Al-Arian supportdisappoints student

I am disappointed at how many students are supporting an indicted terrorist. Of course, I am speaking of the recently fired (it’s about time) professor, Sami Al-Arian. However, I am not surprised whatsoever at the stance the American Association of University Professors is taking, considering that they are made up primarily of anti-capitalist, anti-America and socialist or liberal professors. This group would basically support anyone who served to undermine this great country.

But as I said before, I am very disappointed to see my fellow students buying into this coward’s obvious lies. This man has made it abundantly clear that he hates Israel. I don’t think I am taking “death to Israel” out of context, and it has been proven that he is in charge of funding the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a group of extremists dedicated to killing innocent Israelis. This is a known terrorist organization, and I would like to remind the Al-Arian supporters that we are in the middle of fighting a “war on terror.”

What really amazes me is how the AAUP and others are stating that Al-Arian’s academic freedom is being violated. Would that be the freedom to launder money in order to fund a terrorist group, or maybe the right to raise financial support to help kill innocents? Since when does any of this fall under academic freedom?

No longer will this man hide behind his hunger strike. No longer will we have to stand for terrorism at our university. No longer will this man be allowed to tarnish the word “freedom.” It is time, Dr. Al-Arian, for you to be accountable for your actions — starting with your termination as a professor and ending with your court sentence.

Joseph Barbarossa is a junior majoring in management information systems.

Gov. Bush shouldsacrifice for budget

This letter is in response to Gov. Jeb Bush’s proposal to dismantle and relocate the state library books and materials to Nova Southeastern University to save money. Thousands of out-of-print books take up a lot of room downtown, but so does the governor’s mansion.

Instead, I propose we relocate the governor’s mansion to Railroad Square Industrial Park off Gaines Street in Tallahassee. It is centrally located a few blocks from the capital and the rent is very affordable. Jeb and his family can move into one of the many small unairconditioned warehouse units they have available.

Now sure, there isn’t any regularly available showering facility present, but the troops over in Iraq aren’t showering on a regular basis either. Besides, just think how much money Jeb and his family would save the state of Florida by their small sacrifice.

By choosing to shower at a local fitness gym to accommodate his new living situation at Railroad Square, Jeb could then afford to choose to keep the state library open just the way it is and not deny thousands of north Floridians access to volumes of information and irreplaceable books.

Mary Spearing is a Tampa resident.