To the Editor:

After paying two and a half years worth of tuition, I’m glad to see my money, and the rest of the student body’s, is going to good use. To facilitate random artwork, an unnecessary relocation of the transit center, a plethora of concrete planters, and the newest addition, a steel dome.

The thing in front of the chemistry building, to site a few examples. Because, hey, an aesthetically pleasing campus is definitely more important than my education.

While these new structures are popping up year after year, I continue to encounter less than perfect classroom conditions, dwindling resources, and inept professors (who end up being for the most part, teacher’s assistants.)

So thank you CSU and who ever is deciding to where my money goes. I appreciate encountering large unknown bronze sculptures on my way to the library where I have to pay for printing. I appreciate waiting for a bus further from the center of campus after wobbling for an hour in a chair that is coming unbolted from the floor in a Clark lecture room. I appreciate being able to sit on the brand new planters before a class taught by a woman who appears perpetually stoned, may have a lower IQ than my 12-year-old cousin, and struggles for half an hour with an over used power point presentation. I appreciate being able to ponder the meaning of “The Shoulder of the Giant” on my way to my chemistry lab, where a teaching assistant, who may be the same age as I and may speak the same language as I do, is waiting. I wonder why I feel like I’m not getting my money’s worth? Perhaps it’s because I now find academics placed at the bottom of the CSU’s priorities list, with athletics and aesthetics taking the lead.

Meagan Storey

Junior

Public Relations

To the Editor:

It seems to me that the large majority of voices in the Fort Collins community agree that the best way to handle Fred Phelps and his followers is simply to ignore them. This is also the position that your editorial staff has endorsed. While most people agree that they have a constitutional right to express their views, most also feel that paying them no attention would hurt their cause the most.

It is obvious that Mr. Phelps and his ignorant followers thrive on attention and media coverage. This is what makes them tick, and in turn boosts their cause. Yet it is virtually impossible to ignore them when this is the primary issue in the media, notably the Collegian.

As I sit here and read today’s edition (Oct. 10) of The Collegian, I have come across six articles pertaining to the Westboro Baptist Church, Fred Phelps and their picketing of UNC on Thursday and Saturday’s CSU-Wyoming game.

In the last two weeks there has been no less than 10 articles in the Collegian about this issue. While I agree that unbiased media should give due consideration to all stories and all sides of stories, the coverage by the Collegian over the last two weeks has been overkill.

It seems to me that you should be more focused on journalistic integrity than sensationalism. There are plenty of other newsworthy stories on campus and plenty of organizations and people that deserve the media attention more than Mr. Phelps and his hateful cause.

Chad A. Schneckenburger

Graduate Student

Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism

To the Editor:

As a Christian and a Baptist, I am sad to see Fred Phelps is visiting us with his propaganda of hate. While I agree with some who have said that the best thing to do is to ignore him, we should not ignore his distortion of Christian theology. This is too important.

The Bible is a simple book, really. From almost the very beginning to the end it is the story of God’s great passion, to restore a relationship with His creation (all of us) and the lengths He went to do so, even the death of His Son on the cross. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This is clearly a message of love, not hate.

And the amazing thing about His grace is that we don’t have to first attain His holy standard of perfection to have a relationship with Him. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He loves sinners. I take great comfort in that.

It always amazes me the risk that God took in entrusting His message to Christians. There always has, and always will be those who twist His message for evil purposes. But still His great message of love, hope, and the chance of restoration goes forward. And even this risk proves again to what lengths He will go to bring us back into relationship with Him.

Steve Johnson

Fort Collins resident