I listened to Bush’s desperate speech Monday night and again, I am reminded as to what he does best: gain an undeserved position of authority via family connections or an unprecedented, politically motivated Supreme Court decision (see Dershowitz’s Supreme Injustice or Bugliosi’s The Betrayal of America) and then running whatever he is supposed to manage (e.g., this country’s economic, diplomatic, social and environmental well-being) right straight into the ground-and doing so for either personal or political gain, typically both.

Now he’s asking for another bailout, a $87 billion bailout.

He lied before the war: Where are Weapons of Mass Destruction?

He lied during the war: Who exactly is being liberated?

He is still lying: Iraq is not the battlefield between “international terrorism” and the forces of “freedom.” It’s an illegal invasion which is fast becoming an occupational quagmire.

Shouldn’t we all have enough sense by now to realize that whenever this man starts talking about sacrifice-especially after massive tax cuts (which mostly benefited the extreme wealthy) and only just returning from an extended vacation on his Texas ranch-you can bet your bottom dollar you’re being taken for another ride, at the expense of peace, needy social programs, health care, education, jobs and lives.

And when we’ve hit the absolute rock bottom-hopefully we will come to our senses in 2004 first-this man will walk away from all of this free and clear-as did Ken Lay-and I’ll guarantee you he’s still going to have his pension.

Kevin Foskin

English Department

On Monday, Sept. 8, I read the article “Accident leaves one dead” on Shawn McCarty and how he died. It was very shocking to learn that he lay dead in the street for hours uncovered and on show. Then I opened the paper to find a picture of him dead on the street. What were you thinking? How could you publish a picture of him dead?

Think of the family and friends that would probably see the paper. Do you have any respect for this tragedy? The article on the front page seemed to condemn the fact that Shawn was lying in open air for everyone to see and then on the next page there was the picture showing him dead. Stop contradicting yourself and show some regard for loss.

Ellie Mallon

Senior, business management

I have been reading the Collegian nearly every day, each semester since 1996. I have often overlooked the numerous yet laughable mistakes the Collegian staff has made, be it spelling, grammar or editing errors. However, today I am angered and saddened by the picture you deplorably decided to include with the article about the unfortunate motorcycle accident that occurred on Saturday. I found it disturbing that several lines in the article quoted onlookers describing their horror at how the victim’s body remained exposed for several hours for all to see. Yet in spite of their disgust, you have captured that very image in your paper permanently. I’d like to paraphrase Claud Corzatt and add a few words of my own, ” I can’t believe this. The Collegian shamelessly printed a very clear picture of the body just laying out there like that. If I was a family member, I’d be madder than hell.” I highly doubt that you gained permission from the family to use this picture for your article. Your staff’s decision to take this photograph and your decision to allow it to be printed shows a foolish lack of maturity and a heartbreaking lack of sympathy for the victim’s family and friends affected by this worthless tragedy. Perhaps you thought that by printing the photo you would bring a sense of realism and a sense of mortality to your readers. I think that you would better serve your readers by using this opportunity not as a source of shock value, but as an opportunity to protect and inform them. Perhaps you can redeem yourself to the victim and his family by publishing an article on how wearing a helmet each and every time while riding a motorcycle will save lives! I think the victim would have wanted his death to serve as a motivator to save lives, not as a motivator to “sell” more papers.

Nicole Johnson

Sophomore, Soil and Crop Sciences

I was just reading today’s paper, Monday Sept. 8, and I ran across the article

“Accident leaves one dead”. I agree when the article talks about how horrible it was for Mr. McCarty’s body to lay uncovered for so long and how one person commented ‘I wouldn’t want him lying there for everyone to see’. Don’t you think it is a little insensitive for the Collegian to print that quote along with a photograph of this young man who was killed and lay uncovered?

I personally find it hard to look at this picture, and I would be rather upset if I were looking at a picture of my family member in today’s paper. I would suggest that the Collegian be a little more sensitive of the young man’s family or anyone’s family next time a photo like this is printed.

If you were trying to get across the point that wearing a helmet is important (with which I agree), I think you did it in the wrong way.

Meghan Bowser

Senior, landscape horticulture

I, and many others I have spoken with today, are appalled that you printed a picture of the body of the young gentleman who died in a motorcycle accident this weekend. How thoughtless, insensitive, irresponsible and cruel to his family and friends. What if this was your brother, cousin, or other family member? This would add more trauma to an already tragic situation. If you were trying to make a point about wearing helmets, this was not the way to go about it.

As editor, it is YOUR responsibility for what is printed in your paper. Unfortunately, this kind of journalism puts you down there with the Enquirer and other low-grade “news” papers. If you profess to be professional, this picture does not reflect such.

Someone on your staff should have caught this as well. I suggest a FRONT PAGE apology to ALL of your readers – and advertisers. Please humble yourselves and admit to the tragic error made by your paper.

Nancy Rehe

Dean’s Office

College of Natural Sciences