Grad students deserve more\nAs members of the Graduate Employees' Organization, we appreciate the editorial board's comments about the skill and energy level of IU's associate instructors. However, we think it a mistake to celebrate the low wages of AIs or to assume that AIs have more time than professors.\nWe are students and researchers as well as teachers. An average W131 teacher, for instance, has an approximate reading load of two books a week and 40 pages of researched writing each semester as a student. As a teacher, she is contracted to work 20 hours a week but often works more, and she is responsible for 2,500 pages of essay grading each school year.\nWe cannot minimize this problem by claiming that AIs are apprentices who will be compensated when they become professors. In fact, less than half of Ph.D.s will find work as tenured professors. Consequently, AIs deserve to be paid fairly for their work here and now, and at IU this is not the case. Because AI stipends constitute a very small portion of IU's budget, a significant raise in pay and benefits for graduate employees would force IU to rearrange its funding priorities; it should not raise tuition.\nUndergraduates might be surprised to learn what AIs earn. A first-year AI in history makes $10,600. All AIs receive limited health care that does not include vision or dental coverage. As adults who often have children or partners to support, such stipends leave AIs hovering around the poverty line. \nAlthough the Indiana Daily Student suggests that IU can attract graduate students with its AI-ships, we actually lose candidates to universities that offer better stipends and health care than IU. In the Big Ten, IU is one of only two universities that offers no form of dental coverage. Graduate employees around the country have won benefits such as dental care, increased stipends and child care by forming unions. \nWe urge graduate and undergraduate students to support GEO's attempt to unionize graduate employees so we can bargain for better stipends and benefits. Overworked and underpaid AIs cannot give students the attention they deserve.\nEd Burmila, Ursula McTaggart, Jeff Motter, Elizabeth Rytting, Jennifer Stinson, Adrianne Wadewitz\nGraduate students\nGraduate Employees' Organization
Great AIs are worth more money\nThis is in regard to "AIs help profs, students learn" editorial in the paper today. I agree with the Indiana Daily Student in that student input regarding AIs should be taken seriously. I've has great AIs and I've had bad ones. The great ones have sat down with me and helped me understand the conceptual materials of the class, while the bad ones come to class late, aren't fully able to teach the materials and they don't bother to talk to their students privately before going on witch hunts. The bottom line is that I don't mind paying a little more for the great AIs but I'm just wasting time and money for the sub-par ones. \nConnie Moy\nJunior
Taser case and peace organization\nI am writing in response to Edward Delp's grossly inaccurate portrayal of the purpose of Amnesty International and its campaign against the use of taser weapons ("Crime and punishment," March 9). First, I would like to clarify AI's purpose. Citing the official Web site, "Amnesty International's mission is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination, within the context of its work to promote all human rights."\nThis has nothing to do with "softening criminal punishments" as Mr. Delp so eloquently refers to it; it has solely to do with protecting the basic human rights afforded to us all under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. \nThe second issue in his article is his address of the report on taser use put out by AI. He is right on one point, the AI Web site does cite the case that took place in Monroe County. But something seems odd to me about his citation of this source. I quote Delp as saying in his article "The report detailed an incident that occurred here in Monroe County about the tasing death of James Borden. ... Amnesty International used the incident as evidence to support a complete ban of tasers in law enforcement". \nI'm sorry to have to say, this argument is just completely false. True, it is the first example given in the report he referenced (which shows he didn't really read the whole document), but the report then continues on to cite 74 different taser involved deaths. Delp's vindictive attitude against AI for being short-sighted and quick to draw conclusions is completely unfounded and extremely hypocritical. \nI would suggest that Mr. Delp read his sources in entirety before citing them out of context next time.\nPhilip Shelton\nSophomore
Coca-Cola has power to stop violence\nThe IU anti-sweatshop organization, No Sweat!, would like to draw attention to other important information about Coca-Cola. Not only are students subject to a beverage monopoly, Coca-Cola has been complicit in the murders, kidnappings and campaigns of terror against factory workers trying to unionize in Colombia. Students at campuses across the nation are fighting to have Coke kicked off their campus by having these multi-million dollar contracts cut.\nLately, there has been increasing discussion at IU and at campuses around the nation about Coca-Cola. Specifically, students are interested in the activities of Coke's bottling plants in Colombia. This letter seeks to clear up the questions surrounding Coke's activities.\n• What is happening in Colombia?\nDuring the past decade, paramilitary death squads have murdered nine Colombian union leaders who work in bottling plants that are either owned or franchised by Coke. The executions took place in direct response to the factory workers' attempts to organize for better wages and working conditions. These murders have been accompanied by kidnappings, beatings and threats to workers and their families. According to the union members and independent investigators, the death squads were invited in by plant managers. Coke, one of the most powerful corporations in the world, claims that it lacks the influence to stop the killings in plants. As a major shareholder in and the only source of contracts for these bottling plants, however, Coke has enormous power to stop the violence.\n• What can I do? \nSINALTRAINAL, the union whose members have been subjected to this terror campaign, has called for a worldwide boycott of Coke products. As students at IU, we can tell the IU administration, just as students across the nation have told their universities, that we refuse to let Coke profit off of the murder of Colombian workers. Because Coke has an exclusive contract with IU, we sit in a unique and powerful position. If IU chooses to cut its contract with Coke, as other universities have done, Coke will lose an enormous amount of business. Tell IU that it should pressure Coke to allow monitors into its plants by using its contract as leverage.\n• Isn't Pepsi or any other soda company just as bad?\nPerhaps, but Coke workers are specifically asking us to boycott Coke products because they have tried every other method to stop the violence. It is true that boycotts can harm workers by inducing corporations to cut jobs, therefore we should only act when workers have expressed their willingness to incur this risk. By going after the industry leader that sets standards for all beverage companies, we can force reform. For more information, go to: www.killercoke.org, or contact us at No Sweat! nosweat@indiana.edu and for Coke's response, go to www.killercoke.net.\nAdam Mueller\nIU No Sweat!
Marriage is an important issue\nIn the March 8 edition of the Indiana Daily Student, in an article regarding amending the Indiana State Constitution to ban same-sex marriage, Matt Letteleir, internal vice chair of IU College Republicans, was quoted as follows: "As most college students would agree, marriage is not prominent on college campuses. Therefore, the majority of the IU gay lesbian bisexual and transgender community is not subject to any ban while on this campus." \nWhat kind of illogical, Orwellian crap is that? Marriage is not prominent? Thoughts of marriage are, so I would argue that marriage is prominent. And for further classification, the IU GLBT community does not consist merely of unwed students in their late teens and early 20s. Our community consists of a myriad of faculty, staff and non-traditional students as well.\nSome of us are in our late 30s, and beyond, and have been in committed relationships lasting longer than a decade. I feel sorry for the homophobic, right wing, neocon sheep that feel the need to follow their "leader's" every whim and are unable to think for themselves. What a sad message it is to the world that such a culture of hate exists in places of higher education.\nJohn Bogerman\nStaff
Autism is real, not deisred by parents\nRegarding Aubrey Donaldson's column "Health-phobia" (March 1):\nAlthough we recognize the existence munchausen syndrome by proxy, we fear that Ms. Donaldson has gotten carried away with her argument in applying it so categorically to parents of children diagnosed with autism.\nUndoubtedly there are some moms who would relish a fashionable diagnosis and press to have a child who is merely shy or slow labeled "autistic." But as the mom and step-dad of a child with autism we unfortunately must tell you that in the case of our son, and of the other autistic children we have met through him at therapy clinics and classes, the diagnosis is only too true: the social backwardness, the disordered sense perception, cognitive impairments, speech difficulty and even physical awkwardness of autism are very real and obvious to the most casual observer. \nWe guess that Ms. Donaldson is generalizing too glibly from the case of her own brother, who we infer probably has the classic symptoms of severe autism: self-isolation, rocking, screaming, arm-flapping, etc.\nThat autism is now diagnosed more often and in less serious cases than it used to be does not necessarily mean that the diagnosis has been reduced to a yuppie fashion accessory.\nIt is more likely due to an increased awareness of autism among both parents and doctors, and a new recognition that early diagnosis and treatment is crucial to a favorable outcome. \nWe believe that Ms. Donaldson has done autistic children and their parents a disservice with her column, and we urge her to do better research on the issue.\nKristi Robinson\nAndrew Dabrowski\nBloomington residents
Same-sex marriages affirm ideas\nReality isn't a finite singular entity. Reality is fluid and is unique to every person. For example, in one reality, angels are powerful beings that impact our lives. In another reality, angels are mythological beings no different than a centaur or cyclops. Whether angels are real or not is insignificant, it only matters what is real to the individual. \nOur country was founded on the principal that varying perceptions of reality should be protected and not dictated by the government. That is how our country is supposed to work, but the subjective beliefs of the majority have become more important than the freedom we are supposed to hold so dear. \nWe elected a president who has all but declared war on the environment, has the economic tact of a child and can't get along with foreign leaders without politically strong-arming them. Yet, he hates gay men and lesbians and goes to church, so he's the man for the job (between him and Kerry, I'd take the mystery box). It's a disturbing trend, and a big indicator of the political and ideological direction of our nation is the current battle over gay marriage. \nAccording to the principles our country was founded on, this should be a non-issue. Same-sex marriage should be allowed without argument. We've all heard, "marriage should be the union of a man and a woman." Okay, that's fine, in your reality that makes sense. To a person who is gay, this version of reality doesn't fly. It is not our government's place to decide which versions of reality are better or appropriate. \nAs long as nobody is hurt, varying beliefs should be allowed despite the opinions of the majority. I don't have enough space to argue it, but all the convoluted arguments about the dangers of same sex marriage are garbage, that's my reality talking. I feel our country needs to make a gut check and decide if we are going to create the free democracy envisioned by our forefathers, or if we'll fall into the same old rut and exclude freedom to those who think in concert with the masses.\nEric Hancock\nSenior
Long live holy rock music in church, out\nAbout "The thrashin' of the Christ" (March 8) ... When Ms. Donaldson says that Christian music is crossing into the mainstream, she's absolutely right -- just look at Switchfoot. When she pokes fun at televangelists who condemn entire musical genres she is equally right. (How can you tell "Christian" from "secular" without lyrics?) When she says that Christian leaders aren't concerned with the reasons kids embrace the Christian faith, however, she misses badly.\nChristian leaders care deeply about why any individual professes Jesus Christ as Lord, but they also understand (at last) that God loves diversity in music as much as He loves diversity in people. To say that Christian leaders "don't seem to care if kids are converting for the right reasons," because they aren't condemning crossover bands like P.O.D. or Switchfoot is to misinterpret the silence. It is not apathy, it is approval. The Christian music industry doesn't operate in a vacuum after all. Those musicians have pastors and churches to whom they are accountable. Ms. Donaldson might struggle with "whether or not rock 'n' roll is an appropriate medium to spread the gospel," but Christian leaders have answered resoundingly in approval. Long live rock 'n' roll ... even in the church.\nJon Smith\nDirector\nChristian Challenge
Free music from moral associations\nResponding to Aubrey Donaldson's "The thrashin' of the Christ" (March 8), I would encourage her and those considering this topic to divorce music from its exterior associations. Music in and of itself has nothing to do with morality, immorality, Christianity or secularism. Musical pitches, rhythms, harmonies, forms, styles, drum backbeats, mohawks, black nail polish and "killer guitar hooks" are inherently independent of morality. \nThe condemnation by Christian circles of the past was surely not targeted at the music and images themselves, but against their associations. In light of this, one can see no conflict between condemning an immoral lifestyle and embracing a musical style. TV evangelists of the past are no more justified in condemning a musical style than the modern music listener has accusing Christian bands of having become hypocritical in their image and musical style. Surely there is a subtle harmony herein free from accusation of hypocrisy.\nBilly Christy\nGraduate student
IUSA hasn't won freshman respect\nI just finished reading John O'Brien's letter titled "IUSA has made some improvements for students" (March 8). I just wanted to address a couple of points that Mr. O'Brien brought up in his letter. Overall, Mr. O'Brien does not present anything solid that is of benefit to the student body. First of all, he says that the IU Student Association was responsible for building the overhead at the Main Library bus stop. However, he says "at least" he "thinks" this is true. He's not even sure!\nSecondly, the smoothies. I am a student employee at Wright Food Court. I work three shifts a week, two of which are morning shifts in the bakery where the smoothies are made. So, IUSA bought us a smoothie machine. You know what? It leaks. It leaks buckets. Where is IUSA to fix this? I am only a freshman, and I can already see that there are serious problems with IUSA. For one, I know the student body president is paid thousands of dollars for his/her efforts. Why? As a stipend for running this seemingly important and prestigious institution, which takes dedication and hard work to run. Sure, it's hard work to, wait ... what was it? Oh, yeah, to buy a smoothie machine. I need to see more valuable deeds which make a larger impact on student life and the campus before IUSA wins me over. Until then, I'm stuck cleaning up after them. \nSamantha Martin\nFreshman
