Jonathan Deesing ("Gun love is fueled by fear," April 22), is living in a world where the sun is always shining and birds are always chirping, but back in the real world, there are plenty of things to fear. What is wrong with dreading your security system going off in the middle of the night, or fearing what might happen if you get too close to Pioneer Park one night?

The best part of Drew Thompson's story ("Med school looks to offset cuts," April 22), was not in the description of our medical school's budget cuts and not in the details of possible governmental or administrative "solutions." It was in the last paragraph where Thompson describes the reaction of Bill Shelton, the applicant: "He plans to take the (MCAT) again and hope for better results next year."

I consider these to be the most valuable courses I took at the U! I have used the information from these courses everyday! Taking a financial literacy course like FCS 3450 or FINAN 1200 would be a huge benefit to students.

If Jim Matheson wants to keep kids off of ATVs he better come up with better reasons. Not, for example, banning the sale of youth ATVs because they contain lead, as the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act does.

Designating portions of property anywhere as a place where one cannot freely express disdain for the sexual conduct of one's peers is morally and legally incorrect, except in private settings (property rights). If Li and others who maintain minority opinions, morays and sexual preferences demand what she calls "respect and consideration," they will allow the strengths of their opinions to be tested in the minds of listeners, not in the administration buildings.

Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan gets it: "At a time when our economy is in crisis, we cannot afford unnecessary regulations that do nothing to protect our children but harm small businesses and motorized recreation."

In the meantime, parents who rely on thrift and resale shops to outfit and equip their kids are slowly but surely being deprived of their options. Resale shops across the country, including Goodwill, are discontinuing the resale of children's clothing and toys for fear of being sent to prison for selling one of these "banned, hazardous" items.

I believe people engaging in the open and uninhibited8212;indeed free8212;pursuit of knowledge and personal improvement at our university is a far greater and more appropriate tribute to the ideals of our nation and its founding than any recitation session could ever hope to be.