Beauty is in the eye of the beholder Editor:

I was very happy to see the artworks added to the campus this year, and quite disappointed in the vandalism of the Technicolor Heart. The beauty of art is not just in the perception of the beholder, but it also displays the beauty of individual expression, and freedom to interpret and display the artists’ unique way of viewing the world. Art opens our eyes to other perspectives and possibilities we may never have imagined otherwise. I am happy to see that WSU has invested in the artistic atmosphere on campus. I feel we should respect others willing to share their vision, and appreciate the atmosphere these art works provide. Not everyone agrees what art is, but that is the beauty of individuality and freedom that we all share. I, for one say, leave the Technicolor Heart alone!

Pat Lukens WSU Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory Evergreen ignores imprortant story Editor:

Normally we do not care too much for the elevation of sports over politics, dog shows, or any other Greek engagements in your paper. But earlier this week we were disturbed, appalled, and driven to tears over your coverage of Mr. James McSwain’s athletic endeavor. Have the works of Jackie Robinson, Paul Robeson, or even Jesse Owens changed anything? Did the Evergreen even notice that he ran the second fastest time in the WORLD this year? I am one-hundred percent sure that no one else on this campus, let alone the rest of the world (except for the guy from Australia) could run as fast as James McSwain. So why was possibly the biggest sports story of this entire academic year not given front page coverage? Honestly, the small paragraph shoved next to a baseball or football story was not nearly enough. Either the Evergreen does not care about track and field because it does not produce the revenue of football or James McSwain’s high melanin levels are too much for front page coverage. Is it too much to ask to have a picture of the second fastest man in the world this year on the front page so that he can get the recognition that he so aptly deserves ... NO! We do not want sports to seem more important than other facets of life, but this is a big deal and we will be the second (after the Pac-10) to recognize that it really is an incredible feat. So next time something that relates to WSU on global scale occurs, please try to make it front-page news.

Jonathan Augustavo junior, communication Drew Triplett junior, history Play served no purpose, shows a bigger problem Editor:

Congratulations to Christopher Lee for finding a way to put on his play, “Passion of the Musical,” filled with hate speech. While everyone should have the right to free speech, hate speech should be vehemently fought against. This is why I applaud the students and staff that chose to speak out on Thursday night. Though it was inferred that his play is racy and controversial, Lee had no set purpose with his art except to laugh at the racism and stereotypes that prevail in society – the things that keep marginalized people from working towards equality. From the laughing at caucasians using words derogatory to blacks – the “N” word – to laughing at the socioeconomic status for many Mexican-Americans (portraying a person in a sombrero as a janitor) to the many more racist, patriarchal and homophobic hate speech items, Lee has shown his lack of understanding. It should be known to the ignorant cast, crew and audience members that enjoyed Lee’s play that this production would get a lot more than opposition than was shown Thursday night had it been in a more diverse community. On a campus that dismisses racial harassment as “adolescent behavior,” it is no wonder that Chris Lee was able to show his play, as well as get it sponsored. It should be known that Chris Lee and his play do not represent communities of color – at least not the historically conscious ones – at Washington State University. Instead, his views and his play represent the ignorance that is overt in the WSU community, as well as the distance that WSU needs to cover in starting to address the systemic problems.

Stephen Bischoff Retention Counselor, WSU Asian American and Pacific Islander Student Center Reavis, Evergreen make irresponsible claims Editor: The factual errors and distortions regarding Israel in the Jim Reavis editorial of April 22 was a new low even for the Evergreen. The irresponsible claims that Israel has “murdered millions of Palestinians” and that Palestinians don’t have a right to vote in Israel or the Palestinian territories only serves to further polarize and distort the situation.  I challenge Reavis to show one source that documents “millions of Palestinians murdered.” I don’t believe that even the most egregiously anti-Semitic sources push that claim.  He should also educate himself on the fact that Palestinian citizens of Israel have more freedoms and voting rights than Palestinians living in any other country in the Middle East. Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza were, for years, denied voting rights and freedom of speech by their own terrorist dominated government led by Yasser Arafat. If the Evergreen wishes to editorialize about foreign policy, please choose someone a little more informed.

Bruce Austin WSU Social and Economic Sciences Research Center