April 15, 2009
Gravity and God are not in the same category
On Tuesday, I read an interesting editorial about faith in God. Mitch Grove discussed his experience of trying to prove God’s existence, finally reaching the conclusion that his belief was more important than physical evidence or the lack thereof. I enjoyed the piece until Mr. Grove made a comparison between God and gravity, saying that, “We know gravity exists,” even though “we can’t see it, it isn’t a fact, there is no physical proof of it.” He then implied the same was true of God.
There is indeed physical proof of gravity! It is a scientific fact. Gravity is the reason we don’t float up into the clouds, and by keeping Earth’s orbit at a perfect distance from the sun, gravity is also a vital factor for the existence of life on this planet. If gravity didn’t exist, neither would we.
Posted by Micky Bowe | April 16, 2009 | 3 comments
March 11, 2009
Embarrassed that Juras represents UM
For those unaware of the debate, assistant law professor Kristen Juras is professing that the Kaimin establish an anti-constitutional written policy of censorship. Ms. Juras, with all due respect, do you read the other articles in the Kaimin? Aside from the one you are protesting, the Bess Sex column, there is also a weekly column entitled “Stumbling Through Scotland,” the topic of which is stumbling through Scotland (while wasted). Our weekly police blotter lists many inappropriate and deviant actions committed by students and community members. Also, the Kaimin regularly features ads for a Sperm Bank that contain references to pornography.
Posted by Austin Smith | March 12, 2009 | 2 comments
March 11, 2009
Sex column controversy chilling
I found the article about the controversy both interesting and chilling. There are going to be ideas expressed that people may or may not find offensive or inappropriate. They have a right to their opinion or to be offended, but do not have the right to control the content of someone else’s speech. Writing a news article, opinion column, research paper for a class, making a presentation, etc., doesn’t require anyone to have a degree. Personal experiences can make up for what “book knowledge” you don’t have.
I’m a thinker and an autodidact, I read and learn a lot on my own.Does not having a formal degree in every area I read about mean I can’t voice an opinion about it? The idea that a columnist would have to have a degree in environmental studies to write an opinion on the global warming debate is just as laughable as having to have a sex degree to talk about sex or a degree in constitutional law to talk about the freedom of speech.
Posted by Niles Brush | March 12, 2009 | 0 comments
March 11, 2009
Wonders about Juras’ reputation
That law professor thinks the sex column reflects on her reputation as a faculty member.
I wonder what the hell her reputation as a law professor and member of a university faculty is going to be when word gets out she was trying to get state officials to shut down a college newspaper sex column.
Craig Klugman,
editor, The Journal Gazette,
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Posted by Craig Klugman | March 12, 2009 | 0 comments
March 11, 2009
Some find column tasteless
I am writing in response to Allison Maier’s article, “Sex column causes controversy; First Amendment issues raised,” about Bess Davis’ weekly sex column, as well as in response to the sex column itself, and about how her column casts an unfavorable light on The University of Montana School of Journalism.
First, I would like to correct editor Bill Oram, who said in Wednesday’s article that he has “not received any letters from students about the column.” The Montana Kaimin had published two letters regarding Davis’ column, at least one by a student – Jedediah Smith – who wrote in response to Davis’ second column on cohabitation.
Posted by Kat Franchino | March 12, 2009 | 2 comments
March 11, 2009
Juras should know better
As a law professor, Kristen Juras should know better than to try to censor student journalists. First, university students have First Amendment rights, despite recent attempts by courts to limit those. Second, I can tell you, as the faculty adviser to a university newspaper for 11 years, that nothing teaches students more effectively than public embarrassment, if, in fact, that is the result of Bess Davis’ column.
Instead of seeking action by the legislature, perhaps Professor Juras would like to suggest withholding tax support for legislators when residents disagree with their decisions.
Manley Witten, former publisher, Daily Sundial, CSU–Northridge
Posted by Manley Witten | March 12, 2009 | 0 comments
March 11, 2009
Sanctimony hidden behind law
I read about the kerfuffle over Bess Davis’ column and the complaints by law professor Kristen Juras. No one else has said it, so I will – it sure seems to be a case of a sanctimonious person trying to impose her standards on a community that, by and large, rejects him or her. If Professor Juras were honest about her motivations, I imagine this would be a simpler matter, but instead, she seems to be trying to concoct a lawyerly pretext for censorship based on Bess Davis’ “professionalism.” Let me address that.
Posted by John Maggs | March 12, 2009 | 1 comments
February 10, 2009
In response to J. Matthew Getz’s letter published Feb. 5
You argue not that you disagree with the change, but that no change is occurring. Guantanamo Bay is closing. President Obama has more people from the opposing party in his cabinet than any president in history. He passed legislation to expand SCHIP, a health care program for low-income children. Bush twice vetoed that law. He has established new fuel economy standards for cars being released as soon as 2011.
You say that Obama promised “an immediate 16-month withdrawal from Iraq.” As far as I know, he only promised to establish a new mission in Iraq, which is “ending this war.” He did this in his first day in office. Are you upset that he left military leaders with the discretion as to how long it will take to do so in a responsible manner?
Posted by Austin Smith | February 10, 20009 | 1 comments
February 10, 2009
Cohabitation not all it’s cracked up to be
The “Bess Sex Column” follows the majority of mass media by proving it is possible to write literature without presenting any research to back up personal opinions. If I have learned anything from my social science class, it’s that personal experience can be very subjective.
As a sociology major, cohabitation has been an interesting topic of study, and I have written at least one paper about this issue. The idea of cohabitation seems to be a good one, like most everything we try out before we commit, like: cars, houses and food. If Bess had looked at the facts, she would have noticed a deflating statistic. According to familylifeculturewatch.com and many other sources, within five years from the beginning of a cohabitation relationship, more than half of these relationships will end, even if the couple marries during that time. Fifty-seven percent of cohabiting couples dissolve within ten years when compared with 30 percent of all first marriages (VanGoethem 2005).
Posted by Jedediah Smith | February 10, 2009 | 3 comments
February 3, 2009
Attention President Dennison and Provost Engstrom:
I have worked at the front desk of the Undergraduate Advising Center for four years now and have had the pleasure of working with an amazing staff. We work together, communicate well and, most of all, maintain a positive working environment. One of the staff members is Melanie Hoell. As of this Friday, Hoell will no longer be the Undergraduate Advising Center Director due to a decision from Main Hall.
This letter isn’t to tell you the awards that Hoell has received and the ones she’s been nominated for, or even the number of students she has helped, because obviously those figures seem to be of little importance to you. If you understood her as both a woman and a professional, she would still have her job. What matters right now is the number of people supporting her.
Posted by Jenae M. Zaharko | February 3, 2009 | 1 comments
February 3, 2009
Johns Hopkins psychiatrist speaks
Even in a “so-called post-racial society,” psychiatrist Annelle Primm says that racism is “alive and well” in America, and that it affects the mental well-being of minorities who experience it.
“Culture, indeed, does count,” she said.
Primm, a professor of psychiatry from Johns Hopkins University, spoke Monday in the University Theatre for the semester’s first installment of the President’s Lecture Series, coinciding with UM’s observance of Martin Luther King Day.
Primm’s lecture focused on depression and its relationship to the black community.
Posted by Kimbill Bennion | February 3, 2009 | 3 comments
October 13, 2008
All-gay school is not all right
Plans for a new high school in Chicago are bright. Rainbow-bright, in fact.
The Chicago School Board will vote Oct. 22 to approve the School for Social Justice Pride Campus, a “gay-friendly” high school that proponents say is necessary to combat higher rates of truancy and dropouts among gay students due to harassment and violence. If approved, the Pride Campus would join New York’s Harvey Milk High School as the second alternative public institution for at-risk gay, lesbian (and straight) students.
According to Chicago public school officials, the decision to create the Pride Campus came about as a result of studies like the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, which last Wednesday released statistics showing that gay and lesbian students nationwide are three times more likely to miss school because they feel unsafe, leading to higher dropout levels. In Chicago, these same numbers were reported in 2003.
Posted by Lauren Russell, october 14, 2008 | 0 comments
September 24, 2008
Students shouldn’t fear vengeful landlords
I’m writing to follow up on a story in last week’s Kaimin about Missoula’s new renter safety program. The reporter did a great job, but I just want to clarify a few points concerning the program.
Posted by Sept. 24, 2008 | 8 comments
September 24, 2008
Milltown site not all it’s cracked up to be
It comes as no surprise that the cleanup plan at the former Milltown reservoir site has released tons of additional heavy metal sediments into the Clark Fork River. Recent statements by cleanup officials that Clark Fork River water is drinkable are simply ludicrous. The Milltown superfund cleanup is a classic example of what occurs when crooked politicians, corrupt incompetent bureaucrats and enviro groups collude with corporate criminals.
Posted by Set. 24, 2008 | 0 comments
September 10, 2008
Motorist response
I am writing in regards to the article that was written about an accident that I was involved in: “U-Dash bus rear ends car on Arthur Avenue” (9/9/2008). It was not written accurately, and I want to clarify some things.
The bicyclist in no way caused the accident. He was waiting at the corner, and I gradually came to a complete stop before the intersection to allow him to cross. He did not dart in front of my car as the article states.
I did not stop mid-intersection, but rather ended up mid-intersection after being rear-ended by the bus.
When being asked questions about the accident, I made it very clear to Mike (the reporter) that the bicyclist did not go in front of me and that I did not slam on my brakes. It’s unfortunate that the whole situation happened, and it’s unfortunate that the story has been blown into what it has.
Accidents happen, but this particular one was not caused by the bicyclist, as is portrayed.
Brandi Fassett,
sophomore, elementary education
Posted by Sept. 10, 2008 | 0 comments
April 24, 2008
Economics not considered in the sweat shop protests
Last week when the SESJ decided to stage a protest in President Dennison’s office they overlooked a very important part of the sweatshop issue, the economics of the situation. Economics? Isn’t that just a fancy word rich Republicans use while they fly around in their private jets? No it’s not, and its more important than the SESJ can grasp.
