Letters to the Editor

Action opposing immigration bill forthcoming

Greetings brothers and sisters, from the occupied land of colonial southwest USA. We are calling on you to boycott on May 1 (Rally at Free Speech Area at 12 p.m.) in solidarity with other immigrants and actions across the nation.

Show the impact that you have and the power that you hold. No School, No Work, No Consumption, No Borders, No Criminalization, No Racism. Yes to Legalization, Yes to Human Rights.

The proposed HR4437 Bill is a continuation of the racist laws of this nation.

The indigenous peoples of this land have been exterminated, and their descendants are now being made “illegal”. Immigrants are being exploited for the nations benefit, we demand immediate legalization for all immigrants.

Every human has the right to live, to work and to feed their families, and should not have to wait 20 years for official papers in uncertain circumstances.

The proposed McCain-Kennedy “compromise” bill is a renewal of the Bracero Program, it will provide those involved with no rights. It will undercut the existing workforce further dividing worker unity, scapegoating for loss of jobs. The people who migrate here are economic refugees fleeing dire circumstances who should be given legal status.

We call on other immigrant groups and people of this nation for support. We call out to those who have legal status to stand up and support those who have no voice or vote; your ancestors were in a similar situation.The waving of flags is out of the pride shown for a person’s native culture, something that so many here have lost. The system needs to change. Do not let it alienate you from each other: cooperate and unite.

If legislation goes through to legalize immigrants, the fight does not stop there.
Peace and Revolution, Tierra y Libertad.

— Rupert Crump
Political Science senior

Collaborated with members of Campus Peace and MEChA

No Child Left Behind fails students

Looking back at my early education and trying to remember the most important parts of my learning experience, I remember the time spent learning math, this was my most difficult subject.

I remember my teacher keeping me after school each day so that I could learn division and multiplication.

She would write the problems on the board. We would go through each step until I learned them. We played math games and she made it fun. This is how I learned and I never forgot.

My point is that taking a test does not teach you anything.

What happens is that not long after you have taken a test you forget what you learned, unless the subject matter has been taught creatively.

With the No Child Left Behind Act, there is no time to teach creatively as teachers are having to teach to the test for fear of being sanctioned for underachieving.

In 2001, the NCLBA was implemented. The law was meant to improve academic achievement and make teachers accountable.

It has not achieved its attended goal and has made things worse. Test scores may be higher, but children are not learning. They are being taught to the test because teachers fear the consequences. They have lost the enthusiasm for learning because it’s all about testing.

The NCLBA creates counterproductive incentives by establishing over ambitious achievement goals and imposing significant sanctions for failing to meet those goals.

While the government’s approach to fix schools is “No Child Left Behind,” what is happening is the opposite; therefore, NCLB must be amended to meet the needs of the children and the intended goals.

—Lindy Fox
Sociology junior

Tolerance lacking on campus

According to the Fresno State Collegian story “Peaceful demonstration brings out students—preacher not present,” (Feb. 15), hundreds of students demonstrated at the Free Speech Area on Monday February 13.

The demonstration organized by Breanne Slimick, leader of People Organize for Women’s Power, was “inspired by Pastor Anthony Munoz and what organizers consider his hate speech”.

Pastor Munoz has been preaching at the CSU Fresno Free Speech Area for several years. But problems began when he openly declared himself against same-sex marriages.

He has been preaching that marriages should be only between a man and a woman. But his statements initiated heated arguments between him and students and prompted the demonstration. The goal of the demonstration was to send a message of love and peace.

Munoz’s sermons turn passionate when he preaches against same sex marriages, but his main message focuses on God’s love. He encourages students to say no to sin.

Unfortunately, while preaching against pornography, a student placed a Playboy magazine in front of him. “Put that away and repent,” Munoz said, but the student laughed.

Munoz does create tension with his preaching but in doing so, he is not promoting hate. Tension can be good because it forces people to change. Pastor Munoz uses tension to protest against what he considers biblically wrong. But the problem is that both parties are stuck with the Bible’s metaphor, they don’t understand God’s love message.

Pastor Munoz should keep preaching to honor the first amendment to the constitution. Students too should express their opinions. But both parties should be respectful. Most important, both parties need to learn the virtue of love, patience and tolerance.

— Gildardo Oregel
Sociology transfer student

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