Fraternity milk-chugging not a joke
How many times have you overdosed on milk enough to vomit?
What is hazing: only activities involving pledges? If someone chooses to participate in an activity (even a pledge activity) or any other fun, fraternity-sponsored activity, it is not supposed to bring potential harm, either physically or psychologically.
--Dr. Susan Lipkins,
citizen
Social Security not so secure
Mr. Vela's article "Bush offers poor alternative to Social Security" is as substantially lacking in facts as he claims President Bush's rhetoric to be. Vela lambastes Bush for saying that Social Security is "on the road to bankruptcy," implying that Social Security is, therefore, not on the road to bankruptcy.
He then tells the reader that the Social Security trust is fine until 2052 and that "the well runs dry ... only if the same system is in place at that time." Excuse me: Does anyone else see the glaring contradiction?
Worse, Vela dismisses the problem because it happened "five decades from now."
By doing so, Vela joins the scores of disingenuous senators who push this problem to the side due to political expediency, meanwhile claiming that the trust is safe -- a claim that, if made by a CEO of a private fund under the same conditions, would secure that CEO a seat in front of a congressional committee followed by a bed in an 8-by-8 cell.
--Daniel R. Moody,
ASU alumnus
Columnist critiques scrutinized
Confusion and thinly veiled contempt for free markets were on full display last week in Chris Guelpa and Vic Vela's opinions on medical malpractice and Social Security. Guelpa's solution to rapidly rising medical costs is to adopt a market approach to malpractice claims.
His sentiment is in the right place, but exactly how can this situation be modeled after a market? When I buy something, the vendor is only too happy to sell it to me because the transaction would be mutually beneficial. Paying anything to anybody is the last thing an insurance company wants to do, and lawyers aren't notable for requesting modest sums for damages.
The issue will always end up in court, which is why a judicious standard like the one President Bush is proposing is necessary.
As for Vela's head-in-the-sand approach to Social Security, perhaps he should ask himself whether a study put out by people drawing paychecks from the Social Security Administration is more likely to overestimate or underestimate the projected solvency of the SAA.
...What is often glossed over or omitted entirely in talk about Social Security reform is that federal employees already enjoy a program similar to the one President Bush has proposed for all working Americans -- the Thrift Savings program, which features both traditional Social Security and pensions as well as the freedom to select from a number of different investment options (unfortunately for Vela, "investing" in Jets games is not covered by the plan).
It's ironic that John Kerry proves himself a crotchety conservative by steadfastly opposing the president's plan for reform, while President Bush deserves the title of liberal for standing up for personal autonomy and independence from government.
--Christopher Lanter,
biology senior
Kappa Sigma needs constructive direction
I cannot believe that the brothers of Kappa Sigma believe their fiasco was not hazing. Wake up. In a world of constant lawsuits, especially within fraternal groups, hazing cannot be taken lightly. All groups, Greek or not, must err on the side of caution.
...I am so sick of people thinking that brothers don't (and can't) haze other brothers. Many people believe that activities are only hazing if someone dies, is injured or is a pledge. Once one becomes a brother they are not "hazed." This is far from the truth -- brothers can haze other brothers.
I am truly amazed that [Mic Wilson] even said this is not hazing. Why, just because it's not beer? Because its brothers said "yes" to the activity and it was not required of pledges?
...In a time of high scrutiny of all Greek organizations, activities such as this just reinforce the negative connotation associated with Greek life.
As a member of the Greek community, I fully understand the need to build brotherhood.
However, I challenge the students of Greek communities everywhere to look out for their brotherhood and find positive ways to create unity instead of putting their members, chapter and national organization at risk. Only when this happens will we realize our universal, fraternal goal of building strong men and women.
--Chrissy Vasquez,
ASU alumnus
