Nuclear not the answer While I appreciate Professor Jesse Binford's shared frustration with the lack of discussion about our energy future ("Nuclear solution," The Firing Line, Feb. 25), I do not support nuclear power as an alternative. I agree these topics deserve more discussion, and I believe that open and fair debate would result in the majority of people being opposed to the nuclear solution.
Coal uses superior assets to sway the conversation to its advantage, and the nuclear industry has done the same. It has dangled a small number of jobs in front of Matagorda County residents to enlist their support without acknowledging that the nuclear industry has a history in Texas of going over-budget at taxpayer's expense. They gloss over the fact that there is no known solution for the extremely dangerous waste, which lasts for thousands of years. Whole civilizations will rise and fall repeatedly before that waste is inert - you cannot plan for those eventualities.
Nuclear is an option we simply don't need. If we put our resources into developing wind and solar-based energy sources, we could start selling that technology to other countries around the world and maybe bust off our economic slump. We can solve this problem, but we have to learn from past mistakes and not settle for less than our potential. Plus, last time I checked, Texas has a lot more sunshine and wind gusts than it does uranium. What's really in our best interest? Trevor Lovell Business Senior Co-founder of ReEnergize Texas Article Reference Link Misreading history In Nick Staha's philosophical stretch to liken Obama to the excessive French revolutionaries ("Republicans for Hillary," Feb. 27), his claim that conservatives keep the public "rooted in the history of its nation," is ridiculous. When he claims that conservatives do this great service to their nation, is he referring to when they kept women and blacks from voting, or when they kept an entire race in slavery? I say this because, of course, if it happened in our nation's history, what we are "rooted in," then must be a great conservative ideal! Giving equal votes to all and freeing the slaves must be some of those "gross injustices" that we liberals pushed on the rich, white, Christian man. Or how about making sure two adults can have privacy from the government in their own bedrooms? Or making sure that religion isn't pushed on children in public schools? Yes, these were terrible injustices we laid upon you.
Not only does Staha make this claim possible, but he also invokes phrases such as "the very heart of conservatism" and "steady and freedom-loving" to ward off us freedom-hating Obama supporters. You sound like Bush and every other Republican clinging to your memories of Reagan and using idiotic phrases to point people away from the fact that you lack intelligence or any argumentative substance. Stop invoking off-topic Nietzschian phrases in your arguments to make yourself look educated. You have already proven otherwise. Charles Allen Government sophomore Article Reference Link Stay true, Staha In response to "Republicans for Hillary," Feb. 27: I voted for Hillary. But to do that, when the election worker asked which primary, I had to answer Democratic. I'd wager that Nick Staha can't say it. No matter, he's failed to notice Clinton and Obama are in lockstep -both good, liberal Democrats - only Clinton has learned the necessity of pragmatism, which Obama will learn if he becomes our president. It's an illusion, Mr. Staha. When asked, follow your heart and answer "Republican primary." Make your mark there. Thomas Van Orden Austin resident Article Reference Link Power, but not from gender In response to Carol Stepp's letter "The Texan guilty of girl Power?" (The Firing Line, Feb. 26), I hope the savory-sweet taste of self-righteousness is everything you dreamed it would be! You say you voted for Obama on the basis of his platform, but who's to say many of the women supporting Hillary, perhaps including Claire Harlin, are not doing the same? Back in January, I was not a Clinton supporter because I did not want to fit the stereotype.
Then, just as Obama swayed you, Clinton persuaded me with her opinions and ideas. I'm sure many African-Americans resent the idea they support Obama just because of his race, and as a female, I resent the insinuation that I voted for Clinton just because of gender. Kat Lang English and government senior Article Reference Link Clinton, courtesy of SG I was extremely disappointed in reading "A truly non-partisan university?" (The Firing Line, Feb. 26), which was in regard to Student Government assisting in bringing Bill Clinton to campus. First and foremost, I am a Republican and would never vote for Bill or Hillary. That being said, I think SG is going above and beyond its duty by doing this, and I mean that in the best way possible. This is a crucial election in the history of our country, and yes, Texas is playing a crucial role. The Democratic nomination is very much up for grabs, and I could not think of a better time to expose students to a past political figure who has ties to a current candidate. The college-age demographic is consistently being criticized for not voting, and now that Student Government is trying to promote involvement in the process, there is an individual who shuns it. SG is doing what it is suppose to do by providing students with an experience - not just a fun experience, but an experience that will motivate people to become involved in the great democratic process our nation has to offer, which often goes unappreciated. I bet the author of "A truly non-partisan university?" was on the Main Mall watching Bill Clinton. Clayton Stewart UT alum Article Reference Link Four walls of justice After four years of tolerating death-row protests, I was finally worn down this morning when I saw the column "Standing Up For Rights" (Feb. 27) and also the demonstration picture prominently displayed on the front page of the Texan. I understand there may be a small percentage of wrongly convicted inmates, and for those, I sympathize. But is prison not supposed to be a place to be punished for your wrongdoings? Perhaps I missed class one day when we were taught that prison should not be an undesirable place, but I hope that people are scared of spending the rest of their life in a 6-by-12-foot cell. Maybe next time their sign should read "Don't commit a felony, and you won't be in this box." Hopefully then we can begin to move toward those demonstrators' goal of eliminating the death penalty. I'd love to see the death penalty stop as much as anyone, but it starts with preventing people from becoming criminals, not protesting about the size of the box they sit in. Mike Streich Government senior
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