No GW dictatorship

Appalling is the only word I have to describe Sam Frantz’s idea to replace a democratically-elected student government with a military dictatorship in his Nov. 11 letter to the editor “ROTC Coup” (p.4).

Contrary to Frantz’s conception of politics being a barrier to progress, it is actually the processes of debate and sharing that lead to advancement. I suppose Frantz would prefer the type of liberal regime enjoyed in Iraq under Saddam Hussein or perhaps we could bring back the pre-World War II progressive ideals of fascism. After all, dictators are usually working for their conception of “promoting the common good.” Even better, we could divide the campus into two parts like Columbia; everything south of G Street controlled by an illegitimate military power (coincidence that FARC and ROTC are both four letter-acronyms?) and everything north controlled by a corrupt “democratically” elected government.

In my fourth year at GW I yet again find myself disappointed with the misuse of my “activity fee.” I believe, however, that election is a far more effective way of choosing leaders than appointing them. In any case, the ROTC midshipmen and current SA leaders are far too shortsighted to provide any type of capable leadership. As we all know, all of these problems will work themselves out in the end, as they always do, with forgiveness of debt and lavishing of Presidential Academic Fellowships on SA leaders by the Student Activities Center.

-Robert Trakas
senior

Town sham

I attended the Town Hall meeting held Monday night by the Student Association expecting to hear a forthright explanation of the events that have dominated The Hatchet front page for the past three weeks.

Instead, all that attended got a heavy dose of “cover your ass” talk, as Sens. J.P. Blackford, Dan Moss and their allies urged the students and those senators who have called for their resignation to move past these allegations.

The vice president for judicial and legislative affairs stated that he believed that Sen. Blackford committed serious violations and should resign or be removed. But some senators suggested that any attempt to remove Blackford or Moss would fail.

It seems clear that in the SA Senate, the fix is in. This sham of a town meeting served only to increase student apathy and allow those who have usurped the rules to flaunt their lack of accountability to the students who attended in their futile attempt to change the SA.

-Steven G. Shepard
junior

Tired of complainers

I am so tired of hearing people talk about how little they get for their $40,000 tuition. The other night, somebody threw up on the Mount Vernon shuttle bus and we all had to take cabs back (of course, we did not have to pay for the cabs). I must have heard at least five kids say, “Is this what we get for 40,000?” First off, if you are going to blame somebody, how about blaming the idiot that couldn’t hold his or her liquor? Secondly, poor you. I know life is so hard for college students at schools like GW – we’ve got to take cabs, eat (designer) food off paper plates and if we want Au Bon Pain, we have to use our debit dollars.

-Taylor Asen
freshman