Letters to the editor

Handicapped parking there for reason

I am making a plea to students, their friends and all citizens of our community. Please stop parking in the handicapped zones, unless you have the necessary emblem on your license plate or a hang tag for your mirror. I have seen many people who don’t seem to care where they park. It is pretty bad when I cannot park in a spot at my apartment complex. Now, I am not saying this to everybody because I know some of you do care. I have seen it all over and I think it is horrible that all people cannot give the handicapped persons the parking areas designated to them. The one thing that seems to amaze me about this is that the paving is marked, there is a handicap sign posted and people say they did not see it. I find that hard to believe, since it is a big blue and white sign. There is no excuse for anyone to park in these special spots that don’t have the necessary emblems to be there. Come on people, give the handicapped some help here! As I complete my plea to you all, it would be great if we could all come together and start turning people in who park in these spots. Let them get a ticket, let them get towed. Maybe then those that don’t care will start to realize what a handicapped parking spot is for and why it is necessary to some of our citizens.

Kim Crews
Multiple Sclerosis patient
Harrisonburg resident

‘PARTYSTRONG’ not concern to cancer community

David Crippen’s letter, "Livestrong parody distasteful" on Nov. 18 was quite wrong. He wrote that the parody of Lance Armstrong’s cancer society was offensive to the cancer community. Well, I am a member of the community after my father died from a yearlong battle with cancer in September of 2003. I do not find the parody offensive or distasteful. The parody of Armstrong’s society was a thing called humor. Humor was what got my family through that horrible ordeal, so I see no problem with it. The letter was an example of someone taking it upon themselves to stand up for the "feelings" of a community when it may not be needed or wanted. Well, we do not need David Crippen’s help. We can deal with parodies of anything dealing with cancer on our own. If he has not had to go through the ordeal himself, by having cancer or watching a close family member fight it, then he has no business trying to act on our behalf. If we are offended by it, trust me, we will voice our concern.

Michael Stratmoen
freshman, history major

Fraternity intended philantropy, not mockery

I am writing this letter not just as a member of the fraternity selling the "PARTYSTRONG" shirts, but also as a person who has been deeply affected by cancer in her own life. This past semester, I have lost two grandparents to cancer and to have people criticize my intentions when selling the shirts makes me livid. The shirts were created as a marketing project with hopes of raising money for cancer research — a thoroughly acceptable cause. As a fraternity, we have donated to many philanthropies over the years — in fact, community service is a requirement and joy that all members take part in. We are making a difference in society, unlike those of you who feel it is enough to simply criticize our efforts while doing nothing on your own to help fight this disease. The intentions were never to belittle Lance Armstrong or his organization and if anyone should feel ashamed in this whole situation, it should be those who wear the bracelets simply as a fashion statement. I believe it should anger you more to see people brandishing the bright yellow bracelets while smoking cigarettes and subjecting all the rest of the world to those cancer-causing agents, for those are the people belittling the disease and those who suffer from it. I think this should be an opportunity for every person on campus to evaluate their own efforts to fight this disease instead of criticizing those who do take the initiative to make a difference. It comes from a place deep in our hearts, not from our checking accounts.

Elizabeth Koucheravy
sophomore, hospitality and
tourism management major

Death penalty not logical punishment

Courts in the United States have been killing prisoners for centuries, but Americans have been fighting this injustice since the beginning, claiming it violates the Eighth Amendment. Studies have shown that capital punishment is no more effective than lifetime imprisonment in the deterrence of crime. Many taxpayers believe that they save money by executing convicts rather than keeping them in prison. In reality, it is more expensive to hold a capital punishment trial than an imprisonment trial. The death penalty also is unfair in distribution. Someone with a lot of money can pay for a harder-working lawyer. The outcomes of many trials have depended on how well the accused were represented, rather than the actual facts. Another concern with capital punishment is that execution is irreversible. With the increasing knowledge of DNA evidence, organizations, such as The Innocence Project, have been finding many inmates of death row have been wrongfully convicted. If a convict is executed, detectives cannot question that convict on their knowledge of other crimes. Many cases in the past have been solved with the help of convicts. Although 33 states currently allow the death penalty, there are various ways to help in the fight to end it. Many groups across the nation, such as Amnesty International and the NCADP, have been formed to abolish capital punishment. By joining one of these groups, you can show your support in this fight. With your support, we can prove the death penalty is irrational and wrong.

Mazie Contreras
freshman, studio art major