Check the facts
Dear Editor:
In response to Bill Maas’ charge of liberal bias, I would argue the quote he selected is quite true based on statistics. In fact, in St. Louis City, Senator Kerry carried 80 percent of the votes, and in St. Louis County, Kerry commanded a ten-point lead on President Bush. And aside from (maybe) Kansas City, Bush won every other precinct. So then wouldn’t the characterization of St. Louis as a blue dot in a sea of red be factually accurate? I can’t assert that StudLife has never slipped in its editorial candor to allow a polarized viewpoint; however, I suggest Mr. Maas cry “liberal bias” when it does, in fact, occur.
Jon Rayfield
Class of 2003, Arts and Sciences
Learn what “liberal bias” means
Dear Editor:
It’s always a “harbinger” of the fall to receive the first e-mail edition of Student Life. There is always something worth reading and something that makes me wonder if allowing cable TV in the dorms was a good idea. I say this after reading Bill Maas’ letter in your first issue. Perhaps Mr. Maas (Class of 2006)ÿcan tell us why the statement “Yet while Bush took the state of Missouri, St. Louis remained a blue dot in the sea of red Missouri” shows a “liberal bias”?
Mr. Maas and hisÿright-wing fellow travelers in the Class of 2006 who watch Fox News, listen to Rush “Oxycontin” Limbaugh and love Reverend “Assassinate First, Explain Later” Robertson should use their four years at this great University to learn to think for themselves and understand what a term means instead of simply parrotingÿthe words of their leaders.
If the sentence had read,ÿ”St. Louis is an oasis of blue in the midst of a red sea of right-wingers who watch Fox News, listen to Rush “Oxycontin” Limbaugh and love Reverend “Assassinate First, Explain Later” Robertson,” that would have been an indication of liberal bias that I certainly hope I had a small part in instilling in this newspaper. Back when I was an undergrad we had some pretty conservative students who could think for themselves-I guess that’s changed under the new affirmative action policies, which seem to be admitting students based on their wealth, social status, political orientation and the need to have students from 47 states.
Norman Pressman
Class of 1970
Student Life Editor 1969