“United 93”: Remembering the real enemy
If you are looking for a reason to go see the movie “United 93,” here is one: Go see it to remind yourself who the enemy really is. The real enemy is not President Bush, the Republicans, the Democrats or anyone else in the government. The enemy is the terrorists who are using religion as a justification for mass murder. Anyone in this country who uses religion for anything is labeled a freak or a fanatic, yet every day someone in this country, along with people in our own Congress, will help justify the actions of the terrorists as long as it provides a political advantage or an opportunity to criticize the president. Go see the movie and then tell me that these terrorists deserve compassion, mercy, the benefit of the doubt, life sentences rather than death, or any other rights.
Let’s be the civilized society I thought we were and come back together like we did in the days after Sept. 11. This time, let’s do it on our own and for good, and not wait for another tragedy to do it for us temporarily.
Brian Brandfas, Parker
Achieving diversity at Colorado’s universities
Re: “Seeds of diversity sown before college,” May 5 editorial.
You are absolutely correct to say that “higher education, in general, needs to work more with K-12 to ensure more of today’s students are prepared to be tomorrow’s college graduates.”
While reports, commissions and editorials often note that recruitment of minority students who meet academic standards is a challenge, still little attention is being paid to Colorado MESA – Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement – which has a remarkably successful 30-year record of meeting or exceeding college admissions requirements. MESA is an after-school program that serves about 3,000 Colorado elementary, middle and high school students in more than 140 public schools. In 2003-04, 64 percent of MESA students were from minority groups and 85 percent were from low- or moderate-income families; 53 percent were female. While 100 percent of MESA students graduate from high school, 90 percent go to college; 86 percent of these enroll in math/science majors. MESA graduates need no remediation in college.
In spite of this extraordinary record of success, few commissions or studies have focused on the MESA model, which can lead the way toward increasing minority college enrollment, especially in math and science.
Elinor Miller Greenberg, Member, Board of Directors, Colorado MESA, Centennial
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While I think it commendable that The Denver Post wants to address admission standards at the University of Colorado, I am somewhat puzzled as to how a major publication could write an article about student diversity and not even raise the issue of affirmative action. You had the perfect venue for this opportunity and it appears you let it slide. A major newspaper from a major city west of the Mississippi and your thinking on this issue is still this provincial?
I must admit, for a state that has taken up merit pay for teachers, I am disappointed in the other buffalo in your herd.
Paul Hoss, Marshfield, Mass.
Failure rate of teen abstinence programs
Re: “Teen virginity pledges have high dropout rate,” May 3 news story.
The Post’s article on teen virginity pledge programs was quite telling about what is driving poor judgment in American reproductive health. If the failure rate of condoms was 52 percent, like it is in these pledge programs, nobody would recommend them to children as the sole protection against sexually transmitted diseases. But dogma-driven politicians, educators and clergy push these programs as a type of public health initiative. These programs often vilify the use of condoms and suppress or negatively distort knowledge about the full range of options available in modern reproductive health. Clearly, many parents and administrators are forcing the public health methods of a pre-modern-medicine morality on children in defiance of the evidence that it is not effective in providing the protection that it claims. It may be a great way to transfer blame from administrators and parents to children. But archaic public health politics in the 21st century is no better a way to protect children from sexually transmitted diseases than stoning young women was a way to protect our daughters from rape.
Let’s grow up. Let’s take responsibility. Let’s protect our children here in the modern world with all the health resources we can muster.
Erik Moore, President, Mission of Reason, Denver
Cinco de Mayo
Re: “Why Cinco de Mayo?” May 4 Linda Chavez column.
Linda Chavez refers to Cinco de Mayo as a minor event in Mexican history, not relevant at all to Hispaños from New Mexico (or Colorado), and only a minor holiday in Mexico. She rejects association with the celebration.
OK. Why do Italian-Americans celebrate Columbus Day? Italians don’t; it is irrelevant to them. The Columbus Day Parade: Italy’s green-white-red tricolors fly aloft; nobody complains but America’s indigenous peoples.
Why do Irish-Americans celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Irish don’t; they honor St. Columba’s Day. The parade: Ireland’s green-white-orange tricolors fly aloft; nobody complains.
Let Mexican-Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo; don’t belittle them for doing so. It’s their privilege as an immigrant population, just like the Italian-Americans and the Irish-Americans enjoy. It is disingenuous of Chavez to suggest that this celebration discourages assimilation, when in fact it is an outcome of assimilation.
Martha A. Narey, Denver
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On May 5, Mexicans and those of Mexican descent take over Federal Boulevard in celebration, flying Mexican flags and celebrating the nation of Mexico. I think it might be fitting for us to also celebrate Feb. 2, 1848, on which occurred the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the surrender of Mexico in the Mexican-American War (1846-48). It is especially fitting that we celebrate this event in Colorado, part of which wouldn’t even exist except for the defeat of Mexico. I propose that on Feb. 2, all Americans take over Federal Boulevard and fly the American flag and celebrate the American nation, on a day which we will call “February Second.” All Americans, including those of Mexican descent, may participate.
David Neal, Arvada
A complete account of Eric Rudolph’s crimes
Re: “Moussaoui joins terror list in Colo.,” May 4 news story.
In this article, it is mentioned that one of terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui’s future prison mates in Florence will be Eric Rudolph, who “set off bombs at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and at abortion clinics.”
Rudolph was also convicted of bombing the Otherside Lounge, a gay bar in Atlanta. I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that this is simply an unfortunate oversight and not a willful ignoring of history. None of Rudolph’s evil deeds should ever be forgotten. Like those of the Sept. 11 terrorists, they remind us all that hateful thoughts and hateful speech lead to hateful acts.
Tom Morrissey, Aurora
Soda in public schools
Re: “Soda firms lighten load at schools,” May 4 news story.
Who in the world appointed Bill Clinton to decide on school pop machines? He seems to think that if he has to watch his weight, everyone else should, too.
Many of us have seen classrooms full of children and found that most of them are not in the extremely overweight category. Some of our not-overweight children participate in after-school activities, and I think it is alright for them to enjoy a real bottle of pop while waiting for their ride home.
Sharron Zancanelli, Arvada
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