Charging innocent students for damage is unfair

Say instead of vandalism there was a murder in the Quad. We don’t know exactly who did it, so shouldn’t we just sentence everyone to life in prison? Charging everyone in the vandalism situation in Becton is the dumbest thing that I have ever heard of.

Brandon Spence

junior, business management

[Editor’s note: the word length for this letter has been waived.]

Dawkins has worked hard as student body president

As student body president, it is sometimes hard to defend ones self against public attacks on your character or the quality of your work.  Thursday’s cartoon about Student Body President Jay Dawkins’ lack of focus and impact on the student body was more confusing to me than anything else. I simply never saw the lack of dedication during those countless, sleepless nights he spent up in the SG Office or during the hundreds of meetings he attended to represent the students of the University both as their president and as an interested student himself. 

Of all the questions I might have of Jay, from his less than stellar Technician sports picks to his like for certain kinds of techno music, his dedication to this school has never been one of them. Jay has always had the thoughts and concerns of those he serves at the forefront of his own.

As to his impact, that’s ultimately for the student body to decide. Personally, I witnessed him reform our student ticketing system, ensuring that the most dedicated fans had the best chance at getting a ticket and those without one could still make it into Carter-Finley Stadium using a standby line. He led student leaders from around campus in drafting a response to hate speech before the “Free Expression Tunnel Incident” ever occurred and then led hundreds after in a rally confirming that response across our campus.  And most recently, after years of prior student attempts, he got the wheels rolling on a night time bus service that connects our campus and its students to the fun and excitement of Raleigh’s downtown. 

Jay has served our campus and it’s students well throughout his term, and I know that I’m far from being the only one that believes that. So, while I think it’s great to see a cartoonist with such an active imagination, I think this one should probably study his subject a little better next time.

Joseph Davis

senior, business administration

Student Government executive chief of staff

Bascombe’s quotes misinterpreted

Similar to my fellow student body president opponent, Jim Ceresnak, I, too, believe that this is an opportunity for students to actively voice their concerns related to the University and unite to create a comfortable learning environment.

I first want to apologize for the misinterpreted quotes cited in the Technician on March 17. The intention of my original statement did not target an individual campaign or group of supporters, but simply stated the irony that certain advertisements appeared relatively unaffected by the weather and miscellaneous factors. I have faith that my fellow candidates have not, and will not, engage in dishonest campaign tactics. That being said, we must hold people accountable for inappropriate behavior to ensure a fair and just election.

I am committed to serving as the voice for the student body and willing to take responsibility, as a leader among leaders, to ensure we continue to promote the mission, vision and goals of this prestigious University. I promise to remain an honest and trustworthy candidate throughout this campaign and potentially as your student body president. Please encourage all your fellow students to participate in the election to guarantee the most qualified and experienced candidate represents the student body.

Kornelius Bascombe

sophomore, criminology

student body president candidate

‘Watchmen’ does not support rape

Joshua Hamilton’s comments on Watchmen are so far off base that it is obvious he did not understand the purpose of the Comedian’s character.  He is not called “Comedian” because he is supposed to be funny or evoke laughter.  He is Comedian because he has taken the world and human nature at face value and made his persona into a satire of what he sees around him. He was not meant to be viewed as a valiant and chivalrous hero the way Superman and Batman are. Josh’s comment “the Comedian is supposed to be a superhero sends a very bad message to today’s youth…” is funny to me considering this is an “R” movie.  If kids end up seeing it anyway then it’s up to their parents to discuss the severity of rape and encourage their children not to act like Comedian, or to just keep their kids from seeing “R” rated movies in the first place. Watchmen is not a superhero story but an intricate look into the nature of humanity that just happens to have a few people running around in masks and capes.

Ben Mazur

senior, religious studies