Dear Editor,
This letter is in response to the column written by Taylor Kingsbury in the Oct. 17 edition of the Campus Times [“Terminating California”]. According to Mr. Kingsbury, if you felt that George B. Schwartzman was more qualified to be Governor of California than the other candidates listed on the ballot then you must have been “too illiterate, too disinterested or just too stupid…” because you really meant to vote for Schwarzenegger. At the same time, if you did vote for Arnold, according to Mr. Kingsbury, you are an idiot as well.
It always amazes me how so many people are uninformed and unintelligent, well except for Mr. Kingsbury. If only we all had the knowledge he had, we would have made the right decision.
I’m sorry Mr. Kingsbury, but your article is offensive; and I didn’t even vote for Mr. Schwartzman. As a matter of fact, you may be surprised as to how I voted.
But once again, I think we have run into yet another soon to be “know-it-all” college graduate who writes for the Campus Times.
Tom Celaya
Administrative Assistant
Graduate Admissions
Dear Editor,
I agree with Kenneth Todd Ruiz’ commentary about success [“Tune in, turn on, drop out redux,” Oct. 17], touching on the issue with strong valid points. I would address individual determination and enlightenment to second his commentary. I agree that college does not guarantee success, and it doesn’t have to – people can be happy and successful living the life they want to and pursue other things in life. However, I wouldn’t discredit college because college is about enlightenment, and to understand the things that are in our lives. Educational enlightenment makes better people who can make better decisions and a better society.
Indeed the “headlong rush from the cradle to school” is a great illustration of why college should not be viewed by students as four more years of school, not just getting a degree to get a job and to get a salary and a pension, and have a mundane life.
True how Ruiz mentions the fast-pace, business savvy, or any kind of fame and fortune has the societal view of success with a big house, cars and capital wealth. Yet as they say it doesn’t buy happiness and fosters an addiction for security and acceptance in a pop-culture driven society.
People work hard obtaining this or maintaining this, while others may waste their time and struggle to find a way to spend their wages, or to keep up their habits. Such a person who never took challenges to work hard: full time job, 16, 20 units and other difficulties would not claim to have overcome hardships and exhibit determination.
That’s individualism, because an individual, not a conformist as described, would find his own success, happiness and dynamic life. That’s exactly what Ruiz mentioned by “nothing interesting happening to you.” That’s a concept with no surprise seeing as those people and college students think that there is no other life, outside L.A. or Southern California.
Some people and students should think about Ruiz’ advice to travel and find other life, other cultures, and places.
Ruiz already gives a lot of choices, which is good to have interesting things, stories, and such qualities that make a people.
Just to add, go backpacking, hiking, sailing, running, write a book, go to the Arctic. The hard part is that once you do this, find someone who would want to share in the experience, because without others knowing, the experience is lost to them, and to you.
Richard Uranga
Senior
Tom Celaya
