OPINION & EDITORIAL
Letters to the editor — 2-26-02
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Tuesday, February 26, 2002
I hope I wasn’t the only reader to be completely outraged at the misguided words of Mary Motzko. I am in shock she could miss the principles of the Olympics so completely. Michelle Kwan fell, Sarah Hughes did not, and the judges made the right decision.
Motzko needs to realize no one is going to simply roll over and let us take the gold because we’re on home soil. Does she think American athletes are the only ones who train hard? The mere suggestion that ours are the only athletes deserving of the gold makes me physically ill. Where is the brotherhood and understanding the Olympics were founded on? The athletes of other countries have just as much invested in these games as we do, and we shouldn’t hate the winner just because they beat someone we like. Clearly, there was a reason their scores were higher. We can’t all have our “A” days, and a superior athlete losing because he or she did not perform well is part of life. Just ask Apolo Ohno, who lost to a heretofore unheard-of Australian skater. Apolo took the silver graciously, like any decent athlete. I suggest Motzko do the same.
Craig Pilgram, UW freshman
I find it quite ridiculous of our governor to purchase TV ads in February.
Gov. McCallum does not have the nerve to step onto the stage and debate any candidates, but finds it necessary to start spending money on TV ads. If this is, as McCallum put it, “our chance to show commitment to core values,” why doesn’t he show his commitment by discussing issues with Doyle, Barrett, Falk, George and Thompson?
There are many opportunities to show your commitment, Governor. By simply sitting back and spending special interest-laden millions, you show a cowardice I would never want in a governor.
Joshua Thompson, UW senior
Today, consumer, environmental and social-justice activists in 300 other U.S. cities and five other nations will begin leafleting and staging protests in front of Starbucks coffee shops. These protests are timed to coincide with Starbucks’ annual stockholders meeting, which takes place in Seattle Feb. 26. Protestors, including shareholders in Seattle, will call attention to Starbucks’ use of GE ingredients in their foods and beverages, as well as Starbucks’ refusal to brew Fair Trade shade-grown coffee as its “coffee of the day” at least one day a week.
Starbucks, the largest coffee-shop chain in the world, has recently begun to give in to at least some of the demands of this global campaign but remains under pressure from activists, and even some of its shareholders, for full implementation of the campaign’s demands. Starbucks CEO Orin Smith admitted last year that Fair Trade shade-grown coffee represents only one-tenth of 1 percent of Starbucks’ total sales and that most of its beverages and foods contain GE ingredients.
Fortunately, in Madison there are many coffee shops offering an alternative to injustices perpetuated by Starbucks. We should support local business and let Starbucks know that their unjust actions will not be tolerated — today and every day.
Sarah Langford, UW Greens
