and noticed an insert distributed by a pro-life group inside. How extremely
tacky and insensitive to place these two pieces of information in the same
issue! I can fully appreciate the rights of pro-life groups to distribute
their information as well as the paper's right to print it, after all there
was a piece written under "opinions"
about the controversy of this subject. I also understand that the pro-choice
side didn't offer an opposing article, but to run the insert at the same
time as an article discussing attempts to start a ULV support group for
sexual assault survivors? The next time Human Life Alliance of Minnesota,
Inc., pays to advertise, at least check to see what other articles you are
running! The bottom line is that abortion is legal and women, especially
a woman has gotten pregnant through rape, have the right to choose that
route.
Ali Munzer
via Internet
Dear Editor,
I think wrestling at La Verne would be great ["Additional
sports could be asset to ULV," Feb. 26]. I know the only thing
that I don't like about La Verne is there is no wrestling here. I miss the
action of a clean pin and a nice takedown. Well, I just wanted to say that
having wrestling here is great idea and that was a great article.
Ericka Eckley
Freshman
via Internet
