Letters to the Editor

Logging bill offers cause for concern

In the article, "Underwater lumber could fund burke" (Jan. 26), the author seems to have a taken a rather narrow view of the issue. While it would be wonderful for the museum to have an extra source of funding, there are more issues at stake here, such as the impact that such a logging project would have on the aquatic ecosystem of Lake Washington.

The article quotes Sen. (Ken) Jacobsen saying, the "DNR has really done nothing since [1971] to do anything about [the logs]. With all the changes in technology, if someone put their mind to it we would figure out some way to do it." It seems from this quote that the area has not been studied much. Therefore, I would urge anyone in connection with this bill, or the health of Lake Washington's ecosystem, to take notice of this bill and its supporters.

Why is this being brought up some 30 years later? Someone decided, "We need money. Hey, let's log the lake." Doesn't it seem fishy to you?

-- Melissa Prior

Senior, political science

We live in the shelter of each other

There is an Irish proverb that says, "It is in the shelter of each other that the people live." We live in a world where thousands of people go hungry and are without shelter. We also live in a world where hundreds of people die from diseases that are treatable in the United States. This is commonly known information, but it seems to have been put on the back burner.

It has been interesting, for me, to see the response to the tsunami that hit South Asia. This natural disaster left hundreds of thousands of people without food and shelter and vulnerable to disease. The generosity and compassion of people in response to this has been incredible. The sad truth of this is that there are thousands of people, in our country and worldwide, that live in this way everyday; it is their unfortunate way of life. To bring this thought closer to home, think about the fact that you can walk one block from the UW to the Ave. and see this.

It seems the majority of our population has become blind to this ongoing problem and it has taken the devastation of a horrific natural disaster for these people's eyes to once again open. Don't get me wrong, this is great (and necessary) that people are contributing to help these victims, but it is also important for those people to realize that there are thousands of others that live in this condition everyday. There may be several reasons why people choose not to see this which could range from naivety to the belief that those people don't deserve their help and that they should fend for themselves (which, in my opinion, is not a productive way of thinking).

It is in the shelter of each other that the people live. In order to lessen the amount of poverty, hunger, disease and homelessness worldwide (ending it would be wishful thinking) it is up to us, those with the ability, to help and support these people who are so severely in need.

-- Julie Hart

Junior, general studies