STILL SEARCHING
My brother is Garrett Bardsley, the scout that has been missing for four weeks in the Uinta Mountains. I?ve read the articles you have written about it, and I appreciate you guys for getting the news out there. I was wondering if you guys could do my family a huge favor. We are still searching for his body and we still need volunteers to help us but we are getting less and less each time we go up to search. I was wondering if you guys would be willing to put an article on the front page about the need for volunteers and the web site (findgarrett.org) we started to help in the search effort. My family and I need closure and the only way we?re going to get the closure is to find Garrett?s body. We feel that there are many students at BYU that would be willing to help if they had more information. Anything will help. Thank you so much.
Courtney Bardsley
Elk Ridge, Utah
STOP THE GUILTY PRESS
The Daily Universe and Marion Crawford showed themselves to be, at best, absolute fools and, at worst, intentionally subversive of law and morality by publishing the article of Sept. 17 regarding their interview with Robert Kartchner. Indeed, even accepting the opportunity for the ?special interview? moved well below understandable college-student naivety. Nothing in that article provided the public with useful information and everything in it seemed to be intended to gain sympathy for a man who has been justly convicted of kidnapping and attempted murder.
I am the father of 5 boys and the uncle of one of Kartchner?s victims. I sincerely pray that such ?journalism? does not include in its readership men similar to Kartchner who are now better armed with rationalizations and justifications for future crimes they intend to commit on my children in an effort to ?be friends.?
I would like to think the Universe and Crawford are simply unwitting participants in the terrible scheme of Kartchner?s attorneys, but clever use of the tools of journalism exhibited throughout the article (which I will happily list if asked) make that very difficult to believe. I have never before been so ashamed to be associated with the Daily Universe.
Karl Hale
BYU Assistant to Dean of Students
for Information Technology
FOURTH AND 29
I for one, realize why the administration got rid of Val Hale, and I agree with their decision. It was a warning to Gary Crowton. Hale and Crowton, who are good friends, have turned BYU football into a mockery. BYU went from a nationally respected program to the bottom of the Mountain West, but I guess that was OK as long as Hale?s son got time at wide receiver. Who else could be responsible for the transformation? BYU should have fired them both last year, but the university respects contracts more than that. So the lesson to take from this, either get us to a bowl game or find another job come December, Crowton.
Craig Robison
Las Vegas
MOORE AGAIN
I would like to praise UVSC?s decision to invite Michael Moore to speak in Utah. This is my third year at BYU and of all the places I have been and lived, the people I have associated with during this time have been the most intolerant and closed-minded people I have ever met. I am thoroughly ashamed to be associated with so-called Latter-day ?Saints,? who not only do have no repect for other?s opinions but believe that their own opinions are somehow superior because of their faith. These people (who in my opinion constitute the majority of the LDS population) continue to disregard continual Church statements of bipartisanship by suggesting that those who do not belong to the only ?true? party are not as faithful or as my sister was once told ?do not understand the doctrine [of the LDS church].? Although everyone here may not agree with what Michael Moore has to say, Latter-day Saints should be more open to other ideas and opinions.
Daniel Clark
Washington Crossing, Pa.
While I do not agree with Michael Moore?s viewpoints, I am not offended that he is speaking at UVSC. Part of a college education is broadening your mind. Simply because we may not agree with everyone over how the nation ought to be run does not mean that it is not important to listen to opposing views. There are many diverse opinions in America, and in order to govern ourselves democratically we need to learn how to compromise with those who do not share our opinions. Chanting party rhetoric will not create legislation. The beauty of a democracy is that people with diverse opinions can come together in compromise and govern a nation. Discussion of issues is an important aspect of the democratic process and one I enthusiastically support, even if it means that I am exposed to contrasting viewpoints.
Jacob Belk
Payson
I find it somewhat ironic that Mr. Vreeland (Readers? Forum Thursday, September 16) refers to Michael Moore as ?an uneducated, anti-government speaker? who shouldn?t be allowed to speak to an ?educational audience.? Upon further research we learn Mr. Moore attended the University of Michigan in Flint, much the same that Sean Vreeland and myself are attending school now. To me it seems far more uneducated to want to stop someone from speaking simply because their opinion differs from your own. Michael Moore is undoubtedly controversial and likewise undoubtedly popular. The venue he is speaking at will more than cover costs even if people such as Mr. Vreeland refuse to attend. I do not necessarily agree with Michael Moore?s viewpoints, but I am willing to here them despite. And you can add my $10 toward the cost of breaking even, because I will be attending.
Marshall Burningham
Riverton
SOBERING TOLERANCE
I was appalled today when my friends from out of town told me what happened during the Notre Dame and USC games. At both games, they were seated in the visiting team sections in the end zones. During the Notre Dame game, visiting fans were consuming beer in front of everyone. At the USC game the people around them were not only consuming beer, but hard liquor. At the USC game, they reported the activity to the orange shirts who told them they would keep an eye on the group and if there was any trouble, they would intervene in any fights. Isn?t this going beyond tolerance? And we BYU fans are not supposed to boo when a ref makes a bad call? I?m confused! By the way, my wife didn?t bring her student id card with her and we got nailed for a $5 surcharge to enter the game. I?m glad we?re on top of that one but miss the beer and booze.
Kelly Grieve
Springville
Unreligious politics
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is perfect. Unfortunately, I have noticed in myself and in others the tendency to believe that one political party is perfect as well. Religion is of God and political parties are of men. Unlike the Gospel, there is not one political party that is absolutely correct and perfect. The Church does not endorse one party over another. This year, as we go about getting the leader we want elected, please respect the political views of others.
Traci Seifert
Sonora, Calif.
