I am not one to normally respond to an opinion column but Caitlin Scuderi's "United States swarming with ADD, falsely diagnosed Adderal addicts," (SN 6/1), I just cannot let slip by without offering my own opinion. Let me start by telling you that I am a mother of two.
Christopher Bunke's letter to the editor "Intelligent design valid stance, not anti-science," (SN 5/25), shows how very little intelligent design advocates know about biology and science in general.
I read with great interest Bill Ferguson's column, "Although not missed, Gore back in the public eye supporting global issue," (SN 5/30). Gore has been missed.
As the national debate rages on about illegal immigration, it's likely that countless Americans have revisited their thoughts on the topic and the sources of their beliefs. The immigration question is being asked by people about other people — making it xenophobia-prone and bound to be emotional and personal — all of which leads to irrational discussion and an increase in cases of foot-in-mouth disease.
The first time I heard about attention deficit disorder, or ADD, was in the fourth grade. My friend, Eric, had to leave recess early, and when I asked him why, he told me he was sick. It wasn't until later that his mom told my mom that he had been diagnosed with a different form of ADD called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.
I guess the beauty of political cartoons is that two people can see starkly contrasting depictions. Where Mark Mack, "Cartoonist gone too far, issue under investigation," (SN 5/26), saw an attack on some Marines, the military and even President Bush in Mike Ramsey's May 23 cartoon, I saw a criticism of the right.
We all know the phrase "No taxation without representation." On one of the nation's earliest attempts at protest, we look back with proud smiles, happy that our rebel forefathers set the rules for our young country.
The letter "Intelligent design valid science, not anti-science," (SN 5/25), presented claims against three broad fields of science: evolution, astrophysics and biogenesis.
There's always a reason. Every time one of these spring-loaded sociopaths breaks out in a homicidal rage, we hear how it all stemmed from something that happened to him. He came up one hug short of a happy childhood, or his porridge was too hot or too cold, or society failed to remove a thorn from his paw.
In catastrophes like this, it is imperative to come together as humans and look to a greater good beyond our differences. A tragedy hit closer to home last year when Hurricane Katrina devastated the coastlines of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
My daughter, soon to be a summer graduate of MSU, has just had her second bicycle stolen. Although she used approved, heavy duty police recommended locks, someone still used bolt cutters.
With all the recent arguments in favor of banning abortion and implementing the teaching of Intelligent Design in science classrooms as an alternative to Darwinian theory, I took it upon myself to research what exactly has happened in our nation's rich past that has pivoted the fundamentalist Americans against rationalists. With the many losses fundamentalists have suffered to science in the past century, the current conservative control of our nation is abusing its power by trying to silence the rationalist community.
Think back to when you were in elementary school. Do you remember seeing the U.S. flag raised every day?
I'll be honest with you — I haven't missed Al Gore. After he rode off into the sunset after falling ever-so-short of moving into the White House in 2000, I've heard a murmur here or there about him teaching or working on a book, but the stories never held much interest for me. I didn't pay much attention to Gore when he was vice president because, well, he was a vice president.
Professor Hoekstra's passing comes as a shock to me, as he was a great mentor, adviser and professor who changed my life. Hoekstra was by far the most challenging, uncompromising and dedicated teacher I have ever had — someone who never let you settle for second best.
Caitlin Scuderi in her column, "Religion shouldn't define who you are; too many contradictions, too much controversy," SN (5/25), states that "We should never define ourselves by our religion … religion has little room in a modern life of contradictions." I, however, disagree. Age-tested, unchanging moral principles firmly founded in religion are just what is needed to balance the contradictions and uncertainties found in everyday life.
I enjoyed the humorous, albeit tragically misinformed, letter by Christopher Bunke "Intelligent design valid stance, not anti-science" (SN 5/25). Bunke spewed the typical bunk offered by the "intelligent design creationism" faithful, the same repackaged creationist twaddle that's been repeatedly debunked by respected scientists, philosophers and anyone with a passing understanding of the concepts involved. Creationists offer baseless assertions that evolutionary theory is "in crisis," and habitually promote a variety of fallacies, most outrageous being the ignorance-fueled nonsense that intelligent design represents a scientific alternative. Even a Bush-nominated Republican judge, who presided over the Pennsylvania intelligent design case, correctly concluded that intelligent design was not science, but merely "creationism relabeled." Evolution is demonstrably true, a fact that prompted renowned biologist Richard Dawkins to correctly assert, "You cannot be both sane and well educated and disbelieve in evolution." The dovetailing supporting evidence is multidisciplinary, undeniable, overwhelming and still growing.
This is in response to the article written by Muslim Students' Association former President Farhan Abdul Azeez, "Professor's derogatory e-mail misses target, accidentally promotes diversity," (SN 5/22). I do not deny the role of Islamic civilization in diffusing the ideas of astronomy and mathematics to the growth of Western science.
Mike Ramsey's cartoon on May 23 went too far.
Don't forget — he said no turnips. Extra tomatoes. Sauce on side. Cut in half. Repeat order.