Middle east conflict not about religion

First of all, I've wanted to tell you all "kudos" for a paper that gets more interesting and mature each week. Congrats and thank you! I know it means something because I hear people repeat things I've read in the paper (recently someone passed details of the transfer article on to me).

I also have meant to write ever since your Middle East article, which I appreciated very much. It was clear that you had done a lot of research. The one thing I took issue with was the religious paradigm you used to frame the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. While it is true that some Israelis relate to the land in a religious context, the primary motivator for Palestinians is not a matter of religion at all. Nor is religion a motivator for the Israeli government. This conflict is about land, its administration, and access to resources. I believe this is an important distinction because so much religious rhetoric surrounds our discourse when it comes to the Middle East. It's easy for people to turn off to the details if it's presented as a fit for something they think they understand already.

Thank you for all your hard work this quarter. I look forward to the spring issues and wish you all the best for your finals and time off.

Sierra Zweig
Art & Psychology student

Smoking on campus should be banned

The Clipper's recent statement that smoking "will ultimately be a student body decision" inexplicably sidesteps a higher-level question: How can tobacco use *anywhere* on campus be allowed in the first place?

EvCC clearly has no areas for, or tolerance of, alcohol and illegal drug use. So then what possible justification can anyone make to allow areas on campus for using the wildly addictive, cardiopulmonary carcinogens in tobacco?

Is it possible that the banal, pedestrian stance "Dude, smoking is just like, you know, something that people do" somehow influences campus policy decisions on this issue? If so, acceptance of that stance is, inarguably, little less than irrational.

Jim Nevermann
Spring quarter '09 student