‘Radical Islam’ article insulting
I am appalled and insulted at the breadth of the presumptions in Becky Yeh’s article in the March 9 issue of the Daily Forty-Niner.
Yeh claims, “Radical Islamic protesters have rallied in streets, holding signs saying ‘Freedom go to hell’ and ‘be prepared for the real Holocaust.'” Nowhere does she cite where or when this took place.
These are bold inflammatory words that should be backed by a verifiable source. Her main source is a movie “The Third Jihad.” She claims, “It shows the rise of Radical Islam in the United States.”
After researching the makers and distributors of the film, I found out that a very ambiguous group the Clarion Fund funds it. I have, as well as others, concerns about the motives of the Clarion Fund and the movie.
According to their website, it is a “non-profit, non-partisan organization,” which just so happens to have the same address as Aish Hatorah, a self-described “apolitical” Jewish group. It, however, refuses to name its donors and has raised the concern of more than one news group.
The Inter Press Service News Agency headed a Sept. 2008 article about a similar video released by the Clarion Fund titled “Neo-cons, Ex-Israeli Diplomats Push Islamophobic Video.”
Yeh also claims, “Not all Muslims are terrorists, but the majority happen to be Muslim fundamentalists.” Less than 50 years ago, terrorists were called guerillas and we [the U.S.] supported and supplied them in Nicaragua and Afghanistan.
To the British, the Boston Tea Party was terrorism. Who is or is not a terrorist is very subjective. If we are striving toward cohabitation between all religions, we should well learn to keep our anxieties grounded in reality.
-Rashad Captan,
junior communications major
Alum tells King, “Just do it”
So, 3,912 students decided not to vote ‘Yes’ on the Beach Legacy Referendum. In part, 3,912 made the unfortunate decision of not improving the athletics program and perhaps generate revenue to the university and the students.
Well, President Fieldon King Alexander, what would you do in this case?
In these lean times of defiance, recessionary periods and what-have-you, I always turn to Nike, a famous brand of shoe and clothing apparel known the world over; specifically, their motto: ‘Just Do It.’
In this case, just go ahead and levy the taxes yourself. I mean, you have the power to enact this, without needing to have this go through a referendum.
It’s happened before. Look at our California State University brethren from Fresno. Their president did the same thing. You can too.
Of course, there are going to be some cries of foul from the parents of the 3,912 who voted ‘No.’ So what? They put their kids at our humble home at The Beach. This is what they will have to get used to and it shouldn’t be a bad thing, right?
We have all this talk about our economy rebounding from the dark financial valleys later this year or next. By that time, we have an improved soccer/track stadium, a new aquatics complex, and more funding for our teams and women’s crew making the jump to NCAA status.
How can that be a bad thing? Simple. It isn’t. So, President Alexander, the moral of the story is this: Never put these types of referenda to a vote again if you have the capacity to do this yourself.
And, oh yes, please raise those taxes.
-Jo-Ryan Salazar
CSULB class of 2008