For our final editorial of the semester, the Spectrum editorial board would like to touch on a variety of issues:
The Student-Wide Judiciary: The handling of the case against Zheng Hao Ma is a disgrace to due process and the rights of students. This case should have been very easy; he confessed to a crime, and he should have been punished swiftly and accordingly. Unfortunately, this case has been dragged out over many semesters. Ma's rights have been infringed upon, and SWJ has backed itself into a corner with no way out. The irony is this: The New York State Supreme Court overturned the last hearing because it infringed upon Ma's right to a fair and speedy trial, and yet SWJ maintains that Ma must be punished for his crimes, better late than never.
Creekside Village: At the beginning of the academic year, many students were excited to move into the new, beautiful houses. Since they were built under the scrutiny of the Green Project, there were many specifications that were unknown to the residents, such as the limits on how low the air conditioning can be set and how high the heat can go. While it was a minor inconvenience in the summertime, many residents are slowly becoming aware that they cannot heat their homes adequately. The Creekside Village office put up a sign informing students that just by asking, settings could be changed to allow for heat over 69 degrees. It was an egregious oversight to think that residents would not want heat in the winter, especially since they are paying more rent than residents of the other on-campus apartments, which do not have restrictions on utilities.
Biofend: Wednesday's New York Times reported that Biofend, a Buffalo chemical company, randomly called residents after the terrorist cell was captured in Lackawanna and told the residents that "crisis kits" - containing a pill for protection in the event of nuclear attack - were important for survival and could be purchased for $29.99. New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer filed a court order against the company, but the fine he is asking is not enough. This company had the gall to use fear of terror and war to sell its product, and those responsible should face the same punishment as terrorists who aim to strike fear in the hearts of citizens. Companies like this give all drug companies a bad name, and their lack of consideration should cost them dearly.
Organ Transplants: The debate of who deserves transplants the most is a very troubling one. The list of needy recipients grows while the donors remain at a premium. It is unfortunate to note that convicted felons, often on death row, are receiving life-saving transplants ahead of productive members of society. These criminals should not be eligible for transplants at the expense of the state when not all law-abiding citizens have health insurance. Furthermore, it is senseless to give an organ to someone on death row when a child can reap lifelong benefits from the donation.
President George W. Bush: We would be remiss if we did not mention some of the terrible policies enacted by the commander in chief this week. The pandering to special interest groups and running a government to funnel the funds of the middle class into the rich inner circle is best shown by Bush's decision to reinstate cash bonuses to political appointees - a practice that former president William J. Clinton stopped after it was abused by the administration of President George H. W. Bush. While the argument is that good work of any sort deserves to be rewarded, it is criminal to think that those already making six figures a year need to get a bigger boost at the expense of other, poorer members of the government.
