READERS VIEWS

Not all publishers make textbooks unaffordable

I agree that students are getting bilked on some textbooks, but not all textbook publishers are evil. Hopefully I'll be considered one of the good guys. I'm a UCF alumnus and one of my books (The Sales Manager's MENTOR, 2nd Edition) is used for a sales track course in the College of Business. I purposely priced my book at one-fourth to one-third what most students have to pay for their primary textbook. The only reason a student wouldn't sell this particular book back after the class is because they can continue to use the info when they get a job after graduation, as many have. Why? My book is practical, real-world knowledge. Most textbooks are purely academic theory ... and therefore have limited use after the class is over. Maybe lifetime value of a book buyer is something the big publishers should consider. I know what it's like to be in a student's shoes and I refuse to take advantage of anyone. I even donate a percentage of the meager profits from the book back to the student-led Sales Club. Hopefully these type of values present a positive role model to the students.

Jeff Lehman

Seattle, WA

Reader rejects negative comic book accusation

In response to Eric Woodard's column on A Comics Shop, I must submit a clarification. Being that Coliseum of Comic was mentioned three times in the article with a very negative connotation claiming that a chain of stores offered Aaron Haaland - a pittance for his store - made it seem that Coliseum was the offending party. This is simply not true; Coliseum of Comics has never offered to purchase A Comic Shop and were we to do so, I doubt that we would enter into such negotiations by insulting the party with whom we were trying to partner.

I also find it a bit disturbing that when a company is mentioned three times in an article that said company was not at minimum contacted for a comment. This is especially worrisome when comparisons are made to Wal-Mart and accusations are made of the stores being "not organized," both of which I completely reject.

Phil Boyle

UCF '83

Misuse of holy cracker

disrespectful to some

It is not a cracker; it is the Body of Christ. I looked to the Central Florida Future in the days after the incident and nothing was mentioned, now you come along with your insulting editorial and demonstrate that not only is this SGA senator a poor example of UCF students, the editor of the newspaper is a classless boor.

I have not seen any of the death threats - emails, phone calls, no evidence has been provided to any news organization, and no complaint has been filed according to the university police so we only have the word of Mr. Cook, and judging from his recent actions I don't feel that he is truthful. He has changed his story from profaning the Eucharist as a political stunt to protest student fees being used to fund campus ministries, to some prevarication about wanting to teach a friend about the Catholic faith.

I hold that Webster Cook is a liar, and a very poor one at that. He has offended hundreds of thousands of people and is digging a hole deeper and deeper with his lies.

True Catholics are praying for Mr. Cook and his family. What he did was sacrilege, as is your flippant use of the term "holy cracker." A journalist, even when composing an editorial, adheres to a professional code of conduct that prohibits disparaging anyone's faith or beliefs. You sir are no journalist, you are an insolent child with a bully pulpit.

It is remarkably sad that UCF has students this small-minded that they would purposely insult another's religion. I hope you and Mr. Cook are not representative of the entire student body. It makes me ashamed to call myself an alumnus.

Matthew O'Neil

UCF alumnus

Humans must learn to accept differing beliefs

Mr. Riley, your argument has missed the point entirely. Your attempt at neutrality and objectivity, though admirable, has blinded you from seeing the true issues the incident manifests.

UCF prides itself on fostering the development of students' lives, either academically, intellectually, physically, socially or spiritually. Higher education is not solely about by-the-books learning; rather, it is supposed to teach students about life in general. It just so happens that there are some students who desire to enhance or augment the spiritual side to their lives.

The university's fairness should allow them to contribute to this aspect of life without fear of public outcry, but apparently it does not. Sen. Cook, who blatantly disrespected a religion and its most cherished Sacrament, happens to think otherwise. He felt it necessary to go into a sacred gathering and violate it without second thought or remorse, utterly disregarding people's beliefs in their very own place of worship.

Unfortunately, this disrespect is evident in your article, Mr. Riley. By degrading the Eucharist into nothing more than a "holy cracker," you contributed to the growing epidemic of intolerance and disrespect that plagues the world.

If we as civilized human beings cannot learn to respect each other and accept each other's beliefs in a reasonable manner, how then can we continue living in this world? Instead of acting like children, we should accept the fact that there will be differences among us. As long as those differences don't lead to the harm or death of another, then what's the big deal?

Alex Padilla II

Philosophy

Victims of marijuana do not share casual attitude

Ben Badio is the only person I've heard about who favors continuing a Reefer Madness marijuana policy to preserve a counterculture life style. Apparently continuing to ruin students lives and continuing to put "some of the nicest, most intelligent people" he knows in prison is OK if it keeps the marijuana culture going.