Women can stand on their own two feet
I was appalled as I read the article about bus-riding Wednesday, as was every female counter-part I consulted. Women are NOT forced to “suffer day to day with no relief coming toward them from men.” All the strong, empowered women I know can hold off texting for the short bus ride, keep their books in their backpack, and manage their iPod with one hand and the handrail with their other! It’s really not that difficult.
Men, if you want to keep your bus seat, do it! You have the right to be sitting just as every physically capable woman does. Obviously I encourage mutual respect and courtesy, and acknowledge that we can ALL hold doors for others, or offer our seats to those who really need them, but the sense of entitlement in your article and the harsh language used towards men was deplorable. If you are lazy, admit that. Don’t brand men as “lazy males [who] sit comfortably while their female counterparts struggle.” Please, we are not helpless, and we can manage to stand on the bus. I am unsure where your ideology that “someone else should be holding [your] books for [you] and that same someone should give his seat to [you]” comes from? I hope next time you’ll speak for yourself rather than label all women as “struggling,” and “suffering.” We don’t all feel as helpless and entitled as your article made you seem Ms. Russell.
Krista Prince
Assistant Rape Prevention Education Coordinator
Responsible women can stand as equals
As a woman, I find the opinions in “Give up Your Bus Seats, Gentlemen” offensive and demeaning. Women have been fighting for equal rights in America and overcoming vast amounts of chauvinism and self-deprecating ideals since the country was founded. Today, women are still fighting for equality, not in spite of, but because we are independent, capable and more than able to stand up on the bus without the pity or help of men. Demanding that men give up their seats to women is sexist and detracts from all the work that women have done in the past 250 years.
The author of the article, Antoinette Russell paints an image of women who are weak and unable to hold their own against men when she says: “I am tired of seeing women suffer day to day under pressure — with no relief coming toward them from men who can make their day more bearable…” To be equal means that women shoulder the responsibility to take care of themselves instead of relying on men to do it for them.
Russell claims that chivalry is on life support, but she refers to the archaic type of chivalry. The definition of chivalrous, according to dictionary.com is: having courage, courtesy, and loyalty. Is it not possible that in our modern day and age, men would be more courteous to consider women as equals instead of the frail helpless things Russell describes who need a man to be able to make it through the day?
Katherine Sullivan
sophomore, psychology
Wear your pink
As a senior and a proud N.C. Stater I was disappointed today at the lack of pink I saw on main and centennial campus. After seeing the camaraderie of students at the Carolina Campout in 10 degree weather I was saddened at the lack of recognition for a great woman who devoted her life to N.C. State and to finding a cure for breast cancer. I hope that Reynolds on Thursday and the RBC center on Saturday are completely pink and our student body will show up for its second chance to show their respect for Kay Yow.
Megan Westbrook
senior, textile and apparel management
Stop superfluous University spending
This letter is not questioning the existence of our economic downturn, it is a question of whether or not our beloved university is taking this crisis seriously.
Via e-mail, I have recieved two recent e-mails from the NCSU bookstore telling me that they are selling BEAT THE —- t-shirts for what most students would acknowledge as minor basketball games. For homecoming, the order of specialty shirts is understandable but for these…is it really necessary?
Unnecessary T-shirts are just the beginning of my question of spending integrity.
Another prominent example of seemingly irresponsible spending is the expansion of the Wolfline bus system. Longer hours and more buses? As far as I know, the only transportation needs were for on-campus buses such as the Wolflink (correct me if I’m wrong). For the students riding those buses it should only be a minor inconvenience to have to walk to class and if they are late (as I have been) the bus makes little difference in timing on campus. So why then are we expanding with money we have not got? Budget cuts are sucking the life out of departments who need the funds to improve academia and morale.
“We’re sorry students, but due to our University’s need for superfluous t-shirts and extra unnecessary buses we have to cancel sections of pertinent courses that determine when you graduate. In addition, we also have to take your last three paychecks from that job you barely have time for so that you can have those mandatory textbooks.”
I do not appreciate seeing my tuition go through the roof for ‘benefits’ we hardly, if ever, see. On top of that, it is a primary duty of the university to aid its students, right? So why can’t we RENT textbooks instead of having to buy at full price and sell for half that or less? Students are the heart, soul and life of this university and we are sick of being short-ended. Someone please tell me where the money is!!!
Alex Blalock
senior, technology education and graphic communication
